Exercise guide
Kneeling Thread The Needle
- Beginner
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Back
- Shoulders
- Waist
This dynamic mobility exercise improves thoracic spine rotation and shoulder flexibility while relieving tension in the upper back and neck. It effectively integrates the obliques and deltoids through a controlled rotational movement pattern.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Begin on all fours in a quadruped position with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Engage your core to maintain a flat, neutral spine and keep your gaze directed at the floor.
- Distribute your weight evenly across your palms and knees.
How to do it
- Inhale and reach one arm up toward the ceiling, rotating your chest and following your hand with your eyes.
- Exhale as you 'thread' that arm underneath your chest and across to the opposite side, sliding the back of your hand along the floor.
- Lower your shoulder and ear toward the mat as far as comfortable, feeling a stretch through the back of the shoulder and upper back.
- Inhale to unthread the arm and return to the starting position, then repeat or switch sides.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips square and stacked over your knees; do not let them shift to the side as you rotate.
- Follow the moving hand with your gaze to ensure the neck rotates in sync with the upper back.
- Maintain a slight bend in the supporting elbow to avoid joint lockout.
- Move slowly and with control, focusing on the stretch rather than speed.
Pro tips
- Push the floor away with your supporting hand to create more space for your torso to rotate.
- Think about lengthening your spine from your tailbone to the crown of your head to maximize the decompression of the vertebrae during the twist.
Make it harder
- Extend the leg opposite to the reaching arm straight back to add a significant core stability and balance challenge.
- At the bottom of the movement, crawl the fingertips of your stationary hand forward to deepen the stretch in the lats and side body.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the kneeling thread the needle work?
- The kneeling thread the needle primarily targets the lats, obliques, and trapezius, and also works the abs and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the kneeling thread the needle?
- The kneeling thread the needle requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the kneeling thread the needle good for beginners?
- Yes. The kneeling thread the needle is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.