Short video clip (part 7 of 7 in an AXON series) in which Justin Andrews demonstrates an advanced thoracic mobility exercise — the windmill stretch — while Josh Trent interviews. Justin gives step-by-step movement cues (wide stance, hinge at hips, rotate, focus point down, shift weight to heels, squeeze shoulder blades, rock side-to-side for flow). The clip also describes a handheld tool (Axon production-model stick) used to guide position: sensing end with rounded tip, bamboo material, and a charging station/housing. Justin frames Axon as a tool for deconditioned individuals to begin moving, build recruitment patterns, and progress to more activity; Josh notes progress-tracking via an app and points viewers to the full podcast and related videos.
Questions this video answers
AXON Part 7 of 7 | Advanced Thoracic Mobility: Using The Windmill Stretch
Josh Trent and Justin Andrews
December 21, 2017
The windmill stretch
Bamboo
So we're going to learn about the axon fit with the windmill stretch with Justin Andrews. Justin, can you take us through it?
This one's a little more challenging. Okay. So it's going to expose a lot of whether or not your abilities for rotation, especially in the upper thoracic, a lot of people don't have that ability. And this is one of those stretches where we can work on that while also using a tool. So this can actually help to guide my body into position a little bit better. And that's what I love about the stick. It creates an access point for me to focus on and then direct my body around. So I'm going to go ahead and bring this stick behind my back, and I'm going to go get in a wide stance with my feet. So I'm going to pick a side here. I'm going to go ahead and and choose on my left side here. I'm going to hinge my hips back. And now I'm going to turn. I'm going to focus this point down to the ground as I'm down here. Now I want to shift my weight back onto the heels, and I want to pull and rotate into that stretch.
Are you squeezing your shoulders together here or no?
Yes, I am squeezing my shoulder blades in to pull and get my chest through. And then you can also, to make a more of a mobility flow out of this, I will tend to rock a bit side to side and get some nice flow patterns to go with that as well. So a lot of cool ways you can use the stick and to help enhance your overall movement and abilities even more. And what's great. So now Josh is holding what is definitely going to look like our production model. As you can see, this end will be the sensing end, and it has a nice kind of a feel and texture to it. It's rounded off. So that way, if you stick it in the corner, it's still going to register a lot of the feedback so it won't get interrupted by angles. And then the bamboo material that we use with that, it's got a nice familiar feel to it. And then the light sequence will display very similar to this, but very not so loud and bright, but very specific. And now the other end of this, you have our charging station. So it's got kind of a nice design to that as well. Where now we put it into the housing that will help it kind of stand straight up. Basically, it'll sit in your house, in your office, you know, wherever you want it to kind of live and Then it plugs in and charges up and it's ready for whenever you want to use it.
Make sure you watch the full podcast that we did with Justin and with someone else who's really smart. I won't spoil the surprise. You have to turn into the full podcast for that. But one thing I wanted to ask you. Who is this for? You know, if you met somebody in the elevator and they were like, tell me about this. What is Axon?
Like, who's it for? Oh, my God, where do I begin? I think it's for what my focus is to really reach out to that person that's deconditioned, that doesn't really know what steps to take first. And I really want to kind of lead the way. To start with the simple things. Start with just getting out and walking. Start with moving a bit more. Now we're going to get our muscles to contract a little bit more. You're going to teach your body how to create good recruitment patterns to carry you into lifting weights and get that momentum to get into the gym or at your house. This is a very convenient tool for the individual to learn about themselves and to benefit every day from.
And I think what's really cool for me, quantifying things. You get to track your progress with an app. So make sure you check out all six videos that we have posted on the YouTube channel, and we'll see you soon.
