What are Rotations?
Unlike spirals, rotations are a bit more controlled. They generally involve a fixed point where the movement occurs either above or below the area moving.
So, for example, in this quick video, David is rotating his upper body with shoulder joint movement while the lower body remains still. To challenge it, he’s adding in a reverse lunge – but the rotation emphasis is still on the upper body, which contributes to the challenge of the full exercises.
What are Spirals?
Spirals are movements that begin in one region of the body and then continue either above or below the initial section.
This video shows how the movement begins in the lower body (specifically, the spine and pelvic region). It then moves into the opposite hip, pelvis and eventually full spine along with (if you listen to the cues) a subtle push/pull pattern in the arms. In this way, the spiral is expanding so that the entire body is active and involved in this particular, kneeling position.