@chad what are some recommended rotational strength exercises to go with the basic gym stuff (squats, deadlifts, overhead press, etc.)?
Rotational work is actually a really easy add, just be cautious if you plan to add it with heavy loads and/or faster movements. Some examples of how I’ve added it with a few of the exercises in my current routine are as follows:
Bent dumbbell rows - pull the elbow past the torso (end of pulling range) and continue moving by rotating the shoulder girdle away from your hip girdle a bit.
Overhead dumbbell press - as you press the weight overhead, hold the hips reasonably stable and turn your shoulder girdle as your elbow reaches lock-out.
Dumbbell box step-ups - align your body 45-90 degrees to the box, step onto the box by turning your hips, stepping up, then stepping down as you turn your hips back to your starting position, finishing where you started.
Straight-leg kettlebell deadlift - simply start/finish with the KB sitting outside of the foot opposite your KB hand, making sure not to tip your hips (losing tension on the standing leg’s hamstrings) to assist your reach; you can do this on a box (highly flexible hammys) or with the weight on a step (inflexible hammys).
Just a few examples to illustrate that it’s pretty easy to add a bit of rotation to most-freestanding, kneeling, even planking positions. Get creative, but be conservative with weight and velocity until you feel like you fully own the movement. And some movements with rotation may never need to be particularly heavy or fast–be sensible.
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