The Rotater: Basic Functional Training Equipment
August 23, 2010
I’d like to thank Ron Jones for including the Rotater in his list of Basic Functional-Training Equipment. Ron is a highly respected fitness professional with qualifications that include:
- MS, Kinesiology/Sport & Exercise Psychology from California State University, Northridge
- Health Fitness Specialist – American College of Sports Medicine
- Russian Kettlebell Instructor – Russian Kettlebell Challenge
- National Bicycle Safety Instructor – League of American Bicyclists
Ron Jones using a stability ball
Here’s what Ron has to say about the Rotater (and why he included it in this list of basic functional training equipment):
“This is a weird looking manual stretch device created by two industrial mechanics. It works great to stretch your shoulder in positions impossible to reach by yourself.”
So…if you need to increase your shoulder range of motion, then get the Rotater.
Editor of The Healthy Minute is thankful for the Rotater
July 20, 2010
“Who is Pete Genot?”
- the Founder and Editor of The Healthy Minute…a free on-line newsletter publishing the latest breakthroughs in the health industry
- Pete is a former college football player
- He has earned both Bachelors and Masters degrees from The University of Toledo
- He’s an avid a motorcycle rider
“Here are my thoughts…
Pete Genot - editor of The Healthy Minute
- I’m sure glad you included the video…I think I would have been lost if I just had to follow the diagrams on the instruction sheet.
- After a few days of watching the videos and following along with the exercises, I was able catch on. They were very easy to learn and can be done in less than 15 minutes per day.
- I have been using The Rotater along with the Strong-arm Attachment for the past 30 days, and I couldn’t be happier!
I injured my right shoulder over a year and a half ago in a bad motorcycle accident. I was traveling on the highway at 60 mph when some debris in the road caused my motorcycle to throw me over the handlebars. I flew thru the air head-over-heals, and the initial impact was on my right shoulder. This caused a severe separation of the shoulder, fractured ribs and various other bruises and abrasions. I tumbled approximately the length of a football field, passing thru the fast lane before finally landing in the center median.
My orthopedic surgeon decided against surgery, and instead recommended physical therapy. When I first started PT, I was in tremendous pain, and had very little range of motion and strength. After several months of therapy, I was able to regain about 90% of my range of motion, although I still suffered from pain and weakness. My doctor said this was something I would just have to live with the rest of my life.
So, after my insurance ran out, I continued to do my rehab at home and slowly regained much of my strength over the next year.
Although my shoulder was much stronger, there were exercises that I just could not do (like barbell bench press) because the pain was just too great. So, I limited myself to doing exercises using light enough weights and specific (limited) ranges of motion that did not cause pain.
The problem was, the more I worked out, the more range of motion I lost and the more pain I felt. Over a year after the accident, I was still feeling enough pain that is limited not only the things I enjoy doing (working out, playing basketball, playing baseball with my kids), but also “normal” activities like sleeping, putting on a shirt or combing my hair. I was resigned to the fact that I would just always be in pain and would have to live with certain physical limitations.
But that all changed when I started using The Rotater.
After doing the stretching exercises the very first day, I noticed that my shoulder really felt better. I was shocked. You see, I was pretty skeptical that this “contraption” would really be able to help me. I already exercised and did some “basic” shoulder stretches the PT taught me, so I didn’t think this funny looking piece of plastic could do any better.
Boy…I’m sure glad I was wrong!
I didn’t realize that the muscles, ligaments and tendons The Rotater helps were so different than the ones I use to do a dumbell press or lateral raise. Those exercises actually hurt, while the one I do with The Rotater give me RELIEF.
I currently use The Rotater to stretch my shoulder about 5 days per week, and I use the Strong-arm Attachment to do strengthening exercises 2 – 3 times per week.
Since I started following this program, I have improved the strength and stability of the shoulder, increased my range of motion to nearly 100% of what it was before the accident and… more importantly…have greatly reduced the amount of pain I feel in and around the shoulder.
This has allowed me to do the things I enjoy again…like shooting a basketball, throwing a baseball to my son, or lifting my 2-year old daughter in the air…without as much pain.
I owe you much thanks!”
Sincerely,
Pete Genot
http://thehealthyminute.com/
You can learn all about Pete on his Facebook page or by following him on Twitter.
Disclosure: Pete was provided with a Rotater at no charge. His testimonial was voluntary and not required.
Functional Correction – a Manual for Improvement
April 19, 2010
Look around….it seems like everyone is complaining about their physical condition:
- “my back hurts”
- “my knee hurts”
- “I just don’t have the flexibility I used to have”
So what can we do to improve our lives?
We work long hours, we’re tied to our computers, we eat poor diets and we wish we felt better.
Tim Hull - The Strength Doctor
I don’t think there is any ONE answer, but I do know that one of the answers comes from the Strength Doctor, Tim Hull.
Tim is a Licensed Manual Therapist (LMT) and Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) who has worked in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years. With his unique perspective Tim has created a program called Functional Correction to address many of the problems that you and I face everyday…stuff like:
- muscle imbalances and how to correct them
- limited flexibility
- reduced mobility
Functional Correction does what it says.
Tim takes the time to:
- explain muscle imbalances and how they affect you
- show you how to increase your mobility and decrease stiffness
- educate you for increased athletic performance
- demonstrate the exercises that will make a difference in your life
Functional Correction
The Cost of Performance
What would you be willing to pay for a program that would help you enjoy the physical condition you deserve? $99.00? $119.00?
At those prices, Functional Correction would be a bargain – but Tim is offering his program at the unbelievably low price of $29.95!! Plus, he’s providing you with a free email consultation AND a video demonstration of the many exercises that will change your life.
Do yourself a favor – visit the website and read what others are saying about Functional Correction. Here’s my disclaimer:
I was not paid in any way to endorse this product or write this review. I was given a copy of Functional Correction to evaluate.
The “take-home” message is … Functional Correction works and can help you.
Bodybuilders, Golfers, GIRD and the Rotater
March 24, 2010
I want to thank several people who are passionate about using the Rotater and spreading the word to their friends as well.
James DiMuzio – Bodybuilder and Personal Trainer
James is an accomplished bodybuilder and highly sought after personal trainer in San Diego. James was kind enough to include the Rotater in the intro of his recent video where he describes his back and hamstring training. Note – as you’ll see in this video, James is not afraid to lift some very heavy weights – and this is while dieting for his most recent competition!
Tanya Colucci – Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, and Performance Enhancement Specialist
Tanya Colucci - M.S., NASM-CPT, CES, PES
Tanya is working with a new golf client who is training for the pro tour. Among the many areas Tanya is addressing is shoulder rotation mobility – and she’s chosen to use the Rotater to help her client’s internal and external shoulder rotation mobility!
After accessing her client’s physical condition (Overhead Squat Assessment, Single Leg Squat Assessment, Modified Squat Assessments, Thoracic spine mobility testing, shoulder ROM testing), Tanya has developed an extensive program to help her client reach his goal of becoming a professional golfer – here’s a link to her program & progress: GOLF: How to improve your swing! Part 1
Dr. Jeff Cubos – Strength and Conditioning Specialist, holds the International Chiropractic Sports Science Diploma and is currently the ONLY chiropractic sports specialist in the Greater Edmonton Area.
Dr. Jeff Cubos
Dr. Cubos is passionate about working with elite athletes and believes that knowledge is the key to sports injury management, athletic development and performance.
Dr. Cubos recently posted an article on his blog titled – Are You Sleeping on the “Sleeper” Stretch? In this article, Dr. Cubos questions the current practice of prescribing the Sleeper Stretch for athletes with Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit (GIRD) of the shoulder.
Dr. Cubos includes several alternative glenohumeral positions that significantly stretch the posterior capsule of the shoulder. Two of these strategies include the use of the Rotater ( see pictures ).
How to Improve Your Shoulder ROM
January 13, 2010
Lee Taft is a speed guy – well that’s not entirely correct. He’s THE speed PLUS more, guy. As the co-owner of Sports Speed, Etc., Inc. and President of Lee Taft Speed Academy, he’s dedicated to the athletic development of young athletes. Lee boasts some pretty impressive credentials:
Lee Taft knows speed & more
- B.S. in Physical Education from Cortland State
- M.S. in Sports Science from the United States Sports Academy
- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
- Sports Performance Coach certified by USA Weightlifting
- Certified Level 1 Track and Field Coach by the USA Track & Field
- Author – “7 Points to a Championship Attitude”
- Highly respected speaker – these cities, this year
What does Lee Taft think about the Rotater?
“I recently received the Rotater in the mail and had the opportunity to use it for a couple weeks. I was amazed at how it not only improved my general range of motion but it improved my ability to perform strength exercises. The hidden secret to the Rotater is when used with more functional patterns like standing in a split stance I can incorporate my entire kinetic chain into the movement. I strongly encourage anyone looking to safely improve the range of motion of their shoulders for better function and performance to use the Rotater.”
Lee Taft,
www.SportsSpeedEtc.com
www.LeeTaftSpeedAcademy.com
If you want to learn more about Lee and how he can help you, please visit the links above or if you’re a Twitter fan like me – you can follow him – @leetaft – to stay current on his latest training advice and techniques.
New Rotater Instructional Videos
January 7, 2010
Okay, you’ve been asking for them and here they are. Eight new instructional videos demonstrating how to set up and use the Rotate to stretch your shoulder and strengthen your rotator cuff.
We’d like to express our gratitude to Eric Beard for the excellent job he’s done in each of these videos. Eric is a highly respected health and fitness professional whose specialties include corrective exercise and performance enhancement (MS, LMT, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, NSCA-CSCS). He’s also a great friend. You can learn more about Eric at EricBeard.com or by following him on Twitter at @ericbeard.
| Introducing the Rotater – the #1 Shoulder Rehab and Stretching Device | Importance of Stretching & Strengthening Your Rotator Cuff |
| How to Set Up the Rotater | Strong Arm Set-Up for Rotator Cuff Strengthening |
| External Rotation Made Easy with the Rotater | Internal Rotation – Discover How with the Rotater |
| How to Strengthen the External Rotators of Your Shoulder | How to Strengthen the Internal Rotators of Your Shoulder |
Click Here to Get your Rotater today – you’re shoulders will thank you for it!
I’m 68 and Love the Rotater
January 7, 2010
I was cleaning my office yesterday and found the following letter. It was written in long-hand and had been mailed to our office over a year ago. It reads:
The Rotater Helps Golfers Get a Big Shoulder Turn
“I am 67 years old and have done various execises (free wts., stretching, running, total gym) since I was 15. I started using the Rotater about 6 weeks ago and can’t believe how it has improved my range of motion in my shoulders. This is a fantastic device for any golfer.”
Chris Hastings – Hoover, Alabama
p.s. I tried sending this on your website and it didn’t work.
After reading this great testimonial, I dug around and found Mr. Hastings phone number and gave him a call to see if he would give us permission to publish his letter. We had a great conversation and Mr. Hastings said he’d be glad to let us use this letter – BUT we should make a couple of changes:
- Mr. Hastings is 68 years old now
- He has been using the Rotater for over a year
- He still uses the Rotater every night
- He loves the Rotater and still recommends it to any golfer.
Imitating, but not Duplicating the Rotater
October 26, 2009
They say that “imitation is the most sincere form of flattery”. The Guys over at Homemade Gym Stuff must like the Rotater because they redesigned a pretty good “homemade” version. Hey, you can’t blame a guy for wanting to save a few bucks!
Gym stuff, boxing, mma, fitness, etc.
Anyway, we liked their effort so much that we decided to send them a “real” Rotater to see how it measured up to their version. Here are a couple of excerpts from their article “The Rotater – Revisited“.
…Simple, elegant & stylish – we love ‘em. Dave’s shoulders feel better than ever, Nath now has increased ROM/flexability and my glued-up-mouse-shuffling-key-pushing shoulders are rejuvenated…
…So a heartfelt ‘Thanks’ goes out to two great guys, Chris & Scott for their generosity and dedication not only to the health of the rotator cuff but to the health of ‘er in doors’ too…
Skier says – the Rotater works great!
September 14, 2009
We received this email from a another satisfied Rotater client:
“I received my Rotater 2 months ago and have been using it regularly.
I had a skiing accident that resulted in a 4 part fracture of the proximal humerus that required hemiarthroplasty (half an artifical shoulder) 2 years ago. The top of the humerus was shattered the head was broken off as and both tuberosities were broken. The injury included complete tears of the subscapularis and supraspinatus muscles as well. Doctors and PTs all said I literally destroyed the entire joint.
Falling while skiing can result in shoulder injuries
I had 12 months of supervised PT and have been working on my own to regain strength and ROM since then. My most difficult ROM is internal rotation and part of the reason is it is very difficult to stretch in that direction without assistance. The Rotater works great for that stretch!
I saw my surgeon this morning for a regular 6 month check up. I showed him the Rotater literature and he thought it was a fantastic device. I left the literature with him so he could recommend it to his other patients.
Thanks for everything!”
Jeff Roy
Certified personal trainer gets results with the Rotater
September 7, 2009
Chris Sellards - CPT, CES, PES
We received the following email from Chris Sellards, a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist and Performance Enhancement Specialist.
Chris has been using the Rotater for several weeks and documenting his results. Here is that data:
Initial Observations
Improve your physical condition
Client suffers from tightness in his Infraspinatus, pain in his Supraspinatus, weakness with external rotation, and winged scapula. Goniometric measurements prior to Corrective exercise showed 120 degrees. He complains about pain in shoulders and a feeling his shoulder needs to “pop” when working out. He is unable to do any overhead work – shoulder press/lat pulldowns.
Efforts Stall
I worked with him using basic NASM CEx principles for 6 weeks and moved him into Stabilization training. This is where we stalled and couldn’t seem to obtain the range of motion and stability in the shoulder needed to move into strength training.
After 8 weeks of stabilization with little progress, I was about to refer him to a specialist. This is when I came across the Rotater.
Implementing the Rotater
I used the Rotater with him for 3 weeks using the following routine: Foam roll lats, tennis ball on pec minor and posterior capsule, ball lat stretches, 90/90 stretches, and using the Rotater in all positions for a one minute stretch in each position. CEx exercises included tea cups, external rotation, face pulls, ball combo I and II, Cobras, scapular pushups, and scapular protraction/retraction.
| Typical Workout | Circuit One | Circuit Two |
| Foam roll Lats, rhomboids/traps | Stability ball bench press | Bosu ball pushups |
| Tennis ball on pec minor and posterior capsule | Cobras | Standing rows |
| Static stretch lats and pecs | Ball Squats | Multi-planar lunges |
| Rotater in all 4 positions for a 1 minute stretch in each position | Rotater stretches on the affected shoulder. Hold stretch for 5 seconds, release and repeat for 3 sets. Perform in all 4 positions | Single leg Medicine ball PNF with rotation |
| Tea cups and/or external rotation | Rotater stretches on the affected shoulder. Hold stretch for 5 seconds, release and repeat for 3 sets. Perform in all 4 positions. | |
| Foam roll Lats, rhomboids/traps | ||
| Tennis ball on pec minor and posterior capsule | ||
| Static stretch lats and pecs | ||
| Rotater in all 4 positions for a 1 minute stretch |
Increase your ROM with the Rotater
Results
Using this method for 3 weeks, client increased range of motion to 173 degrees, exhibits stability in external rotation, and is ready for strength training.
Conclustion
I am absolutely amazed with the effectiveness of the Rotater. My client no longer has pain or discomfort in his shoulder, is performing shoulder presses, lat pulldowns, and will NOT require seeing a specialist. The Rotater is the best thing since the foam roll.
Chris Sellards, NASM CPT, CES, PES
Disclosure: Chris was provided with a Rotater at no charge. His testimonial was voluntary and not required.
