Thread the Needle Flow

Muscles worked by the Thread the Needle Flow

Primary

ObliquesOblique AbdominalsTrapsTrapezius

Secondary

Lower BackErector SpinaeRear DeltsPosterior Deltoid

Also called: oblique, obliques, side abs, external oblique, internal oblique, trap.

Equipment

No equipment — this is a bodyweight exercise.

How to do the Thread the Needle Flow

1. Start on all fours with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips.
2. Slide one arm under the body until the shoulder approaches the mat.
3. Reverse the motion and open that arm up towards the ceiling, following the hand with the eyes.
4. Return through the centre and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Change sides and repeat.

Form tips

• Keep the hips over the knees so the rotation stays in the upper back.
• Move at an even tempo instead of throwing the arm open.
• Let the head follow the hand rather than leading the movement.

At a glance

Thread the Needle Flow in German & Spanish

Descriptions, instructions and tips ship in all three languages in the JSON.

Related exercises

• Behind the Back Barbell Shrug
• Chest Supported Dumbbell Shrug
• Inverted Row
• Kettlebell Shrug
• Neck Side Stretch
• Pendlay Row
• Pilates Saw
• Plate-Loaded Shrug

Exercise data (JSON)

The record below is exactly what exercises.json ships for this exercise — names, descriptions, instructions and tips in English, German and Spanish.

{
  "id": "thread-the-needle-flow",
  "name_en": "Thread the Needle Flow",
  "name_de": "Nadelöhr im Wechsel",
  "name_es": "Enhebrar la Aguja Dinámico",
  "description_en": "The moving version of thread the needle: from all fours the arm threads under the body and then opens back up towards the ceiling, rotating the thoracic spine through its full range.",
  "description_de": "Die bewegte Variante des Nadelöhrs: aus dem Vierfüßlerstand fädelt der Arm unter dem Körper hindurch und öffnet sich anschließend zur Decke, sodass die Brustwirbelsäule durch ihren vollen Bewegungsradius rotiert.",
  "description_es": "La versión en movimiento de enhebrar la aguja: desde cuatro apoyos el brazo pasa por debajo del cuerpo y después se abre hacia el techo, rotando la columna torácica por todo su recorrido.",
  "category": "stretching",
  "force_type": "dynamic",
  "mechanic": "compound",
  "difficulty": "beginner",
  "body_part": "back",
  "primary_muscles": [
    "obliques",
    "trapezius"
  ],
  "secondary_muscles": [
    "erector_spinae",
    "posterior_deltoid"
  ],
  "goals": [
    "mobility"
  ],
  "tags": [
    "mobility",
    "stretching"
  ],
  "is_unilateral": true,
  "is_bodyweight": true,
  "instructions_en": [
    "Start on all fours with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips.",
    "Slide one arm under the body until the shoulder approaches the mat.",
    "Reverse the motion and open that arm up towards the ceiling, following the hand with the eyes.",
    "Return through the centre and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.",
    "Change sides and repeat."
  ],
  "instructions_de": [
    "Beginn im Vierfüßlerstand, die Hände unter den Schultern, die Knie unter den Hüften.",
    "Schieb einen Arm unter dem Körper hindurch, bis sich die Schulter der Matte nähert.",
    "Dreh die Bewegung um und öffne den Arm nach oben zur Decke, der Blick folgt der Hand.",
    "Komm durch die Mitte zurück und wiederhole für die gewünschte Anzahl.",
    "Wechsle die Seite und wiederhole."
  ],
  "instructions_es": [
    "Comienza a cuatro apoyos con las manos bajo los hombros y las rodillas bajo las caderas.",
    "Desliza un brazo por debajo del cuerpo hasta que el hombro se acerque a la esterilla.",
    "Invierte el movimiento y abre ese brazo hacia el techo, siguiendo la mano con la mirada.",
    "Vuelve por el centro y repite las veces indicadas.",
    "Cambia de lado y repite."
  ],
  "tips_en": [
    "Keep the hips over the knees so the rotation stays in the upper back.",
    "Move at an even tempo instead of throwing the arm open.",
    "Let the head follow the hand rather than leading the movement."
  ],
  "tips_de": [
    "Halte die Hüften über den Knien, damit die Rotation im oberen Rücken bleibt.",
    "Arbeite in gleichmäßigem Tempo, statt den Arm aufzureißen.",
    "Lass den Kopf der Hand folgen, statt die Bewegung mit ihm zu führen."
  ],
  "tips_es": [
    "Mantén las caderas sobre las rodillas para que la rotación se quede en la espalda alta.",
    "Trabaja a un ritmo uniforme en lugar de abrir el brazo de golpe.",
    "Deja que la cabeza siga a la mano en lugar de liderar el movimiento."
  ],
  "met": 5.0,
  "images": {
    "flat": {
      "start": "images/flat/thread-the-needle-flow-start.webp",
      "peak": "images/flat/thread-the-needle-flow-peak.webp"
    }
  }
}

Fetch just this exercise

const { exercises } = await fetch(
  "https://exercise-dataset.com/exercises.json"
).then(r => r.json());
const ex = exercises.find(e => e.id === "thread-the-needle-flow");

Free for personal and commercial in-app use with attribution (“Exercise data by RepDB”) — see the license and ready-made attribution snippets. Redistributing the data as a dataset or API is not permitted.