Advanced
Chest Circle
Advanced Level
Full mastery — nuance, personal expression, and artistry
A circular motion of the ribcage through all four positions — forward, side, back, side — while hips and lower body stay still.
Tips
- •Imagine your sternum is tracing a circle on a wall directly in front of you — keep it flat and round
- •Practice in front of a mirror from the side to check that your chest is actually achieving all four positions
- •Start with 8-count circles (2 counts per quadrant) and gradually speed up to 4-count and 2-count circles
Common mistakes
- •Making a square instead of a circle — the transitions between positions need to be smooth curves
- •Shoulders hiking up or rolling — only the ribcage should be moving
- •Hips following the chest — this means your core isn't stabilizing
- •Head wobbling — keep a stable head position as the chest moves around it
Practice drill
Stand with hands on hips. Do 8 chest circles clockwise at half speed, focusing on making each one rounder than the last. Then 8 counterclockwise. Now: 4 fast clockwise, 4 fast counterclockwise. Finally, alternate — 1 clockwise, 1 counterclockwise. This last pattern builds the control needed for figure-eights. Four minutes total.