Dealing with chronic stiffness in muscles and joints is a challenge people face on a daily basis. Despite regular workouts, stretching and mobility exercises are a must. But even being aware of their importance, after finishing our run, strength training, rowing, or cycling workout, our only desire is to take a shower and get on with our day.
In our younger years, it is easy to get away with this bad habit, but it can have consequences at an older age. Flexibility will be worse, and feeling stiff will also be a bad impact on your day.
For people who sit most of the day or experience chronic tightness, ankle mobility, hip mobility, shoulder mobility, and spine mobility exercises can be especially beneficial. To make it easy to prioritize mobility work, committing to a super simple, five-minute mobility routine every morning for two weeks will turn into a good habit.
What are the advantages of practicing mobility?
Incorporating mobility into your routine is easy. Mobility involves small movements that can be easily integrated into your daily life. As McPeak puts it, “It’s like a movement snack.” Add a few exercises to your morning routine, lunch break, or bedtime routine to keep your body strong, healthy, and free from pain.
It helps reduce the risk of injury. Investing in mobility will help reduce your risk of injury, improve joint health, reduce muscle soreness, and speed up the recovery process. Hutson explains that without mobility, our bodies may not move as efficiently, making us more susceptible to injury. When mobility is limited in one area of the body, it can cause breakdowns or injuries in other areas.
It can enhance strength. Mobility is a significant factor in overall strength improvement, according to McPeak. Increasing your body’s range of motion improves the quality of your training. For instance, by improving hip mobility, you can perform squats with correct form, leading to building muscle and improving overall fitness.
Some exercises for better mobility:
Here are seven exercises to improve your joint mobility:
- Child’s Pose to Downward-Facing Dog: Start in Child’s Pose and then move into Tabletop position. Push through your feet to lift your hips, creating a triangle shape with your body. Take a few deep breaths and then return to Child’s Pose. Repeat this flow three times.
- Frog Pose to Deep Squat: Start with feet wider than shoulder-width apart and toes turned out. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then shift your weight forward and place your hands on the ground in front of you. Spread your knees apart and lower yourself towards the ground. Hold for a second and then push back to the deep squat. Repeat this 8-12 times.
- Chest and Shoulder Opener: Lie on your back with a weight in your right hand. Extend your right arm above your chest and left arm overhead, resting on the floor by your ear. Bend your right leg and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee. Roll onto your left shoulder and let your right knee fall to the floor. Extend your right leg onto the floor and then roll your hips forward and back to the position with your right knee bent and arm still extended overhead. Repeat this 8-12 times before switching sides.
- Hitchhiker: Start in Tabletop position and form your right hand into a fist with your thumb pointing up. Lift your right arm in front of you to shoulder height and repeat this 8-12 times. Switch sides and repeat.
- Hamstring and Hip Opener: Kneel on the floor with your knees hip-width apart. Step your right foot forward so your right knee is over your right ankle and your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Shift your weight back as you lean from your hips over your right foot, allowing your right toes to come up. Repeat this 8-12 times before switching sides.
- Arm and Shoulder Circles: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your left arm by your side. Circle your right arm forward 10 times, making large circles without shifting your hips. Then switch directions for another 10 repetitions. Switch sides and repeat.
- Hip Circles: Lie on your back with your legs extended on the floor. Bend your right knee and bring it towards your chest so your knee is pointing towards the ceiling. Draw circles with your knee in one direction 20 times, making them progressively bigger. Switch directions and repeat before switching sides and repeating.
