How to Get Flexible Fast? Ever notice how some days it feels like every movement is stiff and awkward, as if your body has fallen out of sync? Maybe you’ve had a tough workout, or a long drive, or just haven’t exercised in a while. Whatever the cause, the resulting discomfort can be frustrating and downright annoying. The good news? Flexibility training, and especially mobility stretches, can help you regain your rhythm. This article will cover the best mobility stretches to help restore and improve your range of motion, so you can get back to feeling like yourself again.
Of course, there are many different types of flexibility training to consider, each with its own unique benefits. Pliability’s mobility app can help you achieve your goals, whether that’s reducing the risk of injury to improve performance, or simply enhancing your quality of life.
What is Mobility and Why Is It Important?
Mobility encompasses the body's ability to move naturally, with control but without noticeable effort, as it seamlessly responds to your intentions over time. When you have good mobility, you should experience no strain or pain as you move through your day, such as during these common daily actions:
- Bending to tie your shoes (which activates the hips and knees)
- Reaching for a glass on the highest shelf (which utilizes the shoulder joint and muscles)
- Walking up or down stairs (which requires healthy leg muscles and a full range of motion in the ankles)
Good mobility involves many components, including:
- Muscle strength
- Flexibility
- Joint health
- Motor control
- Body awareness (a type of sensation called proprioception)
- Aagility and more
This makes sense; after all, mobility serves as the basis for everything you do. "Having good mobility allows you to perform the movements and exercises that are a part of your daily life—and it can make you less likely to suffer certain injuries," Peloton instructor Andy Speer says. "Mobility basically gives your body room to move."
The good news is that mobility is primarily a lifestyle choice. Regular physical activity is the key to increasing and maintaining good mobility. You don't have to do cartwheels to boost yours; instead, try mobility training.
Mobility and Aging: Is There a Link?
Yes, there's absolutely a link. While the old adage, "If you don't use it, you lose it," most certainly applies to mobility, it's not just sitting still for too long or skipping a workout or three that makes you less agile and free. These are just a few of the natural, age-related changes that occur in the body and can affect how easily you move:
- Muscle mass decline
- Reduced bone density
- Slower nervous system responses
On top of that, your mobility can be compromised by any of the oh-so-common chronic health conditions among Americans, such as:
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Cardiovascular disease
And your chances of being diagnosed with any one of these increase as you get older. It's no wonder that pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion occur more frequently with age. But you don't have to succumb to these difficulties. You can lessen their impact with mobility training.
Mobility Training vs. Stretching vs. Foam Rolling
Although mobility training might sound a lot like stretching or foam rolling, the focus and goal of each activity differ significantly.
Stretching
Stretching mostly focuses on lengthening muscle and other soft tissue to increase flexibility, typically in a few common problem areas of the body:
- Calves
- Thighs
- Low back
- Hips
- Neck
- Shoulders
Static Stretching
Extending a muscle and holding it there for 10-30 seconds, like a toe touch—can help you recover after a workout or injury.
Dynamic Stretching
Controlled movements that mimic your activity or sport (think lunges or arm circles) are best done as a warm-up prior to a workout or intense activity.
Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is used to relieve muscle tension. Using a hard foam cylinder, you use your body weight to press on specific points in your body by rolling the area back and forth over the cylinder.
Mobility Training
Mobility training utilizes techniques that address:
- Muscles
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Joints
- Range of motion
Mobility training also involves a high degree of control, coordination, and awareness, effectively looping in your nervous system, which is the main line of communication between your body and brain. It focuses on how you function and move as an entire body rather than individual muscle groups. It also targets movement patterns fundamental to daily life and specific types of athletic performance.
You might consider mobility training the best of all possible worlds: It takes a more comprehensive and holistic approach than simply stretching or foam rolling.
Mobility, Flexibility, and Stability
Mobility is different from flexibility or stability, FYI. The three are related; you can only excel at one if you pay attention to the others. But it's important to understand the differences.
- According to certified strength and conditioning specialist India McPeak, flexibility means the body can achieve a certain position. Think of flexibility as a passive range of motion, like lengthening your muscles in a static stretch.
- McPeak explains that stability is the ability to maintain a desired position or movement. Think of stability like holding a plank steady, maintaining a hip bridge, or balancing on one foot.
Mobility Training for Everyone
Anyone can benefit from mobility training, says Winnie Yu, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in New York City. "You don't have to be experiencing pain or stiffness to start working on your mobility," she explains. “Mobility training is a great way to improve your overall joint and muscular health and can help keep you feeling better, more fluid, and less prone to injuries down the road."
Benefits of Mobility Training
It's easy to practice. Maintaining mobility is so simple. Think of mobility as little movements that can be incorporated into your daily routine. "It's like a movement snack," says McPeak. Incorporate a few moves when you wake up, during your lunch break, or before bed to keep your body strong, healthy, and pain-free.
Minimizing Injury Risk
It helps minimize your risk of injury. Investing in mobility will reduce your risk of injury, improve joint health, reduce muscle soreness, and speed up recovery. "Without mobility, our bodies may not move optimally and can then put us at higher risk of injury," says Hutson. Breakdown (aka injury) typically occurs at areas above and below a region with limited mobility, explains Hutson. When you lack mobility in one area of your body, other muscles work overtime.
Enhancing Strength and Performance
It can help improve strength. Mobility significantly helps improve overall strength, says McPeak. Your body's freedom to move with maximum range of motion will increase the quality of your training. For example, improving hip mobility can achieve a deeper squat with proper form, ultimately building muscle.
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25 Best Mobility Stretches
Stretches for Neck Mobility
Whether you spend your day sitting at a desk or on your feet, you’re likely to succumb to poor posture habits—particularly if you spend a lot of time looking down at a digital device or work surface.
That puts your spine in “cervical flexion,” which causes the neck muscles to tighten, according to physical therapist Elizabeth Lamontagne, DPT, SCS, CKTP, assistant director at Recovery Physical Therapy in New York City. “Over time it can get very painful, and it can become a repetitive cycle of pain and not holding your neck upright because it hurts.” She says. Try these neck stretches to counteract the damage of this daily wear and tear.
1. Upper Trapezius Stretch
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
The upper trapezius stretch targets the upper trapezius, a muscle that runs from the base of the skull to the shoulder. Joints targeted include the cervical spine (neck).
How to:
- From a kneeling or standing position, make yourself as tall as possible. Think about elongating your neck.
- Wrap your right hand over your head so your middle finger touches your left ear; reach your left hand toward the ground.
- Relax your neck and allow gravity to gently pull your head toward the right. (Don’t use your hand to pull.) You should feel a stretch on the left side of your neck.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Switch sides and repeat.
2. Seated Upper- and Mid-Back Stretch
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This stretch targets the upper back, mid-back, and neck.
How to:
- Sit in a chair with your feet firmly on the ground.
- Bend forward and grab the front of the chair legs, crossing your arms.
- Slowly tuck your chin, and arch your middle and upper trunk to round your back. You should feel a stretch in your mid to upper back.
- Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
3. Isometric Neck Rotation
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This stretch targets the neck muscles and improves neck mobility.
How to:
- While standing or sitting up straight, place your right palm on your right cheek.
- Push your palm against your right cheek as if you are trying to rotate your head to the left; at the same time, keep turning your head to the right.
- Hold this resistance for 3 to 6 seconds. Then, remove your hand and rotate your head to the right as far as possible. Stop when you feel a gentle stretch on the left side of your neck.
- Switch sides and repeat. This is one rep.
- Perform two to three reps.
Shoulder Mobility Exercises
Tight shoulders often accompany a stiff neck. But promoting flexibility and mobility in your shoulders isn’t as simple as stretching a single muscle. There are at least 17 muscles involved in what might appear to be simple shoulder-specific tasks like washing your hair or lifting a heavy grocery bag. Your rotator cuff alone comprises four different muscles. To prevent injury in your shoulder muscle group, try these shoulder stretches.
4. Wall Slides
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
Wall slides target the shoulder and upper back muscles to promote mobility and flexibility, especially after an injury.
How to:
- Stand facing a blank wall with your feet less than a foot’s length from the wall.
- Place both hands on the wall at shoulder height, shoulder distance apart. This is the starting position.
- Slide your hands up to stretch your arms overhead. Reach as far as you can without aches, pains, or pinching. You should feel a stretch on the sides of your armpits. Hold for 1 or 2 seconds, breathing steadily.
- Return to start and repeat for a total of 10 times.
- Begin in the same starting position. Slide your hands up and out into a Y position, reaching as far as possible without aches, pains, or pinches. You should feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for one or two seconds, breathing steadily.
- Return to start and repeat for a total of 10 times.
- Begin in the same starting position. Slide your arms into a T-shape, keeping your arms at shoulder level. (Again, without any aches, pains, or pinching.) You should feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for 10 seconds, breathing steadily.
- Return to start and repeat for a total of 10 times.
Tip: As you perform the slides, look straight ahead and keep your neck as relaxed as possible; don’t shrug your shoulders up toward your ears, says Lamontagne.
5. Triceps Stretch
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
The triceps stretch targets the triceps and shoulder to improve flexibility.
How to:
- Stand with your chin tucked in and raise your right arm straight up.
- Bend your right elbow and place your right palm behind your head.
- Place your left hand on your right elbow and pull toward the left. Stop when you feel a stretch in your right triceps.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Keep your chin tucked in.
- Switch sides and repeat.
6. Thread the Needle
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This stretch targets the shoulders and upper back.
How to:
- Place a foam roller on the ground to your left, parallel with your body, and get on all fours with hands under shoulders, knees bent, and hips under.
- Keep your chin tucked in, back straight, and shoulder blades pulled together.
- Reach your right arm under the left arm and onto the foam roller, palm up.
- Roll your right arm and shoulder through. Pause, reverse the movement and then raise your right arm up and back to open your chest. Then return to start. This is one rep.
- Perform two reps. Switch sides and repeat.
Core Mobility Exercises
“Everyone thinks about core strength, which is very important, but many people forget about core mobility,” says Jeff Brannigan, program director at Stretch*d, a mobility and recovery-focused fitness studio.
The latter is key for any activity that involves core rotation, from pickleball to picking up a baby or heavy bag of groceries, he explains. “Having adequate mobility in this area will reduce risk of injury when engaging in these activities, and can also reduce back pain.”
7. Forward Reacher
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
The forward reacher stretch targets the entire back and improves mobility and flexibility of the spine.
How to:
- Sit on a flat stool or chair with your legs in front of me and knees relaxed.
- Tuck your chin toward your chest and reach forward and down as far as you can.
- Hold 2–3 seconds. Sit up and reset.
- Repeat 10–12 times.
8. Side Reacher
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
Side reachers improve mobility in the spine and targets the obliques.
How to:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, one hand behind your head and the other flat against your thigh.
- Bend at the hip, reaching your straight arm down towards the floor. Hold for 2 seconds and return to neutral. This is one rep.
- Repeat the stretch for a total of 10 reps on each side.
9. Twist and Dipper
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This stretch targets the spine and improves mobility in the thoracic region.
How to:
- Sit with your spine straight and feet shoulder-width apart. Interlace your hands and put them behind your head.
- Twist as far as you can toward the right and then drop toward the floor. Drop your left elbow (which is pointing forward) toward the floor so it drops outside your left knee.
- Hold 2–3 seconds and return to neutral; repeat 6–8 times.
- Then switch sides and repeat.
10. 90/90 Hip Switch
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
The 90/90 hip switch stretch targets the hips and improves internal and external rotation of the hip joint.
How to:
- Sit up straight with your legs slightly wider than hip-width apart and both knees bent at 90-degrees.
- Keep your heels on the floor (in the same position) and rotate your knees from side to side. (For an added challenge, hold your arms straight before you.)
- Maintain an upright posture as you move your knees, focusing on movement from the hips. Complete 6 reps on each side.
Low Back Mobility Exercises
“A healthy spine is a key aspect of leading a healthy lifestyle,” says physical therapist Vinita Chandra Mody, MScPT, founder of Stroma Physical Therapy in New York. “It serves as a central anchor to produce healthy movements such as walking and standing,” and acts as a “transmitter of force from the upper body to the lower body and vice versa.” In other words, the mobility of your lower back is super important for just about every activity you do. Something as simple as sitting all day can cause problems.
“Prolonged periods of inactivity do not treat the body well,” says Jordan Seda, DPT, OCS, a certified strength and conditioning specialist at Stroma.
11. Bird Dog
Muscles and Joints Targeted: The bird dog exercise targets the low back, glutes, and core muscles to improve stability and coordination.
How to:
- Begin on your hands and knees, with your knees directly under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Your back should be neutral, and your neck should be parallel to the floor.
- Engage your abs, then lift and extend one arm and the opposite leg, keeping your core stable. The goal is to reach the leg and the arm away from each other, not to lift the limbs high.
- Return to start and repeat with the opposite arm and leg. This is one rep.
- Repeat for 10–12 reps.
The key: Making sure your abdominals stay engaged and activated throughout the movement.
12. The Gloating Glutes
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This stretch targets the glutes and low back.
How to:
- Lie on your back with both legs flat on the floor.
- Lift one leg toward your chest so the knee travels toward the shoulder on the same side and the ankle travels toward the opposite side. Assist by gently pulling with the hands around the lower leg, shin toward the chest.
- Hold 2–3 seconds, then return to start.
- Repeat 10–12 times on each side.
13. Child’s Pose with Side Stretch
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This stretch targets the low back and hips to improve mobility and flexibility.
How to:
- Start on all fours and push your hips back so your buttocks rest on your heels.
- Reach forward with your hands and hold the stretch for 10 breaths.
- Reach to one side with both hands and hold the stretch for 10 breaths. Then, reach to the other side and hold the stretch for 10 breaths.
Hip Mobility Exercises
Sitting is also hard on the hips. If you sit for long enough, “you get something called adaptive shortening,” which means the muscle “becomes progressively tighter and tighter and tighter,” says Mody. If your hip flexors get tight enough, they can begin bothering their neighbors, the spine and femurs, which can trigger back pain. Do these hip flexor stretches regularly to keep these key muscles long and limber.
14. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
The kneeling hip flexor stretch targets the hip flexors.
How to:
- I place a pillow or folded yoga mat on the floor to cushion your knees, about a foot away from a chair (or couch or wall).
- Get into a kneeling position, with your right knee on the pillow and the top of your right foot on the chair. Step your left foot forward and bend at the knee to create a 90-degree angle with your left leg. Lean forward several inches.
- In this position, squeeze your right glute. You should feel a stretch at the top of your thigh.
- Hold for 30 to 90 seconds.
- Switch sides and repeat.
Tip: Move your back knee closer to the chair for a deeper stretch. For an easier stretch, rest your back foot on the ground.
15. Twisted Triangle Hip Stretch
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This stretch targets the hips and improves mobility and flexibility.
How to:
- Sitting in a chair, bend your leg and place your ankle on the opposite knee.
- Rotate your knee up toward your chest, and then down toward the floor.
- Hold for two seconds and return to start.
- Repeat 10 times on each side.
16. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch with Rotation
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This stretch targets the hip flexors and improves mobility.
How to:
- Kneel on your right knee with your left leg forward and bent at 90 degrees. For balance, place your hands on your hips.
- Contract your glutes to flatten your lower back and transfer your weight forward to increase the stretch in the front of your right leg.
- Then, cross your arms over your chest and turn your torso and upper body to the left.
- Keep your glutes slightly contracted to avoid tilting your pelvis forward. Hold for 30–60 seconds.
- Now, turn your torso and upper body to the right. Again, keep your glutes slightly contracted to avoid tilting your pelvis forward. Hold for 30–60 seconds.
- Switch legs and repeat.
17. Cat Cows
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
The cat cow exercise targets the back to improve mobility and relieve stiffness.
How to:
- Start on your hands and knees with hands shoulder-width apart and knees directly below hips.
- Inhale as you pull your belly button to your spine and curve your lower back. Hold this “cow” position for 2-3 seconds.
- Slowly transition to the “cat” position by arching your back and looking up to the sky. Hold the “cat” position for 2-3 seconds. Complete 8 reps in each position.
18. Downward Dog Hip Opener
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
The downward dog hip opener targets the hips and improves mobility.
How to:
- Come into a plank position to start with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and hands.
- Push back from your hands and hike your hips up to bring yourself into a downward dog position.
- Bend your left knee towards your chest, then lift your left leg up and back behind you.
- Open up from your hip, letting your left foot fall towards your right glute. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
- That’s one rep. Compete eight reps.
19. Half Kneeling Adductor Rock
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This stretch targets the inner thigh (adductor) muscles and improves hip mobility.
How to:
- Start in a half-kneeling position, with your left leg in front of you, knee bent, and foot planted on the ground. Your right knee rests on the ground either directly beneath your torso or slightly behind you, with an approximately 90-degree bend.
- Step your left foot out to the left and place your hands on your hips. Shift your hips toward the left and weight onto your left foot.
- Hold this position for 1-2 seconds before returning to the center.
- Repeat 8-12 times on this side. With each repetition, try to shift the hips a bit deeper into the range.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
Knee Mobility Exercises
Knee stability is particularly important for preventing injury. How do you know if you have good stability in this joint? Do a squat in front of a mirror. Your knees should be tracking directly over your toes—if they flail inward or outward, you’re lacking knee stability and more prone to injury, per Andrew Slane, a trainer with Fiture. If your knees aren’t tracking directly over your toes during squats or you often lose balance doing lunges, your knee stability muscles could use some love.
“Either of these indicate that the whole carriage of your knee, from the actual joint to the muscles surrounding it, are not strong enough to fully execute the potential of the move, and they aren’t getting stronger due to poor form and overcompensation to make up for it,” says Slane. Try these knee mobility exercises to build strength and prevent injury while you work out.
20. Wall Squats
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
Wall squats target the quads, hamstrings, and glutes to improve lower body strength and stability.
How to:
- Stand about 12 inches away from a wall, facing away, feet hip-width apart.
- Lean against the wall so your butt and shoulders are both touching and your back is straight.
- Squat down, keeping your back against the wall, until your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Note whether your knees are moving in as you lower down. Aim to keep your knees tracking directly over the toes.
- Return to standing, squeezing your glutes.
- Repeat 10–12 times.
21. Single Leg Balance + Front, Side, Back Tap
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This exercise improves knee stability by challenging balance.
How to:
- Stand upright with feet together and hips aligned forward.
- Balance on one standing leg and extend the other leg, lightly touching your big toe to the ground, first forward, then to your side, then behind you. Continue tapping the three points for one minute.
- Repeat on the other side.
- To progress this move, stand on an uneven surface (like a balance board or stability disc) and try to balance yourself as you tap the three points.
22. Banded Lunge
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
The banded lunge targets the glutes and improves lower body strength and stability.
How to:
- Place a loop resistance band around both legs, positioning it above your knees, and stand comfortably with your feet facing forward.
- Step backward with one foot against the band's resistance by shifting your weight onto the back foot while keeping the front foot in contact with the floor.
- Straighten the back knee and extend it against the band's resistance by pressing your back heel into the floor (or as close as you can comfortably get). Then, return to start.
- Repeat 10 times.
- Return on the other side.
Ankle Mobility Exercises
At the risk of stating the obvious, ankle function is a key part of any lower body activity: walking, running, rollerskating, you name it. Ankle dysfunction can “make its way up the kinetic chain and lead to pain in the knee, hips, low back, and eventually lead to posture issues,” says Brannigan. “The ankle should be strong to properly absorb shock from walking, running, or jumping so that your other joints don’t have to absorb undue shock.”
A key characteristic of the ankle joint, as compared to other major joints in the body, is its mobility—which makes it particularly subject to injury, Brannigan says. Try these ankle exercises to promote ankle stability and prevent injuries that could derail your wellness goals.
23. Ankle Angler
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
The ankle angler exercise improves ankle mobility.
How to:
- Start lying on your back. Wrap a strap around one foot, holding both ends, and lift it so your leg is perpendicular to the floor.
- Keeping your leg straight, use the strap to assist me in rolling your ankle inwards. Hold for 2 seconds and return to neutral.
- Repeat 10 times on each leg.
24. Ankle In
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This exercise targets the ankle to improve mobility.
How to:
- Start seated on the floor in a cross-legged position.
- Lift one knee, so your foot is flat on the floor before you.
- With both hands around your foot, rotate it so that your big toe points toward the ceiling and your pinky toe points toward the floor. Hold for 2 seconds. Return to neutral.
- Repeat 10 times with each foot.
25. Ankle Out
Muscles and Joints Targeted:
This exercise targets the ankle to improve mobility.
How to:
- Start seated on the floor in a cross-legged position.
- Lift one knee, so your foot is flat on the floor before you.
- With both hands around your foot, rotate it so that your big toe points toward the floor and your pinky toe points toward the ceiling. Hold for 2 seconds. Return to neutral.
- Repeat 10 times with each foot.
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How to Add Mobility Stretches to Your Workout Routine
Integrating Mobility Exercises into Your Routine
Adding mobility training to your existing fitness routine isn’t complicated. You don’t need to set aside extra time to train mobility. You’ll get plenty of mobility training from moving well with the right movements during your workout routine.
If you’re new to mobility training, start with programming functional unilateral movements that challenge stability and strength in multiple planes (sagittal, frontal, transverse) into your workout routine. You can also increase your mobility training by making it a part of your warm-up or activation routine ahead of your main block of work or by incorporating it into your workout.
Frequency and Duration of Mobility Training
It’s more beneficial to practice mobility five times a week, for 5 to 10 minutes each time, than it is to do an hour-long session once a week. For example, you might do 5 to 10 minutes of mobility training daily, and make two or three of those days a longer practice, like 15 to 30 minutes. It will have you feeling great and moving well.
That said, the frequency and duration of your mobility training will depend on you:
- Your current fitness level
- Your fitness goals
- You’re dealing with an injury or any problem areas
You might start with a few times a week and build up. Ideally, you’ll want to include mobility training daily, if possible.
Start Slow and Focus on Quality
When it comes to mobility training, the general rule is to do it as often as you need to, but to begin slowly, working on just one or two areas of the body to start with. Maybe that’s your shoulders and spine or your knees and ankles. But it’s important to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to mobility exercises.
- Start by doing fewer exercises and concentrating on using proper form.
- Don’t rush through the exercise set list.
- As always, you should listen to your body and modify or skip anything that causes pain.
Consistency is Key
“Consistency is key,” Andy explains. “Do it however it best fits into your life. If stacking mobility training with your other workouts is best for your schedule, then do that. Doing the longer mobility classes on days between more intense training will help your recovery between workouts.”
Tracking Your Mobility Progress
While it's not as easy to quantify mobility as stats like running pace, you can assess your progress and check in with your body regularly to monitor developments with or without a pro. Measuring your mobility can highlight areas and where you may need some extra help. Here are a few takeaways to consider:
Patience is Key
Like any type of effort, mobility training takes time and consistency. The more regularly you do it, the better the results.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Don’t be in a hurry to get to the advanced-level classes. Make sure you master the basics before moving on. Your body will thank you.
Prioritize Proper Form and Control
It’s far better to engage in a small range of motion, but to perform the exercise correctly, than to do it incorrectly while engaging a larger range of motion.
Integrate it into Everything Else You Do
The best way to be sure you get the most out of your mobility training is to continue with your usual workout regimen and add mobility exercises wherever it works best for you: as stretches first thing in the morning, part of a cool-down routine at night, or wherever and whenever possible. Just 10 minutes at a time can build up and make a big difference.
Film Yourself Doing a Variety of Exercises
The recording can help you visually track movement progress. Watch your movement patterns over a few weeks. If you see (and feel) a difference in range of motion, you’re on the right track.
Listen to Your Body
It’s normal to feel mild discomfort during a stretch, but sharp or intense pain is not. Stop if you feel pain.
Keep a Workout Journal
Hutson recommends writing down how your body feels on the days you exercise. Consider the following questions and answer honestly:
- What can and can’t you do?
- How does a specific movement pattern feel?
Sometimes, one move can unlock a new mobility level, so it’s important to gauge how you’re feeling and work on a variety of exercises.
Improve Your Flexibility with Our Mobility App Today | Get 7 Days for Free on Any Platform
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