For this, we like the three-way ankle mobilization, which flexes your knee forward and over the ankle to work the joint in three directions.

A lack of hip internal rotation makes sports and activities like squats that need deep hip flexion difficult. The body will compensate for a lack of hip rotation, leading to injuries like possible hip injuries over time. The back-to-wall shoulder flexion trains the shoulder blades to move around the ribcage without help from the lower back.

This trains posterior pelvic tilt, a neutral neck position, and core stability while lifting your arms overhead. Think of this exercise as a test.

Squat depth may be a touchy subject — but having solid hip mobility is pretty much always a good idea. The prying squat opens up your adductors, which can inhibit your hip abductors from engaging and from getting deep into your squat.

This drill trains your legs to stabilize your squat. It does so by actively driving your knees away from your elbows for deeper squat form and hip mobility. This will help engage your ankle mobility, as well. The mini band overhead reach trains shoulder horizontal abduction, scapular protraction , retraction, and upward and downward rotation.

These actions are all crucial for safely lifting overhead. The passive leg lowering places one hip in flexion while your hamstring is stretched. Your opposite leg goes into flexion and extension while your core remains stable.

Making your hips and legs do separate work is great for improving your hip mobility. It also trains hip separation, where one hip flexes while the other extends. This is the basis of everyday locomotion and most single-leg exercises.

Performing prone floor slides with a mini band helps target your serratus anterior. Your serratus is an important muscle for shoulder health and for getting your arms overhead without pain. The half-kneeling position is a go-to for opening your hip flexors.

This stretch will mobilize your hips and strengthen them unilaterally. In doing so, it can help strengthen your posture. The tall-kneeling shoulder controlled articular rotation CAR involves actively moving your shoulder joint through its greatest rotational range of motion.

Moving through this range of motion has many benefits. All of this translates into healthier shoulders and more pressing power.

Keep your shoulders away from your ears as much as possible. Assisted quadruped thoracic rotations help you learn to move your thoracic spine without moving your lower back.

Being able to extend and rotate your upper back allows you to pin a barbell to your back, throw anything with power, and lift overhead without pain. Having good thoracic mobility can help save your shoulders and lower back from a world of hurt.

This thoracic mobility move uses a band to load the movement lightly and to cement your mobility gains with strength at your end ranges of motion. Dynamic stretches like the rocking ankle mobilization are great for prepping your joints for barbell lifts.

Certain footwear and even sitting in certain positions contribute to this issue. Reduced ankle flexibility can impact your squat depth and make your knees very unhappy. Addressing and improving your ankle mobility with this simple-to-perform exercise will have a big impact on your gym performance.

This move might look like hanging out on the floor, not doing all that much. But looks are extremely deceiving. The active frog is likely to take you well outside your comfort zone in terms of opening up through your hips. Pro tip: keep your feet straight to help get your ankles a nice stretch, too.

Sets and Reps : Do one to two sets of 30 to 45 seconds of the small back-and-forth pulses. For many athletes, tall kneeling seems easy enough. But adding a thoracic rotation to the mix is where the extreme challenge comes in.

This will give three dimensions to your training, and your lifts will thank you. Let your torso take the lead in the rotation, not your shoulders.

All of these thoracic rotations combined with a lower body movement are designed to open your hips and thoracic spine all at once. Let your torso lead instead of tugging with your shoulders.

Being able to reach overhead while also opening up through your chest plays a tremendous role in overhead stability.

To a certain degree, the more mobile you are, the more stable you can train yourself to be in overhead positions. Performing this move helps encourage the simultaneous ability to open up through your hips while also stretching your chest and shoulders.

Developing this kind of thoracic mobility is essential for everything from a solid front-rack position to a killer overhead lunge. No crustaceans are required for this one, but you will need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. The crab chest stretch is a part of the regular crab movements in animal flow-style exercise.

Your hips will get a nice bonus stretch, as will your shoulders and even wrists. So how do you warm up… for your warm-up? Instead, start your reps with a gentle range of motion. First things first: you need to choose which moves to integrate into your program. Your hip mobility might be limited, for example.

Prioritize two or three movements that open your hips and expose them to different stimuli and ranges of motion.

The active frog and even deep squat rotations will do that for you. Deep squat rotations will also come in handy for opening up your thoracic spine and chest. If you want to improve your flexibility and mobility, it can be helpful to get an idea of how well your flexibility and mobility are so you know what areas of the body could benefit from a bit more attention.

Evans recommends working with a physical therapist to get an idea of what your mobility is, however there are tests you can do at home on your own. One common test is a sit-to-stand test. Then, time how long it takes for you to stand up and sit back down again while keeping your arms crossed in front of you and your feet flat on the floor.

Another way to test your mobility is to do circular motions with each arm. Want to test your hip mobility? Try to see if you can squat deeply. If you can do it without any assistance or feeling any pain, it means your hip joints are in good shape according to Evans.

One common flexibility test that can be done on your own at home is the sit-and-reach test. To do it, sit on the floor and place one hand on top of the other.

Then, reach forward. Hold as far as you can reach for a few seconds. The farthest you can reach without experiencing pain, the greater your flexibility is. To check your shoulder flexibility, you can try the shoulder reach test.

To do it, raise your right arm over your head. Bend your right elbow and reach down your back. Bend your left elbow behind your back. If your left and right hand touch or overlap, that is a sign of good shoulder flexibility. The same applies for when you reverse the stretch, reaching with opposite arms.

Though mobility and flexibility go hand-in-hand, exercises specifically geared toward improving mobility are different from those aimed at improving flexibility.

She explains that mobility stretches are dynamic movements that prepare the body for specific actions. While mobility exercises are dynamic, flexibility exercises are typically static, involving holding a position that elongates a muscle to improve its flexibility.

This is because the goal of flexibility exercises is to increase the length and elasticity of specific muscles or muscle groups. Below are three mobility exercises to try at home that Evans recommends, aimed at enhancing movement and supporting joint health.

This exercise is especially good for spinal mobility. Start on all fours, with your hands and knees on the ground and your back flat. Lift your right hand up and turn your gaze in the direction of your lifted hand.

Place your chest and right cheek on the ground and hold the pose for five seconds. Slowly come back to the starting position and switch sides. This exercise move is helpful for improving ankle mobility. You need a towel to do it. Start by sitting in a chair.

Place the towel under your foot grabbing the ends of the towel with each hand. Gently bend your toes toward you, holding for five seconds before relaxing.

Repeat three to five times and then switch legs. You will need a towel for this mobility exercise too, which can help improve neck mobility.

Sit in a chair and place a towel around your neck, grabbing each end of the towel with each hand. Look straight ahead. Bring your arms out straight in front of you. Gently pull the ends of the towel and bring your head back so that you are now gazing toward the ceiling.

Repeat three to five times. Hannah says that recovery can be a great time to focus on mobility and flexibility. Stretching elongates the muscles, helping to improve flexibility. She adds that foam rolling can also help because it prevents muscles from becoming tense and tight.

Below are three flexibility exercises recommended by Evans to try at home, which can be part of your recovery. If you have tight hamstrings, this stretch can help.

Start standing up straight in front of a wall. Step your right leg forward and gently flex the foot, pointing the toes up and against the wall while keeping your heel on the ground.

Slightly bend your left knee and gently lean forward, placing your hands on the wall. Hold for 30 seconds to one minute. Then, switch legs.

This stretch helps with shoulder flexibility and can improve posture. Stand in an open doorway. Bring your hands to either side of the doorframe, bending your elbows at degrees. Lean forward, resting your palms on the doorframe. Start by sitting on your knees. Lean forward, keeping your butt on your heels and resting your forehead on the floor.

Stretch your arms out in front of you. In addition to these moves, Evans says that Pilates , yoga , and tai chi are also all types of exercises that help improve mobility and flexibility. Hannah reiterates that foam rolling is another way to support flexibility because it helps relieve muscle stiffness.

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Good mobility in the thoracic spine allows you to move your arms freely over your head and turn side to side. Poor mobility can lead to shoulder pain and problems, poor posture, and upper back pain. Muscles worked: core muscles, upper back, spine stabilizing muscles, and obliques.

Poor posture can cause many people to be tight through their chest and front of the shoulder. Warming up the shoulders before a workout will help improve your form and also prevent injury.

Neck mobility can frequently be ignored despite its importance in everyday activities. Poor neck movement can lead to pain and problems in the neck, head, and upper back.

Always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program. Dynamic warmup and range of motion exercises may not be appropriate for everyone, especially those with previous injuries or joint replacements.

Joint mobility can have many benefits on function for people at all stages of life. Natasha Freutel is a licensed occupational therapist and wellness coach and has been working with clients of all ages and fitness levels for the past 10 years.

She has a background in kinesiology and rehabilitation. Through coaching and education, her clients are able to live a healthier lifestyle and decrease their risk of disease, injury, and disability later in life.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Practice these stretches and exercises, at home and at the office, to work out the muscle groups needed to maintain stability while standing, walking….

Use these hip internal rotation exercises and stretches at home and at the office to improve internal rotator range of motion and help prevent lower….

As you age, your body changes and risk factors for injuries goes up. Exercise can help, especially mobility exercises, which can help improve pain…. Dynamic flexibility involves doing certain stretches and exercises that mimic the activity you are about to do.

This helps you warm up the muscles…. Including ankle stretching and strengthening in your daily routine pays off in accident prevention and better mobility.

Strong, flexible ankles will…. Targeting heart rate zones as you exercise is one way to maximize the benefits you get from your workouts. Learn about your different heart rate zones…. There are several causes of numbness in your toes and feet when you run, ranging from poor-fitting shoes to health conditions like diabetes.

Instructions Lie down with your back on the floor, legs extended straight, toes pointed upward, and arms at your sides. Instructions Start seated with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend your right knee bringing your right foot to the inside of your left thigh.

Staying tall through your spine, fold over your straight leg reaching your chest towards your knee. As best you can, try to hinge from your hips before you round your back. Hold for the prescribed amount of time. Repeat on the other side. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch Description This is a fantastic stretch to increase the flexibility of your quadriceps and hip flexors.

Instructions Start with your left foot forward, and right knee down, with the top of your right foot flat against the ground. With hands on your hips, contract your core to keep from over-arching your spine, and begin to push your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your right leg.

Squeeze your right glute to increase the stretch. This position might be a big enough stretch for you. If so, hold here. For more of a stretch, keep your left hand on top of your left thigh, and raise your right arm towards the sky.

Then reach that hand up and over towards the left. Hold for the prescribed amount of time, and then repeat on the other side.

Bird Dogs Description The Bird Dog is a classic core exercise that emphasizes core strength and stability as you move your legs. Spider Crawl Stretch With Rotation Description If you were to perform only one stretch, this is it. Instructions Start in the high-plank position with arms extending straight from the shoulders, spine long, and core tight.

Keeping your palms flat against the ground, step your right foot forward outside of the right hand. Keep the left palm on the ground as you lift your right arm and rotate to face your front leg. If possible, keep the back leg straight. Bring your right hand back to its start position in plank and step the right foot back to meet the left.

Repeat on the other side, and complete the prescribed number of repetitions. Instructions Start in a squat stance with your heels off the ground Hold yourself up with your hands outstretched in front of you against the floor Drop your heels back as far as you can comfortably in a squat position Extend your right knee downward towards the ground so that you are stretching your right toes Pull back to the starting position repeating with the other leg You can also lightly push the inside of your right knee outward to rotate the hip away from the body, then repeat with the other knee.

Standing Side Stretch Description The standing side stretch helps to increase flexibility in your core and shoulders and helps unlock more full body flexibility. Instructions Stand straight with your hands at your side looking straight ahead.

As you breathe out, you can lean further. Strategies: Mobility and Stretch. Exercises for joint compartments Combination of mobility and stretch exercises Integration in your training: Include exercises for specific joint systems in your training.

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It can help loosen up all those tight spots you feel in, say, your hamstrings when you lean over to pick something up off the floor, or the front of your hips when you stand up from your chair after sitting for a while.

Improving your mobility and flexibility makes these daily activities easier. In general, stretching is just good to do regularly, so feel free to start or end your day with it. You may also want to take a quick stretch break or multiple ones throughout the day to combat tightness in areas you know tend to feel stiff—even just a few minutes here and there can be helpful.

In these instances, static stretches are all you really need to get the job done. But always go with what feels best for you! The exact stretches you do in one session will depend on what your body needs at that time. If you tend to feel tight in certain spots, or know you struggle with flexibility or ROM in specific areas, you can do some dedicated stretching that focuses on that.

They can let you know which specific moves might be best for your individual needs. Your neck and upper back will feel a release too.

If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees gently or place your hands on a yoga block. By Krissy Brady. By Ashia Aubourg. By Sara Coughlin.

The piriformis muscle is a deep internal hip rotator located on the outside of your butt. Keep your front heel firmly locked into the floor—wearing sneakers can help you get a better grip on the floor and wall.

The triceps stretch—one of the most popular upper-body stretches out there—loosens up the muscles on the back of your upper arms, plus your neck and shoulders, making it great to do after a chest workout or arms routine.

This classic stretch targets your quad muscles in the bent leg. If needed, place your non-working hand on a desk or wall for balance.

This lunging motion stretches your inner thighs and hip adductor muscles, which are responsible for pulling your leg toward the center of your body, like when you bring your legs in during a jumping jack.

It targets your chest and shoulders, in particular. Lunges both stretch and strengthen your hips, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and even muscles in your ankles. The side bend is a great way to gently stretch your torso, specifically your obliques side abs and the intercostal muscles those between your ribs.

Doing it in this kneeling position—with one leg extended to the side—gets the muscles of your hips and inner thigh involved too. The lying-down version, as opposed to the typical standing variation, takes balance out of the equation, so you can really focus on melting into the move.

Instructors often cue happy baby at the end of a vinyasa flow yoga class. Shanna Tyler , NYC-based yoga instructor and founder of Temple Bodii , tells SELF that this pose stretches your lower back in a gentle way—plus, it engages your abs, which further supports your spine.

By taking out the legs portion, you can really sink deep into the back and shoulders. Another classic stretch, for a reason: Pulling your knee into your chest feels really great if the back of your body is tight. Gently twisting your spine can give you a much-needed stretch, but for some people, it can feel a bit irritating.

If you feel discomfort or pain in your lower back, stop. Karen Joubert, DPT, owner of Joubert Physical Therapy in Beverly Hills, tells SELF that most people tend to forget to stretch their necks.

But relieving tension there—with a simple neck stretch like this one—can make a positive impact on the rest of your upper body, from your shoulders to your spine.

This stretch technically targets your hamstrings, but it also will loosen up your calf muscles and glutes at the same time. This is an excellent stretch to do at the end of a workout as a releasing pose, Murray says. It stretches your inner thighs and hip muscles.

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

Fitness Food Health Love Beauty Life Conditionally Shopping. Video Challenges Workouts Newsletter Signup. Save this story Save this story. What kind of stretching should you do?

Why is stretching so important? Savanna Ruedy. Start by standing with your feet together. Take a big step forward with your left foot so that you are in a staggered stance. Bend your left knee and drop into a lunge, keeping your right leg straight behind you with your toes on the ground so you feel a stretch at the front of your right thigh.

Place your right hand on the floor and twist your upper body to the left as you extend your left arm toward the ceiling.

Hold for at least 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms by your sides. Exhale as you fold forward from the hips and bring your head towards the floor. Tuck your chin under, relax your shoulders, and think about extending the crown of your head toward the floor to create a long spine.

Keep your knees straight but with a gentle bend so that they are not locked out. This will help protect your back. Touch the floor with your fingertips. You can also wrap your arms around your legs if that feels comfortable to you. Bend your knees and roll up slowly, starting with the lower back and stacking one vertebra at a time, to return to standing.

Most Popular. Sit on the floor with both legs extended in front of you. Cross your right leg over your left and place your right foot flat on the floor. Place your right hand on the floor behind your body.

Place your left hand on your right quad or your left elbow on your right knee as shown and press your right leg to the left as you twist your torso to the right.

If the spinal rotation bothers your back, take it out and simply use your left hand to pull your right quad in and to the left.

Mobility is a big part of taking care of our whole system of movement. Fitness and working out can be an exercise culture, but we support thinking of it more as a culture of movement. A common assumption is that if we simply exercise or work out, we will automatically be able to move better.

Doing specific exercises repeatedly will most likely improve only those exercises. This improvement will typically not generalize to your whole system, and no single exercise can represent the full spectrum of human movement. In summary, holding static stretches to increase flexibility will only increase range of motion in a passive manner around a specific joint.

Alternatively, mobility training builds strength and coordination throughout the range of motion of the muscles around a specific joint, or multiple joints — and can actually be a workout in and of itself! Hip and Thoracic Spine Mobility: Spider-Man. Roll onto left shoulder, letting right knee fall to floor.

Now extend right leg onto floor and slowly roll hips forward and then back to the position with your right knee bent and arm still extended overhead. Repeat 8 to 12 times, Rhodes says; then carefully roll onto back, hold weight into chest to give arms a break, and switch sides, repeating on other side.

Get on floor on hands and knees in Tabletop position, wrists below shoulders and knees below hips, Rhodes says. Form right hand into fist, thumb pointing up in Hitchhiker position, and lift right arm in front of you to shoulder height. Lower to start and repeat 8 to 12 times.

Kneel on floor with knees about hip-width apart. Step right foot forward so right knee is over right ankle and right thigh is parallel with floor. With arms to sides or hands on hips, shift weight back as you lean from hips over right foot allowing right toes to come up.

If you need some balance, place hands on floor. Release to start and repeat 8 to 12 times, Rhodes says. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hips and shoulders square to start this exercise from Cervantes. Relax left arm by left side as you circle right arm forward 10 times; extend your arm as long as possible to make large circles without shifting hips.

Switch directions for another 10 repetitions. Switch sides and repeat. Lie face up on floor with legs extended on floor, Cervantes says. Bend right knee and bring it toward chest so knee is pointing toward ceiling. Draw circles — make them progressively bigger — with that knee in one direction 20 times; switch directions and repeat.

Then switch sides and repeat, Cervantes says. Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

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