Get, stretch, go
Flexibility is youth. If you’re exercising regularly, the reason you may not be reaching your goals isn’t for lack of activity, but rather a lack of mobility. The ability of your joints to move through their full range of motion without pain or stiffness is what makes you flexible. It is the pliability of the muscles that support the joints that matter. Flexible muscles and tendons allow for a greater range of motion during activities. Some stretch to improve flexibility.
1. Ankle mobility
Good ankle mobility contributes to better balance, fewer falls, and better performance during activities like squats and deadlifts.
Equipment needed: none
Movement: ankle dorsiflexion, plantar flexion
1. Stand tall next to a wall.
2. Place your hands on the wall for support.
3. Slowly rock forward onto your toes, coming into a tip-toe position.
4. Slowly rock back onto your heels, lifting your toes off the ground.
5. Repeat 10 times.
2. Walking hip openers
Your hip joint is a ball and socket that moves in all directions. It’s important to warm up the hip and surrounding muscles before any workout, since they’re key contributors to balance and stability.
Equipment needed: none
Muscles worked: glutes, hip flexors, hip extensors, hip abductors,
1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
2. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and lift your left knee to your chest.
3. Make a circle with your left knee, bringing it up and across your body and then out to the side and down.
4. Place your left foot on the floor and repeat on the right side.
5. Repeat 10 times, then repeat the sequence moving your legs in the opposite direction by bringing your leg out to the side and then across your body.
3. Shoulder pass-through
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.
Equipment needed: broomstick or PVC pipe
Muscles worked: rotator cuff, anterior deltoid, chest, and upper back
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a broomstick parallel to the floor. Use an overhand grip holding the bar as wide as possible.
2. Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise the broomstick above your head. Hold your core tight to maintain good posture and balance.
3. Bring the broomstick behind your head as far as you’re able. Hold for 2 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat.
4. Neck half circles
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.
Equipment needed: none
Muscles worked: neck flexors and extensors, trapezius
1. Sit or stand comfortably with your hands on your sides.
2. Tilt your head to one side until you feel a stretch. Slowly roll your head forward to bring your chin to your chest.
3. Continue to roll your head to the other side until you feel a stretch along the opposite side of your neck.
4. Make 3 half circles, moving slowly through the motion.