If you’ve got just five minutes to spare, you can enhance your well-being! A little mobility work can help you feel better, lower your injury risk, ease pain, and even boost your mental health.
Discovering a wider range of motion brings terrific benefits beyond just reaching your toes! A fascinating study from August 2017 in PLOS One showed that individuals aged 50 to 60 experienced a remarkable boost in their day-to-day activities and found improved outcomes for anxiety and depression with greater mobility.
One wonderful benefit of mobility work is how great it feels right from the start!
THE EXERCISES
LUNGED WITH ROTATION
Direction:
Start in a knee plank with hands under shoulders and body straight from head to heels.
Step your right foot forward next to your right hand, with your knee bent at 90 degrees angle.
Place your left hand on the ground for support. Twist your upper body right, extending your right arm upward to form a “T” shape. Follow your hand with your eyes to deepen the twist. You should feel a gentle stretch in your chest, back, and hip flexors.
Lower your right hand to the floor and move your right foot back to the knee plank position.
Repeat the lunge and twist sequence on the left side by stepping your left foot forward and twisting your upper body to the left.
SPINE, LATS, AND LOWER BODY STRETCH
Direction:
Start on all fours, ensuring your wrists are aligned with your shoulders and your knees are positioned beneath your hips. Breath in.
As you exhale, round your spine up towards the ceiling and pull your belly button towards your spine. Tuck your chin to your chest. Concentrate on pressing away from the floor and round not just your hips but also pull your hips underneath your body. This is the cat's posture.
As you inhale again, arch your back, letting your belly hang below you as you press your belly button toward the floor. Lift your tailbone and your head toward the ceiling, concentrating on pulling your chest toward the sky and pulling your shoulders away from your ears.
Breathe slowly, sit back towards your heels, and allow your arms to stretch forward and breathe out.
Gradually straighten both legs into a pike position, keeping your hands flat to the floor as your lats are extended and stretched.
Continue back and forth from the beginning.
HIP FLEXOR AND QUAD STRETCH
Direction:
Begin in a standing position before a couch or an adjustable bench set to a 90-degree incline (or lower if you have super tight hip flexors). Place the top of your right foot onto the bench behind you.
Lower your right knee to the ground. Your shin should be flush to the bench, and your knee should be positioned directly below your foot or slightly in front if you're tight. Your opposite leg should be placed forward with a slight bend in the knee.
To ensure your pelvis is neutral, or to cue a posterior tilt, think about “tucking your butt” under your torso.
Hold this stretch for 1 minute to stretch the psoas and rectus femoris passively. If performing the move before a workout, do the hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
Repeat on the other side, stretching 1 to 2 times on each side.
90-90 STRETCH
Direction:
Sit on the floor, hands behind you for support or unsupported. Place your left leg down with your thigh extended to the left, the outside of your leg on the floor and your knee bent at 90 degrees. The outside of your left thigh, knee, shin, and foot will be on the floor.
Extend your right thigh in front of you so that the inside of your thigh faces the floor and your knee is bent 90 degrees. The inside of your right knee, calf, and foot will be on the floor. This is the starting position.
Keep your feet touching the floor and your knees bent 90 degrees as you rotate your hips to the right so your legs switch positions. Your right thigh will now be out to your right, with the outside parts of the leg on the floor. Your left thigh will now be in front of you, with the inside parts of your left leg on the floor.
Rotate back to the starting position. Rotate back and forth in this way 20 times.
SPINE, ABS, AND HIP STRETCH
Direction:
Face up on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor with a foam roller under your mid-back, perpendicular to your spine.
Lie back and open your chest, letting your head fall toward the floor behind you, and your bent arms fall toward the floor to your sides. Feel your chest and neck opening.
Cross your left leg to your right knee. Slowly twist to your right while turning your upper body in the opposite direction as your head and neck follow the same direction as your torso.
Stay like this for 30 to 60 seconds or as long as feels good.
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