fitness

7 Exercises That Will Boost Your Mobility and Flexibility

August 11, 2021

236

Mobility has become a bit of a buzzword in fitness, but it's more than just a trendy method for moving better. "It's your ability to achieve and control a certain range of motion," says New York City–based physical therapist and trainer Laura Miranda, DPT, CSCS, founder of Pursuit, the fitness training system. "In order to perform daily activities or simply function pain-free long-term, you need to find ways to properly work through full arcs of motion."

That's why Miranda created this flow: to help bridge the gap between how much range you should have and how much you actually have. In the routine, you move from one pose to the next, holding each for two to three seconds and focusing on the entire body, from the neck and shoulders to hips and hamstrings. Take a deep inhale and exhale in each pose, and engage the core throughout every step, keeping a neutral spine. The end range of each move should feel challenging but not painful. Readjust if you find your breath or form is compromised.

RELATED: 5 Ways to Become More Flexible

Try this as a warm-up to heavy lifting or high-intensity interval sessions— it gets the blood flowing and muscles primed for more movement. You can also do the exercises in the middle of the workday for a much-needed stretch. No matter when you do them, Miranda says, what's important is to move slowly, move well, and feel good.

Do all of the exercises, holding every pose for 2 to 3 seconds, or one full breath. Then repeat for 2 or 3 reps before switching sides or moving on to the following pose. On the last rep, hold the final pose for 10 seconds to dial up the strength and stability gains.