Increase Joint Mobility Before Strength Training
To prevent (prehab) or fix (rehab) immobile joints, you should complete mobility exercises as your warm up at the start of every strength training session. I recommend completing one set each of the mobility exercises described below. Bottom line, if you only have limited time for a workout, you’ll get the most bang for your buck by completing mobility exercises.
Foam Rolling
Foam rolling can offer the following benefits:
Help you avoid injury caused by tight muscles and overuse.
Increase blood flow to lower body helping improve your workout performance.
Improve muscle tissue quality by relieving knots, adhesions, trigger points (all mean the same thing).
Self care for your muscles, and cheaper than paying for messages.
When to Foam Roll? Before your workout (more important), and after workouts to aid recovery.
Foam Roll – Glutes
Align roller perpendicular to your body, and sit on the roller.
Roll one glute side at a time, cross leg and tilt toward the glute to be rolled.
Roll the entire glute in an up and down direction.
Roll 10 times per side if you feel no pain or tightness, roll longer if you do.
Foam Roll – Quadriceps
Lie sideways with the outside of your thigh on the roller, and bring your top leg forward.
Using your arm on the floor, pull and push yourself over the roller from just below your hip bone to just above your knee.
Roll 10 times per side if you feel no pain or tightness, roll longer if you do.
Bird Dog
Start on all fours on the floor with hands beneath your shoulders, and knees beneath your hips.
Raise your opposite arm and leg and hold for 3 secs.
Complete 10 reps per side.
Good Form Check:
Take deep breaths and fully exhale during the 3 second holds.
Keep the extended leg below hip level.
Focus on stabilizing your core, and keeping your hips level.
Child Pose
Sit on your heels with your toes pointed back.
Reach your hands forward to the floor, and keep bending to a bow position until your ears are in line with your upper arms.
Hold child pose position for 20 seconds, or as long as you need to loosen up.
Good Form Check:
Focus on stretching your shoulders, lower back, and hips.
T-Spine Rotation
Sit on your heels with your toes pointed back, and extend one hand on the floor in front of you.
Place your other hand on your ear, rotate your shoulders by pointing your elbow towards the ceiling, then rotating downward touching your opposite knee.
Complete 10-15 reps per side.
Good Form Check:
Keep your glutes in contact with your heels throughout the movement.
Keep your arm that’s rotating up and down in a fixed position to maximize spine rotation.
World’s Greatest Stretch
Get into a deep lunge position with your front leg bent at 90 degrees.
Position elbow next ankle of your front leg. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds.
Rotate hips by pointing hand towards the ceiling. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds.
Reverse position and repeat on other side.
Floor Slides
Lie on the floor with knees up, arms placed above your head, and back of your hands and elbows in contact with floor.
Push arms and hands into the floor, and slide arms up and down (think touchdown).
Complete 15-20 reps.
Good Form Check:
Keep your lumbar in contact with the floor throughout the movement.
Deep Squat
For support, hold onto a bar, railing, pole, or TRX with handles positioned at chest height.
Squat until your hips are below your knees.
Feel a stretch in your upper back and shoulders.
Keep your shins vertical and your back straight.
Keep weight on your heels and return to standing position.
Complete 12-15 reps.
Leg Swings
Straighten your leg and swing it forward and back as far as you can, and keep your upper body stable.
Complete 15-20 swings per side.
Good Form Check:
Do not bend your knee during the swing. Focus movement on your hips.
Challenge your balance by keeping your hand free from the wall.
Open The Gate
Lift your knee up to hip level, pivot knee 90 degrees to your side, then lower toe to the floor (open gate).
Lift knee to your hip and return knee to starting position, then lower toe to the floor (close gate).
Complete 10 reps per side.
Good Form Check:
Keep your upper body stable and pointing straight ahead while pivoting knee to the side.
Challenge your balance by keeping your hand free from the wall.
Lunge Reach
Step backward keeping your back leg straight and bending the front leg to a 90 degree angle.
While stepping back, raise both arms at a diagonal angle until your upper arms line up with your ears.
Step forward to return to starting position, returning arms to your sides.
Complete 10-15 reps per side.
Good Form Check:
Step back as far as you can to create a diagonal pattern movement.