Doing some regular mobility work could help boost your overall fitness. But many of us are guilty of skipping this kind of exercise, as we think it will take hours of stretching to see any kind of improvement.
The thing is, you really don't need to blast through an hour-long session everyday. You could try something simple like this 15-minute yoga flow to gently stretch your joints and improve your range of motion. Or, if you're really short on time, you could take on this three-move, bodyweight mobility session from fitness trainer Cass Olholm.
Olholm’s routine is accessible for everyone, and she demonstrates each of the moves below so you can practice them before starting your mobility session.
Watch Cass Olholm’s three-move mobility workout
This session is a dynamic routine arranged like a yoga flow class, so you’ll transition between moves, rather than staying still and holding poses. You’ll do 12 repetitions of each move, with six on each side for the first two exercises.
Olholm recommends you complete a total of six rounds to get the most from your training, but don’t push beyond what’s comfortable; it’s better to do each exercise with perfect form to work the correct muscles and avoid injury.
Many of the moves are variations on classic exercises like lunges, hip openers, and walking. Mobility exercises like these focus on improving the range of motion and flexibility of your joints and muscles. It's important to work on these areas, as having good mobility could enhance your athletic performance, prevent injuries and reduce overall stiffness.
You'll also be doing some gentle core strengthening exercises with these moves, as the torso twists will require your midbody muscles to fire up. Having a strong core is another way to improve your functional strength, as this area plays a role in everyday movements like squats and lifts.
Of course, improving your core strength and mobility are two of the many benefits of yoga. If you're trying to work on these areas, we'd also recommend you commit these beginner-friendly yoga stretches to memory, and tag them onto the end of your next workout.
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My osteopath recommended this one move to stretch and strengthen tight hip flexors and I still swear by itOvercome tight hip flexors with this simple solution
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A Pilates instructor says these four stretches are "better than a massage" for tight musclespilates Satisfying, effective exercises that will mobilize the entire body
