Mobility Training specific to:

a. Hip
b. Ankle

c. T-Spine
d. Vertical pull & push

e. Lifting & Throwing

MOBILITY
 Refers to how well you can move, and how freely and efficiently.

 It is the ability to move your entire body freely and normally.

 It encompasses muscle strength, range of motion, and endurance capacity. If you

have great mobility, you’re able to move functionally and efficiently with little to
no restrictions or difficulty. It means having optimal range of motion. This doesn’t

mean, however, greater flexibility, although flexibility is certainly an aspect of

efficient mobility.

 Ability to move a limb through its full range of motion. It is a controlled voluntary
movement through its entire functional range of motion. Also, it is a process in

which you work to improve mobility in all or a single joint.

 The American Council on Exercise (ACE) calls mobility the cornerstone of fitness,

which allows the body to move correctly. Without mobility, postural stability
becomes compromised and so your body begins to move improperly, increasing

your risk of pain and injury.

Two Definitons of Mobility:

Joint Mobility is the range of uninhibited movement around a joint.

Joint Stability is the ability to maintain or control joint movement or position.

What causes bad mobility?

If you can’t move efficiently or utilize the full functionality of your muscles and joints, then
you have bad mobility. Bad mobility not only means a higher injury risk, but it also means
lower and inefficient performance levels during physical activity. This affects activities as
light as walking to the mailbox to as intense as Ironman competitions. Bad mobility can
even affect daily activities, such as cleaning, driving, and even showering if it’s serious
enough.

There are many causes of bad mobility and the inability to move freely and without pain.

 Muscle imbalances;
 Muscle weakness;
 Tightness;
 Improper alignment and posture;
 An injury that is currently in rehabilitation or was not fully or properly rehabilitated.

Why is moving freely so important?

The answer seems obvious when that question is asked. To be more mobile means to
move more freely. It means being more stable and stronger. It means decreasing your risk
of injury and increasing your ability to move with less effort.

Mobility work and exercising should be included in your overall training program. It
means choosing exercises that focus on increasing your range of motion, stabilization,
and muscle control. It also means attacking weaknesses and muscle imbalances, which
can help protect you against injuries. Ultimately, the goal of mobility is to help you move
better and more controlled without compromise or restrictions.
Head to Toe Mobility Exercises

1. Neck Tilt

If you’re hunched over your computer all day (or scrolling Instagram on your phone all
day?), it’s time to pause and give your neck the care it deserves. Spine Health says poor,
hunched posture results in recurring neck pain. This quick, simple neck flexion and
extension exercise will help combat the strain.

How To:

 Stand hip-width apart. Roll your shoulders forward then back down, shoulder
blades together.
 Place both hands on your waist.
 Inhale, tilt your head down and let your chin touch your chest. Stay here for two
cycles of breath.
 Exhale, return to center.
 Inhale, tilt your neck toward your right shoulder, leading with your ear. Hold for a
couple breaths.
 Return to center.
 Do the same steps for the other side.
 Repeat for a couple more rounds.

Movement Tip:

 Listen to what your neck is telling you! If your body is restricting you to perform a
certain movement, chances are, it’s protecting you from getting injured.
  If you’re in front of your desk, tilt that neck away! You don’t have to be standing to
do this quick exercise.

2. Standing or Sitting Arm Raise with Side Stretches

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in your body, making it more susceptible to injury.
Whether you’re stepping away from your desk for a quick break or you’re about to jump
into a low-impact workout, this stretch will get your shoulders ready.

How To:

 Stand tall, keep the four corners of your feet grounded.

 If you’re doing this seated, ensure both feet are on the ground and you’re rooted
through your hips.
 Inhale, reach your hands up over your head, palms to touch.
 Exhale, arms back down to your sides.
 Repeat this three more times.
 Follow the same steps but this time, when your arms are lifted in the air, grab your
right wrist with your left hand, slowly pull your hand and stretch to the left side. Do
this for one cycle of breath.
 Exhale, arms back to center.
 Repeat the same steps on the other side, three times on each side.

Movement Tip:

 Activate your glutes and your core for more stability while doing the arm stretches.
3. Cat and Cow

Long periods of sitting or stooping down without a proper stance and abdominal muscle
engagement may cause long-term low back pain. Here’s the stretch you need to give your
neck down to your spine some TLC.

How To:

 Come to all fours. Place your hands underneath your shoulders, shoulder-width
apart. Spread your fingers evenly, pointing forward. Note that your shoulders
should be externally rotated (squeeze your shoulder blades back and down) with
elbow creases facing forward.
 Knees should be directly below your hips, and the tops of your feet are touching
the mat.
 Keep your neck in neutral position, eyes gazing down.
 Inhale, drop your belly, open your chest, widen your shoulders, and look forward.
Tilt your buttocks up towards the ceiling.
 Exhale, round your back towards the ceiling, drop your head down while hugging
the abdominal muscles to your spine. Push away from the ground.
 Repeat Cat and Cow for a total of six rounds.

Movement Tip:

 Use towels below your wrists or knees for comfort.

4. Active Leg Raise (Modified Vishnu’s Couch)

Sore or weak hammies, quads, and hips? If so, this mobility exercise will challenge your
stability, improve strength, and help improve both over time.

How To:

 Start by lying on your back, roll over to your right side. Extend your right arm
towards the top edge of your mat—let your armpit kiss the ground. Bend your
right arm, lift your head and rest the side of your head on your hand.
 Place your left hand on your waist. Engage your core.
 Keep your entire body in one line from elbow to heels.
 Flex your feet and spread your toes. Imagine that both feet are pushing against the
wall.
 Inhale, lift your left leg up high.
 Exhale, release it back down.
 Repeat six times.
 Switch sides and follow the same steps.

Movement Tips:

 Do it slowly and mindfully.

 If it’s a challenge to keep your balance and you’re tipping forward and back, you
can:

a. Take a few seconds of rest at each interval.

b. Use your top hand to support you by letting your fingertips touch the mat across your
chest.

5. Supine Windshield Wiper

Counter your long day at work with this relaxing low back stretch. Bonus? You’ll give your
core muscles a boost at the same time.
How To:
 Begin by lying on your back; your shoulders should be rolled back, pressing your
shoulder blades flat against the floor. Maintain this position while extending both
arms straight out to the side.
 Inhale, lift your legs, and keep your thighs perpendicular to the floor with your
knees in the air. To avoid back pain or injury, press your lower back against the
ground.
 Exhale, lower your knees while keeping your shoulder blades firmly pressed to the
floor. Keep your core engaged as you twist your spine and drop both knees to the
right side.
 Bring both knees back to center, repeat the same steps for the left side.
 Do this three times on each side.

Movement Tips:

 Keep your neck in neutral position while following the steps.

 Don’t rush. Do the movements slow and controlled.
6. Standing Calf Raise

Your calf muscles work

with other lower leg muscles to help you move your feet, says Cleveland Clinic. This
exercise promotes ankle stability and calf strength.

How To:

 Stand on your mat, feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward.

 Hands on your waist or alongside your body.
 Pull your belly into your spine.
 Inhale, slowly raise your heels, while pressing the ball joints of your toes against
the ground. Keep your knees extended with a slight bend, not locked.
 Exhale, lower your heels back down.
 Repeat 6 times.

Movement Tip:

 If stability is an issue, use a wall or a chair as a means of support.

7. Toe Raise
Tired and unhappy feet? It’s easy to forget about the bottom of your feet and your toes
but they play a vital role in getting you from one place to another throughout your day.
Give them the love and attention they deserve with this final mobility exercise.

How To:

 Stand tall, feet hip-width apart with your arms along the sides of your body, palms
facing forward.
 Inhale, lift your toes at once, heels pressing down the mat.
 Exhale, slowly press each of your toes back to the ground, beginning with the pinky
toes, and ending with the big toes.
 Do this for a total of six rounds.

STABILITY TRAINING EXERCISES

Developing core strength is essential for everyday health and well-being, as a strong core
protects the spine, reduces back pain, enhances movement patterns, and improves
balance, stability and posture.

There are many methods for developing core strength, as well as various pieces of
equipment that assist in that development. However, there are plenty of exercises that
require only body weight or basic equipment. The most important thing to remember
when training the core is to avoid using momentum and instead perform each exercise
with awareness so that the core is actually braced or engaged.

The following seven core stability exercises can be added to your current workout
routine. If some of these exercises feel too challenging, try the regressed version given in

italics. If the featured equipment is not available, use your own body weight.
BOSU Bird Dog

Focus: Core stability

How to Perform: Set your right knee on the center of the dome and place both hands

on the floor underneath the shoulders. Extend the left leg behind you to hip height;
keep the foot flexed. Raise the right arm to shoulder height with your thumb facing the

ceiling. Hold for 20 seconds and switch sides.

Regression: Perform the exercise on the floor.

Supine Toe Taps

Focus: Core stability

How to Perform: Lie on your back and place your arms by your sides. Engage the
abdominals and draw the navel toward your spine. Lift the knees to 90 degrees. On a

two-count, lower your right foot to touch the floor, and on a two-count, return it back to
90 degrees. Perform the same movement with your left leg and continue to alternate

tapping the right and then the left foot onto the floor. Perform 10 reps on each leg.
Regression: Keep your feet on the floor, and slide your heel on the mat, alternating legs.
Marching Hip Bridge

Focus: Lumbo-pelvic stability

How to Perform: Lie on your back and place your hands by your sides. Lift the hips and
hold a hip bridge. Lift the right foot off the floor to 90 degrees at the hip and knee.
Return the foot onto the floor and then lift the left foot to 90 degrees; return to center.
Keep the hips lifted and maintain a neutral pelvis as you alternate leg lifts for 20
repetitions.
Regression: Hold a static hip bridge, keeping both feet on the floor for 30 or more
seconds.

Stability Ball Deadbugs

Focus: Core stability

How to Perform: Lie on your back and lift your knees to 90 degrees. Place a stability
ball between your lower legs (near the knees) and press your hands and legs into the
stability ball. Engage the core and draw the navel toward the spine. Extend the arms and
legs—the straighter the limbs, the more challenging the pose. Make sure the knees stay
at 90-degrees when returning back to center (the calves touching the hamstrings makes
the exercise easier). Complete 10 reps on each side.
Regression: Perform the exercise without a stability ball, and keep your knees at 90
degrees as you lower. It’s similar to toe taps, but with the addition of the arms.
Forearm Plank With Toe Taps

Focus: Core stability and hip strength

How to Perform: Position the body into a forearm plank with the feet touching. Begin
alternating lateral toe taps, where the right foot pushes away from the body, touches
the floor and then returns to center. Repeat with the left leg. Complete a set of 10 reps
on each leg. Use a BOSU to make the exercise more challenging.
Regression: Perform a static forearm plank with feet hip-distance apart.

Side Plank With Torso Rotation

Focus: Core strength and shoulder stability

How to Perform: Position the body into a forearm side plank. Both legs should be
extended. Lift the top arm over the chest and then rotate with your rib cage to draw the
hand underneath the ribs. Repeat this motion for 10 to 12 repetitions and then perform
on the other side.
Regression: Perform the exercise in modified side plank with your bottom shin on the
floor.

Single-Legged Deadlift
Focus: Posterior strength
How to Perform: Hold a set a dumbbells and stand tall with feet hip-distance apart. Lift
the right foot off the floor; hinge the pelvis to glide over the top of the left leg. The head
and the foot should counterbalance each other. The lowest hinging point should be
when the body is parallel to the floor. Keep the pelvis as neutral as possible. Complete
12 repetitions on each leg.
Regression: Perform the exercise without dumbbells or complete a deadlift with both
feet on the floor.