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HomeMobilityMy Morning Mobility Routine: Improve Your Flexibility, Mobility & Range Of Motion

My Morning Mobility Routine: Improve Your Flexibility, Mobility & Range Of Motion

Morning Mobility Routine - Start Your Day The Right Way
Morning-mobility-routine-3

Humans were made to move. We weren't designed to sit down with poor posture for hours on end each day.
Tight hip flexors, sore shoulders, poor shoulder mobility... the inability to get down into a squat position, increased risk of injury and minimal range of motion on our exercises in the gym...

These are all by-products of a sedentary life and no mobility work.

It sucks.

Here's the good news.

By sparing 10 minutes each morning you'll be able to counteract these negative effects of modern life.

Increased energy, increased range of motion, a loose, free feeling body...

What're you waiting for? Time to get mobile!

Here's What You'll Need

morning-mobility-routine-2

Resistance Band

A resistance band is without a doubt the cheapest, most dynamic piece of mobility equipment - ideal for warming up and improving upper body mobility.
No need to purchase an expensive name-branded resistance band, a cheap set of Amazon will do the job, or opt for a slighty better TheraBand.

Over time (regardless of brand) I have found the resistance bands to all eventually snap after prolonged daily use (so make sure you pick up a couple!).

>>You can pick up a resistance band set here<<

Yoga Mat

If you're performing your mobility routine outdoors or on a hardwood floor you're going to want to utilize a yoga mat.
Once again, nothing fancy required.
Yoga mats do however come in different sizes, I recommend getting a larger yoga mat if room permits as it certainly does come in hander for some core and mobility based exercises such as the hollow hold.

See also
How To Increase Squat Depth: My 3 Methods For A Deeper Squat

>>You can pick up a yoga mat here<<

Trigger Point Therapy Ball

I'm a big fan of the MobilityWOD SuperNova, however you don't have to spend that much to get an effective trigger point therapy ball.
A lacrosse ball or a tennis ball will do the trick if you have one laying around the house, the beastie spikey ball is another popular trigger point therapy ball.

If you're willing to spend a bit of money you can't go wrong with the SuperNova. It'll get in and work those spots that the lacrosse ball, tennis ball and beastie can't get to and it'll last you a lifetime.

>>You can pick up a SuperNova here<<

A Small Amount Of Space

Since we're not going to be swinging olympic barbells or anything else too crazy for that matter you're not going to need a ton of room for your mobility routine.
Provided you've got enough room to spread your arms to the side and overhead for your resistance band work (shoulder dislocations) you're fine.
A small apartment, a backyard, your home gym - wherever you are you shouldn't have any issues getting in this morning mobility routine.

If it wasn't for the shoulder mobility exercise you'd be able to perform this entire routine in a telephone booth!

See also
5 Big Benefits Of Tennis Ball Self Massage

Here's How To Perform My Morning Mobility Routine

The following morning mobility routine should take you roughly 10 minutes.
Some days you'll find that a bit of extra time on the trigger point therapy, while others days you won't find it necessary.

Here's the routine:

  • Shoulder disolocations - 3x10
  • Hip flexor stretches
  • Ankle dorsiflexion wall stretch - 3x10 (per ankle)
  • Trigger point therapy (5 minutes give or take as necessary)
  • 5 minute rocking deep squat

Now, let's break each step down...

Shoulder Dislocations


Perform 3 sets of 10 reps of shoulder dislocations as per my video above.

Shoulder dislocations are my favorite method of warming up my rotator cuffs and increasing my shoulder mobility and range of motion.

If you don't have access to a resistance band a broomstick will do the job too, however the resistance band allows for a more complete stretch and is easier on the wrists.
As you begin to increase your shoulder mobility slowly begin to use a closer grip for your dislocations.

Hip Flexor Stretches

As per Elliott Hulse's video below, stretch out those hip flexors for a couple of minutes - you'll find this vastly increases how 'flowy' your squats and running feels when it comes time to train.

Ankle Dorsiflexion

Ankle-Dorsiflexion-Stretch

If moderate to severe restrictions exist, I will hold the stretch for about 30 seconds, but often just do a few reps of 10 repetitions.

See also
The Best Ankle Mobility Exercises To Increase Dorsiflexion (And Your Squat!)

I usually prefer placing my foot up on a wall or step instead, as seen in the second part of my video below.  The added benefit here is that you can control the intensity of the stretch by how close you are to the wall and how much you lean your body in.  I also like that it extends my toes, which gives a stretch of the plantar fascia as well.  For both of these stretches, be sure to not turn your foot outward.  You should be neutral to point your toe in slightly (no more than an hour on a clock).

Trigger Point Therapy

There's no exact right or wrong way to use the SuperNova, as it's designed to fix your mobility issues, assist improving your recovery and increase your range of motion. I do not have a set drill I perform when I use my SuperNova as what I do is based on how my body is feeling. That said, below are the ways in which I target certain muscle groups with the SuperNova.

I find the shoulder release particularly effective, using the technique below most days.

Shoulders


Pecs


Forearms


Posterior Chain


 Quads

5 Minute Rocking Deep Squat

Ido Portal Deep Squat

Hold onto a pole or wall with 1 hand if you’re unable to hold your position

See also
Tennis Ball Self Massage - Your Definitive Trigger Point Massage Guide To Increasing Mobility While Reducing Muscle & Joint Pain At Home

If you’ve never performed deep squats before hold onto a pole or suitable object with 1 hand as required to prevent yourself from falling backwards. Try to rely on the pole less and less as time goes on.

If your feet are coming off the ground utilize a small lift for your heel

Feet coming off the ground is generally due to poor ankle mobility (ankle dorsiflexion in particular) perform some ankle mobility drills and opt to place a small raise (a small weight plate or board or wood will work fine) under your heels to assist with squat depth.

Ido Portal 3030 Squat Challenge Benefits

Over the course of a week work your way up to 5 minutes at a time

5 minutes of holding a squat position per day can be tough, even when adding together multiple stints throughout the day.
I recommend starting small and working your way up.

Pour Conclure

Start your day with this morning mobility routine and you'll soon find yourself feeling far looser during your workouts, resulting in an increased range of motion and reduced risk of injury.
Consider this a form of 'preventative maintenance' for your body!

Once again, 10 minutes is all it takes, and here's a quick refresher on the routine:

  • Shoulder disolocations - 3x10
  • Hip flexor stretches
  • Ankle dorsiflexion wall stretch - 3x10 (per ankle)
  • Trigger point therapy (5 minutes give or take as necessary)
  • 5 minute rocking deep squat

What's Your Take On My Morning Mobility Routine? Let Me Know In The Comments Below!

Scott J.
Scott J.https://ignorelimits.com
I’m SJ. I’m a fitness enthusiast and published author. I transformed my body from a skinny fat 135lbs with 18% body fat to a solid 192lbs at 8% body fat. I became qualified in a field I was passionate about. I founded several online businesses that allow me to pursue ideas and projects in my life that I am passionate about without having to constantly worry about money. I published several eBooks explaining the training and dieting techniques I used to achieve the body I have today. I learnt a plethora of new information on dieting and fitness by reading and applying what I read, to find out what does work and what doesn’t work, because as I’m sure you’ve noticed the health and fitness industry is full of non-sense claims and BS. I found out what was true and what worked for me and applied that knowledge. And you bet I had fun during the whole process.

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