Daily Mobility Routine
Welcome to first official edition of the Total Performance Newsletter! For the first few editions, we will be doing a “Daily Habits” series. We will look at quick and easy routines that will keep you feeling good and moving well, as well as breaking down common daily activities and providing strategies to perform these activities if you are dealing with pain or injury.
For the for first installment of the “Daily Habits” series, we’ll take a look at a quick and effective daily mobility routine that can be performed with no equipment and minimal space. The goal here is to loosen up the hips, shoulders, and trunk. It is most effective to use this first thing in the morning to get you moving, during a break at work after sitting for prolonged periods of time, after a long day of traveling, or even if you need a quick warmup before a workout. Check it out below!
Perform these exercises as a circuit for 2-4 rounds. The names of the exercises are hyperlinks to video demonstrations.
1. Pushup ISO Toe Tap; 6-8 reps per side
a. Cues to remember: in the starting position, make sure hips are gently tucked and upper back is pushed away from your hands-be sure to return to this position after each rep and reset as needed; if you need to make it easier, put your hands on an elevated surface
2. Airplane Windmill; 8-10 reps per side
a. Cues to remember: hips/knees should be at 90 degree angles, but feel free to move the front leg outwards if needed; as you rotate, keep you eyes on the hand that you are rotating towards; allow the front knee to travel backwards, but do not let it roll outwards once you have found your starting position
3. Modified Side Plank w/Rotation; 6-8 reps per side
a. Cues to remember: make sure the supporting elbow is lined up right under the shoulder, with the crease of the elbow just in front of the shoulder; as you rotate, be sure to follow the rotating arm with your eyes
4. Lateral Squat w/Reach to Instep; 6-8 reps per side
a. Cues to remember: as you sit to once side, pretend you are sitting in a chair that is diagonally behind you; as you sit-let the hips and knees help you get there; keep the opposite leg straight; reach the opposite arm towards the foot you are sitting towards and let the torso move down naturally
The key with these exercises is to stay within ranges of motion you can control and that feel good-you will notice you can increase range of motion over time. Each of these exercises can be modified if you are dealing with pain or injury-if you need some help with this, feel free to reach out and I’d be more than happy to help.
Give this routine a shot and let me know what you think! And if you have family or friends that may benefit, share it with them as well!
Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter, where will we begin to break down some common daily activities and provide some strategies to make them more tolerable if you are dealing with pain or injury. Also, if you have any topics that you want to see covered in a future newsletter, please let me know!
Brett
