It’s no secret that we here at StrengthLog love to lift heavy stuff up and put it back down again. So, what is this mobility workout doing in our feed?!
Well, even the most dedicated lifters need to be able to move freely to lift efficiently — that’s where mobility comes in.
Who Needs a Mobility Workout?
When we talk about mobility, we mean the ability to move your joints freely and with control through their full range of motion.
Adding mobility workouts to your routine might help improve your performance in strength training and sports, if your starting point is below the normal mobility level.
When you’ve reached that level and are able to use your joints in a normal range of motion, you probably don’t need mobility training anymore — regular strength training can be just enough to keep that level of mobility.
Read more: What Does Stretching Do? Benefits Backed by Science
This workout is not a substitute for your strength training, nor is it a routine for becoming a super flexible gymnast. This Full Body Mobility Workout is, however, perfect if you want to loosen up after a week of heavy lifting, or if you feel stiff after a long day at work. You can do it after a regular strength training session, as a form of active rest on your days off from the gym, or just when you want to unwind.
The Full Body Mobility Workout
This session takes about 20–30 minutes and targets all major joints — from your neck and shoulders to your hips and spine. You don’t need any equipment so you’re able to perform it anywhere.
Make sure to do all the reps and movements in a slow, controlled tempo. During the exercises, focus on taking calm, deep breaths and try to move smoothly through each position.
Here’s a summary of the workout as a whole:
| Exercise | Time/Reps |
|---|---|
| Cat/Cow | 20 reps |
| Spinal Twist – Single Leg | 1 min/side |
| Kneeling Lunge | 1 min/side |
| Side Lunge | 20 reps |
| Downward Dog (Superset) | 30 sec |
| Cobra Pose (Superset) | 30 sec |
| Thread the Needle | 1 min/side |
| Pigeon on Back | 1 min/side |
| Child’s Pose | 1 min |
Cat/Cow
How to Perform the Cat/Cow
- Start on all fours, with the shoulders over the wrists and the hips over the knees.
- For the cat pose, push the ground away while rounding your spine towards the ceiling. Tuck your chin to your chest and spread the shoulder blades apart to make space in the upper back.
- For the cow part of the movement, arch your back while bringing the shoulder blades toward each other, gaze up.
- Repeat for reps.
Make sure to keep a slow and controlled tempo throughout the reps, and to synchronize your breathing with the movement.
Where Does It Feel?
The cat/cow helps release tension in your back while you work to increase the mobility in the spine.
Spinal Twist — Single Leg
How to Perform the Spinal Twist — Single Leg
- Lie on your back.
- Bring one knee towards the chest and use the opposite hand to pull it towards that side towards the floor, keeping about a 90 degree angle in your knee joint.
- While looking over the opposite shoulder, make sure to keep both shoulders flat on the floor, creating a twist in your torso.
- Keep the position and breathe calmly.
- Switch sides.
You should feel the rotation in your thoracic spine (upper back), not your lower back. You might not be able to reach the floor with the leg at first, and that’s completely fine.
Where Does It Feel?
The spinal twist opens up your chest and shoulders while increasing rotation in your upper back at the same time.
Kneeling Lunge
How to Perform the Kneeling Lunge
- Bring one leg forward and one leg back, with the front foot facing forward and the back leg with the top of the foot facing down.
- You can keep your hands on the floor, or on your hips.
- Lean forward to get a stretch in the hip flexors of the back leg.
- Keep both hips facing forward and your pelvis tucked for the best stretch.
- Hold the position for the assigned time, and breathe calmly.
- Switch sides.
Keeping your hands on your hips will be more of an active stretch than keeping them on the floor, but try both and see what works best for you.
Where Does It Feel?
The kneeling lunge will help stretch your hip flexors and can help counteract the feeling of tightness that might occur from sitting down .
Side Lunges Stretch
How to Perform the Side Lunges Stretch
- Start with a wide stance, feet pointing forward.
- Bend one knee and drop the hips down towards that foot while keeping a light tension in your core to avoid rotation in your torso.
- Come back to the center, and alternate sides.
Make sure to keep a slow and controlled tempo while performing the reps, and to synchronize your breathing with the movement.
Where Does It Feel?
The side lunge stretch will give you a stretch of the adductors, the inside of your thighs.
Superset: Downward Dog to Cobra Pose
How to Perform Downward Dog to Cobra Pose
- Start on your hands and knees with the hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Lift your hips upward, straighten both legs and press your heels toward the ground, forming an inverted ‘V’ shape with your body.
- Ensure fingers are spread wide, and shoulders are away from your ears. Keep your back straight, and if you need to, bend your knees slightly.
- Keep the pose for the assigned time, and then slowly reverse the movement until you’re in a high plank position.
- From the plank, bend your arms until you’re lying face-down on the floor with your legs extended and the top of your feet pressed into the mat.
- Place your hands under your shoulders, then press down through your hands, lifting your chest and head up while keeping your hips and thighs grounded. Draw your shoulder blades back and down, opening your chest.
Where Does It Feel?
You should feel the downward dog in your hamstrings, calves and lower back, while the cobra pose helps open up your chest and gives a more loose feeling to your spine.
If you feel a sharp pain in the back of your knees in the downward dog, just bend your knees slightly – the stretch should be in the back of your thighs, and it shouldn’t be painful.
In the cobra pose, keep your glutes activated to remove some tension from your lower back.
Thread the Needle
How to Perform Thread the Needle
- Start on all fours.
- Bring one arm under the other by rotating your torso and lowering the shoulder and ear to the mat.
- Extend the other arm forward while keeping your hips straight over your knees.
- Hold the position, then switch sides.
Remember to relax your muscles and breathe calmly while holding the position.
Where Does It Feel?
The thread the needle creates a rotation in your upper back (thoracic spine) and challenges your shoulder mobility.
Pigeon on Back
How to Perform the Pigeon on Back
- Lie on your back.
- Bring one leg towards the chest by using one hand to grab the foot, and the other to grab the knee as you bring the shin toward you.
- Hold your leg so that your foot and knee are at the same height, while trying to bring it towards your chest.
- Hold the position, and then switch sides.
Remember to breathe calmly, and try to relax your muscles while holding the position.
Where Does It Feel?
This is an easier variation of the classic yoga pose, Pigeon Pose. It stretches the glutes and deep hip rotators, which can help you release any tension in the lower back.
Child’s Pose
How to Perform the Child’s Pose
- Starting on your hands and knees, bring the feet together and spread your knees apart.
- Bring the hips back towards the feet, walk the hands out forward and place the forehead on the floor.
- Relax and breathe calmly.
Where Does It Feel?
Child’s pose will gently stretch your back and open up your hips, while helping you to relax your spine.
How Often Should You Do Mobility Workouts?
If you struggle with stiffness, you might benefit from doing this workout every other day, until you’ve reached normal mobility. After that, your regular strength training sessions are probably enough to maintain that mobility.
With that said, you can still do this workout on your rest days, while feeling stiff, or as a cool-down routine after your strength training session – just because it feels nice.
Track This Routine in the StrengthLog App
You can find this mobility workout, and much more, in the StrengthLog app — complete with timers, instructions, and progress tracking.
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