Mobility exercises: step-by-step technique

19 exercises for mobility with short guides: how to do them, common mistakes and alternatives. Equipment: bodyweight and resistance band.

• Cat-cowBodyweight · BeginnerA gentle spine mobility drill on hands and knees; good as a warm-up.
• World's greatest stretchBodyweight · BeginnerA lunge with a reach and rotation that opens the hips, hamstrings and upper back; a full-body warm-up move.
• Hip flexor stretchBodyweight · BeginnerA half-kneeling stretch for the front of the hip; useful after long periods of sitting. Logged as seconds per side.
• Open book stretchBodyweight · BeginnerA side-lying rotation that improves upper-back mobility. Count each slow opening as one rep.
• Child's poseBodyweight · BeginnerA resting stretch for the back, hips and shoulders.
• Downward dogBodyweight · BeginnerAn inverted V-shape that stretches calves, hamstrings and shoulders.
• Pigeon poseBodyweight · IntermediateA deep hip and glute stretch. Held per side.
• Couch stretchBodyweight · IntermediateA deep stretch for the quads and hip flexors using a wall or sofa. Held per side.
• Hamstring stretchBodyweight · BeginnerA simple stretch for the back of the thigh. Held per side.
• Quad stretchBodyweight · BeginnerA standing stretch for the front of the thigh. Held per side.
• Calf stretchBodyweight · BeginnerA wall stretch for the calf muscles. Held per side.
• Doorway chest stretchBodyweight · BeginnerA gentle stretch for the chest and front of the shoulders using a door frame.
• Thread the needleBodyweight · BeginnerA rotation stretch for the upper back and shoulders. Held per side.
• 90/90 hip switchBodyweight · IntermediateRotate your knees side to side from a seated 90/90 position to improve hip rotation.
• Figure-4 glute stretchBodyweight · BeginnerA lying stretch for the glutes and outer hip. Held per side.
• Lat stretchBodyweight · BeginnerAn overhead side-reaching stretch for the lats. Held per side.
• Butterfly stretchBodyweight · BeginnerA seated stretch for the inner thighs and hips.
• Shoulder dislocatesResistance band · IntermediateMove a band or stick in an arc from front to back to open up the shoulders.
• Thoracic extension on foam rollerBodyweight · BeginnerGently extend the upper back over a foam roller to ease stiffness.

All exercises

General technique guidance, not individual advice. Stop if something hurts and talk to a professional about injuries.