Best Mobility and Flexibility Exercises

Best Mobility and Flexibility Exercises

There are various types of exercises but whether you’re a senior or a top athlete, mobility and flexibility exercises are among the most important ones. They target all the major muscle groups to allow for maximum mobility of all the joints.

Try these flexibility exercises

As a result, people performing them are less likely to suffer an injury because their muscles are well warmed up.

Such static and dynamic stretching comes in various forms so here are the best mobility and flexibility exercises for various parts of the body.

General guidelines

Before we list specific exercises you should bear in mind several pieces of advice that will help you increase the flexibility of all joints, including even the hips. Every flexibility program requires you to warm up thoroughly before performing any exercises.

As we have stated earlier, this helps prevent injury due to the muscles being inadequately stretched out. The stretching itself should be done just before you stop feeling comfortable to maximize the impact.

Secondly, you should remember how to breathe correctly. As you stretch, you breathe out and then breath in as you return to the original position.

Best Mobility and Flexibility Exercises Start TodayAlso, be sure to avoid holding your breath as this will have a negative impact on your heart muscle. If you wish to improve your breathing techniques, then consider taking yoga classes.

Each individual stretch should be held between 10 and 30 seconds, depending on your gender and level of fitness. As tightness intensifies so will the pain so you should stop the stretch when it clearly becomes painful for your musculature. Afterward, shake the limbs off a bit to help them return to their normal state faster. Two or three stretches should be performed before each new exercise.

Flexibility exercises for the upper body

As far as the upper body muscles are concerned, none are more important than the chest and the shoulders.

They are best stretched by simple activities, such as kneeling or standing. Just clasp the hands behind your back and lean forward with your arms straightened.

Another useful exercise is the “arm across the chest.” Start by placing one arm across the chest. Then place the hand on the elbow and pull the arm toward the chest and hold that position for several seconds. Afterward, alternate the other arm.

Finally, you can do a triceps stretch. In order to begin, place one hand behind your back with the elbow lose in the air. Then place the other hand on the elbow and gently pull towards the head. Just like the “arm across chest,” repeat the exercise using the other arm.

Flexibility exercises for the lower body

As far as the lower body is concerned, there are many more exercises you can try out. First of all, there is the glute stretch. While sitting on the floor bend the foot of the right leg over the left leg. Then place the left arm over the right leg so you can use the elbow to push the right knee. Hold this position for several seconds and then go for the other side.

Stretching the adductor muscles is equally important as stretching the glutes.

The abductor stretch begins in the upright position with feet as wide apart as you feel comfortable holding balance with. Then shift your body’s weight to one side as the knee on that side bends to account for the load. Finally, reach toward the extended foot and hold; then repeat for the other side.

Another useful exercise is the single-leg hamstring. Start by placing one leg out straight and bend the other so your foot is level into your thigh. Now bend forward in the waist, all the while keeping your back flat. Like with previous exercises, hold and repeat the leg hamstring stretch on the other side of the body.

Perhaps the easiest lower body flexibility exercise is a standing quadriceps stretch-out. All you need to do is stand on one leg and grab the front side of the other leg’s foot.

The sweet spot to go for is located just above the ankle. Now use your hand to pull together the heel of the leg towards the rear end of your body, all the while pushing the hips out. Don’t forget to keep the thigh at a 90-degree angle to the floor. Hold for a while and then alternate the leg.

The last exercise we list requires a wall in front of you to perform the exercise. A standing calf is performed by placing feet in front of each other, ideally 7 centimeters apart. The back leg should be as straight as possible and firmly on the floor, with even the heel touching the ground.

Now push against the wall so the stretch would increase in intensity. After the pain becomes too strong, stop holding and switch to the other leg. If you find fitness pain unbearable, consider using CBD in pain management.

Wrap-Up

All of the stretches listed here can be classified as static stitches.

However, they don’t differ much from dynamic stretched that are more common in the world of professional sport. In fact, static stretches are ideal for seniors (with hip problems) and people who aren’t mobile enough.

Their intensity can be individually adjusted, ensuring there are no injuries in the process. Performing mobility and flexibility exercises over a prolonged period resulting in improved stamina, endurance, and muscle strength.

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