Improve your posture and performance with these mobility drills.
Even the most committed exercise lovers often neglect mobility drills in favour of cramming in another session in the weights room, on the treadmill or whatever else they focus on when training.
Mobility work isn’t the most glamorous way to spend your time, and it perhaps doesn’t yield the immediate gratification that setting a new back squat or 5K PB does, but it is essential to performing at your peak in the long term.
“I have been a strength and conditioning coach working with international athletes for 12 years and what I have learnt in that time is that movement and posture are absolutely key to performance,” says Richard Tidmarsh, founder of Reach Fitness.
Tidmarsh has designed three different levels of mobility flows so you can work one into your current training regime whatever your current ability is.
“I suggest that everyone starts with the beginner movement flow and masters the techniques before moving on to the intermediate and advanced patterns,” says Tidmarsh.
Start in an elevated plank position with your shoulder blades pushed up as far as possible, then push up into a downward dog – hips high and elbows rolled in to activate your lats – and move back to plank. Repeat this three times.
Follow this with three walk-ups, walking your hands to your feet and slowly rolling your spine up to standing. After repeating this three times, drop into a deep ape, breathing in to a gorilla stretch for three reps.
Start in downward dog, then sweep forwards and step your left leg to the outside of your left hand, then raise your left hand and point to the ceiling. Move your hand back down, dropping your left elbow to the floor, then step back to downward dog. Repeat on each side for three reps. This flow will add thoracic rotation to your regime as well as developing your hip and hamstring capabilities.
Start on your back and perform two shrimp rolls to straddle reach-throughs. On your third shrimp roll, come all the way through into a strong plank position, then push through into an upward dog without your thighs touching the floor.
Push back in to a downward dog and then pop forwards into a deep ape hold. Perform three whole loops.
Written by Nick Harris-Fry for Coach and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.
