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Full Body Mobility Exercises for EVERYBODY
Have you ever YouTubed/googled mobility exercises for beginners, and you were like WTF, there is no way my body can get into that position! Well, I am here to tell you, these are mobility exercises created for the INFLEXIBLE and everyone else too, to help gain mobility after a procedure, injury, stiffness, and anything else!
Where to do these stretches
These mobility exercises can be done right at your desk for a mid-day stretch, in a chair, on the floor, standing, and some lying down!
Shoulder and Chest Openers
- Standing or sitting, inhale, reach your arms toward the sky, and bring your palms together
- Bring your hands in front of your face, thumbs to third eye (space between your eyes)
- Bring your elbows together
- On the inhale, open the arms to cactus arms, drawing your shoulder blades together
- On the exhale, bring the hands and elbows together, and you might even round the spine, creating more of a crunch
- Repeat at least 10 times
Shoulder Rolls
- Standing or sitting with your arms relaxed either hanging next to your sides or hands on your knees if seated.
- Breathe in and lift your shoulders up toward your ears then begin to roll your shoulders back while squeezing your shoulder blades together
- Repeat for 10-20 reps, creating a circular motion, then roll shoulders in the opposite direction for the same amount of reps
Neck Stretch
- Standing or sitting with your spine straight
- Tilt your head to the right bringing your right ear closer to your right shoulder
- Reach over your head with your right hand and gently pull your head towards your right shoulder
- To deepen the stretch slightly extend your left arm and fingers toward the ground
- Hold for up to 30 seconds then slowly release and switch to the left side
Triceps Stretch
- Standing or sitting raise your right arm fully extending it upwards above your head
- Bend your right elbow but keep your elbow pointed up toward the sky
- Use your left hand to gently push your right elbow downward
- Hold for up to 30 seconds then slowly release
- Switch sides and repeat
Side Stretches
- Standing or sitting up straight, inhale reach your arms overhead
- Either palms together or interlace the fingers, releasing the pointer fingers, crossing at the thumbs
- Begin to reach towards the sky, then to the right side as far as you can, but still try to focus on full breaths, if your breaths begin to feel shallow, then you may have gone a little too far
- Hold for 10 – 30 seconds
- Switch sides then repeat, you can also go from side to side more quickly if you choose!
*** If it is too hard to have both hands over your head, you can bring the right one by your side, on the outside of your leg, and reach the left arm up and slightly over to the right, reaching that bottom hand towards the ground!
Wide Legged Forward Fold, Side Lunges (Skandasana)
- From Standing, separate your legs, about a leg’s width distance apart, and fold forward
- Hands can come to the mat, blocks, or a chair. Bend your right knee into a half-squat/side lunge. Keep your left leg straight and flex your foot so that your toes lift, but your heel is grounded.
- Press the hips back while keeping the spine lifted.
- Switch from side to side, at least 10 times on each side.
Leg swings
- Stand straight and next to a wall or something that can support your weight, to help with balance, place your left hand on the wall or object supporting you.
- Begin swinging your right leg (outside leg) backward and forward.
- Do it for 20 to 40 seconds, then switch directions, (right arm on wall/object, swinging left leg.
- Now stand facing the wall/object, both hands on the wall/object, beginning with the right leg, swing it out towards the right, and then slightly across the body, repeat for 20-40 seconds and switch to the left side.
Shoulder Stretch Pose with Straps
- Standing or Sitting, using a strap/dog leash/scarf, whatever you have, take it in both hands and extend the arms completely over your head
- While keeping a firm grasp on the strap, your arms extended the entire time, inhale bring the strap forward, and then exhale bring the strap overhead and behind the back, creating circular movements
- Repeat at least 10 times.
Supine Leg Stretch with or without a strap
** I like to use a strap here!
- Lie on your back, legs flat on the ground (if that is uncomfortable, then knees bent)
- Bend your right knee and hug it into your body.
- Begin to extend your right leg toward the ceiling, (keeping it straight), pulling it toward the torso until tension is felt behind the leg. You can interlace the fingers behind the knee or use a strap here (bringing the strap to the bottom of the foot, and bringing the strap in both hands!)
- Hold for at least 30 seconds
- Repeat on left side.
- (for mobility exercises of the ankle and foot, you can point and flex your foot, or do circles with the food)
Supine Adductor Stretch
Continued… Supine Leg Stretch, hip opener
- Laying on the floor in the supine position, bring the right knee in towards the chest, bring the strap around the bottom of the foot, and extend the leg towards the sealing
- Strap in the right hand, begin to open the right leg out to the right side keeping the knee straight.
- Try to keep the left hip grounded
- Hold for 30 seconds, repeat on left side.
One-on-One Yoga
I work with private clients to help them regain mobility, flexibility, and strength in my one-on-one sessions, clients who are recovering from injury, procedures, and life-altering surgeries. Many of these mobility exercises are used in our daily sessions.
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