ARTICLE AT A GLANCE
These four mobility exercises can give you a new “functional” range of motion that you will definitely feel as you ease back into your fitness routine.
Getting back in the gym after you’ve taken some time off can be rough. It’s inevitable that as we age, a decrease in flexibility and mobility becomes very noticeable, especially when we haven’t been sticking with our workout routines.
Many experts agree that flexibility declines much faster than strength. Remember when squatting or lunging down to pick something up off the floor was an elementary task that happened without hesitation? Now you might really have to prepare yourself or even contort your body to some crazy position just to do the simplest physical tasks.
Muscle tightness and movement restrictions can make it unmotivating to return to the gym, and unfortunately, also make you feel older in a hurry. Luckily, we can stop and even reverse this trend by consistently performing some key exercises. We suggest performing these exercises 4-5 days per week for 6 weeks and then maintain your results with 1-2x per week or as needed.
Without further ado, here are our four favorite exercises that address some of the most common movement restrictions. While there are hundreds of exercises, the following four can give you a new “functional” range of motion that you will definitely feel as you ease back into your fitness routine.
1.Hip Flexor/Quad Stretch
Tip: Hold for 45 seconds on each side and gently shift hips forward every 5-10 seconds
2. Three Way Hamstring Stretch
Tip: Manually hold band and do not put band behind head. Use band to increase range of motion as needed. Perform stretch for 1 minute per side. Rotate foot internally and externally to hit all three muscles of the hamstring.
3. Glute/Hip Rotator Stretch
Tip: Perform Stretch for 1 min per side. As you exhale, keep a flat back and try to lower your chest towards the ground.
4. Loaded Soleus Stretch
Tip: Perform on a Seated Calf Machine with a light load. As stretch gets easier, slightly lean forward. Perform for 45 seconds.
Perform 2-3 sets of each stretch.
