Improve mobility with these simple exercises
In this video, we demonstrate some basic movements that anyone can perform to increase their mobility.
Hello, my name is Katie Plunkett, and I am a certified personal trainer and fitness coach with Renegade Personal Training and Survival to Strength. Survival to Strength is a Twin Cities-based non-profit that provides free personal training to individuals who have experienced a cancer diagnosis. Today, I’m here with my client, Kim, from Survival to Strength, and she is going to help me demonstrate some mobility and strength moves that are foundational to any strength program.
Our first mobility movement is called "Open the Gate." Kim is sitting here on the edge of the bench with good posture, her core engaged, and her ankles directly beneath her knees, so she is in proper alignment. What she will do first is engage her core, then slowly lift her knee up and bring it over to the side, almost as though she is carrying it. She will then bring it up again and back, as though she is stepping over a pot of flowers. We’ll repeat the movement on the other side. The purpose of this exercise is to work on external rotation, moving the hip out and then back in. Oftentimes, when we spend a lot of time sitting, we develop tightness in the muscles in the front and sides of our hips. This movement helps alleviate that tightness and is a safe way to engage the core.
The next exercise focuses on the transverse abdominis muscle, which is a wide-banded muscle around the core that protects the organs and lower back. It’s very important to strengthen this muscle to support everything we do that extends from the body. For this exercise, Kim will lie on her back with her knees bent and her feet flat on the mat. You’ll notice a slight arch in her lower back, just enough to slide a piece of paper underneath. To eliminate that space, Kim will tilt her pelvis ever so slightly until her tailbone and lower back are touching the mat. This is called "imprinting the spine." Once she’s set, she’ll continue to breathe regularly. If she places her hands on her hip bones and walks her fingers inward slightly, she’ll feel tension. She can release that tension and then re-engage to ensure she’s activating the correct muscles.
This movement alone can be enough of an exercise to practice engaging those deep core muscles. The next step would be for Kim to raise her arms straight above her head. Then, she will slowly lift one leg to a 90-degree angle, maintaining the imprint. If she’s ready for more, she can lift the other leg to meet the first, holding this position for 15 to 30 seconds while breathing easily. The final progression is to slowly lower one leg toward the floor and then bring it back up, alternating legs. It’s important to go only as far as she can maintain the imprint. If she feels the imprint is lost or her tilt is compromised, she should adjust her range of motion. It’s also crucial to avoid holding her breath during this exercise. These are called "heel drops," and they help teach how to imprint the spine.
The final exercise focuses on both balance and core strength. It’s called a "Single-Sided Leg Raise." Kim will ground herself on one leg, placing her weight in her heel. She will think about maintaining a straight line from her heel through her knee, hip, glute, and all the way up to her shoulders, engaging her glute and core. As she does this, she’ll slowly lift her other foot off the ground and raise her arms slightly above her head. Her arms don’t need to go all the way overhead. While maintaining her balance, she’ll lower her arms as she lifts her knee, allowing them to meet together. Single-sided movements like this can be challenging for balance, but that’s a good thing. If needed, she can always set her toe down for stability. As she performs the movement, she’ll feel core activation with each motion. After completing one side, she’ll switch to the other. To progress further, she can hold a light ball or another object for added resistance.
Thank you for joining us today, and a big thank you to Kim for helping with the demonstrations. These exercises are great for building mobility, strength, and balance while preventing injury. Awesome job, Kim!
