I have had to work on my mobility and flexibility for forever. I’ve shared before that my hips are naturally so tight that I do see a chiropractor about once a month to keep myself in better alignment. Because I want to continue to be active for as long as possible, I know that staying diligent with mobility is imperative! I am always trying to encourage barre clients, friends, and family to not skip their stretches, or worse, bypass it altogether.

Below are a handful of my favorite mobility stretches that are modifiable to almost everyone and help keep me moving!

Forward Fold

Simple, I know. But sometimes simple is the best way to approach things! This is an excellent stretch for the backside of your legs, including glutes and hamstrings. I love to bicycle my legs one at a time in this stretch, and sometimes like to just hang loose reaching for my toes. You can also reach for the outside of each ankle to focus directly on one side or the other. For being such a simple stretch, there are a ton of adjustments to make it specific to what you need!

Pigeon

This is a love/hate stretch for me. Because I have very tight hips, it is difficult for me to be in this position for a long period of time. I also have to really pay attention so that I am in this position correctly, and not set up to tweak my knee because of how tight my hips are. The pigeon stretch is dedicated mostly to stretch out your hips, and that’s why I love it! You can intensify this stretch by coming down on your forearms, or even reaching your arms out long.

Thread the Needle

This is one of my all time favorite stretches after working anything shoulders related. I remember especially loving this stretch in CrossFit after we would do any heavy overhead lifts. Because you can isolate one side at a time, you can be even more intentional with this stretch. Make sure you let your gaze follow your fingertips, reach up high, and then wrap up and under your body as far as you can to get the most out of this one.

Cat/Cow

This stretch is not only good for the spine, but good for the soul! I always love this stretch at the end of a workout because it’s usually where I’m finally able to catch my breath. Breathing in this stretch is especially important. Take a big inhale as you curl your toes under, send your gaze up, and let your back bow. Exhale big as you flatten the tops of your feet, press through your palms to round your back, and send your gaze down and back towards your knees. I promise you’ll feel looser in your spine and more clear in your mind!

Butterfly

Another simple stretch that makes a huge difference for me is the butterfly stretch! Mostly focusing on your hips, you can modify this movement based on where you’re at with flexibility in that moment. Use your elbows to press down on your knees to a point where you feel the stretch without pushing past the limit and doing more harm than good. I don’t hold this for more than just a few seconds before resetting, and then going back into the stretch again.

Childs Pose

I had to save the best for last! This is such an excellent full body stretch. If you don’t make an attempt at any of the others I’ve mentioned, please pick this one to focus on! In childs pose you should feel a stretch through just about your entire body working from your hamstrings and quads, up through your back and shoulders. You can walk your hands from one side to the other to feel a great stretch down your obliques, or flip your palms up towards the sky to wrap the stretch around to your biceps! Any time you feel like you need to spend a little time with your mobility, make sure you’re incorporating this stretch.

Final Thoughts

There are, of course, a million different mobility and flexibility stretches. Classes like yoga and Pilates are even more dedicated to nourishing that strong mobility. Truthfully, the most important thing is to just keep your body moving and stay active. If you have any of your own favorite mobility stretches please leave them in the comments down below!