Childlike Mobility Routine Checklist
In my programs, strength training IS the primary form of flexibility training.
However:
- Some areas are easier to get into than others.
- The average person has so much room to improve mobility, it can help to have an additional checklist to loosen up before strength training or to relax down afterward.
Mobility varies greatly from person to person in terms of what you’ve lost/kept, so you do NOT have to do every step, and you can spend more or less time on each one as you desire.
CHILDLIKE MOBILITY ROUTINE CHECKLIST
1/8. Big toes up to 45 seconds
For many people, the feet themselves have lost mobility over the years.
Sit back on your toes with only as much weight as feels comfortable, and please consider using THICK matting for your knees if you have any concerns.
2/8. Slant calf up to 45 seconds per side
Most shoes have elevated heels for style.
But even if you wear zero drop, you may live mostly on hard surfaces where the heel doesn’t sink like it naturally would in grass/sand/mud.
Hence almost everyone has tighter calves than natural.
A simple slant works great. This one is $30, and free if you coach kids. Just write in with your story and shipping address.
I believe a small but strong slant is the most affordable/simple training enhancement beyond bodyweight alone.
3/8. External hip up to 45 seconds per side
I didn’t sit criss-cross for about 10 years due to knee problems.
I wound up super stiff here.
Meanwhile my wife skips this one.
She never stopped sitting like a kid and doesn’t even feel this stretch.
For me, it feels incredible. I’ve used many forms of stretching for this outside hip area. Over the past 10 years this is the one I’ve used most. It’s relaxing, and it still works for me.
Scooting farther from the wall makes it easier.
4/8. Internal hip up to 45 seconds or 20 reps per side
You can relax in this position or give it a little loading and motion.
I don’t feel the need for this one myself, but many folks feel much better with some internal hip rotation work. I believe the reason I don’t need it as much is because my sport (basketball) already involves a heavy amount of internal rotation.
You can relax in the position, use motion, and even add resistance to the motion with your hand or a dumbbell/kettlebell.
5/8. Standing pancake pulse up to 20 reps
There are a lot of great groin exercises and stretches.
This one is my favorite because it’s so accessible and I can get right to work.
Also, the wider my feet go, the STRONGER my groin muscles have to be. This is something I really like for helping prevent groin tweaks in sports.
6/8. Couch stretch up to 45 seconds per side
This is my #1 most-used stretch over the last 10 years.
I train 3 days per week and I like to plop down and work on this one pretty much first thing after each workout.
This is the only stretch I do up to 3 times each week.
Knee surgery can leave extra mass inside. This stretch helps me avoid feeling stiffness from that mass.
Don’t rush.
The goal is consistency over time.
Now I’m so glad I stuck with this one, and not just for my knees!
ATG Split Squat plus couch stretch, slow and steady over years, is a wonderful combo for flexibility OPPOSING YOUR LOWER BACK. I believe this combo is one of the reasons I haven’t had a back issue in the last 10 years, either.
The picture below shows long-term flexibility progression.
7/8. Elephant Walk up to 20 per side
I believe in giving the spine itself some motion, making sure the entire posterior is flexible.
This one is made easier simply by putting your hands up higher on something.
8/8. Seated QL up to 10 per side
This one seems to get particularly tight in the modern body, and it’s right on either side of your lower back.
Lower hands and using a wall for support both make this easier:
There you have it!
My hope is that by assessing your body and seeing what you need, you can improve your mobility results in less time.
I enjoy this checklist either before or after strength training, but you could do it whenever feels right for you.
I think up to 3 days per week is plenty.
Some of these ingredients are woven into just about any ATG program, but I also have this listed in my section of the app for easy reference and coaching.
Yours in Solutions,
Ben
