I teach mobility for a living: This 5-move 'flow' builds flexibility, stability and resets your joints
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Sam Hopes is a level 3 qualified trainer, a level 2 Reiki practitioner and a fitness editor at Tom's Guide. She is also currently undertaking her Yoga For Athletes training course. Sam has written for various fitness brands and websites over the years and has experience across brands at Future, such as Live Science , Fit&Well , Coach , and T3. Having worked with fitness studios like F45 and Virgin Active and trained both group and 1:1, Sam now primarily teaches outdoor bootcamps, bodyweight, and kettlebells. She also coaches mobility and flexibility classes several times a week and believes that true strength comes from a holistic approach to training your body. Sam has completed two mixed doubles Hyrox competitions in London and the Netherlands and finished her first doubles attempt in 1:11. In her spare time, she enjoys CrossFit, hot yoga, Pilates and running and can be found perfecting her handstand walks and handstand push-ups in the gym whenever she has the chance to be upside down. At work, she can be found testing the latest in fitness technology and wearables, anything yoga and CrossFit-related and has a keen interest in nutrition, mindfulness, sleep and recovery.
A mobility flow means piecing exercises together so that they form a sequence. This allows you to find more of a flow state, like in yoga or Pilates. It feels rhythmic and calming and can help you tune into your breathing, which is great for resetting your nervous system.
It's also one of my favorite ways to make flexibility and movement feel more inviting, and this five-move routine will help you feel more open, strong, and mobile in your shoulders, hips, spine, back, and hamstrings. You only have five exercises to learn, and you can do them back-to-back in the sequence below.
Grab one of the best yoga mats and get started.
Check out the moves first.
Moving in one long flow helps you work with your breath and feel more like a dance, letting you switch off and enjoy how your body feels as it moves. It should also help reset your joints and spine and find better flexibility in your shoulders and hamstrings.
Perform several rounds, sticking to 6-8 reps per move per side to keep things dynamic.
During each exercise, think to yourself: "Am I using my end range of motion, or could I move more deeply into each position?" If you repeat for several rounds, pause at the top and bottom of each pose and reach deeply into your joints and muscles as you warm up.
I want to highlight two exercises in particular.
Cat-cow is typically used as a spinal mobilizer, and it helps open the front and back body; the back body stretches during "cat" (upper back rounding), and the front body stretches during "cow" (stomach dropping toward the mat).
Downward dog stretches the arms, shoulders, chest and upper back, opening the upper body as you press through your hands and lift your hips up and back. As you draw your heels down, notice a stretch along the lower back, glutes, hamstrings and calves. Press through your hands to help activate your shoulders, then lift the hips as you move your heels.
Take your time and try to enjoy it, and of course, let us know how you get on!
During each exercise, think to yourself: 'Am I using my end range of motion, or could I move more deeply into each position?'
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