Mobility training: YouTube guide to body flexibility

Do you ever feel like a stiff wooden puppet when you stand up from your desk? You’re definitely not the only one.

Mobility is key for everyday movement and quality of life, but most people ignore it until something hurts.

The good news? That’s exactly what I’m here to help with — and I’ve also prepared a follow-along video so we can attack the problem right where it hurts most.

What is mobility training?

First things first: mobility is not just another word for flexibility.

They’re related, but not the same. Flexibility is your muscles’ ability to stretch. Mobility goes further — it’s about how well your joints, tendons, and ligaments can move through a full range of motion.

The more mobile you are, the better your joints move and the stronger they become over that full range. That’s why mobility work is so popular in physiotherapy.

That’s also how I designed this workout.

Yes, there’s a bit of stretching and holding positions. But in many exercises, we want to actively contract the muscles in positions you don’t usually spend much time in (full range of motion), because that’s a proven way to improve not just flexibility but mobility too — as shown in a systematic review in Sports Medicine.

Think of this type of training as controlling your body through movement, not just hanging out in a stretch.

Benefits of mobility training

Some of the biggest benefits of mobility training include:

• Better joint range of motion
• Lower risk of injury
• Improved posture and balance
• Better performance in workouts (and in everyday life)

Why you should include mobility training in your routine

Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned athlete, mobility work belongs in your routine just as much as cardio.

Why? Because it helps you move better, avoid injuries, and makes everyday life easier — from tying your shoes and squatting down to picking things up, to reaching that jar on the top shelf without pulling something in your back.

Mobility isn’t just for athletes. It’s absolutely crucial for day-to-day functioning.

The more you work on it, the lighter, freer, and more comfortable you’ll feel in your own body.

Follow the mobility training video

Now for the fun part.

I’ve put together a guided video you can follow along with — no planning, no overthinking. Just hit play and move with me.

The video is about 16 minutes long and covers all key areas, from your neck down to your ankles. It’s perfect as:

• a morning “wake-up” session
• a warm-up before a more intense workout
• or a light evening routine in front of the TV

What you can expect in the video

• A light, guided mobility session
• Focus on joint mobility and stretching big muscle groups
• Simple exercises anyone can follow and repeat on their own

Breakdown of all mobility exercises

If you'd like to know exactly what’s coming, here’s a quick breakdown of the exercises from the video.

1. Child to Cobra Pose
   You move from child’s pose into cobra, stretching your spine and opening your chest. This improves mobility in the spine and hips.
2. Alternating Child to Low Lunge
   You alternate between child’s pose and a low lunge. This increases hip flexibility and strengthens joint stability.
3. Dynamic Hip Flexor Stretch
   A dynamic stretch for the hip flexors that improves hip range of motion and reduces tension in the lower body.
4. Bridge with Overhead Stretch
   You lift your hips into a bridge while stretching your arms overhead. This increases mobility in the shoulders and hips and strengthens your core.
5. 90–90 Seated Hip Rotations
   Sitting with both legs bent at 90 degrees, you rotate your hips from side to side. This helps improve hip mobility and flexibility.
6. Thread the Needle
   From a kneeling position, you slide one arm under your body, stretching the upper back and shoulders and increasing spinal mobility.
7. Scapular Push-ups
   Push-ups that focus on shoulder blade movement to improve shoulder mobility and upper-body stability.
8. Crab in Squat Position
   You stay in a squat and move into a “crab-like” position. This increases hip flexibility and strengthens the legs.
9. Squat to T-spine Rotation
   From a squat, you rotate your upper body to stretch the thoracic spine and improve rotational mobility.
10. 90–90 Bend Overs
    From the 90–90 sitting position, you fold forward to stretch the hips and hamstrings and increase lower-body mobility.
11. 90–90 Hip Lifts
    From the same 90–90 setup, you lift your hips off the floor. This strengthens the muscles around the hips and improves flexibility.
12. Thoracic Rotations
    You rotate through the upper (thoracic) spine to increase flexibility and mobility in the upper back.
13. 90–90 to Lunge Transition
    You move from the 90–90 sitting position into a lunge, activating the hips and increasing range of motion in the lower body.
14. The Scorpio
    Lying on your stomach, you rotate one leg over to the opposite side of your body. This stretches the lower back and improves hip mobility.
15. Reverse Scorpio Stretch
    In a reversed position, you perform a similar leg rotation to target flexibility and mobility in the back and hips.
16. Lower Trunk Rotations
    Lying on your back, you gently rotate your lower body side to side. This improves spinal and hip mobility and helps reduce lower back tension.

Make sure you perform all of these exercises with good form and focus on control, not speed.

How often should you do mobility training?

A question I hear a lot: “How often should I do mobility training?” The honest answer: as often as you can.

In reality, doing it 1–2 times per week is a great start. You can use it:

• as part of your warm-up before strength training
• or as a separate, light recovery session

There’s another answer that’s a bit more “outside the box”: you can build mobility into every strength workout.

Instead of living in half-squats (which are more common than grandmas who insist you haven’t eaten enough) you can work on full squats (as long as your technique is solid). That’s mobility in action.

And not just that: training through a full range of motion is linked to greater hypertrophy compared to partial range of motion, according to this study. So you get the best of both worlds — more mobility and better muscle growth.

Mobility is also easy to lose. Try to integrate small “micro-routines” into your day:

• If you sit at work — stand up every 30 minutes and move a little.
• When you get up to grab a glass of water — add a quick stretch or a few mobility moves.

Done this way, you hardly notice the “effort”, but the effects of mobility work stay with you. And more importantly, you’ll feel much better in your day-to-day life.

If you’re looking for something you can do almost every day, this video is ideal. It's light enough not to drain you, but effective enough to make a real difference.

Mobility and injury prevention

One of the biggest benefits you get from mobility training is a lower risk of injury.

With better joint mobility, your body is simply more ready for whatever you throw at it — whether that’s lifting weights in the gym or carrying heavy shopping bags up the stairs.

Research suggests that training with a proper range of motion and adding mobility work can help prevent injuries and support better movement quality over time (source).

On top of that, you improve your balance and stability, which can help you avoid those awkward slips and falls that come out of nowhere.

How to measure progress in mobility

Progress in mobility isn’t as obvious as adding more weight to the bar (but you can track it).

Here are a few signs you’re moving in the right direction:

• You notice more range of motion in your joints
• You feel less stiff after long periods of sitting or standing
• Your balance feels better and you feel less nervous doing “tricky” movements

Try doing a simple mobility check every two weeks and you’ll start to notice how your body becomes more flexible, stable, and capable.

Mobility means life

Mobility training may not be the most glamorous part of your fitness routine — but it’s absolutely essential for your long-term health and well-being.

Add these simple exercises into your week and your joints will be grateful. And every time you feel a bit stiff or “rusty”, come back to the video and move through it again.

Start now. Your body will thank you (and you’ll be more ready for everything life throws at your feet… literally).

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