Mobility exercises offer you the opportunity to maintain joint mobility, essential for a sedentary lifestyle. Whether you work in an office, are an athlete looking to improve your performance, or simply want to improve your posture, these exercises are suitable for all situations. Discover how to care for your joints, strengthen your muscles, and gain flexibility with 9 exercises you can do at home every day.
Why do mobility exercises at home?
Performing mobility exercises at home offers numerous benefits. It helps maintain good joint mobility, particularly for those with very sedentary lifestyles or those who work in an office. These exercises also contribute to correcting and preventing joint or muscle stiffness, which can subsequently lead to injuries or pain.
Practicing mobility exercises at home also offers the opportunity to improve flexibility, range of motion in daily life, and... postureIn parallel, working on the muscles and joints limits the development of soreness due to physical exertion and also improves athletic recovery.
Upper body mobility exercises
Here are some examples of upper body mobility exercises to do at home every day.
Working on neck mobility
Performing neck mobility exercises can limit the development of muscle tension and migraines. They are particularly recommended for people who frequently work on a computer and are prone to developing these types of problems.
- Stand up straight, with your shoulders relaxed;
- Slowly, make movements with your head from right to left, then up and down.
Perform 2 sets of 10 head nods (side to side and up and down).
Make circles with your shoulders
To improve the shoulder mobilityWe encourage you to perform scapular circles (involving a movement of the shoulder blades):
- With your arms extended along your body, make circles with your shoulders in one direction, then in the other;
- Keep your back straight, contract your abdominal muscles and glutes;
- only use your shoulder blades.
Perform these movements for 1 minute, in both directions.
Back mobility exercises
To improve spinal mobility, here are some simple exercises to do at home.
Round your back and flatten your back
This exercise is ideal for improving the flexibility of the entire spine.
- On all fours, place your hands at shoulder height;
- the angle of your knees should be at 90°;
- Take a breath while arching your back for 3 seconds;
- Lift your head and spread your shoulder blades;
- during the exhalation phase perform a retroversion of the pelvis;
- curl your back and shoulder blades;
- suck in your navel and tuck your head in.
Perform 5 to 10 repetitions, taking your time to relax.
Lower body mobility exercises
Lower body mobility includes, among other things, the mobility of the hips, legs, and ankles.
Perform Jefferson Curls
The Jefferson Curl is an exercise that helps to increase flexibility in the hamstrings, strength in the posterior chain and mobility of the spine.
- Bend your torso, vertebra by vertebra, and let your arms hang down towards your feet;
- Keep your shoulders relaxed, do not straighten your neck to look straight ahead;
- Hold the position for 20 seconds;
- Then slowly straighten up, rolling your back vertebra by vertebra and making sure to maintain smooth breathing throughout the exercise.
Do a set of squats
Squats are an ideal mobility exercise for strengthening the muscles of the thighs and glutes. To perform them correctly, here are some guidelines to follow:
- Stand up straight and place your feet shoulder-width apart;
- Keep your torso straight and your head up;
- slowly bend your knees forward to lower your pelvis backwards;
- slowly ascend while controlling the movement;
- Remember to keep your back straight.
Working on hip mobility
For work on hip mobility (rotations, abduction, back rotation), here is a small practical exercise to do daily:
- Sit on the floor with your left leg behind you and bend it at a 90° angle, so that the outside of your leg is in contact with the floor;
- Place your right leg bent at 90° in front of you, with the inner part of your leg resting on the ground;
- Place your hands on either side of your right knee and lie back on your leg while exhaling;
- hold the position for a few seconds;
- Stand up straight and then turn backwards without moving your legs.
Perform this exercise for 45 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.
Psoas mobility exercise
The iliopsoas muscle is particularly used during walking and running. If it's not flexible enough, it can negatively impact hip extension. Here's an exercise to help improve your psoas flexibility on a daily basis.
- Position yourself in a lunge: right knee forward and bent at 90°, left knee back, resting on the ground;
- Place your hands on your right knee and push your pelvis forward;
- Hold the position for a few seconds while exhaling, then return to the starting position.
Perform this exercise for 45 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.
Working on ankle mobility
Working on ankle mobility is a very important step to limit the risk of joint injury, especially for amateur or professional athletes.
- Standing facing a wall, place your hands against the surface;
- Place your left foot under your pelvis and your right foot flat behind you;
- Bring your pelvis closer to the wall while keeping your knee bent;
- hold the position for a few seconds;
- reposition your pelvis so that your right foot rests flat on the ground and your knee is straight.
Perform this exercise for 45 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.
Would you like to receive guidance from a certified Allyane practitioner to perform your mobility exercises? Don't hesitate to contact a professional near you !