We all want expert fitness advice without the hefty price tag. Luckily, Dr. Aaron Horsig of Squat University shares his 3 mobility exercises to loosen stiff hips, increase flexibility, improve posture, and target the entire body. . You also don’t have to pay a trainer for advice. Share your moves here.
Whether you want to improve your squat depth or increase your flexibility and range of motion, this simple 3-move mobility routine will loosen up tight muscles as you wake up in the morning or wind down at the end of the day. Perfect for. And the best part is that it takes less than 10 minutes.
I’ve tried the exercises myself, and to help you reap the benefits of each movement, I’ll offer some personal advice in addition to the video creator’s commentary, along with Dr. Holsig’s commentary. My first tip is to pick one of the best yoga mats for stretching and read on.
What are the three bodyweight stretches?
Original content by contributor @darenliufitnesssubsequently published Squat University YouTube Channel Read on to learn Dr. Holsig’s personal take on each exercise, the benefits and modifications he recommends.
1. Child’s pose
Child’s pose is a basic resting position in yoga, but it does more than just provide an opportunity to rest. Dr. Holsich explains that this pose targets your upper back and rear deltoid muscles, helping to increase flexibility in your latissimus dorsi (the large muscle on the side of your back) and mobility in your thoracic spine.
It’s also a great opportunity to spend some time with your arms above your head, which will improve your posture if you’ve been sitting for long periods of time.
To perform child’s pose:
- Sit with your big toes touching and open your knees to the sides of your mat.
- Lower your chest toward the ground and walk your hands toward the front of your mat, resting your forehead down
- Gently press the palms of your hands and the tops of your feet.
- Take a breath and hold your breath.
Coach Liu’s variation involves raising your palms, placing them between your thumbs and index fingers, rotating your hands slightly inward, then lowering your hands back to the floor and repeating 10 times to help activate and rotate your shoulder blades.
2. Prayer squats
This stretch targets your lower back, lower back, knees, ankles, and adductors. Similar to yoga squats (malasana in Sanskrit), variations of deep squats increase flexibility in your lower body and stretch and release tight muscles around your pelvis.
You can continue to stretch, but Coach Liu recommends a more dynamic technique that alternates between bringing your hands together in a prayerful motion, using your elbows to push your knees outward, and bringing your fingertips together to open your palms. Repeat version 10 times. This allows you to reach deeper into your lower back.
If you have limited range of motion and find it difficult to keep your heels flat, place a rolled up towel or yoga mat under your heels, or a bolster or yoga block under your butt.
- Begin a squat with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet pressed into the ground.
- Raise your chest, lower your hips, and place your palms together in front of your chest.
- Keep your back straight without rounding, and use your elbows to drive your knees outward.
“People need to spend more time here,” Dr. Horschig says. He advises holding onto something sturdy in front of him (like a pole or squat rack) when squatting, pulling his hips forward, opening his knees and squeezing his glutes. This move is also one of his recommended routines for sciatica.
3. Cossack squat
The Cossack squat is one of my favorite lower body mobility exercises to strengthen your quadriceps, gluteus medius, hamstrings, adductors, lower back muscles, and core muscles. It also increases the range of motion in your ankles, knees, and hips.
Similar to the half-squat pose (skandasana in Sanskrit), the deep hip opener is an advanced exercise that requires practice. Coach Liu recommends holding off on something until you feel better.
Also include knee and hip rotations for a total of 10 repetitions (5 per side). If this addition is too much, first familiarize yourself with the Cossack, then add rotation when you feel ready.
- Spread your legs, toes pointing forward, and extend your arms for balance.
- Sit on your left side with your left knee bent (similar to a side lunge), keep your chest up, butt facing down, and straighten your right leg.
- Pull the toes of your right foot toward the ceiling and externally rotate your hip.
- Keeping your back straight and your left heel on the floor, pause and push your left leg out to move to your right side.
Sit down slowly, keeping your spine tall, and add rotation at the bottom of the squat. Then, while keeping the opposite leg straight, rotate your bent knee inward until it touches the floor. Move your knees outward to reopen your hips, push upwards to stand, and switch to the other side.
Dr. Horsich recommends something like a squat rack for support, and advises squeezing the buttocks of the bent leg to move the knees outward when squatting. By lifting your feet with straight legs, you eliminate slack in your hamstrings and focus the stretch on your adductors (inner thighs).
My conclusion to the three stretching exercises
As someone who has played sports most of my life and spent much of my late teens and early 20s obsessively working out without bothering to warm up or cool down, I didn’t learn about the benefits of mobility exercises until my injuries piled up. .
Naturally, as we age, we begin to lose flexibility and range of motion, but adding exercises like this to your daily routine can help you stay functional, mobile, and protect you from injury at any age. I can. But like anything in life, consistency is key.
I’ve tried and tested each of the exercises listed above, and two of them (Cossacks and Prayer Squats) are staples in my personal routine. Combined, these are three exercises that are great for strengthening your hips, increasing flexibility, and reducing pain over time.
Find 10 to 30 minutes a few days a week to roll out your mat and try these moves. If you need more inspiration, here are some of the routines I use.
