“A long muscle is a strong muscle”—use this trainer’s full-body mobility flow before your next workout to unlock greater strength

Personal trainer Jack Claxton has a mantra he repeats before every workout: “A long muscle is a strong muscle.”

It’s a reminder—both to himself and his clients at David Lloyd Clubs—to always mobilize before making a beeline for the weights rack.

Over the years, he’s refined a short but effective routine that he now uses before every home or gym session. “This mobility flow helps keep muscles flexible, which allows for a better range of motion,” he says.

“When we exercise, we challenge our joints and muscles under multiple ranges, often under load. If you’ve not prepared your muscles and joints for those ranges, you might not be able to harness as much strength as you could have if you’d warmed up first.”

Worst still, if your muscles are especially tight and you skip a warm-up, you might increase your risk of injury.

“Strength and mobility go hand in hand,” says Claxton. “A thorough, dynamic warm-up will prepare your body for whatever your workout might throw at you.

“Even if you’re only training your upper body, there’s nothing wrong with loosening off your legs and giving your whole body a bit of a stretch before you get going,” he adds.

Here is the eight-move mobility routine he uses before every strength session.

The eight-move warm-up

This routine will take just four minutes and mobilize all your major muscles, and help to loosen stiff joints.

Spend 30 seconds on each dynamic stretch. Use it as a regular mobility flow or a pre-workout warm-up to boost your range of motion.

1. Walkout

Time: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
• Hinge forward from your hips and place your hands on the floor—you should feel a gentle stretch in your hamstrings.
• Walk your hands forward until your body is in a straight line from head to heels and your hands are directly underneath your shoulders.
• Pause, then walk your hands back to your feet.
• Slowly return to standing.

2. World’s greatest stretch

Time: 30sec

• From a high plank position (your body in a straight line from head to heels, your arms extended and your hands directly underneath your shoulders), step your right foot forward to the outside of your right hand.
• Lower your right elbow to the floor by your right foot, then reach your right hand overhead, twisting your torso to the right.
• Perform this arm movement three times, then step your foot back to return to the high plank and repeat on the other side.

3. Lateral lunge

Time: 15sec each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and step your right foot out to the side.
• Bend your right knee and sit your hips back, keeping your torso upright and facing forward.
• Lower as far as you can, feeling the stretch on the inside of your left thigh.
• Push through your right foot to return to the starting position.
• Switch sides after 15 seconds.

4. Neck stretch

Time: 30sec

• Stand and place your palms on your lower back and roll your shoulders back.
• Drop your left ear to your left shoulder to stretch the right side of your neck.
• Repeat on the right side.
• Tilt your head back.
• Continue for time.

5. Shoulder roll

Time: 15sec each direction

• From standing, relax your arms and roll your shoulders in wide circles.
• Roll backward for 15 seconds, then forward for 15 seconds.

6. Shoulder dislocation

Time: 30sec

• From standing, hold a resistance band in front of your thighs, with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart and palms facing you.
• Keeping tension in the band and your arms straight throughout, raise your arms overhead and behind your body to gently tap your buttocks.
• Reverse the motion back to the starting position.

7. Windscreen wiper

Time: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your arms extended out to the sides, and raise your knees so they are bent at 90° and are directly above your hips.
• Keeping your shoulders in contact with the floor and your knees together throughout, drop your knees to the right and turn your head to the left.
• Pause, then repeat on the other side.

8. Open the gate

Time: 30sec

• From standing, raise your right knee to hip height, bending it to 90°.
• Rotate your right knee out to the right side.
• Return your right foot to the floor, then repeat on the other side.