Improve your mobility in just five minutes with this full-body routine from an expert coach

Simple exercises that target the whole body

woman wearing black vest and leggings doing a cobra spinal stretch on a blue mat in the living room with a sofa and windows behind her.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Jump to category:
By
published
in Features

It's no secret that strength training is good for us. It can improve everything from muscle mass to bone density and even your sense of balance. But if you want your body to move with ease, then you can't focus on functional strength training alone. You need to work on your mobility, too.

"Mobility represents the intersection of strength and flexibility," says Corey Perkins, a bodybuilding coach and trainer at fitness app Ladder. "Being both strong and flexible is essential for gaining strength and muscle effectively."

The expert coach has shared a simple, five-minute mobility routine that you can do at home. Try repeating it three times a week, if you want to see results.

How to do Corey Perkins' mobility routine

Cobra stretch

Coach Corey Perkins performs a Cobra pose. He is lying on the floor, with his legs behind him and his torso propped up, held up by his arms. He wears shorts, a t-shirt, a black baseball cap and sneakers.

(Image credit: Lader)

Time: 30 seconds

  • Lie on your front with your hands on the floor under your shoulders.
  • Push through your hands to lift your chest.
  • Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold.

Half kneeling lunge into calf stretch

Image 1 of 2
Coach Corey Perkins performs a half-kneeling pose with an upright torso. His left leg is bent at a 90-degree angle, with his toes and knee resting on the floor. His right leg is also bent at a 90-degree angle, but his right knee is elevated in line with his hip and the sole of his right foot is planted on the floor. He holds his chest up and proud and his arms out to the sides.
(Image credit: Ladder)

Time: 30 seconds each side

  • Step your right leg forward and drop your left knee to the floor, so that you're in a half-kneeling position, with both knees at a 90° angle.
  • If you have the stability, you can open your arms out to a 'T' shape and twist your torso to the side for a stretch, before returning to the center.
  • Place your hands on either side of your right foot and move your hips back, so that your right leg is straight. You should feel the stretch in your calf.
  • Repeat on the other side.

Lunge into world’s greatest stretch

Image 1 of 2
Coach Corey Perkins performs a low lunge. His front leg is bent at a 90 degree angle and his back leg is stretched behind him. He holds his torso close to his front leg and has placed both hands on the floor for balance.
(Image credit: Ladder)

Time: 30 seconds each side

  • Step your right leg forward and place your hands on either side of your right foot.
  • Lean into a deep lunge, planting your left hand on the floor.
  • Raise your right arm up towards your right leg to stretch.
  • Repeat on the left side.

Half-kneeling rotation

Image 1 of 2
Coach Corey Perkins performs a half-kneeling stretch. His left leg is bent at a 90-degree angle, with his knee and toes resting on the floor. His right leg is also at a 90-degree angle, but his right knee is up in line with his hip and the sole of his right foot rests on the floor. His torso points in the same direction as his knees and his arms are held straight out in front of him with his palms resting together.
(Image credit: Ladder)

Time: 30 seconds each side

  • Step forward into a lunge with your right leg, resting your left knee on the floor, with both legs at a 90° degree angle.
  • Rotate towards your left leg to feel a stretch through your back.
  • Repeat on the other side.

Deep squat hold

Coach Corey Perkins performs a deep squat. His knees are bent and his backside is positioned low to the ground. His arms hang in front of his body resting on the ground.

(Image credit: Ladder)

Time: 30 seconds

  • Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
  • Bend your knees, keeping your heels on the ground, and sink into a low squat.
  • Hold.

90-90 hip stretch

Coach Corey Perkins performs a 90/90 hip stretch with an upright torso. His left leg is in front of him, bent at a 90-degree angle, so that his calf is parallel. His right leg is also at a 90-degree angle, with his right knee held out to the side. His hands rest on the floor.

(Image credit: Ladder)

Time: 30 seconds

  • Sit on the floor with your feet wider than hip-width apart.
  • Drop your knees and feet to one side, then slowly switch sides.

Wall slide

Coach Corey Perkins performs a wall slide. He is sitting on the floor, with his back resting on a wal and his feet straight out in front of him. His arms are held aloft in a 'u' shape.

(Image credit: Ladder)

Time: 30 seconds

  • Sit with your back against a wall and your legs out in front of you.
  • Lift your arms above your head, keeping your elbows against the wall.
  • Slowly lower your arms into a U shape, then slowly return to the starting position.

Flexibility vs mobility

Flexibility is your muscle's ability to stretch and lengthen, while mobility is how well you can move a joint through its full range of motion (ROM). Flexibility has a direct impact on your mobility; if your muscles are tight and shortened, then you won't be able to achieve a good ROM.

This routine will stretch your muscles and mobilize your joints. It's important to do this kind of work alongside your regular strength routine, to avoid potential injury and to keep yourself moving efficiently.

"To maximize [strength gains], you need to be capable of pushing weight through a wide range of motion safely," says Perkins. "It’s important to have a short, but effective routine you do consistently to support this."

Want more routines like this one? Try these easy yoga stretches for beginners or read our guide on how to warm-up properly before your strength training workouts.

Alice Porter
Contributor

Alice Porter is a freelance journalist covering lifestyle topics including health, fitness and wellness. She is particularly interested in women's health, strength training and fitness trends and writes for publications including Stylist Magazine, Refinery29, The Independent and Glamour Magazine. Like many other people, Alice's personal interest in combining HIIT training with strength work quickly turned into a CrossFit obsession and she trains at a box in south London. When she's not throwing weights around or attempting handstand push-ups, you can probably find her on long walks in nature, buried in a book or hopping on a flight to just about anywhere it will take her.

Latest