This is an equipment free mobility session for runners; focussed on back, shoulder, hip and ankle mobility.
For the stretches where you hold position aim to hold them each for at least 15 seconds, longer if it’s an area that feels tight. For the moving exercises do them for 30 seconds for each exercise on each side.
Back Mobility
Spine rotations; with feet hip width apart and standing tall rotate the shoulders from side to side so your arms gentle swing side to side. The arms and shoulders should be relaxed and, if you’d like you can hold the stretch on either side of the swing to finish
Back bends; starting in an all fours position with hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. alternate gentle between these four positions;
Drop your head down and arch up your back like a cat so your mid back if the highest point
Lift your head up and arch your lower back downwards so you back dips a little to the floor
With the spine level banana bend so both your head and bum go to the right, as you can look at your bum
Do the same to the left; so head and bum both bend to the left
Spine twist; lying on your back on the floor with knees bend and feet on the floor, arms wide in a T shape. Keeping feet and knees together drop the knees to one side for a twist into the spine, keep your shoulders on the floor. If you can’t get the knees to the floor support them with a pillow so you can enjoy the stretch. Repeat on the other side
Shoulder Mobility
Backward arm circles; bring your arms up in front of you and then out to the side and back around behind you. Work slowly and enjoy the stretch across the front of the stretch when your arms reach the “10 to 2” position on the clock face. If you have a gym/resistance band you can use this to increase the stretch, holding each end in your hands and keeping your arms straight
Place your hand on a wall with your wrist level with your arms so your arm is at an upward angle. Turn your body away from that arm to get a stretch across the armpit
Hip Mobility
Lying on your back on the floor with feet on the ground and knees bent. Pick up one leg and place it on the opposite knee resting it just about the ankle. Wrap your arms around the leg still with the foot on the floor and pull it towards you to get a stretch into your bum. If you can keep the toes up to the shin on the raised leg and try pushing the top legs knee away with the elbow on that side.
Standing on one leg, and using a hand on a wall for balance, draw big, slow circles with one knee. Make sure just the knee and leg moves, nothing else. Try in the opposite direction and repeat on the other side
Lying on your front, bend a knee, reach back with the arm on the same side and grab the top of your foot. Push into the hand with the top of your foot, the knee will raise slightly off the floor and you’ll get a good stretch across the front of that hip. Repeat on the other side
Drop into a line position with the back knee on the floor directly beneath your hips and the front knee at right angles. Tuck the tail bone under the tilt the pelvis and flatten your lower back, then shift your weight forwards from the hips to get to a stretch point across the front of the hip of the leg whose knee is on the ground
Ankle Mobility
Standing on one leg, and using a hand on a wall for balance, draw big, slow circles with one ankle, making sure just the ankle and foot move, nothing else. Try in the opposite direction and repeat on the other side
Stand facing the wall with your toes touching the wall, push the knee to touch the wall to stretch the calf. Move the foot back an inch and touch the knee to the wall again, repeat until the knee can’t reach the wall and start again on the other side
The video covering all the exercises in this blog post can be found here; https://youtu.be/MhGoHSikGAg