Use these as daily “grease the groove” drills. Mobility means active, controlled motion through usable range, not passive stretching. Move slowly, breathe through your nose, and stop before pain.
How to use this guide
- Do 3 to 5 slow reps per side, 1 to 2 sets.
- Move at a calm tempo: about 3 seconds out, 1 second pause, 3 seconds back.
- Keep ribs stacked over pelvis and breathe steadily.
- Pair new range with a light strength rep for staying power.
Neck
Exercise: Neck CARs (controlled rotations)
How: Sit tall. Lock shoulders down. Draw a small circle with your nose: chin to chest, sweep to shoulder, look over shoulder, extend gently, across the other shoulder, back to center.
Cues: Make the circle smooth and pain free. Keep shoulders still.
Common mistake: Rushing through sticky angles.
Jaw
Exercise: Tongue-anchored jaw opens
How: Tip of tongue on the roof of your mouth behind front teeth. Slowly open and close while keeping the tongue planted.
Cues: Track straight down, no chin jut.
Common mistake: Losing tongue contact.
Upper back: thoracic spine
Exercise: Quadruped thread-and-open
How: On hands and knees. Thread right arm under left to rotate right, then reverse and reach right elbow toward the ceiling, eyes follow.
Cues: Hips stay square. Breathe into ribs as you rotate.
Common mistake: Letting hips swing side to side.
Scapulae
Exercise: Scapular CARs on wall
How: Forearms on wall, elbows at shoulder height. Slide up as you shrug, protract forward, depress down, retract, and return. Make a smooth box or circle.
Cues: Keep spine neutral. Only shoulder blades move.
Common mistake: Arching the low back.
Shoulders
Exercise: Shoulder CARs standing
How: Right arm long at side, thumb forward. Raise forward to overhead, rotate in so palm faces out, sweep behind to your side, then reverse.
Cues: Big circle without torso twist.
Common mistake: Turning the chest to fake range.
Elbows
Exercise: Pronation-supination with hinge
How: Elbow at side, bent 90 degrees. Rotate forearm palm up to palm down while slowly straightening, then bend as you rotate back.
Cues: Shoulder quiet, motion from elbow and forearm.
Common mistake: Flaring elbow away from ribs.
Forearms and wrists
Exercise: Quadruped wrist rocks
How: On hands and knees, fingers forward. Rock body weight forward until mild stretch, then back. Repeat with fingers turned out, then back toward knees.
Cues: Spread fingers, keep elbows soft.
Common mistake: Collapsing through the palm.
Fingers and thumbs
Exercise: Tendon glides
How: Open hand, then hook fist, full fist, flat fist, and back to open. Add thumb circles both directions.
Cues: Slow and precise.
Common mistake: Skipping shapes that feel awkward.
Ribs and breathing
Exercise: 360 rib breathing in child’s pose
How: Kneel hips toward heels, forearms on floor. Inhale through the nose into back and side ribs, slow full exhale.
Cues: Expand ribs like an umbrella.
Common mistake: Lifting shoulders with each breath.
Low back control
Exercise: Segmental cat-cow
How: On hands and knees. Tuck pelvis first, then slowly ripple one spinal segment at a time toward head. Reverse from neck down to pelvis.
Cues: Move one link at a time.
Common mistake: Moving everything at once.
Pelvis
Exercise: Standing pelvic tilts
How: Hands on hips. Gently tuck pelvis under, then tilt to stick tailbone back, staying tall.
Cues: Ribs stay stacked over pelvis.
Common mistake: Turning tilt into a whole spine arch.
Hips: global
Exercise: Hip CARs from quadruped
How: On hands and knees. Lift right knee toward chest, circle knee out to side, then behind you, then back down. Reverse.
Cues: Lock ribs and avoid shifting.
Common mistake: Twisting through the low back.
Hips: rotation and capsular control
Exercise: 90-90 switches
How: Sit with both knees bent 90 degrees, shins parallel. Without lifting feet, rotate both knees to the other side, then hinge chest over front shin.
Cues: Tall spine, smooth switches.
Common mistake: Leaning back and losing hip rotation.
Hip stability
Exercise: Hip airplanes
How: Stand on left leg, hinge into single-leg deadlift. Rotate pelvis open to the right, then close, keeping hips level over the foot.
Cues: Big toe stays heavy.
Common mistake: Collapsing the arch.
Adductors
Exercise: Rocking frog
How: On forearms, knees wide, shins in line with thighs. Rock hips back and forth through gentle range.
Cues: Neutral spine, slow breath.
Common mistake: Dropping belly and arching.
Hamstrings and sciatic glide
Exercise: Hamstring sliders
How: Sit tall with right leg long, heel on floor. Point toes up, slide heel forward and back while keeping knee straight and spine long.
Cues: Small, smooth range.
Common mistake: Rounding the back.
Quads and hip flexors
Exercise: Split-stance pelvic tucks
How: Left foot forward, right back. Slight lunge. Tuck pelvis under while squeezing right glute, then relax and repeat.
Cues: Motion from pelvis, not low back.
Common mistake: Leaning torso backward.
Knees
Exercise: Knee CARs seated
How: Sit tall, thigh supported. Straighten knee while rotating shin outward, bend while rotating inward. Reverse.
Cues: Slow rotation through full bend and straighten.
Common mistake: Moving the whole thigh.
Ankles
Exercise: Knee-to-wall dorsiflexion
How: Face a wall, toes a few inches back. Drive knee to touch wall without lifting heel. Scoot foot back as range allows.
Cues: Knee tracks over second toe.
Common mistake: Letting arch collapse.
Feet and arches
Exercise: Short-foot activation
How: Standing, keep toes long while gently drawing ball of foot toward heel to lift the arch. Hold 5 seconds, relax.
Cues: No toe scrunching.
Common mistake: Gripping with toes.
Toes
Exercise: Big toe extensions
How: Standing, lift big toe while keeping others down. Then press big toe down and lift the other four. Alternate.
Cues: Control the separation.
Common mistake: Tilting the foot to cheat.
Calves
Exercise: Dynamic calf pumps
How: Forefoot on step, slow rise to tiptoe, pause, slow lower into stretch.
Cues: Full range, no bouncing.
Common mistake: Dropping quickly.
Thoracolumbar rotation
Exercise: Tall-kneel bow-and-arrow
How: Kneel tall. Arms straight in front, palms together. Pull right elbow back like drawing a bow while rotating through ribs, then return.
Cues: Hips stay square.
Common mistake: Arching the low back for extra range.
Shoulders overhead line
Exercise: Wall slides with lift-off
How: Back and forearms on wall. Slide arms up, then gently lift forearms an inch off wall without flaring ribs. Return.
Cues: Keep lower ribs down.
Common mistake: Overextending through the spine.
Rotator cuff control
Exercise: Side-lying external rotation
How: Lie on left side, right elbow at ribs, forearm across belly. Rotate forearm up, pause, return. Use light load only if motion is clean.
Cues: Elbow stays pinned.
Common mistake: Rolling the shoulder back.
Scapular upward rotation
Exercise: Serratus wall reach
How: Forearms on wall, elbows under shoulders. Gently push the wall away to spread shoulder blades, then reach arms up a few inches, return.
Cues: Feel wrap around ribs.
Common mistake: Shrugging instead of protracting.
Quick programming templates
Daily micro-routine: 8 minutes
- Neck CARs x3
- Thoracic thread-and-open x3 each
- Hip CARs x3 each
- Knee-to-wall x5 each
- Short-foot x5 holds
Pre-lift lower body: 6 minutes
- Hip CARs x3 each
- 90-90 switches x5
- Knee-to-wall x8 each
- Dynamic calf pumps x10
Pre-lift upper body: 6 minutes
- Scapular CARs x6
- Shoulder CARs x3 each
- Wall slides with lift-off x6
- Serratus wall reach x8
Desk reset: 5 minutes
- Segmental cat-cow x4
- Thread-and-open x4 each
- Wrist rocks x6
- Pelvic tilts x8
Safety and progression
- Motion should be strong and controlled without pinching or nerve symptoms.
- If a joint clicks pain free, slow down and reduce range.
- Progress by adding a 2 to 3 second isometric squeeze at end range, not by forcing more distance.
- If pain persists or you have a recent injury or surgery, consult a clinician for tailored progressions.
Pair with strength for lasting change
- After hip work: light split squats or hip hinges.
- After shoulder work: band pull-aparts or light overhead carries.
- After ankle work: tiptoe walks or goblet squats to a box.
Bottom line
Choose one high-yield drill per area, move slowly through full controlled range, breathe, and reinforce with light strength. Consistency beats intensity. In two to four weeks you will feel smoother motion, steadier joints, and fewer nagging tight spots.
