Mobility training is essential for athletes. You become more flexible, prevent injuries and get rid of tension. Find out which mobility exercises are the best here.
Strength training makes you stiff and immobile? Wrong! Those who integrate mobility exercises into their strength training improve joint mobility, keep their muscles flexible and protect against aches and pains.
Unfortunately, people often underestimate how important mobility is. Not only in sports, but also for everyday activities.
Mobility is required for exercises such as squats or snatches. And if everyday life is dominated by one-sided postures and movements, mobility training should not be dispensed with.
By the way, you can easily do mobility exercises at home. We show you the best exercises that improve your mobility and performance.
Table of contents
This is what happens to your body when you don't move enough!
What Mobility Training is
Unless you're a contortionist, you'll reach a point in your movements where you can't go any further on pure muscle power. You're at the limit. Literally. Bones and bony structures of your musculoskeletal system meet.
The angle to which you can bend or extend your joints without aids varies from person to person. It describes your mobility or mobility.
Mobility is therefore nothing other than the controlled range of motion of the joints. And this is improved with mobility exercises.
Mobility Training also consists of three areas:
- Stretching: You improve the tolerance of your passive musculoskeletal system and muscles to length changes.
- Myofascial self-massage: The gliding ability of your fasciae is improved.
- Muscle strengthening: You improve your motor control and can, for example, actively pull your knee to your chest without any aids.
Attention: Mobility is something different than flexibility. While mobility describes the mobility of the joints, flexibility is the ability of the muscles to stretch.
Why agility training is so important
Compared to pure stretching, mobility training is more dynamic and holistic. As mentioned above, attention is also paid to the muscles and fasciae.
If you have a problem with the musculoskeletal system, all other factors involved in movement will also be affected.
Muscles harden, fascia stick together. Your strength, endurance, coordination, stability and balance suffer.
The body tries to avoid pain and incorrect postures occur. The risk of injury increases.
Regular flexibility training reduces mobility restrictions, muscular tension and posture improves overall. The body becomes more resistant to external stimuli and less prone to injury.
Here you have again an overview of the advantages of mobility exercises:
- Improvement of active mobility
- Improve the position of your joints
- Increase the range of motion
- Corrects and prevents incorrect posture
- The training becomes more effective
- Exercise executions become clean and thus more efficient
- Improvement of the gliding ability of the fasciae
- Minimization of the risk of injury
- Increase of the well-being
- Compensation for everyday stresses
These are definitely enough reasons to start Mobility Training!
These exercises prevent a hollow back!
How often you should do the mobility exercises and for whom they are suitable
Mobility exercises are suitable for everyone. No matter how fit you are. They are ideal as a short activation before the workout. The exercises increase the blood flow to your muscles and improve your mobility for a short time.
Mobility training is useful as a separate, longer session if you want to improve your mobility and make training progress in the long term. This is especially true for beginners.
However, the training does not have to be strenuous, it is enough if you concentrate on performing the movements consciously. Complex exercises are better than simple ones, but they must not overstrain you.
Mobility exercises are also recommended after a workout. They support the regeneration.
The best mobility exercises
These exercises will help you strengthen your muscles, improve your technique and most importantly become more agile.
Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions for each exercise.
1. leg swing for more mobility
- Stand up straight.
- Lift one leg off the floor.
- Stretch your arms out to the sides.
- Now swing the leg back and forth.
- Perform the entire movement in a controlled manner.
2. lateral leg swing
- Stand up straight.
- Lift one leg off the floor.
- Stretch your arms out to the sides.
- Now guide the leg like a pendulum right and left in front of the body.
- Pay attention to body tension and controlled execution.
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3. lunge with rotation as mobility exercise
- Stand up straight.
- Take a big step forward with your right leg.
- Position your right hand to the left of your right foot.
- The hips remain as straight and low as possible.
- The back knee hovers in the air.
- Turn your upper body up to the left and look behind your hand.
- And again back to the starting position.
4. lateral lunge improves mobility
- You start in an upright position.
- Fold your hands together in front of your body.
- Take a large step to the side. Shift the weight to the right side.
- The upper body is straight.
- Now slowly shift the weight from right to left.
- The buttocks remain low and on one line.
That's why you need to stretch your hip flexor when you have back pain!
5. mobility exercises: Squat Sit with Weight
- Grab a dumbbell or kettlebell to help you out.
- Hold it in front of your chest.
- Now slowly go into a deep knee bend.
- The heels remain on the floor. Knees and toes point slightly outward.
- Tighten the abdomen and hold the position for 60 seconds.
6. become more flexible with the L-stretch
- Stand up straight.
- Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
- Bend the elbows.
- The fingertips of one hand point up and those of the other hand point down.
- Now rotate the forearms up and down alternately.
- So that, once the fingers of the right arm point up and the left down, and then vice versa.
These fascia yoga exercises will keep you supple!
7. hands together as mobility exercise
- Begin in an upright standing position.
- Stretch one arm up and one arm down.
- Now bend your elbows behind your back until your fingertips touch.
- Hold the position and then change sides.
8. mobilize wrists
- Start in the quadruped position.
- Place the backs of your hands on the floor.
- The fingers point to each other.
- Slowly shift the weight forward so that you increase the pressure.
- Stay in this position.
There are many different variations of this exercise. You can place your hands on the floor and then lift and lower them. Or you can place your hands so that the fingers point backwards.
Exclusively for the thighs: the best stretches!
9. handwalk as mobility exercise
- Start in an upright position.
- Go into the forward bend. Let the upper body and arms hang to the floor.
- Now try to place the palms of your hands in front of the tips of your toes with your legs straight.
- Now slowly move your hands forward until you are in the plank position.
- Walk back again.
10. crab to train agility
- Sit down on the floor.
- Angle the legs.
- Place your hands behind your buttocks.
- Now lift the hips as far as you can.
- Stretch one arm far back.
- Hold the position and come back.
Fingers to the floor at last: Here's how!
11. plank rocking back and forth
- Come into full plank position.
- The hands are under the shoulders and the body forms a line.
- Now push your toes forward.
- Hold the position briefly and then push your heels to the floor as far as possible.
12. iron cross
- This exercise works exactly the same as the previous one.
- Here, however, you lie down on your back.
- Stretch your arms to the side and keep your legs extended.
- Guide the left leg to the right hand.
- Return to the starting position. Now it's the turn of the other side.
These are the best exercises for trained shoulders!
13. mobility exercises: Scorpion Kicks
- Lie on your stomach on the exercise mat.
- Stretch your arms out to the side at shoulder height.
- You rest your head with your chin.
- The legs are extended and the tips of the feet touch the floor.
- Lift the left leg bent and bring it over the other leg.
- Try to reach the right arm with your foot.
- The upper body and hips rotate with it. The arms remain as still as possible.
- Return to the starting position and change sides.
14. tighten leg behind
- Start with a normal lunge. Only this time you rest the knee on the mat.
- Grasp the right leg and pull it towards the buttocks with the right hand.
- Tilt your upper body forward a little so that you don't go into a hollow back.
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15. become more mobile with the dove
- Put one leg across in front.
- The second leg stretch straight back.
- Make sure your back is straight and stretch your arms upward.
- Hold the position and then switch legs.
16. cobra as mobility exercise
- Lie on your stomach. The legs are slightly open and the toes are not raised.
- Place the hands on the mat at the level of the chest.
- Tighten the buttocks and gently push the upper body upwards.
- Keep your elbows close to your body. Do not stretch the arms through. Straighten up with the strength of the back.
- Push the upper body as far away from the floor as you can.
- Slightly bend the head back. The gaze goes upward.
- Hold this position for 15 seconds before returning to the starting position.
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17. improve mobility with the Childs Pose
- Kneel on the exercise mat. The knees do not touch, the legs are slightly open.
- Rest your buttocks on your heels and your upper body on your thighs.
- Put your head on the mat.
- Stretch your arms forward in a loose and relaxed manner.
- Breathe in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Do this exercise as long as it is good for you.
Our conclusion
Mobility exercises should be a fixed part of every training plan. With regular mobility training you stay mobile and get the full performance out of yourself during training.
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