THE FITFLOP MOVEMENT SERIES

Five Exercises 
For Better Mobility

PERSONAL TRAINER AND AUTHOR
HOLY ROOS
 

PT and author Holly Roos shares her top exercises to feel more open in your body, as part of The FitFlop Movement Series.

Welcome to the FitFlop Movement Series, where we’ve partnered with health and wellbeing coaches to create easy-to-follow exercise routines that you can keep coming back to – all designed to help you move better and feel great. 

Kicking things off is Holly Roos, a personal trainer of 15 years and author of two health and fitness books, Active and Nourish. From quad rocks to downward dogs, Holly has put together a mobility exercise routine with moves to open your hips, stretch out your hamstrings and strengthen your joints. Enjoy!

Holly Roos’ 5 Step Routine To Better Mobility

1. Seated Windshield

- Start with your feet wide and use your hands to push into the floor behind you to help maintain a straight back. If you find it difficult to sit up straight, you can lean back but don't round your spine. 
- Lower one knee at a time down to the floor. To make it more challenging you can take your hands off the floor. 
- Do this for 30-60 seconds.

2. Quad Rock

- Start in an all fours position. Spread your fingers wide, tuck your toes under and rock back and forth, trying to get your bottom back to your heels. 
- When you rock forwards, lean as far as you can so you feel a stretch in the wrists to strengthen them.
- Do this for 30-60 seconds.

3. Down Dog to Deep Squat

- Start in a downward dog position and hold for three to five breaths, stretching into the hamstrings and strengthening the upper body.
- Step forwards with your feet slightly wider than your hands (slightly turning the feet out may feel more comfortable.)
- Lower your bottom into a squat and hold for three to five breaths. Keep repeating these two movements each time, coming deeper into your squat. 
-Repeat both movements five times.

4. Low Lunge Rotation

- Start on either all fours or in a plank. 
- Step the right foot to the outside of the right hand. With the back knee resting on the floor, reach the right arm up to the sky, getting a lovely twist and opening through the chest. 
- Repeat five times and then do the other side. 
- To deepen the stretch – straighten the back leg, lifting the knee off the floor.

5. Cobra Press

- Place your hands under your shoulders and hug your elbows close into your body. Keep your shoulder blades drawing in and down (be careful not to hunch your shoulders up to your ears!)
- Press into the floor with your hands and also use your back muscles to peel your chest off the floor. Keep your pubic bone on the floor. 
- Exhale as you push up, inhale on the way down. 
- Repeat ten times. 

BONUS: Child’s Pose.

- You can either have your knees together or apart for this. Fold over your thighs and try to keep your bottom on your heels, reach your arms forward and rest your forehead on the floor. 
- If you can’t rest comfortably with your bottom on your heels and your forehead on the floor, place a block or cushion under your head. 
- Take deep relaxing breaths and hold for 30-60 seconds.

Loved this mini stretch and flex? Check out the rest of series with more easy-to-follow routines to improve your posture and boost your energy levels.

For everyday mobility while you’re on the move, explore our ergonomic shoes for women and men.