Regardless of whether you telecommute or commute to a workplace, accumulating excessive desk or sofa hours is effortless. Prolonged sitting can result in lumbar discomfort, rigid joints, and pelvic misalignment.
Hence, Tatiana Lampa, the creator of Training with T, advocates for mobility routines. These not only alleviate back tension but also help in loosening tight hips and shoulders.
If you’re unsure where to begin, you’re in luck as Lampa will guide us through a 22-minute full-body mobility exercise regimen in this month’s edition of Well+Good’s Trainer of the Month Club. This routine is filled with invigorating movements that will help you loosen up in a jiffy.
Lampa suggests commencing your mobility session with a trainer-recommended exercise: cat-cows. This drill aids in grounding yourself, providing an understanding of how your body feels that day by opening the hips, lumbar spine, and chest. “This is one of my preferred mobility routines to infuse some motion, to add some elegance to your spinal cord before we delve into the workout,” Lampa explains. Be bold: Accentuate the arching and curving of your spine.
For individuals who frequently slouch (mention of text neck, anyone?), thoracic spinal twists can assist in correcting your posture. “You’ll sense the extension right in your mid-back… If you tend to be continuously hunched over at your workstation (confession time), this will provide immense relief,” she mentions.
The intensity of the exercise rises with scorpions—despite the intimidating name, rest assured it’s manageable. This move will aid in opening up your back, hips, shoulders, and even your chest. (You might feel tension in your IT band as well.) Lampa will encourage you to repeat this move a couple of times to fully experience the circulation benefits before transitioning to the opposite side.
Throughout these yoga postures, stretches, Pilates maneuvers, and standing mobility activities, be attentive to any differences in tightness between the sides—it may highlight areas where your body requires additional care. All set? Be sure to view the entire YouTube video to kickstart your session.