Lower Body Mobility
The lower body bears the brunt of everything — sitting, standing, walking, lifting. Hip stiffness, locked-up ankles, and tight hamstrings are the most common restrictions people face. This is the largest section in the library because the lower body has the most to work on.
Fitness Considerations
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that should move in every direction — flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal and external rotation. Most people have lost significant range in at least two of these. The 90/90 stretch, pigeon, and hip capsule mobilizations target the most common deficits.
Limited ankle dorsiflexion forces compensations all the way up the chain — knees cave, hips shift, back rounds. If your squat breaks down or your knees ache, check ankle range first. Banded dorsiflexion and calf wall stretches are high-yield starting points.
Several exercises here — wall sits, glute bridges, split stance hovers — use isometric holds. These build stability and control at end-range, which is what converts passive flexibility into usable mobility. Don’t skip them in favor of more stretching.
Exercises
| # | Exercise | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 12.01 | 90/90 Hip Stretch | The 90/90 stretch targets hip internal and external rotation |
| 12.02 | Pigeon Stretch | Pigeon pose for deep hip flexor and glute stretching |
| 12.03 | Couch Stretch | The couch stretch targets hip flexor lengthening for people who sit all day |
| 12.04 | Terminal Knee Extension | Terminal knee extension for quad activation and knee joint stability |
| 12.05 | Wall Sit Isometric | Wall sit isometric hold for knee stability and quad endurance |
| 12.06 | Ankle Circles | Ankle circles for joint mobility warmup and range of motion maintenance |
| 12.07 | Banded Ankle Dorsiflexion | Banded ankle dorsiflexion drill for improving squat depth and ankle mobility |
| 12.08 | Calf Wall Stretch | Calf wall stretch for improved ankle dorsiflexion and calf flexibility |
| 12.09 | Leg Swings | Dynamic leg swings to warm up the hips, glutes, and hamstrings before activity |
| 12.10 | Lazy Lizard | A relaxed hip opener that targets the inner hip and groin from a low lunge position |
| 12.11 | Hip Flexor Lunge | A dynamic lunge stretch targeting the hip flexors for improved hip extension and posture |
| 12.12 | Knee-to-Chest Rocking | A gentle rocking motion bringing the knee to the chest to mobilize the hips and lower back |
| 12.13 | Lunge With Spinal Twist | A dynamic lunge combined with a thoracic rotation to open the hips and upper back simultaneously |
| 12.14 | Half-Kneeling Ankle Rocks | A gentle rocking drill to improve ankle dorsiflexion from a half-kneeling position |
| 12.15 | Knee-to-Chest | A dynamic stretch pulling the knee to the chest to warm up the glutes and hamstrings |
| 12.16 | Walking Quad Stretch | A dynamic walking drill that stretches the quadriceps and hip flexors with each step |
| 12.17 | Calf Raises with Hold | Calf raises with an isometric hold at the top to build ankle strength and calf endurance |
| 12.18 | Single-Leg Step Down | A corrective exercise for knee stability and control using a step or stair |
| 12.19 | Toe / Tibialis Raises | Strengthen the tibialis anterior by raising the toes off the ground to protect the knees and shins |
| 12.20 | Hip Capsule Mobilization | Targeted mobilization drills to improve hip capsule flexibility for squats and pistols |
| 12.21 | Olympic Wall Squat With External Rotation | A wall-supported deep squat drill focusing on hip external rotation for squat mobility |
| 12.22 | Single-Leg Flexion w/ External Rotation (Box Variation) | A box-supported single-leg drill combining hip flexion and external rotation for squat and lunge mobility |
| 12.23 | Single-Leg Flexion w/ External Rotation (Floor Variation) | A floor-based single-leg drill combining hip flexion and external rotation for deep squat mobility |
| 12.24 | Hip External Rotation w/ Flexion (Option 1) | A seated hip external rotation drill with flexion bias for squat depth and hip health |
| 12.25 | Hip External Rotation w/ Flexion (Option 2) | A figure-four position hip external rotation drill with flexion for deep squat mobility |
| 12.26 | Split Stance Hovers | A slant board drill building ankle and quad strength in a split stance position for lunge mobility |
| 12.27 | Dumbbell Calf Rockers (Raises) | Loaded calf raises on a slant board for ankle strength and mobility |
| 12.28 | Psoas Foam Roller | Foam rolling technique to release the psoas and deep hip flexor muscles |
| 12.29 | Lat Pull-Down with Hip Hinge | A banded lat pull-down combined with a hip hinge to integrate hamstring and upper back activation |
| 12.30 | Inchworm Warm-Up | A full-body warm-up drill that emphasizes hamstring flexibility and core activation |
| 12.31 | Isometric Glute Bridge Walk Out | A glute bridge with a walk-out to progressively load the hamstrings eccentrically |
| 12.32 | Hip Hinge | The foundational hip hinge pattern for hamstring loading and posterior chain development |
| 12.33 | Isometric Glute Bridge Single Leg Raises | A glute bridge with alternating single-leg raises to challenge hamstring and glute stability |
| 12.34 | Hamstring Extenders | Active hamstring stretching using controlled leg extensions to build flexibility under tension |
| 12.35 | A-Drill Marching | A marching drill that activates the hamstrings and hip flexors in a running-specific pattern |