Mobility & Movement Prep: Organized Routine Guide
What is Mobility?
• Mobility is the ability to move well—not just flexibility.
• It involves control, strength, and coordination.
• Good mobility helps runners move with purpose and efficiency.
• Key challenges: sedentary lifestyle, aging, and injury history.
Target Areas and Movements
• Feet & Ankles – Dorsiflexion/Plantarflexion
• Knees – Flexion/Extension
• Hips – Extension/Flexion
• Spine – Rotation
• Shoulders – Posture and control
Ankle & Foot Mobility
• Foot Circles (both directions)
• Dorsiflex/Plantarflex Coordination with Toes
• Diagonal Patterns (both directions)
• Kneeling Toe Stretches (forward/back)
• Squats with ankle rotations
• Standing Ankle Rolling on Toes (side to side)
• Weight-bearing Ankle Circles – Heel/Ball of Foot
• Full Extension/Flexion Calf Raises (straight/bent leg)
Hip Mobility & Activation
• Wall Hip Mobility Routine
• Lunge with Glute Activation
• 3 Squats to Modified Pigeon (each side)
• Side-to-Side Squats with Stretch Hold
• Banded Ankle Mobilization
• Knee to Wall
• Lifted Ankle Mobilization
• Toe Mobilization
• Lying Hip Rotations (external)
• Piriformis Stretch (leg to opposite shoulder)
• Flying/Traveling Butterfly
• Squatting Internal Rotations
• Hip Openers
Shoulder & T-Spine Mobility
• Kneeling Shoulder Circles (both directions)
• Lying Arm Stretch
• Kneeling Arm Raise & Side Bends
• Shoulder Extension (arms behind back)
• Foam Roller Snow Angels (spine aligned)
• Kneeling Rotations (lunge with opposite hand reach)
• Kneeling Thoracic Extension
• Prone Snow Angels
• Prone I’s, T’s, Y’s, W’s
• Downward Dog Scapular Presses
• Shoulder Flossing
• Foam Roller Spinal Twist
• Child’s Pose with Arms on Foam Roller
Spinal & Core Activation
• Prone Sphinx Pose
• Kneeling Tail Wags (feet up)
• Kneeling Shoulder Rotations (feet down, hand behind back)
Balance & Stability (Single-Leg Work)
• Goal: Balance on each leg for 10+ seconds
• Single Leg Balance – With Look Up/Arms Up
• Single Leg Hamstring Stretch
• Tree Pose / Warrior 3 / Skater Lunge
• Bosu Ball Squats & Backward Lunges
• Single-Leg Ball Toss (Yoga Ball)
• Runner’s Single-Leg RDL’s
• Step Ups & Step Downs (Low Platform)
• Leg Swing Drills (Sagittal Plane)
• Side Plank w/Knee to Chest
Glute Activation & Core Stability
• Single-Leg Glute Bridges
• Clamshells (banded or standing)
• Side-Lying Glute Med Work
• Stance Leg Activation Walks
• Donkey Kicks (Band around arch)
• Push Downs to Kickbacks (‘Pawing’ Drill)
• Hip Hike Progression
Running Form & Drills
• Running = Single-Leg Jumps (never 2 feet)
• Lean from Ankles – Straight Line from Head to Foot
• Heel/Toe Rocking
• Gravity does not help on flat ground – focus on horizontal force
• Rocking Drills Against Counter (Test Ankle Dorsiflexion)
Dynamic Drills for Coordination & Cadence
• A-Skips / B-Skips / C-Skips
• High Knees / Glute Kicks / Backward Skips
• Carioca / Quick Feet / Arm Swing Drill
• Straight Leg Bounds
• C-Skips to B-Skips
• Walking A & B Skips
• Hopping Drills
• Cadence Drills
• Ladder Drills (Optional)