Stir-Crazy Challenge with Alysia Montaño: Flexibility & Mobility Workout
Warning: This workout is going to feel great, especially if you’re tired, achy, or stiff.
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This Stir-Crazy workout challenge is all about enjoying movement no matter what is keeping you cooped up. Every workout is designed to support your running success, focusing on run-specific movements and drills, high-rep endurance exercises, and mobility work. These mobility and flexibility exercises will feel great, especially if you’re tired, achy, or stiff.
This workout is designed to help you move in new, healthier ways, and reduce the risk of running (or everyday life) injury. Perform 2 rounds of each circuit, completing 12 to 16 reps of each mobility and flexibility exercise. Rest for 15 seconds between circuits if performing them back-to-back. Make sure to check off each circuit by the end of the day.
Circuit 1
Donkey Whip
Extend one leg straight behind you; then whip it up to the side and back in a fluid, controlled motion. engage your core and glute on the supporting side. Work both sides.
Hip Circles
From an all-fours position, keep your core engaged as you lift your knee first out to the side, then around and behind you, and then forward to start another circle. Halfway through your reps, reverse direction. Work the other side.
Hip Switch
Sit with one leg extended and your other leg bent at a 90-degree angle behind you. Lean forward with the opposite arm leading the stretch. Now swing your back leg around and roll laterally into a stretch on the opposite side. Find your rhythm, moving dynamically from side to side.
Circuit 2
Wall Slide
Stand with your butt, shoulders, elbows, and hands against the wall. Extend your arms up the wall, trying to limit the arch in your low back; then lower your body back down the wall.
Forward Leg Swing
Swing one leg forward and back. Hold a wall for stability if needed. Repeat on the other side.
Sideways Leg Swing
Face the wall and swing one leg from side to side. Work the other side.
Hurdle Walk-Overs
Lift one leg up and out to the side as if you were stepping over a hurdle and moving forward; continue alternating legs.
Side Hurdle
Lift one leg up and step out to the side as if you are stepping over a hurdle, and follow with the trailing leg coming up and over the hurdle. Keep it going, and halfway through the reps, switch direction.
Cooldown
Hold each stretch for 5 seconds, take a breath, and see if you can stretch a little farther. Do this 5–6 times, then repeat on the other side.
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Extend one leg just out in front of you and let the knee of the opposite leg bend as you reach forward. Try to keep your back flat.
Standing Quad Stretch
Using a wall for support, stand on one leg and pull the opposite heel to your glute. Press forward through your stretched side to keep your hips and knees square.
Downward Dog Calf Stretch
Push your palms and heels into the ground, bending one knee at a time as you push the opposite heel to the ground to stretch that calf.
Seated Spinal Rotation
With legs extended, cross one leg over the other and twist in the opposite direction, using your arm to push your knee in toward your chest.
Seated Glute Stretch
With knees bent, cross one leg over the other to get into a figure-4 position. Gently move closer to your stationary foot to intensify the flexibility exercise.
Day 2: Total-Body Muscle Endurance
Days 4 & 6: Plyometric Running Drills
Republished from Feel Good Fitness: Fun Workout Challenges to Inspire Your Fitness Streak by Alysia Montaño with permission of VeloPress.