If you’re already crushing your cardio sessions and going hard in the weight room (which we hope you are!), it’s time to add another, often-overlooked layer to your workout routine. Enter: our March 2024 Movement of the Month Club, a monthlong mobility training program focusing on improving your entire body’s movement.
Looking to take your workouts to the next level and prevent injury while weaving in some oh-so-crucial self-care? Mobility is for you. Looking to feel better and move easier every day? Mobility is for you. The goal isn’t just to get more bendy, but to leave you feeling less achy and better primed for your workouts—and the rest of your daily routine, too.
Over the next four weeks, we’ll explore feel-good mobility exercises that fit into your busy days—as in, you only need 5 minutes! You’ll be guided through the month by Alicia Rios, certified personal trainer and programming manager for Bold, an at-home, digital fitness platform.
“Early in my career I realized that quality of life and independence are two important life goals for many aging individuals,” she says. “However, a lot of us take those things for granted until we start to notice they’re in decline—and then it becomes much harder to change.”
From dynamic stretches you can do with your workout bestie to solo sessions you can do in your living room, Rios and our Movement of the Month Club mobility training program has you covered.
Join us to get all the benefits of mobility
Improving your mobility doesn’t just mean you’ll finally be able to touch your toes. It’s about facilitating your body’s ability to move freely, reducing your risk of injury (per a May 2021 study in PeerJ), and easing those nagging aches and pains that come from our all-too-often sedentary lifestyles.
But the benefits extend beyond the physical: mobility exercises can significantly improve your posture, leading to more confidence as you stand taller. Plus, by increasing circulation and helping to release tension, mobility work can help boost your mental health as well.
“Mobility exercises can benefit anyone, from a lifelong athlete to someone who is sedentary most of their day,” Rios says. “It’s the most crucial component of any routine seeking to reduce injury risk and joint or muscular pain while improving overall functionality.”
How the mobility training program works
Starting Monday, March 4, 2024, you’ll have one mobility move to do each day, finishing with a full, 5-minute flow on Sunday. Each week has a different theme, helping you feel better from head to toe by the end of the month. Here’s what you can expect:
Week 1: Morning Mobility
- Quadruped Rock Back
- Cat-Cow
- Thread the Needle
- Ankle Rocks
- Supine Lumbar Rotation
- Toe Touch Squat
- Morning Mobility Flow
Week 2: Hip Mobility
- Quadruped Hip CARs
- Adductor Rock Back
- Seated Windshield Wiper
- 90-90 Hip Switch
- Seated Hip Flexor Hurdle
- Seated Hip Internal Rotation
- Hip Mobility Flow
Week 3: Postural Mobility
- Sunrise
- Chicken Wings
- Thoracic Rotation
- Thoracic Extension
- Figure 4 Forward Fold
- Chin Retraction
- Postural Mobility Flow
Week 4: Spinal Mobility
- Neck Rotation
- T-Spine Opener
- Seated Butterfly Lateral Reach
- Cross-Body Rotation
- Lunge With Twist
- Squat With Overhead Reach
- Spinal Mobility Flow
Tip: How long you do each exercise depends on what feels good for you. Listen to your body and follow its cues. Don’t push too far past the point of discomfort, and if you feel any pain, stop.
Calendar for the mobility training program
Get a printer-friendly version of the calendar here.
How to join the movement of the month club
1. Print and/or save your calendar
Print out the calendar above or save it to your phone and use it each day to help you stay on track. Do each day’s move (or flow), then check off that box when you’re finished.
2. Join the club on Facebook
Our community of nearly 60,000 members (and growing!) is here to support and motivate you through this the month. Tell the group how the day’s routine went, post photos or videos of your workouts or share your favorite mobility-related meme or motivational quote.
3. Start the moves
On Day 1, start with the quadruped rock back from the Morning Mobility Routine. Check out the links below for details on each week’s moves:
4. Celebrate your success!
You made it to the end! Take some time to appreciate that accomplishment—and let us know how it went in our Facebook group.
Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.
- Koźlenia, Dawid, and Jarosaw Domaradzki. “Prediction and injury risk based on movement patterns and flexibility in a 6-month prospective study among physically active adults.” PeerJ vol. 9 e11399. 18 May. 2021, doi:10.7717/peerj.11399
