all around the world stretch
Sixteen years of competitive gymnastics did not teach me what CrossFit has in
seven short months about mobility: what it really is, why it matters and how to
improve it. So, what is it? There are a lot of long, technical definitions out there,
but I like to keep it simple. Mobility, for me, is where precision, purpose, and
passion come together. You need to be able to hold your form (precision), through the full range of motion (purpose) to fuel achieving your goals (passion). And why does it matter? Getting the position is not the same as being strong in the position. The best defense against injury is making sure to focus as much on mobility as you do on strength. I've put together a simple All
Around The World Stretch which gives you a one-stop stretching routine to mobilize your muscles before and after any workout. Let's dive in.
Position 1:
Start in a lunge position with your right leg forward and your foot flat on the floor. Make sure your knee is bent 90 degrees with your left leg extended behind you, your left ball of foot on the floor. Place your hands on the floor inside right leg, keeping your back flat.
Main Targets:
Hip flexors, butt, hamstrings, quadriceps, lateral calf
Position 2:
Next, lift your right hand off the floor, bend your right elbow 90 degrees and reach your elbow toward the instep of your right foot (as shown).
Reach as far as you can without rounding your back.
Straight into placing that right hand onto your knee, extending it out to get more of flexion on that pigeon and hip flexors.
Main Targets:
Deeper into hip flexors, butt, hamstrings, quadriceps, lateral calf
Position 3:
Return your right hand to the floor, then rotate your torso to right (inside) and extend your right arm to ceiling, palm out (as shown). Keep your spine long, and continue reaching through back leg.
This can also be done switching to the left arm, rotate the torso to the opposite side, pressing down with the right hand, eyes follow lifting the left hand to the ceiling.
Main targets:
Deepens hamstring and gluteus stretch and enhances spinal mobility. Adds shoulders, pecs, upper and lower back, internal and external rotators of hips and obliques.
Position 4:
Finally, place hands on the floor and extend both legs back and out (slightly out of shoulder width). Then shift your hips back and straighten your opposite arm to your opposite leg while remaining in a locked out position touching your ankle with your foot flexed.
Be mindful of hunching. Keep your back as flat as possible down to the ground (as shown).
Lalo Torres is a full-time CrossFit athlete & Performance Coach whose mission in this world is to help people understand that taking control of their health is the first step of self-actualization and reclaiming personal autonomy. To see more, follow him on Instagram: @fitbylalo