Vanessa Michielon, a Pilates, yoga, and dance expert, as well as the founder of the Transformative Movement Method, has developed a 10-minute routine to enhance mobility and flexibility in just five simple steps. This routine can be used as a warm-up, cool-down, or as a standalone practice on rest days to aid in recovery.
The first exercise in the routine is the cat-cow stretch, which involves moving the spine through its full range of motion to relieve tension in the lower back, thoracic spine, and neck. This exercise can be done by starting in a tabletop position and alternating between arching the back (cow pose) and rounding the spine (cat pose) while coordinating with your breath.
The rolling cat-cow exercise is an evolution of the first exercise and introduces a spinal wave motion to build intersegmental mobility between the vertebrae. This exercise starts in child’s pose and involves slowly rolling forward onto hands and knees, focusing on lifting each vertebra one at a time.
Next is the seated cat-cow exercise, which can be beneficial for lower back and hamstring flexibility. This exercise is performed from a seated position by arching the back and rounding the spine while sitting on the floor and folding forward to reach the toes or ankles.
The soft cobra exercise involves a gentle backbend to stretch the spine and abdomen. This movement adds lateral movements to the spine and encourages tension release in the body. The exercise starts by lying on the stomach with forearms on the ground and lifting the chest into a soft cobra.
Lastly, the forward fold to squat exercise combines forward folds to stretch the back with squat positions to build mobility in the hips and knees. This exercise involves standing with feet hip-width apart, folding forward from the hips, bending the knees into a squat position, and moving between the two positions.
Vanessa Michielon, who holds a PhD and is a yoga and dance lecturer, has extensive training in various movement modalities and specializes in using yoga, Pilates, and dance to improve physical health and mental well-being. Her expertise in pre/postnatal coaching, Pilates, yoga, and dance performance makes her a credible source for mobility and flexibility exercises.
Incorporating these five exercises into your routine can help improve mobility and flexibility in a short amount of time, making it accessible for beginners and experienced individuals alike. Give these exercises a try and experience the benefits of enhanced mobility and flexibility in your daily life.