Kelly Starrett's Mobility: 10 Exercises to Move Better

Are you feeling stiff and inflexible? Do you want to improve your overall health and mobility?

In their book Built to Move, Kelly and Juliet Starrett offer a comprehensive guide to enhancing your physical well-being. Kelly Starrett's mobility techniques have helped countless individuals regain flexibility and strength. You'll discover ten essential exercises that can transform your body's functionality.

Ready to unlock your body's full potential? Let's dive into these game-changing mobility exercises!

10 Essential Mobility Exercises to Improve Your Overall Health

1. The Sit-And-Rise Test

The Sit-and-Rise Test, a key component of Kelly Starrett's mobility approach, is a fantastic way to assess and improve your physical flexibility. This exercise, highlighted in Starrett's book Built to Move, gauges your leg and trunk control, balance, and hip mobility. To perform it, simply lower yourself to the floor and then rise back up without using your hands. Aim for a perfect ten-point score by doing this smoothly and independently. Regular practice of this exercise can significantly enhance your natural range of movement and your ability to transition between standing and sitting positions, aligning with Starrett's philosophy on functional movement.

2. Hip Opener

Your hips play a crucial role in walking and running, so keeping them flexible is essential. The Hip Opener exercise can help reduce muscle tension and joint stiffness, improving your overall hip flexibility and functionality. While Kelly Starrett doesn't provide specific instructions for this exercise in the summary, he does recommend the Couch Stretch as a challenging but effective way to work on your hip mobility. Try holding each leg in position for three minutes, even though it might be difficult at first.

3. Shoulder and Neck Mobility Exercises

Maintaining supple shoulders and neck is vital for everyday activities. To assess your shoulder flexibility, try the upward arm raise (similar to the position in an airport scanner) and evaluate your shoulder's rotational capacity. To improve suppleness, focus on exercises that target the complex areas of your shoulder, particularly the rotator cuff and upper back. These exercises will help you identify your current capabilities and areas that need improvement.

4. Squat Variations

Squats are compound exercises that engage multiple joints simultaneously, including your hips, ankles, and knees. To maintain and improve your squatting abilities, try incorporating prolonged deep squat holds and high-intensity Tabata Squats into your routine. These exercises will help strengthen the muscles around your knees, improving stability and overall lower body strength.

5. Single-Leg Balance Practice

Improving your balance and body awareness doesn't always require structured exercise routines. Try incorporating single-leg balance practice into your daily tasks. This simple exercise can significantly enhance your equilibrium and increase your consciousness of your body's position in space. You can also try the Old Man Balance Test to measure and improve your stability through balance-challenging activities.

6. Walking and Step Counting

Walking is a fundamental form of exercise that can markedly improve your overall health, mobility, and well-being. It promotes strong bones, cardiovascular fitness, and mental health. Aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps daily. To increase your step count, take the stairs instead of elevators, enjoy short walks after meals, and opt for walking meetings at work.

7. Breath Retention Exercises

Improving your tolerance to increased carbon dioxide levels can lead to more effective oxygen distribution throughout your body, providing extra energy for daily activities. Practice breath retention exercises, such as holding your breath after exhaling, to evaluate and improve your CO2 tolerance. You can also try extending the duration you can hold your breath underwater.

8. Nose-Breathing Walk

Nasal breathing filters the air, increases oxygen uptake, and promotes a state of calmness throughout your body. Try incorporating the Nose-Breathing Walk into your routine to encourage nasal breathing habits. You might even consider using mouth tape during sleep to promote nose breathing. Remember to focus on proper diaphragm use during these exercises.

9. Protein Intake Optimization

While not a mobility exercise per se, optimizing your protein intake is crucial for muscle health and recovery. Kelly Starrett recommends consuming 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily. Older individuals and athletes might need to increase their intake based on their specific needs and activity levels. Carefully track and adjust your diet to maintain peak health and support your mobility efforts.

10. Sleep Quality Improvement

Although not a direct mobility exercise, improving your sleep quality is essential for overall well-being, mental sharpness, and recovery processes. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night and maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Manage your light and electronic device exposure, and create a conducive sleeping environment. Consider using white noise machines to enhance sleep quality.

By incorporating these exercises and practices into your daily routine, you'll be following Kelly Starrett's advice for improving mobility, strength, and overall health. Remember, the key is consistency and gradual improvement. Start with what you can manage and slowly increase the difficulty and duration of these exercises over time. Your body will thank you for the increased mobility and vitality!