Mobility

Mobility is using a joint's full range of motion with control. It makes the squat deeper, the press safer and the back happier after a day at the screen. Ten minutes a few times a week is usually enough – consistency seems to matter more than the length of each session.

Two kinds of stretching

Dynamic before the workout: leg swings, cat–cow, moving lunges. It warms you up without reducing strength. Static – holding a position 30–60 seconds – after the workout or on its own day. Longer static stretching (over a minute per muscle) right before heavy lifts can reduce strength slightly for a while, so better put it last.

How long and how often

• 30–60 seconds per position, 2–3 rounds if you want to increase range.
• 2–3 times a week per area usually gives measurable change within 4–8 weeks.
• Stretch to a clear pull, not into pain. Breathe calmly – holding your breath makes you brace against it.

What is usually needed

• If you sit a lot: hip flexors, chest and upper back (the workout Mobility – hips and back).
• If you run or walk: calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes (Mobility – legs after running and powerwalks).
• If you press a lot: chest, front of the shoulders, lats – they tend to tighten up from a lot of pressing.
• Squats and deadlifts: ankles and hips decide how deep you get with a straight back.

When not to stretch

Fresh injury, swelling or sharp joint pain: rest and ask a physiotherapist. Soreness is not an obstacle – light movement usually feels good.

In the app you find all stretches under Exercises → Mobility, and ready-made mobility workouts under Workouts → Mobility. Plan them into the calendar as workouts of their own, for example on rest days.