• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
Training

4 Bodyweight Warm-Up and Cool-Down Mobility Drills

Need some new moves? Try these warm-up and cool-down bodyweight mobility drills!

Written by Francheska Martinez
Last updated on August 9th, 2023

Having a well-balanced routine is something that everyone from the most elite of athletes to your everyday gym-goers want to achieve. I have found that incorporating more bodyweight exercises that focus on mind-body connection, stability, and mobility has allowed me to become more well-rounded with better control, mechanics, and less compensations.

Integrating more bodyweight exercises that are mobility focused doesn’t have to be complicated. The best way to start is to rethink how we structure our warm-ups.

We still want to get our heart rate up, but the first part to moving better, is to start planning better, too.

When designing my warm-up for a given workout, I start by creating my primary circuit (or choosing a “main lift”) first. This allows me to design a movement specific warm-up to meet all of the demands of the work that is ahead. So for example, when designing a warm-up for a squat focused day, I will include exercises to increase range of motion in the hips, ankles, as well as an exercise to help engage the core and improve posture.

Bodyweight drills can be used anywhere and at any time in your programming. In this article I am going to share with you four of my go-to bodyweight drills that my clients and I love to use. They’re not only effective, but they are more challenging than they appear!

3 Bodyweight Mobility Drills for Warming-Up

1. Shin Box Flow

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Francheska Martinez (@francheskafit)

Prescription

  • 60 seconds work
  • 30 seconds rest
  • 3 to 5 rounds

Description

In this shin box sequence three individual movements that can be done independently or together in a flow.

1. Shin Box Switch

Start sitting down. Bend your legs and bring your heels close to your glutes. Keep your spine as straight as you can and sit your knees over to one side, do your best not to shift your feet around. Lay both knees on the floor, actively pressing your shins into the ground. You can place your hands behind you to help keep a straight spine throughout this movement if needed. Alternate sides.

2. Shin Box Extension

For the shin box extension, follow the same cues for the shin box switch, then come up to your knees. Squeeze the glutes and abs at the top. Come down slowly with control, and alternate sides.

3. Shin Box Switch to Hip Flexor Stretch

To progress to the shin box switch with a hip flexor stretch, perform a shin box extension then sweep the back leg around into a kneeling lunge, and tuck your hips under as you squeeze your glutes and abs at the top. Reverse the motion, and alternate sides.

Benefits

This is by far one of my favorite shin box sequences to open up the hips and get them primed for adding load. These shin boxes help with accessing internal and external rotation of the hips as well as lengthening the hip flexors, and activating the glutes.

Beast Toe Taps

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Francheska Martinez (@francheskafit)

Prescription

  • 30 seconds work
  • 30 seconds rest
  • 4 to 6 rounds

Description

From a beast position with a long spine and tight core, lift your opposite hand and foot being sure to keep your body from shifting. Slowly bring your foot and hand towards your midline as you tap them together. Alternate sides.

Benefits

This is a great bodyweight drill for increasing core strength, as well as shoulder and hip stability at the same time. Learning how to control your body and minimize swaying is going to improve your body control and overall stability.

3. Deep Ape to Front Kick Through

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Francheska Martinez (@francheskafit)

Prescription

  • 40 seconds on
  • Rest as needed
  • 6 rounds

Description

Starting in a deep squat, try to keep a proud chest and long spine as you reach across your body, planting the outside hand on the ground. Then bring the back leg through and hoover it off the ground as you try to keep your shoulders and hips squared. Reverse this motion and alternate sides.

Benefits

Incorporating this flow into your routine is going to help strengthen your hip flexors while opening up your hips and groin at the same time. This combo is going to give you some serious core engagement too!

Bodyweight Mobility Drill to Use As a Cool-Down

Beast Wave Unload to Leg Through

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Francheska Martinez (@francheskafit)

Prescription

  • Focus on your breath for 60 seconds at a time
  • Minimal rest
  • Repeat this sequence 3 times through

Description

Starting in a child’s pose position with your knees off the ground (loaded beast), lift one foot off the ground as you raise your hips up. Keep your arms straight as you wave through your spine and keep your bent leg tight to your body. Once you come into a plank position, thread the bent leg through and extend the knee as much as you can.

Hold this position for a second, pulling your shoulders down and back. Come back to your modified plank position, and wave through your spine as you press back into a loaded beast. Alternate sides.

Benefits

This decompression flow is fantastic for releasing tension along the spine and lateral aspect of the leg. Holding the bottom position with the leg extended is going to help open up your frontline (chest, abs, and hip flexors) as well.

Feature image from @fancheskafit Instagram page. 

About Francheska Martinez

Francheska Martinez is a Certified ONNIT Academy and ANIMAL FLOW Coach, specializing in kettlebells and bodyweight training.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Best Cyber Monday Weight Bench Deals (2023)

International Association of Trans Bodybuilders & Powerlifters 2023 Full Results

Do All High-Carb Diets Lead to Weight Gain?

Dana Linn Bailey’s 4 Meal Prep Tips for Beginners

Enahoro Asein (83KG) Decimates IPF Raw World Deadlift Record With 380 Kilograms

Latest Reviews

Redwood Thermowood Panorama Sauna Review

Redwood Outdoors Yukon Cold Plunge Tub Review

Redwood Outdoor Thermowood Garden Sauna Review

Future App Review

Bells of Steel Hydra Rack Review

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap