Tip: The Fastest Full Body Stretch

Don't waste half your workout trying to get mobile. Try this efficient stretch.

The One Stretch Your Warm-Up Needs

Trying to get stronger, bigger, or leaner? Doesn't matter what your goals are, you need to have a good level of full body mobility to stay injury free in the gym... and to just move well through life.

It's always tempting to skip the warm-ups and stretching, especially when you're short on time. But at the very least, make sure you address the most commonly stiff/tight areas of the body:

  • Lats
  • Lower Back
  • Hips
  • Knees
  • Ankles

This assisted squat stretch hits all of these. And the best thing about it? It takes no energy to do – you don't even have to hold yourself up!

  • Lats: The crossover reach hits your lats, which is great for your overhead position and overall shoulder mobility.
  • Low Back, Hips, Knees: This is combined with the deep squat which is a great relaxer for the lower back and really helps to open up the hips and knees, especially with the added prying motion.
  • Ankles: Because you're holding on to a support, you're also able to focus on dorsiflexion of one ankle at a time. This is crucial for improving your deep squats.
  • Spend 1-2 minutes using this as a warm-up or cooldown stretch with some deep relaxed breathing and you'll feel awesome.
Tom Morrison is a British weightlifting coach, martial artist, and CrossFit trainer and competitor. Tom works with athletes on prerequisite movement capabilities for optimal strength, performance, and reduced risk of injury.  Follow Tom Morrison on Facebook