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Move Better

34 topics, pulled from across the knowledge graph

Functional Movement Screen (FMS) — OverviewA seven-task movement-quality screen scored 0–3 per task (max 21) that flags mobility/stability limitations and asymmetries to guide corrective work — a qualitative screen, not a fitness test.

Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) TestTime someone rising from a chair, walking 3 m, turning, returning, and sitting; longer times indicate impaired mobility and higher fall risk in older adults.

Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs)Slow, deliberate circles taking a single joint through its full active range under maximum muscular control — a daily method to map, maintain, and expand usable joint range.

Dynamic Warm-Up (Mobility-as-Training)A pre-activity routine of active, moving drills that take joints through increasing range while raising temperature and priming the nervous system — building usable mobility, unlike a static hold-and-relax stretch.

90/90 Hip SwitchSit with both knees bent to 90° (one in front, one to the side) and rotate side to side between positions — a focused drill for hip internal and external rotation.

Ankle Mobility Drills (Knee-to-Wall Dorsiflexion)Drive the knee forward over the toes with the heel pinned down to mobilize ankle dorsiflexion — the joint-by-joint "mobility" target most often limiting squats and gait.

Arm CirclesCircle the arms forward and backward through a growing range to warm and mobilize the shoulders — a quick, equipment-free dynamic warm-up drill.

Cat-CowFrom hands and knees, alternately round the spine (cat) and arch it (cow), moving with the breath — a gentle dynamic drill that mobilizes the whole spine into flexion and extension.

Deep Squat HoldSink into the bottom of a full squat and relax into the position — a loaded end-range hold that builds and maintains hip, ankle, and knee mobility for squatting and sitting.

Hip CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations)Standing tall and braced, trace the largest controlled circle one hip can make — lifting the knee, opening it out, rotating, and reversing — for active hip mobility and joint health.

Hip CirclesCircle the knee/thigh to draw circles with a lifted leg, or circle the pelvis itself — a dynamic warm-up drill that mobilizes the hip through all directions.

InchwormFold forward, walk the hands out to a plank, then walk the feet back in — a dynamic warm-up drill that mobilizes the hamstrings and posterior chain while bracing the core.

Leg SwingsHolding support, swing one leg front-to-back and side-to-side through a progressively larger range — a staple dynamic warm-up drill for hip mobility.

Shoulder CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations)Slowly trace the largest circle your shoulder can actively make, body braced and the rest of you still — a daily joint-health and active-mobility drill.

Shoulder Dislocates (Pass-Throughs)Hold a dowel or band wide and sweep it overhead from front to back and return — a dynamic drill that opens up overhead shoulder mobility. (The name is figurative — nothing actually dislocates.)

Thoracic Rotations (Open-Book / Quadruped)Drills that isolate rotation to the mid-back (thoracic spine) — the joint-by-joint "mobility" segment — while keeping the lumbar spine stable.

World's Greatest StretchA flowing lunge-and-rotate sequence that mobilizes hip flexors, hamstrings, and the thoracic spine in one movement — a high-value dynamic warm-up drill.

Mobility vs FlexibilityFlexibility is how far a joint *can* be moved (often passively); mobility is how far you can *actively control* it — flexibility plus the strength and motor control to own that range.

Stability vs Mobility (Joint-by-Joint Approach)Joints alternate in their primary need — some want mobility (move freely), some want stability (resist unwanted motion) — and dysfunction at one tends to show up as pain or compensation at its neighbors.

Pistol Squat as a Skill (Balance & Mobility)Beyond leg strength, the pistol is a skill gated by single-leg balance, deep ankle dorsiflexion, and active hip-flexor compression to keep the front leg up.

Foam RollerA firm cylinder you roll body parts over to apply pressure to muscles and fascia — the most common self-myofascial-release tool, used to ease tightness pre- and post-workout, with modest, mostly short-term effects.

Lacrosse Ball / Massage BallA small, hard ball for pinpoint self-myofascial release — it reaches small, deep spots a foam roller can't, like the glutes, feet, and around the shoulder blade.

Stretching StrapA non-elastic strap, often with sewn loops, that extends your reach so you can hold and deepen stretches with control — especially useful for the hamstrings, hips, and shoulders, and for solo PNF.

Animal Flow & Ground-Based Movement (Overview)A bodyweight discipline of crawling, quadrupedal positions, and flowing locomotion patterns that builds mobility, core/shoulder stability, and movement coordination.

Feldenkrais & Somatics (Overview)Gentle, attention-based movement methods that use slow exploratory movement and body awareness to improve movement efficiency, comfort, and self-regulation through motor learning.

Integrating Mind-Body Mobility into Warm-UpMobility flows and dynamic mind-body movements fit best in the warm-up as active, range-rehearsing preparation; long static or restorative work belongs after training.

Mobility Flows & Movement Practice (Overview)Continuous, low-load sequences that move joints actively through their range — combining mobility, active flexibility, and control — used to warm up, restore range, and practice movement.

Full-Body Mobility Flow (Sequence)A sample continuous floor-to-standing flow that mobilizes spine, hips, shoulders, and ankles — usable as a dynamic warm-up or a short standalone mobility session.

Leg Circles (Single-Leg Circles)A supine exercise circling one extended leg from the hip while the pelvis stays still — training hip mobility against a stable, controlled core.

Pilates (Overview)A low-impact movement system built on core ("powerhouse") control, precise alignment, and breath, shown to improve core strength, flexibility, and low-back pain.

Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)A breath-paced spinal flexion/extension cycle on hands and knees that mobilizes the whole spine and is a staple warm-up movement.

Yoga (Overview)A mind-body discipline combining physical postures (asanas), breath control, and attentional focus that measurably improves flexibility, balance, strength, and stress regulation.

Mobility / Longevity ProgramA sustainable, joint-friendly plan that protects strength, mobility, balance, and aerobic health into later decades — optimizing healthspan rather than peak performance.

Foam Rolling & Self-Myofascial Release (SMR)Rolling a muscle over a foam roller or ball briefly improves range of motion and reduces the feeling of soreness without lasting tissue change — useful in warm-ups and for comfort, not a true "release" of fascia.