Front Squat Archives | Movement Vault

Upper Back & Shoulders: September 21

How does your upper back feel right now? If you are like most people out there, it is tight and potentially achy. This is due to the positions you spend the most time in aka hunched over your computer, phone, book, etc. Your body conforms to the positions you spend the most time in. You become your positions. We are going to “unglue” your upper back with today’s routine. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Foam Roller. 2. Padded Mat (optional). Today is a great routine for all of you desk athletes out there. We are going to fix your rounded upper back and rounded shoulders. Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your t-spine aka your upper back and shoulders.

We are starting off with an upper back joint mobilization and activation technique. Make sure to keep your abs engaged and locked in. From there, think about using your upper back muscles to pull you into the foam roller. Next we are working on an upper back activation and stretch in the sphinx position. Focus on arching your upper back as much as possible. Next up is a 3-part shoulder range of motion and activation movement. Focus on keeping your arms as high as possible the entire time. We are finishing up with a t-spine rotation stretch and activation. Continue to activate all of the muscles that surround your back and mid section aka your core to try to create more and more rotation.

Hips: September 20

Today is all about the hips and more specifically your hip flexors. Having tight hip flexors can lead to low back pain, hip pain, and knee pain. There is a strong correlation with pain in these areas and having tight hip flexors. No worries though, we are focusing on your hip flexors today!

We are starting off with a muscle and fascia release for your tensor fascia latae muscle and fascia which is one of the lesser thought about hip flexors. We are then moving on to a very effective two part active couch stretch. It is very important to not arch your low back during these stretches. Keep your midsection core muscles engaged by pulling your rib cage downward to lessen your low back arch. The first variation focuses on rotation while stretching your hip flexors out. Focusing on pure torso rotation as if your upper body is a screwdriver and you are turning the screwdriver. On the second variation, get as deep into the stretch first, and then contract your hip flexor muscles you are stretching out by kicking back as hard as your can. Have fun!

Equipment Needed: 1) Padded Mat 2) Box, Bench, or wall. Something to put your beg leg up against as shown in the picture above. We are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your hips.

Flow: September 19

Sunday Funday, let’s go! It’s a great day to be and feel great. Motion is the lotion for your joints and we have the most effective lotion in today’s standing flow routine. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat (optional). Today is a flow day!

Shoulders & Hips (Recovery): September 18

Happy Saturday! We’ve got an effective, yet relaxing recovery routine for you today. Our recovery routines dial down the intensity a few notches from our standard routines. We will be rolling out more routine options such as more recovery routines in the near future, so stay tuned. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1) Mobility ball 2) Padded Mat. We are working on the flexibility, stability, and mobility of your hips and shoulders.

Shoulder and Hips: September 17

The Movement Vault Team is sending you a huge thanks for hanging out with us and giving your body what it needs. Check in with yourself after this routine and reflect on how much better your body feels and moves. Do the same later in the day today.

Equipment needed: 1. Padded Mat (optional). We have a lot of effective shoulder and hip range of motion work today! We are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your scapula aka shoulder blade muscles and hips.

We are starting off with a range of motion and activation movement for all of your muscles that surround your shoulder blades aka scapulae. Your goal is to activate and move your shoulder blades through your absolute full range of motion. If you have any pain at any point, skip this part in the range of motion and continue to perform the movement in your pain-free range of motion. Next we are working on an activation and range of motion movement for your shoulder. The note about pain above applies here as well. You get what you put into these previous two movements. Focus and squeeze all of these muscles. We are finishing up with a hip activation and range of motion movement. Focus on keeping your core engaged and the front of your pelvic bones on the mat as you move your leg slowly.

Flow: September 16

There is a saying in the PT world: Provide manual therapy to help alleviate pain and symptoms. This will last a relatively short time. Teach a person how to care and maintain their muscles, fascia, and joints. This will last a lifetime. I actually just made this up, but this is extremely true. Don’t go to someone to “fix.” You can fix yourself with the proper guidance. Whether you need a little “fixing” or are being proactive with your joint maintenance, this flow is for you. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat. Today is a flow day!

Hips: September 15

We’ve got some amazing stuff in store for your hips today! We are focusing on the front and back of your hip in this routine. We are hitting your hip flexors, quads, and hamstrings. We typically try to keep the equipment to a minimum, but today you will need a PVC pipe, broom stick, or something to hold on to such as a chair.

Equipment needed: 1. PVC pipe, broom stick, or something to hold on to such as a chair. 2. Padded Mat or pillow for your knee. Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of the hips.

Today’s routine is a multi-part active stretch series. We are moving through three different end-range of motion isometric techniques for your hip. Your job is to stretch out your muscles and joints as far as possible for each rep and then contract the muscles that are being stretched out. Try to sink a little deeper into the stretch with each successive rep. Put as much effort as possible into the contractions. You are increasing stability and getting stronger in your end-range of motion which is the most effective way to increase your flexibility and mobility and make lasting changes. Have fun and hit us up on all social media channels @movementvault.

Ankles & Feet: September 14

What rhymes with neat and literally supports your entire body? You guessed it, your feet! I have worked with more patients and athletes than I can count that had foot and/or ankle issues that eventually led to hip, knee, low back, and even shoulders issues. What I am trying to say is that your feet and ankles affect the entire rest of your body. When your feet and ankles don’t “work” properly, it causes compensations in other joints, eventually leading to pain and injury. This is why we always say, never skip feet day!

Equipment needed: 1. Mobility ball or lacrosse ball. 2. Padded Mat (optional). Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your ankles and feet. We are starting off with a muscle/ fascia release / joint mobilization for the front of your ankles. This one can be pretty uncomfortable. Apply as much pressure as you can tolerate. Next we are moving on to an end-range stretch isometric technique to stretch out and activate the muscles and fascia in the front of your ankles. Try to stretch out the front of your ankles as much as possible before starting the muscle contraction. This one can also be uncomfortable, but this is normal. We are finishing up with a stretch and muscle activation exercise for your feet. Really focus on contracting your toes muscles as much as possible, while moving your foot and ankle.

Hips & Back: September 13

It’s a new week, and a clean slate to do amazing things. You are starting your week off on the right foot or should we say the right hip. Consistent actions yields consistent results. Keep it up, you are doing awesome!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded Mat (optional). We’ve got some great sitting splits aka sitting straddle position action today! We are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your hips, low back, and upper body.

All of the stretch and activation work in today’s routine will be performed from the sitting splits. Start by spreading your legs as far as possible while still keeping your knees straight. Your heals should be rooted firmly into the ground. From here you will go through a series of stretches and activation movements. Focus on getting as deep into each stretch as possible and then activating the specific muscles we are targeting. You are going to feel amazing in about 15 minutes!

Flow: September 12

It’s Sunday, you’ve got a lot to do, and yet you still carved out a little time to give your body and joints exactly what they need to feel and perform at their best. You are awesome! Have fun today.

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat. Today is a flow day!

Hips & Wrists: September 11

No Days Off. This is a good motto to live by, but this doesn’t mean that you should push it 100% everyday. Everyone needs rest and recovery days, whether that be rest and recovery physically or mentally. Just because you are taking a recovery day(s), doesn’t mean that you are taking a day off. This recovery day is needed for you to be at your optimal state. This is a calculated off-day, but in essence you are still ON the path. You can enrich your calculated off days with things like Movement Vault, meditation, heat/cold exposure, play, sleep, fun with friends and love ones, time in nature….the list goes on. Have fun today!

Equipment needed: 1. Foam Roller. If you don’t have a foam roller, you can substitute with a mobility ball 2. Box, bench, couch or wall. Something to put your back leg against for the active couch stretch. 3. Padded Mat. Today is a day that everyone needs for their hip flexors! Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your hip flexors and wrists.

We are starting of with a muscle/fascia release for your hip flexors. If you don’t have a foam roller, you can use a mobility ball. We are then moving on to couch stretch end-range isometrics. This is one of the best active stretches for your hip flexors. It can be challenging and uncomfortable, this is normal. With that said, if coming up to a full lunge is too difficult or challenging, leave your front knee down on the mat. Another key is to make sure that your abs stay engaged. Don’t allow your low back to arch and extend. We are finishing up with wrist extension end-range stretch isometrics. The key is to stretch out your wrists as much as possible before starting your activation. If you have any pain in the front of your wrist, don’t go as deep into the stretch.

Shoulders: September 10

It’s Friday and it’s time to spread your wings and fly into the weekend. But what if you have tight shoulders? How are you going to spread your wings? Good question. Well, if your rotator cuff and lat muscles are tight, you will not be flying far. Today we are working on both of these muscle groups so that you are ready to soar into the weekend. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Mobility Ball. 2. Padded Mat (optional). One of the big problem areas a lot of people have with their shoulders is their rotator cuff muscles. Your rotator cuff muscles are relatively small muscles whose job is to keep your shoulders stable. Today we are going to focus in on them. We are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your shoulders.

We are starting off with a muscle / fascia release for your posterior rotator cuff muscles, specifically your infraspinatus and teres minor muscles. Make sure to rotate your shoulders as far as possible in both directions while the mobility ball is releasing your muscles. Next, we have two different end-range stretch isometric techniques. The first focuses on shoulder flexion, targeting your lats, triceps, and rotator cuff muscles. The second targets your lats and rotator cuff muscles at a different angle. The key with these techniques is to stretch out your muscles as far as possible and then begin to contract your muscles. When you do this you are getting stronger at your end-range of motion. This is the most effective way to stretch. Have fun!