We spent last month on our hips, but what about the rest of us? All month long, we will be giving you exercises to get your joints moving. Check back each week for new videos.

This month, we are going to work on some mobility and exercises that everyone should be able to perform. These are the foundations of movement. This is a great place to start if you are just starting out with a movement program, but they are also great tests for those of you who have been moving for a while. You should be able to do all these movements before moving on to more complex movements such as deadlifts. 

For this first week, we are mobilizing the thoracic spine and learning the basics of the hinge. Having a pliable and functional thoracic spine is important in all movement. If the spine does not move properly, you will never be able to generate your full potential over power and this improper function could eventually lead to more serious injury.

We are reviewing the hinge because it is the foundational movement in everything from a pick-up to a squat and is found in multiple movements of daily life (getting in and out of a car, out of a chair, picking up things off the floor, etc.).

For our 2nd week of Foundations Month we are moving from the spine to the feet and we are going to progress our hinge to the squat.

This week, we are using a squat to help us gain some motion in our ankles. Now that you learned the proper squat last week, you can use this version to help bring some mobility to your ankles and feet. We are also going to learn how to use the hinge for our lunge. ⁠

This week, we are going after the low squat. The low squat should not just be for the privileged few. It is one of the most useful and functional positions you can utilize. From picking up heavy things, to getting up and down from the floor, the low squat is a necessity in life.

We are finishing up Foundations Month with the staple exercise of the dipping bird. We have been working all month on our hinging and strengthening our posterior chain. Now, let’s challenge it with this single leg balance move.⁠

For the month of June, we will be working on getting ourselves trail ready. We will post a new stretch and a new strengthening exercise each week on this page and on our Facebook and Instagram platforms. Check out our stretches and moves all month and keep yourself safe out on your adventures.

For week one, we are stretching out our quads with a standing stretch that can be done anywhere. Then we are keeping our hips (and knees) happy with a lateral hip strengthener.

This week, we are stretching our hamstrings and again, this standing stretch can be done anywhere. We are also working on a variation of a squat that helps strengthen our legs in multiple planes.

Does your low back get cranky out on the trail? Try this hinge stretch to get some relief. Then strengthen the hips and core with this banded exercise to keep your back and knees healthy as you blaze the trail.

For our final week of Trail Month, we have one, final standing stretch. This one opens up your sides which can start to feel compressed after a long day out. We are also working on our cores with a banded exercise.

This month we will be focusing on our balance. While some of the moves (such as the standing quad stretch in week one) will also have added benefits, all of the moves will help improve your balance. Each week, we will progress our good ol’ fashion balancing on one leg. So, work on your balance daily and follow along each week to get a new challenge.