April 30, 2025
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” -Dickens, definitely writing about spine mobility
I’m pretty sure I just posted one of my all-time favorite classes, Spine 315, Mixed Movement (also find it as an intermediate Mobility Express class).
This class hits nearly EV-RA-THANG: lumbar flexion/extension, spine rotation, lateral flexion, loaded CARs— all in under 25 minutes. Jump to it here: Spine 315
Magni-fricken-fique!
Remember, SPINE WORK IS CORE WORK!
If you didn’t know that before, you will by after class. You’ll be walking taller and easier— if you avoid the post-workout sore abs, that is.
After filming, my spine felt… liberated.
The #1 most important thing you can do for your spine is to GET GOOD at segmentation, moving each vertebrae one by one. Then GET GOOD at rotation, a movement humans are quickly and noticeably losing.
Your spine is the highway through which all other traffic must flow. All other joints DEPEND on a well moving spine.
You shift weight from one side of the body to the other with each step, from your left foot through your right shoulder, and vice versa. If you have a traffic jam at your mid or low back (and most people do), you’re causing bottlenecks that would frighten even the most seasoned commuter.
It’s not just like, my opinion, man…
Remember your spine also houses some of the most precious cargo on your ship, your spinal cord— that little thing responsible for communication between your brain and body, so it miiiiiight be a good idea to keep those tissues pliable and healthy.
Let me know if you like this kind of class where we work multiple patterns of direction— though I have a sneaking suspicion you will.
PRE-HEAT THOSE FEET!
A member recently asked about a pre-workout Foot Prep class, so I posted a quickie: a 9min class on drills to get your feet ready work. I found this particularly important as I have Raynaud’s syndrome, a condition that turns my feet and fingers to icicles unless it’s above 70 degrees (you might notice the purple ‘lattice’ on my arms, hands, and feet in many videos, it definitely isn’t a fashion choice)— and working out on icy feet is d-d-d-dangerous!
The drills in that class are SUPERB for foot training, regardless if you need pre-workout foot prep. These are new drills not found in other foot classes, and I know I don’t have to tell you about how important foot training is, do I?
“hey DJ, shut up and play the hits!”
Don’t forget to visit the Community to ask questions, or submit requests for classes— I get so many great ideas for classes from YOU!
And I kindly, kindly request, if you’re noticing any benefit from classes, I hope you find it in your heart to encourage others with a sentence or two of a review. Your words mean the world to me. SUBMIT REVIEW
Member Question:
“I hear you say ‘CARs everyday,’ Are there any particular CARs we need to do everyday, or, do you mean that we follow the mobility session as you have laid it out everyday?”
Once you learn them, ideally, you’d work through most or all of the CARs on a daily basis- at least a few repetitions in each direction. It might seem overwhelming at first, but once you learn them, it’ll only take a few minutes. You can do them first thing in the morning to wake up the body and assess your joints (think light tension), or you can do them before a workout as a warmup/prep with a bit more intensity.
If you’re going to do a hip class that day, you’ll likely be getting Hip CARs there, so no need to double up.
If you’re really short on time, hit 3-4 reps at the big rocks: hips, spine, shoulders, and 1-2 reps at the major players: ankles, neck. Do any at knees, elbows, wrists if you have time.
See the “Morning Routine” that goes over all the joints in under 20min — though you’ll move quicker on your own as you won’t be talking :)
And YES, classes can be used as a workout warmup. In fact, if I’m training lower body that day, my mobility and warmup looks exactly like any of the hip classes.
I hope you’re all getting as much mobility work in now as you can, so you can move MORE in the summer.
As always, reach out with questions, concerns, or wins anytime.
Take good care,
Angela