Discover targeted exercises for the often-forgotten areas of the body.
The major muscle groups get a lot of love in the Club. Chances are you’re used to working the powerhouses of your body, like the glutes, hamstrings, biceps, and pecs. But tending to smaller parts of the human anatomy — like the joints of the wrists and ankles — is just as important for longevity, according to Michael Crandall, Tier X trainer at Equinox Hudson Yards.
“Our bodies expect us to maintain a certain level of integrity at each joint. Once that integrity has decayed, then our body will have to find a biomechanical compensation to allow for that decrease in integrity,” Crandall explains. You can think of your body like a row of dominoes; when one topples, you risk a cascade of injuries that may sideline you from your favorite sports and make everyday life more difficult.
Next time you’re cooling down (or warming up) for a workout, consider Crandall’s four-part mobility routine to care for those often-forgotten (yet very important) areas.
Area 1: The Neck
If you work at a computer all day, neck tension probably feels like an old friend. That’s why Crandall recommends working neck mobility exercises into your routine whenever possible. (You can even do them at your desk.) “Most of us deal with some level of cervical hyperflexion from working at computers, texting, and/or watching TV,” he says. “Developing the muscles of the neck is actually a great way to relieve pain.”
The exercise: Lay face-down on a workout bench or a couch. Position your body so that your neck and head hang off the side of the bench, and clasp your hands behind your neck. Slowly lift your neck as though a string is attached to the top of your head. After that, slowly bring the chin into your chest. If this feels easy for you, try adding a lightweight plate to the back of your head. Remember: Your neck is sensitive, so be very careful and move slowly.
Area 2: The Wrists
“Without adequate wrist mobility, you risk dealing with injuries like carpal tunnel or ulnar tunnel syndrome,” says Crandall. He adds that a lack of adequate movement in the wrist joint can also affect the elbow and shoulder.
The exercise: Come down to all fours with your hips stacked over your knees and your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Gently shift your weight from side to side and forward and backward, feeling the various stretches in your wrists.
From there, flip your palms around so your fingers face your knees and repeat the same movement patterns. Note that you can keep one hand facing forward if this feels too intense. You can also face your fingers inward or outward. “You should be able to bear weight in all four positions and potentially even crawl around,” says Crandall. “Same goes for the back of the hand, but it’s much harder. Practice bearing weight on the back of your hands so your wrists are bent at 90 degrees.”
Area 3: The Ankles
“If ankle mobility isn’t there, then we risk injuring something like our Achilles or our plantar fascia,” says Crandall. “It then leads to downstream effects in our ability to bend at the knees, hinge at the hips. Again, once that integrity has decayed, then compensations are made.”
The exercise: Stand up. Keeping your core engaged, lift onto your tippy-toes. Lower and raise your feet, feeling your calves, ankles, and feet wake up. After that, practice walking on just your toes.
Area 4: The Toes
Unsurprisingly, the part of your body that helps you walk all day long also needs some tender, loving care. “The toes go hand in hand with the ankle,” says Crandall. “Using toe spacers, walking barefoot, and strengthening the flexion muscles of the toes is a great way to maintain range of motion in those joints.”
The exercise: Grab a towel and place it on the floor. Practice picking it up with your toes, switching feet with each “rep.”