Pre-Gym Mobility Warm-Up — 3 Moves (Spine · Mid-Back · Lower Back)

Hanging takes the load off the spine and lets the shoulders and ribcage lengthen. Adding a slow twist through the hips and legs takes the same hang into rotation — that's the part a stiff back actually feels.

1. Grip the bar just outside shoulder width, thumbs wrapped, then let the arms go straight
2. Let the shoulders shrug up toward your ears — this is a hang, not the top of a pull-up
3. Relax the hips, exhale, and let the ribs drop; keep the neck long
4. Bend the knees slightly and swing them slowly to one side, then the other — the twist comes from the hips, not the arms
5. Hang 30–60 s, then step down off the box. Don't drop from full height

Sitting pins the pelvis, so the bend has to come from the ribcage and mid-back — exactly where a desk day parks its stiffness. Crossed arms stop the shoulders from cheating the range.

1. Sit tall on a box or bench, feet flat, knees around 90°
2. Cross your arms over your chest, hands on the opposite shoulder
3. Shift your weight onto one sit bone, then bend to that side
4. Drive the same-side shoulder down toward the knee, elbow leading
5. Hold 20–30 s, feel it along the far-side ribs and mid-back, come up and switch

Lying down takes gravity and the low-back muscles out of it, so the rotation is driven by your hands and hips instead of a spine that's busy holding you upright. The opposite leg stays straight to anchor the pelvis.

1. Lie on your back on a mat, both legs long
2. Bend one knee and lift that foot off the floor — keep the other leg straight
3. Grip your ankle with the same-side hand (the knee or shin is fine if the ankle is out of reach)
4. Let the bent knee travel across the body toward the floor on the other side, guiding it with the free hand
5. Stop at your first real resistance, breathe there for 20–30 s, return and switch sides
6. A crack is not the goal — if a pop hurts, back the range off