Daily Maintenance comprises of controlled, active joint circles , ideally completed daily as a method of maintaining and regaining joint motion. These movements can be done in isolation at any point of the day (I usually do them in the morning) and even as a part of your gym warm up just to assess how the joints are feeling.
How Many?
3-5 reps are a general go-to but you can feel free to add more
Progression/ Regression
Progression can be achieved by bettering technique, changing setup positions, going slower and by gradually reps (progressive overload). Regression can be facilitated by again changing the setup position and also by reducing the size of the circle created.
Focusing on joint mobility allows you to strengthen your movement patterns through available ranges of motion, decrease instances of potential injury & helps to relieve tension in the body.
The Hip CAR (Controlled Articular Rotation) is a great option to ensure you are maintaining and strengthening your hip joint capacity
Start in quadruped/ all-fours position
Create tension throughout the body
Maintain bent knee & create a controlled forward circle with your hip
Then create a controlled backward circle
Aim to maintain still elsewhere throughout the body
Tip: Many persons try to make the biggest circle but actually compensate through their their spine to create a false sense of motion at the hip.
2. The Cat Cow is a spine mobility exercise, emphasizing an area many people don’t think about. Back problems are a common issue and in many cases it is due to a weak or immobile area in the back,
Start in an all-fours position with hands under shoulders & knees under hips
While inhaling, tilt the pelvis back and gradually allow the entire back to create an arched position (the neck will be the last part of the spine to move).
While exhaling, tilt the pelvis forward, and tuck in the tailbone.
Pull the navel into the back and reverse the initial movement, creating a hump. This is all done in a slow and controlled manner.
3. The Thoracolumbar CAR is an upper spine mobility exercise, used to maintain all capabilities of the thoracic spine.
Stand tall with your feet wide for a strong base
Take a breath in and create tension about the body, locking the hips in place
Create flexion of the upper back - not at the hips
Rotate to one side until all rotation is used
Side bend into upper spine extension
Rotate all the way around until getting back to the starting position
Repeat process going the other direction for one rep
4. The Shoulder CAR is a great exercise to assess and express movement capacity in the shoulder.
Pull the arm across the body with the arm in the same alignment with the shoulder externally rotated (palm facing forward)
Begin raising the arm towards the ceiling while keeping the rest of the body engaged
When the arm is just about in line with the ear, internally rotate the shoulder (rotate the shoulder the opposite direction) as much as you can & take the arm behind you while continuing to internally rotate
Take the straight arm behind until it reaches the hip region & reverse for one rep
5. The Neck CAR aims to allow the neck to move through tits full range of motion, challenging all of its angles.
Begin with the neck bent forward (neck flexion) and begin to rotate slowly until reaching the end of motion
Move the neck into a side lean (lateral flexion)
Continue rotating all the way around
Reverse direction of rotation & continue alternating
Complete the motions in a slow and controlled manner
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