There is more to having a good range of movement (ROM) than just having flexibility - it's also important that you have strength. 

For example, in order to be able to straighten your knee fully (for example when pushing off from the back leg, running for the bus), your quads need to be strong enough to create that extension. However, if your hamstrings are super tight, the quads have to work even harder to make the knee extension happen.

So, without getting all anatomical on you, here are a few exercises that will help you to improve your range of movement..

This is a great exercise for all round lower body ROM! You increase strength in the hip flexor and get a hamstring stretch as you bring the leg forward while using the quads to extend the knee fully. In the backward swing, the exercise opens out the hip flexor while you use the glutes to bring the leg back. And all of this performed while using your core to minimise any compensatory movement through the body.

This exercise helps you to build strength along the whole posterior chain (i.e the back of your body) - from working the spinal extensor muscles to lift your arms and upper body off the mat, to using your glutes to extend your legs back and away as you kick to using your shoulders to extend your arms away from the body. Our modern desk-bound/ car-bound lifestyle means that these muscles spend most of the day in a lengthened position.

The vertical position of the spine in this exercise is similar to that used in many every day activities such as golf and tennis and encourages you to use your "powerhouse" (or core) to rotate the trunk, against gravity, rather than using the pelvis or shoulders. Not only is it essential for optimal athletic performance, it prevents common injuries to the back.

Aka backwards plank! I love this exercise for its chest opening, shoulder stabilising effects! Keeping the shoulder blades in neutral while keeping them away from the ears is a valuable antidote to our usual rounded over posture. Did you know that a rounded posture can inhibit your ability to take proper deep breaths (see blog on Managing Stress to learn why this is important)? If you're extending the legs too, this is fantastic for hip flexor strength.

There are loads of other exercises that improve ROM, from single leg stretch and single straight leg stretch, to spine stretch to rollover and the saw. Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for my Mobility Monday series. Every Monday, it's a different stretch!

Want to keep in touch? Join the mailing list here and you'll receive a free Resistance Band workout that will help you feel stronger AND more flexy!