Mobility and yoga

Mobility is moving a joint actively through its full range; for runners, the hips, ankles and upper back matter most.

• 10 minutes, 2 to 4 times a week, is enough: hip circles, deep squat holds, knee-to-wall ankle rocks, thoracic rotations, hip flexor lunges.
• Do it as part of your warm-up or on easy days; short, frequent sessions beat one long one.
• Yoga combines mobility, balance, core strength and breathing; one 30 to 60-minute class a week helps, but skip intense hot yoga on hard training days.
• Aim for comfortable range, not extreme flexibility: very flexible runners are not faster.

Stop if a movement causes sharp or joint pain; a physiotherapist can find what limits you.