Mobility Flow: My 15-Minute Morning Practice

I do this practice every morning before training or any other activity. After two years, it's as automatic as brushing my teeth. Here's what it contains and why.

Minutes 1-3: joint circles — ankles, knees, hips, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck. Full circles, every direction. Wakes up the joints and surfaces any stiffness before training.

Minutes 4-7: lower body mobility — Cossack squat (5 each side), deep squat hold (60 seconds), pigeon pose (60 seconds each side). This addresses hip, knee, and ankle mobility simultaneously.

Minutes 8-12: upper body — shoulder dislocates (10 reps), quadruped wrist circles (20 seconds each direction), cat-cow (10 reps), thread the needle (30 seconds each side). This preps the thoracic spine and shoulder girdle.

Minutes 13-15: breathing — three long exhales to complete expiration, then three full cycles of diaphragmatic breathing. This resets the nervous system and prepares me mentally for training.

Total: 15 minutes. Done daily. The cumulative effect on mobility and training quality has been the most consistent positive return of any single habit I've built.