Move · Videos · Mobility · 13 min

13-Minute Full-Body Mobility Routine from a Physical Therapist

13-Minute Full-Body Mobility Routine from a Physical Therapist — video by NYU Steinhardt Play · 12:59

Video by NYU Steinhardt on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Physical therapist Dr. Daniel Giordano, an NYU physical therapy alumnus, leads a no-equipment session: walkouts to plank, a lunge with elbow drop and rotation, kneeling hip circles and twists, bow-and-arrow upper-back rotations and shoulder reaches, ending in child's pose. Good morning or evening.

  • 13 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • mat
Open in VideosLog it in Train

Step by step 8

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Walkouts: tuck the chin, roll down, walk the hands out to a high plank and back, then roll up; knees can bend. 0:31
  2. Lunge rotations: foot outside the hand, back knee down, drop the elbow in, then rotate up; stretch, not pain. 2:24
  3. Lunge hip circles: hands down, back glute tight, circle the hips five times each way; both sides. 4:56
  4. Half-kneeling twist: squeeze the back glute and rotate over the front leg, eyes following. 6:24
  5. Bow and arrow: reach both arms forward, pull one elbow back and turn the upper back, eyes on the hand. 7:18
  6. Shoulder reaches: reach up, turn the hand and circle the arm down and back up. 8:25
  7. Other side: half-kneeling twist, bow and arrow and shoulder reaches. 9:24
  8. Child's pose: gentle cat-cow rocking, then reach forward, tuck the head and breathe deeply. 11:46

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Drop into the stretch, not into pain; stop when you feel it
  • Squeeze the back glute to open the front of the hip
  • Follow your hand with your eyes as you rotate

What it works Whole body

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 3 takes load

  • Shoulders takes loadwalkouts to plank, reach rotations
  • Wrists & hands takes loadwalkouts to plank, hand down in the lunge
  • Hips takes loaddeep lunge with elbow drop, hip circles
  • Upper back movesbow-and-arrow and kneeling rotations
  • Lower back movesrolling down to the floor in walkouts
  • Knees moveshalf-kneeling rotations, kneeling hip circles
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.
  • Rounding or twisting the back. With osteoporosis or a back problem, move smoothly and within comfort, and ask a physio which suit you.

Easier option from the coach: Bend the knees in the walkouts; drop only as deep as is comfortable

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

More like this

Browse all 764 videos

Video by NYU Steinhardt; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety