I go on and on to anyone who will listen about how important mobility routines are as you get older. Trust me, at 25, many people barely think about mobility; at 35, they consider it; at 55, they really need it; and at 75, they wish they'd started sooner.
Thankfully, you can rely on Tom's Guide Fitness to regularly post mobility routines for every age and ability. I'm the resident personal trainer and editor here at TG, and below, I share one of my favorite mobility exercises to coach.
I would pick this exact exercise to build range of motion, strength, and control, especially if you're finding these aspects of fitness harder to maintain as you age. This typically becomes more noticeable as you hit your 40s and 50s, so let's take a look at how to battle it.
How to do the kick through
- Start in a high runner's lunge with your left foot forward and planted and your back leg extended, resting the ball of your right foot on the ground
- Place your right hand down for support and square your hips
- Brace your core, lift your back leg off the ground and press through your right hand. Bend your right knee and push your leg through and under your body, kicking it out and away from you as you extend your right leg
- Lift your chest, sit your butt close to the floor without touching and pause for a moment, pointing your toes if you can. See if you can keep your left heel planted
- Reverse the movement back to high runner's lunge
- Try 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps per side.
Why you should try the kickthrough
This is one of those exercises that looks fairly simple but, in practice, tests you. You're strengthening your hips and core, working on improving range of motion and control, and, to some extent, your flexibility. There's also an element of stability and balance work as you learn to coordinate and move your left and right sides independently.
The kickthrough is surprisingly functional.
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The kickthrough is surprisingly functional as you transition from one pose to the other. If you notice this more in your hips, try to brace through your core more, as this may signal some weakness or tightness in your hips and a lack of core engagement.
Moreover, practicing this regularly helps stretch the side body and back, which can be useful for back pain. That said, if you are pre- or post-natal, injured, or dealing with a health condition, I strongly recommend seeking clearance before trying this move.
As you get older, building stronger bones, joints and muscles becomes even more important to help prevent age-related injuries associated with falls or balance. Unilateral movements like this help strengthen both sides of the body, which translates to activities like walking or running, so be sure to include mobility work alongside strength training and low-impact cardio as you age.
At 35, I've already started prioritizing movements like these, and I do with my clients, too. If you want more moves like this, try these three "primal" animal exercises.
More from Tom's Guide
- The caterpillar walk is considered the 'gold standard' for lower body mobility and flexibility — here's how to do it
- Forget running — this 20-minute walking workout fires up your metabolism and builds functional strength
- I did the Frankenstein walk to strengthen my hip flexors and build core stability: here’s what happened after a week