It is not uncommon to experience some pain and discomfort as a result of flying. Common areas of concern are the neck, mid back and lower back and can often hinder your time away. Whether you are travelling for work or play, I have devised a list of mobility exercises which could assist you in feeling human again after a red eye for work, or a single stop over Airbus to Europe. I suggest performing each of the following movements as a sequence. Perform each side once and then move down the sequence, eventually coming back to the top for another round. Hold each position for 30 to 60 seconds and remember to breathe deeply and deliberately.
Huge props to Nhat for the demonstrations and Bryce for filming. Check out Athletic Institutes Youtube channel for more insights into mobility and training:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeKGZSjVtzwwquQ7YbqOQwg
1) Active straight leg raise.
Having 1 leg up against a pole or door frame, contract the glute on the other leg whilst using the abs to push your lower back into the ground. This gives a stretch to the hamstring and increases blood flow to the glutes, relaxing the lumbar spine in the process.
2) Supine L sit with abdominal crunch.
Put both feet up the wall whilst ensuring lower back stays flat on the ground. If your hips are lifting off the ground, you are too close to the wall. Pull your toes to your shins to engage a neurological stretch from your feet to your back and add an abdominal crunch to flatten the ribcage and restore thoracic spine neutrality.
3) Standing high knee hip flexor stretch.
Choose a height where your foot can remain on the floor. Tense the glute on the down leg and lean back slightly with your torso. Aim for a deep hip flexor stretch by adding a slight rotation towards the high knee.
4) Banded Jefferson curl.
Squeeze glutes and roll down segmentally from the neck to lumbar. If you do not have a band, aim to still roll down slowly and lengthen between each vertebrate. Come back up by slowly rising from lumbar to neck.
5) Incline calf stretch.
Stand on something to elevate the toes. Push the knees back and lean forward onto something to rest your weight on. This is a big neurological stretch which you will feel from the feet to mid back.
6) ½ kneeling pole lat stretch.
Place the outside knee down and push that hip out slightly. Reach the bottom hand to the pole and stiffen, trying to push the body away. Reach the top hand over and try and pull the body closer. This opposing force will stretch the lats, ribs and obliques. Rotate towards the pole for a greater stretch.
7) Kneeling gate stretch.
Kneel on one side with the other side out as far as possible. Shift your weight back into your heels and then forwards again. The rocking backwards will allow the adductors to lengthen.
This sequence can be used as a pre and post work out mobility drill but should be used in conjunction with more dynamic, blow flow increasing movements if doing so. Add foam rolling to this sequence for a more beneficial release and potential post work out cool down.