The 20% Stretch: 5 Simple Mobility Wins

As the 80/20 rule goes, approximately 20 percent of your efforts truly matter and will lead to 80 percent of your results. This means that in everything you do, you should identify the critical 20 percent and avoid waste and clutter.

When it comes to wellness, prioritizing high-value habits and environments frees up energy for the essential 20 percent of people and activities that bring happiness and longevity. I like to connect this to simplicity—focusing on what matters, eliminating the excess, and living with intention. True elegance comes from restraint: knowing what to add, what to leave out, and allowing simplicity to speak with sophistication.

With our busy lives, we may not be able to do everything recommended for taking care of our bodies. Think of our dance fitness Saturdays session as your 20 percent effort that delivers 80 percent of the rewards. When you show up, you give your body and mind the push they need to stay strong and energized, while also creating space to focus on other areas such as strength training and mobility during the week. It’s important to find small but powerful habits that provide the greatest return on health, energy, and happiness.

One of the most important aspects of longevity, as we outlined in a previous article, is mobility. Today, we’ll look at the most basic, simple movements you can do anywhere to maintain mobility—even when you don’t have time for your usual routine due to travel or a busy schedule. You can do these at least three to four times a week.

This stretch targets multiple muscle groups at once (including the hips, hamstrings, quadriceps, spine, chest, and shoulders).

How to do it:

1. Step into a lunge position with your left foot forward.
2. Place your left hand on the floor.
3. Rotate your right arm up toward the ceiling, opening your chest.
4. Hold for 2–3 seconds, then switch sides.

Tips for Better Results:

• Keep your back leg straight if you want to stretch the hip flexor more intensely.
• Move slowly and intentionally; this is not about speed.
• Breathe deeply to help relax into the stretch.

The Thread the Needle stretch is fantastic for releasing tension in the upper back, shoulders, and neck, while gently mobilizing the spine. It’s great for anyone who sits a lot, has shoulder tightness, or needs better thoracic mobility (hello desk workers and lifters!).

How to do it:

1. Start on all fours in tabletop position (hands under shoulders, knees under hips).
2. Slide your right arm under your left arm, palm up, lowering your right shoulder and ear to the floor.
3. Keep your left hand on the floor or extend it overhead/behind your back for a deeper stretch.
4. Hold for 30–60 seconds, breathing deeply and relaxing into the stretch.
5. Return to center and repeat on the other side.

Tips for Better Results:

• Move slowly—this is a gentle stretch, not a forceful twist.
• Keep hips stacked over knees; don’t let them shift too far.
• Breathe deeply into your rib-cage to enhance the stretch.

The Cat-Cow stretch is a gentle, flowing yoga movement that improves spinal flexibility, relieves back tension, and helps connect breath to movement.

How to do Cat-Cow properly:

1. Start in a tabletop position:
   • Hands under shoulders, knees under hips.
   • Spine neutral, eyes looking down.

Cow Pose (Inhale):

• Drop your belly toward the floor.
• Lift your chest and chin slightly.
• Gaze forward or slightly up.
• Pull your shoulder blades together and down.
• Inhale deeply.

Cat Pose (Exhale):

• Round your spine toward the ceiling.
• Tuck your chin to your chest.
• Pull your belly button toward your spine.
• Exhale fully as you push the floor away.

🔁 Flow between the two:

• Continue moving between Cat and Cow with your breath.
• Inhale on Cow, exhale on Cat.
• Repeat for 6–10 slow, controlled reps.

Tips for Good Form:

• Keep movements smooth and controlled—don’t rush.
• Don’t collapse into your lower back on Cow; lengthen instead.
• Focus on moving one vertebra at a time for spinal articulation.

The Standing Side Reach with Hip Shift is a simple but highly effective stretch that targets the lats, obliques, hips, and IT band—great for improving lateral flexibility and releasing tension along the side body.

1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, and arms relaxed.

2. Place one hand on your hip and extend the opposite arm overhead.

3. Shift your hips gently to the side.

4. Reach your overhead arm across your body while keeping your chest facing forward.

5. Hold the stretch for 15–30 seconds, then return to center and switch sides.

The Deep Squat Hold with Hip Opener is an excellent mobility exercise that targets your hips, ankles, lower back, and groin. It’s great for improving squat depth, hip flexibility, and overall lower-body movement quality.

1. Sink into a deep squat, keeping your heels flat.
2. Place your elbows inside your knees and press gently outward.
3. Keep your chest lifted and your back straight.
4. Hold for 30 seconds.

Pro Tips:

• If your heels lift, place them on a small wedge, weight plate, or rolled-up towel.
• Keep your knees tracking over your toes—don’t let them collapse inward.
• Don’t hold your breath; inhale through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth.

The body is “use it or lose it.” The more consistently you challenge and care for it, the happier it becomes.

Remember self love is not selfish…