December 5, 2025
Use this 10-minute routine to open key joints, wake up glutes and core, and set your brace for stronger, safer lifts—without leaving you fatigued.
Breathe and brace first to stack ribs over pelvis and create 360° pressure.
Mobilize hips, ankles, and T-spine—common bottlenecks that limit squat, hinge, and overhead work.
Activate glutes and anti-rotation core to lock in new range with control.
Ordered sequence reduces ramp-up time before training and improves movement quality all day.
This routine prioritizes joint positions that most impact lifting (ribs–pelvis stack, T-spine, hips, ankles), then adds scapular control, glute activation, and core anti-rotation. The order is breath → spine → hips/ankles → shoulders → glutes/core → hinge patterning. Each drill is capped to keep total time at 10:00, with minimal equipment and low fatigue.
Better alignment, range, and bracing can immediately improve bar path, depth, and stability. A consistent, short morning primer accrues mobility and motor-control gains without stealing energy from your training.
Stand tall, feet under hips, ribs stacked over pelvis. Wrap hands around lower ribs. Inhale through the nose into sides and back; gentle exhale to bring ribs down. Hold a soft 360° brace (about 3–4/10 effort) for 5–6 cycles. Sets your posture and intra-abdominal pressure.
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On all fours, move vertebra-by-vertebra: slow posterior pelvic tilt to round, then anterior tilt to extend. Keep elbows soft, neck long, breathe smoothly. Aim for control, not big amplitude. Reduces stiffness and improves spinal awareness without cranking the low back.
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Order matters: breathing establishes alignment and pressure, mobility opens range, and activation locks that range in with control—making subsequent lifts feel smoother and more stable.
Low-fatigue priming beats long stretching: short, specific drills improve joint motion and motor control without draining energy, so you can train hard later.
Personalize the minute allocation: spend an extra 30–60 seconds on your stiffest area (often ankles or hip flexors) and keep other pieces tight to stay within 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use it as a daily baseline. Before training, still perform specific warm-up sets and any lift-specific mobility (e.g., extra ankle rocks before squats). Most people find they need fewer ramp-up sets after doing this primer.
All drills are equipment-free except the optional band. For pull-aparts, do wall slides. For Pallof presses, use a light band or substitute a high-tension prayer press isometric. A broomstick or towel works for the hinge dowel.
Aim for 3–4 out of 10 effort in the morning—just enough to feel 360° expansion and gentle stiffness. Save maximal bracing for your work sets later in the day.
Yes if each drill is pain-free and controlled. Keep ranges where you feel tension but no pain. If any movement aggravates symptoms, skip it and consult a qualified professional.
30s breath + brace, 90s World’s Greatest Stretch (switch at 45s), 30s ankle rocks per side, 45s glute bridges, 45s dead bugs, 30s hinge patterning. Keep tempo smooth and stop short of fatigue.
Ten minutes each morning can unlock range, improve bracing, and make every lift feel better. Run this sequence consistently, then fine-tune by giving extra time to your tightest links. Your warm-ups get shorter—and your training gets better.
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From all fours, place one hand behind head. Keep hips square. Inhale, then exhale to rotate elbow toward the ceiling; pause, return. Switch sides halfway. Focus motion in mid-back; avoid twisting through the lumbar spine.
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Step into a deep lunge (back knee down). Bring front elbow to instep, breathe; rotate and reach the same-side arm up. Then straighten the front knee, toes up, sweep hips back for a hamstring stretch. Alternate 60s per side. Opens hip flexors, adductors, and T-spine.
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Facing a wall or using a dowel for balance, drive knee forward over toes without lifting the heel. Keep big toe grounded and arch supported; track knee over second toe. 10–15 slow rocks per side. Pain-free range only.
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Option 1: Back and forearms against a wall, ribs down; slide arms up and down without shrugging. Option 2: With light band, pull apart at chest height with straight wrists and smooth control. 10–15 reps focusing on upward rotation and rear-shoulder engagement.
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Lie supine, heels close. Posteriorly tilt pelvis (beltline toward ribs), press through heels, and lift to a straight line shoulder–hip–knee. Hold 1–2s at top, squeeze glutes, keep knees tracking out (band above knees optional). 12–15 smooth reps.
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On your back, hips and knees at 90°, arms up. Light brace to keep low back gently contacted with the floor. Exhale as opposite arm and leg extend; stop before lumbar arching. 6–8 slow reps per side, quality over speed.
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Attach a light band at chest height. Stand or tall-kneel side-on to anchor, ribs stacked. Press hands straight out, resist rotation for 3–5 breaths, return. 2–3 reps per side within the minute. No band? Try a high-tension prayer press isometric.
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Hold a dowel along your spine touching head, mid-back, and tailbone. Soften knees; push hips back until hamstrings stretch, keep three points of contact, then stand tall. 8–10 smooth reps to groove deadlift posture.
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