Library: MOB — Mobility & Stretching (Part 2)
MOB — Mobility & Stretching (Part 2 of 3)
MOB-16 — GLUTE BRIDGE AND BRIDGE MARCH
How to do it
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, heels about a hand's length from your backside. Arms flat at your sides, palms down.
- Set the position. Press your lower back gently into the floor by tucking your hips slightly — imagine pointing your belt buckle at your chin. Keep that tuck the whole time.
- The bridge — 12 reps. Push through your heels and squeeze your backside hard to lift your hips off the floor. Go up until your body makes a straight line from your knees through your hips to your shoulders. Do not go higher — do not arch your back to get more height. Squeeze at the top for 2 seconds. Lower slowly, 3 seconds down, and lightly touch the floor. Repeat 12 times.
- The bridge march — 10 total, 5 each side. Lift into the bridge and stay up. Now, keeping your hips completely level, slowly lift your right foot off the floor and bring that knee toward your chest. Hold 1 second. Put it back down. Then lift your left. Alternate for 10 total lifts. Your hips must not drop or twist. If they do, stop the march and go back to plain bridges.
- Lower down and rest.
Coaching cues - "Squeeze the backside, do not arch the back." These feel similar and are completely different. - "Push through the heels." You should be able to lift your toes off the floor and still complete the rep. - "Level hips" during the march. Imagine balancing a cup of water on your belt line.
Common mistakes - Arching the lower back to get higher. You will feel it in your back instead of your backside. Lower the height and re-tuck the hips. - Pushing through the toes instead of the heels, which turns it into a quad exercise. - Feet too far from the body, which makes it a hamstring exercise. Heels a hand's length away. - Hips dropping or rotating during the march. This means you are not ready for the march yet. - Cramping in the hamstring. Move the heels a little closer and squeeze the backside harder before lifting.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (grades 3–4): 8 plain bridges with a 2-second hold, no march. - Regression: shorten the range — lift only halfway and focus entirely on the squeeze. - Progression (7th grade and up): 3-second hold at the top; or add a mini band around the knees and push the knees outward against it throughout. - Progression (9th grade and up): single-leg bridge — extend one leg straight and bridge on the other, 8 per side. Only when the march is clean.
How to know it's right - You feel it in your backside, clearly and mostly, and only a little in your hamstrings. If you feel your lower back, something is wrong — re-tuck and lower the height. - At the top, a stick laid along your body touches your shoulders, hips, and knees in a straight line. - During the march, a phone balanced on your hip bones would not slide off.
MOB-17 — LATERAL SHUFFLE AND CARIOCA
How to do it
Part 1 — Lateral Shuffle, 2 lengths each direction. 1. Get into your athletic stance: feet a little wider than shoulder width, knees bent, hips back slightly, chest tall, hands up in front of you. 2. To move right: push hard off your left foot and step your right foot out to the right. Your left foot follows, but it never touches your right foot and never crosses over it. Keep a gap of at least a few inches between your feet at all times. 3. Stay low the entire time. Your head should travel in a flat line — imagine sliding under a low ceiling. 4. Go one length leading right, then come back leading left. Do 2 lengths in each direction. Start at about half speed and finish at three-quarter speed.
Part 2 — Carioca, 2 lengths each direction. 1. Face sideways, moving to your right. Stay tall but athletic. 2. Step your left foot in front of your right foot, across your body. 3. Step your right foot out to the right. 4. Step your left foot behind your right foot. 5. Step your right foot out to the right again. That is the pattern: front, out, behind, out. Repeat continuously down the lane. 6. Let your hips swivel as your foot crosses — that swivel is the whole point. Your shoulders stay facing forward. 7. Go one length to the right, then turn around and go one length to the left so you lead with the other foot. Do 2 lengths each way. Start slow. Speed comes after the pattern is automatic.
Coaching cues - "Feet never touch, feet never cross" in the shuffle. Say it out loud. - "Head stays flat." If your head bobs up and down, you are standing up between steps. - "Front, out, behind, out" — chant the carioca rhythm. - "Let the hips swivel." A stiff carioca is a wasted carioca.
Common mistakes - Clicking the heels together during the shuffle. This is a habit that will cost you a save someday — you cannot push off a foot that is under your center. - Standing up tall while shuffling, which kills your ability to push. - Doing carioca fast before the pattern is learned, which just produces tangled feet and frustration. Walk it first. - Crossing over during the shuffle, which is a different skill (the crossover step) and belongs in the DRL library, not here.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (grades 3–4): shuffle only, 1 length each way, at walking speed, with the parent calling out "left" and "right." - Regression (carioca): walk the pattern slowly for a full length before attempting it at speed. Two weeks of walking it is normal. - Progression: finish each shuffle length with a 3-step sprint forward. - Progression (9th grade and up): add a reaction element — a partner points left or right and you shuffle that direction, changing on their signal.
How to know it's right - In the shuffle, filmed from the front, your feet never make contact and there is always daylight between them. - Your knee bend at the end of the length looks the same as at the start. - In carioca, you can complete a full length without a stumble, and your hips visibly rotate while your shoulders stay square.
MOB-18 — THE SKIP SERIES
How to do it
Three skips, in this order, each for 1 to 2 lengths of the lane. Walk back between each.
- A-skip — 1 to 2 lengths. Skip forward. On each skip, drive one knee up to hip height while the opposite arm swings forward, elbow bent about 90 degrees. The foot of the driving leg stays flexed with toes pulled up. The skipping foot stays on the ball of the foot and pops off the ground quickly. Rhythm is "one-and, two-and." Short and quick, not long and floaty. Stay tall.
- B-skip — 1 to 2 lengths. Same as the A-skip, but after your knee reaches the top, extend that lower leg out in front of you and then actively sweep the foot down and back toward the ground underneath you, like you are pawing at the dirt. Rhythm: knee up, kick out, paw down. This is harder to coordinate — expect it to feel awkward for two weeks. That is normal.
- Power skip — 1 length only. Same knee drive as the A-skip, but now try to get as much height as you can on each skip. Drive the knee and the opposite arm up hard and jump for altitude. Land on the ball of the foot and go straight back up. Fewer, bigger skips down the lane. This is the direct handoff into plyometric work.
Coaching cues - "Toes up, knee up." Pulling the toes toward the shin is what makes the ankle a spring. - "Quick ground, not long air" on the A-skip. - "Paw the ground" on the B-skip. - "Punch the sky with your knee" on the power skip. - "Stay tall." Do not lean back to get the knee higher.
Common mistakes - Leaning backward, which is the most common skipping fault and puts strain on the lower back. - Flat, floppy feet with toes pointed down. The ankle must stay stiff and the toes pulled up. - Trying the B-skip before the A-skip is clean. Master A first, for weeks if necessary. - Doing power skips when already fatigued, which is when form breaks down and ankles roll. Power skips go early in the block, never at the end of a session. - Skipping in old, worn-out shoes on concrete. Grass or turf is far better for this.
Progressions and regressions - Regression: march the A-skip pattern at walking speed for 1 length before skipping it. - Regression: A-skips only, 1 length. That alone is a complete warm-up progression for a 5th or 6th grader. - Progression (7th grade and up): add A-skips traveling laterally, 1 length each direction. - Progression (9th grade and up): add 1 length of single-leg A-skips (skip on the right foot only, then the left).
How to know it's right - Your foot contacts are quiet and quick — you should hear a light tap, not a slap. - Opposite arm and opposite leg move together, automatically. - Your torso stays upright, ears over shoulders over hips. - On power skips, you can clearly see and feel more height by rep 5 than rep 1, and every landing is on the ball of the foot with a bent knee.
MOB-19 — NECK AND EYE WARM-UP
How to do it
- Neck nods — 8 reps. Stand tall. Slowly tuck your chin toward your throat, like you are making a double chin, then look slightly up. Small and slow — this is not a big head-throw. 8 reps.
- Neck turns — 8 each direction. Turn your head slowly to look over your right shoulder as far as it comfortably goes, then to the left. 8 total each way. Do not force it; go to the edge of comfortable.
- Neck tilts — 6 each side. Tilt your right ear toward your right shoulder without lifting the shoulder. Hold 1 second, return, then the left. 6 each side.
- Eye tracking — figure eights, 6 reps. Hold your thumb out at arm's length. Keeping your head completely still, follow your thumb with your eyes only as you draw a large sideways figure eight in the air. 3 in one direction, 3 in the other. If your head moves, you are cheating.
- Near-far focus — 10 reps. Hold your thumb about 8 inches from your nose. Focus on your thumbnail for 2 seconds. Then focus on something far away — a tree, a goal, a building — for 2 seconds. Alternate 10 times. This trains the eye's focusing muscles to change distance quickly, which is exactly what happens when a shot leaves a stick 12 yards away and arrives at your chest.
- Head-still tracking with a ball — 30 seconds (optional but recommended). Have a partner move a ball slowly through your field of vision in random paths at about 6 feet away. Track it with your eyes only, keeping your head as still as you can. If alone: bounce a ball off a wall softly and track it all the way from the wall into your hands, saying "track" out loud on each one.
- Peripheral check — 15 seconds. Look straight ahead at a fixed point. Hold both arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height and wiggle your fingers. Without moving your eyes, slowly bring your arms forward until you can see both sets of fingers wiggling at the edges of your vision. Notice where that is. That is your peripheral field — the area a cutter comes from.
Coaching cues - "Head still, eyes move." That is the entire skill. - "Slow and small" on all neck work. The neck is not a place for aggressive stretching. - "See the ball leave the stick, see the ball into the stick." Say it while you track.
Common mistakes - Rolling the head in big circles. Full neck circles are not recommended; do the nods, turns, and tilts separately instead. - Moving the head during eye tracking, which defeats the purpose. Put a hand lightly on your forehead to feel if it moves. - Forcing the neck to its absolute end range. Comfortable range only. - Skipping this because it does not feel like exercise. It is the difference between picking up the ball at release and picking it up halfway.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (grades 4–6): movements 1, 2, 4, and 5 only. About 75 seconds. Make the near-far focus a game — "name the far thing you focused on." - Progression (9th grade and up): add a partner calling a number of fingers held at the edge of the peripheral field while the athlete stares straight ahead. - Progression: perform the eye tracking while in your goalie stance and shuffling slowly pipe to pipe. Head still, eyes on the target, feet moving. - Progression: use two colored balls and have the partner call which one to track.
How to know it's right - During figure eights, a hand resting lightly on your forehead detects no head movement. - During near-far focus, both the near and far images become sharp within about a second. If the far object stays blurry for several seconds, slow the drill down and do a few more reps. - Your neck turns feel equal left and right. A noticeable difference is worth mentioning to a trainer. - Over weeks, your peripheral check lets you bring your arms further out to the sides before losing sight of the fingers.
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PART 3 — STATIC STRETCH SETS
Everything in Part 3 and Part 4 happens AFTER training, in THE FINISH block — never before. Your muscles are warm, the hard work is done, and now you are building long-term range and telling your body to switch into recovery.
The rules for every static stretch in this library: - Go to a firm pull, not to pain. If you rate the sensation from 1 to 10, live at a 5 or 6. Never a 9. - Hold still. Do not bounce. Bouncing makes the muscle tighten up, which is the opposite of what you want. - Breathe. In through the nose for 4 counts, out through the mouth for 6. On every exhale, let yourself sink a tiny bit further. That relaxation is the whole mechanism. - Hold times by grade: grades 3–4 hold 15 seconds. Grades 5–6 hold 20–30 seconds. Grades 7–12 hold 30–45 seconds. Longer holds are not better for young athletes — young bodies are already flexible and the goal at that age is awareness and habit. - Both sides, always. Then give your tighter side one extra hold. You will know which side that is within a week of paying attention. - Never stretch a muscle that is sharply painful, or a joint that is swollen. Tell an adult instead.
The four sets below are the ones daily emails call by name. Each set is a fixed sequence you can run without thinking.
MOB-20 — STATIC STRETCH SET A: LOWER BODY
How to do it
Do these five stretches in order, both sides, holding for your grade's time (15 seconds for grades 3–4, 20–30 for grades 5–6, 30–45 for grades 7–12).
- Seated hamstring stretch — both sides. Sit on the floor with your right leg straight out in front of you and your left leg bent so the sole of your left foot rests against the inside of your right thigh. Sit up tall. Now hinge forward from your hips — chest leading, back long, not rounded — reaching your hands toward your right foot. Go until you feel a firm pull along the back of your right thigh. Hold. Switch sides.
- Standing quad stretch — both sides. Stand next to a wall and hold it with your left hand. Bend your right knee and grab your right ankle or the top of your foot with your right hand, pulling your heel toward your backside. Keep your knees side by side — do not let the bent knee drift out in front or out to the side. Squeeze your backside and tuck your hips slightly forward. You should feel it in the front of your right thigh. Hold. Switch sides.
- Standing calf stretch — both sides. Stand facing a wall with both hands on it. Step your right foot back about 3 feet, keeping the right leg straight and the right heel pressed flat into the ground, toes pointing straight at the wall. Bend your front knee and lean toward the wall. You should feel a firm pull in the meat of your right calf. Hold. Then bend the back knee slightly while keeping the heel down for 10 more seconds to reach the lower calf and Achilles. Switch sides.
- Figure-four glute stretch — both sides. Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat. Cross your right ankle over your left knee so your legs make a number 4. Reach both hands through the gap and grab behind your left thigh, then pull your left thigh toward your chest. You should feel a firm pull deep in your right backside and outer hip. Keep your head and shoulders relaxed on the floor. Hold. Switch sides.
- Lying hamstring with a strap or hands — both sides. Lie on your back. Keep your left leg flat on the floor. Raise your right leg toward the ceiling, keeping it as straight as you can, and hold behind your right thigh or calf with both hands (or loop a towel around the foot and hold the ends). Gently pull the leg toward you. Keep your lower back flat on the ground and your left leg down. Hold. Switch sides.
Coaching cues - "Hinge from the hips, not from the spine" on the seated hamstring. If your back is rounding like a turtle shell, you are stretching your back, not your hamstring. - "Knees together" on the quad stretch. This is the detail that makes or breaks it. - "Heel glued to the ground" on the calf stretch. - "Relax your shoulders and your jaw." Tension anywhere makes the stretch worse everywhere. - "Sink on the breath out."
Common mistakes - Bouncing toward the toes on the hamstring stretches. Never. - Letting the bent knee swing outward during the quad stretch, which moves the stretch into the knee joint. - Arching the lower back during the quad stretch instead of tucking the hips. - Lifting the back heel during the calf stretch, which cancels the entire stretch. - Yanking hard on the leg in the figure-four and lying hamstring. Gentle, steady pull. - Doing the right side and forgetting the left. Count out loud.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (grades 3–4): stretches 1, 2, and 3 only, 15-second holds. About 2 minutes. That is plenty at that age. - Regression (cannot reach the foot in the seated hamstring): loop a towel around the ball of the foot and hold the ends, or place the hands on the shin instead. - Regression (cannot reach the ankle in the quad stretch): loop a towel around the ankle, or lie on your side to do it. - Progression (9th grade and up): hold each for 45 seconds and add a second round of stretch 1 and stretch 4 on the tighter side. - Progression: after training on a heavy leg day, extend the whole set to 8 minutes with 45-second holds.
How to know it's right - You feel a firm pull in the belly of the muscle, not a sharp pinch at a joint. - Your breathing stays slow and full the whole time. If you are holding your breath, you went too deep. - Your second and third breath in each stretch takes you slightly further than your first. - Self-test: in the lying hamstring stretch, note roughly how high your leg goes — straight up is 90 degrees, halfway is 45. Check it once a month. Most goalies gain range over a season if they actually do this set.
MOB-21 — STATIC STRETCH SET B: HIPS AND GROIN
How to do it
Five stretches, both sides where applicable, held for your grade's time.
- Butterfly stretch — 1 hold. Sit on the floor. Put the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall out to the sides. Hold your ankles with your hands and sit up tall — imagine a string pulling the top of your head to the ceiling. Gently press your knees toward the floor using your elbows on your thighs. You should feel a firm pull along the inside of both thighs. Do not bounce your knees. Hold.
- Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch — both sides. Kneel on your right knee with your left foot flat on the floor in front of you, both knees at about 90 degrees. Put a folded towel under the down knee if the ground is hard. Squeeze your right backside cheek and tuck your hips under you — belt buckle toward your chin. Now shift your weight forward an inch or two. You should feel a strong pull across the front of your right hip and upper thigh. Keep your chest tall. Hold. Switch sides.
- Pigeon stretch — both sides. Start on your hands and knees. Bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right hand, letting your right shin angle across in front of you toward your left hand. Slide your left leg straight back behind you. Keep your hips square and facing forward. Sit up on your hands, or lower onto your forearms if you want more. You should feel it deep in your right backside and outer hip. Hold. Switch sides. If this pinches the front of your hip or hurts your knee, stop and do the figure-four (MOB-26) instead.
- Frog stretch — 1 hold. From hands and knees, slide your knees out wide to the sides, keeping your shins in line with your thighs and the insides of your feet flat on the floor. Lower onto your forearms. Slowly push your hips back toward your heels until you feel a firm pull deep in the groin. Hold. Move in and out of the position slightly if a full hold is too intense.
- Standing straddle stretch — 1 hold. Stand with your feet very wide, toes pointing forward. Keeping your legs straight, hinge forward at the hips and place your hands on the ground (or on a chair, a bench, or your shins). Let your head hang heavy. You should feel it in both hamstrings and along both inner thighs. Hold.
Coaching cues - "Tall spine, then sink" in butterfly. Sitting slumped removes the stretch. - "Squeeze the back cheek and tuck" is the entire half-kneeling hip flexor stretch. Without it, you are just arching your back. - "Hips square" in pigeon. - "Insides of the feet flat" in frog. - "Head heavy, shoulders loose" in the straddle.
Common mistakes - Bouncing the knees in butterfly. This is the classic gym-class mistake. Hold still. - Arching the lower back in the half-kneeling stretch. If you feel your lower back instead of the front of your hip, re-tuck. - Letting the hips rotate open in pigeon, which turns it into a lower-back stretch. - Pushing into pain in frog. Frog is intense; work at a 5 out of 10, not an 8. - Rounding the back hard in the straddle instead of hinging from the hips. - Doing hip and groin stretching before training. These are strong, long holds and they belong in THE FINISH.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (grades 3–4): butterfly and half-kneeling only, 15 seconds each, no frog, no pigeon. - Regression (pigeon is uncomfortable): replace with figure-four (MOB-26) lying on your back. Same target, much friendlier joint position. - Regression (frog is too intense): narrow the knees several inches and only push halfway back. - Progression (9th grade and up): hold each for 45 seconds and add a 60-second held deep squat at the end. - Progression: in the half-kneeling stretch, raise the arm on the same side as the down knee overhead and lean gently away, which adds the side body.
How to know it's right - Half-kneeling: you feel it clearly across the front of the hip of the down leg. That is the target. Lower back means retuck. - Butterfly: your knees drop closer to the floor over weeks. Measure the gap from the outside of your knee to the floor with a hand width and track it. - Pigeon: you feel it in the outside of the front hip and backside, never in the front of the knee. - You can breathe slowly and evenly in every position. If you cannot, back off.
MOB-22 — STATIC STRETCH SET C: UPPER BODY AND SHOULDERS
How to do it
Five stretches, both sides where applicable, held for your grade's time.
- Doorway chest stretch — both sides. Stand in a doorway. Put your right forearm flat against the door frame with your elbow bent at 90 degrees and your elbow at about shoulder height. Step your right foot forward and slowly turn your chest away from that arm. You should feel a firm pull across the front of your right chest and shoulder. Hold. Switch sides. If you have a goalpost instead of a doorway, use the post the same way.
- Overhead lat and side-body stretch — both sides. Stand tall, feet hip-width. Reach your right arm straight up overhead, then lean your whole upper body to the left, keeping your hips still and level. Reach long through the right fingertips. You should feel a pull along the entire right side of your body from your armpit down to your hip. Hold. Switch sides.
- Child's pose with a side reach — 1 center hold plus both sides. Kneel on the floor, sit your hips back toward your heels, and reach both arms as far forward on the floor as you can, letting your chest sink toward the ground and your forehead rest down. Hold in the center. Then walk both hands over to the right and hold, feeling it along the left side. Then walk both hands to the left and hold.
- Cross-body shoulder stretch — both sides. Bring your right arm straight across the front of your chest at shoulder height. Use your left hand or left forearm to gently pull the right arm closer to your chest, hooking above the elbow, not on the elbow joint. Keep your right shoulder pressed down, not shrugged up toward your ear. You should feel it in the back of the right shoulder. Hold. Switch sides.
- Forearm stretch, palms down and palms up — both sides. Extend your right arm straight out in front of you at shoulder height with the palm facing down. Use your left hand to gently press the right hand down and back toward your body. Feel it on the top of the right forearm. Hold. Then turn the right palm up and gently pull the fingers back and down toward the floor. Feel it in the front of the right forearm. Hold. Switch arms. Full detail in MOB-31.
Coaching cues - "Turn the chest away, do not push the arm" in the doorway stretch. - "Hips stay put" in the overhead side bend. If your hips slide out, you lose the stretch. - "Shoulder down, not shrugged" in the cross-body stretch. - "Gentle" on all forearm work. Small joints, small forces.
Common mistakes - Elbow too high or too low in the doorway stretch. Elbow at roughly shoulder height is the standard position; slightly lower is fine and often more comfortable. - Letting the hips shift sideways during the overhead side bend, which cancels the stretch. - Pulling on the elbow joint itself in the cross-body stretch. Hook above the elbow, on the upper arm. - Cranking hard on the forearms after wall ball. Sore forearms want a gentle, long, easy stretch, not force. - Holding the breath. Upper-body stretches especially need slow breathing to work.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (grades 3–4): stretches 1, 2, and 3 only, 15 seconds each. About 2 minutes. - Regression (doorway stretch feels pinchy): lower the elbow well below shoulder height and turn less. - Progression (7th grade and up): add a stick pass-through hold — hold a stick wide with both hands overhead and gently take it slightly behind the head, hold 20 seconds. - Progression (9th grade and up): add a 30-second thread-the-needle per side from hands and knees for the mid-back.
How to know it's right - Doorway: you feel it across the front of the chest and shoulder, never in the front of the shoulder joint as a pinch. - Overhead side bend: you feel a long line of stretch from armpit to hip, not just in the armpit. - Cross-body: you feel it in the back of the shoulder, not in the elbow. - Over weeks: in the stick pass-through progression, your grip can narrow while still clearing your head. Tape the stick and track it.
MOB-23 — STATIC STRETCH SET D: FULL BODY LONG HOLD
How to do it
Eight positions. Hold each for 60 seconds; on the final round of your tightest two, go to 90 seconds. Breathe in through the nose for 4 counts and out through the mouth for 6 the entire time. Put your phone across the room.
- Deep squat hold — 60 seconds. Feet a little wider than shoulders, toes slightly out. Sink all the way down, heels flat, chest as tall as you can hold it, elbows inside the knees pressing them outward. If your heels lift, put a rolled towel or a book under them, or hold a doorframe.
- Half-kneeling hip flexor — 60 seconds each side. As described in MOB-21. Squeeze the back cheek, tuck the hips, chest tall, small forward shift. Towel under the down knee.
- Pigeon — 60 seconds each side. As described in MOB-21. Hips square, front shin angled across. Substitute the figure-four (MOB-26) if pigeon is uncomfortable.
- Seated straddle — 60 seconds center, 45 seconds each side. Sit with your legs spread wide, toes pointing up. Hinge forward from the hips with a long back, reaching your hands forward on the floor. Hold center. Then walk your hands toward your right foot and hold, then toward your left foot and hold.
- Lying hamstring with a strap — 60 seconds each side. Lie on your back, loop a towel around the ball of one foot, and raise that leg toward the ceiling with the knee straight. Keep the other leg flat on the floor and your lower back down. Pull gently.
- Thread the needle — 60 seconds each side. From hands and knees, slide your right arm underneath your body to the left, palm up, letting your right shoulder and the side of your head rest on the floor. Keep your hips high and stacked over your knees. Feel it in the back of the right shoulder and the mid-back.
- Child's pose — 60 seconds. Kneel, hips back to heels, arms reaching long in front, forehead down, chest sinking.
- Legs up the wall — 90 to 120 seconds. Sit with one hip against a wall, then swing your legs up the wall and lie back so your body makes an L. Arms out to your sides, palms up. Close your eyes. Breathe. This is a recovery position, not a stretch — it helps drain the legs and drops your heart rate. It is the single best two minutes you can spend after a hard Saturday.
Coaching cues - "The breath is the stretch." At this length, the range comes from relaxing, not from pushing. - "Find a 5 out of 10 and stay there." Long holds at high intensity are counterproductive. - "Set a timer and put the phone away." A 60-second hold feels like 3 minutes if you are counting in your head. - "If you get bored, you are doing it right." This is a patience session.
Common mistakes - Going too deep at the start of a 60-second hold, then having to bail out at 20 seconds. Start easier than you think. - Holding the breath or breathing shallowly. The whole physiological benefit runs through the breathing. - Doing this before a session. Set D before training would leave you flat and slow. - Doing it on a cold body. Set D always follows a workout, a walk, or a warm shower. - Prescribing it to a 5th grader. Use MOB-34 instead.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (7th–8th grade, first exposure): 45-second holds and drop positions 4 and 6. About 8 minutes. - Regression: any position can be shortened or made shallower. The full 60 seconds matters more than the depth. - Progression (11th–12th grade): 90-second holds throughout, and add 3 minutes of foam rolling on the quads, calves, and upper back before the set. - Progression: add a 3-minute guided breathing finish in the legs-up-the-wall position, breathing 4 in and 8 out.
How to know it's right - Your heart rate is clearly lower at the end than at the start. Take your pulse for 15 seconds before and after. - Every position feels easier at second 50 than at second 10. That is the relaxation response doing its job. - You feel loose and calm afterward, sometimes a little sleepy. That is the intended outcome. - Over a month of doing this once or twice a week, your deep squat hold gets more comfortable and your straddle reaches further.
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PART 4 — INDIVIDUAL STATIC STRETCHES
These are the single stretches. Daily emails call them one at a time when a session targeted one area — "Calf and Achilles Stretch (MOB-27) — 2 holds per side." All of the Part 3 rules apply: after training only, firm pull not pain, no bouncing, breathe out and sink, both sides, and hold 15 seconds for grades 3–4, 20–30 for grades 5–6, and 30–45 for grades 7–12.
MOB-24 — HAMSTRING STRETCH
How to do it
Choose one of these three. The lying version is the safest on the lower back and the best default.
- Lying hamstring (preferred). Lie on your back with both legs straight. Loop a towel around the ball of your right foot and hold one end in each hand. Keep your left leg flat on the floor and your lower back pressed gently into the ground. Raise your right leg toward the ceiling with the knee straight, pulling gently on the towel. Stop where you feel a firm pull in the back of the right thigh. Hold. Switch legs.
- Seated hamstring. Sit with your right leg straight in front, left foot tucked against your right inner thigh. Sit up very tall, then hinge forward from the hips with a long, flat back, chest reaching toward the right knee. Hold. Switch.
- Standing hamstring on a step. Place your right heel on a low step, bench, or curb, leg straight, toes pointed up. Keeping your back long, hinge forward at the hips until you feel the pull. Hands on the standing thigh for support. Hold. Switch.
Coaching cues - "Long back, chest leads." Reaching with a rounded spine stretches your back, not your hamstring. - "Toes toward your shin" adds a little more pull if you want it. - "Keep the other leg down." If the opposite leg lifts, you are cheating with your lower back.
Common mistakes - Rounding the back to reach the toes. Touching your toes is not the goal; feeling the hamstring is. - Bouncing. - Locking the knee hard. Keep it straight but not jammed. - Letting the opposite leg bend or lift off the floor in the lying version. - Stretching a hamstring that has a sharp, specific pain point. That may be a strain — stop and tell an adult.
Progressions and regressions - Regression: bend the stretching knee slightly and hold the back of the thigh instead of the foot. - Regression (grades 3–4): 15 seconds, lying version only, hands behind the thigh. - Progression (9th grade and up): hold 45 seconds; add a version with the leg rotated slightly inward and then slightly outward, 20 seconds each, to reach different parts of the muscle.
How to know it's right - The pull is in the middle of the back of the thigh, not behind the knee and not in the lower back. - Self-test: in the lying version, estimate the angle of your raised leg. Straight up is 90 degrees. Most healthy athletes reach 70 to 90. Check monthly and compare left to right — a gap of more than about 10 degrees is worth working on.
MOB-25 — QUAD AND HIP FLEXOR STRETCH
How to do it
Two versions. Do the standing quad every session; add the half-kneeling hip flexor after leg-heavy days.
Version 1 — Standing quad stretch. 1. Stand next to a wall and steady yourself with your left hand. 2. Bend your right knee and reach back with your right hand to grab your right ankle or the top of your right foot. Pull your heel gently toward your backside. 3. Bring your knees side by side so they are touching or nearly touching. The bent knee points straight down at the floor. 4. Squeeze your right backside cheek and tuck your hips slightly forward (belt buckle toward the chin). This is what turns a mediocre stretch into a good one. 5. Stand tall. Hold. Switch sides.
Version 2 — Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch. 1. Kneel on your right knee (towel underneath it) with your left foot flat in front, both knees at about 90 degrees. 2. Squeeze your right backside cheek and tuck your hips under. 3. Shift your weight forward one or two inches only. You will feel a strong pull across the front of the right hip. 4. Keep your chest tall and your shoulders over your hips. Hold. Switch sides. 5. Optional add-on: raise your right arm overhead and lean gently to the left to bring in the side of the hip.
Coaching cues - "Knees together" on the standing version. - "Squeeze and tuck." If you take one cue from this entry, take that one. - "Small shift forward." Most people lunge way too far and lose the stretch into the back.
Common mistakes - Letting the bent knee drift forward or out to the side in the standing version, which puts stress on the knee and removes the stretch. - Arching the lower back instead of tucking the hips. You will feel your lower back instead of your hip. Retuck. - Lunging far forward in the half-kneeling version. Two inches is enough. - Kneeling on a hard floor without padding, which hurts the kneecap and ruins your focus.
Progressions and regressions - Regression: loop a towel around the ankle in the standing version so you do not have to reach as far. Or lie on your side and do it. - Regression (grades 3–4): standing quad only, 15 seconds, holding a wall with both people helping if balance is shaky. - Progression (9th grade and up): couch stretch — half-kneeling with the back foot elevated on a bench or against a wall behind you, 45 seconds. This is intense; introduce it slowly and only after the standard version is easy.
How to know it's right - Standing version: felt in the front of the thigh, and slightly in the front of the hip once you tuck. - Half-kneeling: felt clearly in the front of the hip of the down leg. Lower back means you did not tuck. - Over weeks, your heel comes closer to your backside in the standing version with the knees still together.
MOB-26 — GLUTE FIGURE-FOUR STRETCH
How to do it
Lying version (preferred). 1. Lie on your back with both knees bent and both feet flat on the floor. 2. Cross your right ankle over your left thigh just above the knee, so your legs form the number 4. Let your right knee fall open to the side. 3. Reach both hands through the triangle gap between your legs and clasp them behind your left thigh. 4. Gently pull your left thigh toward your chest. Keep your head, shoulders, and lower back relaxed on the floor. 5. Hold. Then switch sides.
Seated version (any chair, any age, works at school). 1. Sit tall on a chair with both feet flat. 2. Cross your right ankle over your left knee, letting the right knee fall open. 3. Keeping your back long, hinge forward from the hips until you feel a firm pull in your right backside. 4. Hold. Switch sides.
Coaching cues - "Let the crossed knee fall open." Do not push it down hard; let gravity and time do it. - "Head and shoulders stay heavy on the floor" in the lying version. - "Hinge, do not slump" in the seated version.
Common mistakes - Placing the crossed ankle on the kneecap instead of above the knee on the thigh. Move it up onto the thigh. - Pulling so hard the head and shoulders lift off the floor. - Forcing the crossed knee down with a hand. Gentle only. - Doing one side and forgetting the other. Goalies are often much tighter on their push-off side.
Progressions and regressions - Regression: do not pull the bottom leg at all — just cross the ankle over and let gravity work, with the bottom foot staying on the floor. - Regression: use the seated chair version. - Progression (9th grade and up): from the lying position, keep the figure four and gently rotate both legs to one side for a combined glute and lower-back stretch, 30 seconds each way. - Progression: hold 45 seconds and add a second round on the tighter side.
How to know it's right - You feel it deep in the backside and outer hip of the crossed leg — never in the knee. - Your lower back stays in contact with the floor. - Compare sides. The tighter side will be obvious, and that side gets the extra hold.
MOB-27 — CALF AND ACHILLES STRETCH
How to do it
You need both versions, because the calf has two parts and they need different knee positions.
Version 1 — Straight-leg calf stretch (upper calf). 1. Stand facing a wall with both hands on it at shoulder height. 2. Step your right foot back about 3 feet. Point the right toes straight at the wall. 3. Keep the right leg straight and press the right heel flat into the floor. 4. Bend your front knee and lean your hips toward the wall until you feel a firm pull in the meat of the right calf. 5. Hold. Switch sides.
Version 2 — Bent-knee calf stretch (lower calf and Achilles). 1. Same setup as version 1. 2. This time, bend the back knee while keeping that heel pressed flat to the floor. Sink down slightly. 3. The stretch moves lower, down near the ankle and the Achilles tendon. 4. Hold. Switch sides.
Optional — Step stretch. Stand with the balls of both feet on the edge of a step and your heels hanging off. Slowly let your heels drop below the level of the step. Hold. Hold a railing. Do not do this on a staircase without something solid to hold.
Coaching cues - "Heel glued to the floor." If the heel lifts, there is no stretch. - "Toes point straight at the wall." Turning the foot out makes it easier and useless. - "Straight leg is the top of the calf, bent knee is the bottom." Do both.
Common mistakes - Back heel lifting. Step the foot in closer until the heel stays down. - Foot turned outward, which is the body's way of dodging the stretch. - Only doing the straight-leg version and wondering why the Achilles is still tight. - Bouncing on a step version. Never bounce a tendon. - Ignoring pain in the Achilles itself. Aching in the muscle belly is fine; sharp pain in the cord above the heel is not — tell an adult.
Progressions and regressions - Regression: shorten the back step and lean less. Any distance that lets the heel stay flat is the right distance. - Regression (grades 3–4): straight-leg version only, 15 seconds each side. - Progression (9th grade and up): step version with heels dropped, 45 seconds straight-leg and 30 seconds bent-knee, holding a rail. - Progression: after holding, do 10 slow calf raises to finish, which combines length with strength.
How to know it's right - The pull is in the calf muscle, not in the arch of the foot and not sharp in the tendon. - Both heels stay flat throughout. - Self-test: pair this with the ankle rock measurement from MOB-11 — measure toes-to-wall distance monthly. Improvement there is proof this is working.
MOB-28 — GROIN AND ADDUCTOR STRETCH
How to do it
Three options. Do the butterfly every time, then choose one of the other two based on the day.
Version 1 — Butterfly. 1. Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet pressed together and your knees dropped out to the sides. 2. Hold your ankles and sit up very tall — imagine a string pulling the crown of your head toward the ceiling. 3. Rest your elbows on the insides of your thighs and press gently down. Do not bounce. 4. Hold. To increase it, hinge your chest forward slightly from the hips with a long back.
Version 2 — Seated straddle. 1. Sit with your legs spread as wide as is comfortable, knees pointing up at the ceiling, toes pointing up. 2. Sit tall, then hinge forward from the hips with a long back, walking your hands forward on the floor. 3. Hold in the center. Optionally walk the hands toward each foot and hold 20 seconds there.
Version 3 — Standing side lunge hold. 1. Stand with your feet very wide and your toes pointing forward. 2. Shift your weight over your right leg, bending the right knee and pushing your hips back. Keep the left leg completely straight and the left foot flat. 3. Sink until you feel a firm pull along the inside of the straight left leg. Hands on the floor or on the bent thigh for support. 4. Hold. Switch sides.
Coaching cues - "Sit tall first, then sink." Slumping cancels the stretch. - "Knees point up" in the straddle. If the knees roll inward, narrow your legs. - "Straight leg foot stays flat" in the side lunge. - "This one is about patience." The groin responds to slow, gentle, repeated exposure — never to force.
Common mistakes - Bouncing the knees in butterfly. This is the most common error in youth sports stretching and it does nothing good. - Rounding hard forward in the straddle, which stretches the back rather than the inner thighs. - Going too wide too fast in the straddle. Narrow it until the knees point up. - Stretching an already-strained groin. A groin strain feels like a specific sharp spot, often high on the inner thigh — that needs rest and an adult, not stretching.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (grades 3–4): butterfly only, sitting tall, 15 seconds, no forward lean. - Regression: sit on a folded towel or a book to raise your hips, which makes sitting tall much easier. - Regression: in the straddle, narrow the legs by a foot. - Progression (9th grade and up): frog stretch as described in MOB-21, 45 to 60 seconds; and butterfly with a 45-second hold plus a 15-second gentle forward hinge.
How to know it's right - You feel it along the inside of the thigh, spread out, not sharp in one spot near the top. - In butterfly, the distance from the outside of your knees to the floor decreases over weeks. Measure with hand widths and track it monthly. - In the side lunge, you can sink lower over time while the straight leg's foot stays completely flat.
MOB-29 — CHEST AND FRONT-SHOULDER STRETCH
How to do it
Version 1 — Doorway or goalpost stretch. 1. Stand facing into a doorway or beside a goalpost. 2. Place your right forearm flat against the frame or post, elbow bent about 90 degrees, elbow at roughly shoulder height. 3. Step your right foot forward through the doorway. 4. Slowly turn your chest and body away from that arm until you feel a firm pull across the front of the right chest and shoulder. 5. Keep your shoulder pressed down, not shrugged. Hold. Switch sides. 6. To reach different fibers: repeat with the elbow slightly lower (about chest height) and again slightly higher (above shoulder height), 15 seconds each, if you have time.
Version 2 — Floor chest opener (no doorway needed). 1. Lie face down on the floor with your arms straight out to the sides in a T shape, palms down. 2. Roll onto your right side by pushing gently with your left hand and stepping your left foot over behind you, keeping the right arm pinned flat on the floor. 3. You should feel a firm pull across the front of the right chest and shoulder. Keep your head relaxed on the floor. 4. Hold. Switch sides.
Coaching cues - "Turn the body away, do not push the arm." The rotation creates the stretch; forcing the arm back creates a pinch. - "Shoulder down, away from the ear." - "Small turn." Two or three inches of rotation is usually plenty.
Common mistakes - Elbow far above shoulder height combined with a hard lean, which pinches the front of the shoulder joint. Lower the elbow. - Shrugging the shoulder up during the stretch. - Leaning the whole body forward rather than rotating. - Bouncing into it. This joint especially does not want that.
Progressions and regressions - Regression: elbow at chest height, minimal turn, 15 seconds. Use this if there is any pinching. - Regression (grades 3–4, if prescribed): stand tall, clasp your hands behind your back, straighten the arms and lift them gently away from your body, 15 seconds. Much gentler. - Progression (9th grade and up): hold 45 seconds at three elbow heights per side; or use a foam roller lengthwise under the spine, lying back with arms out in a T, 90 seconds.
How to know it's right - The pull is across the front of the chest, spread out, not a pinch at the front point of the shoulder. - Your shoulder stays down and your neck stays relaxed. - After both sides, stand naturally and notice your posture. Your shoulders should sit back and down more easily. That immediate difference is the test.
MOB-30 — LAT AND SIDE-BODY STRETCH
How to do it
Version 1 — Standing overhead side bend. 1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. 2. Reach your right arm straight up overhead. Grab your right wrist with your left hand. 3. Keeping your hips level and still, lean your upper body to the left while reaching long through the right hand. 4. You should feel a stretch along the whole right side, from armpit to hip. Hold. Switch sides.
Version 2 — Kneeling lat stretch on a bench or chair. 1. Kneel on the floor a couple of feet away from a bench, chair, or low table. 2. Place both hands on the bench, palms down, thumbs up, arms straight. 3. Sit your hips back toward your heels and let your chest sink down toward the floor between your arms. Keep your head between your arms. 4. You should feel it under your armpits and along your upper back. Hold.
Version 3 — Child's pose with a side reach. 1. Kneel, sit your hips back to your heels, and reach both arms long on the floor in front of you, forehead down. 2. Hold in the center, then walk both hands to the right and hold (stretching the left side), then to the left and hold.
Coaching cues - "Hips stay put" in the side bend. If your hips slide sideways, you shortened the stretch. - "Reach long, then lean." Length first, angle second. - "Chest to the floor, head between the arms" in the kneeling version.
Common mistakes - Hips sliding out to the side during the side bend, which is the most common error. - Leaning forward or backward instead of straight sideways. Stay in one flat plane, like you are between two panes of glass. - Shrugging the reaching shoulder up to the ear. - Holding the breath. The ribs need to expand; breathe into the stretched side deliberately.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (grades 3–4): standing side bend only, hands reaching overhead without gripping the wrist, 15 seconds each side. - Regression: kneeling version with the hands on a higher surface, like a countertop. - Progression (9th grade and up): a passive hang from a pull-up bar with a relaxed body, 20 to 30 seconds, if the athlete has the grip strength and an adult present. - Progression: in the kneeling version, walk both hands a few inches to one side to bias one lat, 30 seconds per side.
How to know it's right - You feel a long line down the entire side of your body, not just under the arm. - A vertical line through your hips does not move during the side bend. - Your reaching arm gets closer to vertical over weeks in the kneeling version — measured by whether your upper arms come near your ears. - Breathing into the stretched side makes the sensation increase noticeably. That is a good sign you are in the right position.
MOB-31 — FOREARM AND WRIST STRETCH
How to do it
Do all four. Each is gentle — the wrist is a small joint and does not need force.
- Palm-down wrist stretch — both arms. Hold your right arm straight out in front of you at shoulder height, palm facing down. With your left hand, gently press the back of your right hand downward and pull it slightly toward your body. You should feel it on the top of your right forearm. Hold. Switch.
- Palm-up wrist stretch — both arms. Right arm straight out, palm facing up. With your left hand, gently pull your right fingers back and down toward the floor. You should feel it on the underside of your right forearm. Hold. Switch.
- Prayer stretch — 1 hold. Press your palms together in front of your chest, fingers pointing up, elbows out. Keeping the palms pressed together, slowly lower your hands toward your waist until you feel a firm pull in the front of both forearms. Hold.
- Reverse prayer stretch — 1 hold. Press the backs of your hands together in front of your waist, fingers pointing down. Slowly raise your hands toward your chest until you feel it on the top of both forearms. Hold. This one is usually the tighter of the two — do not force it.
- Optional — Tabletop wrist stretch. Place both palms flat on a table with the fingers pointing back toward your body, arms straight. Gently rock your weight backward. Very intense; go slowly and stop early.
Coaching cues - "Gentle. These are small muscles and a small joint." - "Straight elbow" on stretches 1 and 2. Bending the elbow removes most of the stretch. - "Both directions, always." Top and underside of the forearm both matter.
Common mistakes - Cranking hard on the fingers. Never pull on a single finger; press the whole hand. - Bending the elbow, which shortens the muscle and cancels the stretch. - Skipping the palm-up version because the palm-down one is easier. - Stretching through wrist pain. Tingling, numbness, or sharp pain means stop and tell an adult. - Doing this before wall ball instead of after. Before wall ball, use MOB-15.
Progressions and regressions - Regression (grades 3–4): stretches 1 and 2 only, 15 seconds each side, self-applied gently. - Regression: do it with the elbow slightly bent, then work toward straight over weeks. - Progression (7th grade and up): add the tabletop version, 20 to 30 seconds. - Progression (9th grade and up): after stretching, add 20 slow wrist curls and 20 reverse wrist curls with a very light weight to build strength alongside range. Strong forearms hold up to wall ball volume far better than flexible-but-weak ones.
How to know it's right - Even, spread-out pull through the forearm — never sharp, never tingling into the fingers. - Both wrists feel about equal. Your top hand will usually be tighter. - The morning after a big wall ball day, your forearms feel usable rather than locked up. That is the real measure.
MOB-32 — NECK AND UPPER TRAP STRETCH
How to do it
- Upper trap stretch — both sides. Sit tall on a chair, or stand tall. Reach your right hand under the chair seat and hold it (or simply let your right arm hang heavy and press the right shoulder down). Tilt your left ear toward your left shoulder. Do not rotate — tilt only. Optionally place your left hand lightly on the right side of your head and let the weight of the hand alone add a little pull. No pulling with the arm. Hold 20 to 30 seconds. Switch sides.
- Levator scapulae stretch — both sides. Same seated position. Turn your head about 45 degrees to the left, as if looking at your left pocket, then tip your chin down toward your left armpit. You will feel it along the back-right side of your neck where it meets your shoulder. Let the weight of your hand add gentle pressure if you want. Hold. Switch sides.
- Chin tuck hold — 5 reps. Sit tall. Gently draw your chin straight back, making a double chin, without tipping your head up or down. Hold 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times. This one strengthens as much as it stretches, and it is the direct antidote to a forward head posture from wearing a helmet and looking at a phone.
Coaching cues - "Let the weight of the hand do the work. Do not pull." - "Tilt, do not turn" for the upper trap stretch. - "Grow tall first." A slumped spine makes every neck stretch worse. - "If anything shoots down your arm, stop immediately."
Common mistakes - Pulling hard on the head with the hand. The neck does not need force and can be irritated by it. - Rolling the head in full circles. Not recommended — do the separate tilts and turns instead. - Shrugging the opposite shoulder up, which cancels the stretch. Press it down or anchor it under the chair. - Doing it with a slumped, forward-head posture.
Progressions and regressions - Regression: no hand on the head at all — just tilt, hold, and press the opposite shoulder down. - Regression (grades 5–6): the tilt and the chin tuck only, 15 to 20 seconds. - Progression (9th grade and up): hold 45 seconds and add a gentle chest opener (MOB-29) immediately after, since a tight chest usually accompanies a tight neck. - Progression: add 10 slow chin tucks daily as a posture habit, done at a desk.
How to know it's right - A gentle, spread-out pull along the side or back of the neck. Never sharp, never shooting. - No tingling, no numbness, no pain into the arm or hand. Any of those means stop and tell an adult. - Your head turns feel equal left and right afterward. - Over weeks, chin tucks get easier to hold with a level head, which means your posture is improving.
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PART 5 — COOL-DOWN AND RECOVERY FLOWS
These three entries are not stretches. They are the bridge between working hard and going back to being a kid — the walk that ends every session, the optional flow on the Sunday rest day, and the settle-down routine after a game. They are deliberately easy. Easy is the point.