5 stretches to achieve a bigger squat, according to a mobility expert

If your squat weight has been stalling lately— despite your workouts, nutrition and recovery being on point— then it may be worth turning your attention towards your warm-up, specifically your mobility.

Limited mobility in the hips and ankles can significantly affect your squat success. Tight hips, often from prolonged sitting, restrict your ability to sink into a deep squat and can cause forward tilting, putting pressure on your lower back and knees. Whereas poor ankle mobility can make it hard for your knees to track over your toes, causing your chest to tilt forward, which— especially under heavy weight— can increase the risk of injury.

Focus on improving your mobility to enhance your form, and better form will help you lift heavier. Unsure where to begin? Cody Mooney, Director of Performance at Pliability, shares a five-move mobility routine specifically targeting these areas to enhance your movement. “Whether you’re an athlete or a novice, this routine equips you with all the tools you need to move freely, reaching a deeper squat confidently and pain-free," he says.

Updog to child's pose

Why Cody says it's good: "This pose strengthens the wrist, back, and arms; opening up the chest, your hips, releasing any tension in your pelvis."

How to:

• Start in a plank position with your hands beneath the shoulders
• Drop your hips to the ground while raising your chest, relaxing your lower back
• Hold for a deep breath, then use your hands to push your hips back onto your heels, rounding your lower back, breathing, and feeling the stretch
• Hold and then alternate these two positions for the next two minutes.

Tip: If you struggle to sink your hips back during the child's pose, spread your knees further apart

Pigeon to lizard pose

Why Cody says it's good: "This pose stretches and opens the hips, increasing your overall mobility and flexibility. Tension in your back will loosen, reducing any pain in that area, whilst strengthening your glutes, hamstrings, and the spine."

How to:

• Begin on your hands and knees, then bring your right foot up towards your right hand, stretching your left leg back behind you as far as you can
• Slowly allow your right knee to fall out to the right, dropping into a pigeon pose, keeping the knee at 90 degrees
• Hold for a breath or two, then use your arms to help raise back up into the lizard pose
• Switch sides by bringing your left foot to your left hand, and your right leg stretches out behind you
• Perform these reps for the next minute and a half

Samson to cross-armed hamstring

Why Cody says it's good: "This will help to improve hip flexor and hamstring flexibility while promoting better posture and mobility. It also engages your core and strengthens the lower body, reducing tightness from prolonged sitting."

How to:

• Begin in a half-kneeling position, with one leg forward and the other knee on the ground
• Pull the ribs toward the pelvis and push the hips forward, holding this position for two breaths and feeling a stretch in the hip flexors
• Raise both arms overhead, deepening the stretch through your hip flexors and upper body
• Shift the hips backward to sit on the back heel while simultaneously reaching the "far" hand toward the front heel, inducing a gentle rotation in the lower back
• Embrace the slight rotation and feel a strong stretch through the hamstrings and adductors of the front leg
• Hold here briefly, then return to the starting position
• Repeat the sequence for the next minute and a half, focusing on controlled movements and deepening the stretch with each repetition
• Switch sides and repeat on the opposite leg

Knee flexion rotations

Why Cody says it's good: "The aim of this pose is to strengthen the muscles in the back of your thigh and hamstrings, to help you reach a deeper squat. You will regain full range of motion in the knee area, increasing the angle between your bones, and straightening your joints."

How to:

• Begin in a half-kneeling position with your right knee up
• Place your hands on the knee and gently turn your knee to the outside
• Keeping your hips to the inside and your knee pointed to the outside of your pinky toe, begin to lean your body weight forward
• Back off the pressure, then turn your knee to the inside and repeat
• Perform these rotations for another minute before switching sides and doing the same

Side-lying hip circles

Why Cody says it's good: "Tension in your hips will reduce significantly while performing this pose, as the muscles will gradually loosen, increasing your hip mobility, range of motion, strength and flexibility."

How to:

• Begin lying on your left side with your hips stacked
• Elevate your right leg, then draw a semicircle, moving your toes to the ground in front of your left foot
• Reverse the semi-circle, rotating your hip so your heel hits the ground behind your left foot
• Continue to draw these circles for one minute
• Switch sides, lying on your right side, making sure to keep your hips stacked vertically as you move the left leg forward and back to control the movement through the muscles of the hip, not the lower back
• Continue this pose for a minute

Also, remember, if you struggle with traditional barbell squats, there are plenty of other squat variations out there that you can try. They still strengthen the exact same muscle groups as a regular squat, but you may just find them easier to perform, so make sure you check them out!