Fitness September 25, 2025 0 Comments

Unlock the Secret 5-Minute Routine That Top Athletes Swear By to Keep Joints Pain-Free and Agile for Life

You ever find yourself wondering, “Am I really doing enough when it comes to fitness?” Like, maybe you’re sweating it out Monday through Friday, yet some nagging stiffness or tightness still slows you down. Well, you’re not alone — I recently got this spot-on follow-up after my newsletter “What does enough fitness look like?” that hit right in the feels. The big question? How about that 5-minute daily flexibility check-in I threw out there — what exactly does that look like in practice?

Let me tell you, squeezing in a quick 5-minute routine each day can be a total game changer. Not because there’s some mystical formula, but because it helps you listen to your body, catch those little red flags before they become big problems, and keep you sharp for whatever training or life throws at you. Flexibility and mobility ain’t one-size-fits-all — sometimes a golfer needs more hip rotation, sometimes a nursing mom is begging for some thoracic relief. And here’s the kicker: if something feels off or painful, trust that instinct and dial it back, adjust, or get help. No hero moves here, just smart moves.

So, ready to roll? I’ve lined up five simple exercises that tackle your shoulders, spine, hips, wrists, and ankles — all designed to fit right into life’s chaos and give you a solid tune-up, pretty much anywhere. Plus, I recorded a follow-along video ’cause reading about moves is cool, but watching ’em? Way easier. And I didn’t stop there… there’s a couple bonus movements for the desk warriors who battle the never-ending chair grind.

Think five minutes can’t make a dent? Hey, every big win starts with tiny steps. So even if you’re “only” able to do these, you’re already winning. Now, let’s get moving before life stiffens you up for good!

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I got a great follow-up question to my recent newsletter about “What does enough fitness look like?” 🧐 And I thought it may help you, too.

“…in the email, you recommended a 5-minute daily flexibility check-in to check-in with how your body is feeling, and you mentioned a few exercises. Could you speak on that more?”

Don’t worry, I got you! 🙌 Let’s lay a couple of quick ground rules:

1) This isn’t an exhaustive list for mobility or flexibility. And depending on your specifics needs, you may need a more personalized program or some additional flexibility work. (For example, recreational golfers I work with often need a LOT more internal hip rotation, whereas nursing moms need help with thoracic spine mobility, etc.)

2) There isn’t a “magic” formula. These exercises DO, however, cover a lot of ground in 5 minutes. This small daily habit can help you catch problems before they turn into bigger ones. If you know your hip feels wonky one day when it didn’t the day before, you can be more aware of that as you go through your workout, etc.

3) If something feels sketchy, it is sketchy. Since I’m not there in your body right now, please know that I give this advice to ALL my clients. If something doesn’t feel right or produces pain, stop. Trust your instincts on what feels good to you. You may need a different set of exercises, or some additional help. ❤️ With that out of the way, let’s dig into the exercises themselves! Oh, and I shot a follow-along video going through these in detail. I’ve found watching an exercise to be way easier than reading about how to do one. 😅 (Though I’ve left notes on each one for easy reference as well!)

Exercise #1: Shoulder Rotations

Perform 5 to 10 repetitions.

Points of performance:

Reach in the biggest circle you can, while keeping your ribcage anchored down
Bring your arms up as high as you can in front of you, palms up.
When you can’t lift higher, rotate your palms to the side an sweep in a wide circle back behind you.
Reverse and come back the other direction.
If you feel limited or any “pinching” in the shoulder, start with a smaller range of motion and build up over time.

Exercise #2: Cat/Camel

Perform 10 to 20 repetitions.

Points of performance:

Set up with your knees under hips, hands under shoulders
Slowly, creating a little bit of tension in your core, round your back up into a big rainbow.
Then, arch your back down.
Move back and forth slowly, within whatever range of motion feels good to you.
If this bothers your knees, you can try doing it from a standing position with your arms places on a desk or sturdy countertop for support.

Exercise #3: T-Spine Extension and Rotations

Perform 10 to 20 repetitions each side

Points of performance:

Set up with your knees under hips, hands under shoulders
Grab your opposite rib cage to help assist the movement.
Aim the front your shoulder down towards your opposite hip (flexing + rotating at the same time).
Then, reverse the motion and reach the back of your shoulder to your opposite back pocket (extending + rotating at the same time.)

Exercise #4: Rockbacks

Perform 20 to 40 repetitions

Points of performance:

Set up with your knees under hips, hands under shoulders
Eyes on the horizon in front of you
Slowly sit your hips back towards your heels
Then, reverse the motion and lean forward, shifting your weight into your hands

Exercise #5: Side-Lying Hip Rotations

Perform 5 to 10 repetitions each side

Points of performance:

Lie on your side with your head supported
Reach your bottom arm forward, and grab it with your opposite hand. Brace against yourself to create a little bit of tension and stability.
Lift your top knee to your chest.
Open up your hip to the side until you “hit a wall” and can’t move further.
Rotate your ankle out to the side (you’ll find this opens up your hip).
Sweep your knee back in the biggest circle you can.
Reverse direction and repeat.

—

And there you have it! In these quick 5 movements, we cover:

Shoulder extension, flexion and rotation
Spinal flexion, extension and rotation
Hip flexion, extension, and rotation
Gentle wrist and ankle warm up

That’s pretty darn good if I say so myself! 🔥

But, we can do even better.

So I filmed two bonus movements to help my desk warriors out there combat sitting in a chair all day as well. 😃

One final thought: don’t discount the impact of 5 minutes of daily movement. All too often, I see people saying something to the effect of: “But I was ONLY able to do XYZ.” Not only. You did the thing. Every action adds up.

Hope this helps give you some ideas and get you moving! 🙌

– Coach Matt

P.S. Looking for a more personalized mobility and flexibility program written by one of our world-class Nerd Fitness Coaches? Book a call this week and mention “Rebellion” for $50 off your first month of coaching. We have no contracts, no hidden fees, and you can cancel at any time. We only want you to stay if it’s ACTUALLY working for you!