THE

SIMPLISTIC
MOBILITY
METHOD

To m M o r r is on &
J en n i S a n d e r s
 Thank you for joining the Simplistic Mobility Method!
The exercises in this program will teach you to be aware
of your own body and to bring balance, helping you to
train pain free and to access your full potential.

So let’s get started!

Contents
Before you Start .................................................................................................................... 1
How to Use SMM................................................................................................................... 2
Your First Day Checklist......................................................................................................... 3

The Simplistic Mobility Method

TESTING
Testing Intro & Info....................................................................................................... 4
Testing Worksheet [Printout] ...................................................................................... 5
THE EXERCISES
Exercises Intro & Info................................................................................................... 6
Exercises Worksheet [Printout] .................................................................................. 9

Bonus Extras
The SSM (Simplistic Scoring Method)................................................................................ 12
MOVEMENT BREAKDOWNS
Breakdown of each Test ........................................................................................... 14
Breakdown of each Exercise ..................................................................................... 24
Head to Toe Mobility............................................................................................................ 55
Bonus Exercises.........................................................................................................56
What the Road to Flong & Sexible Look Like...................................................................... 58
The Motivation Station........................................................................................................ 64
Progress Badges.................................................................................................................. 66
How to Have A Wiggle......................................................................................................... 69
Simple Tricks to Stay Consistent........................................................................................ 74
The Setback Protocol.......................................................................................................... 76
SMM & Hypermobility.......................................................................................................... 82
Pain & Mobility Training....................................................................................................... 89
Pain Scale............................................................................................................................. 91
The Language of Pain.......................................................................................................... 92
Technical Support................................................................................................................ 93
What Next?........................................................................................................................... 95
Before You Start
You Don’t Need to Read the Whole Ebook!
There’s loads information here, and it can feel overwhelming, but don’t
worry! You don’t need to read it all on your first session.

In the Contents, you’ll see the two Simplistic Mobility Method sections:
Testing & The Exercises - and this is all you need to get started!

Everything else is a bonus, which you can read through before you start if
you like, or pick and choose sections as you go.

Different sections will become more or less relevant to you over time,
such as using the Setback Protocol if you’ve hit a brick wall, or checking
the Exercise Breakdowns when you’re not quite sure of a movement.

Join the Facebook Group

We have an awesome, supportive community on Facebook. Any
questions you have from technical support, movement feedback, to
emotional support is covered!

Not only do you have the amazing group of SMMers, but Tom, Jenni & JP
are online every day answering questions directly.

Even if you’re not “on” Facebook, it’s well worth it: click here to join
(Or search for "The Simplistic Mobility Method" on Facebook)

Stay Positive!
Your first session will be your hardest & longest as you figure out where
you're starting from. This is totally normal and you will get quicker and
better with time & practise, so don't worry and don't feel disheartened!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 1 [Link]

How to Use SMM
Do SMM 3-4 Times Per Week
To get the most out of SMM (especially if you’re in pain or suffering with
long term niggles), you want to do it frequently enough that your body
adapts, without “forgetting” it’s progress between sessions.

But! I understand schedules are busy, so if you only have time for 1 or 2
sessions per week that’s still infinitely better than none! Just be aware it’ll
take longer to see change the less frequently you do the exercises.

Retest Every 4 Weeks

After your initial test on Week 1, make a note in your calendar to retest
again in 4 weeks time. We’ll then repeat this one week 8, 12 & 16!

Depending on your starting point & end goal, you may not notice much
change in such a short time, but, pay attention to any small wins in how
you move AND feel (even if the tests 'appear' the same)!

Do ALL The Exercises TOGETHER!

The exercises are designed in a specific order. Splitting up the routine
or switching the order will result in reduced results. Your entire body is
connected; even if you feel pain in your shoulder it could be an issue in
your hip, which is why it’s so important to work on your whole body!

If you can’t fit in a whole session, reduce the number of reps you’re
doing per exercise rather than skip any!

When To Reduce Frequency

You don’t need to do 4 SMMs a week forever (but you can if you want!).
Over time you’ll notice your test scores getting higher, and that you’re
moving & feeling better. As you progress feel free to drop to 1-2 sessions
a week for maintenance. You can come back to the full program at
anytime if you ever have a flare up or need a top up!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 2 [Link]

Your First Day Checklist
Print the Worksheets / Get a Notebook
Making notes is so important! You’ll want to record your test scores, how
something feels & anything you struggle with

Run through The Tests

You can use the video in your dashboard as a guide. Don’t worry, there’s
no way to fail! This is simply a discovery session of where you’re at now.
There’s more information in ‘The Tests’ section below!

Set Day/Time slot(s) for your SMM

Help yourself be consistent by setting 1-4 timeslots in your week to do
SMM, making sure they're realistic in your current schedule!

Set reminder for your 4 & 8 week Retests

Mark on your calendar or set a reminder on your phone for 4 & 8 weeks
from the day of your first Tests to check your progress!

Check off your first badge & share!

On your dashboard & in this ebook there's progress badges to motivation!
Tick off your first day & share on social media, or in our Facebook Group!

Optional Extra First Day Fun!

Complete the Exercises
After your Tests, you can stop & do the Exercises tomorrow. But ideally if
you have time, try the Exercises using the sheets & videos for extra gains!
There’s more information in ‘The Exercises’ section below!

Do a Retest
If you've completed the Exercises, try a retest to check for quick wins!
Otherwise, aim for a Retest every 4 weeks to check your progress

Read through the ebook

There’s loads of info in this ebook! Have a look at the exercise
breakdowns & read through any relevant or interesting sections in Extras

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 3 [Link]

The Tests
You’re going to do a series of Tests to check your body and your current
level in multiple areas. Testing is a big part of SMM, it helps you track
your progress and really get to know where your weaknesses lie!

Remember: We’re just finding your

starting point!
If you feel like you perform “badly”, don’t get disheartened - and definitely
don’t feel like you need to fudge your numbers to score higher.

These scores are unique to your personal starting point, there are no
wrong answers and no way to fail. If you’re starting a little further away
than others then that’s ok!

Testing & The Exercises

You don’t need to Test every session! You’ll do the Tests on your first day
(if you have time you can also do the Exercises & a Retest), but then a
normal SMM session is only the Exercises.

Then we recommend retesting yourself roughly every 4 weeks to monitor

your progress.

Tests Breakdown & More Information

On the next page we dive into the list of Tests with space for notes if you
have a printer (if not make notes on your phone or in a notebook!)

You can find a full breakdown of each test & what to look for in The Tests
Breakdown section later in the ebook, or follow along with the video in
your dashboard.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 4 [Link]

The Tests Worksheet
Rate each test 1-10 on how you feel, plus any additional notes. e.g. Couch stretch: felt good left side (10)
and very tight on right side (4). Your goal is to eventually have both sides at 10/10.

For a visual demo with us, watch The Tests Video in your SMM dashboard, or for more detail see The Tests
Breakdown later in the e-book!

First Day After After

Test
Initial Test Optional: Retest 4 weeks 8 weeks

Visual Assessment

Closed Eyes Balance

Left & Right

Both Sides
Butt
Test Single Side

Standing Toe Touch

90/90 Test
Left & Right

Deep Lunge Test

Left & Right

Couch Stretch Test

Left & Right

Overhead Reach

Crossed Arm
Overhead Squat

Side Plank Leg Lift

Left & Right

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 5 [Link]

The Exercises
The Simplistic Mobility Method is your body’s foundation. Practice it until
it becomes easy and you’ll have the confidence for anything!

Different to our free YouTube content, SMM is the most effective way to
spend your time, focusing on the right things first. Basically if you can't
do all of SMM, anything else is “faffing”!

The Exercises
Each exercise is designed to reflect basic movement principles, so
don’t skip any, even if you don’t feel like you need them! You’ll combine
“openers” with activation, so don't change the order of the exercises, and
don’t split it up! Reduce reps if you need to save time!

Rep Scheme
Ultimately, you want to do 10 reps of everything, but, we recommend
starting with 3-5 reps per exercise per side & increase over time as you
gain confidence & endurance.

The rep scheme is flexible (pardon the pun!). If you struggle with
something, especially on one side more than the other, you can add a few
extra reps on that side - or just do extra if an exercise feels good!

If You Feel Pain - Stop!

Pain could be a sign you’re not ready for a certain movement yet. Use the
Regressions (more info on the next page) and ask in the Facebook Group
- probably someone else has/is going through the same thing!

Don’t Rush!!
It can be tempting to rush through the exercises quickly, but you’ll miss
the benefits! Take your time, breathe & “feel” the exercises.

If you’re following along with the videos, it’s still better to do fewer reps
and do each exercise properly, than try to keep up with us & rush.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 6 [Link]

Regress the Movement If Needed!
The SMM exercises might be tough but doable, which is perfect!
However, you might find that some are too hard, painful, or downright
impossible... and that's ok!

This is a completely normal and part of the process, you just need to take
a step back to go forwards - that’s not a bad thing.

Each exercise has Regressions in the Exercise Breakdowns (both here in

the ebook and in the videos on your dashboard). Choose a variation that
allows you to complete the reps, but still challenges you. Over time you’ll
get stronger & more flexible!

There’s no need for ego here, and no point pushing through dodgy reps
just to tick a box. Use an easier version to actually hit the right muscles in
the right way and you’ll make much more progress.

Regressions are also a great option if you’re very sore from training, after
a heavy physical day, coming back from injury, or you just want a softer
session one day!

Regressions & Rep Scheme

As mentioned earlier, 10 reps are your ultimate goal, but when using
regressions, it’s even more important to notice what you’re doing &
feeling rather than just trying to bang out reps. Move slowly and focus on
quality, here’s some ideas for modifications:

• Instead of reps, you can try holding a position for 10-30s or do 3-5
deep breaths in a position

• Instead of doing 5 reps, you can do 3 reps, then have a rest, then do
another 3

• Set 60s timer and just play with the movement!

Using the regressions is a time to learn about your body, but remember
your goal is always to build up to the main exercises so be sure to retry
them every few weeks!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 7 [Link]

Using the Follow Alongs
SMM existed for 5 years before I finally agreed to include Follow Along
versions. The real goal is to intuitively move through the exercises,
learning where you need to spend more time, slow down, have a wiggle,
etc, without trying to keep up with someone else’s reps.

So, even though they're great for you to get started and to learn the
program, after 2-3 follow alongs try a self-guided SMM so you can really
focus on what you are doing and adapt the programme to suit you!

In your dashboard you'll find two Follow Along options:

• If you’re a complete beginner, you’re not too confident at moving yet,

or coming back from an injury we recommend the Regression Follow
Along where we use adapted versions of each exercise while still
hitting the same principles

• If you’re more experienced, more confident and active you can start
with the main SMM Follow Along where we go through the full rep
scheme following the SMM movement standards

Everyone will have different elements that they struggle with, as you
follow along with us you may want to do fewer reps or even use a
different regression for specific exercises.

Remember! The follow alongs are only a guide, and ultimately we want
you to be self-led while doing SMM!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 8 [Link]

The Exercises Worksheet
Take notes of things you notice or struggle with - especially from one side to the other. E.g. My thoracic
bridge feels more unstable on left side. Eventually all exercises should be ‘Easy’ with good technique.

For more detail, see The Exercises Breakdown later in the e-book. Your dashboard also has a visual demo with
us inside The Exercises section, plus a Cheat Sheet in the ‘Downloads’ section for quick reference!

Exercises How did you find it? Things you want to work on?
Adjust reps to current level or time Easy / Do-able / Challenging / Impossible

Couch Stretch Reach

10x each side

Glute Bridges
10x Reps

Single Leg Glute Bridges

10x each side

90/90 Push Backs

10x each side

Deep Lunge Rotations

10x each side

Zenith Rotations
5x Hand on Head, each side
5x Hand on Back, each side

Side Stretches
10x each side

Hip Hikes
10x each side

Thoracic Bridge Press

10x each side

Assisted Split Squat

10x each side

Unassisted Split Squat

10x each side

Side Plank Marches

10x each side

Elbow Withdrawal Lunges

10x each side

Crossed Arm Overhead

Kickstand Squat
10x each side

Single Leg Deadlifts

10x each leg

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 9 [Link]

And That’s It!
The Tests & The Exercises are all you
need to get stuck in!
But if you’d like more info, tips & advice,
read on...
We want you moving as soon as possible! But, if you’d like a bit more
detail about the Head to Toe Mobility, Bonus Exercises, a Breakdown of
the Test & Exercises, the Setback Protocol, SMM & Hypermobility, How to
Have A Wiggle, and much more then keep reading below!

This is completely optional, you can always come back to these

additional sections after you’ve done your first / a few sessions.

What’s relevant to you now might change over time, so keep coming
back to this ebook - especially if you feel like you’re losing motivation
or struggling! That is exactly why we wrote the Setback Protocol & the
Simple Tricks to Stay Consistent.

This is your program for life, so make the most of all the information!

Happy SMM-ing! Get ready for some gains!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 10 [Link]

BONUS
EXTRAS

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 11 [Link]

The Simplistic Scoring Method
We ask you to rate the tests & exercises from 1-10... but how do you know what
a 4 feels like, or a 7?! Luckily, we have a super simple scoring method to keep
you on the right track! Use this as a guide when you’re filling in your notes!

10 Absolutely nailed it, is this supposed to be a challenge?!

9 Pretty easy, I could do more!

8 Alright, but I had to use my concentration face...

7 I got through it but if you want more you can do them yourself

6 I might be crying, but I still managed it

5 You’ll have to give me a minute... not sure I like you anymore...

4 How many?!! I’ll give you half that and you’ll appreciate it!

3 I’ll bring you anything if you don’t make me do this ever again

2 This is stupid! You’re stupid! And so is your Mum!

1 Don’t look at me!! DON’T LOOK AT ME!!!!!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 12 [Link]

 TESTS
BREAKDOWNS
Each breakdown guides you on:
• The area(s) you're testing
• How to film yourself
• How to do each test
• What to look for
• How to score yourself
• Why each test is so important

Take some time to read through each, especially ones you're

struggling with!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 13 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

Visual Assessment
Body Symmetry & Posture
Record From: Front, Back & Side Angle

How to Do It
• Jump up and down & get yourself relaxed
• Video yourself, straight on, from the front, back & side

Example Things to Look For

Review your body and see if you spot any of the examples below, any quirks around
areas of discomfort, compensations around old injuries, or anything else of interest!
Don’t get too obsessed though, there’s no such thing as a perfect posture!

Front & Back Sides

Head shifting Rounded shoulder(s) Heading shifting Rounded Upper

sideways (see backs of hands) forwards Back

A difference in A difference in Rounded Knee(s) bent or

hip height shoulder height shoulder(s) overextended

A twist in your body Knee(s) collapsing Anterior Pelvic Tilt Posterior Pelvic Tilt
(hips/shoulders) inwards (Big lower back arch) (No lower back arch)

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 14 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

Closed Eye Balance

Balance & Overall Stability
Record From: Front Angle

How to Do It
• Shift your weight to one leg & lift the other up
to around 90 degrees
• Aim to balance for 30 seconds
• Repeat on the other leg
• If you can, repeat on both sides + eyes closed
• If you can, repeat on both sides + eyes closed
& arms crossed

What to Look for

• Effort level: is it easy peasy lemon squeezy? Or difficult difficult lemon difficult?
• Differences between sides (even if you hit the same level)
Score
both sides
separately!

Scoring Guidelines
30s on each side, 30s on each side, 30s on each side, eyes
eyes open eyes closed closed + arms crossed

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Immediately
Fall

Balance is a trainable skill, so don’t worry if you’re currently scoring low! It’s something you can
practice & improve over time. Don’t forget that your balance will be better or worse at different
times of the day (usually worse first thing in the morning)!

As you get better, there’s no need to stop at 30 seconds! 60 seconds is a great goal, or if you
fancy a challenge, can you turn your head left & right while you balance?

Balance is super important for absorbing impact, moving while under load, not to mention your
body’s confidence, intelligence, proprioception and reaction time!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 15 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

Butt Test
Glute Activation & Awareness
Record From: Not necessary! But if you want, from the back

How to Do It
• Stand with your feet hip width, facing forwards
• Place one hand on each glute
• Squeeze both your glutes as hard as you can!
• Then try each glute/cheek individually

What to Look for

• Not much activation or squeeze
• Hamstrings or Quads engaging instead of Glutes
• Differences side to side - is one struggling to kick in by itself? Or at all?

Score
both sides

Scoring Guidelines (Together & Individually)

separately!

Both Almost no Aware of both working, but Could easily

Together squeeze not very strong crush walnuts

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Can’t get ANY
squeeze

Individual Can only do 1 side, Both sides feel weak Almost turning
not the other OR in circles, on
Cheeks One side okay, but the other weak both sides!

It’s easy to go through the motions of many movements with fairly minimal glute engagement.
Your glutes are never “switched off” (otherwise you’d fall over!) but they can get quite lazy after
years of sitting, or just not using them very effectively!

Building awareness of your glutes is the first step to making progress in hip extension, hip
flexibility, stability and strength!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 16 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

Standing Toe Touch

Posterior Chain Range of Motion
Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
• Stand with your feet close together
• With your legs straight, fold over from your
hips, hands down as low as you can
• Stop if your knees bend or if you feel any pain

What to Look for

• Limited range of motion / excessive tightness
• Your upper back excessively rounding
• Twisting (i.e. one hand lower than the other)
• One side of your back or hips higher than the other

Scoring Guidelines
Fingertips above Fingertips at Fingertips on
your knees mid-shin the floor

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Can’t bend at
hips at all

The toe touch is commonly seen as only a hamstring test, but as you’ll see SMM has no direct
hamstring stretches in it! Being able to flex at the hips with straight legs does rely on happy
hamstrings, but they only come with happy hips! You’ll be surprised how much progress you can
make on this one without hammering the poor hammies.

Once you get to the floor you can improve, getting your palms flat, or even getting your head to
your shins, but for a foundational level of mobility this isn’t necessary.

P.s. If you’re hypermobile, try to keep a soft knee bend so you’re not overextending as you stretch!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 17 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

90/90 Rotations
Internal & External Hip Rotation
Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
• Sit on the floor with:
• Front leg externally rotated (outside of leg on floor)
• Back leg internally rotated (inside of leg on floor)
• Aim for 90 degrees at thighs & knees
• Sit up tall, arms outstretched at shoulder height & bring
your palms together
• Rotate so your arms are pointing at your front knee
• Then, rotate so they’re pointing at your back knee
• Repeat with your legs switched

What to Look for

• Reliance on your hands, excessive leaning, or feeling like you’ll fall over
• Discomfort, tightness or restrictions on either side
• Inability to rotate body side to side
• Differences between sides
Score
both sides
separately!

Scoring Guidelines
Can sit up without hands & can
Can sit in 90/90, but need to rotate a little bit to both sides Can sit up without hands &
use hands & a big lean OR only rotate to one side comfortably rotate to both sides

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unable to sit in
90/90 at all

Hip rotation is used in every aspect of lower body movement (because, well, your hip is a ball
rotating inside a socket!). Don’t worry if you find you have a big difference between sides, it is
very common to be okay at the 90/90 one way, then a complete disaster on the other side.

P.s. you don’t need a “perfect” 90/90 to get a 10, both knees don’t need to be on the floor, and
neither do both glutes!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 18 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

Deep Lunge Test

Hip Flexion & Extension
Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
• Start in a push up position (hands under
shoulders, legs straight)
• Bring one foot up beside the same side hand
• Maintain vertical shin & try to place your elbow
on the floor next to your front heel

What to Look for

• Limited range (can’t get elbow to the floor)
• Difference between sides
• Discomfort in the back leg
• Reaching with shoulder
• Knee travelling forward (cheating from ankle) Score
both sides
separately!

Scoring Guidelines
Elbow above mid-shin Elbow below mid-shin, but Elbow fully on the floor beside
(shin vertical) above ankle (shin vertical) your heel (shin vertical)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unable to get into

start position

The Deep Lunge Test is one of my favourites. Progress is so easy to track & the benefits of it are
incredible! Some people progress very quickly, others can take longer, but it’s so worth the effort!

Being unable to go into deep hip flexion and/or having super tight adductors will pull at your
pelvis, leading to knee pain, back pain and all kinds of compensations when you try to use hip
flexion. If you cannot get your elbow to the floor, you’re not ready for squats or deadlifts!

If you find this test super easy but still get hip, back or knee pain then it’s a good indicator that
you need to focus more on strength & stability than flexibility!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 19 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

Couch Stretch Test

Hip Extension, Anterior Range Of Motion
Record From: Side Angle

How to Do It
• Start lunge with your back foot on a sofa/bench
• Tuck your pelvis, rounding your lower back
• SQUEEZEEE your bum
• Aim to sit up upright - extending from your hip,
not by arching your lower back

What to Look for

• Extreme discomfort/stretch
• Differences between sides
• Arching your lower back
• Your hip staying “closed” (small bend in your hip)
• Inability to squeeze glutes
Score
both sides
separately!

Scoring Guidelines
Can sit up, but very Can sit up, glute squeezed. Aware
Unable to sit upright
tight pull on quads of hip stretch but not intense

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unable to get into

start position

Differences between sides are super important in the Couch Stretch. Not being able to extend
your hips to the same level can result in twists with one-sided back or hip pain - this can even
carry down to knee pain, or up to shoulder pain!

Generally a lack of hip extension on both sides means you’re not using your glutes to their full
potential, cutting yourself short on power in lifting, running, jumping - basically anything that uses
your lower body!

We use this simple movement again in SMM to help counter all the time we spend with flexed hips.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 20 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

Overhead Reach
Shoulder Flexion, Thoracic Extension
Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
• Stand up tall
• Pull ribs down slightly to eliminate back arch
• Lift both arms overhead

What to Look for

• Inability to get your arms fully overhead
• Back arching or leaning your torso back
• Pinching sensation around shoulder(s)
• Differences between how far each arm can go
• Arms moving out to the sides, not going straight up
• Trouble keeping your elbows straight

Scoring Guidelines
Both arms don’t go Can get arms overhead, but back is Both arms overhead, elbows
overhead arching / other compensations locked & arms parallel

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Can’t lift arms

above shoulders

Both arms need to be happy going overhead or you’re in for a world of twists, turns and “unlucky”
injuries! Keep an eye on what your shoulders and doing, but also your elbows, back and pelvis -
they all might be trying to help if you’re struggling.

You can also try putting your back against a wall for some extra feedback on torso movement as
your arms move overhead.

Even though it seems obvious to blame your shoulders for a low score, this test is more related
to your upper back (thoracic) mobility, so keep an eye on your upper back as you lift your arms!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 21 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

Crossed Arm Overhead Squat

Upper Back, Hip, Knee & Ankle Mobility
Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
• Stand with your feet at your ‘squat width’
(if you don’t know, try just wider than hip width)
• Grab opposite elbows & lift your arms overhead
• Slowly squat until you reach your max depth

What to Look for

• Inability to break parallel (hips lower than knees)
• Excessive forward leaning (a diagonal angle is normal)
• Excessive rounding of your back
• Knees or feet collapsing inwards
• Pain in shoulders or neck

Scoring Guidelines
Can squat below parallel,
Can squat above parallel, Can squat around parallel, arms overhead, able to look
but arms aren’t overhead arms almost overhead forwards comfortably

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unable to squat
at all

This may be one of the most challenging of the set because we’re testing both upper and lower
body mobility together!

Your squat is unique to you, so try different foot widths & different foot angles to find what
suits you. This will vary depending on your mobility (e.g. hip flexion, ankle dorsiflexion, thoracic
extension, etc.) and your anatomy (femur & tibia length, hip socket depth, torso length, etc.).
These will also impact how much you need to lean forwards.

Even if you lean a lot, you want your back to be fairly straight, meaning you’re in a strong position!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 22 [Link]

The Tests Breakdown

Side Plank Leg Lift

Lateral Core Stability, Core-Hip Control,
Shoulder Stability
Record From: Front Angle

How to Do It
• Lie on your side with your elbow on the ground
• Pull your elbow toward your hip to create tension
• Lift your hips up off the floor, keeping the tension!
• Without your hips bending or dropping, lift your top
leg to parallel & hold for 30 seconds
• Repeat on the other side

What to Look for

• Difference in strength/stability/endurance between sides
• Hips drop when you lift your leg, or general bending/twisting/sagging at the hip
• Sinking into shoulder
• Excessive wobbling Score
both sides
separately!

Scoring Guidelines
Can hold a side plank, Can hold the leg lift, but Can hold the leg lift for 30s no
but can’t lift the leg shaking like a mad thing problem. You could go all day!

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unable to hold a
side plank

The Side Plank is a tricky movement, but really it’s a fundamental test of core strength: can you
hold your own bodyweight?

It’s an essential baseline to have before trying to add more intensity, such as lifting weights,
running or playing sport. You need to be able to hold yourself up first!

If you can’t do it yet, don’t worry that’s very common, but it is a very important movement to
prioritise. We use a variation in SMM, but there’s plenty of ways to adapt it to your current level to
build strength over time!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 23 [Link]

 EXERCISE
BREAKDOWNS
Each breakdown guides you on:
• The area(s) you're working
• How to film yourself
• How to do each exercise
• What to look for
• What does it mean if you struggle
• Some regression ideas

These breakdowns are EXTREMELY important! You want to know

exactly what you are doing & why, so you’re not just going through
the motions copying a follow along.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 24 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Couch Stretch Reach

Hip Extension, Anterior Chain, Shoulder Flexion, Scapula Control
Record From: Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Set up in a lunge, back foot on sofa/bed/chair
2. Tuck your hips to flatten your lower back & lift your chest up while keeping the tuck!
3. Squeeze the glute on the stretched side, try to feel a stretch at your hip, not just your quad!
4. Keep your ribs down as you reach up with a closed fist. Aim for a straight line from fist to knee
5. Bring your hand down, making sure your glute is still squeezed, hips tucked and ribs down
6. Repeat for 10 reps, then swap sides

What to Look For

• Bent or “closed” hips

• Major tightness in the quads or hips flexors
• Can’t lift arm straight overhead / without arching back

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

If you’re feeling an intense stretch, or you’re unable If one side is tighter than the other this can turn
to squeeze your glutes much/at all, then your hip into lower back pain or a subtle rotation of the
extension isn’t great. This can have a massive pelvis. Struggling to attain a good overhead
impact on how your lower back feels and how position is a big warning sign for poor thoracic
much power & strength you get from your glutes. mobility.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 25 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Couch Stretch Reach

If you struggle to feel the stretch in your hip, struggle to engage you glutes, or
just struggle to get into the position try one or more of these Regressions!

Move your bum away from your heel Press to the side, instead of overhead
Reduces knee flexion & quad stretch, allowing Reduces the amount of shoulder flexion, helps
you to focus on your hip you keep your back straight

Elevate back knee with front leg standing Don't reach overhead / Grab foot instead
Reduces weight in your knee & overall mobility Removes shoulder flexion element, makes it
requirements. Allows focus on the back hip easier to wiggle and focus on your hip

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 26 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Glute Bridges (Both Legs)

Bilateral Glute Activation
Record From: Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Lying down, bring your feet under your knees

2. Tuck your pelvis so that you feel your lower abs

3. Lift your pelvis up to fully open your hips, squeezing your glutes hard
4. Maintaining the squeeze while you lower your hips down
5. Repeat slowly and controlled for 10 reps

What to Look For

• Not fully opening hips at the top

• Glutes only engage at the top
• Fatiguing very quickly
• Over extending (arching) your lower back
• Hamstrings or Quads taking over

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

If you struggle with glute bridges you literally Your lower back often takes the strain giving you
have a lazy ass! If you do not have the ability back pain, hamstring pain or even knee pain. A lack
to “drive” through the glutes, this can result in of glute awareness & activation can even hinder
compensations during training. your muscle development.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 27 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Glute Bridges (Both Legs)

If you struggle to get glute engagement, struggle to extend your hips, or just
struggle to get into the position try one or more of these Regressions!

Poke your glutes as you move Elevate your shoulders on bed/sofa/etc.

Helps create activation, tactile feedback for your Adjusts the ankle & reduces knee flexion. Often
body of the muscle you want to work! makes it easier, though some find this harder!

Isometric hold at the top/extended position Adjust feet and/or lift up toes
Gives time to focus on the squeeze & wiggle, Can shift activation from quads/hamstrings to
without having to do reps (elevated or floor) glutes. Have a play & a wiggle!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 28 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Glute Bridges (Single Leg)

Unilateral Glute Activation, Anti-Rotational Core Stability
Record From: Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Start at the top of a normal Glute Bridge

2. Transfer your weight to one leg and lift up the other. Don’t let your hip drop as you lift!
3. Keep this position as you go through 10 reps
4. Maintain max glute squeeze thought rep on the working leg

What to Look For

• Not fully opening hips at the top • Hamstrings or Quads taking over
• Glutes only engage at the top • Any drop/change in position when you lift a leg
• Fatiguing very quickly (on one or both sides) • One side feeling more challenging/impossible
• Over extending (arching) your lower back • Twisting, compensating or cheating

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

The same “lazy ass” issues from the standard glute Improving the side you struggle with can be a
bridge apply, but if there’s a difference in strength/ game changer for how your body feels & functions.
endurance between sides then you may find your Not only can it help remove hip/knee/back pain,
pain is more on one side of your body. but also give you extra power in your training!

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 29 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Glute Bridges (Single Legs)

If you struggle to get glute engagement, struggle to extend your hips, or just
struggle on one of both sides, try one or more of these Regressions!

Poke your glutes as you move Elevate your shoulders on bed/sofa/etc.

Helps create activation, tactile feedback for your Adjusts the ankle & reduces knee flexion. Often
body of the muscle you want to work! makes it easier, though some find this harder!

Isometric holds or 'marches' at extended position Use other leg as a light support
Focus on the squeeze & wiggle, and/or shifting Reduces the weight in the working leg, gives the
weight without lowering hips (elevated or floor) opportunity to build strength up gradually

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 30 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

90/90 Push Backs

Internal & External Hip Rotation, Obliques & Hips, Abductor &
Glute Activation Record From: Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Sit on the floor with:
• Front leg externally rotated (outside of leg on floor)
• Back leg internally rotated (inside of leg on floor)
• Aim for 90 degrees at thighs & knees
2. Sit up tall, ideally with no hands on the floor
3. Lift your back leg a few centimetres off the floor (with minimal torso leaning)
4. Try to stay upright & push leg back until hip is open
5. Repeat for 10 reps, then switch to the other side

What to Look For

• Reliance of your hands on the floor • Inability to engage glute of the back leg
• Discomfort/tightness/restriction (either side) • Difference side to side
• Excessive leaning when you lift the leg • Extending knee instead of hip

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

It means that your hip rotation is lacking... and Walking, running, squatting - every movement
that’s what hips are supposed to do! A lack of with your lower body involves rotation. Spending
rotation can throw off everything in your body, extra time in the 90/90 position (even without the
especially if it is particularly bad on one side. pushbacks) is extremely beneficial!

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 31 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

90/90 Push Backs

If you struggle to sit up, struggle to get the push back, or struggle to get into the
position on one or both sides, try one or more of these Regressions!

Lean onto your hands or elbows Bend your knees or hips more
Reduces the angle of your hips & torso, making Reduces the angle of your hips, making the
the position more achievable position more achievable

Use a sofa/wall/etc. for support Push foot back into wall/sofa/etc.

Helps keep your torso upright, allowing you Helps you get that glute engagement with
spend time in the position & wiggle feedback rather than pushing into nothing

Practice sitting or switching without pushbacks Lying 90/90 holds or switches

Lets you focus on the mobility side of the Removes hip flexion element, lets you get some
movement, spending time getting comfortable rotation while staying relaxed

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 32 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Deep Lunge Rotations

Deep Hip Flexion, Hip Extension, Thoracic Rotation
Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Set up in a push up position and bring one foot up beside the same side hand
2. Drop your elbow down as low as it will go without forcing. Breathe out, sinking into your hip
3. Slowly rotate your body, reaching your arm up
4. Bring your elbow back down, as close to the floor as you can
5. Use your breath to relax your body
6. Repeat 10 times then switch to the other side

What to Look For

• Not able to get your elbow beside your heel • Pain or discomfort in the back leg
• Differences between sides • Being too tense! Use deep breaths to relax
• Shin not staying vertical or knee flaring out

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

Reaching the floor with the same side elbow is a If you’re higher than mid-shin, your ability to hinge
standard level of hip flexion. If you can’t, you may or engage your hip muscles is severely hindered.
have issues like a bad squat, inability to touch your If one side is worse than the other, that can be the
toes, easily pull your adductors/get groin strain & cause of back pain, sciatica and SI joint issues as
your lower back and knees might hate you. your pelvis is effectively “tugged” to one side.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 33 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Deep Lunge Rotations

If you struggle to get into the deep lunge position, struggle to get the hip stretch,
or find hard to breathe while you stretch, try one or more of these Regressions!

Put your back knee on the floor Angle your body away from your front knee
Takes weight out of your front leg, reducing Reduces hip flexion & makes it easier to get your
tension and helps you relax elbow to the floor

Elevate front foot on sofa/chairs/stairs Hold/wiggle at the bottom, instead of reps

Reduces weight in front leg, allows you to spend Gives you the opportunity to get used to the
time in the position and have a wiggle position. Try cushions under your elbow too!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 34 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Zenith Rotations
Thoracic Rotation & Extension, Rib Movement, Internal & External
Shoulder Rotation Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
1. From all fours, sit your hips back to your heels
2. Put one hand on the back of your head (external rotation)
3. Slowly rotate your chest up, rotating from your upper back
4. Deeply exhale out at the top of each rep to try and “pull” yourself further for 5 reps
5. Repeat on the other side
6. Then, back to the first side & repeat with your hand on the middle of your back (internal rotation)

What to Look For

• Difference in range of motion between sides • Turning head instead of rotating upper back
• Discomfort in external and/or internal position • Bending wrist instead of rotating upper back
• Shoulder blades rolling up/rounding • Hips or lower back rotating

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

Poor Thoracic Rotation (what we’re working on It’s also important to be comfortable in both
here) messes up your Thoracic Extension and Internal & external rotation - your shoulders need a
upper back movement, which can cause rounded healthy balance of both. Pinching or pain in one or
shoulders & Shoulder Impingement, and general both of these positions could mean your shoulder
poor posture! blades aren’t moving effectively.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 35 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Zenith Rotations
If you struggle to get the arm positions, feel a stretch in your upper back, or
struggle to get into the positions, try one or more of these Regressions!

Put cushions between your heels & bum Keep your hand away from your body
Reduces knee flexion, makes it easier to kneel Reduces the shoulder angle, making it easier to
so you're more relaxed hit both internal & external shoulder rotation

Hold end position with breaths instead of reps Do them seated, with other arm as a support
Gives you more time to focus on the end Removes the kneeling altogether, makes it more
position, allowing for wiggles & a deeper stretch comfortable & achievable

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 36 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Side Stretches
Lats, Obliques, Overhead Flexion, Lateral Hip Movement
Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Stand next to a post or door frame

2. Outside arm grabs the post/frame overhead, inside arm grabs around hip height
3. Holding on, lean your body out to the side. Stretching down your side, lats and hips
4. Keep your breathing relaxed, and perform 10 reps moving in and out of the stretch
5. Experiment with your hand, feet & body position to feel the stretch in different areas
6. Repeat on other side

What to Look For

• Reduced range or differences between sides

• Differences in stretch intensity on one side/area compared to the other even if it looks the same
• Twisting or head turning

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

Tight sides can have major effects on shoulder Struggling to lift your arm up or feel a big lat
and/or hip resting position. If you have a “hiked stretch can indicate poor shoulder mobility. Lateral
hip” or a “leg length discrepancy” you may feel flexion of the spine like this is extremely important.
a dramatic difference between sides - if so, this You’re effectively decompressing each side - your
exercise will help even up your sides! spine needs to move like this!

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 37 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Side Stretches
If you struggle to get a pain free stretch, struggle to get your arms overhead, or
don't have a door-frame/anchor point, try one or more of these Regressions!

Stand & lean without post/frame Stretch with your hip on a wall
Reduces intensity of the stretch. A good option Reduces intensity of the stretch & supports
if you don't have a door frame/anchor point some of your weight, making it easier

Cross arms, instead of holding them straight Hold & wiggle instead of reps
Either overhead or in front of you. Reduces Gives you time to explore where you're tight &
shoulder flexion, & the lever "pulling" you over have a wiggle! Use deep breaths as you stretch

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 38 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Hip Hikes
Obliques, QL, Vertical Hip Movement, Pelvis Stabilisation,
Balance & Reactive Stability Record From: Front & Back Angle

How to Do It
1. Stand tall, hands on hips
2. Bend your knee so your foot’s behind you
3. Starting with your knees in line, drop your hip so your bent knee moves below the straight knee
4. Then, hike your hip up until your knees are in line
5. Finish by hiking your hip further so your bent knee moves higher the straight one
6. Return to in line, and repeat 10 times
7. Repeat on other side

What to Look For

• Clunky or uncontrolled movement • Leaning torso instead of moving pelvis

• Knee bending or excessive lower back arching • Lack of balance or excessive wobbling

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

As we saw with the side stretches, tight sides can Being unable to do this could point to tight QLs/
have a major impact on how we move and feel. obliques, and/or a lack of strength. Only struggling
Range of motion is important, but lacking control & on one side could indicate a subtle pelvic twist!
the ability to absorb force through movement can Over time, smoothing out this movement will help
put excessive strain on your lower body joints. your lower back & torso feel lovely!

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 39 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Hip Hikes
If you struggle to get the right hip movement, struggle to balance or just aren't
quite sure you're doing it properly, try one or more of these Regressions!

Hold onto a support/chair/wall Just focus on hiking up OR dropping down

Removes the balance element, allowing you to Rather than getting the full ROM, go from neutral
focus more on the pelvis movement down OR up to make it slightly easier

Hip "marching" or wiggling Practice knee lifts of a chair/sofa/stool

Alternate mini hip hikes/marches without fully Gives you a tactile cue/feedback for when you're
lifting feet off the ground to get a feel for it getting the hip elevation

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 40 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Thoracic Bridge Press

Pec & Bicep ROM, Thoracic Extension & Rotation, Lat
& Glute Activation, Global Spine Mobility, Single Arm &
Core Stability, Shoulder Strength Record From: Side Angle

How to Do It
1. From seated, lift your hips up so you’re on your hands and feet
2. Transfer your weight to one arm and press down hard lifting your whole body higher
3. Contract your glutes & lift your hips up until they’re extended. Bottom arm's straight
4. As you lift, reach your free arm away from your hips, keeping your neck & breathing relaxed
5. With control, lower down then repeat for 10 reps
6. Repeat on other side

What to Look For

• “Collapsing” on your shoulder • Strength/endurance difference between sides

• Lots of shaking or instability • Shape of your spine: arched, hinged or flat?

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

Thoracic bridges can quickly highlight a lack or If one side feels less stable or gets tired more
strength, flexibility or both! Struggling can indicate quickly than the other, this is a big indicator
a lack of shoulder stability, tight/weak pecs or of unbalanced strength, endurance or stability.
biceps, a lack of shoulder rotation, or lacking range Regressions are highly recommended rather than
of motion in your spine! dodgy reps!

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 41 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Thoracic Bridge Press

If you struggle to support your weight in one arm, get full extension of the hips,
or struggle to get into the position at all, try one or more of these Regressions!

Put your hand on a sofa/bed/chair Use tabletop bridge

Reduces the angle and reduces the weight Two hands instead of one, still works on your
through your arm shoulder & hip extension with as much stability

Wall biceps stretch Isometric holds

Gives you the pec, bicep & shoulder stretch Instead of reps, focus on the top position
without bearing any weight (elevated or floor) & have a wiggle

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 42 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Assisted Split Squats

Ankle Dorsiflexion, Hip Flexion, Deep Knee Flexion
Record From: Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Place yourself between posts/a door frame or next to a wall in a long stance
2. While holding on, lunge deeply, moving your knee as far over your front foot as possible
3. Adjust your feet positions if necessary!
4. Use your arms to push yourself down further with your arms. Aim for bum to heel
5. Slowly stand back up without moving your feet
6. Repeat for 10 reps, trying to get further & lower
7. Repeat on the other side

What to Look For

• Heel lifting • Hips moving sideways on one or both sides

• Knee pain or discomfort • Differences in how far knee goes each side

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

Using assistance removes any balance or stability If you feel pain when doing this position then you
and will highlight pure range of motion limitations. are most likely lacking joint strength at their full
Struggling to use deep hip flexion with deep ankle end ranges. Stick with these (or regressions) until
flexion means your squat depth will suffer, while you have no pain before you start including the
also having implications on all lower body training. Unassisted versions.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 43 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Assisted Split Squats

If you struggle to get full depth, support your wait in your front leg, or go up &
down with control then try one or more of these Regressions!

Elevate front foot (still use arms assistance) Use hands on your thigh to push back up
Reduces weight in front leg, and reduces angles Makes standing up slightly easier, so you can
to give you more wiggle room focus more on going down/ the negative

Only lower down, use more assistance to stand

Front foot on the floor or elevated, focus on
control & moving slow as you lower down

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 44 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Unassisted Split Squats

Balance, Ankle Stability, Foot Strength, Ankle Dorsiflexion,
Hip & Deep Knee Flexion Record From: Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Set up exactly the same as Assisted Split Squats, but this time, don’t hold onto anything!
2. Grip the ground with your toes on the front foot & actively “pull” yourself forwards & down, trying
to get the same depth as the assisted variation
3. Push forwards from your back leg for some extra range of motion, keeping your core engaged
4. Repeat for 10 reps, moving slow & aiming for smooth reps
5. Repeat on the other side

What to Look For

• A difference in range compared to Assisted • Hips moving sideways on one or both sides
Split Squats • Front foot turning out to the side
• Difference in range between legs

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

Not only is it important to have good ankle, knee & your ability to squat & single leg squat. Your focus
hip ranges that we test in the Assisted Split Squat should be on balance & stability based drills rather
but it is also important to control that range. If you than stretching or rolling. You may need to only
can get low using assistance but can’t without, then focus on the assisted version for a while, slowly
you have a stability/strength issue, which will affect reducing the amount of assistance you need.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 45 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Unassisted Split Squats

If you struggle to get full depth, support your wait in your front leg, or go up &
down with control then try one or more of these Regressions!

Assisted Split Squats Isometric holds at different heights

Keep practicing the assisted variation to build Build strength at different positions by pausing
strength, removing the balance element & holding, without needing to go full depth

Slow negatives, then assist to stand up Elevate front foot (no hand assistance)
Removes some of the strength element & but Reduces weight in front leg, allowing you to
gives you lots of time under tension spend more time on each rep

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 46 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Side Plank Marches

Lateral Core Stability, Core-Hip Awareness, Abduction &
Adduction, Oblique/Lat Activation, Shoulder Stability
Record From: Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Lie on your side, completely straight
2. Put your bottom elbow (not hand) on the floor, stagger your feet, then lift your body up
3. Transfer your weight slowly to one leg then bend your other leg, bringing you knee to your chest
4. Maintain a straight line from shoulder, hip, to ankle
5. Replace your leg, then repeat with the other leg
6. Alternate legs (“march”) for 10 reps, then change sides and repeat!

What to Look For

• A difference between sides or legs • Rushing through the movement

• Your body bending, hips lifting, shoulder • Pain in knees, shoulders, groin or adductors
dropping etc. as you move your legs

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

You are missing all kinds of stability, and crucially a People who cannot do this exercises usually suffer
strong link between your core and the rest of your with all kinds of pain or weakness throughout their
body. This drill ties a lot of SMM concepts together; body. If you cannot keep your core activated while
challenging your whole body simultaneously while moving from your hips, you will run into trouble in
testing your left and right sides. any exercise program.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 47 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Side Plank Marches

If you struggle to hold the side plank, complete the marches, or they're painful
on your shoulder/groin, then try one or more of these Regressions!

Hold a side plank, without marching Side plank on knees (optional leg lift)
Practice the isometric core strength without the Reduces the weight through the core, making it
extra challenge of the march easier to hold & spend time in the position

Elevated side plank marches Hip supported side plank marches

Reduces weight on arm & core, allows you to Takes all weight out of your shoulder. Removes
practice the marches and build strength core element so you can focus on the marches

90/90 side plank marches

Shortens the lever & reduces weight on the core,
still allows for some leg/hip strength building

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 48 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Elbow Withdrawal Lunges

Shoulder Extension & Retraction, Balance, Coordination,
Body Awareness Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
• Draw your elbows back until your hands are at your sides
• Stay tall, squeeze your shoulder blades back, keep your shoulders down, & neck relaxed
• Step one foot back and slowly drop your knee, tapping the floor gently (front shin stays vertical)
• In one motion, bring your foot back up to standing and repeat for 10 reps
• Keep your shoulder/elbow position throughout!
• Repeat on the other leg

What to Look For

• One shoulder/elbow higher than the other • Hips moving out to the side
• Knee going over your toes or flaring sideways • Shoulders rounding/hands moving forwards
• Strength/endurance differences between sides • Elbows flaring outwards

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

Lunges are a foundational movement you should Struggling can mean weakness in your body
achieve before doing any form of training. The control and leg & core strength, which can lead to
elbow withdrawal adds coordination & body knee, hip and back pain. It can be tempting to use
awareness, being able to hold a static (and stretching or rolling to fix pain, but building basic
challenging) position while moving. strength & movement patterns is just as important.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 49 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Elbow Withdrawal Lunges

If you struggle to get full depth, lunge with control, or get that elbow withdrawal
position then try one or more of these Regressions!

Hold onto a wall/post (elbow pos. on one side) Do assisted lunges & elbow pos. separately
Reduce the balance element allowing you to Separate the moves so you can focus on the
focus more on control & positions principles of each, reducing the difficulty

Reduce lunge range of motion

Put cushions or blocks under where you back
knee lands, making the lunge easier

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 50 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Crossed Arm Overhead Kickstand Squat

Thoracic Mobility, Squat Mobility Integration
Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Grab your elbows above your head
2. Stand with your feet in your squat width
3. Replace the heel of one foot with the ball of the foot, so your heel is elevated
4. Pull yourself down into a squat, keeping more weight & focus on your flat-foot side
5. Pause briefly at the bottom, try to keep your chest & torso upright (without your arms dropping)
6. Repeat with control for 10 reps, then switch your feet and repeat on the other side.

What to Look For

• Upper body leaning too far forward • Shallow squat depth - aim for below parallel
• Arms dropping • Cranking/straining your neck

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

This variation removes some of the lower body the Split Squats will be beneficial. If you can
mobility requirements for a full squat, but the normally squat ok, but struggle when you add the
addition of the overhead position creates new overhead position it points to thoracic/upper back
demands. Struggling can be caused by limited restrictions, so put a bit more time into Zenith
ankle/knee/hip range, so working more on Rotations.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 51 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Crossed Arm Overhead Kickstand Squat

If you struggle to get full depth, squat with control, or get the crossed arm
overhead position then try one or more of these Regressions!

Squat with arms out in front Use generous heel elevation on both feet
Remove the overhead element to allow you to Reduces ankle flexibility demands on both feet,
focus on the squat position allowing you to focus on your hips & shoulders

Squat to a chair/sofa/etc. Kickstand switches

Reduce range of motion, making the squat Practice staying low, reducing some leg strength
easier, try to keep tension at the bottom position and gets you comfortable at the end range

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 52 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown

Single Leg Deadlift

Foot Strength, Hamstring Activation, Balance, Hinging,
Reactive Stability Record From: Front & Side Angle

How to Do It
1. Stand straight, brace as if doing a plank, and lift one foot off the ground
2. Hinge from the hips, send them back until you feel tension in the standing leg’s hamstring,
reaching back with your back foot
3. Back foot should stay pointed at your standing foot & keep your torso straight Don't just bend!
4. Drive back up by squeezing your glutes, similar to the glute bridges
5. Repeat for 10 reps, then switch to the other side

What to Look For

• Difference in balance or hamstring activation • Rotating or twisting hips as you hinge

on either side • Bending your torso or rounding your shoulders
• Hips moving differently on either leg instead of hinging

What Does It Mean If I Struggle?

If you can’t keep balance then your reactive core Being able to activate your hamstrings (without
stability & balance need work. If you struggle to relying on weight!) is essential for generating lower
feel tension or activate your hamstrings then you body power. Struggling with Single Leg Deadlifts
need to work on this! Same goes for being unable can lead to back pain, knee pain, hip pain, tendinitis
to squeeze your glutes to stand. & struggles with muscle activation.

Need some easier options? Check the next page!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 53 [Link]

The Exercises Breakdown // Regressions

Single Leg Deadlift

If you struggle to stay balanced, catch the hamstrings or complete the reps with
control, then try one or more of these Regressions!

Use chair/sofa in front of you for balance Elevate back foot

Removes the balance element so you can focus Reduces the balance element, allows you to
more on the hinge & feeling of the move practice deep hinging & feeling the hamstrings

Double leg deadlifts Wiggles and/or isometric holds at end range

Removes the balance element and gives you After you've hinged, try holding that position to
more scope to wiggle and try different positions feel tension build, or wiggle to find activation

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 54 [Link]

Head to Toe Mobility
Head to Toe Mobility is an extra habit we encourage you to start on top of
SMM. It will help you get in touch with your body, fill in the gaps, and get
an intuitive feel for what you need day to day.

The basic concept is:

Do 5 minutes of unscripted movement

And that’s it! There’s no right or wrong, just move!

You can do this at any time and you'll be surprised what a difference 5
minutes will make to how you feel! It's a chance to check what feels tight,
any imbalances, what’s sore, etc. instead of discovering tightness when
you pull a muscle later on!

We give you a couple of examples inside the Bonus Videos section

in your dashboard, and there’s loads of ideas in our YouTube Follow
Along playlist, but really I want you to make it your own. You know more
exercises than you think!

If you’re stuck just start at your head & make circles with every joint. Over
time, you’ll begin to get more intuitive and creative with your movements!

All you need is a bit of space, or if you fancy you can get creative with
resistance bands, light weights, even your stairs!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 55 [Link]

Bonus Exercises
A key part of SMM is that you don’t need equipment, but there are a
couple of other optional movements I want to share with you if you have
a kettlebell, resistance band and some juggling balls!

For a visual demo, check out the Bonus Videos section in your dashboard!

These are examples of how you can expand the principles of The
Simplistic Mobility Method and add them into training or warm ups.
They’re also an insight into Stability Builder™: follow along workouts
using resistance bands, weights and more dynamic full body movements!

Single Arm, Single Leg Press

Balance, Shoulder Stability, Reactive Core Stability

How to Do It
1. Hold weight in one hand in front of shoulder
2. Look forwards & shift weight to one leg
3. Lift knee and make sure you’re balanced
4. Complete 3x overhead presses with knee lifted
5. Then, 3x presses with same arm, but other knee lifted
6. Repeat entire circuit pressing with other arm

Benefits
• Teaches your body to work contralaterally (opposite
sides together) & ipsilaterally (same sides together)
• Strengthens your balance & stability
• Highlights & removes compensations between sides

Notes
• Don’t try a 1 Rep Max!
• If you can’t balance for all the reps, reduce the weight or
practice unweighted until it’s achievable

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 56 [Link]

Bonus Exercises

Pallof Press & Pallof March

Anti-Rotational Core Strength

How to Do It
1. Attach band to something strong & hold with both hands
2. Position yourself so there’s tension on the band
3. Stand tall, good posture, feet roughly shoulder width
4. Slowly press your hands backwards & forwards
5. OR, hold arms straight out & march your legs
6. Repeat on both sides

Benefits
• Teaches how to maintain core tension
• Teaches you good pelvis alignment
• Builds anti-rotational strength with minimal equipment

Notes
• Make sure you’re not slouched or wonky!
• Try not to lean away from the band

Juggling (+ Hip Tension)

Coordination, Balance, Reactive Stability

How to Do It
1. Stand on one leg & open the lifted knee out to the side
2. Start to juggle while maintaining balance!
3. If you can’t juggle, just throw 1 or 2 balls up in the air!

Benefits
• Increased proprioception & hand eye coordination
• Increases reaction times
• Become more adaptable & confident

Notes
• Don't give up! It’s challenging but has many benefits!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 57 [Link]

What the Road to Flong &
Sexible Looks Like
The answer to “How long will it take to see improvements?” … is…. “It depends”
… which is an answer I hate to give!

So, in this section I want to give you some common scenarios & roadblocks
depending on your background and how your initial tests go.

Remember! SMM progress comes down to the frequency you practice,

understanding the movements, and not overlooking regressions!

Read through the scenarios, even those that don’t seem relevant to you! You
might learn from them or use them to relate to other people you know. Everyone
has different struggles, but everyone can always improve on something.

Scenario 1:
Your Deep Lunge, 90/90, Couch Stretch & Crossed Arm Overhead
Squat test scores were around 5 or below.

You’re a 'Fridge Brick' - very similar to myself back when I first started my
journey! You probably have a lot of strength and stability but still run into
injuries. Stretching feels uncomfortable and frustrating to the point that you
don’t want to do it.

Your joints are literally not moving the way that they should. You’re basically
a walking compensation that’s cheating at everything. You may go through
periods of feeling ok but the more you try to do, the more you seem to get hurt.

As you progress with SMM you’ll feel muscles in places you’ve never felt before!
You’ll be taking your joints into ranges they’ve not been to for a very long time.

There'll be a period when you feel stiffer than before as your body adjusts &
adapts, you may hit a sudden wall with your progress, but this is just a reaction
to the new ranges; you feel weak there so your body tightens up to protect itself.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 58 [Link]

Even if you seem to be getting “worse” the important thing is DO NOT STOP!
You need to teach your body that these new ranges are safe by repeating
them regularly.

Adaptation for 'Fridge Bricks' is a SLOW process, so think 6 months+ to see

changes! Don’t avoid those hard movements or go looking for some kind of new
magical exercise, SMM is building both the strength & range of motion at the
same time to reduce the risk of over-stretching and losing stability (which might
happen if you start doing more extreme stretching).

After the ‘settling in’ period, you’ll start to feel so much free when you bend over,
stand up and get up & down off the floor. Your hips and shoulders will move the
way that they should, you’ll even feel like you have more energy! Trust me, it’s a
different world when you know the difference.

Scenario 2:
Deep Lunge and 90/90 feel easy, but Balance or Side Plank Leg
Lift are difficult with limited control. You can easily go down into a
squat, but coming back up is a lot of effort.

You’re a “Bendy Wendy” – just like Jenni! You have tonnes of flexibility, but your
stability and strength need a lot of attention. You’re probably able to do a wide
variety of things, you may even have a few flexibility party tricks! But you still
feel tight, you seem to get a lot more achy pains than those around you, and
injuries are caused by the silliest of things.

Just because a joint can move freely still doesn’t mean it’s happy. If there’s a
lack of stability, you can get muscle tightness just like anyone else and even
sharp pains in joints when you try to strengthen things.

You’ll get a lot of benefits from using regressions – even for the ‘easier’ first
half of SMM! The challenge is to train your body to control movement through
ranges of motion, rather than dropping straight into positions.

I recommend reducing the number of reps of each exercise and move slower
in each one, counting 3+ seconds per movement (especially during the second
half of SMM!). Really embrace what you should be feeling with the exercises,
you can refer to the ‘green bits’ on the cheat sheets if you’re not sure!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 59 [Link]

It’s incredibly important to take regressing & tempo seriously, for example
just because you can get through 10 Single Leg Deadlifts each side, if they’re
wobbly, rushed or you don’t feel your hamstrings & hips as you do them, then
you won’t get the benefits and end up feeling like you’re not making
any progress.

Tightness is created because of weakness to slow you down and create a

false stability to protect you… yet the combination tightness & your ability to
move into deep positions can make Bendy Wendys gravitate towards static
stretching which adds more range of motion without much strength. You may
get temporary relief but what you really need is more stability from exercises
like Side Plank Marches, Split Squats, etc. which will help your muscles to feel
more relaxed!

You may feel sore at first, but this is just your muscles waking up and realising
they’re actually meant to hold your joints together!

Scenario 3:
Everything is awful, lot of 1-3 Test Scores. You can barely even get
into the start positions.

GREAT! You’re the ideal person for SMM and have the MOST to gain from
working on it!!

It can be the worst realisation in the world to feel like you can’t do anything,
it can make you feel like there's no point trying as you’re “so far gone”, but it’s
never too late to make a change to your body!

Just because you’ve got low scores doesn’t mean you’re hopeless! You may
be sedentary, or you could be extremely fit or strong! You can accidentally end
up being extremely “fit” or good at a sport… but unknowingly missing tonnes
of foundational joint strength. Sports specific strength doesn't often give your
joints & muscles the things they need to function correctly, which can catch up
to you HARD after enough years.

SMM isn’t just a few exercises I like, it’s your key to a better life. When you’re in
pain or feel limited by your body, it impacts all the activities and decisions you’ll
make in life that doesn’t only affect you, but also your friends, family, kids, pets
– anyone close to you! It’s why SMM is non-negotiable; you must give your joints
what they need to do the things you enjoy.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 60 [Link]

Your journey it is going to feel really challenging, so reduce your reps and use
the regressed versions of everything as often as you can! It’ll be better for you
to do 5x SMM sessions of 1-4 reps of each regression per week, rather than
1x “full” SMM session that takes you 90 minutes that leaves you wrecked for 3
days afterwards and feeling worse than ever.

There’s a lot of power in being consistent with the same things again and again,
if you were doing a programme with 100’s of different exercises spread over 4
different weeks where you could skip the ones you don’t really like… it’s nearly
impossible to make progress! You want to face your demons every session,
even if you need to use the most colourful language known to man to get
through the Side Plank Marches, that is ok, at least you’re working on them!

My personal rule is I’m allowed to moan as much as I want IF I’m working on

fixing the thing that’s upsetting me, if I’m not working on it, then I’m not allowed
to moan!

If it was easy, it wouldn’t be worth doing, and you always have more to gain from
the things you CAN’T DO, not the things you already can. If you don’t challenge
your body you don’t make change.

Scenario 4:
Your tests are 7+ with only minor improvements to make.

Woohoo! You’re already pretty Flong & pretty Sexible! This is a testament to the
training & mobility you’ve already been doing!

At this stage a lot of the corrections are very subtle. It’ll be important to take the
time to film yourself doing all the movements to see how you look doing them
and to use the cheat sheets to make sure you feel the right areas as you work
on them.

You’re looking to really increase your coordination & muscle awareness with all
the exercises, for example, when you go into a Single Leg Deadlift you want to
immediately feel awesome tension in your hamstring, feel stable, with your hips
loaded and core braced. No movement should leave you second guessing – you
want to KNOW you’re in the correct position and know you are strong there.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 61 [Link]

You can use SMM as an assessment & maintenance tool alongside your
training, checking your body left to right for tightness or imbalances creeping
in. It’s quite common for one side to stronger or more flexible than the other, for
you want to nip any issues in the bud before they become problematic!

SMM will become a great warm up or recovery session for you that can help you
get over any training tightness. Never forget that SMM is the basics of how your
body should move, try not to get distracted thinking there’s some secret magical
exercise out there you haven’t found yet! Complete body mobility is what you
want to have, maintain, and build on for life!

Scenario 5:
Tests & exercises change difficulty level randomly and nothing
makes any sense. Regular extreme pain mixed with periods of
feeling fine.

If this is you, I really feel for you. This was me during the height of my disc
injuries. You may also have disc injuries, nerve pain/impingement or other
chronic pain conditions.

Some days you feel great! Then something small or completely unknown will set
off a flare up. Some days stretching will help, other days stretching will make
you worse. The fear is the hardest part to overcome. The anticipation of pain
often causes you to tighten up more and therefore creates more pain.

There are a few ways we want to tackle your progress. First of all: learning
how to breathe! This may sound silly, but taking long, deep breaths with longer
exhales than your inhales genuinely can reduce pain. You may find as you do
SMM that you’re holding your breath or taking shallow breaths, so learning to
relax your shoulders down and do that big “f*ck it” exhale is extremely valuable.

Second is your adaptability. When you have bad days it’s so easy to feel
negative, like giving up or that nothing will ever change, but as long as you’re
doing something your pain will be temporary.

Learn to slow down, not quit. Learn to reduce rather than stop. Acknowledge
that slow, bodyweight movements aren’t likely to “cause more damage”, which
is often the fear we have in flare ups. Use the most basic regressions if you
need, only do 1 rep if that’s all you can tolerate right now… But do SOMETHING,
even on those worst days.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 62 [Link]

Through showing your body that your pain can be reduced by moving, relaxed
breathing, and making muscles feel strong you build dominance over it and how
it feels. Treat your pain as a separate entity that you’re trying to teach, don’t let
it dictate what you can and cannot do. There are thousands of people out there
with disc/structural injuries and no pain, there’s no reason why you can’t be
another one.

Please Note: if you’re feeling complete numbness, loss of joint function, extreme
sudden pain, or other serious symptoms then you need in-person medical attention!

But always keep in mind that, ultimately, only you can fix you. A doctor or physio
is only with you for a limited time. Building a strong foundation and not avoiding
the hard stuff is the only way you’ll make a long-term change.

Eventually, you want to find SMM easy. You want to be so strong that it’d be
unreasonable for your body to be in pain. It is by far the hardest thing I ever
did, and it may feel impossible when you’re at your worst, but take some time
to read SMM reviews or talk to people in the group who’ve been in the same
situation and have come out the other side. Pain is a lonely place, don’t let
yourself get lost inside your own head. Even if it takes a few years, it’s worth
every second of effort.

-------

The path to progress is never linear. How you approach a setback will dictate
your long-term progress. Even if you’re temporarily adjusting your practice,
you’re never going backwards! Consistently doing something, even a small
amount, will set you on the road to becoming Flong & Sexible for life.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 63 [Link]

The Motivation Station
Sometimes it can be hard to stick at something if you don’t have a
“why”, other than a vague desire to become better or pain-free.

Taking some time to write it down will give you something tangible, and on
those days when you don’t have energy or motivation, think back to this moment
when you set expectations for yourself which will drive you to keep consistent!

Many people believe (and hope) that motivation will always be there once you
start something, but the truth is it will come and go. Consistency can only
come from your own drive to do the hard things on the hard days.

At the start, I didn't enjoy doing mobility (I know, shocking!), but what kept me
going when I was in extreme pain was the thought of being able to hold & play
with my daughter when she was born. I didn't want the life of someone on daily
painkillers, telling their children that they can’t play because they’re too sore.

You don’t have to share this with anyone else, take your time, say each one out
loud & answer honestly to yourself.

1. What’s your dream outcome with SMM? 6. If you fall off your plan, what’s the max
amount of time you'll allow before restarting?

2. If you were motivating your best friend, how

often would you tell them to practice SMM? 7. Who or what is your drive behind wanting to
move & feel better? (Yourself is a valid answer)

3. How often will you promise yourself that

you’re going to practice SMM? (Realistically) 8. With no obstacles in your way, what would
your body be able to do this date next year?

4. Which day(s) & time(s) are you going to do

SMM, and why specifically those days/times? 9. If you ignore & avoid your issues now,
where will you be one year from now?

5. If your best friend fell off their plan, what’s

the max amount of time you’d allow them 10. Do you want the results of your dream
before restarting? outcome or your path of avoidance?

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 64 [Link]

Use your Motivation Station answers to complete this mission statement:

My dream outcome with SMM is to

This time next year I want to be able to

I am going to practice SMM on

If I get out of my SMM habit I'll allow myself

until I start again

I am putting in this effort & consistency with SMM for

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 65 [Link]

Progress Badges
Completed Your Completed Your Completed Your First
First Tests! First Session! 5 Sessions!

Date achieved: Date achieved: Date achieved:

Completed Your First Completed 50 Completed 100

8 Week Retest SMM Sessions SMM Sessions

Date achieved: Date achieved: Date achieved:

Completed 250 Follow Along with Self-Led SMM

SMM Sessions No Breaks (no Videos Needed)

Date achieved: Date achieved: Date achieved:

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 66 [Link]

Progress Badges

Did A Full SMM Did An Improvised Passed Deep Lunge Test

(No Regressions) Head to Toe (both sides)

Date achieved: Date achieved: Date achieved:

Touched Toes with Crossed Arm Overhead 30s Side Plank Leg Lift
Straight Legs Squat Below Parallel (both sides)

Date achieved: Date achieved: Date achieved:

10x Thoracic Bridge Press 10x Side Plank March 10x Unassisted Split
(both sides) (both sides) Squats (both sides)

Date achieved: Date achieved: Date achieved:

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 67 [Link]

Progress Badges

10x 90/90 Push Backs 10x SLDL - No Floor Taps Got Someone Else
(both sides) (both sides) to Start SMM

Date achieved: Date achieved: Date achieved:

Tried all 3 Bonus Shared a Win or

Exercises Before/After on FB

Date achieved: Date achieved:

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 68 [Link]

How to Have A Wiggle
Over the years I’ve noticed people’s strange desire to look for more and more
random or novel exercises because the things they’ve tried so far haven’t
worked fast enough. This is a major fast-track to nowhere & a flawed approach.

When you have a recurring, ongoing, or long term issue there’s usually very
simple things that you struggle with… and most likely you already know
what they are… and they should be your focus. Problem is, they’re often
uncomfortable, hard, or sometimes down-right near impossible. There’s a
reason why you don’t work on them: you’re bad at them and it’s just not fun.

That’s where “Having A Wiggle” comes in. A wiggle enables you to develop
things you struggle with by loosening the parameters of an exercise and
allowing you to spend more time doing it.

Start with SMM

This concept can be applied to any and all movements to improve your mobility
& stability but today we’re going to look at it in the context of SMM. Those
exercises work on all the directions your joints should move and are the best
exercises to spend time with - ESPECIALLY the ones you find challenging.

The very first step to Having A Wiggle is to narrow your focus, stop collecting
every exercise you see on the internet and bring yourself back to the basic
movement directions first. Re-evaluate what you struggle with in SMM: which
exercises do you love to skip? Which do you not quite feel in the right places?
These are the ones we’ll start with.

How to Use The Wiggle

As mentioned above, Having a Wiggle is simply about staying in a position
for longer and moving around, assisting yourself or challenging yourself, and
just basically getting curious. In this way, you’ll spend more time in a position
or exercise while actively engaging with the process… rather than just rushing
through reps, going through the motions without full benefits and concluding
you need something different.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 69 [Link]

For example, if you struggle to comfortably sit upright in the 90/90 position,
your internal or external hip rotation is lacking. BUT! Before you start Googling
more exercises for hip rotation, slow down: spending time in the thing you
struggle with (the 90/90) will improve it without any added extras.

90/90 Wiggles could look something like:

- Leaning up against a sofa or wall while moving your legs
- Use big, long, deep breaths as you move or hold a position
- Place hands on the floor & use your arms to move your torso around
- Using a generous lean backwards and switch your legs between sides
- Play with bringing your feet towards your body, then further away
- Use cushions or your own hands to lift your feet or knees
- Rock yourself forwards and backwards with or without your hands

You can easily accumulate 10+ minutes just by moving around and having a
wiggle, and by happy coincidence this extra time spent working on a weakness
will improve the muscles or restrictions.

Get Obsessive
When you find an SMM exercise challenging it’s great to get obsessive over it
for a while - think of as many ways as you can to move, improve and wiggle it!

Another example could be missing range in your Deep Lunge Test, so you can
try things like:

- Relax at your full range by putting your arm on a block or cushion

- While at the bottom take big, deep belly breaths
- Change your torso angle
- Rock your hips side to side or back & forth

Assist yourself, change angles, oscillate, move, and just spend time with it.

Back when I was really struggling I would have spent up to 20 minutes at a

time just trying to make a small improvement on the Deep Lunge, and I did that
with each SMM movement at different points over time as my body changed to
need different things.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 70 [Link]

Wiggles & Stability?!
Mobility movements aren’t the only place to have a Wiggle! The more stability-
focused movements, especially the single leg deadlifts, thoracic bridge presses
and the unassisted split squats will also benefit from this concept!

However, you can choose to use your wiggles for good or evil… and by that I
mean to make the exercises either easier or harder!

If you’re brand new to the movements and you find them very hard then you
can assist yourself and make a movement easier, for example giving yourself
a higher point to aim for on your Single Leg Deadlifts, or only doing a negative
Unassisted Split Squat then assisting yourself back up. This means you’re not
avoiding the hard stuff and still getting reps in.

Or, if you’re ok at the movements but aren’t feeling any benefits (or possibly hit
a plateau) then you can start to add fun things like pauses at different points,
slow negatives and different angles!

For example:
- Random 3s pauses as you do Split Squats
- Do Clockwork Single Leg Deadlifts, tapping different numbers on a
“clock face” on the floor rather than straight in front
- Do a 5-10 second Side Plank March rep

Anything you can think of that will challenge your body! Wiggling in ways like
this ensures you have full control of your body and the range of motion you’re
moving into. Until you can pause throughout the full range of a movement, you
don’t fully own it and potentially could be cheating with speed or momentum.

This especially applies to the Side Plank March: if you’re doing 10 marches per
side, can you do 10 with slow tempo and pauses?

If the answer is no, then there’s still more gains to be had!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 71 [Link]

Wiggle Your Neck!
While you’re slowing down and having a play, it is a fantastic opportunity to
CHECK YOUR NECK in all positions.

When learning a new movement, it’s incredibly common to hold tension in your
neck while your other bits are moving. Turning your head left and right to check
there is no tension is a great way to eliminate this, the elbow withdrawal lunges,
side plank march and thoracic bridge are three especially good ones to check!
Pause and see: can you move your head freely? If so, you know you’re using
your primary muscles and not compensating.

Keep Yourself Balanced

The Wiggle concept can also be applied when you keep noticing one of the
movements being slightly different on one side compared to the other.

For example, if you notice your Side Stretch on one side feels much tighter, you
may have a hiked hip or dropped shoulder (or both!), BUT there’s no need to
get obsessive and try to find some new exercise to address this, simply when
you’re doing the tighter side:

- Spend longer there

- Take some deep breaths
- Can you twist in a way that intensifies the stretch?
- Can you twist so that the stretch reduces?

Just by spending more attention & awareness on the extra restrictions, you will
even yourself up over time.

This was a very big one for me in 90/90 with my right leg forward, I would have
tripled the duration I spent on that side compared to left leg in front as it used
to be incredibly imbalanced.

It’s also great to record yourself on your phone to check how things look!
If you’re tighter on one side you may find yourself cheating in weird and
wonderful ways that you’re not aware of!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 72 [Link]

Get Wiggling!

So The Wiggle challenge to you is: pick the SMM movement(s) you struggle
with the most, use either the regression from this eBook or the full variation
and spend 10-20 minutes just on one exercise until you feel like you’ve made
progress.

You can add it into your schedule, or do it instead of SMM one day in a week.
This is the best use of your time, especially in your early SMM days, rather than
adding any other supplementary things.

If you don’t know which to pick, here’s some ideas based on your tests:

- If your balance tests aren’t great, spend time with the Single Leg
Deadlift

- If you struggle to get deep into your Crossed Arm Overhead Squat
spend time with Split Squats

- If you have persistent back, knee or hip pain, spend more time on
improving your 90/90 and/or Deep Lunge OR if they’re easy already,
pick the Side Plank March

Remember the full exercise list in order is always the main focus but spending
more time with the ones you find harder will help you progress further and
faster - it is completely worth the effort! You’ll improve your movement but also
your body awareness too, it’s much easier to make refinements when you just
focus on one thing at a time.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 73 [Link]

Super Simple Tricks to Keep
You Consistent
You knooooow you should be doing SMM and your knoooooww you feel
better afterwards… so why is it so hard to just do it some days?!

Sometimes life gets in the way, whether you’ve had a busy week, you’re
sore from normal training, or you’re just plain tired and can’t be bothered,
it can be tempting to just skip doing SMM... I mean, you can catch up at
the weekend, right?

But creating a consistent habit is the most beneficial way to make

progress! So here’s some super simple ways you can still do SMM, even
if you’re really not feeling like it:

Half Rep SMM

This is a really common technique for beginners and those short on time.
Simply do half the reps! Instead of 10 reps, do 5! You’ll get through the
routine in half the time!

People sometimes do two half rep sessions per day, one in the morning
and one again in the evening.

Not only will it help keep you consistent, but you can throw in a few extra
reps on the exercises you’re struggling with and still be under time!

Even if this is how you do SMM a lot, I still recommend doing the full
routine at least once per week. The higher reps will increase your
endurance on some of the exercises which is just as important as hitting
the positions!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 74 [Link]

1-Rep Method
I love this method for those days where you just feel “meh”. Those days
where you’re having that internal argument about wanting to do something
but also can’t be bothered moving.

Say to yourself: “I’m going to do 1 rep of each exercise” ...That’s it!

Get down in front of your sofa and do 1x Couch Stretch Reach per side.
1x Glute Bridge, 1x Single Leg Glute Bridge per side, etc.

If you do the whole routine like that – cool! You did something at least! But
I bet you that once you’re down and starting to move you’ll feel like doing
more than just 1 rep.

As you can imagine, this is a very short-term strategy just for crappy days,
and I definitely don’t recommend doing SMM like this all the time!

5+ Minute Head to Toe

Depending on the type of person you are, you could love doing the same
routine all the time. You know what you’re doing, easily track your progress
and you can build confidence with all the movements.

Or, you could find it a bit boring and repetitive.

So if you’re feeling like avoiding SMM because you’re a bit bored, then in
steps the Head to Toe mobility principle we show you earlier in the ebook.

This is something we recommend doing anyway, daily if possible! But it’s

also a really nice substitute for SMM if you’re feeling like skipping it.

Set a timer for however long you’ve got – 5, 10, 15, 20... even 30 minutes!
And just start moving! You at least have all the SMM movements to play
with, but you’ll also know other stretches & movements from your other
training or things you’ve seen on our YouTube channel. We also have an
entire playlist of Follow Alongs that you could do with us!

Getting moving & “in tune” with how your body feels, what feels good, what
you struggle with etc can take place outside of SMM too, so the odd free-
flowing mobility session is a great idea to throw in every now and again.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 75 [Link]

The Setback Protocol
Along your mobility journey there are a few of you that will have an
unobstructed path, be totally fine and make consistent progress. This is
often the case if you have a good training background and don’t struggle
with many of the exercises in your initial tests.

For some of us however it is totally normal to see a few setbacks along the
way, and that is an incredibly important thing to remember – IT IS NORMAL!

My Setbacks
To use myself as an example, when recovering from my back injury I had
3 major setbacks along the way alongside many little ones (by the way
this was before I developed SMM and was a big inspiration for how it was
eventually designed).

I thought I was right back to square one and my thought processes were
immediately trying to protect me – I began feeling like I wanted to give
up completely and thought I would never be fixed. At those times the
90/90 position was completely unattainable to me and even attempting
a side plank would have seen me in tears, my single leg balance was also
incredibly bad on my right side.

Jenni’s Setbacks
Jenni had multiple setbacks due to her hypermobility issues, often seeing
her having to avoid certain movements (sometimes for weeks at a time)
until her pain subsided, then she could only focus on the stability elements
from SMM and move slowly.

Having too much flexibility that you need to build control is a huge uphill
battle, and one that is very hard to get right without making multiple
mistakes by accident. You can feel totally fine and be struck down out of
the blue because a joint decided to not hold itself in place for no reason.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 76 [Link]

What You Can Do
The main thing to remember that is unless you felt a pop, snap or were
doing something loaded with a lot of weight which you knew was too much
for you, then most aches, pains, dull sensations, stabbing sensations - even
nerve pains - are your body going through an adjustment period and NOT
moving is one of the worst things to do.

But, when this happens, people who were making progress with everything
can understandably feel totally disheartened and give up again, which
ultimately ruins their own progress.

Overcoming setbacks/flare ups/old injuries is a learnable skill and you can

use SMM to teach yourself to have more dominance and confidence with
your body.

Here are some steps you can follow to overcome a setback using SMM!

Step 1: Admit There’s Been A Whoopsie – But That’s Ok

Sometimes, you’ll get sore and know that it’s not serious and after a couple
of days you’ll be fine… But, sometimes, you know something has been
pushed too far… you’ve felt this before and it comes with that awful mix of
fear and frustration.

Firstly, if you feel like it’s very serious and you’re not confident enough to
try moving straight away then book in with a physiotherapist or doctor to
get yourself through the initial pain period - and DO NOT try to attach a new
label to what’s “wrong” with you! Nothing is wrong, you have just had what I
like to call a “whoopsie”.

If your mind starts running through a list of scenarios and possible

conditions that you’d never normally think, remind yourself that pain
is simply your brain’s way of protecting you and that it’s probably been
triggered by something you weren’t even aware of.

When you are sore, you are the worst person to listen to and irrational
thoughts will come out of nowhere to try and stop you moving.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 77 [Link]

Step 2: Question Your Pain
Is it truely a dangerous pain? Or is it the muscles fearing a certain direction/
position and tightening up as you move?

1. Take a deep breath in for 5 seconds & exhale for 5 seconds.

2. Repeat this 3 times.
3. Switch to a curious mindset: you want to explore what’s going on!
4. Slowly, try the movement(s) that hurts you, breathing slowly & deeply.
5. Try moving in a similar ways & different directions and see how the
sensation changes.

The memory of how bad your pain used to be, or knowledge of what can
happen, will cause a freak out, which ultimate makes everything worse. If
you can slow yourself down and take the time to assess what you’re feeling,
you could potentially deal with something in the same day rather than it
becoming a nagging sensation for a week or more.

Step 3: Use Regressions

Next, we want to do a very easy session of SMM both to get you moving
again and to potentially find a sudden weakness that’s popped up.

Go through each of the SMM regression examples in the ebook, it doesn’t

matter if you can normally do Side Plank Marches for days or Your Thoracic
Bridge Press is so pretty it’s your profile picture - regress everything right
to the easiest level to see if you find things challenging that you normally
wouldn’t. You can even do half the number of standard reps if you’re unsure.

Take notes for each one and compare them to how you normally feel.
Doing this will allow you to see and learn what has “switched off” for want
of a better phrase, and you can start to assign actual movements to your
problem and discover which ones you can spend more time with to get
things back to normal.

Exercises that you are struggling with now are going to be your ticket back
to recovery.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 78 [Link]

Step 4: Check if Moving Helped
This is another important thing to learn about your pain: what stage is it
at? Sometimes moving will aggravate it, so you need to rest initially, and
sometimes moving will relieve your pain (even if it’s temporary), so you can
take this as motivation right off the bat.

If you feel better, great! We did good! Now you want to keep an eye on how
long that relief lasts.

If / when it comes back, make a note of how long it was and then repeat the
same things that helped to make it feel better.

Over time, you should find that the length of time between flare ups will
start to increase. Not only does this set you on the path to recovery, but
also gives you confidence that you can “fix” yourself. You may even start to
notice triggers which “set off” your pain.

If things feel worse (or genuinely no better) than they did when you first
started, then that’s when you know this is still a time for rest and letting
your body deal with what’s happening. Come back to this step in a day or 2!

Step 5: Add Movement Breaks to You Day

This is it! This is your chance to stop a minor setback becoming a
major one.

If you need to do something every hour on the first day to keep pain at bay,
you do everything you can to make this happen! What’s the alternative? Stay
in pain?

By using what you’ve learned from the SMM regressions and timing your
relief periods, you can create a routine for yourself. The reps you do will be
dictated by how much time you have, but I’d recommend doing as many
reps as it takes to feel relief first thing in the morning and then last thing
before bed. For your other movement breaks throughout the day, simply do
as many as you can!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 79 [Link]

Your main goal is to get back to where you were at with all your SMM
movements before the setback as soon as you can. Adding some
extra movement breaks throughout the day will help you keep on top of
whatever it is potentially being knocked off or triggering things.

Having more dedicated movement breaks can also give you time to play.
For example, when Jenni recently had a back flare up, we did a 5 minute
discovery/exploration check while in the gym and found out that doing
Banded Pushing & Pulling Rotations really helped! She put a resistance
band on her stairs and whenever she was home, she’d make sure to go
and do some at regular intervals.

Step 6: Remember, You Are Fine and Will Be Fine.

Millions of people have gone through what you have right now, and they
are totally ok now, there is no reason why you can’t be the same.

The mind games that you will experience are the hardest thing to
overcome as your body just wants to protect you. What you need to keep
telling yourself is that you are fine, and it is “just a small setback”. Your
mental attitude towards it is just as important if not MORE important
than the physical stuff that you do. Start to notice things that your body
does that just aren’t helpful when you hurt something:

• You hold your breath

• You get anxious
• Your muscles tighten
• You’re reluctant to stand straight/straighten your leg/arm etc.
• You walk differently
• You shift yourself to avoid using or putting pressure on something

This is a massive thing to bear in mind when dealing with subtle shifts
& twists in your body when coming back from injury or pain: you don’t
want to let it settle in a twisted position! Use a mirror or your front
facing phone camera to keep doing visual assessments to stop any
compensations happening.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 80 [Link]

After injuries, we can sometimes keep this twist or compensation that
we develop to protect something. I’ve met people who had no idea of
how twisted they ended up for YEARS! That’s how you fall into the “I’m so
unlucky” trap and keep getting injured again and again.

All those things listed above are good defences by your body if something
is properly damaged (i.e. broken, torn, etc), but the likelihood of that is very
slim and those same defence mechanisms can cause you to be in pain for
weeks if you don’t address them.

By being able to calm yourself down, admit and face a more realistic
situation about your pain is a big step towards not letting your body treat
you like you’re made of glass. You want to teach it how to react better,
retraining pain is a skill you can learn and get better at with practice - think
of it like a game with your body, to see what things hurt, in what ways, and
how you can improve it through moving.

Over time this skill develops until you can take yourself from being scared
to move, to talking your body out of pain, which is pretty handy if you are
experience flare ups or pains regularly. Approaching setbacks like this will
mean you not only deal with them more quickly, but that over the years you
also develop enough body awareness to know when it’s being silly, and to
know exactly what to do about it when that happens.

Make no mistake! None of this protocol is easy, but it is extremely valuable

in your long-term your mobility and training development.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 81 [Link]

SMM & Hypermobility
Written by Jenni

What is Hypermobility?
Hypermobility Syndrome is a condition that affects your connective tissue and
can cause you to be “too flexible” in some or all of your joints.

Despite being a common syndrome, we don’t really know what causes it. The
leading idea is that the genes involved in collagen production are defective,
which would also help to explain why hypermobility appears to be genetic.
Defects in collagen, or other connective tissue proteins like elastin & fibrillin,
cause ligaments to be too lax and/or weak.

It’s a spectrum disorder, meaning the level of hypermobility ranges from a

single joint right up to all the connective tissue in your body – which can
include the tissues of your organs!

Many people can live with hypermobility and notice no negative effects, in fact,
they may never know they have it! Some people, such as musicians, dancers,
etc. may actively encourage extra flexibility past normal ranges to improve
their performance! But when hypermobility starts causing issues it becomes
Hypermobility Syndrome.

If you have a Hypermobility Syndrome your joints bend past their normal
ranges (more info on diagnosis below), which causes your joints to be more
flexible… but less stable. Despite a large amount of flexibility, joints and
muscles can surprisingly feel very stiff and will often have unexplained chronic
pain. It can be hard to build strength and can leave you very prone to injuries
– especially subluxations & dislocations. You can be quite uncoordinated,
lacking basic proprioception and stabilizing strength, prone to accidental
injuries like rolling your ankles.

It’s not all bad though, the extra flexibility can be very useful in certain
disciplines, as long as it’s combined with strength!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 82 [Link]

How Do You Know If You’re Hypermobile?
Hypermobility is very common (small scale studies have found up to 25% of
the population, or 1 in 4 people, exhibit joint hypermobility in the West) but as
mentioned earlier, people can happily live their life with bendy elbows, bendy
thumbs or funny party tricks without ever knowing or having any problems.

However, as it edges towards syndrome, Joint Hypermobility Syndrome (JHS)

can present these symptoms:
- Multiple joints extending past normal ranges
- Pain in joints
- Frequent joint & ligament injuries (e.g. dislocations & sprains)
- Joint & muscle stiffness
- Fatigue & tiredness (even after rest)
- Poor balance, co-ordination and/or proprioception
- Clicking joints
- Prone to dizziness & fainting
- Thin or stretchy skin

The Beighton Score

There’s a common (though often criticised) test called the Beighton Score,
which tests 5 different areas of your body for hypermobility. Give it a go!

Give yourself:
1 point if you can place your palms on the ground
/1
while standing with straight legs (without a warm up!)

1 point for each elbow that overextends when your

/2
arm’s straight

1 point for each knee that overextends when standing

/2
with straight legs

1 point for each thumb that can touch your forearm

/2
with a bent wrist

1 point for each little finger that bends backwards

past 90 degrees /2

Total score out of 9: /9

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 83 [Link]

 Now, tick any that apply:

Major Criteria:

4 or more on the Beighton Score (either now or in the past)

Had joint pain longer than 3 months in 4 or more joints

Minor Criteria:

1-3 on the Beighton Score (or 0-3 if you’re over 50)

Had joint pain for longer than 3 months in up to 3 joints / back pain for
longer than 3 months / spinal arthritis / spondylolisthesis

Dislocation or partial dislocation (subluxation) of more than 1 joint, or the

same joint more than once

Had 3 or more soft tissue injuries, such as tenosynovitis or bursitis

Have abnormal skin (e.g. thin and/or stretchy)

Have eye-related symptoms (e.g. droopy eyelids or short-sightedness)

Have varicose veins, a hernia, or prolapse

You may have JHS if you have any of the following:

a. Two major criteria
b. One major + two minor criteria
c. Four minor criteria
d. Two minor criteria + a close relative (e.g. parent) with JHS

This is not a medical diagnosis, simply an indicator!

A full assessment would take more factors into account and would assess
you more thoroughly, so if you’re concerned or curious, then I highly
recommend talking to you Doctor!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 84 [Link]

How To Train If You’re Hypermobile
One of the best ways to deal with hypermobility is to keep active, though that
sometimes can be difficult especially when you often face injury after injury,
setback after setback. You can’t compare yourself to others and you cannot
train the same as the majority of the population, or else you’ll put yourself at
risk of injury.

Stretching
For one thing, you probably don’t need to stretch in the traditional sense! Most
people you meet will be very jealous of your flexibility, and in classes or sports
teams you’ll probably be surrounded by people having to do a lot of stretching
and mobility work… problem is if you’re part of that group then you’ll spend a
lot of time stretching too, which is exactly the opposite of what you need.

This isn’t to say you can’t stretch, we always gravitate to what we’re good
at, so hypermobility people are often found at yoga classes or getting great
satisfaction being the lowest/deepest/most bendy person in a room. However,
instead of passively holding a stretch, try to find a way to make it active!

This means:
- Not relying on the floor, wall or anything else to hold you in position
- Trying to hold yourself in place under your own power

This could be achieved by:

- Taking your hands off the floor
- Doing reps/pulses near your end range of motion
- Even just trying to generate tension (i.e. squeeeeeeeze) as much as
you can when you’re in your end ranges!

Lifting Weights
Lifting weights is THE BEST thing you can do to get all the benefits of
hypermobility while reducing the drawbacks. But, as you might expect, you
should approach it in a slightly different way to “normal” people.

Don’t shy away from heavy weights, one rep maxes or anything at all that you
enjoy, but make sure you’re also working on things like:

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 85 [Link]

Tempo Reps: Slowing down certain parts of a movement to build maintain
control through a full range of motion (can be combined with isometrics)
e.g. Tempo squats: 3 seconds down, 3 seconds in the bottom (Active!
Don’t just relax!) then explosively drive up

Isometric Holds: Pausing a weighted (or unweighted) movement at certain

points to challenge stability and/or end range strength (can be combined with
tempo)
e.g. Isometric Overhead Holds: Press 2 dumbbells overhead and hold
them there for 10-15 seconds. Bonus, walk with them overhead!

Full Range of Motion Reps: Literally going as far as you can into a certain
movement to start building strength there (Caution: This one should be done
with light weights!)
e.g. Deep Split Squats: Lower yourself down as low as you can go in a deep
split squat (can use tempo & an iso hold at the bottom) and press back up
while maintaining good posture

Partial Range of Motion Reps: Reducing the range of motion of a rep to build
more strength in safer ranges/weak areas
e.g. Box Squats: Squat down to a box (without relaxing onto it while
focusing on generating and maintaining tension throughout)

Light weight, high rep accessory work: Lots and lots of reps of every joint
exercise you knooow you should do but always suspiciously forget about. All
to build strength and stability!
e.g. Dumbbell Shoulder Rotations: Sets of 10 with a light weight, making
sure to eliminate swinging/momentum

Overall, I recommend lots of dumbbell/kettlebell exercises which will allow you

maximum movement (and therefore maximum stability!), while also reducing
the chance of compensation or one side getting unbalanced.

Resistance bands will also be your friend! They are great for warm ups and
high rep cool downs. Their wobbliness and increasing tension adds the exact
elements you need to build end range strength.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 86 [Link]

Sport/Running/etc.
Sport or anything high intensity doesn’t need to be avoided! But you DO need
to make sure you’re doing the accessory work (like some of the weights ideas
above) to allow your body to cope.

Where your peers need to be doing their stretching at home, you need to be
doing your stability stuff, e.g:

• If you love running or your sport involves a lot of footwork then you
need to be doing lots of balance, single leg hops, and other ankle/
knee/hip stability at home.

• If you’re also getting in a lot of upper body work, handstands, CrossFit,

racket sports etc. then your shoulders need to be getting regular
dumbbell shoulder rotations, hanging rotations, retractions and other
shoulder stability/scapular control exercises.

There will be times where you can’t keep up with those around you as a
result of hypermobility, but you need to remember to play the long game. One
session where you push yourself too far can set you back for months, because
unfortunately hypermobility can also mean you take a long time to heal.

Remember that you’re different and that some days you just have to stop and
sit out. It’s frustrating, but you can do some single leg balance while you wait…!

How to use SMM with Hypermobility

SMM is designed to build a foundation for any body, and this includes bodies
with hypermobility too!

If you’re hypermobile, you may pass the Deep Lunge Test with flying colours,
90/90s won’t be so bad and reaching straight overhead doesn’t feel like a big
deal at all! You still shouldn’t skip the flexibility-angled exercises that you might
find very easy, instead use them as a nice morale boost before the struggle…
which for me is the entire second half of SMM.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 87 [Link]

You may find that you struggle to activate your glutes in the glute bridges and/
or 90/90 pushbacks, side plank marches might be nearly impossible, and the
deep split squats are stuff of nightmares.

There is no easy way to get round this, these are just our weaknesses as
people with lax/weak joints, the same way that some will struggle with getting
their elbow to the floor.

The best advice is to use the regressions from earlier in the ebook and make
sure to keep an eye on your technique. If you’re hypermobile it’s even more
important to video yourself to check you’re not compensating somehow with
your flexibility and that your technique is good – remember how it can cause
a lack of awareness/proprioception? What you think you’re doing and what
you’re actually doing might be two completely different things!

Move slowly and throughout you want to focus on generating tension, not
just relaxing into your joints. Imagine you’re pushing yourself up and away
from the ground in the Side Plank Marches, or lifting your chest high in the
side stretches - strive to make every movement look deliberate, with no extra
wobbles or compensations.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 88 [Link]

Pain & Mobility Training
Pain is one of the hardest things to quantify.

Some of us can push through when they should be getting serious help…
and some of us catastrophically decide it’s the end of the world when
something’s a bit nippy…!

It’s so hard to know what’s “normal” or “bad”, you only have your own life
experiences to go by, with no way of knowing how someone else feels or
interprets pains.

Of course, there’s always a chance of random injuries, accidents, or sudden

falls, but if your mobility is limited, you’re going to experience pain at some
point from lack of movement, weakness, or instability. On the flip side, as
you start to work on your mobility there’s a chance of pain as you adjust to
a new range of movement you’re not used to.

Pain can hinder or even halt your progress. As you try to implement mobility
work into your life there can be a lot of discomfort and/or soreness for a
few days, it’s common to think that this means the mobility work is bad or
“causing more damage”, but these ‘settling in pains’ are actually normal!

We have a tendency to jump into things with both feet, which usually means
we do too much too soon! If you find yourself in more pain, you need to
learn to slow down rather than give up. There’s always a back and forth as
you learn what’s too much, what’s not enough, and what’s just right!

This Goldilocks standard will change as your journey progresses; what’s too
much for you now will be too little for you in future, or during a flare up your
current ‘just right’ might temporarily be too much.

Having expectations of what you “should” be able to do is the biggest

demotivation. Life is pretty hard to navigate at the best of times, and stress,
nutrition & sleep all play a part in how you feel. A manageable ache on a
good day can feel like a never-ending unbearable pain on a bad day. Never
be too hard on yourself or punish yourself for making your sessions easier
for a week or two.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 89 [Link]

As a general rule, the first time you start pushing your flexibility you’re going
to feel muscle soreness the day after, you’ll might even feel stiffer than
you did before! But you shouldn’t be feeling anything past a 3-4 on the Pain
Scale (on the next page) and moving should help lessen the stiffness.

If you try moving and it doesn’t ease after ten minutes, then you know you
did too much (so reduce in your next session) or if you’re totally fine and
don’t feel anything then you know you can do a little more the next time!

Similarly, if you’re building stability (more than flexibility) you want your
muscles to feel ‘worked’, but as with the flexibility increases, you shouldn't
feel pain past a 3/4 on the Pain Scale, and it should lessen with movement.
If it’s more intense or very focused in one joint then you know you need to
regress the SMM drills as you aren’t quite ready to go fully unassisted!

When I first started training mobility I was frequently and 3-4, often creeping
up to 5-7 mark if I pushed a bit too far. While this is normal for a one off
“oops pushed a bit too much!” day, you shouldn’t just accept living with
pain! Make sure you take action, adapt what you’re doing, reassess your
technique, or ask for help in the SMM group.

I now live around a 1-2 and haven’t been anywhere near the higher numbers
in a very long time - you too can definitely reach that point with SMM.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 90 [Link]

The Pain Scale
Use this scale to judge the pain you’re feeling & as a guide to what action you
should take. Just remember, this is not medical advice! If you’re unsure always
seek professional medical help.

Typical exercise stiffness (DOMS or tiredness)

1 Nothing to worry about, train as normal

Something feels a bit tighter than normal

2 Have a wiggle, walk it off

Familiar aches & pains that hang around

3 Normal SMM practice

Really stiff, limited movement. Uncomfortable to move certain ways

4 Normal SMM practice + move intermittently throughout the day

Something feels like it’s “catching” or nipping

5 Try SMM movements slowly & see if pain reduces. Repeat multiple times in the day

Something’s really sore. Constantly aware of it & can’t do normal tasks

6 Move gently with regressed SMM movements and see if pain reduces

Something hurts, to the point of feeling sick when you move it

7 Complete rest, 3 days max for improvement, if not then in person guidance

Something's not moving right. Loss of strength, very painful & affects your sleep
8 See a Physiotherapist, or other in-person professional guidance

Something made a noise. Swelling, extreme discomfort & no ability to bear load
9 See a Doctor for in-person medical guidance

Something's not moving, in the wrong place, and/or causing extreme pain even
10 when it's not moving or bearing load
Hospital immediately!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 91 [Link]

The Language of Pain
Pain is your body trying to tell you something - that it's scared, that something's
weak, something's tight, or something's damaged. It's not always a bad thing.
It's like information or clues to push you to get curious & try to understand
what's happening in your body (though it's not always easy to be so positive!).

Here's some questions you can ask yourself to bring curiosity to your pain.
They're not going to fix it, but the more information you have the better you can
either create a recovery plan, or communicate your pain to a professional!

Where is The Pain? Does it hurt constantly or with movement?

This feels like a silly question, but really focus on Does a specific movement trigger the pain? Or
exactly where the pain is. Not "shoulder" or "back", is it constant? Maybe the pain lasts a few days
move yourself slowly or massage the area and after a certain movement trigger?
discover: where is the pain?
Can you replicate the pain in a controlled &
What Type of Pain Is It? safe way?
'Pain' covers so many sensations, try to define Without causing harm or intense pain, are you
what you're feeling the best you can, using these able to isolate a specific movement or position
example words or your own: that triggers the feelings?

Aching Hesitating Stabbing

(anticipating) Can you move around it? Are there similar
Burning Punishing
Nervy
movements that don’t hurt?
Cramping Cruel
Numb E.g. maybe bending straight forwards hurts
Dull Tender
Sharp your back, but bending sideways then rotating
Exhausting Tearing
forwards is ok? Or lifting your arm straight up
Gnawing Shooting Throbbing
hurts, but going out to the side then up is ok?
Heavy Sickening Tingling
Hot Splitting Tiring
After moving, does the pain improve?
Assuming you don't have a broken bone or torn
Have you felt it before?
something, try some gentle movements using the
Is this a recurring pain? A site of an old injury
area of pain. How does it feel the next day?
or trauma? Could it be a psychological reaction,
calling back old pains to protect your body?

Pain is best treated in-person by a professional. This quick guide is not intended
as medical advice. Seek help from a medical professional if you’re in pain.

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 92 [Link]

Technical Support
How to View SMM Videos on your Smart TV
Internet Browser
Use the Internet Browser on your TV to navigate to our
website. On your TV, make sure to click the 'Smart TV
compatible' link in your dashboard to view the videos!

Cast / Mirror
If you have compatible devices you can mirror your phone
onto your Smart TV e.g. SmartView (Samsung) or Airplay (Apple). For
instructions specific to your device, check the manufacturers website.

HDMI Cable
If you have a laptop with a HDMI port & a cable then you can plug your device
into your TV directly to mirror everything on screen up to your TV.

'Web Video Cast' app

You can download apps from the Apple store or Google Play Store that allow
you to Cast from your phone to a Smart TV. Try searching for 'Web Video Cast'

How to Record Your SMM Videos

We highly recommend videoing yourself during the
tests & the exercises for feedback & it's very useful for
tracking progress when you compare new & old videos!

1. Prop your phone up on a water bottle or whatever's

handy (use a chair/table if you need extra height!)
2. Set your camera to video mode & press record,
using the rear facing camera (Try a test video to
check you're in shot!)
3. Watch the videos back, taking screenshots if needed, & make notes based on
not only what you felt, but also what you can see!

No Printer? How to Take SMM Notes

If you don't have a printer for the worksheets, you can use your phone, a
notebook or download the Digital Worksheet from the Downloads section!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 93 [Link]

Technical Support

Add a Homescreen Shortcut on your Phone

Android/Chrome
1. Tap the 3 dots to 2. Tap 'Add to Home 3. Rename if you like! 4. Your shortcut is
bring up the menu screen' in the menu Then Tap 'Add' now on your phone!

iPhone/Safari
1. Tap the menu icon 2. Tap 'Add to Home 3. Rename if you like! 4. Your shortcut is
at the bottom Screen' in the menu Then Tap 'Add' now on your phone!

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 94 [Link]

What Next?
So, you want more, ey? No problem!

Once you’ve got the exercises of SMM nailed, it’s great to explore your
body further!

The best way to do that is to start adding more strength to your new
ranges, challenging different joint angles & body positions.

For that, we have Stability Builder - your next step!

Stability Builder™
Stability Builder is your next step from The Simplistic Mobility Method.
Once you have your foundation, Stability Builder will build on those
principles further, giving you follow along workouts that build joint and
core strength & stability. Everything you need for an unbreakable body, all
in one place!

Like SMM, Stability Builder is adaptable to all movement levels, so no

matter where you are on your fitness or recovery journey, you’ll get loads
of benefits.

All you need is a resistance band and a weight to hold, even a bottle of
water will do! It’s the most efficient stability accessory program around.

For more info, check out [Link]

or send us an email on support@[Link]

The Simplistic Mobility Method ® 95 [Link]

THANK YOU &
GOOD LUCK!
We hope that SMM can give you back
something you thought you might have
lost, granted you a new lease of life in your
training or by finally allowing you to live
pain free.

We really love to hear (& see!) your progress! So if you haven’t already,
join our Facebook Group by searching The Simplistic Mobility Method
on Facebook and share with us your tests/retests, your progress, and
your questions!

- Tom & Jenni

 The Simplistic Mobility Method®
© Tom Morrison 2018

First Published 2018

Second Edition 2019
Third Edition 2020
Fourth Edition 2021
Fifth Edition 2022
Sixth Edition 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing or Tom Morrison Ltd, or as expressly
permitted by law, or under terms agreed with appropriate reprographics rights organisation. Enquires concerning
reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to support@[Link]

ISBN 978-1-8381786-0-4

You must not circulate this e-book using any other cover or name.

This e-book is only sold, and therefore can only be purchased, from Tom Morrison via [Link], if you
have purchased it from any other person or website please get in contact with us on support@[Link]

Disclaimer: The information contained in this e-book is presented to improve movement, not treat medical conditions.
This information is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment of specific medical conditions. If you feel any pain stop
immediately. If in doubt, always seek the advice of your Doctor.