Don't Skip Mobility Day!
Whether it is a leg day or any other workout day, for that matter, 9 times out of 10, you do not want to miss it for any reason. The same goes for mobility day. Just because it is the easiest workout of the week doesn't mean it is not the most important one! I have found these mobility days to be truly life-changing. They are that important to me anyway.
About 7 years ago (at age 45), I actually thought I might have to give up running as my hips, lower back, feet, and knees were in near-constant achy pain. Nothing debilitating, but always hurting and it took a long time to warm up for any workout. I decided to turn a longer run day into a non-impact day and mix in some stretching and foam rolling regularly. I came up with the 5-minute on / 5-minute off cardio/stretch routine that now looks like this:
Repeat 5 times
5 minutes of non-impact cardio
5 minutes of stretching, foam rolling, or massage tool
I left the gym feeling great and started adding it in the middle of my week as well as on Sundays (my day off). Man was that perfect!. And I never gave up running, but I am running lighter (less than 200lbs) and focused on staying mobile and lighter on my feet.
It has evolved just a little by adding in more tools as well as adding in a session of swimming immediately after. The swim session is more of a technique based training session that mixes in treading, stroke technique, as well as other pool skills like drownproofing.
Here are some of our tools of the mobility day:
HyperVolt, Ryobi Orbital Car Buffer, massage balls, foam roller, hard plastic half balls to help work out any knots that are not loosening with just stretching.
After the 50 minute session above, we like to cooldown in the pool with some technique swim for 10-15 minutes, treading water for 10 minutes, then doing all the dynamic stretches you can think of in chest deep water for 5-10 minutes.
PS - if you do not have a pool, cool down with an easy walk but mix in some light stretches and dynamic movements as above.
After all of this, you will feel glorious! Like I said, if you listen to NOTHING I recommend and just do this once a week, you will notice a huge difference in your life, pain and stress levels.
Now is the time to take a hard look at this if you prefer to stretch in the comfort of your home or want to build up so you can maybe one day join a local yoga class. Remember - fitness is a journey and so is flexibility and mobility. It takes time, consistent effort, but is really not that difficult. Learn the foundation of flexibility/mobility with this weekly program..
Now Our Week Looks Like...
Monday - Upper body / Run / Swim
Tuesday - Lower body / run or ruck / swim with fins
Wednesday - Upper body day again / Run / Swim (Higher Reps)
Thursday - Mobility Day / Tread / Swim / Pool Skills
Friday - Sand Beach Run / Leg Day / Swim with fins
Saturday - Upper body mixed with Trail / Obstacle Runs
Many of my programs below have similar split routines in them, but depending on the week, we may move Mobility Day to Wednesday (just depends on how we feel). Most of the days will end in a cooldown activity where we actually do just two sets of the mobility day and call it the Mini-Mobility Cooldown:
Repeat 2 times
Cardio 5 minutes easy
Stretch, foam roll, massage tool 5 minutes
Try our Basketball Court Yoga Video!
Don't Stop in Your 40s-50s and Beyond!
I have a Full Series for 40 and Over - About when things feel like falling apart. These programs can make a life-changing difference.
There is More To StewSmithFitness.com than You May Know
Dive deeper into the world of Tactical Athlete training and mental toughness by exploring Stew Smith Fitness Programming for the Tactical Athlete online store. Uncover the strategies and techniques used by elite forces to push past physical and mental barriers. Visit StewSmithFitness.com now and equip yourself with the tools for success in many special ops-level selection programs in the military and police world.
Here is a list of what we do at StewSmithFitness.com
Who is Stew Smith? Coach, Trainer, Author, Podcaster
I'm the former Navy SEAL that special ops candidates go to for books, ebooks and online coaching to prepare themselves to get to and through intense tactical assessment and selection programs and qualify for service in their chosen tactical profession. See More at StewSmithFitness.com
Core Mission
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Tactical Fitness Training For the Candidate / Recruit: Specializing in preparing individuals for military, special ops, law enforcement, and firefighter selection programs (getting you "TO and THROUGH" training).
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Functional Training for Both Active Duty / Recruits: Utilizing a seasonal tactical fitness periodization system that balances longer workouts of running/rucking, swimming, and calisthenics during the Spring/Summer when days are longer. Then, the focus shifts in the Fall/Winter to lifting (Cals/cardio maintenance) when the days are shorter/colder. This process has 25 years of proven success building tactical athletes who improve in all areas of fitness: strength, power, speed, agility, endurance, muscle stamina, mobility, flexibility, and grip.
- Becoming an Asset for All Types: Even non-tactical athletes want to be of use in situations that require some level of fitness to get through the day. Be an asset, not a liability, in potentially dangerous situations, whether natural or man-made. Fitness can be a common denominator in successfully enduring life-or-death scenarios.
Specific Programs & Courses
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The Ageless Athlete (Fitness Over 50): A 22-week program designed for beginners to advanced trainees looking to regain fitness, flexibility, and energy.
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Tactical Fitness Over 40: After training people for over 25 years now, many who started with me in the early 2000s are now in their 40s and beyond. Learning how to shift training to remain an asset while also offering longevity, flexibility, and mobility is central to this 52-week program. (4-part series)
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Tactical Fitness Course: An 80-minute course on preparing for Spec Ops selection, getting TO and THROUGH the toughest military special ops’ programs using this two-phase system.
Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization - A 25 Year proven system to become a tactical athlete. What is Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization?
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The Never Quit Mindset Book and Course: The "Never Quit Mindset" book and course are a deep dive into building constructive habits that incrementally improve discipline, build mental toughness, and foster a Never Quit Mindset in anything you want to do.
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Specialized Workout Plans: Specific, tailored programs for Navy SEAL (Phases 1-4), SWCC, Army (SF/Ranger/Airborne), USMC MarSOC / (RECON), Air Force (PJ/CCT), Coast Guard, Law Enforcement (FBI/DEA/FLETC), Fire Fighter, and general fitness too for beginners and advanced athletes alike.
Resources and Content
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Extensive Content Library: Over 1,000 free articles, 200+ podcasts, and social media content (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram) featuring Spec Ops swim critiques and LIVE QA sessions.
- FREE Local Training for those preparing to serve! Check out HeroesofTomorrow.org for our location and schedule.
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NEW SKOOL.com Tactical Fitness Community
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Educational Materials: Over 40 options for eBooks, videos, printed books, podcasts (200+), and online video courses.
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Apps: Pushup Push, Pullup Push, FBI workout, and Navy SEAL exercise apps (iPhone/Android).
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LIVE QA Sessions Each Week: Monday and Tuesday, 9 am EST on social media platforms (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook) and Skool.com Tactical Fitness community.
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Online Coaching: Personalized programming based on specific goals, equipment, and your time availability.
- Membership Site: Access to hundreds of weeks of training, unpublished workouts, and exclusive content, weekly newsletter sent to subscribers with the week's latest articles, videos, and workouts (beginner/intermediate, and advanced special ops prep workouts).
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Extensive Content Library: Over 1,000 free articles, 200+ podcasts, and social media content (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram) featuring Spec Ops swim critiques and LIVE QA sessions.
Discover the Secret to Unlocking Your Best Health After 50 (latest program developed)
As you cross the wonderful milestone of 50, you might find that your body doesn’t quite bounce back the way it used to. You’re not alone in this—many men and women in your age group are searching for ways to revive their fitness levels without feeling overwhelmed. That’s where longtime coach and fitness writer Stew Smith’s newest book, "The Ageless Athlete: Fitness Over 50," comes into play. This book may just be the spark you need to ignite your fitness journey.
Truth is, there are people over 60 and 70 doing this workout. Even the advanced section. It works and will help you progress from beginner to intermediate to advanced.
Remember, as you age, your training needs to adapt.
Have you been thinking about getting back in shape but don’t know where to start?
Imagine waking up each day with more energy, flexibility, and the drive to embrace life head-on. Stew Smith, a seasoned fitness expert with 56 years of experience, has crafted a program specifically for guys like you—men who may feel overwhelmed by fitness options or unsure what’s suitable for their age. With his 22-week plan tailored to beginners, intermediates, and advanced practitioners, you will find exactly what you need to suit your current fitness level.
New Tactical Fitness Training Course!
Getting TO the training does not guarantee you get THROUGH the training. Learn about the two phases of tactical fitness you need to develop thoroughly before getting to BUDS. Check out the Online Course - Getting TO and THROUGH Special Ops Selection.
Training is What We Do:
Need Programming for Fitness Tests and Beyond? We are all about getting you TO and THROUGH your future training program. See how that works.
When you start training again, consider the seasonal tactical fitness model. I call it A WAY to train and obviously not the only way to train. But it offers the opportunity to never neglect your weaknesses, improves flexibility and mobility, and puts you at a level of physical ability where you are happy with your overall ability to do just about anything. We have a system where the seasons dictate our training. When it is nicer outside, we tend to run and do more calisthenics. When it is colder and not so nice, we lift more, run less, and still maintain our outdoor activities with shorter runs and rucks. Check it out: Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization System.
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Online Coaching is Available with Stew Smith Fitness - Weekly Workouts created personally for you.
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2 comments
Jim – if you try this version you may find a healthy balance of nonimpact (bike) cardio and stretching. My mobility day is a mix of a spin class and a yoga class without too much of either AND broken up every 5 minutes. Give it a try and see how you feel. I mix in stretching, foam rolling, and massage tools during the 5 minute mobility sessions throughout the workout. THEN get into some water and really feel the benefits of zero gravity movement.
I am a retired Army/Army National Guard guy (age 73}. I struggle to walk. I can still do 30 to 50 miles on my bike. However, due to weather conditions, I opted for hiking in soft terrain. I gradually increased my walkability from 30 minutes hobbling to 2 hours with increased pace and distance. All was going well. Suddenly. I can barely walk. I have previously had severe sciatica and continue to do the recommended exercises for it, except for the ones that hurt. Maybe, I have just excessively over yogatized. I have my annual Medicare checkup within the next ten days. I was still running a 7 minute mile at nearly age 58 and doing 5ks and occasional century bike rides into my mid 60s. I now improvise with doing modified pushups, deep knee bends and knee rotations as I work my way up the staircase to bedtime. This, along with a microvaveable heating pad gives me pain free sleep. One leg is shorter than the other, and I do have arthritus in the knees, hip and lower back. How do I recover or compensate? Your advice would be appreciated. I do not take pain relievers. They either do not work or I have adverse reactions to them. Best Regards, SSG JimZz (retired)