Name: Playbook - TrickStrong RX - Knee Mobility
Uploaded: 2025-04-08T19:59:01.657Z
Duration: 45 min
Description: Knee Mobility

This is a knee mobility routine complete with a warmup, stability, control exercises, joint work and static stretching. Do this a few times per week if you are feeling limited in your movement due to knee stiffness!

This mobility drill fits perfectly into a warmup as a line drill. You can also do this throughout the day to improve hamstring length and to reduce lower back tension. 

Lead with a straight leg and hinge from the hips while sitting your butt back. Arch your lower back when doing this. 

Another tip is to imagine that you are "scooping water" with your hands.

You should feel a stretch in your hamstring without feeling pain at the lower back, calf or feet.

Hamstring Walks

This mobility drill fits perfectly into a warmup as a line drill. You can also do this throughout the day to improve hip flexor and quad length.  

Grab your knee with the same side hand, and with core engagement, hinge forward. 

You should feel a stretch in the quad and hip flexors, without feeling compression at the lower back.

Dynamic Quad Pull

The Terminal Knee Extension (TKE) is a great exercise to build quadriceps strength in a weight-bearing position. It is helpful in improving knee extension mobility. 

Place the band at the back of your knee. Stagger your stance and keep most of your weight in the leg you are working. Squeeze your quads as hard as possible (pain-free) to stretch the band. Hold for 5 seconds each rep.

Terminal Knee Extension - Banded

A Kicks are helpful in "normalizing gait", or improving our walking ability.  This translates to climbing stairs, jogging and running as well.  We improve knee mobility and coordination with A Kicks.

For this drill, drag your foot across the ground for a little resistance as you kick your heel towards your butt. At the same time, move your arms and trunk reciprocally to mimic walking or running.

A Kicks

The goblet squat is an awesome lower body exercise used to improve strength and power. The goblet hold creates a more vertical position which emphasizes the quads. Goblet squats are a great exercise to improve your vertical leap. 

It is also helpful in mobility training, as the weight helps push us into more ankle dorsiflexion and opens our hips.

Goblet Squat - KB

The knee doesn't only flex and extend - it rotates.

Tibial rotations are important in improving mobility and control at the knee and ankle joints. If you are unable to bend or straighten your knee, or are feeling restricted in your ankle dorsiflexion ROM, try this drill. It is an often overlooked ability that is needed for normal joint motion. 

Hold each position for 5 seconds (ex. Tibial Internal Rotation - 5 sec hold, Tibial External Rotation - 5 sec hold)

Tibial Rotations

For the elevated lateral lunge, start in a wide stance with one leg elevated on the box. The purpose of the box is to increase depth of the lunge. 

You want to form 90 degree angle with the bent leg, while the straight leg assists by actively pushing it into the ground. 

Hold for 5-10 seconds per rep, using little to nothing to stabilize (unless it's painful).

Lunge - Lateral, Elevated

The Elevated Lunge is a great drill for improving hip, knee and ankle mobility in the front leg and hip extension ROM in the back leg. 

Feel free to use your hands and bodyweight for an extra stretch in your hip, knee and ankle. Hold the bottom position for 3-5 seconds each rep.

Lunge - Elevated

The slider pike is incredible for total body stability, with emphasis on upper body pulling strength, shoulder, elbow wrist and core stability as well as hip mobility. This is also a great drill to help improve the pike position.

Slider Pike

The Reverse Nordic is great for building high level eccentric strength and control. This means that it strengthens our quad in a lengthened position.

Similar to the Nordic hamstring curl, the reverse Nordic is extremely injury preventative because it helps us turn on the brakes when we need it most. 

For example, if we land in a way that forces us to quickly bend our knees, our quads should kick in to make sure we don’t crumble. 
It also allows us to have strength in our quad in more challenging positions. 

Engage your entire body so that you are a rigid plank. Making a fist is helpful in doing this. Full range of motion is reaching your butt to your heels. Any more will involve joints other than your knees (lower back, hips, etc.)

This can be a lot on the knees, especially the patellofemoral joint, so progress slowly (partial ROM or band assistance) and always listen to your body.

Reverse Nordic - Band Assisted

If you're having trouble bending your knee, try this drill. 

By using a towel roll in our knee crease, we gap, or create more space in the knee joint. Hold each rep for 3-5 seconds, feeling your knee open. This should feel comfortable, not painful. 

Feel free to use your hands and bodyweight for an extra stretch in your hip, knee and ankle.

Optional: Knee Gapping - Seated, Wall

The couch stretch is a great way to open up the front of your hips, really getting into your hip flexors, quads and even abdominal muscles. It’s called the couch stretch because we put our foot up on a surface (like a couch) to do this one. 

I actually prefer doing this one with a wall if you can handle it. If it’s too much knee bend for you, you can simply have your leg on a platform that isn’t as high. 

You also want to engage your core and tilt your pelvis so you are not arching at the lower back. 

You want to tighten the glutes on the side you are stretching. This adds a huge difference in relaxation from the hip flexor muscles due to neurological inhibition. 

To perform the contract-relax technique, tighten your glute and quad for a 5 sec hold. Imagine kicking your knee straight. 

When you relax, you should be able to get further into your stretch.

Couch Stretch - (5 sec contract/relax)

This is a great way to open up the hamstrings.

Reach for a stable surface (such as the ground, yoga blocks or chairs) so you can relax into the stretch. 
You also want to arch your lower back to maximize stretch on the hamstrings. 

You want to tighten the the quads on the side you are stretching. This adds a huge difference in relaxation from the hamstring muscles due to neurological inhibition. 

To perform the contract-relax technique, tighten your quad for a 5 sec hold. Imagine kicking your knee straight. 

When you relax, you should be able to get further into your stretch. Do cycles of contract-relax during each set.

Knee Mobility

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