Strong not stiff: Summer mobility for 50-plus

With the sun shining and activities like walking, gardening, cycling or tennis back on the agenda, now’s the perfect time to focus on restoring mobility and moving with ease, not with punishing workouts, but with simple, targeted movement and exercise snacks that helps your body feel freer and more capable each day.

Whether you're dealing with tight hips, a stiff back, or creaky knees, targeted mobility movements and dynamic stretches can make everyday tasks easier and summer hobbies more enjoyable. You don’t need to spend hours stretching - just a few focused minutes a day can go a long way.

Daily habits that keep you moving well

Mobility isn’t just flexibility or being able to touch your toes - it’s your body’s ability to move with control through a full, usable range of motion. Think of it as a combination of flexibility, strength, coordination, and joint health. You don’t just want to reach your arm overhead - you want to do it comfortably, confidently, and without compensation elsewhere in your body.

Research shows that mobility tends to decline with age due to changes in joint structure, reduced muscle strength, and less frequent movement variety - but these effects aren’t inevitable. Just like fitness, mobility is something you can train and maintain. In fact, mobility-focused exercise improves balance, reduces fall risk, and will substantially enhance quality of life in adults over 50.

The best part is you don’t need a long, complicated routine. Small daily habits can make a big difference. Holding a wall sit while waiting for the kettle to boil, calf raises at your desk, or hip shifts while brushing your teeth all help keep your joints moving and muscles active. More on this later.

Trainer Tip: I often encourage my clients to start with three simple moves each day - for example a wall sit or long lunge, calf raises, and seated spinal twists. Done consistently, these “movement snacks” will improve how you feel and move, helping you stay agile and injury-free as summer activity picks up. Every few weeks swap these movements out for new ones that target a different part of your body.

Build strength to move better

Here’s something many people overlook: mobility isn’t just about loosening tight muscles - it also relies on strength. To move well, you need control within your range of motion, not just the ability to reach or stretch into it. That’s why strength and mobility go hand-in-hand.

Think of your muscles and joints like a team: flexibility gives you access to movement, but strength gives you the stability and confidence to use it safely. Without that support, your brain tends to “lock down” motion as a protective mechanism, which can make you feel even stiffer over time.

For example, improving hip mobility isn’t just about stretching your hip flexors - it’s about strengthening your glutes, core, and thighs through their full range of motion so you can squat, walk uphill, or bend without discomfort. Similarly, better shoulder mobility comes from controlled overhead work, not just arm swings or static stretches.

Trainer Tip: Exercises like slow high step-ups, deep lunges, or overhead pulldowns build strength while encouraging movement through a healthy range. Add in some isometric holds - like a paused split squat or a hang - to build control and reinforce joint stability. This kind of training improves posture, coordination, and confidence in your day-to-day movements.

Build mobility into your day - without even thinking about it

Mobility exercise doesn’t always need a gym membership, a yoga mat or a dedicated 10-minute session. In fact, one of the best ways to improve how your body moves is to sneak it into the everyday things you're already doing.

Here are a few examples of how to make your life your mobility practice:

Use transitions as training
Instead of pushing yourself up from a chair with your hands, try using your leg strength and balance on their own. Sitting and standing without support (slowly and with control) trains the hips, knees, and ankles to work together - all key to moving confidently.

Add simple challenges to everyday movements
Next time you need to get down and back up off of the floor, try to do so without using your hands at all, this is an excellent way of challenging strength and mobility at your legs, hips, and core.

Challenge your balance and stability while brushing your teeth
Try standing on one leg or doing a long lunge while brushing your teeth or waiting for the kettle to boil. These small challenges expose your body to different shapes, and improve joint awareness and balance over time.

Take the stairs - and use them wisely
Don’t just walk up - turn it into a mini workout. Take two steps at a time or stop to do some calf raises on the bottom step before you head up. This not only boosts lower leg strength and control, but it’s excellent for circulation also.

Break up long sitting with a ‘mobility snack’
Every hour or so, stand up and do a gentle stretch or reach - even just walking around the house. Think arm circles, a kneeling reach, or bending down to touch your toes. These micro-movements help ease stiffness before it sets in.

Add more movement variety into your gardening
Next time you're pulling weeds or tending to plants, treat it as a movement session: hold a deep squat, alternate hands, or try half-kneeling to open up hips and stretch calves.

Trainer Tip: The goal here isn’t perfection - it’s frequency. Moving little and often and exposing your body to different positions and shapes throughout the day is critical. Every time you move with more awareness and intention, you're investing in a stronger, more mobile body.

Move well, live well

Mobility isn’t just something to “work on” when something feels stiff - you need to always be proactive towards maintaining variety in your movement. Whether you're heading out for a summer walk, pottering in the garden, or keeping up with the grandkids, mobility gives you the freedom to enjoy it all.

As I've demonstrated above, you don’t need fancy routines or long workouts, just a few intentional minutes a day. Small, mindful tweaks to everyday movement can help ease stiffness, improve posture, and make you feel more agile and confident for the long-haul.

And if you’d like a little extra support: I’ve created a free video series that breaks down my top 10 exercises everyone over 30 should be doing to stay mobile, strong, and independent. You can find it on my website - no equipment or experience needed.

Cambridge-based Ollie specialises in helping career-focused professionals get into great shape, build long-term health and perform better in their work. Ollie offers both in-person and virtual personal training. Visit welltolead.com and follow Ollie on Instagram @olliethompsonhealth for more. Visit https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/authors/ollie-thompson/ for more of Ollie’s articles.