How to Improve Your Mobility, Posture & Flexibility | Dr. Kelly Starrett
Here are the top 20 key takeaways from Dr. Kelly Starrett's conversation with Andrew Huberman that will transform how you think about mobility, movement, and maintaining a healthy body for life.
1. Movement language diversity
Our bodies need exposure to a wide variety of movements to maintain tissue integrity and joint health. Most people today use a limited "movement language" - they sit, stand, and walk slowly, often doing the same limited movements when they exercise. This narrow range of movement patterns leads to adaptation and reduces our capacity to express normal ranges of motion.
Dr. Starrett explains that our tissues need mechanical input to express themselves properly. For example, tendons need to be loaded to become strong. Without diverse movement patterns, tissues like collagen break down and we lose mobility. Expanding our movement vocabulary is essential for maintaining joint health and preventing pain and dysfunction.
2. Floor sitting for improved mobility
Sitting on the ground for 20-30 minutes each evening provides valuable exposure to positions that help maintain hip mobility and overall joint health. This simple practice can be done while watching TV or during other evening activities, making it highly accessible without requiring additional dedicated time.
People who regularly get down on the floor (in cultures that toilet on the ground or sleep on the ground) show reduced fall risk as they age and lower rates of hip and lower back osteoarthritis. Dr. Starrett recommends varying positions while floor sitting - cross-legged, side saddle, 90-90, or squatting - and fidgeting whenever needed. This helps restore native ranges of motion and sends signals to the brain that these movement patterns are safe and should be maintained.
3. Up and down from the ground daily
Everyone, regardless of age, should practice getting down to the ground and back up at least once daily. This fundamental movement pattern is often lost as people age, contributing to declining mobility and increased fall risk. There's even a test called the "sit-rise test" where you cross your feet and lower yourself to the ground, then stand back up without using hands or knees.
Performance on this test correlates with all-cause mortality because it reveals how your body interacts with the environment. Getting up and down from the ground doesn't require extreme mobility - just normal ranges in ankles, hips, and other joints. Activities like martial arts, yoga, and Pilates naturally incorporate this movement pattern, making them valuable for maintaining this essential skill.
4. Warm-ups should incorporate play
The warm-up period before exercise is an ideal time to explore new movements and add variety rather than following rigid, repetitive routines. Playful warm-ups can incorporate medicine ball throws, rope flow exercises, balance challenges, or other activities that encourage movement exploration, particularly at varying speeds.
Dr. Starrett notes that many standard warm-up protocols don't include speed elements, which is problematic since sport and life both require speed. He recommends including dynamic movements that challenge coordination and proprioception. This approach makes warm-ups more engaging while simultaneously providing better preparation for the workout or activity to follow.
5. Nervous system preparation for workouts
When warming up for resistance training, preparing the nervous system with low-repetition sets is often more effective than traditional high-repetition warm-up sets. This approach allows lifters to get to heavier, more productive work sets faster and with less fatigue.
Dr. Huberman shared that his most productive approach involves doing the first set of a movement at around eight repetitions to get blood flowing, then quickly progressing to sets of five, four, and two repetitions with increasingly heavier loads. This prepares the nervous system for the heavier working sets without creating unnecessary fatigue from high-repetition warm-up sets.
6. Identifying movement imbalances
The gym provides an ideal environment to identify movement imbalances and blind spots in movement patterns. By varying stances, grips, and movement patterns during training, we can uncover areas where we lack full range of motion or have developed compensations, turning workouts into diagnostic opportunities.
When we find these imbalances, we can work on restoring normal ranges of motion through mobility work or by incorporating exercises that specifically address the deficient patterns. The goal isn't to eliminate all asymmetries (some asymmetry is normal, especially for athletes in certain sports), but to ensure we maintain access to full ranges of motion and develop balanced movement capabilities.
7. Hip extension importance
Hip extension (the ability to bring the leg behind the body) is a fundamental movement pattern that many people lose due to sedentary lifestyles. This loss contributes to hamstring tightness, reduced athletic performance, and potential injury risk. Exercises like the "couch stretch" can help restore this crucial range of motion.
The couch stretch involves placing one knee in the corner where the floor meets a wall or couch, with the foot pointing up, while the other foot is planted on the ground. Progressing to more upright positions increases the demand on hip extension. Most people struggle with this position despite it representing a normal, functional range of motion that should be accessible.
Developing good hip extension through exercises like rear-foot elevated split squats, Bulgarian split squats, lunges, and specific movements that require the trailing leg to extend behind the body can significantly improve athletic performance and reduce compensatory stress on other areas.
8. Posture as functional position
Rather than thinking about "good" versus "bad" posture, it's more useful to consider whether your posture allows optimal access to your physiology. Posture represents the organization of your body that enables full breathing capacity, joint range of motion, and efficient movement.
Dr. Starrett defines ideal posture as the median range of joint positioning where you simultaneously have the most access to your physiology while minimizing positions associated with increased pain and injury risk. He demonstrates how slouched posture restricts head rotation and breathing capacity compared to more upright postures.
Poor posture isn't just an aesthetic concern but affects performance by limiting range of motion and breathing capacity. By organizing the body more effectively, we can improve output and reduce injury risk, especially under high load or high speed conditions.
9. Pelvic floor health connections
Pelvic floor dysfunction is often connected to broader movement issues, particularly limited hip extension and poor positioning. Problems like urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and prostate region pain can frequently be addressed by improving hip mobility and overall movement patterns.
Dr. Huberman shared a personal experience where prostate region pain was resolved by addressing anterior pelvic tilt, adopting a stand/sit desk, and incorporating exercises like glute-ham raises. These changes improved pelvic positioning and reduced dysfunction without medication or other interventions.
Women athletes commonly experience urinary incontinence during high-intensity activities, but this is not normal and often improves when they adopt better movement patterns and pelvic positioning. According to Dr. Starrett, incontinence is a sign of dysregulation in the system that can be addressed through training.
10. Fascia as an integrated system
Fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds muscles and organs, plays a crucial role in movement and should be viewed as part of an integrated system rather than in isolation. When we experience movement limitations or pain, we should consider whether fascial restrictions might be contributing to the problem.
Dr. Starrett explains that fascia provides a communication network throughout the body, storing energy and enabling force transfer between body segments. When evaluating movement problems, he recommends considering several potential issues: environmental factors (hydration, inflammation), movement technique, joint capsule restrictions, muscle dynamics, and sliding surface problems.
One simple test is to grab the skin on your forehead or over a tendon - it should slide freely in all directions. When fascia becomes adhered to underlying tissues, it creates restrictions that limit movement and increase tension. Restoring the ability of tissues to slide and glide relative to each other is an important aspect of maintaining mobility.
11. Mobilization versus static stretching
Rather than static stretching, Dr. Starrett advocates for active mobilization techniques that combine pressure, controlled breathing, and muscle contractions to improve tissue quality and range of motion. This approach is more effective than passive stretching alone.
The recommended technique involves finding a restricted area, applying pressure with a small ball or roller, taking a deep breath, contracting the muscle for about four seconds, then slowly relaxing while exhaling. Repeating this cycle two to three times often leads to immediate improvements in range of motion and decreased discomfort as the brain recognizes the position as safe.
This approach combines three key elements: isometric contractions, slow tempo movement through range, and breathing control. The goal is to change how the brain interprets these positions rather than trying to physically "lengthen" tissues through force.
12. Training intensity distribution
A balanced approach to training intensity involves doing most workouts at moderate effort levels with only occasional high-intensity sessions. Kenny Kane's recommendation, which Dr. Huberman has found valuable, suggests 80% of workouts should be at 80% intensity, 10% at 90% intensity, 5% at 95%, and only 5% at maximum 100% effort across the year.
This distribution prevents burnout and injury while allowing for consistent training. Dr. Starrett affirms this approach, emphasizing the need to be "consistent before heroic." When every session is at maximum intensity, recovery suffers, and consistency becomes impossible.
For most people, especially those who are not competitive athletes or teenagers, this measured approach yields better long-term results. As Dr. Starrett puts it, "If your intensity causes you to not be able to show up for the gym for three days, the adaptation response to that is sucky."
13. Cold exposure timing considerations
Cold water immersion can attenuate muscle growth and strength adaptations when done in the 6-8 hours after resistance training due to its anti-inflammatory effects. For those focused on hypertrophy and strength, cold exposure should be timed appropriately to avoid interfering with these training goals.
Dr. Huberman explains that the inflammation that occurs after resistance training is part of the adaptation process that leads to muscle growth. Cold exposure's potent anti-inflammatory properties can prevent some of this beneficial inflammation, potentially reducing training gains.
Both experts agree that cold exposure has valuable benefits for stress resilience, state-shifting, and other purposes. The key is timing it appropriately - either on non-training days or at times sufficiently separated from workouts when hypertrophy and strength are primary goals.
14. Ice is rarely beneficial for injuries
Contrary to conventional wisdom, icing injuries is generally not beneficial for healing and may actually impair the recovery process. While ice can provide temporary pain relief, it can interfere with the body's natural healing mechanisms by restricting blood flow and suppressing important inflammatory signals.
Dr. Starrett explains that icing can suppress prostaglandin release, which is necessary for signaling circulating stem cells to the injury site. A study of Australian military athletes with ankle sprains showed that those given ibuprofen (which has similar anti-inflammatory effects to ice) returned to duty faster but developed chronic ankle instability due to insufficient healing.
Better approaches to injury management include controlled movement to evacuate swelling, non-fatiguing muscle contractions, and techniques that promote blood flow rather than restrict it. As Dr. Starrett puts it, "Your body either heals at the rate of a human being or it heals slower" - our goal should be to avoid interventions that slow this natural process.
15. Heat exposure benefits
Heat exposure through sauna use provides multiple benefits, including improved recovery, stress reduction, and social connection. While the physiological benefits (like heat shock proteins) are valuable, the mental relaxation and community aspects of sauna use are equally important components.
Dr. Starrett uses the sauna regularly and appreciates how it creates opportunities for meaningful connection. He notes that the sauna environment often facilitates deeper conversations among friends, particularly men who might otherwise struggle with vulnerability.
Both experts find value in practicing controlled breathing during heat exposure as a form of stress resilience training. Dr. Huberman describes how deliberately maintaining slow, nasal breathing in uncomfortably hot conditions can build mental fortitude and control over stress responses.
16. Movement quality trumps aesthetics
Focusing exclusively on aesthetic goals in training often comes at the expense of movement quality and athletic capacity. The fitness industry has sometimes prioritized appearance over function, leading to strong-looking individuals who lack movement skills and athletic capabilities.
Dr. Starrett notes the evolution of fitness from purely functional origins (preparing for sport or life demands) to today's more aesthetically focused approach. While looking good is a valid goal, problems arise when training becomes so narrowly focused that it reduces movement capabilities or creates imbalances.
The discussion emphasizes the importance of asking, "What do you want to do with your body?" and designing training to support those goals rather than pursuing aesthetics in isolation. Training should enhance life activities rather than becoming an end in itself.
17. Protein and produce prioritization
For nutrition, prioritizing protein intake (0.8-1g per pound of body weight) and consuming abundant fruits and vegetables (800g daily) creates a foundation that naturally leaves less room for less nutritious choices. This approach avoids rigid diet restrictions while ensuring nutritional needs are met.
Dr. Starrett explains that when focusing on getting adequate protein and consuming large volumes of fruits and vegetables, people naturally feel more satisfied and have less desire for ultra-processed foods. This strategy works regardless of dietary preferences (omnivore, vegetarian, etc.) and avoids creating unhealthy relationships with food.
The "800g challenge" (consuming 800 grams of fruits and vegetables daily) helps ensure adequate micronutrient and fiber intake - areas where many people are deficient. As an example, a pound of cherries contains fewer calories than a single cookie from Starbucks while providing significantly more nutritional value and greater satiety.
18. Training purpose clarity
Having clarity about why you're training - whether for sport performance, health, aesthetics, or quality of life - helps guide appropriate training choices. Different goals require different approaches, and problems arise when training methods don't align with intended outcomes.
Dr. Starrett distinguishes between "fitnessing" (exercise as a hobby or for aesthetics), sport-specific training (directly supporting competitive performance), and sports preparation training (developing capacities that transfer to sport). These different purposes require different programming approaches.
For most people, the primary training goal should be supporting their ability to participate in life activities they enjoy - whether that's hiking, playing with children, or participating in recreational sports. This purpose-driven approach leads to more sustainable and satisfying fitness practices.
19. Breath as movement indicator
The ability to breathe comfortably in various positions serves as an excellent indicator of movement competency. If you can't breathe normally in a position, you don't truly "own" that position, making breath a valuable diagnostic tool for assessing mobility and movement quality.
Dr. Starrett recommends testing whether you can take full, deep belly breaths in positions like a deep squat, various yoga poses, or while performing certain exercises. Difficulty breathing indicates that your nervous system doesn't feel safe in that position or that you lack the necessary mobility.
This principle also applies to mobility work - if you're working on a tight area with a roller or ball and can't breathe normally, you're applying too much pressure or intensity. Breathing should remain comfortable even when working through restrictions.
20. Enjoyment as training foundation
Perhaps most importantly, training should be enjoyable. Finding activities you genuinely like doing makes consistency possible and turns exercise from an obligation into a pleasure. Both experts emphasize the importance of making fitness fun rather than another stressful requirement.
Dr. Starrett observes that fitness has sometimes become overly serious and prescriptive, losing the element of play and joy that makes movement intrinsically rewarding. He suggests incorporating more playfulness into training through varied activities, social interaction, and exploration of new movements.
Both experts share how they've structured their own fitness practices around activities they enjoy, making training something they look forward to rather than dread. This approach naturally leads to greater consistency and sustainability, which ultimately produces better long-term results than more intense but unsustainable methods.