Summer is for play, sweaty outdoor activities, days spent swimming or biking, long hours gardening, and deep rest. It’s also a season where you move at a quicker pace from place to place, and routines can easily fly out the window. What doesn’t change is your need for strength-building, confidence-boosting, and restorative movements that will help you get from A to B!

We’ve put together a few fun and simple moves that will keep you moving at your best and feeling good in your body.

Here are 4 key movements to learn and practice this season.

#1 The Bird Dog

The Bird Dog is one of our go-to core moves. Low-impact, this simple floor pose will stabilize your body from head to toe! Core strength is important for your spine and back health and will support those summer activities you love, from harvesting garden veggies to piggy-backing the kiddos in your life. Short on time? Easily incorporate this movement into your daily life by getting on the floor and practicing it while you watch a movie. Try to hold the pose for a little longer each day!

Watch the full Bird Dog workshop with Movement teacher Adrian. It’s just 2 minutes!

#2 Grip Strength

Did you know grip strength is a key indicator of health as you age? Think about everything you do with your hands: driving, cleaning, shopping, typing, painting, walking the dog, etc. Many sports and fitness classes we love require grip strength too. It’s also linked to a number of common illnesses, and a predictor for recovery from surgical procedures and other complications. The good news is that you can work on your grip strength at home and on the go!

Get a small, travel-friendly tool to work on your grip strength this summer! And work on your wrist mobility and strength with this 10-minute checkup. Simply keeping up with these activities every day will keep your grip feeling strong and capable.

#3 The Squat

You likely already squat every day. But did you know that there’s a correct way to squat, and that your body will thank you for learning the foundations! Every time you lean down to grab something from the floor (grocery bags, for example) or get up from your chair, you’re engaging the big muscle groups in your legs in a squat. Proper form is key, and we know how easy it is to lift  or bend something in the wrong way. This is a move you can do at the kitchen counter, while you brush your teeth, or if you’re feeling bold, while you’re standing in line or taking a stretch break on a plane!

Improve your squat technique with just a few simple tips from Movement teacher Adrian Gaskin! Send this prenatal-friendly modification to a niece or daughter.

#4 The Sleepover

Summer days are busy, and there’s not often time for rest. If you’re like us, you’re balancing different routines, travel plans, hosting guests, and trying to cross items off your home and garden to-do list. Your body gets tired! Enter: your new favorite movement to try on the floor or while you’re lying in bed.

If you’ve never tried this move, take 2 minutes to learn a simple movement flow with Movement teacher Keighty Gallagher. Lay down, loosen up those hips, and let your arms fall to the side and open up your shoulders. It’s a juicy stretch!

What are your go-to movements for full summer days?

We put our expertise and know-how to work in order to pick products you’ll love. While we independently select these products, making a purchase through our links may earn Movement a commission.