Full-Body Mobility Assessment

Before beginning any mobility program, you need to know where you stand. A systematic mobility assessment reveals your strengths, identifies restrictions, and highlights the areas that will benefit most from targeted work. This lesson provides a comprehensive assessment protocol you can perform on your own.

Why Assess Before You Train

The Problem with Generic Programs

Most people approach mobility with a one-size-fits-all routine: some hip stretches, a few shoulder circles, and a hamstring stretch. This approach wastes time on areas that may already be adequate while neglecting the specific restrictions that are actually limiting your performance.

A proper assessment allows you to:

• Prioritize effectively: Focus your limited training time on your biggest restrictions
• Track progress objectively: Measure improvements over time
• Identify compensations: Discover how restrictions in one area create problems elsewhere
• Set realistic goals: Establish baseline measurements to build targets from

Assessment Principles

Follow these guidelines for accurate results:

• Test both sides: Always compare left and right to identify asymmetries
• Warm up lightly first: 5 minutes of light movement ensures you are testing your normal range, not cold tissue range
• Do not force range: Move to the point of firm resistance, not pain
• Record your results: Use a notebook, spreadsheet, or phone to document your findings
• Retest regularly: Every 4-6 weeks to track progress

Upper Body Assessment

Shoulder Flexion Test

What it measures: Overhead reach, relevant to handstands, overhead pressing, and hanging.

How to perform:

1. Stand with your back flat against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart
2. Keep your lower back, upper back, and head touching the wall
3. With your arms straight and thumbs pointing up, raise both arms overhead toward the wall
4. Note where your hands reach relative to the wall

Scoring:

• Full range: Hands touch the wall with arms straight and no lower back arch
• Mild restriction: Hands reach within 5-10 cm of the wall
• Moderate restriction: Hands stop more than 10 cm from the wall
• Severe restriction: Cannot raise arms past 150 degrees

Shoulder External Rotation Test

What it measures: Rotational range of the shoulder, important for muscle-ups, back levers, and healthy pressing.

How to perform:

1. Stand with your elbow bent to 90 degrees, upper arm at your side
2. Rotate your forearm outward as far as possible while keeping your elbow at your side
3. Note the angle of your forearm relative to straight ahead

Scoring:

• Full range: Forearm rotates to approximately 90 degrees from the body (pointing to the side)
• Adequate: 70-90 degrees
• Restricted: Less than 70 degrees

Shoulder Internal Rotation Test (Behind-the-Back Reach)

What it measures: Internal rotation and extension, relevant to skin-the-cats, German hangs, and back scratching reach.

How to perform:

1. Reach one hand behind your back from below, palm facing outward
2. Reach as high up your back as you can
3. Note the highest point your thumb reaches (use spine landmarks)

Scoring:

• Full range: Thumb reaches between shoulder blades (approximately T6-T8)
• Adequate: Thumb reaches lower shoulder blade area
• Restricted: Thumb cannot pass the lower ribs

Thoracic Extension Test

What it measures: Upper back extension, critical for bridges, handstands, and overhead positions.

How to perform:

1. Sit on the floor with your back against a wall, legs extended
2. Place both hands behind your head
3. Arch your upper back, trying to touch your elbows to the wall
4. Your lower back should remain in contact with the floor

Scoring:

• Full range: Elbows touch or nearly touch the wall
• Moderate restriction: Elbows stay 15+ cm from the wall
• Severe restriction: Significant difficulty extending the upper back at all

Wrist Extension Test

What it measures: Wrist extension range, essential for handstands, push-ups, and floor work.

How to perform:

1. Place your palms flat on the floor in front of you while kneeling
2. Fingers pointing forward, lean your weight gently over your hands
3. Note the angle between your forearm and the back of your hand

Scoring:

• Full range: Approximately 90 degrees of extension without pain
• Adequate: 70-90 degrees
• Restricted: Less than 70 degrees or pain during the test

Lower Body Assessment

Hip Flexion Test (Supine)

What it measures: Hip flexion range with the knee extended, reflecting hamstring and hip flexor interaction.

How to perform:

1. Lie on your back on a flat surface
2. Keep one leg flat on the ground
3. Raise the other leg with the knee straight, keeping the pelvis neutral
4. Note the angle of the raised leg relative to the floor

Scoring:

• Full range: 80-90 degrees (leg pointing toward ceiling)
• Adequate: 70-80 degrees
• Restricted: Less than 70 degrees

Thomas Test (Hip Extension and Flexor Tightness)

What it measures: Hip flexor length and hip extension range.

How to perform:

1. Sit on the edge of a firm surface (bed or bench)
2. Pull one knee to your chest and roll back to lie down
3. Let the other leg hang off the edge
4. Observe the position of the hanging leg

Scoring:

• Normal: Thigh rests parallel to the surface, knee bent to 90 degrees
• Tight hip flexors (iliopsoas): Thigh rises above the surface
• Tight rectus femoris: Knee extends past 90 degrees (leg straightens)
• Tight TFL/IT band: Thigh abducts (moves outward)

Ankle Dorsiflexion Test (Knee-to-Wall)

What it measures: Ankle dorsiflexion range, essential for deep squats and pistol squats.

How to perform:

1. Face a wall in a half-kneeling position
2. Place your front foot approximately 10 cm from the wall
3. Drive your knee forward over your toes toward the wall, keeping your heel down
4. If your knee touches the wall, move your foot further back and repeat
5. Measure the maximum distance your toes can be from the wall while still touching the knee to it

Scoring:

• Full range: 12+ cm from the wall (approximately 35-40 degrees)
• Adequate: 8-12 cm
• Restricted: Less than 8 cm (less than 30 degrees)

Hip Internal Rotation Test

What it measures: Hip internal rotation, important for squatting depth and hip health.

How to perform:

1. Sit on a chair or bench with your knees bent to 90 degrees
2. Without moving your thigh, rotate your lower leg outward (this creates internal rotation of the hip)
3. Note the angle of rotation

Scoring:

• Full range: 35-45 degrees of internal rotation
• Adequate: 25-35 degrees
• Restricted: Less than 25 degrees

Hip External Rotation Test

What it measures: Hip external rotation range, important for straddle positions and deep squats.

How to perform:

1. Sit on a chair or bench with your knees bent to 90 degrees
2. Without moving your thigh, rotate your lower leg inward (this creates external rotation of the hip)
3. Note the angle of rotation

Scoring:

• Full range: 40-60 degrees of external rotation
• Adequate: 30-40 degrees
• Restricted: Less than 30 degrees

Spine and Core Assessment

Seated Forward Fold

What it measures: Combined hamstring flexibility and spinal flexion.

How to perform:

1. Sit on the floor with legs extended and feet together
2. Reach forward toward your toes with straight knees
3. Note where your fingertips reach

Scoring:

• Full range: Fingers reach past toes
• Adequate: Fingers reach toes
• Restricted: Fingers cannot reach past the ankles

Thoracic Rotation Test

What it measures: Rotational mobility of the thoracic spine, important for movement quality and injury prevention.

How to perform:

1. Sit cross-legged on the floor
2. Cross your arms over your chest, hands on opposite shoulders
3. Rotate your upper body to one side as far as possible
4. Keep your pelvis stable and facing forward

Scoring:

• Full range: 45-50 degrees of rotation
• Adequate: 35-45 degrees
• Restricted: Less than 35 degrees

Recording Your Results

Create a simple assessment card with the following format:

Mark any test where you scored "Restricted" as high priority, and "Adequate" areas relevant to your calisthenics goals as medium priority.

Conclusion

A thorough assessment is the starting point for any effective mobility program. By testing each region systematically and recording your results, you create a personalized map of your mobility landscape. In the next lesson, we will analyze your results to identify the root causes of your limitations and address any side-to-side asymmetries.