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Rest → load, working range

Joint angles · start → finish

Torso
6.0° → 2.0°
Hip
18.0° → -14.0°
Knee
116.0° → 128.0°
Shoulder
22.0° → 26.0°
Elbow
16.0° → 18.0°
Neck
-2.0° → -2.0°

Mobility

Couch Stretch

3 × 45s/side, rear foot up a wall, pelvis tucked, ribs down.

Difficulty 2 of 52.4 METs · Light

Equipment

  • Wall
  • Mat

Muscle groups worked

  • Hip flexors
  • Glutes

What it buys you

Short hip flexors are the most common reason a kneeling or standing position feels impossible. This is the fix.

Capacity trained

Mobility. Hip, adductor and thoracic range. Determines which positions are available and comfortable.

Energy

Modelled kilocalories

Modelled energy cost for Couch Stretch at 10, 20, 30 and 45 minutes for both reference bodies
Reference body10 min20 min30 min45 min
Male reference · 82 kg34 kcal69 kcal103 kcal155 kcal
Female reference · 68 kg29 kcal57 kcal86 kcal129 kcal

Energy figures are modelled from standard activity MET values (Ainsworth Compendium, 2011) and the ACSM equation, not measured on you. They scale linearly with your own body mass, so a body 10% heavier burns about 10% more at the same intensity.

kcal = METs × 3.5 × bodyweight(kg) ÷ 200 × minutes (ACSM)

Load is effort, not pain. If a movement hurts rather than works, stop and see a clinician. Lifting another person is strength training with a person-shaped load — build the pattern unloaded first.

Cross-reference

Positions this workout helps · 49

It serves Kneeling, Standing, Prone Base and Elevated / Bridged. Every position in those families is listed below, hardest first.

Honest framing

Training makes a posture available and sustainable. It is capability work, not a treatment for anything, and no single session changes a number. Consistency over eight weeks does.

Free PQ assessment · 6 min

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