Trying to get stronger, bigger, or leaner? Doesn't matter what your goals are, you need to have a good level of full body mobility to stay injury free in the gym... and to just move well through life.
It's always tempting to skip the warm-ups and stretching, especially when you're short on time. But at the very least, make sure you address the most commonly stiff/tight areas of the body:
Lats
Lower Back
Hips
Knees
Ankles
This assisted squat stretch hits all of these. And the best thing about it? It takes no energy to do – you don't even have to hold yourself up!
Lats: The crossover reach hits your lats, which is great for your overhead position and overall shoulder mobility.
Low Back, Hips, Knees: This is combined with the deep squat which is a great relaxer for the lower back and really helps to open up the hips and knees, especially with the added prying motion.
Ankles: Because you're holding on to a support, you're also able to focus on dorsiflexion of one ankle at a time. This is crucial for improving your deep squats.
Spend 1-2 minutes using this as a warm-up or cooldown stretch with some deep relaxed breathing and you'll feel awesome.