My cousin who works as a mover told me last year that he always does five minutes of active stretches before any big lift. He said it cut down on his soreness so much that he made it a rule for his whole crew. I used to laugh at that idea, but after tweaking my back moving a sofa, I gave it a shot. Now I do a quick routine like you described, just some twists and reaches, and it really does make heavy stuff feel easier. It's wild how such a simple thing can prevent a lot of pain.