Improve Your Mobility With Me
When it comes to our health, fitness, and results, the most important aspects is having wholesome nutrition, working out, moving consistently, adequate water, quality sleep, smiling daily (honestly improves quality of life and I'm sticking with it!) and supplementing where needed to help support our lifestyle, hormones and immune system.
I put this blog together to cover another topic that is very important for your results, which ties in with our movement and is one that doesn't get talked about enough, and that is mobilizing our bodies. Flexibility and mobility can be important pieces to an overall health and wellness plan, and most people “know” they should do it, but don't. Why? When taking a pole, it seems to be for a few reasons. A few answers was that is can be uncomfortable, it takes time, it's the “boring” side of fitness, and a huge reason was that people don't know what to do, how to start, and the real impact it can have on their results. When you understand the why behind a matter, it will drive us to be more consistent and persistent.
Mobility - did you know every one of my programs has a dedicated core and mobility recharge day? And they are NO JOKE.
Let's dive in.
THE DIFFERENCE— did you know? Flexibility: the ability of a muscle to be lengthened or stretched. Mobility: The ability to control a muscle in that stretched position and control the movement pattern through its intended range of motion. Similar, but some key differences that are important! Flexibility is passive while mobility is active. When we say control with mobility, that comes through the strength in your muscles, stability throughout your body, coordination of those muscles, and properly functioning stabilizers to move throughout your range of motion. Mobility is essential to our overall quality of life and our ability to move without restriction or pain. You may be flexible, but not have decent mobility. If your body isn’t moving through its natural movement patterns or able to control itself in a stretched position, that may lead to injury over time.
In general, good mobilization habits can help improve flexibility AND mobility which in turn will improve muscle function, increase power, improve performance, prevent injury and can be a key factor in our overall health and well-being.
Making mobility part of your lifestyle is one of the best ways to help you stick to it long-term, and that is why it is strategically placed into all of my programs. As in all areas of fitness, consistency is key. That is why I make it easy and straight forward for you. This also prevents your mind from making up excuses on why not to do it.
Now let's break is down a bit further. Mobility designates exercises that will increase your range of motion and your stabilization, or control, of the muscles that surround each joint. Mobility incorporates flexibility AND strength, and it’s crucial to help you squat deeper, push and pull harder, and jump higher. Head into a workout with limited ROM, and your secondary muscles will start to compensate, forcing them to handle excessive torque which will lead to pain and injury. In addition, if your lifts are not activating the primary muscles, you probably won’t build the muscle you’re working toward. Types of mobility work: controlled dynamic movements, controlled bodyweight exercises like lunges, squats and thoracic rotations, controlled dynamic movements with additional lights free weights or bands, and/or myofascial release. It is key to move slowly and deliberately.
Moving to stretching. There are a few types of stretching techniques, but the two you will hear a lot about are active/dynamic and static stretching. Active stretching is moving into a stretched position for a few seconds at a time for about 5-10 times. It’s usually best to do before a workout because it can loosen up tight muscles and help with proper body mechanics, this go hand in hand with mobility. Then, static stretching is used more for lengthening tight muscles. This is typically done by holding a stretch for 20-30 seconds on an average, 60 to 120 seconds if needed, and doing so 2-3 times. This goes hand in hand with flexibility. When stretching, ease into it. Remember, it takes a little time for various tissues to lengthen safely. Static stretching can restrict some neural control to muscle fibers, so it’s typically best to be done after exercise when your body is properly warmed, first thing in the morning, or as you unwind before bed. You’ll also want to make sure not to hold your breath as you move through these various movement patterns.
Just keep in mind, consistency is key. And before you know it you'll be more mobile, your body will feel better and your performance will be increased.
