Why mobility is important

Our flexibility is dependent on the range of motion of our muscles. The two are not the same, but are not mutually exclusive. Good mobility can assist your flexibility and vice versa. The ageing process can take its toll on the body, so it is important that we stay mobile and supple to combat this. Mobility training can improve the range of motion of our joints and muscles.

It can assist in improving our posture. Is it ever too late to start mobility training? How soon could you begin to see results? It is never too late to start mobility training. Your mobility is always something you can improve.

In terms of results, this will initially be something you feel rather than see. You might feel a little less stiff after one or two sessions — but the key is to be consistent with your mobility training.

Over time you should see an increase in your range of motion and perhaps improvement in your performance in other activities. Can mobility training be incorporated alongside other forms of training or is it a discipline unto itself?

Mobility training can be used as part of your warm-up for your workout, or you can use it within your training in the form of active rest. The exercises can also be used to recover from other forms of training. Mobility is the ability to effectively and safely perform the universal human movements, such as squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling, crawling, and rolling, that are required for functional living.

Many think that mobility means flexibility, but flexibility is only one component of mobility. Being able to move a joint through its full range of motion requires flexibility; being able to comfortably sit back into a correct squat requires both flexibility and a degree of neuromuscular control. Mobility plays a massive role in improving movement quality and preventing injuries throughout life. The skeleton works wonderfully when everything is aligned, but the skeleton itself is passive.

It is pulled and adjusted by the muscles that attach to it. Static stretching usually consists of holding positions with no movement. They tend to only focus on the main muscle groups, such as quads, hamstrings, calf and arm muscles Andersen, While they are useful in increasing range of motion if performed correctly and for long enough, they can, in fact, be detrimental as part of a warm-up Page, For example, static stretches are linked to a decrease in leg press performance Bacurau et al.

Like in the examples above, static stretches appear to actually decrease muscle-force production capacity Wilson et al. Instead, they should be and performed in the cool-down. However, it is easy to rush through static stretching without proper form. This is not so much the case for dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretches, on the other hand, are often a static stretch performed with movement. Doing these results in many mobility training benefits.

For example, dynamic stretches keep your heart rate higher than static ones. This is important during and after a warm-up, and better suited to sports that require running or jumping Page, An example of a dynamic stretch would be a set of walking lunges, instead of a static lunge forward. This being said, you need to ensure that you perform enough dynamic stretches, with the right quality.

There are many ways to reap the mobility training benefits above. Mobility exercises take many forms. For example, some require only your bodyweight, whereas others use various types of equipment. This can include resistance bands, foam rollers, barbells or poles.

There are many different exercises that can be used to increase mobility. Using your bodyweight is a wise place to start. Most exercises have regressions for those just beginning. There are also progressions if you are more advanced. Many mobility training benefits can come from foam rolling. However, some people shy away from foam rolling because it can hurt. Unfortunately, if it is painful, this is probably a sign that you need to do more of it. Also, it is common to spend too little time foam rolling.

The foam roller needs to move slowly over the muscles, while you use as much of your body weight as possible to increase the tension. Resistance bands, as well as poles and barbells, are a fantastic way to get the mobility training benefits that bodyweight stretching cannot achieve.

If performed correctly, this equipment will allow you to take the muscles to a much greater stretch. As mentioned, for those just starting out, try bodyweight drills first. Below are some exercises to get you started. The thoracic spin runs from the base of your neck to the area between your shoulder blades. Good mobility in this area allows you to move your arms freely over your head and turn side to side. If you have reduced mobility you can get shoulder problems and pain, develop poor posture and upper back pain.

To perform the windmills, first, lie on your side, and bend your knees and hips to just past 90 degrees. Rest your knees beside you on the floor. Then, straighten the bottom leg and rest the top leg on a foam roller or towel. Extend both arms together straight out in front of you, keeping your palms together. Lift and rotate your top arm away from you, opening up your chest to the ceiling.

Hold for about 3 seconds and then slowly return it to the starting position. Repeat a few times on each side. If you are a sufferer of poor posture, you are likely to be tight through your chest and the front of your shoulders. To perform the shoulder pass through, hold a broomstick or pipe in the overhand grip, as wide as you need to.

Maintain straight arms and begin to lift the stick in front of you to above your head. Avoid hyperextending your back. Once you have taken it as far back as possible, hold in the end position for a couple of seconds before returning to the start position.

Then repeat a few more times. Hip mobility training benefits all types of workout. To perform the hip openers, lift one knee up to your chest and make a circle with your knee. Bring the knee across your body and then out to the side.