What is it to be mobile and how does being mobile benefit you?
What is it that you do everyday? What does your day to day life look like and what movements or movement patterns are you repeating?
Desk workers tend to have pretty tight hamstrings, pain in their shoulders/lower back and inflammation in the joints that surround those areas. This can come down to repetition of the movements they do everyday.
Think about it, if you are sitting at a desk your comfortable position may be hunched over typing away while also being seated for long durations.
This means your hamstrings are stretched for the whole time you are seated but not only that your shoulders are out of their normal alignment.
It is no wonder there are so many lower back and shoulder injuries present in peoples lives these days.
How Do You Fix This?
Mobility training is always my go to... Mobility training involves the process of gaining full pain free movement within your joints. But not only pain free full range of motion in your joints but strong joints too. This can be a lengthy process but it is much the same with any training modality.
You won't be able to run a marathon overnight it is going to take consistency and repetition through running training and strength and conditioning. Mobility training should be viewed in the same way. You won't be able to create a full circle in your hips and shoulder over night but you should be moving towards that goal with your training.
Use flexibility training modalities to increase your range of motion then do your strength training to ensure you have the strength in that joint to perform efficiently.
Look at mobility training as the process of making a joint strong but freely moveable!!
What Are The Benefits Of Mobility Training?
Increased Joint Range Of Motion
By undertaking your mobility journey you will have joints that are freely moveable which means better movement ability, reduced stiffness/tightness or limitation within the joint.
Improved Posture And Body Alignment
Through mobility training you will be getting more range, less limitation and better movement out of your joints especially ones that are more commonly tight/limited through daily life. For example, those with lower back soreness/limitation will have improved movement in their lower back, spine and hips ensuring their body is aligned with good posture!!
Enhanced Athletic Performance
Through improved range of motion and joint ability you will be able to move more freely with strength and precision. With this in mind having more stability in your joints will increase your ability to perform well on the sporting stage in any athletic endeavour!!
Injury Prevention
One of my favourite reasons for mobility training is the outcome of preventing injury. The way it works to prevent injury is through the creation of strong resilient joints that are flexible and moveable for life. Whatever life chucks at you, being very mobile is going to assist you in moving well with confidence!
Pain Relief, Enhanced Recovery And Reduced Muscle Soreness
Through muscular imbalance, pain, stiffness or limitation your joints and body will feel sore, tight and uncomfortable to move around how it normally would. By enhancing joint movement ability you will be solving this underlying issue which will decrease the pain you have now which promotes improved physical health!
By being mobile you will also have an enhanced recovery process as when you are injured/sore you will save yourself by getting back to a set point more efficiently. The
human body always wants comfort and will return to it's set point that it has been in for quite some time. If you are mobile now your body will be able to return to that stage a lot quicker than starting from baseline.
Start today so you will save yourself the hassle of having to always back it up!
Stress Relief And Relaxation
With mobility training you will be focusing upon breathing and mindful movements that improve your body's ability which promotes relaxation to reduce stress!
By gaining confidence in all planes of movement your mental headspace when undertaking challenges will be clear. You will know yourself that your body can do something without having to stress about it. Yes you had an ankle injury 10 years ago but if you undertook mobility training since then you will be confident knowing your ankle can be used to perform well in any athletic endeavour.
Closing Thoughts
I will consistently close my blogs by saying, mobility is the key to a long physically healthy life with strong resilient flexible joints.
Doing so will ensure you have a decreased risk to injury and improved movement ability for life
Life long joints are strong healthy joints
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