How to Use Mobility Training to Improve Your Health And Strength
Fitness isn't just about lifting heavier weights, running faster times, or conquering the more complex yoga poses — it's also about the foundation of your body's ability to move. That foundation is called mobility.
You may not hear about it as often as you hear about cardio or strength training, but mobility is just as important— if not more so — to your overall fitness. Mobility is the base requirement for your bigger fitness goals, whether it be lifting, running, or yoga.
Today we’re going over:
Mobility in the context of fitness
Its role in our physical health and performance enhancement
The different components of mobility and how they play a role in YOUR goals and lifestyle
What is Mobility?
Mobility refers to the ability of your joints to move freely and efficiently through their full range of motion, and it plays a vital role in practically every type of exercise. It's not just about being able to move a joint from point A to point B, but also about how smoothly and effectively that movement can be accomplished.
For example, when you’re performing a squat, we’re not just looking at your ability to perform a squat from when you sit back (eccentric phase) to when you stand up (concentric phase) — we’re also looking at your ability to maintain form and control in each joint complex through each of those phases of the squat.
Whether you're performing a bicep curl, bending or hinging for a deadlift, reaching for a jump shot, or just jogging through the park; your mobility is working to make those movements possible — and safe.
its role in your health and fitness goals
Mobility plays a pivotal role in both physical health and performance.
When it comes to your your fitness goals, mobility enables efficient movement patterns and reduces your energy expenditure (Mills, 2012). This then leads to improvements in various aspects of fitness, from strength and power to endurance and agility. If your body is restricted, so is your performance.
In addition to this, improved mobility reduces the risk of injury by ensuring that our joints are not strained during any sort of movement (Cook, 2010). This is especially important for activities that involve complex movements or high levels of physical stress, like weight lifting or high-intensity interval training. That said, its also important in daily life activities, such as picking your bag off of the floor or taking your dog for a walk!
From day-to-day, mobility also plays a role in maintaining healthy posture and alignment, which is key for avoiding chronic pain and functional limitations down the road (Page et al., 2010).
How to improve your Mobility
Mobility can be broken down into three main components: flexibility, joint range of motion, and muscle / connective tissue health.
improving your Flexibility
Flexibility, defined as the ability of your muscles and connective tissues to temporarily stretch beyond their natural resting point (Alter, 2004), plays a pivotal role in your fitness journey and contributes significantly to your overall quality of life.
Improving your flexibility, especially if it's a weak point, is crucial because it allows your joints to move through their complete ranges of motion. In relation to strength training, this is important because moving through a fuller range of motion can engage more muscle fibers, leading to increased muscle strength and size. Moreover, flexibility can help ensure proper form during strength training exercises, thereby enhancing efficacy and reducing the risk of injury.
The importance of flexibility extends beyond strength training and impacts daily activities and long-term health. It contributes to:
reduced muscle stiffness
improved posture
enhanced physical performance
decrease in risk of injuries
Flexibility is indispensable across various fitness activities, including strength training, aerobic exercises, yoga, and Pilates. However, while flexibility is important, it's only one aspect of mobility. Mobility is a broader concept encompassing not only the ability of your muscles and tissues to stretch, but also the health and stability of your joints, neuromuscular control, and the overall quality of movement (Cook, 2010). Therefore, you could be flexible yet still have poor mobility if other components are neglected. Therefore, a balanced focus on both flexibility and other facets of mobility is essential for optimal physical performance and a robust, active lifestyle.
improving your Joint Range of Motion
Your joint range of motion, defined as the full movement potential of a joint, is influenced by its specific type (ex. hinge or ball-and-socket) and the surrounding soft tissues, such as muscles and ligaments (Page et al., 2010).
Each joint in your body has a unique range, determined by its structure and function. For example, your elbow, being a hinge joint, primarily allows for flexion and extension. In contrast, your hip, a ball-and-socket joint, permits a wider array of movements: flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and rotation.
Optimizing your joint range of motion has far-reaching benefits. It ensures proper movement patterns during exercises and everyday activities, which can directly enhance your performance, especially in strength-based routines. When your joints can move freely and fully, you can execute strength-training exercises more effectively, engaging more muscle fibers and resulting in better overall strength development.
An improved joint range of motion allows for more fluid and efficient movement in daily tasks, significantly enhancing your quality of life. Whether it's reaching for a high shelf, bending to pick something up, or simply walking, you'll find these movements easier with a greater joint range of motion.
Maintaining healthy joint mobility is instrumental in injury prevention (Page et al., 2010). A joint that can move through its full range naturally reduces undue stress on muscles and tissues. This helps to lower the risk of strains, sprains, and other common injuries. Therefore, focusing on improving your joint range of motion is not just about enhancing your fitness performance, but also about preserving your overall health and well-being.
improving your Muscle / Connective Tissue Health
The health of your muscles and connective tissues (i.e. ligaments and tendons), plays a significant role in your mobility. Healthy tissues are flexible and strong, allowing for proper joint movement — whereas tight or weak tissues will limit this healthy joint flow (Anderson and Sforzo, 2019).
To maintain the health of your muscles and connective tissues, it's important to incorporate both strength and flexibility training into your routine.
Regular exercise and lifting helps keep these tissues strong and flexible, while adequate rest and nutrition aid in recovery and repair. Targeted strategies, such as foam rolling and massage, can help relieve muscle tension and promote tissue health (Pearcey et al., 2015).
In terms of strengthening connective tissues specifically, it's crucial to understand that unlike muscles, tendons and ligaments respond better to slow, controlled movements and pauses. This is because these tissues have a lower blood supply compared to muscles, making their metabolic rates slower, and thus, they take longer to adapt to strength training (Kjaer, 2004).
A great way to target these tissues is through isometric exercises, which involves holding a static position under tension for a prolonged period. Isometric push ups, wall-sits, and yoga poses are examples of these types of exercises.
Slow, controlled, full range of motion resistance training can also help. Focus on slow eccentric (lengthening) movements during training and you can add an isometric hold for a couple of seconds during the movement as well. It's also crucial to gradually increase load over time to increase tissue strength capacity. Make sure to start with lighter weights or resistance!
Hydration and proper nutrition also play significant roles in connective tissue and muscular health. Collagen, a protein found in connective tissues, can be supported by a balanced diet rich in vitamin C, protein, and other nutrients (Clark, 2008).
Common Mobility Issues and Their Origins
As we delve deeper into the concept of mobility, it's essential to address the common issues related to mobility, particularly those that arise due to our modern lifestyle.
Typical Mobility Problems Seen in Fitness Enthusiasts
In the realm of fitness, certain mobility issues frequently arise. For example, many enthusiasts grapple with limited hip mobility, which can affect performance in exercises like squats and lunges. Shoulder mobility issues are also prevalent, affecting exercises like overhead presses or pull-ups (Page et al., 2010). In addition, restricted ankle mobility is a common problem, influencing a range of movements from running to squatting (Cook, 2010).
All these issues, surprisingly common among active individuals, can hamper exercise performance, increase the risk of injury, and potentially contribute to discomfort or pain during daily activities. But why are these issues so common? Let's examine the role of our modern lifestyle.
The Impact of Modern Lifestyle on Mobility
Our current way of life significantly contributes to the prevalence of these mobility issues. Sedentary behaviors that have become a norm due to desk jobs and increased screen time can lead to tight hip flexors, hampered hip mobility, and weakened postural muscles (Owen et al., 2010). This lack of movement and improper posturing over extended periods affects your mobility, particularly during fitness activities.
Moreover, prevalent fashion trends like high heels or the use of shoes with inadequate support can negatively impact foot and ankle mobility. Over time, such footwear can affect your overall movement patterns, even during exercise (Morrison et al., 2018).
Injury and Mobility
Injuries also play a pivotal role in influencing mobility. The body often restricts movement in injured areas to protect them, leading to reduced mobility in the process (Page et al., 2010). Further, an injury can result in prolonged disuse of a muscle or joint, leading to stiffness and loss of range of motion. A well-managed recovery process, therefore, is crucial for restoring mobility after an injury. This process should involve a gradual reintroduction of movement and carefully designed exercises to restore function (Cook, 2010).
Strategies to start Improving your Mobility
Improving mobility is an active pursuit, requiring a well-structured plan and dedicated effort. Let’s discuss the ways in which you can actively make improvements!
start with a Mobility Assessment to Establish a Baseline
Knowing your starting point is the first step to enhanced mobility.
Mobility assessments to find your starting point include the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) or specific joint mobility evaluations (Cook, 2010). These provide a baseline and highlight specific areas requiring more attention. Consistent re-assessments will then be used to track your progress and measure the effectiveness of your mobility enhancement routine.
If you feel discouraged about doing your own mobility assessment, you can hire a trainer who utilizes mobility assessments in their coaching, as well as visiting a physical therapist if you have any muscles that feel restricted, but also painful!
Note that the feeling of tightness doesn’t always mean an issue with the tissue length, but it can also mean weakness in that muscle.
utilize Stretching and Mobility Exercises
One of the fundamental ways to improve mobility is through a routine that consists of stretching and mobility exercises.
This will include both dynamic and static stretching, as well as mobility-specific exercises. Dynamic stretches, like leg swings or arm circles, prepare your body for movement, while static stretches, like hamstring or shoulder stretches, help cool down your body and maintain healthy muscle length after workouts (Page et al., 2010).
Controlled articular rotations (CARs) are another effective technique. These exercises involve moving your joints in their full range of motion in a controlled manner, which can help enhance joint health and mobility.
build strength
Strength and stability exercises play a crucial role in improving your mobility.
Exercises like lunges and reverse step-ups for lower body and plank variations for core strength/ stability can enhance muscle function and joint stability. Focus on performing exercises through a full range of motion (or as far as you can without it causing pain) to challenge your mobility (Cook, 2010).
Note that for some people, especially those with lack of mobility due movement avoidance from a previous injury, you may need to start with a shorter range of motion and slowly and gradually increase how far you stretch your muscles during the exercise. Also, remember to start with light weights then gradually increase as you progress through your program. This will ensure safety and proper progression to build strength in those ranges of motion and enhance mobility!
Joint Mobilization
Joint mobilization is a manual therapy technique that is primarily used to manage musculoskeletal dysfunction. It involves stabilizing one segment of a joint and applying manual pressure or traction to the adjacent section. These techniques can be performed both independently (self-joint mobilization) and with the help of a professional (assisted joint mobilization).
Self-joint mobilization techniques include:
Gliding Movements or Translations: These involve moving the joint surfaces relative to each other. For instance, you might glide your hand forwards and backwards over your knee to mobilize the knee joint.
Distraction or Gapping Techniques: These involve pulling the bones of the joint apart slightly to improve mobility. For instance, with your hand wrapped around your other wrist, you might gently pull to create a small gap between the bones in the wrist joint.
Rotations: These involve turning the bones around an axis to improve mobility. For instance, you might use your hand to gently rotate your foot at the ankle.
Oscillations: These involve small, rhythmic movements of the joint. This can help to improve proprioception (the body's sense of where it is in space) and reduce pain.
PNF Stretching
PNF makes use of the body's proprioceptive feedback mechanisms (the sense of the relative position of one's own parts of the body and the strength of effort being employed in movement) to facilitate muscular inhibition or relaxation (Page et al., 2010).
PNF stretching involves a combination of passive stretching and isometric contractions - or static contractions where the muscle doesn't noticeably change length and the affected joint doesn't move. This technique is typically performed with a partner, but it can also be adapted for solo exercises.
Here's a simple breakdown of a PNF stretch:
The muscle is stretched to its end range or until resistance is felt.
The individual then contracts the stretched muscle for 5 - 6 seconds while the partner (or immovable object in the case of self-stretching) applies sufficient resistance to inhibit movement.
The muscle group is then relaxed, and a controlled stretch is applied for about 20 - 30 seconds.
The process is repeated 2 - 4 times.
practice these techniques in daily life
Begin to make progress by being mindful and incorporating these learned techniques from exercise into your daily tasks. For instance, brushing your teeth or reading a book while in a deep squat position can help you to improve your hip and ankle mobility over time.
Do you have a job where you sit all day? Try moving into different positions periodically and even doing seated mobility drills such as a seated rocking piriformis stretch, levator scap and sternocleidomastoid stretch, and a chest stretch!
recovery is necessary for progress
Proper nutrition ensures that your muscles and connective tissues function optimally, while staying hydrated aids in maintaining joint lubrication. Both are crucial for promoting mobility and preventing injuries (Clark, 2014), as they ensure that your muscles and body are recovering fast enough for your exercises!
Final Notes
Investing in your mobility is investing in your health, fitness, and overall quality of life. So, stretch a little longer, add some mobility drills to your routine, consider your daily habits, and take a holistic approach to your fitness. The journey to better mobility may require some time and effort, but the rewards are well worth it. Your future self will thank you!
References
Alter, M. J. (2004). Science of Flexibility. Human Kinetics.
Anderson, B., & Sforzo, G. A. (2019). Foundations of Kinesiology: A Modern Integrated Approach. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Bloomquist, K., Langberg, H., Karlsen, S., Madsgaard, S., Boesen, M., & Raastad, T. (2013). Effect of range of motion in heavy load squatting on muscle and tendon adaptations. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 113(8), 2133–2142.
Clark, K. L., Sebastianelli, W., Flechsenhar, K. R., Aukermann, D. F., Meza, F., Millard, R. L., Deitch, J. R., Sherbondy, P. S., & Albert, A. (2008). 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 24(5), 1485-1496.
Clark, M. (2014). NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
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Langevin, H. M., & Sherman, K. J. (2007). Pathophysiological model for chronic low back pain integrating connective tissue and nervous system mechanisms. Medical Hypotheses, 68(1), 74-80.
Mills, M. (2012). Mobility for Athletes: Increase Performance by Improving Your Flexibility. Mobility for Athletes.
Morrison, S. C., Durward, B. R., Watt, G. F., & Donaldson, M. D. (2018). The influence of high-heeled shoes on foot & ankle kinematics during sit to stand. Gait & Posture, 61, 160-166.
Owen, N., Healy, G. N., Matthews, C. E., & Dunstan, D. W. (2010). Too much sitting: the population health science of sedentary behavior. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 38(3), 105.
Page, P., Frank, C. C., & Lardner, R. (2010). Assessment and Treatment of Muscle Imbalance: The Janda Approach. Human Kinetics.
Pearcey, G. E. P., Bradbury-Squires, D. J., Kawamoto, J. E., Drinkwater, E. J., Behm, D. G., & Button, D. C. (2015). Foam Rolling for Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness and Recovery of Dynamic Performance Measures. Journal of Athletic Training, 50(1), 5–13.
