Did the chicken or the egg come first? We do not care? Chicken and egg is delicious, and you wonder what that has to do with mobility exercises.
Stay with me for a moment. In the world of fitness, “experts” have often debated which quality of exercise is more important to train: stability exercises or mobility exercises.
Stability is the ability to maintain or control the movement or position of joints. The coordinating actions of surrounding tissues and the neuromuscular system provide stability. Mobility is the degree to which a joint (where two bones meet) can move before being restricted by surrounding tissues such as muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Which is more important? Both are important and always will be for overall fitness. But in this article, we’ll dive into the benefits of mobility and four mobility exercises to improve movement and strength.
BENEFITS OF MOBILITY EXERCISES
There are several reasons why mobility is an essential part of your fitness journey. Mobility is one of the original foundations of youth, while being able to build muscle. Additionally, having good mobility allows you to move freely and more efficiently. Here are some important reasons why training mobility is the bomb.
- You will feel younger: Mobility is one of the original foundations of youth. The ability to move your movable joints through a full range of motion will help you keep up with the young whippers of this world and keep you on your feet longer.
- Improved muscularity and strength: Good joint mobility allows you to move as efficiently as possible during your lifts. You won’t compensate with a smaller range of motion, allowing you to strengthen all parts of the movement. Suppose that if your hip mobility limits the depth of your squat, you are not strengthening all parts of the movement. This leaves winnings on the table.
- You will be a better athlete: Many great athletes can change direction without changing speed and quickness. If their mobility was lacking, that wouldn’t happen. When you have good mobility and your muscles are not tense, your movements are easier and more fluid. And when you move better, your workouts will become more effective and you’ll crush your opponents on the pitch.
- Injury prevention: When your joints move freely through their full ROM, it improves their ability to better absorb force when running, jumping, lifting, etc. In theory, a more mobile joint is a safer joint. If there are mobility restrictions, your body will compensate and find a way to perform the movement. This drives the muscles and joints up and down the kinetic chain to do the work of your restricted joint. Over time, this can lead to injury and pain.
4 MOBILITY EXERCISES FOR BETTER MOVEMENT AND STRENGTH
Here are four mobility exercises for better movement in and out of the gym. These moves are chosen because they are simple, don’t require a lot of equipment, and give you the best value.
