This month, we are focusing on mobility! Why mobility? Why should I care about mobility? What IS mobility? All great questions! Let’s dive in.

What is mobility?

According to the American Council on Exercise, mobility is how a joint moves through its normal range of motion. Most people think that mobility and flexibility are the same, when in fact they are two very different concepts.

Flexibility is the ability to lengthen your muscles, for example holding a stretch while your body melts into it. Mobility is the ability of a joint to move actively through its full range of motion. Mobility is active and also made up of motor control, strength and even skill. Flexible muscles help improve how well you can move your joints and considered an important component of mobility.  But for good mobility, you also need strength and stability in addition to flexibility.

The importance of mobility

Mobility is important because it affects your ability to move freely throughout your daily activities without pain and strain, even outside of strenuous movements like you do during exercise (it’s also been associated with increased energy and strength, so that’s a bonus). Without good mobility, your muscles may be tight, but you can also have imbalances in the body and be more prone to injury. Good mobility can make a big difference to all areas of your life, whether you are a high-performance athlete or an office worker,  it is what will keep you active years down the line.

Benefits of Mobility Training

There are tons of benefits to increasing your mobility:

  • Injury prevention/reduction
  • Increased body awareness/understanding
  • Increased strength through muscle activation
  • Relieve tightness, tension
  • Improved posture
  • Increased strength, balance, flexibility, etc
  • Keeps your body moving fluidly, optimally

How to Incorporate Mobility

  • Try one of our mobility classes on the virtual studio which incorporate mobility movement (i.e. yoga classes, stretching, mobility classes)
  • Look out for our new Mobility collections being released over the next while
  • Add in mobility exercises to your warm-up or cool down: for example, walking knee to chest, arm and hip circles, high-stepping, lunges with a twist or a squat to hinge
  • Self-massage or foam rolling
  • These are only a few points on how to start incorporating mobility into your daily routines. There are many more ways to work on your mobility so stay tuned for additional blog posts to come!

Mobility is fundamental to your physical well being and the key to longevity (it is like adding in a little savings plan for your future). Training for mobility is about you and your unique body. Start where you are, listen to your body, and do what you can. At the end of the day, improving your mobility is one of the most effective ways to have a happy, pain-free body that will sustain you through your entire life.