{Fitness Friday}: Mobility

Have you ever bent over + been unable to touch your toes or been unable to squat below parallel? Enter decreased mobility my friends, we all have issues with decreased mobility. Whether your issues are caused from tight hip flexors from a job that requires you to sit at desk all day or shortened/tight hamstrings from running. Any form of tightness decreases mobility. Mobility, not to be confused with flexibility, is the range of motion or the ability to move with full range of motion under specific circumstances while flexibility is the range of motion of a  joint. Steve Maxwell, a strength + conditioning coach writes, "It is better to be inflexible with good mobility than flexible with poor mobility." Mobility work is important for EVERYONE as it reduces imbalances inherent in our athletic and recreational pursuits. It is the foundation to better movement patterns. When you move better, your body rewards you with stronger and fitter faster. According to Kelly Starrett, "98% of orthopedic injuries are preventable". They are due to a lack of understanding of simple mechanics + lack the tools to improve these mechanics. Overlooking mobility leads to greater risks for injury. Improving your mobility + understanding how to move correctly in all situations will help dissolve physical restrictions. Kelly refers to this as being a "supple leopard, poised and always ready for action." Have you ever seen a child squat? It is perfect, effortless! They are a great example of supple leopards! Kelly Starrett is a CrossFit coach, physical therapist, author + speaker. He has an amazing blog with videos + instruction to help improve your mobility. 

www.mobilitywod.com

Why should you set aside time for working on your mobility? 

1) It helps to create more flexible and stable joints. 

2) It develops resilient ligaments which decrease your chance of serious injury

3) It allows us to perform better whilst training and performing everyday tasks

4) It facilitates better posture

You can use mobility exercises as a warm up, an active recovery during other activities, or as a stand-alone workout. A little bit of stretching every day will go a long way! Rogue Fitness has TONS of products that can be incorporated into improving your mobility.