Mobility is important, you know that. Integrating mobility into your fitness routine allows you to move better, feel better, recover faster and ultimately perform your training sessions at a higher level.
Why does it help your performance?
You can move better, into a deeper and better range of motion on each exercise and the better you perform the movement, the faster you’ll be able to increase weights, reps and overall volume because you’re guaranteed better technique.
So how do you get this whole mobility thing done every day without letting it take over your life?
The good news is that performing mobility or stretching drills more frequently throughout the day, as opposed to taking long chunks of time (ie: 30 minutes a day) to do a full-body work up is much more beneficial.
Why?
Because you are increasing blood flow to the muscle more often (particularly important if you have a desk job) and that increase in blood flow can increase your alertness and energy.
You are also getting in more reps during the day than if you just spend one dedicated portion of your day on this.
Repetition is the key when it comes to mobility and stretching because unfortunately with our lifestyles involving sitting, computer work, endless screens and technology and driving, the muscles quickly slip back into their old patterns. Bottom line, you need to keep up with it and stay ahead of it.
Mobility work = prevention
The last, and probably most important part, is that this increases your chance of actually DOING it.
If I told you to stretch for 30 seconds for every hour that you sit, you’re much more likely to be compliant than if I asked you to spend 30 minutes each day doing it.
Here are the nuts and bolts of how to integrate movement, mobility and stretching into your day. I wanted to give you some simple options that you can pick and choose. Just as long as you are doing SOMETHING, I’m happy and your joints and muscles will thank you.
Mobility/Stretching/Movement Options:
- Get up and walk around every hour that you sit
- Stretch a body part for 1 minute for every hour that you sit
- Do some stretching or mobility first thing in the morning or right before you go to bed
- Focus on the areas that are tight for you, don’t worry about doing everything (because you’ll get overwhelmed and then stop)
The most common areas that need to be mobilized are the hips and shoulders. This is due to the sitting and driving posture that we all fall into way too often.
Here are some great options that you can do right at work or at home.
Walking outside is an ideal option, but for the in-between times, just walk around the office or get up to get some water.
Kelly Starrett is one of the best when it comes to mobility, so check out these videos for some great hip stretches….
These are some great shoulder mobility exercises that you can hit at the gym with a band. If you’re at work, simply work some of these ranges of motion on the corner of your desk or the doorway.