Summary

Maintaining mobility through regular practice and a range of motion exercises is crucial for getting stronger, especially for those over 40, and is a fundamental component of strength training programs.

Abstract

The article emphasizes the importance of mobility as an essential but often overlooked aspect of strength training, particularly for individuals over 40. It outlines a four-step approach to getting stronger, with mobility being a central theme throughout. The steps include gaining a bit of knowledge about strength training, establishing a daily routine, prioritizing mobility practice, and incorporating resistance into movements. The article underscores that without mobility, the body cannot function optimally, leading to potential injuries and a decline in the ability to move independently. It distinguishes mobility from flexibility, highlighting that mobility focuses on the range of motion at body joints, which is critical for performing exercises like squats without injury. The article provides practical tips and exercises, such as the deep squat, forward lunge and reach, push-up plank to thoracic spine rotation, incline yoga push-up, and pigeon pose, to test and improve mobility in the hips, shoulders, ankles, and spine. It suggests that mobility training should be a daily practice, akin to a warm-up for athletes, and can serve as a standalone micro-workout for those with limited time.

Opinions

The western lifestyle, characterized by insufficient movement, is detrimental to our health and contributes to issues like the increased prevalence of hip replacements.
Mobility is not just about moving but involves having a full range of motion at body joints, which is crucial for maintaining independence in movement.
Injuries often occur when individuals add resistance to their movements without first ensuring adequate mobility, leading to compensation by other body parts not designed for that purpose.
Mobility training is seen as a preventative measure against injury and a key component in strength training programs, even for non-athletes.
The article advocates for mobility exercises to be integrated into daily routines, suggesting that even short mobility workouts can be beneficial.
It is suggested that a lack of movement can lead to a loss of function, reinforcing the adage "Don't use it, you will lose it."
The article implies that mobility should be addressed before adding resistance to movements, emphasizing that it is a foundational element for progress in strength training.

Mobility: The Unknown Component to Getting Stronger

This is the 2nd in a series on getting stronger when over 40. (Secret: these tips apply to those under 40 as well!)

Our ability to move has become compromised.

The western lifestyle of being able to get through most days without moving is taking its toll.

Our bodies are meant to move. When we don’t move, we don’t do well.

Hip replacement, for example, is on the rise and becoming the norm.

Why is that happening know?

Could it be to a lack of movement in our lives?

Before pumping the weights randomly, I suggest the following 4 steps in your quest to get stronger:

1. Have a little bit of knowledge. Be empowered to understand the theory behind the practice. Then get to it.

2. Do something today, then tomorrow, then the next day. A daily routine. Could be small, could be big. But daily.

3. Be able to move. Maybe this should be step 1, 2, 3 and 4. Mobility. Without the ability to move, where are we?

If we don’t move enough, it no longer becomes a choice, and we can’t!

Our bodies are funny that way. Moving must be considered practice to be able to move better.

4. Add some resistance to movement. When done to a full range of motion & combined with the above will get you stronger.

This sequence is fundamental to making progress in getting stronger. You will find these steps covered in all good athlete preparation and training programs. In fact, many strength and conditioning specialists are now referred to as movement coaches.

In summary:

1. A little bit of knowledge

2. A regular routine

3. Mobility practice

4. Different ways of adding resistance to movements aka strength training.

We can easily apply these concepts, even if we are don’t think we are athletes!

Without consistency or mobility (rough definition: the ability to move!) we should not add resistance, and if we can not add resistance, making progress to get stronger becomes more difficult.

Before we go on, a more detailed definition.

Mobility is not just the ability to move, it is range of motion at a body joint. Hips, shoulders and ankles often get compromised due to lack of movement. Unfortunately, now being seen at younger and younger ages. Biggest impact is when we hit 40.

We can lose function due to injury, but also due to lack of movement. This is different than flexibility. Flexibility is the ability to push the range of motion through a body joint.

Being able to move through a full range of motion is the first step in keeping the privilege of moving independently.

It would be important in avoiding injury, for example, to not add a barbell on the back of your neck to squat if your hip and ankle mobility were not good. Many injure themselves by adding resistance before mobility. When that happens, other parts of the body (back, knees) take up the slack, and they are not designed for that. So injury occurs.

Restoring your hips’ mobility would be step 1 before a weighted squat.

How is that done? How do you make sure you have good hip and ankle mobility? You get into a body weight squat. (No added resistance!)

Here are some tips on getting into a deep squat:

If that does not work, meaning you can not lower yourself and hold in bottom position and come back up, then we need to work backwards.

We can start with a sit to stand. We can look to move more often. Simply avoiding long periods of time sitting helps hip mobility.

We can work on restoring full mobility.

What other ways can you test to make sure you have full mobility around the important joints?

Here are a couple of options.

Forward lunge and reach

Push up plank to thoracic spine rotation

Incline yoga push up:

Hip mobility: Pidgeon pose

Ankle mobility

Performing these daily will restore and maintain mobility at key body joints. This is the building block to moving without soreness, and also to getting stronger as then you can add resistance to your movement.

NOTE: if any of these create pain, see your movement specialist.

“Don’t use it, you will lose it”.

Mobility training is a staple in the athlete training world. It is part of their daily physical preparation. Often it is part of their warm-up.

For the average Joe and Jill like you and me, a mobility routine can become our daily workout on those days we don’t have much time dedicated to exercise.

Put together a few deep squats, with some incline yoga push-ups and you have a micro workout!

A push up plank with thoracic spine rotation & forward lunge to reach, you have another micro workout!