Curious about how to start gaining mobility? Continue reading along for 7 tips on where to start with strength and mobility training from our co-founder and physical therapist, Luke!
Our co-founder and DPT, Luke Greenberg, sat down with us to explain 7 important tips- some might even say lucky for that reason- to keep in mind when it comes to mobility training. Whether you’re looking to gain agility, strength, or recover from an injury, keep these tips top of mind when activating movement, and in turn become better with your mobility. Continue reading along to learn a bit more in-depth about each point.
And don’t forget, throughout any point in this article, we are here to help. If you’re still experiencing pain or inability to move as you’d like, feel free to reach out to us for a proper assessment of your situation with one of our physical therapists or one-on-one coaches.
Strength & Mobility Tip #1: Tension
One challenge in understanding movement and mobility is feeling where our body is able to direct tension, and where it isn't. This can often lead to holes in our movement patterns, and create difficulties being successful with the activities we want to do. For example: Say you do martial arts, and you want to throw a high kick towards an opponent's head. The body has to have the ability to create tension throughout the stance leg and trunk that equals the work put out by the kicking side. If we fail to do this, we often sink into bad movement habits, such as leaning into our back or putting the hip in a compromised position to achieve that end result. If you're able to create tension in the right places, the movement you want to achieve will often emerge spontaneously.
Strength & Mobility Tip #2: CARs
Doing CARs (controlled articular rotations) is more than just "arm circles" or "hip circles." Think of these movements as your opportunity to communicate every possibility to your joints. If your regular life doesn't have those possibilities in it, the body gets used to that and starts to restrict your range of motion. We use these to grease up the engine and maintain good foundations.
Strength & Mobility Tip #3: PAILs/RAILs
It's been a long-standing fitness myth that you can spot-focus loss of belly fat. While that's not true, it is true that you can spot-focus your weak areas! Think of PAILs and RAILs (progressive and regressive angular isometric loading) as a way to tell your joints and muscles how to work in a certain position. We do these with "push and pull" type efforts. A good coach is going to teach you how to find those positions and grow your capabilities there. After that, the world is your movement oyster, so to speak.
Strength & Mobility Tip #4: Movement Sequences
At MOTIVNY we like to hone in our functional mobility training on particular movement patterns, and practice sequences of transitions that we may find in our sport or activity. We've always found that when we do so, the carry-over of your mobility training has the ability to enhance the other parts of your movement practice. Correlate your movement sequences with your strength training, running training, or injury recovery and you'll find a greater rate of success.
Strength & Mobility Tip #5:Breathwork and internal pressure
A major red flag in a lot of movers is the urge to hold their breath when exerting even small amounts of force, or resisting small loads. This tendency creates breathing inefficiency, increased stress response in the body, and poor training adaptations. We want our work to look hard when it is hard, but when it's not, we want to be relaxed.
Anything that requires repetition also requires efficiency. A one-on-one coach will teach you how to increase and decrease your effort level as the activity demands. More isn't always better. With consistent breathwork and carry-over to training goals, we can move pressure into every part of our body and air into the whole trunk and be ready for whatever the activity demands.
Strength & Mobility Tip #6: Joint-specific Approach vs. Global Approach
We're believers that you need to mix both practices. You'll fail at your global movements if you have joints that aren't prepared, but you'll also be stuck with limited overall activity if you never integrate your joint-focused work into real-life movements. Don't get stuck in the weeds of any specific stretch that takes away the pain, because in the long term your path to success is overall movement freedom. Once a joint is capable, or more capable, make sure you teach your body how that feels with global movements.
Strength & Mobility Tip #7: Split Stance and Unilateral Work
Every adult has built-up movement preferences. If we've become really imbalanced over time, the best way back to the center is to take a staggered and unilateral approach. Movement and body control needs to happen in every plane. Mixing different positions of the limbs allows the pelvis and the trunk to know when to work together, and know when to work opposite. Keep your options open.
… & those are your lucky 7 tips to keep in mind!
Should you be thinking you’d like to give us a visit, book HERE. We also have a multitude of recovery tools to choose from, as well as amazing DPT’s to take a proper look at what’s going on. You can book that right here!
Best of luck on your mobility journey— after all, we are all in this for the Sport of Life!
ADDITIONAL MOTIVNY SERVICES:
If you’re an Athlete of any kind, always feel free to come by our HQ here in the heart of Nolita for any recovery services such as NormaTec Recovery Systems ® or our Clearlight Infrared Sauna. If you like a quick freeze, hit up our friends at Cryofuel- they’ll give you an exclusive MOTIVNY discount for their cryotherapy recovery system!
CLASSES:
If you’re getting back on your A-Game, or transitioning back into a vigorous training schedule, sign up for an array of classes we offer such as our infamous Kinstretch class with coach Anita Naegli, or our evening in-person class that incorporates mixed modes of training such as Kettlebells and Bulgarian Bags, with our cofounder Luke!
FEEDBACK:
We are always striving to progress and improve. We welcome feedback of all types to help make the next experience better than the one before. If you have any feedback you would like to share please send us a note at connect@Motivny.com we will circulate it to the appropriate team members.
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