Most fitness discussions center on building strength, boosting endurance, or reshaping the body. Rarely, however, do we hear about mobility. It’s the ability to flow through a full range of motion with grace and purpose. This capacity has a major impact on how we perform, how we feel, and how we age.
Mobility training needs to be a core component of your training program if you are a fitness professional. But what is it really, and why is it so important?
What Is Mobility?
Mobility is the ability of a joint to move freely and effectively through its normal range of motion, with strength and control. It is not just about how far you can stretch; it’s about being able to move in a way that you intend to.
Good mobility contributes to:
- More quality movements
- Better lifting or exercise technique
- Increased ease of motion
- Less resistance during exercise
Flexibility is not the same as mobility, though the two terms often go hand in hand.
How Mobility Affects Your Performance
If you can’t properly control a movement, you probably can’t do it effectively. If an athlete, for instance, struggles with a squat or overhead press because of how they hold or control a certain joint during the movement, it’s going to be difficult for them to perform at their peak.
Increased mobility may assist with:
- Better biomechanics
- Improved execution of exercises
- Increased strength potential
- Improved athletic performance
Improving mobility in certain areas can have significant positive ripple effects throughout your entire body.
How Mobility Helps With Injury Prevention
If you can’t move properly when you exercise, you might be placing unnecessary stress on certain muscles and joints.
Many factors contribute to injury, but increasing mobility in certain parts of the body may assist with:
- Enhancing body awareness
- Improving balanced movement
- Reducing overuse injuries caused by compensation
- Encouraging good habits
Exercise technique is a factor, as is exercise intensity. Mobility training and flexibility training are crucial components of a quality exercise program.
Where Mobility Training Can Help
Most people have certain areas that lack range of motion for one reason or another. Maybe they spend most of their time sitting in a chair. Maybe they do a lot of repetitive movements during their work or training. Maybe it’s both.
Here are a few areas that tend to be affected by poor mobility:
- The hips
- The shoulders
- The ankles
- The thoracic spine
The point is, many of us lack mobility in various parts of our body.
How to Add Mobility Training Into Your Fitness Program
Mobility training doesn’t have to be an hour-long session once a week. In fact, in some cases, you can add a few mobility-based exercises to your warm-up, recovery, and pre-activity routines.
This can include exercises like:
- Dynamic stretches
- Controlled joint movements
- Movement drills
- Activation exercises
It’s more important to do them frequently than to do them for a long time.
Mobility Training Supports Lifelong Fitness
Fitness isn’t just about your personal performance goals. It’s about how you want to be able to move throughout your life. And how well you’re able to move as you age. Mobility training is beneficial to people of any age and fitness level.
Concluding Thoughts
Incorporating mobility training into your program helps your clients to move better, lift better, and be better able to enjoy long-term health and wellness. Mobility is a cornerstone of fitness, and a focus on it will pay dividends for years to come.