'Have one exercise for feet, hips, spine and shoulders, and take your time – it’s about slowly improving. You could do this while the kettle is boiling or for 5 minutes before bed. Instead, start by introducing a couple of the short, simple exercises into your AM or PM and you’ll soon see the effects. (Though the benefits of yoga are undeniable, so by all means do.) You don't need to flow from plank to down-dog for hours on end. Ideally five to ten minutes before you work out and five to ten minutes afterwards, and no less than two to three times a week. 'Flow sequencing is best done daily, little and often (5-15 minutes per day),' advises Vincent. Try starting with one set of each of the mobility exercises at the bottom of this page.
Going hell-for-leather could do more harm than good. If it's your first foray into mobility remember to start off small and grow steadily, as with most fitness goals. What are the best mobility exercises for beginners? Alongside that, using the breath work that comes hand-in-hand with these flows can also provide mental clarity that can transform your whole day,' Norton adds. 'Prioritising a regular mobility practice can improve performance, reduce risk of injury and aid recovery.
#Mobility exercises full#
'Strength and cardio training put your body under a lot of stress, and expose it to trauma, impact damage, lengthening and shortening of the muscles tissues, and often without the necessary mobility, joint stability and strength required to achieve the full range of motion,' says Norton. They give you energy and strengthĪlong with lessening the likelihood of injury, mobility training has been credited with increased energy and strength, and an all-round better understanding of the body.
'When we’re short on time, and we’re trying to make the most of that time, we often prioritise the workout,' says Norton, presumably because most are focused on increasing muscle and strength, as opposed to better and more effective movement. Rather, it just doesn’t get the airtime and Insta-posts that HIIT and CrossFit do. It’s not a well-kept secret among those in the know. You’re wondering why, if mobility training is the equivalent of the Elder wand when it comes to improving all things movement-related, why haven't you heard of it sooner? And if you have, why didn’t you know the full extent of its benefits? Also, increased ranges of motion will decrease capillary pressure and improve circulation, thus improving all things involved in increased blood flow, from recovery time to mental health.' How so? Vincent explains: 'Taking a joint through controlled ranges will give you greater use of soft tissue making you able to dissipate forces across more muscle, therefore reducing the stress on a muscle. 'In fact, yoga is one of the optimal strategies to improve mobility as you have to be strong enough to hold a position and transition to the next pose keeping your muscles in a lengthened state.' Why should I do mobility exercises?Ĭhampioned by world-class athletes and top trainers (including WH cover star, Alice Liveing), a study by International Journal of Yoga linked regular yoga practice to enhanced performance in sport, and research by ScienceDirect found that stretching could even prevent injury.
'It gets you moving joints in flowing sequences, working the deep end range of tissue,' says Vincent. Similar to a yoga flow (minus the savasana, we'd like to caveat), a mobility workout focuses on exercises that engage the joints. Generally speaking, flexible muscles and tendons allow for greater range of motion during movement. That deep squat? Suddenly more accessible. Mobility exercises help improve your joint flexibility and function so you can move better –if you can move better you can perform better. It's quite simple: by including certain exercises in your workout week. Think of mobility in the same camp as flexibility, strength, power, and aerobic fitness – it's an attribute and is defined as ‘the ability to actively achieve extended ranges of motion’. Let us breakdown why, how and when you need to include mobility exercises in your workout routine ( home workout gang, this includes you too). You may well be fuelling up on all the right foods, getting your recommended eight hours of kip (hats off to the extraordinary beings who manage this), and training ’til you put Courtney Black's stamina levels to shame, but you probably won't be reaching your full potential.Ī solid mobility routine is the key ingredient in the recipe for success, and overlooking 'em is like missing out the cinnamon in banana bread - it might seem all good on the surface, but there's something spicy lacking. Not focusing on mobility exercises might just be the reason you've hit your fitness goals glass ceiling.