With all of the fitness articles and YouTube videos on the web, it’s not easy to separate reliable information from not so reliable information.
Even further, not everyone has time for you to spend an additional hour each day along with their workout to complete mobility work.
So, creating an efficient and efficient routine becomes increasingly essential for individuals with busy schedules.
I like to classify mobility exercises into three categories:
1) SMR:?Self Myofascial Release happens when you apply pressure to some muscle with a foam roller, lacrosse ball, massage stick, etc. Carrying this out breaks up scarring adhesions formed over time for a variety of reasons that i am not going to go into here. Just know that it will help your tissues move better.
2) Distraction:?Have you ever had a doctor or physiotherapist pull on your arm or leg and shake it a bit? That’s called distraction. Within this mobilization, the joint capsule is being stretched. You can do this yourself using a band.
3) Static & Dynamic Stretching:?All traditional stretching falls under this category. This kind of mobilization activly works to increase the length of the muscle as well as no equipment. Static stretching refers to holding a stretch for time. Dynamic Stretching refers to oscillating in and out of a stretch for time.
In relation to programming your mobility work, I recommend doing 10-20 minutes of SMR & Dynamic Stretching before your workout and 10-20 minutes of stretching with distraction after your workout. Do each mobilization for 2 mins per side.
In future articles, I plan to share my favorite mobility exercises for each joint with complete details on how you can perform them. This short article was more geared towards comprehending the various kinds of mobility exercises and the way to work them into your current exercise routine.
-JD