People often confuse flexibility and mobility, however, they are not as similar as most people might think.
Flexibility is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to lengthen passively through a range of motion.
Mobility on the other hand is the ability to move a joint actively through a range of motion. Mobility is all-encompassing and takes into account the joint, the joint capsule, the ligaments around the joint, the muscles crossing the joint, and the nervous system which controls the motor movement of the joint.
Stretching is good, it improves the length of the muscle temporarily, however, joint mobility needs to increase as well. Stretching improves your muscular length, but the effects are short-lived and do not translate into results. Improving mobility will prepare your body for movement, increase overall joint range of motion and control, and translate into improved performance at joint health.
Mobility work can be performed at any time and is most often performed before exercise to get the body prepared for movement.
Mobility exercises can include:
1. Hip openers in a seated position
2. 90/90 internal/external rotation seated stretching
3. Seated pigeon and have pigeon exercises
4. Cossack squats right and left
5. Instep lunges right twist then left twist at the hip
6. Modified warrior position - knee right and left with a twist to either side
7. Knee drop squat drop down - rotate to right then to left knee
8. Squat drops
Mobility training builds strength and coordination throughout the range of motion of the muscles around a specific joint, or multiple joints – and can actually be a workout in and of itself!
