Short on time and not sure where to start with your mobility?
Yoga instructor, Crossfit coach and movement specialist Georgina Gabriel shares her top tips when working to improve your range of motion…
Essentially when you break it down, mobility is simply about being able to easily move without aid or assistance to perform day to day tasks.
How we move is determined by our motor abilities such as strength, flexibility, coordination, agility, endurance and speed. When we want to improve the way we move for a specific task, we need to take this into consideration.
Improving flexibility allows us to build more strength and opens up a huge amount of movement potential. What do you need to be more flexible for? Are you currently stuck learning a new skill or struggling with basic tasks at home because you are limited by your range of motion?
In this blog series over the next 7 weeks I want to help you overcome some of your limiting beliefs when wanting to improve your movement capacity.
Does any of this sound familiar?...
You don't feel like you have enough time to work on improving your flexibility.
You don't know where to start when improving your flexibility.
You don't prioritize it because you don't really know why you are doing it.
It feels really uncomfortable so you try, but then give up.
You feel like you are too old to start and you label yourself as 'just not flexible'.
You have a really hectic life with kids, work etc so don't know when or how to fit it in.
My MVMT Library offers you the ability to work on your flexibility whether you have 5 minutes or 60 minutes spare. There are lots of flows to help you move better from full body flows or specific body part flows. The key to success is to be consistent each week. Check it out for 7 days free below!..
Week 1- Tip #1 - Time alongside training
I find the best thing when rushed for time is using tools in warm ups such as dynamic active stretches. This helps to open up the range you are needing to use in your session whilst also improving your dynamic active flexibility.
This might include end range joint rotations to open up and check in with how your body feels and create space or undo bad movement habits from the day. Follow this with muscle activation and getting in positions relative to the skill or demands of your training session ahead.
Within your training session focus on training through your full range of motion. Personally for me that means deep squats, or adding deficits to movements such as push ups. Over time this will improve my flexibility and strength in those positions. I use tools such as isometrics (also known as static active stretches) to help build more strength and stability through my range of motion. When trying any of the above you might have to start by regressing the movements back first or using less load to then build it back up again. Don't let your ego get the better of you and continue to train partial range if you know you want to make a change.
Another way I could incorporate improving my flexibility is in my training session. Perhaps I am doing squats as my strength, therefore I might work on some upper body passive stretches between my sets while I am resting and vice versa.
Even just 10 mins of dynamic movement in the morning working in tight areas will help you improve flexibility, coordination, strength, awareness etc, not to mention the benefits for your mind.
Check out the movement library for flows from 5-60 minutes. I created this platform to help you improve your flexibility, move better and feel better. Try it out for 7 days free first and please feel free to fire me any feedback once you have used the library.
