Mobility training: improve your daily movement and joint health

   Our daily movement, from simply walking to laying down to sleep, is dependent on many factors. Joints, muscles, tendons, articulations and many other body parts are cogs in the mechanism of every day tasks that we call mobility. Mobility is essential not only for athletes, but for pretty much every person, allowing to perform all sorts of activities ranging from basic to very complex. Being able to move in a certain range of motion without pain is what mobility is about. 

Photo by Miriam Alonso from Pexels

  Maintaining muscle mass, bone density and healthy joints is vital to mobility. Issues like sedentarism, obesity, neurological disorders and other illnesses can reduce and even impair our natural mobility. Aging is also an important factor that can impact mobility, with drastic reductions in people over 65 due to age-related impairments like osteoporosis, lower energy efficiency and sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass). Inflammation related chronic illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis are also detrimental to joint and articulation health, therefore severely affecting overall mobility. 

  Though there are many external factors that can affect and reduce mobility, keeping ourselves active with adequate exercise that suits our needs is one of the best ways to minimize the natural loss of mobility due to sedentarism and aging. Repeatedly moving the joints in a determined range of motion or holding a certain position essentially is what mobility exercises are. The main difference between mobility and stretching is that the latter is based solely on elongating the muscles, while mobility is focused on joint range of motion and overall movement of the body. Muscle control is also a key factor in improving mobility, due to the important role they play in stability and movement. In summary, mobility exercises are made to protect and maintain every element in the body that's involved in the movement process.

   Flexibility, stability, coordination and range of motion are the main pillars of mobility, therefore exercises which train these abilities can also be considered as mobility training. However, unless you're very active or an athlete, the majority of people do not meet the required daily exercise quota to upkeep mobility. Staying still in a sitting position for hours during work and other activities is also detrimental to mobility, making joints stiffer and muscles underactive. Therefore, performing exercises daily that help keeping the joints active is the way to keep their healthy function. 

 

   Mobility training can come in many forms, with practices like yoga, Pilates, calisthenics and functional exercises being some of the most adequate due to their varied patterns of movement. Complementing other forms of movement with additional mobility work is also excellent to maintain your overall fitness and avoiding injury. Most specialized mobility workouts use CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations), which involve strong and controlled exercises focusing on the rotation of the joint in all planes of movement. CARs also target the muscles, activating during the movement for stabilization and depth of motion. This method is low impact and easily modifiable, making it suitable to people of all ages and fitness levels.

 

   Training mobility is not only important for your daily movement, but also can help to improve your exercise and sports performance. Having healthy joints and strong muscle engagement will improve your range of motion and makes recovery faster. So, if you're interested in complementing your training or just trying mobility workouts, here are a few great options on YouTube. For most of these workouts, the only equipment you'll need is a non slip mat and the occasional yoga block.

   Mobility by Julia Reppel 

A full body CARs routine for the entire body

  Julia's channel is one of the most popular channels specialized on mobility on YouTube for a reason. With a degree on sport sciences and a passion for many types of movement, Julia uses her scientific knowledge and experience as an athlete to create mobility workouts for all needs. Her concise editing, excellent programming and constant updates make her channel a must for everyone interested in mobility. The only downsize is that most of her workouts have no voice over, though on screen instructions are very clear and modifications are provided in every workout.

  EDR Fitness

A hip mobility routine to open your hips in just ten minutes

  EDR Fitness is another channel focused on mobility, run by trainer Michael from Canada. Fully guided mobility routines are available on the channel, no voiceover options are also there if that's your preference. With workouts for every occasion and fitness level, this channel also offers a few programs if you want to advance in your mobility journey. Weighted mobility routines are available if you want to take your training to a new level too. New videos are posted weekly so it's a great choice if you want lots of variety.

 The Limber Coach 

A creative routine with modifications for all levels

  The Limber Coach is a channel focused on mobility and flexibility, with follow along workout routines aimed at everyone. With clever editing including the target muscles and on screen exercise previews, familiarizing with the moves is fairly simple. Most of their workouts are made to improve everyday movement, some targeted routines focusing on specific areas like the spine. Most routines have no voiceover, though some that are voice guided with simple instructions.

   FLEXFORM by Shan 

Activate your entire body with this dynamic flow

  Shan is a aerialist and flexibility coach from Australia. Though her channel is fairly new and does not have as many videos as others on this list, her high quality content definitely stands out. With fully guided routines filmed in real time, her routines range from all levels to split and backbend prep. Her in depth breakdown of every move and cues are great if you're a beginner to mobility, or if you simply prefer not looking at the screen every few seconds.

  Alex Murphy 

Target your inner hip mobility with this full length routine

  Alex Murphy is a Canadian physical therapist and mobility specialist. A passionate coach, Alex uses her channel to educate about mobility and post follow along workouts. In depth videos focusing on specific joints and mobility issues are some of her best content, carefully explaining the biomechanics of every move. Her follow along routines are filmed in real time and fully guided, with routines for all levels and even for specific needs like hip and shoulder flexibility.