The Better Way To Build Stability & Mobility Exercises
2022-06-23
Honestly, I don’t blame most people for not using the best methods to reach their fitness goals. There is SO much information out there that is being sold in clever ways that it can be hard to tell what is good and what is not such great information. That is a BIG motivator for us to keep putting out our DVRT blogs because we want to help you filter the information, not through our opinions but the best science we have available. This is VERY true when it comes to building better stability and mobility exercises!
Something we should keep in mind when we are looking at filtering all the information we are being bombarded with!
A good way to share how we are often chasing the wrong things when we are trying to develop better stability and mobility exercises is what happened to me recently on social media. Upon sharing a picture of the spiral line (as you will see in the post below) I got a response of the following.
Now, I’ll admit, my first reaction was to be snarky in return. However, I have a rule that I take 10 deep breathes before responding to anything on the internet. Instead, I saw this as a learning opportunity and took the time to describe all the muscles related to the spiral line.
It seems taking a little of time to share information than get emotional paid off in the response!
My point is sharing with you this story is that a lot of people don’t even know how our bodies work and create movement so it doesn’t surprise me that exercises like those that strength coach, Martin Adame, shows below leaves a lot of people confused in how we are building great stability and mobility at the same time!
View this post on Instagram
Sadly, we aren’t really well informed on the idea that stability and mobility are interrelated, they aren’t separate qualities. As Dr. Tyrel Detweiler explains…
“This is an important definition because flexibility and mobility are often incorrectly used interchangeably or as the same, like sprain and strain. The key differences here are that flexibility references a muscle or muscle group, whereas mobility refers to the joint itself. Also, flexibility is defined as a passive movement, and mobility is defined as an active movement. This means that flexibility is done in a relaxed muscle state, whereas mobility is done with the active contraction of the muscles.
Now that the above-mentioned terms have been clearly defined, we can already see an important component within the definition of mobility that lends a hand in solving whether mobility or stability comes first: Actively. In terms of kinesiology, active motion refers to motion that is controlled and created by our muscles. This means that mobility requires muscular contraction and coordination. In other words, mobility requires stability to occur.”
It doesn’t and shouldn’t be an either or, but sitting there cranking on your hip or shoulder joint thinking it represents good mobility exercises isn’t a good thing!
While mobility exercises like the above look like they are the right thing to do, the reality is the negate what we know the connections of the body. This is how bodybuilding leaks back into our thinking. We see a “tight” shoulder and we think it is a shoulder issue. However, it could be a core, neck, hip, even lower leg issue that the brain detects instability and starts to protect itself.
Dr. David Tiberio of the renown Gray Institute says it so well!
“At the Gray Institute the term “mostability” is discussed very frequently. In fact, it is considered a Principle or Truth of Human Function. All movements are part MOBILITY and part STABILITY. One without the other is sure to bring poor quality movements and potential injury. Functional movements differ, but for each there is an optimal combination of mobility and stability that produces the MOST-ABILITY.
Not as obvious is the “mostability” of the pelvis when our foot hits the ground in running. At ground contact, the posterior-lateral muscles of the hip have a large role in decelerating the motions of the hip, knee, and foot created by gravity and ground reaction force. These muscles need the pelvis to be a stable base from which to generate force, but the pelvis is moving. So again, both stability and mobility are necessary. During running, the one foot will be in the air when a stable yet mobile pelvis is required. How does the pelvis remain stable while it is moving without the connection to the ground? The mass and momentum of the swinging leg, trunk, and arms all contribute to the ability of the pelvis to have “mostability”. This knowledge influences how train and rehabilitate clients who run.”
The point is that it is never stability or mobility exercises, it is how do we integrate both! That is what we do by using the Ultimate Sandbag and tools like bands to provide feedback to the individual on how to create proper stability when we are trying to work through a restricted movement.
View this post on Instagram
When we really understand how the body functions then creating better workout programs, using the right tool, and knowing how to address stability and mobility exercises doesn’t become so overwhelming. We can better look at the information that we come across and judge if the information truly reflects what we should be aiming to achieve in our training!
Don’t miss this week saving 25% all throughout DVRT and when you invest in ANY of our Ultimate Sandbags/water bags you will receive a FREE 16 workout program that shows you how to get great results in minimal time! Just use code “father” HERE
View this post on Instagram
Featured in
© 2024 Ultimate Sandbag Training. Site by Jennifer Web Design.