Move It or Lose It: Your Mobility
Breaking Down Mobility
The term "mobility" is often used interchangeably with "flexibility"; while they appear similar, they are two different forms of movement. A concept that should be understood before we explain the difference between the two is “range of motion”.
Range of motion is how far you can move a joint in a certain direction. For example, when squatting, it's encouraged to have a longer range of motion (going as low as you can) rather than doing a quarter squat, which has a shorter range of motion. Range of motion can be worked on in two different ways: actively and passively.
Active range of motion is movement without any outside assistance, meaning that you are using your own strength and control to move the joint. It is the application of range of motion and is most commonly used when we exercise.
Passive range of motion is movement with the help of an outside force, such as gravity, another person, stretching tools, etc. Passive range of motion can show us the potential range of motion that exists but that we are unable to achieve on our own.
Mobility vs Flexibility
Now that we understand range of motion and its components, we can delve deeper into mobility versus flexibility. Mobility refers to a joint's ability to actively move through a range of motion, whereas flexibility pertains to a muscle's ability to passively lengthen within a range of motion. In simple terms, mobility represents our joints' active movement capacity, while flexibility denotes our muscles' passive lengthening capability.
An easy way to differentiate between flexibility and mobility is by testing it on yourself. Raise your knee toward your chest to evaluate the mobility in your hip, measuring how far up your knee comes up without assistance. Then, place your hands on your knee and actively pull it closer to your chest; this demonstrates the flexibility of your hips.
How Much Mobility Do You Need?
Mobility is important not only for the execution of exercises in the gym but also for movements in our daily lives. Your body adapts to the positions you put it in most frequently. For example, if you spend the majority of your time sitting, your hip flexors will become more accustomed to being in that shortened position, making extension more difficult. However, if you take the time to move your hips through a full range of motion, they will be able to perform more efficiently in the full range.
But how do you know if you have the mobility you need for daily life and the gym? That can be easily answered by asking yourself if you can comfortably get into all the positions required of you. If you can do things like front rack a barbell, hit a squat just below parallel (or more), and get your spine into a neutral position at the start of your deadlift, you're probably plenty mobile.
Testing Your Mobility
There is a series of tests you can do to assess your mobility through functional mobility screening. A PDF with the tests can be found here. In short, FMS is a series of movement patterns that put you into fundamental positions and rate your mobility based on whether you can perform the movement and how far your range of motion is. This rating is on a scale of 0-3, with 0 indicating pain in those positions and 3 indicating proficiency.
The Importance of Mobility
Mobility varies for everyone depending on past injuries, flexibility, activity level, etc. When you don't have enough mobility, it can cause imbalances in the body. For example, if your hips can't get into positions that they need to, it can start affecting your knees, and you may start to rely too heavily on other parts of your body. It is important to have good overall mobility for this reason and more, including:
Injury prevention
The ability to move effectively both daily and in the gym
Increasing range of motion
Improving exercise movement quality
Reducing joint deterioration
Adding Mobility Into Your Routine
There are many mobility exercises you can do for almost every joint in the body, but the most common problem areas are the shoulders, hips, and thoracic spine. When doing mobility drills, it is recommended to work on your exercises for 15-20 minutes a day, with 3 exercises per joint, and at least 2 minutes per exercise. Consistency is key when working on mobility. It is not sufficient to only work on it once a week or less; in order for your body to become accustomed to desired positions, it takes time.
Below are a few exercises/stretches that you can do for hips, shoulders, and back. The gym also features posters by the water dispenser displaying many examples of more exercises that can be done.
Hips
Shoulders
Back