Mobility Training PDF

MOBILITY TRAINING What is mobility training? Mobility is the ability to move a limb through its full range of motion. This is not to be confused with flexibility which is simply the length of muscle. Mobility is a controlled voluntary movement through its entire functional range of motion. Mobility...

MOBILITY TRAINING What is mobility training? Mobility is the ability to move a limb through its full range of motion. This is not to be confused with flexibility which is simply the length of muscle. Mobility is a controlled voluntary movement through its entire functional range of motion. Mobility training is the process in which you work to improve mobility in all or a single joint. Mobility designates exercises that will increase your range-of-motion and your stabilization, or control of the muscles that surround each joint. Mobility isn’t the same as flexibility, though it is close. Mobility incorporates flexibility and strength, and it’s crucial to help you squat deeper, push harder, and jump higher. Sample Mobility Exercises ANKLE MOBILITY Ankle mobility refers to the flexibility of the ankle joint and its surrounding muscles and tendons. When your ankle is flexible, you have a greater range of motion during your activities. Ankle Circle Start off with a stretch. These circles help your range of motion, and you can do them sitting or lying down. - Turn your ankle slowly in circles, clockwise 10 circles and counterclockwise 10 circles. Standing Heel Lifts - Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Have a chair or the wall nearby for support if you need it. - Lift your heels off the floor so that you’re standing on the balls of your feet. - Slowly lower your heels to the floor. Control is important for strengthening your muscles. - Do 2 or 3 sets of 10 repetitions. LEG SWINGS - Stand in front of a wall - Place hands on the wall at shoulder level - Swing one leg side to side in a pendular motion. - Keep the knee straight and the support foot in contact with the floor. HIP MOBILITY TRAINING Poor hip mobility can contribute to issues like lower back pain, knee problems and it gets in the way of squats and other stuff you want to do. Your hips are the center of movement for your body, so the healthier and less restricted your hips become, the more potential your body has for strength, power, and athleticism. Quadruped hip circles - Raise the left knee of the floor and rotate in an arc, attempting to make a big circle. - Perform the movement slowly for a number of repetitions. Repeat on the other leg. Standing hip circles - Support yourself on one leg and flex the opposite so that it is level with the hip. - Open the hip as far as possible, attempting to make a big circle with the knee. - Perform the movement slowly for a number of repetitions. Repeat on the other leg. Pigeon stretch - Keep the front knee flexed and in line directly with the hip. - The back leg extends behind and stays in line with the hip. Place the hand in front. - Move the chest close to the front knee. Hold the position for a few seconds. Lateral lunge - Stand tall with arms on the waist - Take a step to the side. - Keep both feet facing forward and the soles in contact with the ground. - Push off and go back to the starting position. Reverse lunge with overhead reach - Stand tall with the arms hanging on both sides. - Step the foot backward while lowering the hips so one knee bends to 90-degrees. Simultaneously, raise the arms to the celling and reach back over the shoulders. - Return to the starting position and repeat on the other leg. SPINE MOBILITY Bench T-spine extensions - Place your elbow/hands on a bench while keeping the back flat. - Push the chest down feeling a bit of stretch on your triceps and shoulder. - You may also have a partner pressing down between your scapula. Hold this for few seconds. SQUAT A squat involves two phases: downward (or descent) and upward (ascend). During the descent, the hip and knee joints flex until the top part of the thigh at the hip joint is lower than the knee joint. During the ascent, the knee and hip joints extend to return to the start position. The knee is stability joint and must maintain its alignment to the hips and feet. It is perfectly aligned when its load-bearing axis runs down the middle of the leg, through the hip, knee and ankle. PUSH-UP The foundation of the push-up is plank. The lumbar spine must be in a neutral position; the head centered and stable. The lower limb must be aligned to the entire trunk and head. During the movement of the upper body, the lumber spine must be stabilized through bracing so as to keep the stomach from sagging or hip rising toward the celling. - Get down on all fours, placing your hand slightly wider than your shoulders. - Straighten your arms and legs. - Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. - Pause, then push yourself back up. DYNAMIC WARM UP AND COOL DOWN STRETCH Dynamic warm up - In simple terms, a dynamic warm-up is “moving while you stretch” or stretching through a joint's full range of motion and preparing muscles for more intense exercise to come. A dynamic warm-up promotes blood flow, helps PREVENT INJURY and muscle soreness, as well as helps improve overall performance. Cool down stretch - Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately expanded and flexed in order to improve the muscle's felt elasticity and achieve comfortable muscle tone. The result is a feeling of increased muscle control, flexibility, and range of motion.