Hey MobeMob,
Happy Fourth! This episode is dedicated to all the kids in sketchy places doing hard work. Thanks tactical/combat Leopards!
Sometimes in the literature, people get a little confused by the word stretching and how it relates to warm up. Our gym always biases toward dynamic warm up. We tend to save the PNF stretching till afterwards, but will choose to work on muscle stiffness and joint mobility prior to lifting and training. We do however advocate for PNF style stretching if: and extreme range of motion is required (gymnastics) or, if an athlete is freaky restricted (improved positioning will always trump any potential down regulation of force from PNF stretching) I need to be clear about one thing however. Dynamic warm up does NOT solve positional problems. You need a plan that will work on all the systems that may be preventing you from having (wait for it) normal range of motion. Too many times I see athletes worried about “stretching” and yet have range restriction of 50% or higher. Seriously? Don’t confuse mobility work with warm up. You may need mobility work to be able to actually get into your movement positions, because sometimes squatting light does not actually prepare you enough for squatting heavy (in a good position). Remember, about 98% of all the sports injuries/movement dysfunctions I see are preventable. They are a direct result of poor movement patterning and poor positioning. Leg swings don’t really deal with your tight hip capsules (weird huh).
I want to give you all my definition of Mobility (it’s in the FAQ.) Mobilization is a movement-based integrated full-body approach that addresses all the elements that limit movement and performance including short and tight muscles, soft tissue restriction, joint capsule restriction, motor control problems, joint range of motion dysfunction, and neural dynamic issues. In short, mobilization is a tool to globally address movement and performance problems.
Warm up with intention. Figure out why you can’t get into an optimal position (if that’s a problem at all), and have a plan to do so.
Mission: Hammer your quads and glutes 5 min/ per. Yes this is a 20 min piece.
Test/retest: Suicide chair/couch stretch and squat.
Happy 4th you supple freaks!
Kstar
12 Responses to “Episode 280/365: Mobility Is About Position. “Stretch” With Purpose, Not to Warm Up”
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KStar!!! Hey yesterday’s WOD began with sprints, needless to say my first 40M of a 200M sprint I felt a POP in my hamstring and decommissioned myself. Generally I’d say my mobility/flexibility is good, I have no blood/bruising from it. I have my electrolytes, fish oils, & proteolytic enzymes, I also did 4×30 RICE. Feels like I have a bad SUCKER PUNCH to the back of my leg. What are you mobility recommendations? Pain is about 3 to 4 inches below my GOULI.
Your Supple Student
Hellow Dr. KSTAR,
I have one question pertaining direction of flossing? As I continue my journey of wisdom of the Human Body and completing the lower extremity test for the DPT program, I have to ask origins and insertions matter? I mean, if I floss my calf in the direction of the fibers/origin and insertion, am doing this right? One more question, the glute for example is layered with fibers running in different directions, would flossing even hit the glute min or med because of how deep they are and how huge most of our deadlifting crossfitters glutes are?
Thanks for the MWOD, I have been shooting questions at my instructors and they like what you are doing also.
Ryan Wholey
Thanks Kelly for clearing this up about that recent post from that other Author. It is a great site otherwise, but I vehemently disagree with that article’s assertion that tools like Mobilitywod are not really necessary for the “Average Joe.”
I figured this was in response to said blog post. It definitely wasn’t meant to negate all the good work you do here. As a matter of fact he gave some good props to you and some link love. His premise comes from the standpoint of being like ancient man who walks around all day. Truth is most of us are couch/desk/car bound and don’t walk 4-8 hrs a day hunting for our food so a little loosening up helps before we go to war with the barbell.
Thanks for this. I look forward to hearing about your warming up thoughts. I totally get the distinction between mobility and stretching but I am curious to hear more about warming up/dynamic warming up. Spealler has a good video I saw via the main site a few months ago showing his dynamic warm up.
What other article are you guys talking about?
@Nick,
Check out the post on Mark’s Daily Apple for 6/30.