Over the past few weeks, Katelyn and I have had to sit in many dealerships.
During that time we had so much time to sit around and discuss life. One of the things that we started talking a lot about was the definition of mobility and how it changes as an athlete matures in their fitness journey and how it relates to our current cycle.
I thought it would be interesting to share with y’all, so here it goes!
Stage 1: “I Wanna Touch My Toes!”
Starting out in fitness, we generally are gonna hold the colloquial definition of being mobile which is really just a test.
That test is the “can you touch your toes without bending your legs” challenge that you see in the Presidential Fitness Test in middle and high school here in the U.S..
If you can’t do this task of folding in half, then you are considered immobile and need to work on improving your mobility by stretching and reducing the distance from your hands to your feet!
The problem?
It completely ignores the rest of the joints in our bodies to move!!!
Stage 2: “I Want to Complete Tasks!”
The next stage of mobility that we felt we went through was “what is enough to get the job I want done?”
If my workout demands that I squat and lift heavy weight, I am mobile if I can complete that task to the standards given!
A lineman is mobile if they can hit a 3 point stance, a crossfitter is mobile if they can squat to depth with a loaded bar overhead, and a golfer is mobile if they can hit the ball 220 yards+.
This definition is improved over the “touch your toes” idea! It takes into account human movement and the goals of the individual. Having useful movement is great!
The problem?
“Good enough” is a term that gets accepted and we move on to the next task once we have reached the ability to complete our personal checklist on each movement, which can lead to imbalances when left unchecked.
Stage 3: “I Want To Move Freely and Fully”
After years of pushing and accepting “good enough” something usually tweaks or gets so tight we can’t stand it. This pushes the mindset from what is right in front of me to “how do I wanna move 20 years from now?”
Well, moving pain free and being able to move however you like without being impeded by tightness takes a different standard of movement and priority of that movement.
In CrossFit the term we would use is “virtuosity of movement.”
Moving and lifting with the goal that we complete the task, not because it is laid out ahead of us, but because we know if we approach it with trying to move our best. In doing so it will allow us to do the things in life we want to do most without the need for outside assistance or feeling hindered.
Learning to squat without knees caving in, opening up the mid-back in a squat therapy squat, and learning to brace your shoulder in a pull-up are all a part of teaching your body how to handle what you wanna do in life!
And doing these things with the idea that you can move free of pain and tightness. This freedom should allow you to do the things you wish to do to the fullest!
This definition can be a little different for all!
At the end of the day the ultimate test of mobility is when someone asks you if you want to do something, your body isn’t the thing stopping you from doing it.
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