It seems like every few weeks there’s a new fitness craze. It’s to the point that we get so distracted trying to keep up that we forget about the basics. One facet of fitness that seems to slip through the cracks most often is mobility, or the ability to move freely through your body’s whole range of motion. But there’s a reason this is one of the fundamentals of fitness. In fact, there are four.
It Reduces Your Risk of Injury
If you want to avoid getting hurt in a way that prevents you from being able to work out or even walk in the future, you better start taking mobility seriously. The more mobile your joints, the less injury-prone you’ll be.
It Improves Your Form
Chances are, you already know how important good form is in exercise. It makes the difference between effective and useless, between beneficial and harmful. But if you’re too tight and not mobile enough, you may have a hard time going through the entire range of motion of an exercise. For example, you might not be able to squat low enough. Mobility training will make sure this isn’t an issue.
It Feels Good
Compared to other types of workouts, which can be quite stressful and intense, mobility training is relatively relaxing and even calming, making it a great way to start and end a workout. It’s also a wonderful option for an active rest day or when you’re feeling particularly sore.
It Makes You Flexible
Ever wished you were one of those people who could do the splits or even just easily touch their toes? Wanted to be that cool girl in yoga class who has no problem doing pigeon pose? Mobility training is the way to get there.