Mobility with Mel!
Mobility is important. Yeah, yeah, I know. But what is it? Is it stretching? Why do I need it? How much do I need? Okay, I bought the foam roller and lacrosse ball, but…well, now what?
CrossFit is all about functional movements and learning new skills everyday. The fact is you can’t do that if you don’t have good mobility. Mobility is what allows you to maintain a neutral spine, to keep everything stacked for a better “foundation”, and increases the efficiency of any movement.
Want to get faster in the WOD? Want to increase your squat numbers? Guess what? Improve your mobility.
What is Mobility?
People often confuse mobility with flexibility. The range of motion you possess is your flexibility. Mobility is how much of that range can you access on command. For example, if you sit on the floor with your legs in front of you and pull yourself towards your legs, that’s flexibility. Now, simply bend forward without using your arms. How far did you get that time? That’s your mobility. It’s how far can you access the range of motion without any help.
Why is mobility important? In other words, what can it do for me?
You might not think you have any issues with mobility, but my guess is, you’re wrong. Mobility affects even the seemingly easiest movements, like the air squat. If your ankle or hip mobility suffers, that squat takes a lot more effort than it does for someone with good ankle, knee and hip flexion.
Starting to get curious? Well, good news! Coach Mel runs a mobility class – called Melbility – right here at CF Dark Horse, on Thursdays 11 am and Saturdays 10 am!!
Mel’s words of wisdom on the subject: “‘A little goes a long way,’ which can be said about mobility. That’s why it’s so important to make a daily routine to spend at least 10-15 minutes mobilizing. By consistently mobilizing you can reduce stress and increase performance in your workout/training sessions. It helps correct any bad movement patterns developed over time. They’re also great as a warm up and cool down. Mobilizing slows down the aging and deterioration of our body which leads to overall health and longevity.”
So come on down and check it out! Sign up for class here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c45a8ad2ea5fdc34-melbility
And start taking mobility seriously! Your body will thank you.
2021 05 17