Stating The Obvious
Strength not only makes us resilient but also flexible & mobile as it can increase joint range of motion.
Think of your body like a machine. If one of the parts is rusty or not moving properly, the entire machine won't function at its best.
The same goes for your body. If you don't incorporate mobility training into your workout routine, you're neglecting an essential part of your body's maintenance.
Immobility comes from weakness. People think being all loose and flexible is the most important thing but being loose without strength means you have no stability in the joint. It's actually like having a rubber band for a joint - it might bend and stretch every which way, but it won't hold up under tension.
On the other hand, being strong without flexibility means you're limiting your body's potential range of motion, which can lead to pain and discomfort over time.
You Lose What You Don't Use
Performing strength training at full range of motion with stability & control is what prevents pain and makes your joints move optimally.
The only reason muscle-bound guys lack mobility is because they aren’t training properly. They train in short ranges of motion so anything outside of that range is weak.
Your body moves in the most efficient way it can with the range of motion you use on a daily basis. But if your movement mainly involves sitting at a desk all day, you'll be weak at doing anything that doesn't involve sitting.
You are what you practice.
If you don't practice being mobile, over time your strength will atrophy & you'll develop imbalances causing your body to break down.
Remember, your body is a reflection of what you practice. If you want to be strong, mobile, and pain-free, you need to practice moving with full range of motion and stability.
Science Stuff
Mobility training is an essential aspect of any workout routine, and recent research has shown that both stretching and strength training can be equally effective at improving your range of motion.
However, it's crucial to ensure that you're utilising your full movement potential around a joint to achieve the best results. This means completing the entire range of motion of an exercise, such as lowering yourself into a squat or lunge as far as you can without compromising your form.
I Couldn’t Touch My Toes
So, I was on a date with a girl and somehow the topic of mobility came up.
I casually mentioned that I couldn't touch my toes, thinking it was no big deal. I’d made this admission to many people before in past & had no reaction to it. But let me tell you, this girl's reaction was something else.
Not being able to touch your toes was so unheard of to her that she didn’t believe me. She thought I was joking at first then flat out she thought I was lying.
I had to physically demonstrate my immobility for her to finally accept the truth. And in that moment the disbelief turned to judgement & a bit of pity.
That was the moment I realised, maybe not being able to touch my toes was a bigger deal than I thought.
I turned to Google for answers and learned that having good mobility as an adult is not just for kids or gymnasts. It's something everyone should strive for. What you don't use, you will lose. The only reason my flexibility was trash was because I wasn’t utilising it.
And i'd also grown up in an environment where being flexible wasn't incentivised. No one was giving you props for being able to touch your toes and do handstands. In fact you'd probably get mocked.
I fell into a rabbit hole consuming everything to do with mobility training before stumbling across a YouTube video of a guy demonstrating how he learned to touch his toes.
I started practicing every morning, stretching out the back of my calves and slowly inching closer to my toes each day. After just three weeks, I finally reached my toes for the first time since I was a baby.
That small victory was just the start of my mobility journey.
Once I knew I was capable of reconditioning my body to touch my toes, all I was thinking is what else can I do with my body.
I spent the next year learning how to do the splits, got into yoga and calisthenics training, and am now working on handstands, front levers, and animal movements (yes i practice moving like bears and tigers and stuff).
It's been a fun journey and I can confidently say that incorporating mobility training into my workouts has not only made me stronger but also more capable and confident in my body's abilities.
I've excluded a link below to a couple of the vids that got me started on my journey.
6 Exercises to Increase Your Mobility & Flexibility
MOBILITY VS INJURY
By building strength, range of motion, and mobility in your muscles, ligaments, and tendons, you can protect your joints and prevent injuries.
Think about it: when you have strong muscles supporting your knees, hips, and ankles, you're less likely to twist or strain them during daily activities.
But it's not just about avoiding injuries - training for mobility can also help correct muscular imbalances.
For example, if you have a weak core, hamstrings, or glutes, your lower back may end up taking on more strain than it should during lifting or other activities. By building strength in these areas, you can take some of the load off of your lower back and reduce your risk of pain and injury.
My Weak Knees
I was plagued with knee problems my whole life. Every time I played football my knee would swell up & I’d be in pain for days after.
I saw a physiotherapist for years & they told me it was growing pains or something called Osgood-Schlatter disease which is caused by a growth spurt.
They said it go away once I stopped growing.
I stopped growing at 18 but had this knee pain well into my 20's, which is when I took matters into my own hands.
I’m not great at maths but I knew something wasn’t adding up.
The thing that finally healed my knee was doing a combination of strength training, stretches and mobility work that targeted muscles around the knee.
It’s ironic; I always tried to avoid leg exercises as I didn't want to inflame my knee but it was because the muscles in my legs around my knee were weak that I was having these issues in the first place.
Takeaway: If you have any injuries, talking from experience the worst thing you can do is let it atrophy.
Instead, focus on strengthening the muscles around the affected area with full range of motion exercises.
It may be uncomfortable at first, but it's important not to push yourself too hard and risk further damage.
Only stress the injured area to a point that is slightly uncomfortable but below the pain threshold.
Be consistent with your training and trust the process and be patient.
It took the best part of year to get to a point where i was pain-free. It will seem like you're not making progress at times.
Sometimes you'll over do it and set your progress back but stick with it. Practice moving in full range of motion as much as possible and as your mobility improves, so will your injury.
What's the alternative, giving up and living in pain for the rest of your life?
My knees were so bad I couldn't sit down for longer than 5 mins before my knee would start aching. Now I'm completely pain free.
Remember, progress is a process and it takes time. Don't give up on your journey to recovery, keep pushing and you will see the results.
Always remember, you were born to be the Anti-hero of your story.
Free your outlaw.