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Mobility exercises are a lesser-secret way to quickly track your fitness goals. Mobility is important not only for overall physical health and longevity, but also promotes muscle activation, reduces pain and tension, and reduces the risk of injury.
So what exactly is mobility? “Mobility controls the entire range of motion available,” said Grant Yoder, DPT, a certified physiotherapist in Indiana physiotherapy. It’s the key to doing your best in all your active pursuits. “Without the prerequisite mobility, we can’t be as fit as possible,” says Yoder.
Meet an expert: Samantha Ciaccia of CSCS is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and founder of Bell Mechanics. Michael Esare-Beckson, DPT, is a physiotherapist at the Life Care Centers of America. Grant Yoder, DPT, is a Physiotherapist in Indiana Physical Therapy.
Hip mobility is worth special attention due to the time spent sitting. This can tighten, shorten, and cramp hip muscles and joints (thanks, #WFH).
Hip mobility also plays a role in everyday activities such as picking up children, going up and down stairs, and sitting on the toilet (that’s true!). “Human beings are made to move. If they don’t move well because of poor movement, the body will eventually inform us through pain,” said Michael, a physiotherapist at the Life Care Center of America. Esarebexon says. (pain!)
In addition, when the hip joint is less mobile, the joint tends to wear faster, says certified strength and conditioning specialist Samantha Chatcha, CSCS. As a result, the surrounding tissue becomes tighter, causing pain, which can ultimately lead to osteoarthritis, she explains.
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I have good news. It doesn’t take long to fight all these painful effects. Simply include hip mobility in your legs to prepare your body for training. Read about the simple and quick exercises that trainers recommend to improve hip mobility.
4 best hip mobility exercises
Whether your range of motion feels infinite or your hips move very little, try these four exercises to try out a complete and efficient routine to improve your hip mobility. For reference: According to Ciaccia, these are the only hip mobility exercises you need.
Mobility training can be done at any time (and daily), but Ciaccia recommends including this 4 move hip circuit. at least Three times a week. The best time for this hip mobility circuit is before and after lower body training.
Instructions: Complete the recommended personnel for each of the four moves and repeat the circuit 2-3 times.
1. Hip shift
Method:
- Stand on one leg and support the core.
- Bend the support legs, hinge the hips, and slowly lower the chest forward.
- Rotate the torso to one side (think of the navel as a standing leg) and hold for 30 seconds.
- Rotate the torso to the other side (think the navel away from the standing leg) and hold for 30 seconds.
- Return to the standing position and switch legs. Repeat 3 times on both sides.
Professional Tips: Trust the process, even if you feel very tight! “Staying consistent with routines is the key to longer-term change,” says Ciaccia.
2. Loaded beast
Method:
- Start on all fours with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.
- Lift your knees 1 inch above the ground to hover.
- Inhale and push back to the crouched position.
- Pause and then exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
3. Elevated 90/90 hip switch
Method:
- Bend your legs 90 degrees and sit straight. One leg bends toward the body (internal rotation) and one leg bends away from the body (external rotation).
- Hold your arms directly in front of you at shoulder height and place your heels on the floor (in the same position).
- While maintaining a 90 degree angle with both knees, raise your hips and raise your back to the knee position.
- Pause at the top and then stay upright while sitting.
- Focus on movement from the hip and switch legs. Repeat 3 times on both sides.
4. Supported marches
Method:
- Keep your chest high by standing upright and lining up your head, shoulders, and hips.
- Place your hands on the wall and slowly lift one leg. Stop when your knees are above your hips.
- Hold for 30 seconds, then slowly lower your legs to the standing position to switch sides. Repeat 3 times on both sides.
Professional Tips: Do not fall on your standing legs, sink your hips to the side, or bend your hips in an arch while holding.
Is mobility the same as flexibility and stability?
No. It is important to note that hip mobility is not the same as flexibility or stability. However, these are all related. Remember that you can’t master one without the other, and your body reacts differently to each other. The breakdown by Esare-Beckson is as follows.
- Mobility is the ability to move in different movements.
- Stability is the ability to maintain a position.
- Flexibility is the ability of a muscle to stretch and enter its position.
However, they all work together. “If the task is not flexible enough, movement will be restricted and even if you can enter the position, you will not be able to stabilize the position.”
So when does stretching work? “Stretching helps with mobility because it improves the range of motion available,” says Yoder. However, he explains, once you have gained that extra range of motion to reach the new depth, it is important to incorporate reinforcement exercise into the new available range of motion. Consider lower body push exercises, squat variations, and resistance band training.
Conclusion: By working on hip mobility, you can ease your daily movements and realize your true fitness potential.
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