30-Minute Hip Mobility Session

​If we have worked together before, you likely know that I highly value maintaining and building mobility. I feel it is an important part of training for all of us. Whether you take part in sports, exercise for fun, or simply want to live healthier, mobility training is very important.

Why?


Because the ability for ourselves to use our bodies to their fullest ability is freeing.

Mobility can be considered as the  ability for us to move our bodies through space

Have you ever tweaked your back, bothered your shoulder, or broken a bone? When this happen we inevitably always make the realization that we take for granted our ability to move.


Unfortunately, due to the nature of this beautiful universe we all live within, everything will degrade with time- including us. Maybe we are already feeling it. Can you do the splits like you did as a kid? Can your scratch between your shoulder blades? Is your ability to move ever limited?


Probably.


That is because with time, and without stimulus, we lose our ranges of motion. As we age we often lose the ability to move our bodies in the same way. Everyone has experienced this or known someone who has. It seems to be the fact of life.


Fortunately for us, we can keep this at bay for a long time because our mobility is highly trainable and can be thought of as a “use it, or lose it” kind of thing. If we use our fullest ranges of motion often, our bodies will maintain the ranges of motion; if we stop as we often do as we age, we will lose it.


So, it is not actually a matter of aging that makes us lose our abilities. Instead, it is an unconscious removal of movement from our lives.


All we need to do then is put in some work to maintain it!


For decades people have known about stretching. Muscles get tight. Stretch them. Hold it for 30 seconds and you’ll probably be good.


Well, that doesn’t always work. All too often, stretching is an afterthought. Maybe we mix it in once in a while, but seldom do we progressively improve it. Therefore, it never really has the effect we hope for it to have.


In addition, stretching may not always be the answer. Traditionally, stretching is very muscle-centric whereas a lot of modern research will suggest that to have more mobility, we must be able to move the bones about each other. We now believe it is more about bones than muscle. Moreover, it isn’t even that simple. There is so much to be said about the nervous system and pressures within the body that must be considered to truly influence our mobility.


If we really want to train our mobility, we need active inputs- not passive stretching. We need to be able use our muscles to orient our bodies. We need to be able to breathe well. We need to be able to relax when necessary.


Really, it’s a deep topic.


Fortunately, there are great coaches such as myself that have spent a lot of time keeping up on the latest research and methods to improve our mobility. There are many schools of thought. Most of them work. At the end of the day the one that serves the best chance of working is one that:

• You will stick to
• Offers progression
• Begins with a proper assessment

This is all hard to pinpoint by yourself, but with a coach it can become much more clear. Together you can find a progressive plan that works for your physically and mentally. Remember, mobility is largely influenced by the nervous system. If your brain tells you it won’t work, your bones and muscles will never stand a chance. A good coach will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, interests, and abilities that can be programmed to.


Here is a video a floor based hip mobility routine that I do variations of with my clients often. It’s largely based off the work of Functional Range Conditioning.

Functional Range Conditioning is a very thoughtful and objective system that works well for many people. It may work for you, it may not. It is definitely worth trying to see if it fits your body. I would call this intermediate level. All the exercises are on the floor but may require some level of coordination for different positions. Like learning any new skill or trying a new physical activity, it is best with some help. This video is no exception. It will give you a good feel for a new way to train your mobility, but it will always be more efficient and effective with a coach.


Keep it comfortable and if you ever have any questions about this video, mobility training, or anything else regarding your health, wellness, and fitness, please reach out!