Do you guys do routine mobility/flexibility work?

TangoDown

Member
Static Stretching, PNF, foam rolling, shoulder dislocations, yoga, you name it.

What are your personal philosophies on mobility work?

I like it, but I don't do it much. I need to start. [I think] I don't really have many deficiencies when it comes to mobility, though I find my hip flexors and adductors to be kinda painful in the low portion of a decently wide stance squat (though moderate stance squat is ASG on BW without issue). Don't know if that's my natural physiology telling me "don't like ROM," or if I've got some tightness I need to work out, but I'm guessing it's the latter so I'm going to work on that.
 
I do a lot of hip flexor warm-ups but not so much for lifting as for sports (badminton, swimming, boxing). My favourite is just a simple one to loosen things up. Stand against a wall, swing one leg in front of you for about 2 minutes. Then alternate. Just firm controlled movements, probably for about 10-15minutes.

If you're experiencing pain in the flexors and adductors then you prob just have Michael Jordan Disease (it's what an old coach of mine used to call it); when outer or inner is too strong proportional to the other. I have absolutely zero scientific studies to point to I might add, but according to a few sports training coaches I've worked with over the years (basketball, current boxing, AFL) it's a fairly common thing to experience.

I think pilates is better than yoga for flexibility (and probably in general in terms of physicality and not the meditation aspects), although it's a fairly decent time and money investment if you want to take it seriously (you REALLY want a good instructor for this).

Freestyle swimming is going to give you wonderful shoulder movement. Moving in big ROMs against a low resistance for a long time. Don't do breast stroke though.
 
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What are your personal philosophies on mobility work?

You could do a lot worse than read Kelly Starrett's MobilityWOD. He has tons of short vids to guide you though some key areas that usually require work in order to improve your lifting.

Check it out:

http://www.mobilitywod.com

Meant to say that I do quite a few of KStar's hip mobility movements and quad stretches. I also try to spend some time hanging out in a deep squat position everyday. My biggest issue is ankle flexibility/mobility but it is apparently a tough thing to improve compared to hips.
 
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Stretching is a must for me. Especially hips. I have to stretch daily, or my glutes, adductors and hamstrings become super tight and I can't squat or touch toes, etc.
 
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