A disturbing portion of adults suffer from issues with body mobility. Whether resulting from an acute injury, a chronic illness or an ongoing condition such as obesity, there are many potential risks to appreciate.
Decreased mobility can increase the chances of suffering an accident, it may lead to circulatory problems, this scenario has been linked to poor cardiovascular health, and it is associated with preventable medical concerns such as adult-onset diabetes.
Are there any steps that you can take in order to improve your mobility? How can you adequately prepare for specific routines such as full body mobility drills? What additional lifestyle changes can provide tangible results over time? Keep on reading if you wish to learn more.
Body Mobility Versus Flexibility: What are the Differences?
Before moving on, it is important to highlight the differences between mobility and flexibility. The most relevant are as follows:
- Flexibility involves passively lengthening the range of motion of a muscle.
- Mobility is defined as the potential to actively increase the range of motion of a muscle or joint.
These observations can also be described in another way. Flexibility involves a series of targeted stretches that will elongate a muscle (or group of muscles) over time. Mobility is more concerned with everyday actions (such as bending over to pick up an objector raising your arms over your head). Still, both are essential if you hope to avoid injury and to lead a satisfying life.
The Benefits of Body Mobility Training
It is a myth to believe that body mobility exercises are only meant for senior citizens. On the contrary, these movements can and should be performed at any age. Whether included as a portion of your pre-workout warm-up routine or used to cool down after a five-kilometer run, they provide a host of benefits.
Exercises devoted to mobility will increase the amount of blood flow to your muscles and joints. This is one of the best ways to prevent strains and even tears. These very same movements can also deliver nutrients to the muscle fibers themselves, helping them to function at peak performance levels.
Body mobility training may also be used as a means to improve your sense of balance; a relevant issue for older individuals as well as anyone who may have already endured a slip or fall in the past.
A Look at Some Typical Body Mobility Exercises
You will be happy to learn that the majority of these movements do not require weights or any type of static gym equipment. They can therefore be performed from the comfort of your own home. Let’s examine three exercises and the areas that each are intended to target.
Neck Rolls
These movements are excellent if you regularly suffer from a stiff neck and/or shoulders. Simply roll your head in a 360-degree fashion in a slow and controlled manner. Perform this movement for 30 seconds before reversing the direction.
Neck Rolls
Hip circles can be used to increase abdominal flexibility, to improve your core strength and to lessen the effects of conditions such as sciatica. As you might have guessed, rotating your hips in a circular manner is the main takeaway point here.
Assisted Squats
Assisted squats involve the use of balance aids such as exercise bands or even a pair of chairs placed immediately to either side of your hips. These can be used to provide additional support when performing a standard bodyweight squat. Squats strengthen the knees, hips, abdomen, and lower back. They are also excellent if you are experiencing mobility issues with your joints.
Additional Tips to Regain Your Mobility
These exercises can be used as standalone routines as supplements to full body mobility drills. Either way, they have been chosen due to their decidedly low-impact nature as well as the fact that the movements themselves are likely to already be familiar.
We should finally remember that there are other steps which can be taken if you wish to ensure long-term mobility. Getting plenty of rest, maintaining a healthy diet, and limiting your caloric intake are three powerful strategies.
Of course, others have instead leveraged the advantages provided by the Spatz3 adjustable gastric balloon in terms of meeting weight loss goals that might have otherwise seemed unachievable. This is also an excellent option to consider if you have experienced less-than-optimal results with diets in the past.
Body mobility (or a lack thereof) must never be taken for granted and adopting a proactive mindset is the best way to prevent future issues.
