Mobility and Fitness
Are your goals for the New Year to get stronger and increase your endurance? If your weekly routine just consists of lifting and conditioning work, you’re only incorporating two of the three ingredients necessary to reach your goal. In order to reach these goals, you should be incorporating mobility into your weekly routine. According to Grayson Wickham D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a New York-based physical therapist and creator of Movement Vault, “Mobility designates exercises that will increase your range-of-motion and your stabilization, or control of the muscles that surround each joint. Mobility isn’t the same as flexibility, though it is close. Mobility incorporates flexibility and strength, and it’s crucial to help you squat deeper, push harder, and jump higher”. A lack of mobility can slow your progress, keep you from peak performance, and even cause injury.
With this information, how can you increase your mobility to get the most out of your HIIT Logic workouts, and how can we assist you with that?
- Take your warmup seriously. HIIT Logic’s warm-up period is designed with intention; combining dynamic stretches with bodyweight movements to prepare your body for the added weights and intensity of your workout. If something feels tight or extra sore, spend some extra time in a specific stretch or warm up movement. In addition, our PRE is designed to be a continuation of your warm-up. Take the time during the PRE to make sure you are ready for the HIIT and POST portions of your workout.
- Spend a few minutes after class working on your mobility. Increasing your mobility can be as easy as spending some time on a foam roller. Ask your coach for some mobility exercises and work on that one movement every day that week. On your rest days, commit to spending time on movement and mobility. Small efforts result in big change.
- Come try a Cycle HIIT class! Cycle is a great compliment to your HIIT workouts and moreover, it can help with mobility. According to an article in Harvard Health, “Indoor cycling can improve your joint function. The continuous motion that we do while indoor cycling is also beneficial to your joints (especially your knees) because that constant full-range movement of your legs produces synovial fluids, which will keep your joints lubricated throughout the day”. If you haven’t had a chance to take a Cycle HIIT class yet, reach out to Jon or Katie so we can get you scheduled.
Most athletes need to work on maintaining or improving their mobility because the strains and stresses of exercise can add up. Mobility allows you to move as efficiently as possible. Better mobility translates to better performance and less risk of injury. We are here to keep you fit and to supplement your other Central Oregon activities; adding mobility exercises to your routine will benefit your performance in and outside of the gym.