The Importance of Mobility Training

One of my newest certifications and endeavors has been in functional movement and mobility training. As a part of a proper recovery routine, adding in mobility and functional movement allows the body to integrate all the strength training and muscle gains more efficiently, and allows people to gain a deeper range of motion, better joint mobility, and avoid unnecessary injuries. Throughout incorporating mobility into my movement routine, my arthritic joints feel no pain from the arthritis and are as able bodied and mobile as ever. I don't worry about over twisting or extending my joints as I know through my mobility practice they can handle it. It’s also allowed my muscles to properly recover and build back even more sculpted and toned. Now with my certification in teaching functional movement, I’ve been blessed to bring this practice to the local Tampa weightlifting gym, Bayshore Fit. 

Each Sunday morning I guide the community of Bayshore Fit through an hour long mobility class, focusing on controlled articular rotations (CARs), stretches and movements that help increase their joints range of motion, the recovery of their strength training, and decrease their ability to injure themselves in their daily lives. We utilize various props such as foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and bands to deepen the relaxation of the focused muscle group and the movement abilities of the focused joint. Through CARs we are able to isolate a specific joint and test its end range of motion, moving extremely slowly through the rotations to gain a deeper knowledge and intuition of one's own abilities. Many times when we’re moving through life, we want our joints to move in ways they’re not able to, so they have to overcompensate by utilizing other body parts (explaining to many why their back hurts the majority of their lives). In CARs, we gain the knowledge while simultaneously increasing said joints range of motion. When a joints range of motion is increased, we are able to allow other parts of our body to take the load off, while increasing the joints ability to brace impact and avoid overtwisting, dislocating, and other various injuries. 

The use of the props such as bands, lacrosse balls, and foam rollers allow us to be able to let the muscles turn off and let all the stress from strength training seep in even deeper and turn into more muscle growth and functionality. Our muscles are our body's best tool to increase metabolism, utilize our foods calories, tone our body’s, and regulate hormones. Many times people, especially those obsessed with fitness, don’t give their muscles adequate time to recover and rest, not letting them get the full benefit of their training. Through mobility classes such as mine at Bayshore fit, we are able to continue to be in the gym atmosphere and energy while allowing all the gains to actually become gains. I’m so grateful that my time in the yoga world had introduced me to the practice of mobility and functional movement, and now to be able to teach it to the strong, incredible community of Bayshore Fit is absolutely amazing. A well rounded approach to fitness and wellness, mobility has the ability to change peoples lives, I know that firsthand.