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Stretch For Mobility Not Just Flexibility
Health | March 05, 2014
Though the two terms, mobility and flexibility, may seem somewhat similar, they approach the idea of stretching from very different perspectives. According to Kelly Starrett, a famous physical therapist and mobility expert, stretching with the mindset of optimizing mobility and performance rather than simply loosening up or staying limber is the essential attitude we should have. We should think about stretching and mobility in terms of establishing a full range of motion in our bodies. Proper mobility allows your body to move without putting undue stress on areas such as your back or knees. A full range of motion is especially important when performing movements such as squats, lunges, deadlifts, etc. And it’s essential for athletes. Lack of mobility leads to improper form and improper form leads to, you guessed it, injury.
Understandably, stretching and mobility work may not seem as vital for some people as diet and exercise. It can even feel like a chore after we’ve exhausted ourselves from a solid workout. It’s important to remember though that stretching is not only important for injury prevention, it’s vital for our longevity.
Unfortunately, lower back pain is an epidemic these days and hip replacement surgeries are commonplace mainly because people lose mobility, especially as we age. Our increasingly sedentary lives at work and home don’t help either. Starrett insists that, in terms of posture and maintaining a healthy range of motion, constantly sitting is one of the worsts things we can be doing to our bodies. Sitting places undue stress on our hamstrings and hip flexors and, consequently, our lower back, neck and hips (Sitting also increases our likelihood of heart disease and diabetes, but that’s a discussion for later). Consistently stretching for mobility goes a long way to counter the effects of our sedentary lives and helps protect our joints and spine.
Try to dedicate at least fifteen to twenty minutes a day to stretching. You don’t necessarily have to do it after a work out either. Try stretching before bedtime or even while on your lunch break. If you’re really motivated take a yoga class or try the Zcut Power Yoga series.
Private Member |
Thanks for another great post! Ur awesome Z!
Private Member |
I love this. My husband often rolls his eyes at me when he hears me telling people about your 15-20 minute home workouts, because he says I disappear for at least an hour. LOL! I warm up and stretch for about 5-10 minutes, do the 20 minute HIIT, and then have 15-20 minutes of cool down and stretching. So, MOST of my exercising is stretching. 🙂 But it’s worth it to me. I have a few herniated disks in my lower back and the only thing that keeps my back from “going out” is a strong core and flexible body. I couldn’t agree more with this post. Thank you. 🙂 (Lol, I’m gonna make my husband read it.)
Private Member |
Hey, one more thing. I need your thoughts and advice on a totally different topic. How do you deal with people who don’t understand why you eat the way you do? People often think I’m being a party pooper for not eating cakes or cookies, or unhealthy party food. They notice that I’m only eating healthy food and usually have some kind of comment like, “Do you think one brownie will make you fat?” I’m not trying to ruin their good time, but my healthy choices seem to negatively affect their moods! Just wondered how you respond to these people. 🙂
Private Member |
Tell them you get upset stomach after eating junk food.
Private Member |
Hi Haley!
First let me tell you, your posts are always so interesting, they ring so true!
Then, I have had that same problem, and my mentor told me one thing that changed my reaction to other’s opinion:
People are always speaking about themselves.
When they say ” do you think one brownie will make you fat?” what they are truly saying is ” does my brownie make me fat?” and wanna hear from you ” No of course not, the brownie is not the problem, eat as much as you like” They want to be reassured in their habits. It’s unconscious.
Because your habits are challenging them in their own.
So the best way to answer these things, I believe, is to have a lot of silent compassion towards them (don’t pet them on the shoulder, but imagine giving their soul a big old hug 🙂 )
And also tell them a reason they can understand like maybe ” ouf!! you would not believe what my belly does with that! a cake just makes it angry!”
or ” I do better when I don’t eat these cookies, for me, one turns into 10 so easily” or “I just don’t ever feel full and satisfied eating those brownies”
It might return them to their own bodies, and understand that it is your own choice 🙂 in a ” it’s not you, it’s me” way.
Way to keep it going though!! Go Haley!
Private Member |
hi Haley!
yeah, you right. I have it too.
People always ask and think you are weird. They say:” hey you are so fit, if you eat one you won’t get fat” then I answer ” no, I won’t eat it, that’s why I am so fit :D”
and you know I have stopped explaining why I’m doing this or that.I own my life and I do what I want to do.
Be proud of yourself and don’t let people get you down. Just smile and say ” because I can, because I want”
Sometimes I feel like a freak among them.
Maybe I am, but I know I am not the only one !!! 😀
Private Member |
WOW! What great advice! You inspired me to post a comment asking for my own advice. I hope everyone will help me out with this new, stressful problem.
I love working out and eating healthy. It has been a major focus of my life for the past 4+ years, and since I made this lifestyle adjustment, I never want to go back to the way things were!
HOWEVER, I used to have an active job that kept me on my feet all day, everyday. Then, I would workout for at least an hour every day (stretching, hiiting, weights, cardio, more stretching…I know it’s a lot, but once I start working out, the whole world just falls away and I just keep going until my body tells me I’m done). The good news is I recently got a new job that I absolutely adore. The company is phenomenal and the people are too awesome for words. I LOVE THIS NEW JOB! BUTT!!!! (and I do mean BUTT because this new job has me sitting on mine all day) it’s a desk job. And I’m having a hard time finding ways to incorporate my active lifestyle.
My first problem is very similar to Haley’s. A lot of the crew regularly go out to eat together. I have always been a bring-your-own-luncher. Mostly because of money in the beginning, but also because I try to eat clean. I feel like I should go out with my new coworkers because I need the added bonding time with the team, but neither my wallet nor my body can handle that kind of eating out…even with salads, which we all know that restaurants pack with calories and other junk.
My next problem. I already have extremely tight hip flexors and hamstrings. Even with stretching, I regularly have hip pain. Now add to that sitting at a desk all day, and my hips are aching constantly. Does anyone have any exercises they find effective for relieving this?
Finally, I’ve read so many articles about incorporating activity into a desk job, but so many of them don’t seem practical. I think once I get to know everyone a bit better I could introduce the exercise ball desk chair because I work in a creative place where we embrace the different. But I have a WHOLE HOUR FOR LUNCH! This is also new and exciting for me. I originally thought I might take my jump rope or some light dumbbells and work out on our office patio, but my husband told me that I would be all sweaty and gross after and that it would be unprofessional to go back into the office like that. I read something about someone using toiletries to tidy up in the bathroom, but I don’t think that’s going to cut it and I’m not entirely sure I understand how a wetnap would clean up sweaty hair.
Thanks, everyone. For any help and advice you might offer!!!
Private Member |
Hi Cat,
I work in offices from time to time and the smartest thing I’ve seen so far is a standing desk. It is a high desk with no chair. I asked about it and the people said that it doesn’t make them feel any more tired after a days work than if they were sitting. If anything, it is LESS painful, especially in the long run. I think you should try doing yoga on your lunch hour so you don’t get all sweaty but you are still working out all your muscles and getting a great stretch!
Private Member |
Hi Cat,
I know what are you talking about.
I am sitting at work 8h with no break.
The only thing is stretching.
Zuzka have a great posts:
http://www.zuzkalight.com/blog/2-steps-to-powerful-hip-flexors/
http://www.zuzkalight.com/blog/five-tips-to-help-fix-lower-back-pain/
and yeah I think yoga is great, you don’t to want sweat like crazy…
take care 😀
Private Member |
Hi guys!
I also got such questions and my problem is that..I don t also believe that a brownie will make me fat and thus I can t be easily consistent with eating 1000%clean . I don t know how you guys manage not to indulge in these kind of temptations, especially when you have to deal with many other “must” during the day. I really admire this consistency, but I sometimes I just want to give up..because it seems too much and because I would never be an athlete or have the body of zuska no matter what I do. Dunno how should I think at these times.. Any tips are welcomed! thnx!
Private Member |
I’ve noticed that the more junk food I eat, the more junk food I want. If I manage to stay away from sweets for a few days, I do not really want them all that much, but if I eat a huge cake in a restaurant, then my cravings for naughty food become really strong. The problem is that I sometimes comfort eat sweets because of stress at work, so it is hard for me to stay away from them for a long time…
Private Member |
Excactly Violetta, stress at work, with relationship, with little stuff that have to be done.. it s hard to put extra energy in suppressing my urge to eat something sweet or junk which is around me. And then I have bad conscience and I feel that I can t control even what I m eating and then I end up bridging. How can someone deal with it? How do you Harley, Karolina, Anne-Caroline or Zuska deal with it and manage to stay consistent no matter what?
Private Member |
Hi Sofia,
I have always in my bag some nuts, dry fruit, banana etc. something sweet and healthy fats. That should be things you really enjoying to eat.
You can prepare at home some snack bars, protein balls, muffins and take it with you 🙂
there are tons of healthy recipies in internet.
While my husband orders a cake with caffee , I just bring out a fist of almond…and I don’t care what other people think.
And of course …WATER drink a lot, its very important.
I do have cravings, of course, but I am like ” I don’t need that, I am strong enough to deal with it”
😀
Private Member |
the absolute answer is ” do what you want to your body and let me take care of mine the way I want” ! it’s a pity we have to explain why we like to “eat clean, train dirty” 😉 have a nice day
Private Member |
I’d love it if you did one of your videos based on stretching for mobility. I know I am guilty of missing or really cutting down on stretching as I can’t always think of stretches to do. A video going through some good stretches would be really useful to remind me what I should be doing.
Private Member |
I agree and was going to ask for the same thing! I do a fair amount of stretching on my own, but wind up doing a lot of the same routines and would love an overhaul and a routine that really stretches the legs and lower back as most of Z’s workouts really target and tighten those spots for me!!
Private Member |
A video with a 10-20 min. mobility exercise would be GREAT!
Private Member |
I always warm-up with mobility exercises, then move into more cardio component. I HAVE to warm-up every morning when crawling out of bed, if I don’t warm-up I don’t feel right and it aches everywhere. At night I will have a REWARD by stretching, look more into increasing flexibility, providing muscles what they deserve and mentally soothing before going to bed. I just can’t live without mobility exercises and I motivated to increase my flexibility in the long haul.
Private Member |
winnipeg, canada
Hi Zuzana….
I have been following since you first started making videos for youtube. I love you and think you’re absolutely amazing!
I wanted to leave a comment on here, because I am currently going through some injuries or pain from probably not stretching enough. Working out, and exercising is my time to relieve stress, and just be me. I love it, it’s my hobby, and it’s what I want to be doing during my free time, whether it’s the gym, or at home, or even prepping meals. Last year, I started competing in Bikini Fitness Competitions, and have found a new addiction 🙂 I don’t care so much for the prize, as much as I do just reaching my own goals, when the day comes. My next date to compete was/is October 19th, and because of the pain I’ve been experiencing in my hip, I don’t think I will be able to. I’m normally a very flexible person, and even my massage therapist said that my flexibility saved me from having an even worse injury. I have apparently done something to a joint close to my spine. It’s nothing serious, but I’m to only do yoga for a while.
Sorry for the long message, but I really just want to say how important it is to be stretching all those joints, and muscles, cause it doesn’t take much to throw you right off track 🙁
It makes me so sad that I can’t work out as hard as I’m used to, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!
I’ll be sticking to the yoga section for a while. I love your workouts…
Margarita
Private Member |
usa
Great post, Zuzka. I wish I would have read this the day you posted as a reminder and as encouragement. Because 2 weeks after this posted, I tore my ACL off of my femur bone. I know I should stretch everyday especially after working out. I was stretching a little most days but not as much and as long as I should have. I am a now a sidelined runner. I was running and doing your ZWOs 4-6 days/week but now no running and I have to modify your workouts and just do basic weightlifting and stationery cycling. My orthopedic surgeon told me I needed to be stretching my legs daily so now I am following doctor’s orders. Thanks and have a great day. 🙂