Hi
Mobility means the ability to move your limbs and all the joints of your body in the manner nature intended without pain, stiffness or
restriction.
Going about life with any reduction of mobility slows us down and holds us back.
I remember when I was a really unconditioned and tight I couldn't turn round to look behind me whilst reversing the car without shifting my whole body, yanking on the back of the passenger seat to
do so
I couldn't reach my arm up above my head without shoulder pain.
I was even more clumsy than I am now...no spatial awareness plus tight points meant I was using the wrong muscles to reach to where I wanted..
I remember vividly those little breakthrough moments when I span my head round like a owl for the first time to reverse...and I could reach up to serve in tennis without having the pain after the match.
These examples of these
little milestones that we need to pay attention to as we get more mobile...make it a game and an experiment!
All I had done to get to this stage was move more and learn how to strength train.
I'm still learning, still finding ways to get better and still have these
moments.
One of these I picked up recently from Katie Bowman (yes you really should read her book 'Move Your DNA')
I call this 'that's me in a nutshell':
- stand up and give yourself some room
- feet hip width apart
- stand tall and relaxed
- now pretend you are in big round nutshell
- with your finger tips 'paint' as much of the inside of the shell...think 360 degrees
- really stretch (within your limits!) and try to cover as much as you can
Note
how much you can 'paint'. Of course some bits are impossible to get to, however apart from looking nuts (get it!?) you will add mobility in a really natural way to your entire body.
Apply this as often as you can..as I've said before it is just as important as brushing your teeth. Daily is a MINIMUM. Maybe look at it like 'flossing' all your joints.
This is also awesome for kids to get them warmed up for activity. I use it with my Rugby kids and it really gets them moving!
Go on, go nuts!
J
