The fitness industry loves a buzzword and in recent years there’s been no shortage. From wearable tech and sleep tracking to cryotherapy, hot yoga and everything else in between, for some these trends have been so life-affirming, they’ve remodelled their entire lifestyle around them. But when it comes to athletic performance and training, there are certain training principles that never go out of style. While we tend to focus on cardiovascular endurance or strength training, and fret about waning flexibility, mobility tends to fly somewhat under the radar. For serious athletes, particularly runners, the importance of mobility sessions can’t be overstated.
For the uninitiated, mobility varies greatly from flexibility. The key difference lies in the fact that mobility is the active moment, whereas flexibility is a passive range of motion available to someone when you typically stretch muscles using an external force. You might be able to touch your toes and lift your legs high in a stretch, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have good mobility, which is often impacted by things like strength, coordination and soft tissue work.
Ok, so why the focus on mobility? Mobility helps your body move with efficiency and ease. A wider range of motion with muscle that can active in multiple positions not only translates to greater power in an exercise like running where you push off the ground, but it even facilitates better knee drive for speed and can greatly reduce the risk of injury as a result. Now more than ever, mobility is an important aspect of training and one we should be paying attention to. With so many of us working from home at some makeshift desk we’ve fashioned out of a dining room table or stack of books, we’re sitting for greater parts of the day. Feeling the need to be constantly “visible” online for colleagues means we’re not getting as much incidental exercise in as we would normally, and our bodies become used to this position which can lead to greater problems when we want to move.
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These extended periods of inactivity can cause muscles to tighten, leading to issues like tight hip flexors, back pain and other musculoskeletal problems. It’s not good enough to simply stretch the muscles after sitting all day, you also want to work them through a full range of motion. Someone who knows this all too well is Lydia O’Donnell, Nike Run Coach and marathoner who uses her platform as a an athlete and avid runner to inspire others to get up and move – regardless of the intensity, distance or effort. Lydia’s mission is a simple one: she wants us all to feel good in our bodies, and to move better.
Given that so many of us are still trapped in a lockdown that means we can’t access a gym, staying motivated to train can be difficult and even more challenging is knowing just what to do when it comes to exercise when you don’t have a trainer or group gym class at your disposal. Thankfully, Lydia shares with us a 12-minute mobility session that you can do anywhere, anytime. As she explains, “I personally am training for the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival and I know a lot of people are struggling with motivation at the moment, so no matter what form of exercise you’re doing at the moment – whether you’re walking or running – you should just be proud of yourself for continuing to move and improve.”
The mobility session is based off “Sunset Stretch” from the Nike Training Club app, which features countless workouts that are guaranteed to suit your training needs. With over 185 different workouts in the app, including strength training and endurance training, through to mobility and stretching. This mobility sessions is all about keeping the legs fresh and creating some space in the body. At the end of the day, your body (and mind) will thank you. Check out the workout below.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CUTwii2AX-P/
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