What is joint mobility?

I have recently been inundated with questions about this topic, about moving efficiently versus inefficiently, what is joint mobility?

We see it everywhere…’joint mobility.’  The buzz word so often used to describe…what?

That one can rotate their joints?

Maybe they can stretch further?

Perhaps some really cool exercises that look difficult?

And who’s to say that it really is ‘joint mobility’ – how do we judge that your joints are more mobile than mine?

I’m sorry to tell you folks, but in years of teaching Russian style and Pramek, joint mobility is a buzz word and that’s really it.  I often meet people who are joint mobility instructors who can not quantify whether their students have increased range of joint mobility.  I am not the biggest fan of numbers quantification, as sometimes it leads to short-cuts in a students learning, but with joint mobility, it is important to see your results.

Check this video to see what we mean:

Whenever you are working on joint mobility, it is important to think first on the fundamentals.

Range of motion – is your range of motion limited?  2D?  3D?  4D?  Where is it today versus last week?

Fluidity in motion – is your the movement through the range of motion smooth, or is it choppy?  What can be done to correct this?

Joint structure – do your joints line up properly in movement, or do you have existing injury that has forced long term compensation?

Biomechanical Efficiency – are you using your joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles as a coordinated machine?

When you look beyond the buzzwords, you find that you are able to move past your current state by tracking results – even down to how you feel two days after.

Buzzwords are great, but results you can show are better!

Matt

 

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