Each month, I pick a theme for my classes and my personal movement practices. In January, it was all about getting into a routine, February was dedicated to heart health, and March is all about mobility. Keeping our joints healthy is super important as we get older, and when one of them feels stiff, it can mess with everything we do.
So, what’s mobility all about? Basically, it’s how well your joints can move. Can you touch your toes, bend and straighten your back, or lift your arm over your head? These are just a few ways we use mobility daily without even realizing it. Keeping your joints healthy helps you stay nimble, and it also boosts your flexibility and strength! Yep, you heard that right! You can’t be strong without good mobility, because if you try to lift heavy weights when you’re stiff, you might end up hurting yourself!
Adding mobility to your exercise routine is a game changer. Especially if you have a job which requires you to sit or stand for several hours a day. Here are my top mobility exercises I try to do daily.
Hip Mobility - In a supine position, enhance hip mobility with these exercises: perform hip sway by moving knees side to side, execute hip roll by slowly lifting hips towards a bridge position, and practice leg circles with a bent knee using a band, circling the leg in both directions 5 to 8 times. Take long slow inhales and exhales while moving.
Hips can hold emotions, releasing tension heals. Spine - Enhance spine mobility with the cat/cow stretch by moving from a flexed to an extended position. Practice articulation by standing, tucking your chin to your chest,
and slowly reaching for your toes, focusing on each section of your spine as you move down and back up. Rotation, opposite hand on knee. For side bends, stand and lift one arm overhead, reaching to the opposite side, and repeat this on both sides five times.
Shoulder - We only have one bony attachment in the shoulder. The rest is muscle and ligaments. Shoulders can elevate, depress, (up & down), protract and retract, and circle in both directions. All movements can be done siting at your desk and in just a few minutes you are releasing the tension in your traps and shoulders.
These are just a few of my personal favourites, and there are tons of ways to get your body moving right. For a full session, connect with a movement coach, or join one of my classes this month to see how amazing your body can feel when it's aligned and your joints are moving freely.
Effective movement can facilitate the release of trapped energy within the body, leading to both physical and energetic alleviation of stress and emotions. The hips, in particular, often store grief, and engaging in movement can significantly enhance emotional well-being.
If you're not sure how to kick off your mobility practice, joining a class can help boost your range of motion and joint health, letting you dive into all the activities you love in your busy life! Check out the new classes happening this spring and reach out if you have specific questions about mobility and joint health, it's a topic I'm very passionate about!
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