By Sean Emery
If you haven’t done so already, make sure you give yourself a mobility assessment. Once you have completed the assessment, you should know your top two or three mobility weaknesses. This post is all about how to correct those weaknesses.
First off, a couple rules:
Rule #1: 2 mins per stretch, or it doesn’t count
Rule #2: 10 mins a day is the absolute minimum. If you really want to make and see long lasting change, try for 30 mins to an hour a day!
Before we get to the list of mobility corrections and ideas, a story:
About 6 months before the gym opened I moved in with my parents in Burke to save some money. Both my parents had been doing CrossFit for a while, and both were complaining about nagging injuries. I instituted mobility hour. It went from 8 until 9 every weeknight. It was glorious. Every night after dinner, instead of sitting on the couch watching TV, we’d mobilize while watching TV. It’s a little hard to see, but here’s proof!
The changes were profound. Within a week or two both of my parents’ nagging injuries had vanished. They were able to go to CrossFit more frequently and perform better while they were there. An hour a day sounds like a lot, but it’s really not that much of a change going from a couch to a foam roller.
I challenge you all to find an hour of time each day that you can dedicate to making a profound change to your life.
The single best resource of all time for mobility corrections is MobilityWOD. If you’ve never been there, go there. It’s run by DPT Kelly Starrett (Owner of San Francisco CrossFit) and the content is amazing. While there are a ton of free videos on the site, there are a lot more that are in the ‘Pro’ version. I highly recommend you getting a ‘Pro’ account and also picking up a copy of his book, Becoming a Supple Leopard. (This isn’t some sort of sponsored link or gimmick – K-Star and the MobilityWOD fundamentally transformed my life and I’m willing to bet it can do the same thing for you…)
Without further ado, the Mobility Corrections I promised. These all link to MobilityWOD videos that I especially like. Your goal is to try these stretches and find 2-3 you can do at home and 2-3 you can do at the gym:
Hips:
- Paleo Chair
- Couch Stretch
- Couch Stretch – Hip Down
- Banded Hip Distraction, Pigeon Pose, Lax Ball in the Glute
- Foot Raised – Deep Hip Flexion, Pigeon
- Side to side hip stretch, lunge hip opener
- Long Lunge Hip Opener
Ankle:
- Heel Cord Work with Lax Ball – This is also the episode where yours truly won the MobilityWOD haiku contest.
- Heel Cords on barbell
- Calf Stretch – Straight Leg, Bent Leg
- Heel Cord Smash, and Lax ball on foot
- Front of shin stretch (start around 3:10)
- Banded Ankle/Calf Stretch
Hamstrings
- 2 Important Hamstring Stretches + Contract Relax Stretching – Watch this Video!
- Elevated Foot Bent Knee Hamstring Stretch
- High Hamstring Floss – This video was made before the VooDoo Floss bands. Use those and not the bike tire.
- Hamstring Distraction Stretch
Overhead
Shoulder Internal Rotation
- Hands on the bar – sink down
- Bully Stretch
- Partner Shoulder IR Stretch
- Overall Shoulder Prep
- Yoga Bridge – Not a MWOD video, but a great stretch!
Thoracic Spine
- Foam Roll T-Spine
- Double Lax Ball (start at 5:00)
- Yoga Bridge – Not a MWOD video, but a great stretch!
This is just the tip of the iceberg! There is so much more that can be done! Here’s your homework:
#1: Carve our 10-60 mins time each weekday that you will dedicate to mobility.
#2: Find your three favorite stretches that work your mobility weaknesses.
#3: Do it! Commit to giving yourself a daily dose of mobility medicine! Your body and life will be thankful.
And remember: I’m watching you…
If you have any questions, or need more ideas just talk with any coach or email me at [email protected].
