However, as
you get older, being more mobile is a huge piece to the fitness puzzle.
Without it, performing certain exercises in the gym, sport and in life becomes
more difficult. This can lead to imbalances in the body, compensation and
potential injury. At the same time, recovery is a huge part of progression. The
more quickly you can recover, the sooner you can return to your chosen form of
exercise to go again. Soreness, tightness and injury can delay this return and
progress will stall.
When the
Australian Athletes were here at our facility during the build up to the London
2012 Olympics, so much of what they worked on was based around mobility and
recovery. They may have trained for 1-2 hours in the morning and
afternoon, but following this, they had an ice bath, sports massage, assisted
stretching and they did their own foam roller work.
Unfortunately
we won't get the same treatment as an Olympic athlete! It would be great, but
we probably don't need that much. What we do need is at least some mobility work. The number of
people who have been advised by a specialist to stretch certain muscles
following an injury, but never do, is very high.
The problem
is, when do we fit another 10 - 20 minutes in to our busy schedule to do this?
Trying to fit training in to our day can be hard enough.
Something
that has worked really well for me, is doing small mobility movements
throughout the day at any given opportunity. Here are some of my favourites:
Squat Stretch
This could
be done at your desk. Hold on to something in front of you, drop to a deep
squat position (comfortable to you). Hold this here for up to 30 seconds.
Repeat sporadically throughout the day.
Chest Stretch
Use a doorway. Press in to this with your arm until you feel your chest and shoulders
opening up/stretching. Aim for 15-30 seconds per side. This is a really good
postural stretch to do throughout the day if you are desk bound.
Hip/Quad Stretch
Place a
cushion on the floor. Rest your knee on the cushion with your back leg up
against the edge of the sofa. Bring yourself into the upright position. Aim for
a minute per side or for as long as you choose whilst watching TV!
Calf Stretch
When going
upstairs, drop one heel to the floor and hold for 30 seconds. Do this on both
legs.
The key with
anything in training is adaption. If you can't commit to a stretch class, yoga
or a dedicated stretch session at home, then start by adding in these moves. Do
them regularly and whenever you have the opportunity or when you remember!
You'll feel the benefits overlap into life and training.
Oli.
