Weight Training: Why Mobility Is King
Mobility is a precedent for longevity in regards to musculoskeletal and functional health. Is there such thing as too much mobility? I personally don’t think so, provided you have the stability to support your hypermobile joints. And no, this doesn’t include traumatic injuries or dislocations. With weight lifting, anytype of weight lifting, mobility is the first thing you need to check off your list to ensure injury prevention. Proper mobility for lifts, such as clean & jerks and snatches, will reduce unnecessary stresses on joints, improve therapeutic effects of the lifts, and improve general functional longevity well into old age.
Achieving proper mobility for your lifts helps reduce risk for injury. Consider the overhead snatch position. If tightness is an issue, you will have increased difficulty assuming the overhead position. Add weight to the lift, and your shoulders are working overtime to support the weight, causing excess tension less efficient lever arms on your muscles and joints. Over time, this can lead to insidious tendinopathies or sudden strains. This is just one example of many. But the principle still applies. If you are struggling with pain with any type with lifting maneuvers, make sure you are checking your mobility. Do you have the mobility prerequisites to perform the lift safely?
Next, performing a lift with a full range of motion maximizes the desired therapeutic and fitness effects of those lifts. Take the squat for example. Glutes are the foundation of our hips and spine. Stable hips often equate to a stable spine. According to EMG studies, Glute activation is maximized with increased squat depth. Exercises such as high step ups and deep squats, which require significant hip flexion and ankle dorsiflexion, all emphasize glutes with full range of motion. Our bodies will become more durable and just plain healthier when we use our mobility therapeutically.
Finally, full mobility helps with generalized quality of life and overall longevity. Think about it. Who will have the greater chance of back pain and hip pain when they’re 80? The individual who starts training mobility at the age of 50? Or the individual who has never moved their limbs to end-range in their life? Compound and even Olympic lifts are functional, in that they translate to almost every human movement required to function in today’s society. If you take the time to challenge your body to tolerate more difficult maneuvers, your body will be prepared for everyday maneuvers well into old age.
It’s never too late to start working on mobility. Especially weight lifters. If you are having pain, often times mobility is the first thing we look at. Injury prevention, therapeutic effects, and improve functionality into old age are all reasons why you should work on mobility. Coaches and physical therapists understand how to implement mobility into your routine. If you are having pain, consider a free discovery call with the doctors at The PATH Rehab & Performance. Here we can discuss goals, symptoms, and answer any questions and/or concerns you may have. If you are unsure on how to begin this journey, ask for help!
Dr. Cody Benavides
PT, DPT, TPIc
Co-Owner | The PATH Rehab & Performance
