We all want to build a strong core when we work out. What do we imagine when we think of core? Chiseled obliques? Six pack abs? Toned butt and thighs? Although these are all important, none of the muscle groups I mentioned above are truly part of your core.
Well then which muscles do make up your core?
There are 4 true core muscles/muscle groups. They are:
1) the Diaphragm
2) the Transversus Abdominis (TA)
3) the Multifidi
4) the pelvic floor muscles
Arguably the most important skeletal muscle of your body, the diaphragm, only has one job… to breathe! When the diaphragm contracts, the rib cage expands allowing air to rush into our lungs. When it relaxes, the opposite occurs and you exhale. Although the diaphragm should be the only active muscle of inspiration during times of rest, often times it is not. Secondary muscles of inspiration such as the Scalenes, Sternocleidomastoid (SCM), Upper Trapezius, as well as others, will assist the diaphragm with inspiration. Unless you’re out of breath from another great Definition Fitness workout, those muscles should be at rest during inspiration. A weak, tight diaphragm can easily be the culprit of neck pain from tense neck musculature. It can also be the culprit of low back pain. The diaphragm attaches to the anterior aspect of the first 2-3 lumbar vertebrates. It’s important to train your diaphragm!!
The TA is a thick band of muscle deep below your six pack abs and obliques. It attaches from the crest of your pelvis, ribs 7-12, the thoracolumbar fascia (low back area where your Lats attach), and goes to the bottom of your sternum (xiphoid process) all the way down the linea alba. This important muscle’s action is to help stabilize the pelvis and rib cage during movement. It’s actions on the front side of the body are closely coupled with the actions of the Multifidi on the posterior side.
The Multifidus muscle is more like a group of small muscles that run from your Sacrum all the way up your spine. It’s area of most significance, where they are usually the largest and most prominent, is around the lumbar spine. These tiny muscles go from the Transverse processes of each vertebrae to the spinous processes of the vertebrae 1-2 segments above its origin. Their primary function is to eccentrically control forward bending, acting as stabilizing muscles of the spine. They also help with rotation and extension of the trunk, but because they are such small muscles, bigger muscles such as the erector spinae create the majority of those forces.
The pelvic floor muscles form the base of your core. Often neglected, the pelvic floor is just as vital as any other core muscle. There are two good cues to activate this musculature. The first is to act as if you are trying not to pass gas in public by clenching. The second is to act as if you are trying to stop the flow of urine. The pelvic floor has to relax in order to urinate, therefore stopping the flow activates these muscles (I do not recommend stopping your flow of urine due to other health reasons). Standard endurance should allow you to contract the pelvic floor muscles for a 10 second hold, 10 times. Try it for yourself and you’ll see it’s more difficult than it seems!
I hope this blog post helps everyone build a strong, true core foundation. When the core is functioning properly, the rest of the muscles can perform at their maximum potential! Don’t sell yourself short by neglecting your core!
America is a hard-working, income-driven society. Most of us work about 8 hours, 5 days a week, with a total of 1-2 hours of commuting each day. From an anatomical perspective, most of this time is spent in one position: seated.
Why is this a bad thing?
Too much sitting often leads to something called “Upper and Lower Cross Syndrome”
Upper Cross Syndrome is a result of poor posture of the upper body. The cervical extensor muscles become tight, as well as the chest muscles, while the cervical flexor muscles become weak along with the scapular retractors. What does that mean and why does that happen?
It’s a result of prolonged poor posture. Nobody’s eyesight is perfect, so we tend to lean forward to focus on what we’re doing, whether it’s driving or working on the computer. The farther forward your head sits, the harder your neck extensor muscles must work to control your head’s posture, while the neck flexors are virtually doing no work to balance the position of your head. One’s shoulders tend to draw forward, especially while seated, which keeps the chest in a shortened position and elongates a group of muscles such as the rhomboids.
Lower Cross Syndrome is the same problem, but on the lower half of the trunk. The lumbar extensors and hip flexors become tight, while the abdominals and glutes become weak. This happens for the same reason as upper cross syndrome: prolonged poor posture. Sitting keeps the pelvis in a flexed position, which is going to tighten the hip flexors and reciprocally weaken the glutes.
So what can you do to prevent this from occurring? I know work is inevitable, as is the traffic that comes along with the commute, but there are many ways to reduce the upper and lower cross syndrome.
Step 1- EXERCISE! This is the easiest and most obvious solution. Exercise keeps the body moving, keeps the blood flowing, and prevents you from being stuck in one position for too long. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 5 days per week of moderate intensity exercise.
Step 2- Take breaks from sitting! The main issue is that we stay stuck in the same position for too long and our bodies are forced to adapt. In anatomy, Wolff’s law states that bone will adapt to the loads placed upon it. In other words, the longer you stay in a certain position, the more accustomed your skeleton becomes to that position. Set a timer every 15 minutes and stand up, do 5 squats, walk to the bathroom and back, do ANYTHING that will regularly move you away from the seated position!
Step 3- Consider buying a standing desk. Standing is a more natural position for the human body. After all, millions of years of evolution brought humans to be bipedal.
Step 4- Stretching. Logically, this would seem like the easiest solution. However, it’s not that simple. If you stretch your chest for 2 minutes, does that really provide balance from the 10+ hours of sitting with your shoulders rounded forward? Not really. But, it provides a good starting point. Developing a habit of stretching every day, multiple times, can definitely provide relief from the constant seated position, and allows your body to be more mobile for when you begin that exercise routine I mentioned in Step 1 😉
Step 5- Postural Awareness. Arguably the most important, is to create an awareness of what your posture looks like. The ears should be in line with the shoulders, which should be in line with the hips, which should be in line with the knees, which should be in line over the ankles. Yes, it’s one big kinetic chain! Each link is just as important as the next.
-Sebastien Goodman
Ever wonder how professional athletes can keep training and improving their PR? How it almost seems as though they’re invincible? Did you know that you can be just like them by changing one particular aspect of your workout routine? Well, guess what! You CAN and all it takes is incorporating cross-training.
So, what is cross-training?
Cross-training is a type of training that involves combining exercises from other disciplines. It’s a way to supplement a person’s training by improving strength, endurance, and flexibility. In addition, it prevents injuries, muscular imbalances, and burnouts. In other words, it’s whole body fitness. It can involve incorporating weight lifting, yoga, spinning, swimming, and the list goes on and on. You don’t have to incorporate everything all at once but the important thing is to break up your routine by adding cross-training to your exercise program.
Still not convinced?
Here are the benefits of cross-training. One of the best benefits from cross-training is injury prevention! Yes, preventing those same nagging injuries from overuse and repetitive movements. Take for example, running. Who doesn’t love running, especially since the Gate River Run is just a couple of months away! The constant impact from the pavement, improper shoes, biomechanical irregularities, muscular imbalances, over-training are just some of the reasons that injuries (is. joint pain, low back tightness) occur or reoccur. By incorporating cross-training, such as swimming, biking, or weight lifting, you can minimize the impact and instead work on building the endurance and strength a different way, which in turn will maximize your running in the end.
Another great reason to cross-train is for rehabilitation purposes. Let’s take running again. Say your low back is tightening up while running. Well, instead of continuing to beat your body down, incorporate biking, elliptical machine and some core training. The key is to not exacerbate your injury nor prolong the recovery process. Letting the body heal and recover will prevent you from sitting on the sidelines.
Other great benefits of cross-training are increased motivation and active recovery. By breaking up the routine and allowing you to explore more areas of the fitness world and other sports, might just give you an added kick to your motivation. Active recovery during your workouts is great in being able to enhance your endurance and strength, which will be positively reflected in your running performance.
So, before you create injuries or make current injuries worse, consider adding some cross-training to your training protocol. You’ll be surprise how much more your overall performance will be!
Pinky Uttayaya-Andrews
Why your resolutions fail…..and how to fix them.
So here we are, approaching the second week of January 2018 and quickly the question turns to the inevitable…..
“How are your resolutions going???”
Silence…
Ummmmmmm…
Yeah, about that…
And that is if you even took the energy to “make resolutions” in the first place.
At this point the word “Resolutions”, when used around the holiday season, almost instantly conjures up a negative connotation, as if we are just expecting to fail at whatever it is we deem important enough to change. How did this happen and more importantly, what can we do to change the tide and make significant changes in our habits?
Let’s start by discussing the typical resolution. You know, the one you are chatting about with friends at 12:34am on New Year’s Night after the ball has dropped, in between your 3rd and 4th cocktail, when the excitement has worn off and you’d really rather be in bed. Yeah, those.
Typically these resolutions are vague ideas or concepts, like “I want to lose weight” or “I want to eat healthier” or my personal favorite, “I want to get fit this year!” (what does that even mean?). Clearly these ideas, from being so vague, have no endpoint or solid deadline. This means there is no sense of urgency, no pressure. If you fail, which you will, there really is no repercussion.
“I haven’t started yet, but I will once everything is back to normal”…….ok, sure.
If these ideas are unclear and have no deadline, they really can’t be measured in any way either. In my favorite example (done by super scientific-y studies), “I just want to get fit”, there is no endpoint and no way to measure actual progress. So how do you know if what you are doing to achieve this goal or resolution is actually working at all? If you are even doing something in the first place.
I think we’ve clearly defined what a resolution currently means to most people and the issues associated with it.
Now let’s focus on rethinking this idea and what we can do to fix it. Dare I say, resolve the issue……see what I did there?….
(and FYI we can start this any time, not just January 1st, the first of the month, a Monday…..Just start now, if it is that important to you.)
First, let’s start but simply changing words. Instead of Resolutions, why don’t we start using the word Target, instead.
If I say the word Target to you, what might be the first image that comes to mind? Hopefully, a big red bullseye is in your mind (at least that’s what the store’s marketing team hopes, as well). By using the word Target, you have a visual endpoint, something to work towards, something very specific you are trying to achieve and, not to be overlooked, it narrows your focus. This leads in perfectly to how we are going to set up your new life Targets.
Now we start the process of refining our Targets by writing them down and being as specific as possible.
“I want to lose weight” turns into “I want to lose 20lbs”
“I want to eat healthier” turns into “I want to eat 3-4 servings of fresh veggies per day”
“I want to be fit” turns into “I want to run a 5k race every 3 months, after never racing previously”….and yes, there is MUCH more to being “fit” and “healthy” than being able to run or lift weights or eating veggies, but that is another article all in itself.
Now that we have written down specific Targets, we have solved two of our three issues with resolutions. This exercise has:
1) Narrowed our focus.
2) Can be measured.
If you eat 1 serving of veggies per day, but your Target is 3-4 we know there is still work to do to reach our Target and we can adjust accordingly.
Now we add in the uncomfortable part. Deadlines.
This is where most people start to squirm, so feel free to wiggle in your chair a little bit.
Adding a deadline creates a sense of urgency. You MUST do said Target before said Target date, or else. It forces you to take action.
“I want to lose 20lbs” turns into “I want to lose 20lbs in 100 days”
“I want to eat 3-4 servings of veggies a day” turns into “I want to establish the eating habit of 3-4 servings of veggies a day within the next month”
“I want to run a 5k race every 3 months” turns into “I want to run my first 5k in 90 days”
This forces you to take action and set up a plan of action. If you want to lose 20lbs in 100 days, do you have a plan in place to lose 1-2lbs in 7 days? If not, that would probably be a great place to start.
So now our Targets are written down, pinpoint specific and have an honest,realistic deadline. Unfortunately, this still won’t work out for most people.
The major point that we have yet to discuss is your why. Why is this Target important to you? When we can find out the true why behind what you want to accomplish, you can take that why and keep it in your pocket, pulling it out when the plan gets rocky.
And it will.
This isn’t going to be all sunshine and roses. Life just isn’t that way and we all know it. So the Why is going to guide you through those dark times, when you need help, when you feel like quitting, when you question why you even started.
“I want to lose 20lbs in 100 days to be an inspiration to my children”
“I want to improve my nutrition habits so my entire family makes better eating choices”
“I want to run a 5k every 3 months in memory of my loved one who passed away from Cancer”
I don’t think I have to go into detail as to why the statements above are worlds more powerful than the statements we opened the reading with. Find your why. You may have to dig a bit deeper than is normally comfortable, but this is part of the change process. It will serve you almost as well as it will serve those whom you inspire.
To summarize our new outlook on Targets, the artist formerly known as Resolutions, they are:
- Written down- Look at them every single day. Make them the background of your phone, screen saver on your desktop, you get the idea.
- Specific- Number of pounds lost. Amount of weight you want to squat. Tons of broccoli per day. This allows for measurable progress and laser focus.
- Have a deadline- Make it realistic, but challenging. Take action NOW and build a short-term plan to reach the long-term Target.
- Tied into your Why- What will happen when you achieve this Target? How will you feel? How will it impact others around you? Think about that. It will guide you through the dark times.
This change in thinking is by no means the end all, be all of Targetting or goal setting or whatever term you choose to call it by, however, if these methods are put into place and monitored on a daily basis, I can promise a much better outcome. Much better than whatever happens after the 4th cocktail at 12:34am on New Year’s.
By Patrick Murphy
Why everyone needs a Coach
Everyone, at some point in their lives, can benefit greatly from working with a professional coach. You may be stuck in a rut in your career, need a different set of eyes in the gym, or be at a turning point in your life and need some guidance. It doesn’t matter the situation, a great coach can help. Recently, people have expressed some surprise when I told them I had hired a coach, even though this wasn’t the first time, which kind of took me back.
“Why WOULDN’T I use a coach? I have some of the same roadblocks and issues as everyone else!”
Curious, I started looking at the real reasons someone would hire a coach and there are 3 fundamental keys that an experienced, professional coach can bring to the table.
The first is the most obvious and the one that is mentioned the most.
1) Accountability:
The knowledge that someone has scheduled a time to meet with you, or is going to call you asking if you got a task completed, or just send a text seeing how you are doing, can move mountains for most people. This alone can be worth the cost of any coaching. While I won’t deny the importance of this point, I think it is clear to everyone so let’s move on, shall we?
2) Freedom:
Let’s face it, you are busy and have a ton of shit to worry about, the kids, work, did the dog piss on the rug? So here is a tip, find a coach you trust and who aligns with your goals and thinking and let them do their job. Personally, it is my job to worry about the health and wellness of others all day, so it is refreshing for me to put that responsibility for my fitness into someone else’s hands. I don’t have to worry about my workouts or my nutrition, just stick to the plan and trust the process.
Now not everyone thinks like this or functions like this but it can be a very liberating act in itself.
3)Leaving your comfort zone:
A coach will make you do the things you don’t want to do, but probably need the most and will see the most benefit from. The biggest feedback from people when they hear I have a coach is, “Why do you need a coach? You can do all this stuff, you can design programs, you’ve been doing this for over a decade, how are they going to help?
Excellent question and the answer is simple.
When I design programs for myself, it’s filled with stuff I like to do, not the stuff I probably need the most. The coach will have the bigger picture in mind, and not only help you see it but help you get there in the shortest amount of time. Shorten the learning curve. The biggest ROI.
So what do you think? What would be a reason YOU would hire a coach or mentor? What would you look to gain from working with a coach? Is it physical? Career-related?
A quick shout to my coaches, On the business side Eric Bach and Daniel Freedman. If you are starting or have started an online fitness business, these are the guys to take you to the next level. And they are patient, super patient…but I may have used all of it up.
On the Strength/lifting heavy shit/looking good naked side, Bryan Krahn and Scott Tousignant (yes, I need a team) who are currently helping this old dude get rid of his dad bod, and get my head right. It’s a process, trust the process.
Hey there, I’m Sebastien! Whether it’s kicking a soccer ball, throwing a football, or swinging a tennis racket, sports have always been a great way to release energy. As I grew up, injuries mounted and becoming a professional athlete no longer seemed like a possibility. Doctors were reluctant to help me and I was not able to continue with sports in high school. Although it was difficult to deal with at the time, in hindsight it shaped my current life.
This ordeal made me realize I want to help people as a future profession. My passion for sports led me to get my undergraduate degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Florida. From there, I enrolled in the University of North Florida’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy program. My goal is to be an expert on the human body and how the body goes through the healing process.
Another result from discontinuing sports was my newfound passion for playing the guitar. I love classic rock, blues, and jazz. When I was no longer able to continue running every day, I picked up the guitar. Over time, I taught myself to play songs I enjoyed, and learned to develop my own style. Today, I can’t imagine a day that goes by where I haven’t indulged in some sweet melodies on the guitar.
To bring this full circle- my experiences have helped me understand the importance of balance in life. Everyone has their own unique reasons for exercising. The key is to understand what your goal is, and how to provide the necessary balance to maximize your potential and surpass your goal!
We all know we need quality sleep, that it is essential and that most of us need more of it. Do we know the sleep essentials? What happens to us when we don’t get enough of it? What happens to our mental and physical states when we are getting adequate amount of sleep, in comparison? Do we know how to get to sleep faster and optimize the precious hours we do get hitting the pillow? Hopefully by the end of this short read we can open your eyes on the importance of closing them (see what I did there)
First let’s establish what “adequate” sleep is. For anyone over the age of 18, 7-9 hours is considered an appropriate sleep range, and the time needed goes up as age goes down because younger children, toddlers and newborns need more sleep to develop body systems properly, although many parents will argue that a newborn doesn’t sleep anywhere near the 12-14hr range associated with this age. Clearly most us fall below this baseline, and the effect of continuously falling short of our necessary hours of sleep can wreak havoc on our minds and bodies. Starting with the immediate effects on the brain, let’s review the impact that lack of sleep has on our daily lives.
Lack of sleep can result in cognitive dysfunction to varying degrees. Consistently being short even 1-2 hours per night can interfere with learning and concentration skills. An interesting thought, considering that during my senior year at the University of North Florida, my classmates and I were averaging a solid 3-4hrs of red bull soaked sleep a night. On a more serious note, this can be a problem as many teens fall considerably short of their requirement which can lead to difficulty with memory and retaining information in school.
Sleep deficiency can also cloud the decision-making process and grind creativity to a halt. This can be a huge issue at the educational level, and in the workplace. While it is true that some can grind and burn the midnight oil to get that big project together just before the deadline, the reality is that if the project had been given proper attention with full rest, the final product might have been better than expected. (see current writing)
The brain controls emotions as well, of course, and these can also be affected greatly by sleep loss. You may become short-tempered and moody, becoming easily agitated over unimportant or unnecessary issues. It could see its way into relationships with family, friends and significant others (who may also be suffering from lack of sleep, as sleeping with another person is one of the most disruptive things we can do to our personal sleep patterns). Long term loss of sleep can also mimic the symptoms, as well as lead to, clinical depression. Anxiety and even feelings of hopelessness and suicide are all possible side effects of severe chronic sleep deprivation. (What a happy article Pat, thanks!) Now we’ve gone over some of the mental issues that can arise due to lack of sleep, let’s talk about how your body reacts to it. A consistent lack of sleep creates an increase in the stress hormone, cortisol. To keep the science part simple, higher levels of cortisol can increase fat stores. Combine that with a decrease in leptin production, a hormone that tells your brain that your stomach is full, and you have a recipe for storing fat and overeating. This can sabotage even the best training efforts and diet, and is a huge reason sleep deprivation is a major risk factor in obesity. Your immune system is also compromised. Think about it, when you do get sick what does your body want most? Shut down, sleep, fight off infection, recover. If you can’t/don’t sleep, the illness lingers and you feel like dog poop for a week.
So, we know what happens to our mind and body when we don’t give it enough sleep, so what in the world can we do to improve the sleep that we do get? Glad you asked.
First we will start by getting your bedroom ready for sleep. Let me preface this by saying, if it is possible, the bedroom should be used for two things, sleep and sex. Sorry, that’s it. If, due to living situations, the bedroom must double as your office or dining area, so be it but I would try to change that as quickly as possible.
Bedroom set up in no specific order:
1) Get it cold, 65-68 degrees is fantastic. Use fans if you can’t regulate your own air conditioning. This tells the body that it’s time to sleep.
2) Get an old-school alarm clock, like without a digital, light emitting face, and keep your cellphone out of the bedroom. I know, crazy talk. In fact, no electronic devices besides the clock at all. No TV, no tablet, just no. Trust me on this one, falling asleep to CSI re-runs isn’t the way to optimal sleep. ***Bonus tip, when you wake up you won’t be able to instantly jump on social media and ruin the day before it starts!
3) Get that room black hole dark. Buy blackout drapes, cover the windows with blankets, whatever. Just get it as dark as possible as any light that sneaks in will tell your brain that it’s time to wake up.
4) This one is tough for some, but Fido can’t sleep in your bed. I know…that face though…. but no. Every time our fur children get up and move around, which is a lot over the course of the night because they have been sleeping all damn day while you’re working to buy kibble, they can take you out of your deep sleep. I’ll bet that they wouldn’t mind their own comfortable bed anyway. Little spoiled fur child.
5) Invest in high quality bedding. You spend a lot of time in bed, make it as plush and comfortable as possible. 6) Lastly, your mom was onto something when she was yelling at you to clean up your room. As we opened with, the bedroom should be for two things and those two things only. A messy, cluttered room doesn’t help with either of them. Clean it up, junior.
Now that we have your sleeping area set up perfectly, let’s focus on you, specifically.
1) Try to get off your technology at least 1-2hrs before going to bed. Electronics emit light that keeps our brains in “awake” mode, never giving it a chance to wind down. If you must use a computer at night, I suggest an app such as f.lux, which will dim the computer screen to warmer, softer colors so the transition to sleep is easier.
2) Make late meals lighter. Digestion is one of the more energy consuming activities in the body, so if we eat a huge meal closer to our bedtime, the body will be working to digest food instead of being in resting mode. In addition, taper drinking down as frequent bathroom trips will disrupt sleep patterns.
3) Avoid caffeine and alcohol. This should be obvious, but I must make sure it is clear. Even if you’re an old coffee head like myself, cut caffeine way down in the afternoon and try not to have any in the evening. You may think coffee isn’t affecting you anymore or that alcohol will help you sleep, but I can assure you that neither is enhancing the quality of your rest. 4) Exercise earlier in the day. When you train, you release those wonderful, feel good endorphins that make you feel indestructible. Unfortunately exercise also releases the previously discussed cortisol, so try to finish up your workout at least 2-3hrs before your normal bedtime.
5) Overall try to create a bedtime routine. Take a hot shower or bath (the rise and subsequent fall in temperature will help enhance drowsiness), read for a few minutes (paperback please) and try to go to bed at the same time every night, and yes even on the weekends you party animal you.
Try implementing one or two of these tips at a time and monitor your sleep quality. Over time, as you see and feel your sleep improving, add a few more. I realize that sometimes getting “more” sleep just is not an option, but by utilizing some of these tips, you can make the precious few hours you do get as effective as possible in giving the body the rest and recovery it needs.
Patrick Murphy
Definition Fitness of Jacksonville, LLC announced today that Dr. Robert H. Bodendorf, DMD will be discussing the power of the Gut on April 25, 2017 at their facility on 1950 San Marco Blvd, Suite 5 at 7:00 pm.
“I began developing an interest in trying to figure out what leads to true health when a critical family illness occurred in 2008, says Rob. All roads converged on gut health and the mind-body connection. I do not believe true health can be attained without healthy gut flora and the introduction of probiotic foods and the elimination of toxins in food that kill the microflora.”
Rob enjoys a discussion about why a healthy gut is important and will show how easy probiotic foods like sauerkraut and yogurt are to make. He is a graduate of the College of Charleston in 1980 where he majored in Biology and a graduate of the Medical School of South Carolina where he obtained his dental degree. Like many medical programs in this country, Rob’s formal education did not contain any classes about nutrition. He is self-taught and is excited to share his learnings and experience with you.
Definition Fitness of Jacksonville, LLC is a health studio committed to helping people move better, feel better, look better. Located in the heart of San Marco, the studio has served the community for more than ten years with state of the art personal training. More information on this free demonstration is available on their web page at www.Defintionfitness.com. Or you may call 904-398-6442.
Hi, I’m Pinky and I’m happy to be part of the Definition Fitness family! I was born in Thailand but raised most of my life in the US. I am a very active person, so much that my friends call me a hummingbird! I love playing all sports from baseball, tennis, to volleyball but currently I have been more focused on running, biking, dragon boating, outrigger canoes, and mud runs. I’m also the strength and conditioning coach for my dragon boat team.
I’ve been doing personal training for 11 years and I love every minute of it! There’s no greater satisfaction than helping others live a stronger and healthier life! I focus on getting the body back into balance so that everyday functional movements can be achieved with ease. With my medical background, I have a particular interest in working with anyone with medical concerns (joints, post-surgery, injuries, etc) and being able to regain mobility and function.
I’m excited to be part of this team and I look forward to helping everyone reach their fitness goals!
What is Joint Mobility?
Joint mobility is the range of motion found when muscles surrounding 2 bones contract or relax creating joint movement causing adjacent bones to articulate, slide, glide, hinge or pivot with each other.
Without good Joint Mobility a person will be restricted in their joint’s available range of motion. Typical restrictions in joint range of motion are due to shortened or lengthened muscles. Limited range of motioned can also occur to conditions with the joint itself and can carry with it joint pain or stiffness.
What is Flexibility?
Flexibility is a muscle’s ability to lengthen or stretch to it’s appropriate length when needed, to allow a body part or parts to move through all available ranges of motion.
Flexibility is typically one of the most forgotten or overlooked aspects of health. Poor flexibility could lead to limited ranges of motion in one or multiple joint(s) up and down a person’s kinetic chain. In order for a person to be healthiest version of them possible, equal focus and attention must be given to flexibility.
