Hey ladies, want to know the secret weapon for building strength after 50 and it's not just lifting weights?
The another powerhouse tool in our toolkit for over 50s and it's flexibility and mobility.
Why?
Because when we gain good mobility, we move freely and move more easily through a full range of motion around a joint or a number of joints.
Flexibility vs Mobility:
So many people focus just on flexibility, which really deals with the ability to stretch out and lengthen muscles, particularly when we're feeling tight, but mobility includes so much more than that.
Why Mobility Matters for Independence:
Mobility is coordination and stability when standing up, as well as flexibility and strength. So being able to move well when reaching down to pick up our grandchild or reaching high up on that shelf, or even standing on one leg to tie up a shoelace, mobility is essential, particularly if we want to stay independent. I've had clients with shoulder issues, so struggle to get their clothes under the line because they can't move past here and others with tight hips who find steps incredibly difficult.
Unlocking Tight Areas for Strength and Safety:
Now, this changes within a matter of weeks as we both strengthen and unlock those tight areas. So by becoming more mobile, we do reduce our risk of injury because we activate muscles correctly and we also support joint alignment. We can go through the full range of motion then to perform the movement pattern and therefore recruit the muscle fibers more effectively and thereby generating force.
Balance, Stability, and Injury Prevention:
Who doesn't want better balance and stability, along with the ability to move our body into different positions without fear of injury?
How to Improve Mobility:
- Static Stretching: Now, that's where we hold a position for a period of time, maybe 20 seconds to two minutes, where we lengthen the muscle.
- Dynamic Stretching: And this involves controlled movements for 10-30 seconds where we take our muscles and joints through a full range of motion and that's preparing the body to work out. Or even we can do this as part of a stretch at the end of a workout.
- Foam Rolling: Which relieves tension and improves range of motion
Watch: Mobility Flow for Women 55+ Workout
This workout needs no equipment and will follow the Static and Dynamic stretching techniques detailed above.
How did the Mobility flow go?
I hope you enjoyed our mobility session today. Remembering that staying mobile and staying flexible can really help us with our everyday moves. If we're locked up, we just can't move the same way.
So, just stay on top of that, and have a play around with it, and add other movements if you want in those areas that you're tight. But I hope you enjoyed that today. Follow through with it.
You can repeat it again. This might be a mobility session that you do three to four days a week, just to stay mobile. But don't forget the strengthening needs to be in there as well, not just flexibility.
Have fun with it.
