Flexibility Verses Mobility

If short on time, which one should you work on?? It depends on your goals for one… and if you are not sure what your goals are, keep reading so you can know exactly which modality to focus on more!

Flexibility and mobility have different functions to each individual! Flexibility and mobility for a gymnast verses a construction worker will have very different uses! A construction worker may be happy to touch their toes or be able to get into a deep squat! A gymnast may be very disappointed if that was all they could do. If a construction worker came in for training, I would not force them to get into a front splits (unless that was one of their goals).

So, what is flexibility?

Flexibility is the ability to take a joint beyond it’s end range of motion, in a passive way. When we train flexibility, we use external forces to help our bodies get into the desired range of motion. For example, if you lay down on your back, and lift one leg up and keep the other one down you are not going to be able to lift your leg toward your torso and head as far as you would if you had a partner helping you stretch. If you are super flexible, your partner should get your leg pretty close your torso and head!

If you take the external force off the leg, how far will you get your leg toward your head?

This is what we call mobility! Mobility is your body’s ability to move your joints in active end ranges of motion. Meaning no other force is exerting on your body other than your nervous system.

If I stand up, and bring my knee toward my chest, without using any hands, this is mobility at work! I am using only what my nervous system knows about my hip. When I use my hands to hug my leg into my chest, this is flexibility now working. When I release my hands and try to keep my knee where it was, it drops down! This is because my joint only knows how to move in the end range, not the passive range.

So what should you spend your time working on?

Flexibility has the ability to relax us, to build better posture, to feel more easeful in our bodies, it can decrease muscle soreness, and so on.

Mobility is great for decreasing chronic pain, can increase better control and awareness over your body, it can improve athletic performance, and it is great for your joint health.

So, based on your goals and needs, what do you think is best to work on?

In my opinion, I think mobility gives you more bang for your buck. Anytime we can build more control and stability, the better! However, if your goal is to do a front splits, or touch your toes then flexibility will be more worth your while!

No matter what you choose, know that moving your body is enough, and if it feels good and in alignment with what YOU want you can’t go wrong with neither!

Now, get out there and MOVE!