Cathe's Lift, Move & Restore - Learn more at https://bit.ly/42tRZZ6
There are some facts that we all know are true. One of these is that we need to move our bodies regularly for our health, happiness, and overall quality of life. There are many ways that we can accomplish this. Whether we choose to run, bike, lift weights, take a walk, pull weeds in the garden, or even just clean out our closets, we are moving our muscles and keeping our bodies limber.
Another fact is that even individuals who are moving their bodies regularly also tend to sit or stand for long periods of time every day. Does your job require that you sit at a desk or stand behind a counter? Do you spend a lot of time traveling by car or plane? Do you like to settle down on your favorite sofa and binge-watch your favorite shows on weekends? Most of us are guilty of these habits, but what does it mean for our bodies?
It means that we spend a good deal of time moving in one plane of motion…even though there are three: frontal, sagittal, and transverse. Even with those fancy titles, all this really means is that we can move our bodies front to back, side to side, and rotationally. Many of our activities at work, at home, and even in our active lifestyles, keep us in a forward motion with our shoulders forward and a forward bending of the spine. With time and aging this can lead to stiffness, joint dysfunction, and an inability to perform tasks that require us to work side to side and rotational movements. As we live our daily lives and go through our routines, which can go on and on for years, our joints and muscles adjust to those patterns, and this causes the range of motion in our joints to change based on our lack of “different” types of movements.
How do we prevent or rectify this? One excellent option is mobility training! Mobility training requires the body to move in all planes, utilizing functional movements through their full range of motion. By being intentional and consistent with the movements that we work into our routines we can maintain, regain, and improve our overall range of motion. This is so important when we talk about balance, injury prevention as we age, as well as bringing healthy movement back into the body no matter your age.
In my new series, Lift, Move & Restore: Functional Training for the Actively Aging Lifestyle, we will work to train in all planes of motion, with functional movement, including mobility training. This will help to bridge the gap that many struggle with in their daily movement patterns, leading to a healthier and more mobile lifestyle.
