Summary:

There are different types of mobility workouts:

1. Joint focused workouts

2. Muscle focused workouts

a. Myofascial & Triggerpoint Release

b. Muscle Stretching

3. Nervous system focused workouts

All of these workouts will be a part of this course. You will be able to understand the basic biomechanics involved in mobility workouts. This will increase the depth and accuracy of your training. At the end of the course you are able to figure out which areas of mobility are your weak spots, and improve upon them. You will also learn how to do mobility workouts safely, as bad technique can lead to as many problems as not moving at all.

The mechanisms of different types of workouts

1. The basic premise of joint focused mobility work is to position the joint such that it stretches the capsules and ligaments. These tissues are responsible for restricting the mobility of the joint. By working on your joint mobility you also educate your nervous system that this is a better and easier way to function. Our bodies love freedom of movement and our muscles and nervous system will quickly adapt to this new found movement freedom.
2. The basic premise of muscle focused workouts is to improve the functioning length of target muscle(s) and also improve the circulation in the myofascial system. This can be done by actively using the target muscle, actively stretching the target muscle or by working cramped muscles with instruments such as tennis balls, triggerpoint balls or foamrollers.
3. The basic premise of nervous system focused workouts is to improve gliding, tensioning and compression functions of nerves. Nerves are a closed system: they begin in the brain, go down the spine and spread out into the arms & legs. Therefore, they need to be able to change their formation according to the demands of your movement. They do this by sliding, tensioning and compressing.

When to do and what?

1. Joint focused bodywork is one of the go-to tools in physiotherapy practice. Faulty joint mechanics can be the underlying cause in many muscle cramps and tense areas in the body, so addressing these should be involved in everyone's mobility workout routines. All you need to be aware of is the optimal joint positions of the target area, how to get the joint into that position and move into different positions while the joint is held in this optimal place.
2. Stiff muscles, triggerpoint cramps and fascial movement issues are also highly common problems. All of these require slightly different approach and you need to be able to pick the mobility techniques best suited for your situation. Triggerpoint cramps or spasms usually result from overuse. Finding triggerpoints can be a fairly straightforward process, but you should always try to work movement pattern issues at the same time you release the muscle spasm. That way you are more likely to have a long lasting impact. Fascial movement problems are quite different from triggerpoint cramps. Fascia is a connective tissue surrounding muscles and nerves. It has multiple layers, namely the superficial layer and the deep layer. The deep layer is further divided into different formations, as it covers the actual muscles and different muscles are located atop each other. The layers often become stiff due to overuse, disuse or injuries.
3. Nerve mobilizations are the least common option in mobilitywork, but they shouldn't be ignored, as they can provide major improvements in performance and the way your body feels. As mentioned earlier, nerves have a fixed dimension, they begin in the brain and end in the toes & fingertips. If the nerves can't do their normal sliding and bending movements around joints and muscles, you experience discomfort and pain. If you are experiencing nerve-like symptoms, such as pins & needles, numbness or zapping electrical feelings, these movements are especially beneficial to you.