The Joint By Joint Approach To Mobility & Stability
Sometimes in training there are topics that are complete game changers. When the idea behind the joint by join approach came into the fitness world via Mike Boyle and Gray Cook it did just that. At least for me it did. Designing programs became much more simpler if this concept is applied.
The concept is that when you look at the joints of the body we see there are two primary jobs of a joint. It is mainly used for stability during movement and posture or it is primarily used for mobility. We also see an alternating pattern of stability and mobility as you move from one joint to the next.
You can see from the picture to the left some of the major joints of the body and how we have this alternating stability and mobility model.
This model comes in particularly handy when looking at your warm up or corrective exercise routine. You want to start your workout getting your body prepped and in the best alignment possible.
This allows up to at least focus mobility on areas that need mobility and generally most people lack. As well as improve stability where people tend to lack stability
This guide is simply a starting point for you to prepare your body for the workouts and racing you are about to embark on. Injuries can happen. But with a good program you can dramatically reduce these, while simultaneously improve performance.
Each workout you perform should start off with mobility and stability work. If you can’t move you won’t be very stable or strong so you will always start with mobility and then move to enhance stability.
Mobility
For the purposes of this article we are not going to cover every joint of the body. Instead we will focus on the major joints that tend to have issues. These joints include:
The Ankle
The Hips
The Thoracic Spine
The Shoulder Joint (Glenohumeral Joint)
Your goal for your program is to enhance mobility at these joints in particular. This does not mean you don’t need work anywhere else but at a minimum we need to maximize these joints.
You will do this through stretching and mobility exercises. This covers a variety of different modalities. Two of the most common preworkout routines include self myofascial release (SMR) and dynamic mobility exercises.
SMR is typically done with tools like a foam roller, lacrosse balls, or other objects to help improve muscle tissue quality. It is not necessary to review the physiological and neurological changes that occur when perform SMR. When you do it you feel better and move better. That is all that matter here. So you will start your workout with a few foam rolling exercises specifically to enhance mobility at mobility joints. Here are a few to start with:
Don’t forget to check out our done for you templates to see even more SMR options in the Strength section of the Spartan Underground.
After your foam rolling your next step is to perform dynamic mobility exercises to gain new range of motion now that your muscles have the ability to move better. Stretching is great but when you roll first you will see dramatically more improvements. Dynamic simply means moving. You will create motion in the joint your are trying to stretch in various positions. Again to focus on our mobility joints here are a few to start with.
Dynamic Hip Flexor & Hamstring Mobilization
Supine Shoulder Flexion/Extension
Now you have better prepped your mobility joints to move the way they should. Next you will move onto stability exercises.
Stability
With more range of motion at certain joints your next goal is to improve stability so you have control over this new range of motion. When you hear stability do not think static or immobile. Instead think of control of mobility or stability in the presence of movement. The joints we focus on enhancing stability include the following:
The Foot
The Knee
The Lumbar Spine
The Scapula Thoracic Joint
The Cervical Spine
The knee, the lower back, and the neck are often the most common sites of degeneration and arthritis. When you are active and move around a lot you joints can pay for it if they are not moving the way they should. This is where stability and control come into play. We need optimal alignment and control so the joint does not take unnecessary stress.
Here are a few exercises that will improve stability at the above mentioned joints:
Try some of these exercises out before your workouts. Don’t forget to check out some of our sample warm up routines for specific populations in the injury prevention section of the site as well as our done for your templates in our strength section.
Aroo!
Mike Deibler MS, CSCS, SGX
Spartan Underground