28 Aug
Blog

The Two Ways to Fix Your Mobility

I get it. It hurts when you move so try to limit the amount you move so you don't suffer as much. It's a natural response. And your brain counts on it. Let's talk about why your mind is betting on you to do this, and what the sneaky bastard is doing.

The first thing you can do to improve your mobility is to use pain as a warning.

1. Increase your freedom of movement

I will start with that. Your brain loves you We really love you and don't want you to get hurt. But much like a toddler and a puddle of mud, they cannot trust you to make the right decisions.

To keep you safe and alive, the main role of the brain is protection and survival. To do that it has to be a little annoying at times and make some tough decisions. You might want to run, lift, swim, or whatever you want to do, but the brain needs to step in, be a mama-bear and stop you.

Remember, your brain's priorities do not match your priorities. With that in mind, let's talk about mobility. Subject to mechanical restrictions, It is your brain that stops your mobility gains. It's true.

Let me tell you why There are generally two reasons why your brain restricts your mobility:

  1. Strength in a position or reach
  2. Lack of use

Think about it. If you're weak in one range or position, why the hell would your brain let you go there if you can't get yourself back? If your mind thinks for even a second that you are unsafe at a certain distance or position and there is a risk of getting hurt, it will stop you. Guess how it's going to stop you? That's right by hurting yourself.

Pain is a warning. Pain is the best tool your body can use to pay attention to what your brain is telling you. and it uses it to draw attention to boo-boos and keep you from doing something that is going to hurt you.

How do we get healthy in our range of motion so that the brain lets us go there? Well the answer is bit by bit. You have to earn your mind's trust and that will happen as you build strength. Remove this exercise from the mobility reset program.

The L-Sit to Tabletop is the perfect confidence-building exercise between you and the big, squishy thing above.

Not only does the movement help you build range by asking the brain to do the job of achieving a great position on the flat end, it also gives you the power to:

And coordination creates comfort that creates trust. Do you understand what I mean?

Try it here:

2. Strength and stability are critical to mobility

That brings me to the second thing. Use the areas you currently have.

One of the truest things I've ever learned about the brain-body connection is if you don't use it, you lose it. Your brain doesn't want to devote time or space, and that means neurons doing crap that it doesn't use.

It doesn't matter if you were an Olympic gymnast. If you don't switch to the areas you have often, you will lose them. To make this more understandable:

  • If you sit at a desk all day, lie down and never move your spine in any other direction, what do you think will happen? You will end up in a hunched posture, an inability to straighten or rotate your back, and pain.
  • This is how the brain sees it. We haven't arched or twisted our spine in weeks. So do I still have to dedicate space on the brain map to this ability? Damn no, not me. I'm going to use these neurons for something else.

If this sounds like you, try this spine wave exercise from the Mobility Reset program. See if you can move your spine the way you should be.

So what I'm saying is this. To be mobile, or to build mobility, you need to develop the strength and stability in the areas that the brain needs to get there.

And you have to couple that with the frequent use of these areas, otherwise your brain will rob you of the ability to use them. It comes down to using a joint like a joint and using it often.

Both exercises are from our mobility reset program.

28 Aug
Blog

The Two Ways to Fix Your Mobility

I get it. It hurts when you move so try to limit the amount you move so you don't suffer as much. It's a natural response. And your brain counts on it. Let's talk about why your mind is betting on you to do this, and what the sneaky bastard is doing.

The first thing you can do to improve your mobility is to use pain as a warning.

1. Increase your freedom of movement

I will start with that. Your brain loves you We really love you and don't want you to get hurt. But much like a toddler and a puddle of mud, they cannot trust you to make the right decisions.

To keep you safe and alive, the main role of the brain is protection and survival. To do that it has to be a little annoying at times and make some tough decisions. You might want to run, lift, swim, or whatever you want to do, but the brain needs to step in, be a mama-bear and stop you.

Remember, your brain's priorities do not match your priorities. With that in mind, let's talk about mobility. Subject to mechanical restrictions, It is your brain that stops your mobility gains. It's true.

Let me tell you why There are generally two reasons why your brain restricts your mobility:

  1. Strength in a position or reach
  2. Lack of use

Think about it. If you're weak in one range or position, why the hell would your brain let you go there if you can't get yourself back? If your mind thinks for even a second that you are unsafe at a certain distance or position and there is a risk of getting hurt, it will stop you. Guess how it's going to stop you? That's right by hurting yourself.

Pain is a warning. Pain is the best tool your body can use to pay attention to what your brain is telling you. and it uses it to draw attention to boo-boos and keep you from doing something that is going to hurt you.

How do we get healthy in our range of motion so that the brain lets us go there? Well the answer is bit by bit. You have to earn your mind's trust and that will happen as you build strength. Remove this exercise from the mobility reset program.

The L-Sit to Tabletop is the perfect confidence-building exercise between you and the big, squishy thing above.

Not only does the movement help you build range by asking the brain to do the job of achieving a great position on the flat end, it also gives you the power to:

And coordination creates comfort that creates trust. Do you understand what I mean?

Try it here:

2. Strength and stability are critical to mobility

That brings me to the second thing. Use the areas you currently have.

One of the truest things I've ever learned about the brain-body connection is if you don't use it, you lose it. Your brain doesn't want to devote time or space, and that means neurons doing crap that it doesn't use.

It doesn't matter if you were an Olympic gymnast. If you don't switch to the areas you have often, you will lose them. To make this more understandable:

  • If you sit at a desk all day, lie down and never move your spine in any other direction, what do you think will happen? You will end up in a hunched posture, an inability to straighten or rotate your back, and pain.
  • This is how the brain sees it. We haven't arched or twisted our spine in weeks. So do I still have to dedicate space on the brain map to this ability? Damn no, not me. I'm going to use these neurons for something else.

If this sounds like you, try this spine wave exercise from the Mobility Reset program. See if you can move your spine the way you should be.

So what I'm saying is this. To be mobile, or to build mobility, you need to develop the strength and stability in the areas that the brain needs to get there.

And you have to couple that with the frequent use of these areas, otherwise your brain will rob you of the ability to use them. It comes down to using a joint like a joint and using it often.

Both exercises are from our mobility reset program.

18 Aug
Blog

Better Shoulder Health With 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Problems

The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body, so it's not surprising that it is also one of the most commonly jacked up joints. Almost everyone I've worked with has mixed up their shoulders at some point (including me)). It's easy to do once you know how luckily it is also relatively easy to fix.

To know exactly what to do, we need to understand how the shoulder works. The humeral bone (upper arm) is the ball of the ball and socket joint and is located in the glenoid cavity of the shoulder blade, which, as you suspected, is the socket – a flat socket.

Happy shoulders

So this is a happy shoulder joint down below.

Better Shoulder Health with 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Issues - Fitness, Fitness, Bench Press, Health, Mobility, Tendons, Shoulder, Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Impact, Shoulder Mobility, Mobility Shoulders, Muscle Imbalances, Shoulder Health, Joint Health, Scapula

Better Shoulder Health with 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Issues - Fitness, Fitness, Bench Press, Health, Mobility, Tendons, Shoulder, Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Impact, Shoulder Mobility, Mobility Shoulders, Muscle Imbalances, Shoulder Health, Joint Health, Scapula

Now you may not mind if you pull those rounded shoulders forward, but I'll tell you what you're going to mind.

The boo-boo you get when you try to do something different. I'm trying to say that muscle weakness or tension affects the way your shoulder works.

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda.

See where i'm going To fix all of your shoulder problems, you need to treat your shoulder joint like a joint. That's it.

That means training it under control in all directions and ranges of motion.

I know it's easy to say, but it doesn't have to be that difficult either.

If I had to pick three things to add to your workout to give you happy, healthy shoulders that can do anything you want, it would be these::

1. Shoulder-controlled joint rotations (CARS)

No, not brum, brum cars. CARS is a fancy name, but easy to do and a basic concept. It means simply moving the shoulder through the range of motion with control and intent.

Try this below and it should highlight any range restrictions you might have. This is the shoulder CAR from the Mobility Reset program.

2. Cuban rotations

These are just great. Cuban rotations reinforce all four rotator cuffs and rOtator cuffs are a major cause of shoulder injuries. There is not enough time for all of the good things I have to say about this exercise.

3. Work on your extension

Most people have a terrible shoulder extension. The shoulder extension is a heavily under-trained area that your shoulder should be.

This short video shows you how to build strength in this long-forgotten area.

Look, everyone wants to do the funny stuff. I get it. But you need to watch out for the pitfalls in ignoring how you want your body to move because of it will bite your ass and you won't do funny things when injured.

Keep an eye on your body because if you spend a little time making sure everything is going well, you will have more time doing what you love.

If you want to move around painlessly, check out my reset series. It is an easy to follow and most importantly instant at home course that will help you move better and more painlessly.

18 Aug
Blog

Better Shoulder Health With 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Problems

The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body, so it's not surprising that it is also one of the most commonly jacked up joints. Almost everyone I've worked with has mixed up their shoulders at some point (including me)). It's easy to do once you know how luckily it is also relatively easy to fix.

To know exactly what to do, we need to understand how the shoulder works. The humeral bone (upper arm) is the ball of the ball and socket joint and is located in the glenoid cavity of the shoulder blade, which, as you suspected, is the socket – a flat socket.

Happy shoulders

So this is a happy shoulder joint down below.

Better Shoulder Health with 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Issues - Fitness, Fitness, Bench Press, Health, Mobility, Tendons, Shoulder, Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Impact, Shoulder Mobility, Mobility Shoulders, Muscle Imbalances, Shoulder Health, Joint Health, Scapula

Better Shoulder Health with 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Issues - Fitness, Fitness, Bench Press, Health, Mobility, Tendons, Shoulder, Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Impact, Shoulder Mobility, Mobility Shoulders, Muscle Imbalances, Shoulder Health, Joint Health, Scapula

Now you may not mind if you pull those rounded shoulders forward, but I'll tell you what you're going to mind.

The boo-boo you get when you try to do something different. I'm trying to say that muscle weakness or tension affects the way your shoulder works.

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda.

See where i'm going To fix all of your shoulder problems, you need to treat your shoulder joint like a joint. That's it.

That means training it under control in all directions and ranges of motion.

I know it's easy to say, but it doesn't have to be that difficult either.

If I had to pick three things to add to your workout to give you happy, healthy shoulders that can do anything you want, it would be these::

1. Shoulder-controlled joint rotations (CARS)

No, not brum, brum cars. CARS is a fancy name, but easy to do and a basic concept. It means simply moving the shoulder through the range of motion with control and intent.

Try this below and it should highlight any range restrictions you might have. This is the shoulder CAR from the Mobility Reset program.

2. Cuban rotations

These are just great. Cuban rotations reinforce all four rotator cuffs and rOtator cuffs are a major cause of shoulder injuries. There is not enough time for all of the good things I have to say about this exercise.

3. Work on your extension

Most people have a terrible shoulder extension. The shoulder extension is a heavily under-trained area that your shoulder should be.

This short video shows you how to build strength in this long-forgotten area.

Look, everyone wants to do the funny stuff. I get it. But you need to watch out for the pitfalls in ignoring how you want your body to move because of it will bite your ass and you won't do funny things when injured.

Keep an eye on your body because if you spend a little time making sure everything is going well, you will have more time doing what you love.

If you want to move around painlessly, check out my reset series. It is an easy to follow and most importantly instant at home course that will help you move better and more painlessly.

16 Aug
Blog

Better Shoulder Health With 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Problems

The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body, so it's not surprising that it is also one of the most commonly jacked up joints. Almost everyone I've worked with has mixed up their shoulders at some point (including me)). It's easy to do once you know how luckily it is also relatively easy to fix.

To know exactly what to do, we need to understand how the shoulder works. The humeral bone (upper arm) is the ball of the ball and socket joint and is located in the glenoid cavity of the shoulder blade, which, as you suspected, is the socket – a flat socket.

Happy shoulders

So this is a happy shoulder joint down below.

Better Shoulder Health with 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Issues - Fitness, Fitness, Bench Press, Health, Mobility, Tendons, Shoulder, Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Impact, Shoulder Mobility, Mobility Shoulders, Muscle Imbalances, Shoulder Health, Joint Health, Scapula

Better Shoulder Health with 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Issues - Fitness, Fitness, Bench Press, Health, Mobility, Tendons, Shoulder, Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Impact, Shoulder Mobility, Mobility Shoulders, Muscle Imbalances, Shoulder Health, Joint Health, Scapula

Now you may not mind if you pull those rounded shoulders forward, but I'll tell you what you're going to mind.

The boo-boo you get when you try to do something different. I'm trying to say that muscle weakness or tension affects the way your shoulder works.

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda.

See where i'm going To fix all of your shoulder problems, you need to treat your shoulder joint like a joint. That's it.

That means training it under control in all directions and ranges of motion.

I know it's easy to say, but it doesn't have to be that difficult either.

If I had to pick three things to add to your workout to give you happy, healthy shoulders that can do anything you want, it would be these::

1. Shoulder-controlled joint rotations (CARS)

No, not brum, brum cars. CARS is a fancy name, but easy to do and a basic concept. It means simply moving the shoulder through the range of motion with control and intent.

Try this below and it should highlight any range restrictions you might have. This is the shoulder CAR from the Mobility Reset program.

2. Cuban rotations

These are just great. Cuban rotations reinforce all four rotator cuffs and rOtator cuffs are a major cause of shoulder injuries. There is not enough time for all of the good things I have to say about this exercise.

3. Work on your extension

Most people have a terrible shoulder extension. The shoulder extension is a heavily under-trained area that your shoulder should be.

This short video shows you how to build strength in this long-forgotten area.

Look, everyone wants to do the funny stuff. I get it. But you need to watch out for the pitfalls in ignoring how you want your body to move because of it will bite your ass and you won't do funny things when injured.

Keep an eye on your body because if you spend a little time making sure everything is going well, you will have more time doing what you love.

If you want to move around painlessly, check out my reset series. It is an easy to follow and most importantly instant at home course that will help you move better and more painlessly.

15 Aug
Blog

Better Should Health with 3 Mobility Routines for Impingement Problems

The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body, so it's not surprising that it is also one of the most commonly jacked up joints. Almost everyone I've worked with has mixed up their shoulders at some point (including me). It's easy to do once you know how luckily it is also relatively easy to fix.

To know exactly what to do, we need to understand how the shoulder works. The humeral bone (upper arm) is the ball of the ball and socket joint and is located in the glenoid cavity of the shoulder blade, which, as you guessed, is the socket – a shallow socket.

Happy shoulders

So this is a happy shoulder joint down below.

Better health should be with 3 mobility routines for impingement issues - fitness, fitness, bench press, mobility, tendons, rotator cuff, shoulder mobility, muscle imbalances, joint health, shoulder blade

Better health should be with 3 mobility routines for impingement issues - fitness, fitness, bench press, mobility, tendons, rotator cuff, shoulder mobility, muscle imbalances, joint health, shoulder blade

Now you may not mind if you pull your rounded shoulders forward, but I'll tell you what you're going to mind. The boo-boo you get when you try to do something different. I'm trying to say that muscle weakness or tension affects the way your shoulder works.

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda.

See where i'm going To fix all of your shoulder problems, you need to treat your shoulder joint like a joint. That's it.

That means training it under control in all directions and ranges of motion.

I know it's easy to say, but it doesn't have to be that difficult either.

If I had to pick three things to add to your workout to give you happy, healthy shoulders that can do anything you want, it would be these::

1. Shoulder-controlled joint rotations (CARS)

No, not brum, brum cars. CARS is a fancy name, but easy to do and a basic concept. It means simply moving the shoulder through the range of motion with control and intent.

Try this below and it should highlight any range restrictions you might have. This is the shoulder CAR from the Mobility Reset program.

2. Cuban rotations

These are just great. Cuban rotations strengthen all four rotator cuffs, and rOtator cuffs are a major cause of shoulder injuries. There is not enough time for all of the good things I have to say about this exercise.

3. Work on your extension

Most people have terrible shoulder extensions. The shoulder extension is a heavily under-trained area that your shoulder should be.

This short video shows you how to build strength in this long-forgotten area.

Look, everyone wants to do the funny stuff. I get it. But you need to watch out for the pitfalls in ignoring how you want your body to move because of it will bite your ass and you won't do funny things when injured. Keep an eye on your body because if you spend a little time making everything go well, you will have more time to do what you love.

If you want to move around painlessly, check out my reset series. It is an easy to follow course and especially one that is given at home and that will help you move better and more pain-free.

30 Mar
Blog

Morning Mobility Check-In | Breaking Muscle

Check-in for morning mobility - fitness, mobility, morning, self-assessment, exercise at home, at home, staying fit

Last week I wrote that mobility – the ability to move and move freely and easily – is not a separate facet of fitness. Mobility is rather an expression of your fitness and informs you of your reality from moment to moment.

Just as the martial arts masters insist that we have to be able to get cold, and Kelly Starrett's famous analogy describes how a leopard must always be ready to make a living, how you can move at every moment of your life ?

Getting out of bed fresh in the morning may be the ultimate test of your true mobility. If a group is only as strong as its weakest member, You are only as mobile as your stiffest moment.

To add some practical tests and actionable advice to this theoretical consideration, I am offering a mobility check-in this morning. In this video I describe and demonstrate three quick movement sequences that you can perform at any time of the day and / or fresh out of bed in a few minutes.

We are most used to paying attention to our movement patterns in the gym. Similarly, we measure our physical abilities against PRs and other measures that are taken after we have carefully prepared and warmed up.

When you follow these quick mobility sequences, pay attention to what you feel in your body. This can tell you a lot more than you might find in training and can provide valuable guidelines for controlling your movement practice.

Check out this list of fun workouts and simple exercises you can do at home.

29 Mar
Blog

Morning Mobility Check-In | Breaking Muscle

Check-in for morning mobility - fitness, mobility, morning, self-assessment, exercise at home, at home, staying fit

Last week I wrote that mobility – the ability to move and move freely and easily – is not a separate facet of fitness. Mobility is rather an expression of your fitness and informs you of your reality from moment to moment.

Just as the martial arts masters insist that we need to be able to get cold, and Kelly Starrett's famous analogy describes how a leopard must always be ready to make a living, how can you feel at any moment of yours Moving life?

Getting out of bed fresh in the morning may be the ultimate test of your true mobility. If a group is only as strong as its weakest member, You are only as mobile as your stiffest moment.

To add some practical tests and actionable advice to this theoretical consideration, I am offering a mobility check-in this morning. In this video I describe and demonstrate three quick movement sequences that you can perform at any time of the day and / or fresh out of bed in a few minutes.

We are most used to paying attention to our movement patterns in the gym. Similarly, we measure our physical abilities against PRs and other measures that are taken after we have carefully prepared and warmed up.

When you follow these quick mobility sequences, pay attention to what you feel in your body. This can tell you a lot more than you might find in training and can provide valuable guidelines for controlling your movement practice.

Check out this list of fun workouts and simple exercises you can do at home.