One of the ten components of fitness we are committed to at FFOTB is flexibility. In building a “complete” fitness level, one must not just have cardiovascular endurance, strength, and speed, for example. What about stamina? Balance? Or, in this case, flexibility?
If you’ve ever been to a class at FFOTB, you have seen quality time devoted to mobilization. We have to if we are going to honor our charter to improve our students’ capacity in all ten components to physical fitness.
Emily working for a vertical torso in her squat.
Our experience is that, most people improve their flexibility simply from the general programming of warm ups and workouts. Many students are moving through complete ranges of motion for the first time (at least in a long time). I do want to make clear that flexibilty in its truest sense isn’t best understood by whether you can touch your toes or not. The functionality of how flexible you may or may not be is exposed in compound, multi joint movements, especially the squat and overhead movements.
In general, many common flexibility issues show up in athletes’ hips and shoulders. Almost no one is exempt from imbalances and flexibility issues, and improving these conditions takes hard work. Coming to class and being mindful during the mobility portion is a useful resource to becoming more mobile, but doing homework on your own can only improve your situation.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6YeE8UYPO4&feature=player_embedded]
Kelly Starrett, is an outstanding coach and mobility subject matter expert, who posts a “Mobility WOD” daily. Feel free to check out www.mobilitywod.com. They are short and hugely beneficial. If squat depth is an issue for you, or overhead movements are a challenge I’d encourage you to utilize his content.
Logan “Tight Hamstrings” Gelbrich
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Thursday’s Workout:
4 Rounds:
20 YD KB OH Walking Lunge (Right)
25 Mountain Climbers (2-ct)
20 YD KB OH Walking Lunge (Left)
25 Breakdancers
