CrossFit and Mobility!

I recently have been given the opportunity at our Box to coach the Mobility class we offer on Thursdays.  Hoping to up the class to twice a week if we generate enough interest!  I feel that most people don't see the benefit of Mobility.  Take Justin for example, he states "Why do I need to mobilize, I am already flexible enough..."  Or  "I don't want to waste one of my CrossFit punches on mobility when I can use it for a WOD."  I can agree with his second point but not with the first.

First of all, the purpose of mobility is to increase range of motion.  It also increases your performance and prevents injury!  Mobility involves stretching, lengthening, and clearing of unwanted 'junk' in the muscles, joints, and ligaments through a variety of movements.  For example, You ever feel like you can't hold that weight overhead....well maybe its not that you "can't" or that you are not "strong" enough it is that you don't have the range of motion to support the weight properly.  If your shoulders are not used to their full capacity well then of course you won't be able to load that heavy weight and support it like you should.  Take the overhead squat for instance,  a movement with weight over your head supported by your arms, shoulders, back, core, and then ultimately your hips and quads/hams all in one!  If any of these are lacking in their full range of motion you will not be able to hold the weight properly in order to complete the lift.  When you can not bring your shoulders back past your ears, you are limited in your range of motion, and this limits your ability to control the squat from the top down.

Rich Froning is the perfect example, he gets full range of motion in the locked out position with his shoulders along with his full depth squat.  The Snatch Rear anatomy is the same as the OH Squat it shows all the muscles that are used in this movement. Everything is activated!  If you have tight shoulders or hip-flexors you will not be able to support the weight overhead and drop into the proper squat position.  This is where MOBILITY comes into play!

Watch K-Star as he explains whether its your shoulders or hips giving you trouble!

The overhead squat is not the only example but its a very good one that a lot of cross-fitters have issues with along with the Snatch.   Which are probably my two weakest movements also.  Another thing mobility is good for is soreness or muscle tension.  You ever get knots in your traps area or around your scapula's in your back?  Soreness in your pecs from all those 'Boy Pushups'? Maybe even a twinge in your elbow?  Well for these kinds of issues, we can have some painful fun using lacrosse balls, floss bands, or the rollers.  Lacrosse balls and Floss bands due inflict pain but a good pain because it will release the tension in the tissue and help increase range of motion!  And as K-Star states, "You can always use the help of a SuperFriend!"  

I feel everyone could benefit from Mobility, I especially encourage doing the Mobility WOD then a Group WOD.  I can say from experience it helped me.  Last week, I went to mobility at 5:30 and we worked on our squat depth using exercises that stretched and opened the hips.  Along with a 5 mins Squat test which is BRUTAL.  In the Group WOD we unfortunately did not work on anything squat related but we did 21-15-9 of Push Press @ 70% 1RM then 15 burpees and 20 abmat situps.  After finishing up with mobility my hips felt fantastic! This really helped me to excel in my efficiency of my Push Press, now if your not using your hips in this movement to drive the weight overhead well then your doing it wrong!  To make this movement efficient and fluid you need to use that Dip&Drive motion, or else you will just be smoking  your arms muscling up the weight!  I was able to complete the WOD in 11:33 at exactly 70% of 1RM, RX baby!  I also felt like I could squat a brick-house if need be ha.  So yet again, I encourage one to at least give mobility a try!  You could see major increases in your performance!