The Problem With Your Mobility Training Program

When I first started my mobility journey in 2015, I was looking for something to help with my chronic shoulder and back pain and hip impingement issues. I couldn’t find a mobility program anywhere that would help me solve my problems. Now, there are like a kajillion programs, and they all look like they’ll get me the splits in 3 minutes–I’m not sure what's worse, having no options or having all the options?

In this article, I’m going to help clear the muddy waters and explain what mobility is, the difference between mobility and flexibility, and what you should be looking for when evaluating the mobility programs on the market.

Let’s dive in!

What is Mobility?

Mobility is the ability to move freely through your range of motion with control and awareness. Being able to understand where your body is in space, to get it to move the way you want it to move, and to truly own your ranges of motion through those movements. Proprioception (awareness of the position and movement of the body) is a massively important component of mobility. I mean, how often do you see someone who has fantastic mobility suck ass at squatting? You don’t because it doesn't exist; I’ll explain why.

Mobility vs Flexibility 

An easy way to think of flexibility is like having a gold card access key to a maze of deep ranges of motion. You’re able to move through those deeper ranges, but they are still somewhat challenging to navigate as they are not yet strong and unfamiliar when applied through your movements. Mobility acts as a map of that maze and helps to bridge that gap. Taking those deep ranges of motion and applying strength, stability, and control within them allows us to take our ranges of motion that often feel unfamiliar and foreign and begin to develop a connection to them that can be carried over into our everyday lives and training. Mobility simply makes your range of motion more applicable to whatever you want to use it for.

Mobility + Flexibility

With that in mind, flexibility is still an important piece of the mobility puzzle. Before we can feel strong, confident, and badass in our movements (getting your ass to your heels in an overhead squat/snatch is a pretty solid example of this), accessing the required range of motion is crucial. This is why creating or increasing range of motion is the first step to a world-class mobility program.

Components of Mobility

If you’re anything like me, the extent of your cooking prowess is a steaming bowl of chicken and rice (add broccoli for #health), but the analogy I’m about to use seems to work well regardless. Think of mobility as a recipe so delicious that everyone is asking you for a piece. Instead of hoarding it for yourself as you would with Gramma Dorris’s secret family sourdough recipe, this is for the world to enjoy. This recipe (does anyone know a synonym for recipe, I’ve said it too many times now) for improving mobility has 5 ingredients that we call the Primal Method. Each of these 5 ingredients lay a strong foundation for the next and also work cohesively together in the overall development of mobility. Let’s break em’ down👇

1. Body Awareness & Connection

   When we look at training, fitness, and just movement in general, being able to understand where our body is in space (being able to perform a beautiful squat pattern without a mirror is a good example of this - awareness), and feeling the muscles responsible (feeling/helping the glutes contract to help stand up out of that squat - connection), is a key component that is often overlooked in the world of mobility training. This is why it lands as #1 on our list. This is an element that can be improved during every mobility training session and every workout as long as you remain intentional about refining this skill.
   
   
• Reduce the risk of injury by improving movement mechanics
• Learn to consciously engage muscles that help support your movements
• Understand where your mobility limitations are to make quicker progress
• Uncover where the root cause of your discomforts/pains are stemming from
• Initiate the development of a skill that will pay dividends in all your mobility, fitness, and lifestyle movement
  
  

2. Build New Ranges

   Once we have a better understanding of those problematic areas that start to become more clear through awareness and connection, we can start taking action toward long-term progress. This step will allow for access to deeper ranges of motion and allow us to start feeling more “free” (less restricted) in our movements.
   
   
• Improve the overall potential of your joints
• Begin the process of teaching your muscles to feel confident in weak positions
• Introduce your nervous system to new ranges of motion to begin applying them in training and life
  
  

3. Stability

   Now that we’ve started the process of improving our range of motion, we want our results to last! Without teaching our nervous system that we can “manage” these ranges of motion, we will frequently lose access to them much quicker. Creating stability in those deep ranges of motion will lay the foundation for movement control and strength.
   
   
• Build trust in your nervous system that allows you to hold onto your results for longer
• Start to feel these ranges become accessible in your training
• Begin making faster progress in your mobility endeavours
  
  

4. Movement Control

   Taking all of our previous efforts in learning how our body moves, engaging our muscles in deep ranges of motion, increasing our currently accessible ranges, and then stabilizing them, we now have a beautiful opportunity to learn how to intentionally apply them to our movement. This is where we begin taking our control from isometric abilities (stability) and begin to apply our ranges of motion through slow, controlled movement (often in the form of eccentrics).
   
   
• Teach your body to move with control through ranges of motion that were once impossible to access
• Further reduce the risk of injury by teaching your nervous system that you can handle deep ranges that your body may have previously deemed “risky”
• Influence your nervous system to allow you to hold onto these ranges of motion for a much longer period of time
  
  

5. Strength

   Strength is the glue that holds it all together–now that we have truly shown our body how to move through, increase, manage, and control our ranges of motion, we can start to master the positions. This is the step where your confidence in your body’s movement ability will skyrocket, and you no longer fear pain, injury, or limitations. You will be able to move well and feel great in training and life, and you’re officially beginning to lay a new baseline for your joints and muscles. This is also where things start to get a lil' more fun and spicy (you can begin safely/progressively loading your mobility exercises).
   
   
• Develop a greater threshold for your body to manage stress in previously compromised positions
• Feel more confident in your body and its ability to withstand injury risk than you ever thought possible
• Reduce pain and discomfort
• Create long-term joint health
• Lay the foundation to continue the cycle and further build new ranges of motion with even more success

Components Of An Effective Mobility Program

Over the last 3 years, mobility programs have catapulted in popularity. Everywhere you look, there's a different program promising to be the best thing out there. And while I’m certainly biased toward our programs (we’re the best thing out there, I promise), that statement simply isn't true. Every program has its pros and cons, and there are universal benefits to each and every one of them. The key is going to be to understand what to look for when shopping around. 

If you’re looking for a mobility program, there are a few components that you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for to make sure that you’re not only going to be getting some glorious bang for your buck but that you’ll also achieve the results that you’re after. In my humble opinion (my opinion is the best, you should take it and adopt it because life is better when you’re as intelligent and humble as I am), there are 5 main things you should be looking for when evaluating programs that are on the market. 

1. Is this program designed for you?

   Whether this program is customized or generalized, are you the ideal client for the product? Do you fit in with the intention of the program? If you’re a heavy-hittin’, grunt-working (fran-pukin’?), Crossfitter, would a zen, breathing-focused, think-about-flowers-and-rainbows yoga practice be the right approach for you? Maybe…there’s definitely some benefit to that approach for those that frequently put their nervous system under high stress. But it might not offer you the results you want and keep you engaged enough to enjoy the practice and stay consistent enough to see any results anyways. Make sure you fit in with the program before trying to make the program fit you.
   
   

2. What type of progression principles are in place?

   Is this an advanced program, or would you be able to get started (and make progress) regardless of your current mobility situation? Our program follows 6-week cycles that are strategically progressive to go through the 5 ingredients of the Primal Method (listed above) on a frequent basis. All clients are also paired up with a Certified Primal Mobility Coach to help scale movements as needed and offer advice as necessary. This makes it simple for people, regardless of their mobility situation (the number of times I've heard “my hamstrings and hip flexors are like steel cables” is absurd), to get started, and make solid progress. Make sure that you won’t have to run before you’ve learned to walk, you’ll inevitably progress much slower if you try to.
   
   

3. Is it just stretching?

   If you’ve actually read this article, you’ll know that mobility is far more than just stretching. There are multiple components involved that are crucial to the overall development of strong, deep-squattin’, toe-touchin’, and mobility. If the program you’re looking into is simply offering a stretching protocol with no mobility exercises, then you may want to consider something else that is more aligned with your goals. That’s not to say that there’s no benefit to a simple stretching program (there certainly is); it just won’t be covering all the bases. You’ll likely be missing out on some juiciness that will help you hold onto your results for longer and help you effectively carry results over to your training and life. Mobility is strength, and your program should reflect that.
   
   

4. What kind of support is offered?

   Something that’s good to consider is what kind of support you're looking for. Are you simply looking for a program to follow, or do you want to learn through the process as well? An unguided program will be cheaper (and is often just a template that is created once and sold to many people) but will also lack any sort of customizability. If you’re looking for something a little more high-end, then a coaching program would be a great fit. Having a coach in your corner will allow you to get the customization that you need (potentially some personalized homework, warmups/recovery routines for your training, or even a completely customized 1:1 approach) and will also be there to offer you insight on how you should be performing the exercises and ways to scale/progress as needed.
   
   It’s like considering buying a Rogue barbell or a no-named brand that costs a fraction of the price. The no-named barbell will certainly do the trick, but it won’t spin as well, it will be stiff as hell, and it will rust and chip faster. With that in mind, it will also likely do the trick, especially if you’re just looking to bench, deadlift, and squat with it. If you want a better experience overall, change your perspective and be willing to invest more…the Rogue barbell will treat you nicely. The same goes for the service you are investing in–you’ll likely want to learn so you can be able to understand why you’re doing what you’re doing and be able to help yourself more effectively in the future. If that’s the case, then make sure the service has a high level of support to offer.
   
   

5. Is there a proven track record with others that were in your situation/had similar goals to you?

   Every human body and every situation is vastly unique. Your mobility-based goals are no different. Regardless of what you’re struggling with (low back/knee/shoulder/hip pain, movement restrictions, etc.), your particular situation may need a unique approach. Your lifestyle habits, injury history, fitness experience, genetics, etc., all play a factor in how your body will respond to a particular program. With that in mind, if you’re struggling with low back pain, for example, what is the success rate in the program you’re looking into for people struggling with low back pain? This can give you solid insight into how dynamic the program is able to be in terms of suitability and if this type of program is truly meant for what you’re dealing with. This is another great reason why having a designated coach working with you is a powerful tool. You’ll be able to get answers and support in helping you navigate the programs according to your needs. Have a look at testimonials, ask around, and do some research to find a program that suits you well and that has a proven track record of success with your particular needs.
   
   

6. Is it a program that seems fun/enjoyable to follow?
   

   One of the most common reasons that people fail in their pursuit to improve their mobility is literally because they don’t follow the program. It’s often that simple. Any and all programs will offer some form of benefit, but most people lose interest after 2-3 weeks once the novelty has worn off and no longer open the app to complete their mobility routine. This is why you should be looking for a program that makes mobility fun, interesting, and enjoyable. This definitely doesn’t mean it should be easy…you should definitely be breaking a sweat some of the time (our members like to say, “this is SPICY”!)! Find something that lines up with how you like to approach your exercise. Whether that’s calming (yin yoga style) or of higher intensity (like what Primal Mobility offers), be sure that you know going into it that you’re going to be curious about what’s in store for tomorrow's mobility workout rather than dreading it. 

Conclusion

At the end of the day, mobility training is all about joint health, longevity, improved movement mechanics, and range of motion improvements. Following a process that you truly enjoy and that holds all the necessary components to develop mobility will help you devour all the benefits it has to offer. The more you know about what should be included, the more power you have. Find a program that you enjoy and allow it to help you build curiosity, joy, and passion through the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is an example of mobility training?

Your mobility work can happen in many different variations and forms, but it can be as simple as adding a short mobility routine to your warm up, throwing a mobility exercise in the middle of your workout, or adding dedicated mobility work anytime throughout your day.

Q. What is the best mobility workout?

Just like there are no best mobility exercises, there is no BEST mobility workout...the best mobility workout is the one you commit to and practice consistently. Whether you are doing an entire body routine, focusing on just your hip mobility, or working on movements to have a pain-free workout, only you (and your coach) can determine what is the best path for you.

Q. Why Should I Care? Who Is Impacted By Mobility Issues?

Now that you understand that mobility is more than just flexibility, you should know that everyone needs mobility. Whether you are a 20-something who feels amazing and wants to rock their next workout, a 45-year-old desk worker with chronic pain, or 99 struggling with joint pain and trying to get out of bed, mobility is life.

Q. How do I get started in mobility training?

The best way to get started is to identify your goals and needs–what are you trying to accomplish or improve, what is currently holding you back from achieving your goals, and what do you need to be successful? From there, it's time to hit the streets and do your research! Investigate different mobility programs, exercises and options to find the right one for you.

To learn more about our world-class mobility coaching certification and mentorship program, CLICK HERE!

Matt Phili | Founder, Primal Mobility