GET LOW TO GO MOBILE!
GET LOW TO GO MOBILE
Todd Norman
CuttingEdgeAthletics.com
Special to StudentSportsSoftball.com
Functional Mobility can be defined as an athlete's ability to move into desired positions and achieve the necessary ranges of motion throughout sport-specific movements.
For example, in softball it is crucial as an infielder to maintain a "low position" that increases stability and the ability to move in any direction quickly. The lower your center of gravity is to the ground the greater your stability, and the greater stability you have allows for better balance and movement.
In football, you'll often hear a football coach tell his player to "get low" or "lower your pads." There is good reason, because the coach knows if his athlete is too high he will severely reduce the ability to defeat his opponent.
In ice hockey, if a player tries to skate standing tall, he definitely will have trouble accelerating, decelerating and changing directions. The knees must be bent enough to allow for powerful extension of the knees and hips when driving the blades of the skates into the ice, whereas tall positions limit the amount of power that can be generated from those muscles because they are already over-extended prior to the thrusting movement.
Thus, it only makes sense that an athlete such as a softball, football or hockey player trains for mobility to maximize his or her potential in sport.
Unfortunately however, many athletes train through ranges of motion that limit, and even sometimes reduce their mobility. A quick example would be performing Back Squats without achieving 900 of flexion at the knee and hip. This is a sacrifice in mobility to achieve lifting a certain amount of weight; however it is really a training mistake that can reduce performance on the field of play. If you can't do it in the weight room, how will you be able to do it on the field?
Many athletes are strong but lack mobility, which is most often caused by not only lifting weights through partial ranges of motion, but lack of attention to dynamic flexibility training as well. Dynamic flexibility training involves stretching through movement, whereas an athlete performs specific exercises that increase mobility and warm the athlete up at the same time.
Gone are the days of excessive static stretching prior to training and/or competing, as we know this is not the optimal way to prepare the body for intense efforts. Static stretching not only cools an athlete down, but some research shows that excessive static stretching prior to maximal efforts can reduce power. So ideally, athletes should perform a 10-15 min. dynamic warm-up that involves dynamic stretches, form running drills, and even some max effort sprints and/or agilities at the end of the warm-up to make sure they are ready to go. Save the static stretching for the end of the workout when muscles are tight and need to be cooled down properly.
Only if you suffer from severely tight muscles such as hamstrings, quads or glutes, should you perform static stretches for these areas prior to training, but make sure they are incorporated into a dynamic warm-up/stretching routine.
Remember, mobility should precede strength, meaning that if you can't achieve 90 degrees of knee bend in the Back Squat, lighten the weight to a load that allows you to achieve the desired range of motion.
Make sure as well that all of the lifts you perform in your program are performed utilizing good technique and range of motion. Hence, utilize weightlifting to make you a better athlete, not a better weightlifter.
Don't fall into the trap of lifting super heavy weights without proper technique and range of motion in an effort to impress yourself and/or a coach, as you are only setting yourself up for a functional limitation. Only limit range of motion when there is good reason, such as an existing injury or pain at certain positions.
However, if you are healthy and want to increase your performance, train through optimal ranges to increase functional mobility and perform a good dynamic warm-up everyday prior to training, practicing and competing.
Think of your dynamic warm-up as part of your performance enhancement training that will make you a better athlete!
For more information on training and The Cutting Edge, please go to CuttingEdgeAthletics.com or call us at 949-586-EDGE (3343).
Todd Norman, Owner of The Cutting Edge, holds a Masters Degree in Kinesiology and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He founded The Cutting Edge with the goal of providing a unique environment where athletes can develop and maximize all aspects of sport performance. Through his advanced education, professional experience, and extensive background as a competitive athlete, Todd is committed to providing opportunity to athletes of all sports and levels to maximize their potential. As the former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the NHL's Anaheim Ducks, as well as exclusive trainer to top athletes such as tennis star Lindsay Davenport, Todd has spent several years developing and managing specialized programs for thousands of athletes and works daily to keep abreast on the most current research and information in the field of exercise science. He is a powerful motivator, a strong leader, and a passionate trainer who thrives off of helping others achieve their goals.
