I’ve noticed an interesting dynamic when people decide to start training with me, and I wanted to share it because I think it could be helpful.
I always discuss goals with my new clients, and I often hear things like:
- Lose weight
- Lose fat
- Get stronger
- Gain muscle
- Stay healthy as I age
But rarely, if ever, do I have a new client tell me, “I want to become more flexible.”
Yet, as sure as I’m sitting here typing this post, within the first few weeks of a new client’s journey, almost every single one of them says to me, “You know what? I’m really not flexible enough.”
Lack of flexibility is the thief who steals our health and fitness. When we lack flexibility, we’re unable to achieve full range of motion and we end up short-changing ourselves on every exercise we do.
Or worse we get ourselves into positions that we can’t safely get out of because we lack the flexibility. That’s when injuries start to happen too.
Flexibility and mobility are two different things, which are working together and are really important for general health.
Flexibility happens in the tissues – the muscles, fascia, ligaments and tendons.
Mobility is a movement of a joint. And good mobility should allow you to move freely without pain through a full range.
Think about how many hours you’ve spent sitting in a chair or car over the past 20 years, and it’s no wonder your joints don’t work the way they were designed to work.
And, invariably, the back, shoulder, knee or hip pain starts to creep in and at this point, it becomes very easy to lose motivation and give up on your exercise program.
It just becomes too painful.
But remember, more often than not, it’s not the exercise that’s causing the pain, it’s all the accumulated stress on your stiff muscles and immobile joints.
So, whether you’re well into your fitness journey or just getting started, I urge you to prioritize flexibility and mobility. It’s one of the keys to unlocking true health, fitness and longevity.
Your coach
Michał