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Mobilisations

Mobility exercises – why do we do them?

A few years ago the chairman of Fairlands Valley Spartans and the Head Coach were having a chat and being mischievous the Head Coach bet the chairman he could get the members to do anything he asked. The Chairman accepted the bet and instructed the Head Coach to get members doing ‘ballet exercises’ in public, to this day it was the easiest pint he ever earned…..

But seriously why do we do mobility before all of our sessions?

When running most of the major joints used are synovial joints (or articulating joints) which have a cavity between the bones which make up the joint. The bones are separated by a synovial membrane which secretes fluid when activated.

This fluid acts as a shock absorber and lubricator to the joints, which in turn can help to protect the bones, cartilages and ligaments from damage in the long term.

The fluid isn’t released immediately, which is why in a normal session we warm up for approximately 10-15 minutes and then complete the mobility exercises to further stimulate the release of fluid and joint movement, before going into the main session where the hard work is completed.

By completing the exercises you are protecting your joints, helping you to avoid long term damage and remain as injury free as possible.

All the exercises we use are approved by the UKA and when combined with the mobility drills practiced on a Saturday morning at the track, will really help to not only keep you moving for longer but also improve your running form and efficiency.

So contrary to common belief Chris Leigh is not a ballet dancer, he does care about our joints and avoiding injuries, might own a tutu although will always deny it in public!

Andy Prior, Personal Trainer