Activation and Mobility introduction
Mobility is used to improve range of motion and control throughout a joint. It involves moving the joint or joints through the whole range of motion with little or no hold at the end range of motion. This is different from stretching, as stretching involves moving a joint to the end range and holding. Simply put mobility is movement and stretching is holding a position. Activation is used to isolate areas of the body or muscles that need to wake up! Activation work is targeted to your weak areas. Mobility is targeted to your tight areas. These exercises prepare the body for movement and running and should be performed 3 times per week minimum. It is encouraged to try to do some daily before running. Doing a little bit everyday can have a bigger effect than spending one hour once a week. It’s like trying to learn anything new, breaking it up and being consistent will yield better results!
Below are 4 suggested Activation and Mobility exercise routines that you can rotate through. Each routine will take 10-15 minutes. Feel free to use any of the suggested routines or build your own program.