Why you should work on mobility to achieve your fitness goals

Mobility is a crucial - but often overlooked - element by gym goers who are working towards achieving their fitness goals. 

Before we dive into how it can help you to maximise your results in the gym, let me explain what it is.

So, what is mobility?

Mobility is essentially your body’s ability to move freely and easily. A good way of checking your mobility can be done with a few simple exercises, which I’ll walk through below but even if you already have good mobility, it’s worth working on maintaining it – here’s why.

Increased flexibility

Having good mobility means you can move freely and easily, and you’re more likely to be more flexible and supple which is great in helping improve your performance and the results you get in the gym. With improved flexibility, your body will be able to achieve a full range of motion when performing various exercises. On the other hand, if your muscles are tight and inflexible, you won’t be able to perform the full range of motion, which often means you won’t be recruiting the muscles you should be using, or placing enough tension, to exert a big enough stimulus to help grow muscle. So essentially, this means your muscles won't be able to get as powerful, strong or build as they could if you were more flexible. 

Get better results

If you have good mobility, your body can get into positions easier and perform movement patterns more efficiently. This can help you get you better and faster results as you can maximise the work you do during exercise whilst targeting the right muscles, and be more likely to lift a heavier load which can improve your strength and help improve muscle mass in the long run.

Improved quality of life

Good mobility supports proper functioning of your body. This will improve your quality of life as it will help you stay away from injury and worry from recurring discomfort or pain that could be mentally draining or frustrating, and limiting progress you make in the gym. These benefits will also support a positive mindset and happy mood so you can enjoy your time and achievements made in the gym!

Better posture

When your body is able to move well, your body will be in better alignment and have better range of movement. So, not only will this enable you to perform optimally during exercise and decrease the risk of injury, you’ll also improve your posture which can instantly make you look and feel better.