Core stability unlocks mobility

Mobility is a big topic of interest for women, I’d say especially if you are over the age of 50.

By this time, lack of mobility is really influencing your life and how you do things.

Maybe you can’t hook your bra behind your back or hold a hair dryer for a long time.

Maybe every time you bend down your back hurts or when you turn head in the car to look behind you, you can’t quite see everything.

Whatever it is in your life, lack of mobility gets in the way and it doesn’t feel so great.

Unfortunately, as you’ve probably discovered, all the static stretching in world doesn’t seem to make a difference.

What 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡​ make a difference is your core stability.

Core stability means the body can control excess movement in the pelvis and low back.

It’s the core  where we transfer energy between the upper and lower body.

If your core area “leaks” energy, your limbs won’t be as strong or as mobile.

If the core is  loosey-goosey, the joints above and below have to take on that responsibility of stability or risk injury, so the area stiffens up as a protective mechanism.

To further explain this, the muscles of the core need to reflexively contract and relax to create normal movement patterns like squatting, lunging, hinging, stepping or walking. If the brain to muscle signals are not proficient, the result is an unstable core and stiff joints (in the hips, shoulders or thoracic region.)

Normal movement patterns require that muscles work sequentially and with the proper amount of tension. 

Unfortunately, I don’t see this proper sequencing and tension in new clients. It is a very common issue.

Most women will say “I need to strengthen my core.”  They know there is “weakness”, but it is more than weak, it’s that the muscles aren’t working in the proper order to do what they are designed to do, therefore leaving one to “feel weak” and therefore, possibly stiff in other areas.

I always prescribe core stabilizing exercises to my clients and these types of exercises are always a part of our workout.

Some core exercises we use are Pallof presses, bird dog variations, core engaged dead bugs/bird dogs/leg raises/rockbacks, body rolls, and chops and lifts, just to name a few. Depending on the client, we also do kneeling and standing core engaging exercises, too.

While core instability isn’t the only reason to have reduced mobility, it is a big contributor!