We’re not here to tell you that exercise is important. You already know that, and chances are you’ve got a routine you love and look forward to. That’s great, and so essential for your health, both physical and mental.
Getting in regular cardio and strength training supports your health in the moment and as you age, but there’s another area of fitness you may have forgotten about: mobility!
What is mobility?
At its core, the concept of mobility is very simple. Mobility is how easily and comfortably you can move, from easy activities like walking around the house to more difficult activities like strength training. Mobility involves your entire body, from your core to your bones and joints. When you’re mobile, you can easily get around and go about your everyday routine without help — which is why it’s so important as you age!
Contrary to popular belief, mobility is not simply stretching, though flexibility is an important facet of mobility.
Exercises to improve mobility
Hip, arm, and shoulder circles
Easy does it! Incorporating simple circular motions into your day can help relieve stiffness and soreness from sitting at a desk and keep your joints fluid.
Balance exercises
Balance is an essential part of mobility, especially for older people. Being able to keep your balance day-to-day, including on uneven terrain like icy sidewalks or bumpy streets, can protect you from potentially dangerous falls.
Balance exercises don’t have to be difficult. Add a few to your daily workout routine as a warm-up or cooldown with simple leg and hip lifts. Focus on an object or point about four feet away to keep steady and move slowly — it’s not a race!
Core work
No, you don’t have to do 100 crunches every night, but your core strength plays a variety of roles in mobility. It helps you stand up straight and tall, lift things without injury, and assists with balance. If floor-based abdominal work is hard on your back, try standing core work instead. You’ll get similar benefits without pain or discomfort. Torso twists and standing crunches and bicycle crunches are a great place to start.
Hip and glute bridges
While on your back, lift your legs, hips, and glutes and hold in a bridge position. Continue lifting and holding for a handful of reps.
Lunges
Lunges are such a good exercise! They work your lower body, get your heart rate up, and require balance and focus.
Stretching
Streeeeeeetch it out on a regular basis not just for mobility, but to cooldown and recover from a workout, reduce soreness, and treat your body to some feel-good flexibility. Can you touch your toes? Can you touch the floor? Are you able to bend comfortably? Adding in a short, five-minute stretching workout after your cardio or strength training is a total must-do for mobility.