Mobility and flexibility are often used interchangeably but refer to two distinct physical attributes. While both are crucial for maintaining a healthy and functional body, understanding their differences may help change your fitness routines.
Flexibility refers to the ability of a muscle or muscle group to lengthen passively through a range of motion. It is primarily determined by the length of the muscles and connective tissues, such as tendons and ligaments. Think of flexibility as your ability to stretch. For example, being able to bend down and touch your toes is a display of flexibility. Activities like stretching are typically associated with improving flexibility, focusing on elongating the muscles to increase their range of motion.
Mobility, on the other hand, is a more comprehensive concept that involves the ability of a joint to move actively through its full range of motion, with control. While flexibility is a component of mobility, true mobility encompasses strength, coordination, and balance. It’s not just about how far a joint can move, but also how well it moves with stability and control. For instance, being able to perform a deep squat requires not just flexible hip and ankle joints, but also the strength and neuromuscular coordination to control the movement throughout the range of motion.
Mobility is frequently misunderstood because many people equate it with flexibility. While flexibility is about how far your muscles can stretch, mobility is how well your body can move through its range of motion with control and stability. This misunderstanding often leads to a misguided focus on static stretching, which only addresses one mobility aspect.
Another common misconception is that increased flexibility automatically leads to better mobility. However, having flexible muscles without the requisite strength and stability will not necessarily allow you to move better. For example, someone might have very flexible hips, glutes, and hamstrings but may still struggle to perform a controlled lunge if they lack the necessary hip stability, core strength, and movement coordination.
Mobility plays a crucial role in everyday activities and athletic performance. Good mobility ensures that you can move efficiently and safely, in theory reducing the risk of injury during day-to-day tasks life may throw at you. While many people tend to have the notion that flexibility is important and breathing heavily is important they gravitate to two different poles. A very common combination of exercises I notice people electing for is HIIT training (High-Intensity Interval Training) in the form of boot camps or other types of classes, supplemented with static stretching in some form. This might be a yoga practice (not all classes are the same of course) or simply self-guided stretching.
While these two options are good they may lead you to miss out on some key benefits. HIIT training is very much quick active movements often done through short or partial ranges of motion while static stretching is very slow passive movements done through various planes of motion, often one at a time. These two modalities often miss the benefit of training your tissues to function well under load or stress through a full range of motion, building tissue strength and joint stability from every angle you may need for life’s challenges, no matter how infrequent they may be.
Focusing on mobility training — which may include dynamic stretching, strength training, and specific mobility exercises — can lead to better joint health and strength for your body to be prepared for the array of challenges life may throw at you, even if it’s just unloading the groceries from the car. Unlike static stretching, which primarily increases flexibility, mobility training improves how your body moves and functions in real-world scenarios.
In conclusion, while flexibility and mobility are related, they are not the same. Flexibility is the passive range of motion of a muscle, whereas mobility is the active, controlled movement of a joint through its range of motion. Understanding this distinction is key to developing a balanced fitness routine that promotes not only flexibility but also strength, stability, and functional movement. Instead of focusing solely on stretching to improve flexibility, consider incorporating dynamic movements and strength exercises that promote better overall mobility.
On our YouTube channel and Instagram page, we post weekly videos about general mobility and specific body parts. Stay tuned and include them in your exercise routines.
