Mobility vs. Flexibility
When I was in elementary school, we had these flexibility tests where we had to sit on the ground, place our legs straight ahead, and try to touch as far forward as we could like we were trying to touch our toes (this is promptly called the Sit and Reach Assessment). Now, I absolutely hated this test, mainly due to a large majority of kids that were able to reach much further than I was. However, one test I absolutely dominated was the test where you had to reach behind your back like you are grabbing your shoulder blades and try to touch your fingers (also known as the Apley Scratch Test). This evaluates shoulder mobility, and it seemed I had lots of it, seeing as I was able to grab my wrists on both sides.
So, mobility and flexibility - you’ve probably heard these two used interchangeably but there is a distinct difference between these two terms:
Mobility refers to the ability to move through the joints range of motion without restriction or pain.
Flexibility refers to the connective tissue like tendon/ligaments or muscle’s ability to be stretched or elongated.
Another way to highlight the difference is that mobility is dynamic and active whereas flexibility is more static and passive. Mobility requires active use of your muscles to move through the range of motion and that is how it improved. I will go on to say that flexibility is a part of mobility, since it does impact how much of a joint’s range of motion is accessible without pain or restriction. However, developing flexibility is a bit of a different story. Developing flexibility does not require range of motion, rather instead requires the body to overcome its naturally-protective nature to prevent overstretching and tearing. In our bodies, we have these sensory components called muscle spindles, and essentially what they do is protect our muscles from stretched out too far, too fast. So when they get the signal of “hey our muscles are getting stretched beyond what they are used to”, they inhibit or prevent the muscle from being stretched any further by inducing muscle contraction - effectively stopping the stretch. However, the cool thing is that this can be overridden manually! By continuing the stretch while breathing and relaxing (essentially letting the body know that there is no immediate danger), the muscle will eventually start to contract less and less, gaining more flexibility and allowing for the muscle to elongate a bit more.
To be honest, I always thought that this was a really cool thing that our body does in order to protect itself, yet there is a way to overcome that protective nature. I find that our bodies are genuinely a marvel to observe; I never get tired of admiring it for what what it can do and can become (with training). I developed a lot of happiness on my fitness journey by being able to move and learn new movements with my body without fear of pain. Having more mobility and flexibility than when I was starting my fitness journey is a win to me and is one that continues to motivate me moving forward.
Anyways, that’s it for this post. When it comes to developing either one or both of these, remember that it takes time and consistency to see results!
P.S. I have a mobility program available if you are serious about developing mobility or just looking for a place to start :)
