There are times when your body may be less limber or you may have an injury that has slowed you down. Today let’s cover the best exercises to help you get back to better mobility.
Walking for better mobility
Of course I’ll start with walking. Walking is low impact. It is something most anyone can start doing, no matter you current walking endurance. It’s easy to start a walking exercise routine. When I first started doing walking as exercise, I had to take two breaks in a quarter of a mile. I currently can go over 2 miles without a break and that’s having lost some of my endurance over a couple months of being lazy.
Walking works almost every major part of your body. So, it can help aid mobility in multiple ways. Is walking the best exercise for everyone? No, there is no such exercise, but, walking does work for most.
Yoga for better mobility
Yoga is far underrated by many exercisers. I am not innocent on berating it a bit. I exercise mostly to burn calories and keep my metabolism boosted. Other health benefits are wonderful side benefits, but the burn is what I seek most. Yoga ( other than hot yoga) tends to be slower and not high on calorie burning per minute or hour.
This article, though, isn’t about burning calories but improving mobility. Yoga is fantastic for helping to build certain muscle groups and increase flexibility. This fantastic stretching routine could be just what you need to work your way back to more ambulatory workouts. You may develop a love of doing it. Yoga does have several physical and mental benefits.
Swimming for better mobility
Swimming is another wonderful low impact exercise. If you need an exercise where very little of your weight is on your joints it likely is the exercise for you. When you exercise in water whether you are swimming, doing aerobics or anything else about 1/3 of you weight is displaced so you’re putting 1/3 less pressure on your joints.
There are a couple drawbacks to swimming, though. For most exercise it needs to be a decent sized pool. Most people don’t have easy free access to one. You also need equipment to swim. This could be as little as a suit, but it also could include a swim cap, goggles, ear plugs, water safe ear buds for music and other things. If you have access, though and it will work best for your mobility training go for it!
Strength Training for better mobility
This is something people rare think of when it comes to being able to move around- it takes a ton muscles! When you think of strength training you also likely just think of lifting heavy weights in a gym. That definitely isn’t what all strength training is. All it is is working muscles and muscle groups to make them stronger. Isometrics and calisthenics are two forms of strength training that most people can do in their own homes and start out as easy as you need to to work your way up.
I also want to brag on a device I use and love that helps strength training. I purchased an older Total Gym and started using it. It helps greatly and because of its design it works similar to water making it so you are applying less of your weight while doing things like squats, running in place, hopping, doing pull ups, chin ups and rowing. I’m not, at this point, any type of affiliate of Total Gym, I just really enjoy and appreciate it.
Overall, no matter what type of strength training you do, having stronger muscles will aid your overall mobility.
There you have the top 4 exercises for increased mobility.
Sure, there are many others that can help you get around better. These 4, though, are things anyone can try, and 3 of them can be done inside your own home. No matter how you’ve found yourself in a more stagnate situation, for better health getting back to moving around is a priority.
Can’t wait to see you strolling along,
Kimmie