Can Mobility Training Save Time and Prevent Injuries for Athletes?

“If finding time to run is already hard… imagine adding strength or mobility training.”

That’s probably what you thought when you read the title of this post. But let me explain how this type of training can actually save you from pain, injuries, and even wasted time—especially if you practice sports like running.

If you’ve never heard of it, mobility training (simply put) is a type of exercise that helps you gain better range of motion in your joints and muscles. It significantly reduces your chances of pain or injury—especially when combined with strength training.

So, how can mobility help?

These days, our lifestyle revolves around sitting: sitting on the way to work, sitting at work, sitting on the way home, and then sitting to relax after a long day of… sitting.But our bodies are meant to move. When we stop doing that, our muscles start “forgetting” how to function properly.

Eventually, when you ask those muscles to do their job again, they no longer can. Other muscles then step in to compensate, taking on work they’re not meant to do.

Your body, being incredibly intelligent, will handle this for a while—until it gets tired of compensating and starts sending you signals (hello hip, back, or knee pain…). And one day, it simply won’t cope anymore. That’s when the injury happens. (Of course, this is an oversimplified explanation—but you get the idea!)

That’s why the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) recommends at least 30 minutes of daily activity and 2 strength sessions per week.

So how does mobility training fit in?If you can squeeze just 5 minutes of mobility work before your workout—any workout—you’ll probably notice faster progress and a reduced risk of pain and injury.

But remember: mobility training is not the same as passive stretching. Those traditional stretching routines you’ve seen aren’t enough. Mobility exercises are different and must follow a logical sequence to be truly effective!

Now that you know what to do before your workouts, make sure you put it into practice.If you have any questions—just ask!

Happy training, and see you soon!