Time to Mobilize!

I don’t know who the chick is in the back, but she is hitting some jazz hands.

Quickly, while you are reading this- bend your arms, rotate your elbows into your sides, palms open and thumbs pointed towards the ceiling. I call this “jazz hands.” Now drop your hands but continue to hold your shoulders in this position. Did you know this is the proper upper body posture we should all have in our daily lives? It’s a wake-up call, right?

If you are like me, years of working on a computer, staring at an iPhone, and slouching in a chair have caused my shoulders to roll forward in an improper position. No wonder I have had on-and-off shoulder pain for the past three years.

South East mobility guru and owner of unWOD in Dothan, AL, Chris Wash (think Kelly Starret but easier to understand), recently visited my gym. In one hour, he changed the way I thought of mobility. I always thought of mobility as something I did to ease soreness and to loosen up my tight muscles so I could move without hobbling, limping, creaking, impinging, cramping… You get the picture.

Chris explained that mobility should be used to correct poor movement patterns, which can cause those nagging aches and pains we experience not only in CrossFit, but in our everyday lives. Epiphany! If my body is not in the proper position to begin with, my movements will be compromised and injury may follow! I know, I am slow.

Chris believes that “CrossFit does not injure people. CrossFit reveals poor movement patterns.” For all of you affiliate owners out there, doesn’t this statement relieve the burden you feel when an athlete complains of a shoulder or knee injury? Most likely, your athlete had movement issues prior to CrossFit, but those issues have manifested themselves once intensity and load were brought into the picture.

Mobilizing with Chris Wash is FUN.

Since Chris’s visit, I have been doing mobility work on my shoulders and have been constantly pulling my shoulders back via jazz hands. I do this while I am driving, sitting in a chair, doing pull-ups, push-ups, and presses. And guess what? My bad shoulder is feeling much better. In fact, I have not been able to bench press for two years due to shoulder pain and recently tried to re-introduce it into my training. I could not lift 55 lb. without pain. By jazz handing those shoulders back while laying on the bench, I did 85 lb. this past week pain-free. This may not be a lot, but to me, it is huge step forward!

I share this so that others will learn the benefits of introducing mobility into their training. It is not just for us old people. As Chris says, “Everyone can move, but not everyone can move well.” Mobility work will allow you to move better and safely, which will only increase your beast mode in the gym.

I challenge you to pick one area to work on, such as your shoulders, hips, thoracic spine, or ankles. Talk to your coach or look on the internet to find some mobility exercises to do for that area. Give it five days. I guarantee you will be amazed at the results.

ALL IN CrossFit is fortunate to have the great Chris Wash making a return visit for a more in-depth mobility seminar. It will be Saturday morning, December 13th. The cost is $75. He will be going over mobility techniques, and there will be an opportunity for individual movement assessments. Contact shelby@allincrossfitauburn.com if you are interested.