Performance Mobility Intro

No matter what sport you play, mobility is a key factor to your success.
Any time that you’re not training or competing, you’re recovering. If you
haven’t already figured it out: that’s most of your time.

Mobility and flexibility are a huge part of good recovery and allow you to
make the most out of your training. Whether you’re warming up with the
team for a big game day, or getting ready to hit the weight room for a
strength session, mobility needs to be a part of your routine as an
athlete. For the many who think they can lift, sprint, and dunk without
regular stretching: no matter how you spin it, a mobile athlete is a better
athlete. Strength training makes you strong, but mobility makes you
durable. If you want to elevate your game in all areas: speed, agility,
power - the answer is mobility.

You might be asking yourself, “how exactly can mobility training make
me run faster, jump higher, and push more weight?” Throughout this
program, I’m going to give you my top reasons for athletes to work on
mobility, as well as a 3 - Phase Mobility program that you can follow to
improve your mobility and improve in every area of your sport. It might
be just what you’ve been needing to cut those extra seconds or hit just
a few more inches on your vertical.

That’s why I developed this guide based on principles from gymnastics.

I work mostly with football, baseball, basketball, and soccer players -
who are all susceptible to injury and typically have limited mobility.
Recently, as I worked to develop a few new programs, I noticed that a
lot of my athletes seemed to lack strength where they were least
flexible. So I set out to research the best way to develop mobility in
power athletes. And while I have limited experience with the sport, it’s
hard to deny the incredible blend of strength and mobility of gymnasts.
That’s why I really dove into this particular method to see if any of my
athletes or myself could begin training and moving with increased range
of motion.

The Mobility Method:

This mobility program is based around a strategy where you complete

long, static stretches first, followed by active mobility drills. The drills
should coincide to stretch the same muscle groups. This technique was
adapted from gymnastic programs where the athletes typically begin
with static stretching before moving into their active series. While initially
it may sound atypical, consider the combined flexibility and power of a
gymnast.

For the static stretch portion, longer holds allow for increased blood flow
to the area as you activate the Golgi Tendon Organ. The GTO protects
your muscles from overstretching during extreme movement. As you
push past that threshold, overtime you increase your ability to move
through greater ranges of motion. Moving onto the mobility series, this
allows you to create strength through the entire area and move with
more power.

These daily sessions should be completed at the end of your training or

competition. You should still be warm as you go into your static
stretching. Beforehand the workout, I recommend going through a
series of active warm-up drills and some muscular activation.

This program includes 3 weekly phases of 3 days each: that should take
you no more than 15-20 minutes a day.
• 2 Lower Body
 • 1 Upper Body

I recommend completing each day of each phase in order (i.e. Phase 1

- Day 1, Phase 1 - Day 2, etc).

Why Do I Need Mobility?

1. Less Injuries

You’ve heard of the saying “bend, don’t break.”

We all hear this from our coaches about why we need to warm-up and
stretch, but it rings true. Regular static and active stretching will over
time, create more space and mobility within the tendons and ligaments
that surround your joints. As you move at top speeds while competing
and add more weight during training, you become susceptible to muscle
pulls and strains. By including regular mobility into your training
schedule, you greatly reduce the risk of injury and increase the
longevity of your career as an athlete.

2. Run Faster, Jump Higher

One of the best ways you can increase your sprinting and jumping
ability is through developing mobility within the foot/ankle complex. In
order for you to strengthen a tendon, you first need a good range of
motion. This provides you with more space to develop power and
“spring” in your step.

By increasing ROM through the foot/ankle complex, this allows you to

work on what’s called “tendon stiffness.” Tendon stiffness is the
relationship between the force that’s applied to a tendon, and its change
in length. This describes how difficult it is for that tendon to lengthen or
shorten. We know that as muscles and tendons shorten upon
contraction, and lengthen as they relax. Upon impact with the ground, a
stiff tendon will stretch to a smaller degree and then quickly recoil to
push you off the ground.

This is essential for movements like sprinting and vertical jump. Having
mobile tendons allows your lower limb to work more efficiently:
absorbing impact and applying force

3. Strength Gains

Each time you strength train, you affect muscle tissue within whatever
range of motion you’re using. The muscle cells overtime, adapt to the
stressful stimuli and individual fibers grow in size. This allows you to
overcome new, and more difficult stimuli in the future (aka, new 1 rep
maxes).

By using a mobility program, you increase the range of motion through

which you can move and perform various exercises. Think of mobility as
opening up new windows of opportunity to train more. Therefore you’re
getting stronger across the entire muscle and create more overall
strength gains throughout your body.

How to Go Through Your Program

Step 1: Start warm. You should perform these mobility drills after your
workout. This will allow you to go into a greater ROM with each stretch.

Step 2: Utilize the OTA Exercise Database to see how to correctly

perform each drill by clicking on each stretch or movement in the
program.
Step 3: As you look at the mobility program phases, take note of
exercises that utilize both or just one side for timing. On exercises that
utilize a rep range, be sure to use slow and controlled movement so that
you can really benefit from each rep. Avoid rushing through or just going
through the movements.

Step 4: Safety - Anytime you begin a new program, make sure to go

through the movements comfortably and ease into them. It’s not worth
injuring yourself by pushing too far in a stretch.

Conclusion

Like most performance training there are many ways to skin a cat.
From my experience, I try not to overcomplicate flexibility and mobility. I
simply took a step back and asked myself who are the most flexible and
mobile athletes and my answer was gymnasts. Diving into their
methods I simply applied them to my power athletes and saw great
results. Increase the range of motion, then strengthen through that new
range. This is the goal of this program and I hope it finds you well.
While this program may support athletes in reducing injury it is not
intended to rehabilitate athletes coming off injury. I highly suggest
seeking a professional in person before starting any program or to
recover from injury. Best of luck in your career.

Coach Chris Barnard

Phase 1 Mobility
Lower Focus
Static Stretching

1. Kneeling Elevated Tibialis Stretch - 1 x 2 minutes

2. Kneeling Dorsiflexion Stretch - 1 x 2 minutes

3. 2 Way Couch Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds each

4. Half Split - 1 x 90 seconds each

Mobility

1.A. Ankle Rockers - 2 x 10 each side

1.B. Groiners - 2 x 10 each side

1.C. Straight Leg Raise - 2 x 10 each side

1.D. Iron Cross - 2 x 10 each side

1.E. Scorpions - 2 x 10 each side

Phase 1 Mobility
Upper Focus
Static Stretching

1. Lateral Neck Stretch - 1 x 30 seconds each side

2. Neck Rotation Stretch - 1 x 30 seconds each side

3. Pec Minor Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds each side

4. Lat Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds each side

5. Apley Scratch Stretch - 1 x 30 seconds each way

Mobility

1.A. Neck CARs - 2 x 3 each direction

1.B. Prone Blackburns - 2 x 10

1.C. Prone Swimmers - 2 x 10

1.D. Quadruped Cat/Camel - 2 x 10

1.E. Quadruped Thoracic Rotation (Elbow) - 2 x 10 each side

Phase 1 Mobility
Lower Focus
Static Stretching

1. Kneeling Elevated Tibialis Stretch - 1 x 2 minutes

2. Kneeling Dorsiflexion Stretch - 1 x 2 minutes

3. Pigeon Stretch - 1 x 60 seconds each

4. Frog Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds

Mobility

1.A. Ankle CARs - 2 x 5 each direction

1.B. Rollover Reach - 2 x 10

1.C. Half Kneeling Groin Stretch - 2 x 10 each side

1.D. Internal/External Rotations - 2 x 10 each side

1.E. Single Leg Whip - 2 x 10 each side

Phase 2 Mobility
Lower Focus
Static Stretching

1. Achilles Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds each side

2. Kneeling Elevated Tibialis Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds

3. Couch Stretch with Reach - 1 x 60 seconds each (Reach Arm Behind Head)

4. Couch Stretch with Hamstring Reach - 1 x 60 seconds each

Mobility

1.A. Ankle Rockers - 2 x 10 each side

1.B. Groiners - 2 x 10 each side

1.C. Straight Leg Raise - 2 x 10 each side

1.D. Iron Cross - 2 x 10 each side

1.E. Scorpions - 2 x 10 each side

Phase 2 Mobility
Upper Focus
Static Stretching

1. Levator Stretch - 1 x 60 seconds each side

2. Backpack Stretch - 1 x 60 seconds each side

3. Band Pec Minor Stretch - 1 x 60 seconds each side

4. Band Lat Stretch - 1 x 60 seconds each side

5. Band Apley Scratch Stretch - 1 x 30 seconds each way

Mobility

1.A. Neck CARs - 2 x 3 each direction

1.B. Wall Slides - 2 x 10

1.C. Prone Arm Circles - 2 x 10

1.D. Quadruped Cat/Camel - 2 x 10

1.E. Quadruped Thoracic Rotation (Arm Extended) - 2 x 10 each side

Phase 2 Mobility
Lower Focus
Static Stretching

1. Kneeling Elevated Tibialis Stretch - 1 x 90 minutes

2. Kneeling Dorsiflexion Stretch - 1 x 90 minutes

3. Pigeon Stretch with Reach - 1 x 60 seconds each

4. Half Kneeling Groin Stretch - 1 x 60 seconds each

Mobility

1.A. Ankle CARs - 2 x 5 each direction

1.B. Rollover Reach - 2 x 10

1.C. Mid Split Sweeps - 2 x 10 each side

1.D. Internal/External Rotations - 2 x 10 each side

1.E. Single Leg Glutei Bridge with Whip - 2 x 10 each side

Phase 3 Mobility
Lower Focus
Static Stretching

1. Achilles Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds each side

2. Kneeling Elevated Tibialis Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds

3. Banded Hip Flexor Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds each

4. Banded Lying Hamstring Stretch - 1 x 90 seconds each

Mobility

1.A. Ankle Rockers - 2 x 10 each side

1.B. Groiners with T Spine Reach - 2 x 10 each side

1.C. Banded Straight Leg Raise - 2 x 10 each side

1.D. Iron Cross - 2 x 10 each side

1.E. Scorpions - 2 x 10 each side

Phase 3 Mobility
Upper Focus
Static Stretching

1. 3 Way Backpack Stretch - 1 x 30 seconds each direction

2. Cactus Stretch - 1 x 60 seconds each

3. Overhead Band Lat Stretch - 1 x 60 seconds each

4. Sleeper Internal/External Stretch - 1 x 30 seconds each side

Mobility

1.A. Neck CARs - 2 x 3 each direction

1.B. Band Dislocations - 2 x 10

1.C. Band Pull Aparts - 2 x 10

1.D. Band Facepulls to External Rotation - 2 x 10

1.E. Quadruped Cat/Camel - 2 x 10

1.F. Prone Thoracic Rotation with Dowel Rod - 2 x 5 each side

Phase 3 Mobility
Lower Focus
Static Stretching

1. Kneeling Elevated Tibialis Stretch - 1 x 90 minutes

2. Kneeling Dorsiflexion Stretch - 1 x 90 minutes

3. 90/90 Stretch- 1 x 60 seconds each

4. Butterfly Stretch - 1 x 60 seconds

Mobility

1.A. Ankle CARs - 2 x 5 each direction

1.B. Rollover Reach - 2 x 10

1.C. Dynamic Frog - 2 x 10 each side

1.D. Internal/External Rotations - 2 x 10 each side

1.E. Cossack Squat - 2 x 5 each side