Mobility Training: your balancing workout for back and neck

Do you want to do something good for yourself, for now and for the future ? Compensatory sport helps you find balance in your everyday life and thus contributes to both your mental and physical health . With the right exercise, you can preventively strengthen your flexibility and muscles in order to avoid tension or injuries - this is exactly where mobility training comes in. You probably know it: in public transport, when eating and especially when working, we sit on a chair most of the time and only move minimally. Especially in the office or when working from home, we can adopt bad posture . Combined with stress, this often leads to pain and physical limitations . Read on if you want to find out more about preventative workouts and mobility training - for a healthy back and neck area .

A workout for your flexibility: What exactly is mobility training?

In a sporting context, mobility means flexibility or agility . And that is exactly what exercises in mobility training are aimed at. In concrete terms, it is about improving the active mobility of the body. In contrast to passive mobility, which is achieved through stretching with the help of others, mobility training focuses on independently improving the range of motion. To achieve this, we have to train both our muscle strength and our neuromuscular control - that is, the signals from our nerves to our body. It may sound complicated, but it isn't: with regular mobility training, you can achieve great effects with short movement sequences and easy exercises .

Healthier, happier, more athletic thanks to mobility training: the benefits

Over the last few years, mobility training has evolved from being a complement to strength training plans or a component of flexibility sports to becoming a fitness discipline in its own right. This is because the benefits for health and performance have become increasingly clear.

• Improved mobility and flexibility : Mobility training can relieve restrictions in the joints and increase the mobility of the entire body. This increases your range of motion in everyday life and during sporting activities.
• Reduced risk of injury : Good mobility of the joints and muscles helps prevent injuries as they improve the body's resilience and stability.
• Reduced pain : Mobility training can relieve tension and pain caused by restricted movement and poor posture.
• Improved performance : In sports, mobility training can improve performance because it increases the efficiency and coordination of movements.
• Increased well-being : Mobility training can lead to a better body awareness and improved well-being: it can reduce stress and promote mental health.

Mobility training exercises can not only strengthen your shoulders , back and neck area in advance, but can also alleviate or even resolve existing problems .

Yoga is an excellent workout for relaxing mobility training.

Mobility exercises – your flexibility workout for the whole body

Whether you're working from home or in the office: Do you know what's particularly useful about the exercises for your flexibility and agility? You can do many versions of mobility training anywhere : at home or elsewhere, indoors or outdoors . You can complete most of the exercises, as well as a short mobility flow, within 10 minutes . Here are a few examples for beginners and advanced users. In your individual mobility training, for example, you can combine three exercises and you've got a short flow .

Mobility exercises for the back

• Cat-Cow Pose: In a quadruped position, bend your back and lower your head (cat), then straighten your back and raise your head (cow).
• Side bend: While standing or sitting, tilt your upper body to the side, raise your arms above your head and feel the stretch in the lateral abdominal muscles.
• Rotation: While standing or sitting, rotate your upper body to the left and right, moving your arms and feeling the stretch in your back muscles.
• Back bend: While standing or sitting, bend your upper body forward, let your arms hang loosely at your sides and feel the stretch in the back leg muscles.

More mobility workout ideas for advanced users:

90/90 degree stretch: Lie on your back and pull one leg towards your body at a 90 degree angle, grasping your calf or thigh. Then stretch the other leg straight out on the floor. Now try to bring your upper body as close to the bent leg as possible without lifting your lower back off the floor. Hold this stretch for a few seconds and then switch sides.

Scorpion Pose: Lie on your stomach, lift your arms and legs off the floor and stretch your body as far as possible. Now bring your arms and legs together so that they touch behind your back. Hold the position for a few seconds and then relax again.

Mobility exercises for the neck

• Neck circles: Slowly circle your head clockwise and then counterclockwise.
• Neck relaxer: Tilt your head to the side and gently stretch the opposite neck area with your hand.
• Chin tuck: Pull your chin towards your chest and relax your neck.
• Head nodding: Nod your head slowly forward and backward.

If you would like even more stretching, you can supplement your workout with the following mobility exercises:

Crossover Neck Stretch: Place your right hand on your left shoulder and gently push your head to the right side until you feel a stretch in the left neck. Hold this stretch for a few seconds and then switch sides.

Chin Tuck: Pull your chin towards your chest as if you were trying to form a double chin. Hold the position for a few seconds and then relax.

Mobility exercises for the shoulder

• Arm circles: Move your arms forward and then backward in small circles.
• Arm lever: Hold one arm bent in front of the chest and press the elbow down with the other hand until you feel a stretch in the shoulder.
• Door opener: Raise your arms to the side at a 90-degree angle as if you were opening a door - palms facing forward. Feel the stretch in your chest and front shoulder area.
• Scapula protraction: Pull the shoulder blades back and down and feel the stretch in the front of the shoulder.

There are also advanced mobility exercises for the shoulders:

Wall Slide: Stand with your back to the wall and let your arms hang down at your sides. Slowly slide your hands down the wall until your arms are fully extended. Make sure your shoulders are away from your ears and your elbows are slightly bent. Hold this position for a few seconds and then slowly return to the starting position.

Shoulder Dislocates: Circle your shoulders in small circles forward and then backward. Gradually increase the radius of the circles until you reach your maximum range of motion.

Mobility exercises for other body areas

You can also expand your mobility training to include the whole body. Here are a few examples. You can also get inspiration for guided routines or a predefined mobility flow on YouTube.

• Hips: leg bends, knee circles, hip circles
• Ankle: Foot circles, ankle bends and stretches
• Wrist: wrist circles, finger bending and stretching

Just make sure you do the exercises slowly and in a controlled manner. You should breathe deeply and evenly and not feel any pain. How often you want to do the mobility training is up to you: for constant improvement and noticeable effects, it is recommended that you do the workouts at least three times a week, or even daily. Over time, you can slowly increase the intensity and difficulty of the exercises. Try it out now and create your own mobility training for home or the office.

Just as flexible as your mobility workout: Dextro Energy* Supplements

Whether during , before or after your workout : Dextro Energy* products can be a useful supplement to mental and physical exertion . Our product categories Motivation , Presence and Regeneration are particularly relevant for your mobility workout.

• Our vegan energy gums* provide your brain with quick carbohydrates . The fruity sports gums for in-between meals are available in various delicious flavors.

• Our Energy Bar* is not just a carbohydrate-rich snack - it also contains important minerals such as magnesium , which supports your muscle function¹ . Our iso drinks also contain valuable minerals and ensure adequate fluid and electrolyte intake . The special combination of carbohydrates and the minerals potassium, magnesium and sodium also supplies you for longer training sessions.

• The regeneration phases are just as important as the training itself . Our delicious Recovery Drink° supports you here with valuable proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.

Perfect for your breaks : Take time for mobility and relaxation

Now you can get started , try things out, become more flexible and agile. Do something good for yourself by training your mobility . A little tip : make the most of your break from work or your balancing sport by turning on some relaxing music and switching off your mind : just concentrate on the movement and your breathing . This way you're not only doing something for your physical health , but also for your mental health .

* contains carbohydrates
¹ Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function
°​Proteins contribute to the increase and maintenance of muscle mass.

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.

PHOTO CREDITS:

all images: @iStock
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