Yoga is an ancient holistic wellness practice that can help you find not only physical but mental, emotional, and even spiritual balance.
It has many benefits, one of which is helping you improve your overall mobility.
In this article we will discuss:
Dive in with us and discover the many benefits yoga for mobility can bring into your life.
Understanding Yoga for Mobility
Mobility is the ability of a joint to move actively through its full range of motion.
It involves the coordination of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and the joint structure itself. It’s about how well your joints can move in various directions under your own muscular control.
Flexibility, on the other hand, is the ability of muscles and soft tissues to lengthen passively to allow a joint to move through its full range of motion. It primarily focuses on the elasticity and extensibility of muscles and connective tissues.
Mobility in yoga refers to the body’s ability to move freely and efficiently through a full range of motion.
Unlike merely focusing on yoga for flexibility, which primarily emphasizes the lengthening of muscles, yoga for mobility embraces both flexibility and mobility, recognizing them as synergistic elements. It is similar to pilates in terms of its physical benefits.
Through a balanced and mindful yoga practice, you can cultivate a harmonious relationship between active joint mobility and passive muscle flexibility.
Through intentional poses and sequences, yoga for mobility encourages you to explore your body’s capabilities and needs while promoting the balance between flexibility and stability.The Fundamentals of Hip Mobility
One of the areas of the body that is often loaded with tension is our hips.
The hip joint, being one of the largest joints in the body, plays a vital role in maintaining balance, stability, and coordination.
Fundamentally, hip mobility involves a harmonious interplay of muscles, ligaments, tendons, and the joint itself, allowing for diverse movements such as walking, sitting, and bending.
Anatomically, the hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint, connecting the femur (thigh bone) to the pelvis.
The synovial fluid1 Verywell Health. (n.d.). How Do I Increase My Synovial Fluid? [online] Available at: https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-increase-synovial-fluid-5114374. within the hip joint, along with the surrounding muscles, enables a wide range of motion when functioning properly.
However, factors such as sedentary lifestyles, prolonged sitting, or muscular imbalances can lead to compromised hip mobility.
Yoga Poses for Overall Mobility
1# Neck stretches
As we spend much of our time hunched over screens, neck stretches counteract the strain, promoting a broader range of motion. No need to attend a yoga class or even own a yoga mat!
These mobility exercises are perfect for beginners, adding to your morning yoga practice, or for a quick two minute yoga break.
Start by simply doing all 6 movements of your neck:
- Gently bring your right ear towards the right shoulder, allowing a gentle stretch to happen along the left side of your neck and toward the shoulder. Take a few conscious deep breaths, feeling the release of tension. Return to the center, and repeat the movement on the opposite side, bringing the left ear towards the left shoulder.
- Continue by turning your gaze to the right and then to the left. Allow your gaze to linger in each direction, relishing the subtle stretches that accompany the movement. As your gaze shifts, notice the release of tension on the neck and shoulders, fostering a sense of suppleness.
- To finish, elevate your chin upward and then gently guide it downward as you breathe in and out. As you lift your gaze skyward, feel the expansion and opening of the front of your neck and throat. Conversely, as you guide your gaze downward, sense the gentle lengthening through the back of your neck and the cervical spine, promoting a profound release of tension.
This mobility training helps to alleviate stiffness, improve posture, and reduce discomfort.
Incorporating neck stretches into your routine can enhance circulation to the cervical spine, fostering a sense of relaxation and ease in the neck and shoulders.
These yoga for mobility postures enhance the flexibility of your neck but also offer a holistic approach to neck mobility.
By incorporating lateral stretches, gentle twists, and dynamic movements, you’re not only providing relief to the immediate area but also nurturing the interconnected web of muscles and joints
2# Eagle arms (Garudasana)
By crossing one arm under the other and intertwining the forearms, this pose stretches the shoulders, upper back, and triceps, and can help ease back pain.
The eagle arms help to broaden the shoulder blades, enhancing flexibility and releasing tension in the upper body.
This yoga for mobility pose contributes to improved posture, increased range of motion in the arms, and relief from stiffness in the shoulders.
Incorporating eagle arms into your yoga routine nurtures a sense of expansiveness in the chest and shoulders, promoting overall upper body mobility.
3# Cat-cow pose
This asana flows between arching and rounding the spine.
The rhythmic yoga flow movement warms up the spine and increases the flexibility and mobility throughout the entire vertebral column.
The arching (cow) and rounding (cat) motions engage the muscles along the back, enhancing their elasticity and range of motion.
It serves as a gentle and effective exercise for the entire back, fostering a harmonious balance between strength and flexibility.
# Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra pose is a good posture for enhancing mobility in the spine and strengthening the back muscles as well as opening up the front of your body.
As you lift the upper body from the earth, cobra engages the muscles along the spine, promoting flexibility and extension.
This pose is especially effective in counteracting the effects of prolonged sitting, as it opens up the chest, stretches the abdominal muscles, and strengthens the lower back.
Consider taking some time in the posture gently moving your body side to side to improve the mobility of your spine even more.
Regular practice of cobra pose contributes to improved posture, increased spinal flexibility, and even potential relief from backaches. It is a key player in fostering a healthy and mobile spine, promoting overall well-being.
# Downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
This inverted V-shaped pose stretches and strengthens multiple muscle groups simultaneously. A full body stretch.
It engages the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, and arches of the feet, promoting flexibility in the upper and lower body.
is yoga stretch also encourages spinal elongation, decompressing the vertebrae and fostering a neutral spine.
As a weight-bearing yoga for mobility pose, it builds strength in the arms and legs while simultaneously improving joint mobility.
Regular practice of downward-facing dog increases overall body flexibility, joint health, and helps you cultivate a sense of balance and stability, making it a cornerstone in enhancing mobility through the entire body.
Here is a yoga for mobility for you to try:
Specific Yoga Poses for Hip Mobility
1# Half Wind Release pose (Ardha Pawanmuktasana)
By drawing one knee toward the chest while extending the other leg, this pose gently stretches the hips and thighs.
It aids in releasing tension, enhancing flexibility, and stimulating blood flow to the hip joints.
2# Garland Pose (Malasana)
This deep squat engages and stretches the hip muscles, fostering flexibility and mobility.
By encouraging an external rotation of the hips, Malasana targets the groin and inner thighs, eventually increasing your range of motion.
This yoga for mobility pose will strengthen your lower body and enhance hip flexibility, making it a valuable addition to any routine focused on improving mobility.
Put a blanket under your heels if they are floating!
# Low Lunge Pose (Anjaneyasana)
As one foot stretches back and the opposite knee bends, this pose actively engages and extends the hip flexors.
It encourages a deep stretch in the front of the hips, promoting flexibility and alleviating tightness.
# Seated Windshield Wiper Pose (Upavistha Jathara Parivartanasana)
Allowing the knees to sway from side to side, this pose releases tension in the hip joints.
The rhythmic movement of the legs mimics a windshield wiper, promoting a fluid and natural range of motion in the hips.
Incorporating Yoga Into Your Daily Routine
Incorporating yoga into your daily routine to improve mobility doesn’t require a significant time commitment; even a few minutes each day can yield noticeable benefits.
Begin by designating a specific time, whether it’s in the morning to invigorate your day or in the evening to unwind, find what works for you and stick to it for a while if possible.
Utilize a mix of dynamic and static poses tailored to enhance overall mobility.
Incorporate mobility-specific sequences, dedicating time to poses that target areas needing attention.
The intention is to transition from one pose to another mindfully, paying attention to your breath and maintaining a sense of ease in your movements.
Here’s a vinyasa flow guided by a yoga teacher to wake up your joints.
Closing
As we wrap up this article on yoga for mobility remember– it’s not about nailing the perfect pose; it’s about feeling good in your body and finding more space for you to inhabit it.
Mobility refers to the ability to move freely and easily, encompassing a broad range of movements in various joints and muscles throughout the body.
It involves not only flexibility but also strength, stability, and control in those movements.
Now, if you’re ready to learn about yoga poses for improved flexibility, explore this section next:
