Welcome to this eight-week video series brought to you exclusively by Whole Life Challenge in partnership with MobilityWOD. Each week, physical therapist Dr. Kelly Starrett will present you with a simple concept regarding anatomy and movement — as well as some techniques you can incorporate into your daily mobility practice. Note: These techniques are optional and are simply one of the many ways you can accomplish your ten daily minutes of mobility.
This week we are working on “joint basics,” also called “band basics.” When we typically think of how our limbs move, we picture them moving along a single path. But in reality, our joints have rotational ability in multiple directions and also movement within the joint.
So, when we mobilize, we like to add the use of a band to try to improve joint health. This allows us to more directly address limitations in our range of motion and spend time in the end ranges of our “joint capsule.” This all may sound complex, but it’s basic in implementation.
I’ll show you how this works by doing a variation of week two’s drill, the couch stretch. You’ll find this approach improves both your mobility and your muscle activation.
Kelly is the co-author of two New York Times bestselling books Becoming A Supple Leopard and Ready to Run. He created the wildly popular CrossFit Movement & Mobility Trainer course and has worked with and lectured for every branch of the military, the NBA, NFL, NHL, professional soccer, ballet dancers, cyclists, Olympians, and more.
Kelly’s background as an athlete and coach includes paddling whitewater slalom canoe on the US Canoe and Kayak Teams, and leading the Men’s Extreme Whitewater Team to two national titles and competition in two World Championships. In his free time, Kelly enjoys spending time with his wife, Juliet, and two daughters, Georgia and Caroline, surfing, paddling, CrossFitting, and dancing.
