If You Care About Fitness, You Should Work On Your Mobility | Get Fit Sanely Listener Picks: Kelly and Juliet Starrett

Overview

This episode explores the critical importance of mobility and flexibility for overall fitness and aging gracefully. Listener Abby shares how an episode featuring Kelly and Juliet Starrett transformed her approach to physical health, particularly after a calf injury. The Starretts provide practical tests and exercises to maintain and improve mobility, emphasizing its role in long-term well-being.

Notable Quotes

- The number one reason you might end up in a nursing home is your inability to get up and down off the ground independently. – Kelly Starrett, on the importance of functional movement.

- The goal is to keep your physical hallway as wide as possible so you can continue doing the things you love as you age. – Juliet Starrett, on maintaining mobility over time.

- Muscles and tissues are like obedient dogs—the first order of business is exposure. – Kelly Starrett, on the simplicity of improving mobility.

🧘‍♀️ The Importance of Mobility and Flexibility

- Dan Harris highlights how mobility and flexibility are often overlooked in fitness routines but are essential for aging well.

- Abby, a listener, shares how a podcast episode helped her reframe her approach to mobility after a calf injury, leading to a richer dialogue with her physical therapist.

- The Starretts emphasize that mobility is about moving freely without pain and maintaining the ability to perform daily activities and hobbies.

🪑 The Sit-and-Rise Test: A Simple Mobility Check

- The Starretts introduce the sit-and-rise test, which involves sitting on the ground and standing up without using hands or knees.

- This test serves as a snapshot of overall mobility and predicts long-term functional independence.

- They suggest practicing this skill daily, starting with modifications like using a chair or coffee table for support.

📺 Practical Tips for Improving Mobility at Home

- The Starretts recommend incorporating mobility exercises into daily life, such as sitting on the floor while watching TV or working.

- Changing sitting positions frequently (e.g., crisscross, kneeling) naturally improves hip range of motion.

- These practices are accessible, requiring no special equipment or gym visits.

🏋️‍♂️ Why Hip Range of Motion Matters

- Cultures that squat and sit on the ground regularly experience fewer joint issues and lower fall risks in old age.

- Loss of hip mobility can lead to stiffness, pain, and reduced functional capacity.

- Restoring natural movement patterns often alleviates pain and improves overall physical function.

🌟 The Starretts’ Key Mobility Pillars

- For issues like low back pain, Kelly Starrett prescribes three foundational practices:

- Breathing exercises.

- Walking more frequently.

- Mobilizing the hips through simple, consistent movements.

- These strategies are universally beneficial, whether you're training for a triathlon or playing with grandchildren.