5 Simple Movements To Instantly Achieve Better Mobility Without Stretching
How's that working out for you?
It's a question I like to ask people sometimes when I'm trying to help them see mobility issues from a different perspective.
Do you foam roll and stretch regularly, but the muscle remains tight?
Do you do all kinds of mobility work, attend yoga, but you still can't touch your toes?
Do you go to the chiropractor, physio, osteo, masseuse regularly but still live in constant pain?
If the answer is yes, then I'll ask you again.
How is that working out for you?
Could it be that what you are doing is not the answer to your issues? If it was, wouldn't it have helped by now?
What if I told you there is another way?
Statler and Waldorf always were a tad cynical, but please keep an open mind and bear with me.
Improve mobility by finding your Original Strength
The Original Strength System looks at these issues through a different lens. The following quotes have been taken from the book "Pressing Reset -Original Strength Reloaded."
"Lack of mobility is due to lack of reflexive stability/reflexive strength" "Lack of stability is due to lack of reflexive strength." "Unnecessary muscle stiffness or tightness is because of a loss of reflextive strength." "Movement compensations are due to a loss of reflexive strength.." "Pressing Reset -Original Strength Reloaded."
What is reflexive control?
The Original Strength system works on restoring "reflexive control."
Reflexive control unites reflextive stability, mobility and strength. The more reflexive control that we have, the more we can do with our bodies.
A simple example of reflexive control is walking. You don't have to think about what muscles to activate, it just happens. It's a reflexive action which is coordinated via reflexive stability, mobility and strength.
Every time we move our reflexive control is tested.
If it comes up short, our big brain completely flips out and goes into protection mode to save us from the perceived threat.
Beaker is a good representation of the state of some people nervous system health. Until he calms down, good movement may be quite difficult.
For example, if it detects a lack of stability in our hips, it might tighten your hamstrings and glutes so much that it causes pain when you bend forward. This is not great for you but, as far as your brain is concerned if you don't lean forward, you're safe, so that's okay.
So now you have chronically tight hamstrings and a tweaky lower back which won't go away no matter how much you stretch and foam roll.
What do you do now? Continue to stretch and roll?
How is that working out for you?
There's that question again.
There is another way.
Original Strength is trying to create a paradigm shift in the way people think about movement and the impact that it can have on every aspect of their life.
We first need to acknowledge what needs to change. For various reasons, we have become far less active over the past few decades.
We can blame (to name a few):
Technological advances
The mechanisation of industry
Misleading information from the fitness, diet, pharmaceutical industries
Where that leaves us:
We have an aging population that is becoming more and more reliant on pain killers and surgery.
An almost dogmatic belief that aging means we must get older and frailer. This view is so strong in many that it leads to the assumption we are powerless to help ourselves.
Instead, we give that power to our doctor (or health professional), who unfortunately has the same flawed thought process.
Applying the simple movements ("Resets") in the Original Strength system is a way to remind the nervous system how to start coordinating reflexive stability, mobility and strength again.
Participating in regular movements like rocking, rolling and crawling can actually reboot the nervous system and restore reflexive control, where it might have been lost.
If animal can regain control, so can you!
On Sunday the 23th of February, Renew Fitness in conjunction with Valkyrie Gym will be co-hosting an Original Strength Strength Reloaded Workshop from 8 -11.30 am.
You’ll be introduced to the Original Strength (OS) System for Everyday People by two of OS top coaches (Piers Kwan (AUS) and Aleks Salkin (U.S.A).
The Big 5 Movements For Better Mobility
During the first part of the workshop you will learn about the following:
✅ The “Big 5 Resets”
Diaphragmatic breathing
Head Control
Rolling
Rocking
Crawling
✅ How to incorporate these Resets into every day and the gym floor
✅ How to use these techniques to improve movement, posture and decrease stress
In addition you will also be shown some fundamental kettlebell skills.
✅ The essential kettlebell skills and techniques including The Swing, The Get-up and The Goblet Squat
✅ How to train safely and effectively with a kettlebell on your own
✅ How to carry over these principles into other areas of your training
With each of these, you will be shown regressions and progressions so that no matter where you are now, you have a place to start improving.
As a person who has been using this system for three years now, I can tell you it's been the most life-altering thing I've across. My posture has improved, I rarely take pain medication anymore, and I seldom need to visit a chiropractor other than for the odd scheduled service.
Sunday 23rd of February @ Valkyrie Gym from 8 - 11.30 am Cost: $147 Limited Spaces Left! Get your tickets here
Tickets are on sale now! Numbers are capped so I advise you to jump on this quickly as it is likely to sell out.
If you have any questions, please reach out, and I'll answer them to the best of my ability.
Instant Improvements? Really? How?
Instant or "almost instant" improvements in mobility, flexibility and movement quality are not uncommon when using the Original Strength system.
My good friend Pier's who will be instructing at this workshop once describe the concept of neural plasticity to me in a very cool way that made a lot of sense to me. I'm going to share the story he told me with you.
Imagine a large area of virgin forest; It's overgrown and difficult to navigate through. Each day you walk through the woods with a machete and cut a path. It's a difficult job, but with time, the trail becomes much more comfortable to walk through because of all of the foot traffic.
Then you move away, and the trail that you have painstakingly cut becomes overgrown again.
Some years later you return, and once again get to work on cutting a path. But this time it's much more manageable. The trail may be overgrown, but it's still there, and your job much easier this time.
Your nervous system is the path, and as a baby, you did the hard work cutting through the thick undergrowth (learning to move by rolling, rocking and crawling). As an adult, you may have stopped using some of those trails, maybe for years, but the good news is they still exist.
The Original Strength system taps into these pathways via foundational movements. In many cases, the improvements are indeed instant and sometimes extraordinary.
STRENGTH RELOADED WORKSHOP - SPECIAL OFFER!
The following special offer is available to people that sign up for the Strength Reloaded kettlebell and movement workshop happening at Valkyrie Gym on the 23rd of February.
Get access to an exclusive one-month trial for just $100 at Renew Fitness which includes a one-on-one PT session to make sure you get off to the best possible start. SIGN UP FOR THE WORKSHOP HERE!
Here is the deal again:
Sign up for the workshop on the 23rd of February
For an additional $100 get a 1-hour private PT session as well as a 1-month unlimited access trial to all semi-private and small group sessions at Renew Fitness.
Optionally commit to three months and the remaining two months will be at the yearly rate instead of the quarterly rate. This equates to an overall saving of over $250.
To claim this offer leave your details below (using the PROMO CODE "RELOAD") and I will set you up with your 1-month trial for only $100 with the option to extend to 3-months if you decide you like what you've experienced.
Renew Fitness is the home of Strongfirst and Original Strength in Newcastle.
We specialise in providing personal training solutions to people over 40, which prioritise helping people MOVE WELL and GET STRONG.
When you commit to training with us, you are committing to a process of lasting change. We prioritise progress over perspiration and don't believe in random one-off workouts.
Instead, we will provide a structured path to improve your strength, movement and vitality both now and far into the future.
Our semi-private and small group sessions are suitable for all ability levels. No matter where you are in your fitness journey, we can help.
Leave your detail below if you've signed up for the workshop and would like to obtain more information about our one month trial, we're here to help.
Check out what some of our happy customers have to say.