CrossFit & Mobility FUN

So remember my last post about Ogden and how CrossFit helped me recover?

Well MOBILITY is a HUGE part of recovery and keeping your body happy & healthy. 

Before I started CrossFit and I was just running all the time, I rarely stretched. I would rarely warm up. I'd just take off from my house and start running. I'd come home and just collapse on the floor or hop in the shower. Then I got Achilles Tendonitis... and I learned how important stretching was. But apparently, I needed to learn the lesson, TWICE.

Anyways. Since starting CrossFit I've become a mobility queen. I love to stretch, foam & rumble roll, and use the lacrosse balls to dig into my shoulders and back. 

Kelly Starrett of MobilityWOD explains the difference between stretching and mobilization 

Stretching only focuses on lengthening short and tight muscles. Mobilization, on the other hand, is a movement-based integrated full-body approach that addresses all the elements that limit movement and performance including short and tight muscles, soft tissue restriction, joint capsule restriction, motor control problems, joint range of motion dysfunction, and neural dynamic issues. In short, mobilization is a tool to globally address movement and performance problems.

The movements and lifts in CrossFit are very technical and require full range of motion in our shoulders and hips, etc. When those joints are too stiff or tight the lifts (or movements) are more difficult to execute. 

So here are a few of my FAVORITE mobility tools and exercises! 

the Lacrosse Ball

One of the best mobility tools is the lacrosse ball!

It's great for shoulder-mobs.

my eyes are closed because this hurts.

but in a good way.

(and when did my boobs get so small?! WTF?!)

I just stick the lacrosse ball under my shoulder blade and let it sink in. 

You can also rotate your arm up and down to really loosen up your shoulders. 

this is a great mob for overhead squats and snatches. 

p.s. lacrosse balls are super cheap.

I bought mine at Sports Authority for $2.99.  

Next... you need to get 2 lacrosse balls and tape them together.

FREAKIN' awesome for rolling your lower back. 

When I do deadlifts my lower back gets so tight and sore but using my lacrosse ball duo helps a TON.

I'm a little rotated to the side (just so I could get a picture), but just place the lacrosse ball duo thingee right above your bum and let it DIG into your lower back. You can roll over it a little and roll your entire lower back. It feels amazing. :)

the TheraBand

Using my theraband from my PT & ASTYM days to stretch my hamstrings. 

Keep your leg as straight as possible, pull for 5-10 seconds, relax your muscles, and repeat, trying to get your leg as low as possible.

the Rumble Roller

My BFF, the RUMBLE ROLLER, at Elevated CrossFit.

It's basically a foam roller with fingers. Mean, stubby, nubby, fingers.

It's amazing. I try to get to class early and stay late so I can hang out with the Rumble Roller.

It feels great on my back, hammies, quads, calves, glutes... EVERYTHING.

My internet friend, Elle, wrote a great post about her Rumble Roller! She's a great writer, and she just started CrossFit! YAY!!! 

VooDoo Bands

oh... VooDoo bands.

these little suckers are amazing. 

(and yes... that's an ugly face... VooDoo bands make me feel squishy and cellulite-y 

so... I made an ugly face to cover up the squish!)

"The Voodoo Floss Band helps improve range, restore joint mechanics, or unglue matted down or previously injured tissue.  Compression tack and flossing (Voodoo Flossing) works on many levels; including re-perfusing tissues that have become stiff or gone cold after injury, and by compressing swelling out of tissues and joints.  Because the Voodoo band can be used while actually performing the movement the athlete is trying to change, it's effect on sliding surface and restoration and tissue mobilization is unmatched." -from the ROGUE site

You wrap the VooDoo band around whatever muscle is sore. It needs to be tight, should be uncomfortable, but not unbearable. I wrap my quads and hammies all the time. I wrap one side up, talk a few walks across the gym, and then do a few squats. OMG. Unwrap the VooDoo band, and VOILA! No more soreness! Makes a HUGE difference! 

the Olivia Puppy Dog

okay... so she's not a mobility tool.

but she wanted in on the action.

she hasn't been on the blog in a while and demanded some photos. 

and I got licked to death.

aka Shower-by-Puppy-Kisses

yummy! ;)

Check out Rogue Fitness for a Mobility Pack that comes with everything you need!

Rumble Roller, Lacrosse Balls, and Monster Bands (similar to my TheraBand)

and check out MobilityWOD for great info and videos for LOTS of 

different mobilization WODs and techniques. 

and for all you RUNNERS out there

Check out this article for the TOP 10 MobWODS for Runners. 

trust me... it HURTS SO GOOD!

**What are some of your favorite stretches or MobWODs?**

**Any other mobility tools that I need to have? What are your favs??**

(I still need to get my own Rumble Roller!)

pssst! Check it out!

WOOT WOOT! I did a guest post (MY FIRST ONE!) over at Sweet Life Ericka - while she's in Africa!

It's about taking care of your (CrossFit) hands. Removing calluses. Avoiding tears and rips. etc. etc.