Stay Loose, Roll Tight: The Power of Mobility in BJJ

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Hello and welcome back to another episode of Grace Under Pressure.

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I know I'm a little late from my bi-weekly posting.

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You'll have to forgive me.

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I was competing last weekend and I got my SC joint, my clavicle, dislocated.

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So I was in a bit of pain and I thought instead of posting on an off day, I was going to keep

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true to a Monday and so I just have pushed it back a week.

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But I promise I've got more episodes in the pipeline.

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But yes, it's kind of funny that this episode we are now diving into a topic that I really

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do consider very important, especially in light of my own journey through two knee surgeries

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and that is flexibility and mobility training.

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I don't know, I just feel like the Lord has a sense of humor and of course when I am talking

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about flexibility, it's going to be the weekend that I get a joint dislocated.

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Oh well.

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So last week in the last episode, we talked a lot about strength and conditioning and

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how essential it is for your performance in jujitsu.

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But here's the thing, if you're not mobile and flexible, you could be setting yourself

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up for just as many problems as if you were lacking in strength.

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Mobility is key to staying fluid, avoiding injuries and making the most out of every

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technique on the mat.

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Being able to move fluidly and maintain control through a full range of motion can enhance

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your ability to execute techniques, retain your guard or even escape tough positions.

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Plus staying flexible and mobile significantly reduces your risk of injury, keeping you healthier

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and more consistent in your training.

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And so whether you're looking to improve submissions, defend more effectively or just roll smoother,

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working on flexibility and mobility is key to becoming a well-rounded jujitsu practitioner.

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So again, this is very timely for my recent injuries.

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I think we've all seen people on the mats who come in and they are just mass monsters.

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Maybe they just have really big broad shoulders, broad lats, they got the whole lat spread

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going on there.

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But if you have rolled with anyone who is immensely muscular, you know they're not very

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flexible.

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I remember having some friends of mine that did the big mass bodybuilding, these big guys.

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And if you put a post-it note on the middle of their back, they could not reach it because

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the muscles, the strength limited their movement.

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And so if you've ever gone up against somebody like that, you know getting a joint lock is

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sometimes a little bit quicker because just their range of motion is limited.

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You kind of have a trade-off, right?

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When you have that big size, you're less flexible and vice versa.

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The more flexible you are, sometimes you're not the biggest, right?

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And so saying this, what are some specific benefits of flexibility and mobility?

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Well, the first is enhanced range of motion.

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So you don't have to be that big mass monster who can't get something off his back.

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And so think of your body like a car, right?

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Flexibility is like having a car with great steering.

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When you need to make a tight turn or navigate through a tricky situation, you can do it

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smoothly and without jerking around.

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And jujitsu, flexibility means your joints and limbs can move freely, allowing you to

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smoothly execute techniques.

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When you're trying to lock in a triangle choke or shrimp out of bad position, having that

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full range of motion is what lets you shift gears quickly and effectively.

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But it's not just enough to be flexible.

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You also need mobility.

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And this is the ability in which you can control that movement.

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And so it's like having a high performance car where you can handle the curves with precision.

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Mobility lets you keep control of your body during scrambles or transitions so you're

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not just flopping into positions, but moving with purpose.

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If you can stretch your leg high but don't have the control to keep it there when it

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matters, well, then you're missing out on half of the equation.

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And the second big thing that I mentioned earlier was injury prevention.

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So jujitsu puts your body in all sorts of crazy positions, kind of like you're trying

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to fold yourself into a pretzel when someone else is trying to stretch you out even more.

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But you know, when you've got good flexibility, it's like having a rubber band that stretches

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easily without snapping.

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Your hips, shoulders, and spine can handle those awkward positions without breaking down.

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Now, of course, flexibility alone won't keep you safe.

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You need mobility for that extra layer of protection.

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You know, think of it like reinforcing the rubber band with just enough give and structure

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so that you don't snap when under pressure.

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You have grace under pressure.

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Aha.

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Mobility training builds strength around your joints and muscles, helping you avoid overuse

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injuries.

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If you don't have mobility, you're like a stiff piece of metal.

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You might hold up for a while, but eventually all that tension will cause a break.

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And so if you stay mobile, you'll stay on the mats longer.

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The third benefit is improved guard retention and transitions.

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A flexible guard is like trying to break into a house with a chain link fence.

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It's tough to get through, but every time you think you're making progress, another

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link gets in your way.

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Hip flexibility in particular makes your guard harder to pass because you can move your legs

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and hips around, always putting something in the way of your opponent's passing.

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It's like playing chess.

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You're thinking a few steps ahead and being flexible lets you stay one move ahead of your

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opponent's.

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And when it comes to transitions, flexibility is like having the ability to turn around

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corners effortlessly.

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You can go from one position to another without hitting a wall or feeling stuck.

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Say you're switching from an armbar to attempt a triangle.

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If your hips and hamstrings are loose and mobile, you can make that transition smooth

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and fast.

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It's like taking a sharp turn at a high speed without losing control because every move

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flows into the next.

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The fourth benefit are your submissions and escapes.

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Certain submissions are like puzzles that can only get solved if you've got the right

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pieces in place, and flexibility is one of those key pieces.

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Take the triangle choke.

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Without flexibility in your hips and legs, it's like trying to fit a square peg in a

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round hole.

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No matter how hard you try, it's just not going to lock in right.

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But with good flexibility, you can close that triangle tight like snapping the lid onto

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a jar.

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And escapes are all about mobility.

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Imagine you're stuck under a heavy boulder or under your opponent's side control, and

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the only way to get out is to wiggle through a narrow gap.

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If you're mobile, that gap doesn't have to be very big because your body can contort,

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twist and create just enough space to squeeze through.

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If you're stiff and lack mobility, it's like trying to shove a plank of wood through that

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small crack.

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You're not going to go anywhere fast.

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And then fifth, improved breathing and relaxation.

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So you may not think of this immediately as a benefit, but flexibility is like learning

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to drive a manual car.

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You have to sync your movements with your breathing.

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And when you get it right, everything feels smooth.

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Stretching or practicing yoga, which we'll talk about later, not only loosens your muscles,

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but it teaches you how to control your breathing, which is a huge asset during those high pressure

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pulls.

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When you're stuck under someone's mouth, the last thing you want to do is panic and start

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breathing like a freight train.

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Staying flexible keeps you relaxed under pressure.

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And with relaxed breathing, you're conserving energy for when you need it most.

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Think of it like this.

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If flexibility and breathing go hand in hand, you're driving a high performance car that

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knows when to shift gears without grinding the engine.

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The smoother the shifts, the longer the car or in this case, your body last.

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So we'll talk a little bit more about breathing and yoga.

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But think about if you're able to breathe through stretched positions, through uncomfortable

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positions, you're not going to be wasting your energy.

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And you're going to be able to not panic and potentially get out of a really bad situation

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and make it advantageous for yourself.

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So the sixth benefit, posture and balance.

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So flexibility and mobility are like the foundation of a house.

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If your foundation is strong, the rest of the structures will stay upright.

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So when you're in good posture, whether it's in guard, standing or defending, it's harder

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for your opponent to knock you off balance.

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But if you're stiff, it's like standing on stilts in strong wind.

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One misstep and you're going down hard.

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Good flexibility ensures that you can adjust your posture without losing balance, while

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mobility allows you to shift your base quickly when someone is trying to sweep you.

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Like a tree bending with the wind, mobility gives you the flexibility to move without

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breaking and the result, you stay upright and in control.

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So those six areas or six benefits are why we should take mobility and flexibility training

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and development seriously.

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I stressed in the last episode the importance of strength training, but again, if you don't

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work on your mobility and your flexibility, you're opening yourself up.

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I think the biggest part is the injuries that could accumulate.

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If you're stiff, if you're rigid, we all know this and I've been using so many metaphors.

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Again, English teacher, sue me.

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If you are really rigid, it's like breaking a dowel rod, right?

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It can only bend so far and it's not that much as opposed to a rubber band or a tree.

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I remember seeing a TikTok video recently with Hurricane Milton where this tree was

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just, it was the vibes.

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It was going all around, but not getting uprooted.

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It was a palm tree, but it was able to do that because it was very flexible, right?

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And so I like to think of myself sometimes as a tree like that and the wind being knocked

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to and fro, but my flexibility has saved my life in this metaphorical circumstance.

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I am that tree dancing with the pressure metaphorically and literally of my opponents.

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So, but yes, so last time I gave some protocol suggestions and so I'm going to give you some

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today.

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So you have a daily mobility routine.

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This is something that I suggest 10 to 20 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes, excuse me.

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And if you're doing a daily routine, it's designed to improve your active mobility,

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which is your ability to control movement through a full range of motion.

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And targets joints and muscles commonly used in jujitsu and can be done before or after

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training.

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So sometimes, you know, depending on your school, you may have an actual dynamic warmup

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routine that gets your joints warm, loose, and get some blood flow going.

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But sometimes, you know, you may not do stretching as part of your pre-class routine.

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So for you, if it's in your control, here's some things that you can do.

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So the first, and in no particular order, it can be, you know, how you want to do this.

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But you have cat cow, which is going to be targeting your spinal mobility.

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And that's a position from yoga, if you've done yoga, the cat cow position.

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So you would start with your hands on your knees in a tabletop position.

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You slowly arch your back towards the ceiling, which that would be the cat, and then drop

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your belly towards the floor as you lift your head and your tailbone.

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And that would be the cow position.

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And you're just moving fluidly between these two positions, focusing on your spine's full

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range of motion.

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And again, it's going to be working on getting your spine flexible, mobile, which is, of

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course, very important for, I can't think of how many countless moves and positions

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in jujitsu.

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The next you could do would be hip CARs, or controlled articular rotations.

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You would be laying on, you would start on all fours.

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You would bring one knee towards your chest, lift it out into the side, and rotate your

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leg in a full circle, keeping the rest of your body stable.

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And then you would reverse the direction for the next rep.

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So if you start going out into the side, you would then work on going out into the inside.

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And that's just getting your hips mobile, getting loose, great for just having good

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guard retention.

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Next you would do shoulder CARs.

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And you would stand tall with one arm by your side.

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Simply rotate your arm in a full circle, starting from the front, raising overhead, then bringing

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it down behind you.

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Keeping this movement controlled and focusing on maximizing the range of motion is what

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you want to be doing here.

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And that's going to be working on your shoulder mobility and preventing injuries during different

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shoulder lock escapes.

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Next I would move into lunge with a thoracic rotation.

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So you would be stepping into a deep lunge with your right foot forward, and this could

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be your foot forward, but keeping your back leg straight.

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Place your left hand on the ground and rotate your right arm upward towards the ceiling,

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twisting through your thoracic spine.

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And you would then return to the lunge and repeat on the opposite side.

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And this is just good to, again, help with your thoracic mobility.

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Again, great for side control escapes and overall posture.

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Next I would suggest a deep squat hold.

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Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower yourself into a deep squat, keeping

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your heels on the ground.

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Go as low as you possibly can and use your elbows to push your knees out, keeping your

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chest upright.

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And hold this position while breathing deeply.

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And this is going to be opening up your hips, your ankles, which is really great for, again,

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any transition between guards or standing positions.

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And last but not least, you have ankle CARs.

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This is where you would be sitting on the floor with one leg extended and rotate your

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ankle in a full circle, focusing on making the biggest, smoothest circle possible.

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And you would reverse directions after each set that you do.

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And so that's kind of going from your head to your toes of just a really quick warm-up

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of 15 to 20 minutes.

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This could be two sets of 10 or two sets of 30 seconds.

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You can run this as much as you need to.

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Of course, this is just general guidelines.

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You may be stiffer in one region versus another.

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For example, the deep squats for me, that doesn't really stretch much for me because

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I have very, very flexible Achilles tendon.

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So in order for me to really get that benefit, I'm going to have to try something else.

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So you have to work with what your body gives you.

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And sometimes it's a lot and sometimes it's not that much.

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So what about a weekly flexibility routine?

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So we talked about daily.

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What about weekly?

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And this could be anything from two to three times a week, really focusing on passive flexibility,

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where you would be holding these stretches for longer to encourage deeper relaxation

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of your muscles and tendons.

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Again, these are just suggestions.

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I do think it's important to have two or three sessions scheduled a week for these deep stretches.

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Some people like doing them every day before they go to bed because it helps relax you.

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Go off, queen, do you.

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But these are just some suggestions for targeting different areas.

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So the first good old classic, the seated forward fold.

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That's going to be targeting your hamstrings.

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And of course, you're going to be sitting down with your legs extended in front of you,

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hinge at your hips, reach for your feet, keeping your back as straight as possible.

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And you want to hold the stretch and breathing deeply as you relax your hamstrings.

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I encourage maybe two sets of 60 second holds.

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Of course, you don't want to be going to where it is searing pain, but a little bit of discomfort

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is OK.

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If you can't grab the bottom of your feet, you could grab a belt to kind of pull yourself

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forward into a deeper stretch.

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But we don't want to be rounding our back, right?

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We want to keep it straight, nice and long, so that way we're targeting what we're wanting

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to stretch.

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The next stretch I suggest is the butterfly stretch.

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Again, two sets of 60 seconds.

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It could be longer if you so choose.

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But you're going to sit with the soles of your feet together.

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And you're going to let your knees drop to the floor.

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You're wanting to use your elbows to gently push your knees down for a deeper stretch

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and keep your spine straight.

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And this is going to open up the groin and the hips, which is, again, great for guard

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retention and if you're playing close guard.

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If that is really easy, if that happens to be an easy stretch for myself, keep your back

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nice and straight and go into a full forward fold.

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And that'll definitely hit those hips in a different way.

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You should get a stretch out of that.

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The next, another one of my favorites, is the pigeon pose, which is hip flexibility.

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Again, two sets of 60 seconds per leg.

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And so from a plank position, if you want to start off in a plank, that's easy.

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We can all kind of visualize that.

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You'll bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right wrist.

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Then you will extend your left leg behind you, keeping the hips square.

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You will lower yourself onto your forearms or chest for a deeper stretch.

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And so essentially, you're bending your right knee if you think about, I'm trying to think

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of almost like you're creating a little tip of an arrow.

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And the bend of your knee is that arrow.

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And so that left leg or whichever, in this case, if your right leg's bent, your left

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leg will be straight behind you.

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You keep your feet square.

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And if you can bend forward for a deeper stretch, go ahead.

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That would be a much deeper stretch.

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And then you, of course, would switch.

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Then you have the shoulder stretch on a wall.

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This, again, all these are basically two sets of 60 per arm or per leg.

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And what you would do is stand next to a wall and extend your right arm against it, palm

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flat, shoulder height.

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Slowly rotate your body away from the wall, feeling the stretch through your shoulder

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and chest.

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Hold it and then switch arms.

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And once you are holding these stretches, if you feel you can go a little bit deeper,

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lean into it a little bit more.

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You don't want to go 0 to 100 immediately unless you can.

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Again, go off queen or king if you can.

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But again, you're doing these in a couple of different sets per leg, per arm, or per

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side.

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And so as you are spending more time in the stretch, you should be able to get deeper.

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But if you can't, go with what you can do.

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The next one would be a thoracic bridge stretch.

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So you're going to start in a sitting position with your knees bent and feet flat on the

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ground.

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You'll place one hand behind you and lift your hip, extending the other arm towards

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the ceiling.

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Rotate through your spine, opening up your chest and shoulders.

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And this is going to be improving your upper back and shoulder flexibility, which is very

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important in maintaining strong posture and executing those dynamic movements.

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So it's, you know, if you think about your bridging, but you're twisting.

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It's a bridge with a twist, if that helps you, you know, think of it.

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Next is a child's pose.

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This is spinal and hip flexibility.

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And so this is where you're going to be on your hands and your knees.

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You're going to push your hips toward your heels, extending your arms in front of you.

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You'll rest your forehead on the ground and hold the position, focusing on relaxing your

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back and hips.

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And this just, again, helps decompress your spine, improves your overall mobility.

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And it's great for, you know, when your spine and hips are compressed and jujitsu, when

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you're thinking about like being in a really compact guard or in turtle position and somebody's

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on your back, right?

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And so those are six things you can do.

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Again, it depends on what your trouble areas are, right?

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You may have a much tighter shoulder situation.

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Add some of those in, or you could do, you know, three days a week and you focus on upper

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body, maybe lower body, and then maybe spine work.

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I don't know how you would want to break it down, but you can spend really dedicated time

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on problem areas.

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These are just suggestions for just general trying to hit everything.

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So those are some positions that if you would rather do that, you know, as a little bit

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of a cool down from jujitsu, I think that's a good idea too.

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And then of course, if you wanted to do some more advanced jujitsu movement, mobility work,

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I like the squat, the Kozak squat, Kozak squat, excuse me, two sets of say maybe 10 reps where

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you would be in a really deep squat and you would shift your weight to one side and straighten

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your opposite leg into the Kozak squat.

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And you would move back to the deep squat and then repeat on the other side.

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And this is going to be for that lateral hip and ankle mobility.

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This is again a bit more of a dynamic body control movement.

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I would, again, this is more advanced.

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If you don't think you can do this right out the gate, it's okay.

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You know, you can work towards that.

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Next, another one I might suggest would be scapular pushups.

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You would be in a plank position and without bending your elbows, pinch your shoulder blades

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together and then push them apart, rounding your upper back.

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So in this, as you do this, you would be keeping your core tight the entire time.

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So you would be in a plank position.

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Again, just pushing, just moving your shoulder blades.

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I don't know why I'm doing this, as if you could see me, but you can't.

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If you can, I have questions.

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But yeah, this is going to be great for your shoulder blade mobility.

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And it's just really great for just shoulder health.

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But no matter what you do with the daily or the weekly protocols, it's all about frequency,

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intensity, and breathing.

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So first with the frequency, you want to perform the daily routine every day, either as a warm

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up before jiu-jitsu or a cool down afterward.

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And the flexibility routine can be done two to three times a week on rest days or even

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after training sessions.

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Again, I'm not a big fan of long passive stretching before intense activity.

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I like it for a cool down or just as a off day, kind of like instead of a lifting day

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or a jiu-jitsu day, it's a stretching day.

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Next would be intensity.

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So for mobility drills, you want to focus on controlled fluid movements.

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And with flexibility stretches, aim to reach a deep but not painful, again, not painful

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stretch and hold it for the full duration.

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Again, for deep stretches, I like to do 60 seconds.

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If you want to do longer, you could.

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I don't see any extra benefit to that.

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It would just be a frequency thing.

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And last but not least is breathing.

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So deep breathing is crucial for both routines, mobility and flexibility.

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Focus on slow controlled breaths to help relax your muscles during stretches and to maintain

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control during mobility work.

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And so again, we are not looking to, I've never heard of someone being an ego stretcher,

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maybe a contortionist, but just like there's a danger with lifting, you do ego lifting

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and you compromise on form.

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Don't compromise on form here.

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You want to be slow, fluid, controlled, right?

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There's no bonus for speeding through things.

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This is all about being controlled.

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And of course, mobility isn't just something to be used before jiu-jitsu class or rolling.

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I suggest implementing them before jumping into strength training sessions because a

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proper mobility warmup is essential to preparing your body for the demands of lifting and to

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maximize your performance while minimizing the risk of injury.

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And a good mobility warmup goes beyond just static stretching because it involves dynamic

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controlled movements that target your joints, muscles, and connective tissues to ensure

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that they're primed for getting that blood flowing.

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And I'm going to go through a couple of reasons why mobility warmups matter and how you can

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effectively use them in your strength training routine.

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So the first big reason is improved joint lubrication and range of motion.

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So when you're performing mobility exercises, you're stimulating the production of synovial

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fluid, which acts as a lubricant for your joints.

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This lubrication reduces friction, allowing your joints to move freely.

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Imagine trying to move a rusty hinge, right?

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It's stiff and it's hard to budge.

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Mobility is like oiling that hinge and making sure it moves smoothly, right?

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I mean, we've all been in a situation where we need some WD-40, right?

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You get that WD-40 in those joints, so to speak, it's going to be a much better and

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more pleasant experience and you're not going to have that, you know, sound that your joints

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can make.

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My joints make that sound, don't yours?

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Yeah.

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So having an improved range of motion means you can perform exercises like squats, deadlifts,

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or even overhead presses with better form, ensuring that you have activated the right

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muscles and reduce strain on your joints.

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For example, if your hips and ankles aren't mobile enough before a squat, your knees and

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lower back may compensate, which is going to lead to poor technique and a higher risk

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of injury, right?

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We want to go through those motions, those dynamic movements, so that we're getting our

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joints lubricated and also we're getting our blood flowing, right?

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Which leads into our next thing, two, injury prevention.

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So one of the biggest benefits of mobility warm-ups is injury prevention.

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Strength training places significant stress on your muscles and joints, and if you're

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not properly warmed up, you're more likely to experience strains, sprains, or joint pain.

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Think of your muscles and connect tissues like rubber bands.

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When they're cold and stiff, they can snap easily, but when they're warm and elastic,

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they can stretch and contract safely, right?

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You've all seen, well maybe you haven't seen, but you think about, I think about that dry

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ice when you dip, anyway, when you, maybe it's dry ice, but it's something where you

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can dip, say, a rubber band or a rose into it, and it freezes so hard that when you drop

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it, it shatters, right?

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Normally you drop a rose, eh, it doesn't shatter, or a rubber band, eh, it doesn't shatter,

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but it's so cold that when you drop it, it shatters.

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So think of your joints like that.

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If you are going into it cold, you could be potentially shattering them.

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Now, I'm not saying you're going to shatter them, but you see the point, right?

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Again, metaphors, analogies.

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And so mobility warm-ups help us lengthen muscles and increase blood flow to areas that

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are particularly vulnerable during strength training, like your hips, shoulders, and knees.

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Lord, my knees.

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And so by increasing mobility in these areas, you can perform compound movements with better

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alignment and control, reducing the risk of common injuries like shoulder impingements,

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lower back strains, or knee pain.

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Third, big reason to have a mobility warm-up would be enhanced muscle activation.

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Mobility warm-ups ensure that your muscles are fully activated before you start lifting

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heavy weights.

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And this is especially important for complex movements like deadlifts, squats, or overhead

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presses, where multiple muscle groups are engaged.

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If key muscles, such as the glutes or rotator cuff, aren't properly activated due to limited

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mobility, your body may compensate by overusing smaller muscles or incorrect muscle groups,

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which can lead to imbalances and injuries over time.

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And so for example, if your hip flexors are tight and your ankles lack mobility, your

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body might rely on your lower back more during a squat, increasing the risk of injury.

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And mobility drills that focus on opening up the hips and ankles, in this case, ensure

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that the glutes, hamstrings, and quads take the load properly.

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And so again, warm-ups can be those dynamic movements, even just doing bodyweight resistance

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for say a squat.

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It's going through the motions, getting your muscles primed.

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I've seen people who are struggling with pull-ups.

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It's just doing a scapular pull-up.

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Instead of doing the full motion, you're getting your lats actually engaged.

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You're waking them up, which that sounds a little hooky, but it does make a difference.

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You want to prime your muscles.

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And the last but not least reason would be improved movement patterns and technique.

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So good mobility leads to better movement patterns, which directly translates to improved

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strength training performance.

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Whether you're aiming for a full range of motion in a squat, deadlift, or overhead

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press, your ability to move through the entire exercise with correct technique depends on

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how mobile your joints are.

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And mobility warm-ups teach your body how to move efficiently.

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And by practicing controlled movements, you build awareness of how your body should feel

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during different parts of the lift.

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This not only improves your technique, but it also builds a neuromuscular connection,

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making it easier to maintain good form as the weights get heavier.

459
00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:26,000
Again, it's this mind-muscle connection where you want to feel the muscles you should be

460
00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:28,720
feeling during the exercise.

461
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:34,500
So for example, if I am doing a squat, but I'm feeling something weird going on with

462
00:30:34,500 --> 00:30:40,760
my shoulder or something, I don't know why I would, okay, I need to take the weight off.

463
00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:42,480
I need to go through the movement pattern.

464
00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:43,640
What's going on?

465
00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,720
That might be a case where if you have a mirror, it'll be watching.

466
00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:51,160
Or if you have a phone, which everybody does almost at this point, record yourself through

467
00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:55,960
the movement and see, okay, oh, I see what's going on here, right?

468
00:30:55,960 --> 00:31:02,400
So not everybody who films in the gym is being a weird gym influencer and trying to make

469
00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:03,840
fun of people, right?

470
00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,960
There's a time and a place to actually video your form and see what you're doing if you

471
00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:10,040
know what to look for.

472
00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:14,640
And so, yeah, those are all really great reasons.

473
00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:20,000
I am a big fan of at least getting the blood flowing, if nothing else.

474
00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:21,920
I never start lifting cold.

475
00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:26,520
I always like to do something where my heart rate's moving, where my blood is moving.

476
00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:30,960
It may just be body weight movements just to get some movement going.

477
00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:35,600
That way I am not going cold because I know from personal experience of going into an

478
00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:40,240
exercise cold, you're opening yourself up for injuries, right?

479
00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:47,320
So here I'm going to go through a potential mobility warmup for strength training.

480
00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:48,320
I do a lot.

481
00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:51,360
There's a lot of great articles, or not articles.

482
00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:56,240
I mean, there are, but videos is what I meant, on YouTube that kind of go through a 15 minute

483
00:31:56,240 --> 00:32:03,440
or 20 minute squat prep or squat mobility routine.

484
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:09,720
But this is just some suggestions I have for just in general good exercises to use to warm

485
00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:10,720
up.

486
00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,520
So the first, it should take 10 to 15 minutes.

487
00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:19,180
Your mobility, if it starts getting into the 30 or even 20 minutes, you're taking up way

488
00:32:19,180 --> 00:32:20,180
too much time.

489
00:32:20,180 --> 00:32:28,000
You can get a good workout in 45 minutes and you don't want your mobility work to be taking

490
00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:29,800
up the lion's share, right?

491
00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,040
We're here to lift if it's a lifting session, right?

492
00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:34,200
So 10 to 15 minutes max.

493
00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:40,400
So the first one I suggest are hip openers, which would be a 90, 90 hip stretch.

494
00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:44,800
And so you're going to sit with one leg in front of you at 90 degree angle and the other

495
00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,360
leg behind you also at 90 degrees.

496
00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:52,960
Keep your chest tall and you'll slowly rotate your body toward your front leg, then lean

497
00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:57,440
forward, keeping your back straight, hold for a second and then return to the upright

498
00:32:57,440 --> 00:32:59,980
position and you'll do it on each side.

499
00:32:59,980 --> 00:33:05,140
So as you're on one side, switch to the other side and you'll rotate back and forth.

500
00:33:05,140 --> 00:33:08,680
And this is going to be opening up your hips, which is going to be great for your squats

501
00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:09,680
and deadlifts.

502
00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:14,240
And it also improves your internal and hip external hip rotation, which is going to really

503
00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:19,720
help you getting into a deeper squat and reduce tension on the hip flexors.

504
00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:23,240
The next one you can do is the thoracic spine rotation.

505
00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:27,560
You could do 10 reps per side for just one set.

506
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:31,280
You would start with your hands and knees in a tabletop position.

507
00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:35,720
Place one hand behind your head and rotate your upper body, bringing your elbow toward

508
00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:40,560
the ceiling as you open your chest, hold for a second at the top and then return it to

509
00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:42,320
the starting position.

510
00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:46,960
This is again, just improving the mobility in the thoracic spine, which is going to be

511
00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,120
great for any upper body movement.

512
00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:53,720
Next would be a deep squat with a hip shift.

513
00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:57,560
You will stand with your feet, shoulder width apart and drop into a deep squat.

514
00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:01,000
Again, you want to keep your feet flat.

515
00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:07,220
So as you are reaching the bottom position, shift your weight from side to side by leaning

516
00:34:07,220 --> 00:34:13,280
into each hip and use your elbows to push your knees outward if needed.

517
00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:17,240
And this position is specifically preparing your hips and knees and ankles for deep squats,

518
00:34:17,240 --> 00:34:22,680
ensuring full range of motion and proper alignment during strength movements.

519
00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:23,880
Next would be scapular pushups.

520
00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:27,920
I've already mentioned these, but you would start in a plank position, keep your arms

521
00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:32,900
straight and pinch your shoulder blades together and then push them apart, allowing your upper

522
00:34:32,900 --> 00:34:35,220
back to round slightly.

523
00:34:35,220 --> 00:34:40,320
And this again is just helping you with your shoulder mobility and your scapular control,

524
00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:43,680
which is key for again, pressing movements.

525
00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:46,480
Next would be ankle dorsiflexion stretch.

526
00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:52,160
You will place one foot flat on the floor and step the other leg back into a lunge,

527
00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:57,320
keeping your front heel down, gently drive your knee forward over your toes as far as

528
00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:00,720
you can and then return to the starting position.

529
00:35:00,720 --> 00:35:05,520
And this is going to be improving your ankle mobility, which is great for anything like

530
00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:08,640
a squat or a deadlift.

531
00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:12,560
Next I kind of named it the world's greatest stretch.

532
00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:16,600
And so what you'll do is you're going to be stepping forward into a deep lunge with your

533
00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:22,400
right foot and place your left hand on the floor, rotate your right arm upward toward

534
00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:27,560
the ceiling, opening your chest and twisting your spine, return to the lunge position,

535
00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,000
and then you will repeat it on the other side.

536
00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:35,040
And this is a dynamic stretch because you're not holding it for a super long time and it's

537
00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:44,760
targeting your hips, hamstrings, your spine, which is priming your body for compound movements.

538
00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:52,760
So in general, your tips for mobility warmups, it's going to be three big things, dynamic,

539
00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:54,160
not static.

540
00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:59,620
Next will be progressive range of motion and focusing on problem areas.

541
00:35:59,620 --> 00:36:05,160
So with it being dynamic, not static, mobility warmups should focus on dynamic movements

542
00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:08,300
instead of static flexibility holds.

543
00:36:08,300 --> 00:36:12,080
This ensures that your muscles are activated and ready to perform rather than becoming

544
00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:16,360
overly relaxed, which can happen with long static stretches.

545
00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:19,400
The second thing was progressive range of motion.

546
00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:23,500
You want to start with smaller controlled movements and gradually increase the range

547
00:36:23,500 --> 00:36:25,800
of motion as your body warms up.

548
00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:30,080
This approach helps your joints and muscles gradually adapt to the demands of the strength

549
00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:32,320
training session.

550
00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:35,920
And last but not least, you're going to be focusing on problem areas.

551
00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:41,040
If you know you have limited mobility in a specific area like tight hips or stiff shoulders,

552
00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:46,920
spend extra time warming up those areas because ultimately you're tailoring your mobility

553
00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:51,840
routine to your specific needs and that's going to yield the best results.

554
00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:57,880
And also if you know you were having an upper compound day, your dynamic mobility work should

555
00:36:57,880 --> 00:37:02,000
focus on your upper, you know, upper body muscles, right?

556
00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:10,320
It makes no sense to, if you are doing chest to be warming up exclusively your legs, right?

557
00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:11,320
What are the muscles being worked?

558
00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:15,480
I mean, sure, your legs may be involved a little, but it's going to be your chest, your

559
00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:16,920
shoulders, all those things, right?

560
00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:19,880
It's not going to be your glutes mainly, right?

561
00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:24,600
You're going to be focusing on what you're actually going to be working, right?

562
00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:30,920
So I mean, that seems like a really no-da thing, but you, you know, I have found not

563
00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:34,520
to overestimate common sense.

564
00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:36,840
It is not so common.

565
00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:43,040
But yes, I've talked to a couple of people when it comes to knee mobility work.

566
00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:44,800
What do I do?

567
00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:49,480
What are some things that have worked for me?

568
00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:54,400
I don't like, I don't like doing free promos, but I will anyway.

569
00:37:54,400 --> 00:38:02,040
I have done a lot of the knees over toe guy stuff, which has been helpful, but not everyone

570
00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:08,620
has access to say a sled or, you know, a manual treadmill.

571
00:38:08,620 --> 00:38:14,400
But there are some things that I think we can all do together that are, you know, that

572
00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:16,000
are helpful for me.

573
00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:18,560
Yes, do I use a knee brace?

574
00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:19,560
Absolutely.

575
00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:24,440
I don't use it all the time, but if you're coming back from a pretty acute injury, first

576
00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:28,720
off, listen to your doctor and follow that plan that they give you.

577
00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:30,800
Do physical therapy, no duh.

578
00:38:30,800 --> 00:38:32,920
Follow the exercises they give you.

579
00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:39,080
But if you're years out and it's still just a nagging thing, you know, there's some things

580
00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:41,460
that you can do that's extra mobility work.

581
00:38:41,460 --> 00:38:44,040
And so, you know, I've had two knee surgeries.

582
00:38:44,040 --> 00:38:49,760
I have gone in and out of pain when they did the surgery for me.

583
00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:53,080
If you were to ever see my knee and say, hey, can I see your knee?

584
00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:56,160
I'd ask, okay, I don't know you, why are you asking to look at my knee?

585
00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:57,480
That's a little creepy.

586
00:38:57,480 --> 00:39:03,160
But you would see a big scar and it looks like they removed something crazy out of the,

587
00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:05,040
you know, the side of my knee.

588
00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:08,160
And it really did look like a tumor coming out of my knee.

589
00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:09,160
It was not though.

590
00:39:09,160 --> 00:39:13,080
It was just a wonderful little cyst, but they split nerves.

591
00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:16,560
And so every now and then that'll act up and, you know, there's only so much you can do

592
00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:17,560
for that.

593
00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:22,480
But yes, I do take my knee health very seriously.

594
00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:28,400
And so with that all in mind, here's a few exercises that I've used and I've suggested

595
00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,040
to other people.

596
00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:32,440
The first one are heel slides.

597
00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:40,200
And so you lie on your back with your legs extended and you will slowly slide one heel

598
00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:44,680
towards your glute, bending the knee as far as it can go.

599
00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:48,080
And then you'll straighten that knee leg back out.

600
00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:56,680
And so for added resistance or excuse me, for easier movement in that to make it smoother,

601
00:39:56,680 --> 00:40:03,920
you could use a towel or you could use socks on a hardwood floor, you know, just to make

602
00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:05,440
it where it's easier for you to move.

603
00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:07,620
Because this is not a weight bearing exercise, right?

604
00:40:07,620 --> 00:40:10,840
This is meant to be a movement.

605
00:40:10,840 --> 00:40:14,360
Some places have little rollers you can use.

606
00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:17,480
They'll have those slide discs that you can use.

607
00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:23,560
But I mean, nothing beats, in my opinion, some good old fuzzy socks and a hardwood floor.

608
00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:25,520
That moves the easiest to me.

609
00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:30,360
And the benefit of that is, you know, it's improving your knee flexion, making it a great

610
00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:32,160
warm up or rehab exercise.

611
00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:36,280
And it's ideal for those who are going to be recovering from knee or knee injuries or

612
00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:40,640
surgeries because it's going to be increasing and working that mobility with very minimal

613
00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:43,320
stress.

614
00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:48,040
The second one I've used is knee gaping with a band.

615
00:40:48,040 --> 00:40:53,220
And so you'll sit on the floor with one leg extended, loop a resistance band around the

616
00:40:53,220 --> 00:40:57,700
back of your knee and anchor it to a sturdy object behind you.

617
00:40:57,700 --> 00:41:03,140
And you'll gently pull your leg forward to create space in the joint and you'll hold

618
00:41:03,140 --> 00:41:06,960
for a few seconds and then relax.

619
00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:11,120
And so this technique is meant to help create space in the knee joint.

620
00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:16,600
Not so much that it's dislocating it, mind you, but it's promoting with that slight space,

621
00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:20,960
it's promoting improved synovial fluid movement and joint mobility.

622
00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:25,840
And this is again helpful if you have stiff knees or you've been really inactive for a

623
00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:26,840
long period of time.

624
00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:31,200
I don't use it that often, but it did when I was trying to get back into the swing of

625
00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:35,240
things or I did have a really painful bout, just my knee was hurting.

626
00:41:35,240 --> 00:41:37,440
It did help.

627
00:41:37,440 --> 00:41:43,380
The next one I've done and I've done a good deal is called a reverse Nordic curl.

628
00:41:43,380 --> 00:41:46,160
And so you'll kneel on the floor.

629
00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:51,280
Of course, if you've got pad knees, padding, padding, and again, padding, you'll kneel

630
00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:56,160
on the floor, you'll, excuse me, kneel on the floor with your body upright and hands

631
00:41:56,160 --> 00:41:57,160
at your sides.

632
00:41:57,160 --> 00:42:01,720
And you'll slowly lean backward, keeping your body straight from the knees to the shoulders

633
00:42:01,720 --> 00:42:04,660
until you feel a stretch in your quadriceps.

634
00:42:04,660 --> 00:42:08,080
And then you'll use your thighs and core to return to the starting position.

635
00:42:08,080 --> 00:42:12,760
Now if you cannot do that, I cannot do that unassisted.

636
00:42:12,760 --> 00:42:16,000
If you can, again, go off queen or king.

637
00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:19,680
I will use, I typically will do a resistance band.

638
00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:23,920
I'll wrap it around like a power rack or if you don't have a power rack to really anchor

639
00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:28,560
it, you could do one of those doorframe anchors, I suppose, or just something that is not going

640
00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:30,400
to move.

641
00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:33,760
And that'll kind of help give you assistance to come back up.

642
00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:39,180
So you again, kneeling straight, you're going back as far as you can controlled.

643
00:42:39,180 --> 00:42:43,680
And then you will use that resistance band to help you come up.

644
00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:47,520
If you don't have a resistance band, maybe a jujitsu belt might work.

645
00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:49,160
I've just not used that.

646
00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:53,200
But do what you can that is going to help you get out of the stretch.

647
00:42:53,200 --> 00:42:56,520
Because again, it is a bit of a strengthening exercise, right?

648
00:42:56,520 --> 00:43:01,560
I mean, it's a hard movement, but it also is a mobility work.

649
00:43:01,560 --> 00:43:03,480
And that has really helped my knees.

650
00:43:03,480 --> 00:43:06,600
I've added that this past year and that has really helped.

651
00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:11,760
But again, you pad your knees when you're doing this if it's really hurting.

652
00:43:11,760 --> 00:43:17,960
It's great for strengthening the quad while you're improving your knee flexion.

653
00:43:17,960 --> 00:43:18,960
It's great.

654
00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:20,840
It's developing strength and mobility in that knee joint.

655
00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:22,440
And it really does.

656
00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:24,320
I can tell a difference.

657
00:43:24,320 --> 00:43:27,360
Next, you have the couch stretch.

658
00:43:27,360 --> 00:43:31,760
And you will just start by kneeling on the floor with your back near a wall or a couch,

659
00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:32,760
as the name suggests.

660
00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:37,600
And you'll place one foot against the wall and your shin is vertical with the knee on

661
00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:38,600
the ground.

662
00:43:38,600 --> 00:43:42,560
You'll step the other foot forward into a lunge position and you'll lean your torso

663
00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:43,840
back slowly.

664
00:43:43,840 --> 00:43:50,400
Again, this should be opening up tight quadriceps, which can pull on the knee joint and hip flexors,

665
00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:53,080
which can also limit knee mobility.

666
00:43:53,080 --> 00:44:01,600
And so again, holding this for 30 to 60 seconds per side, it's a great, if you've got really

667
00:44:01,600 --> 00:44:04,880
tight quads, this is a really great one.

668
00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:07,880
Next would be a deep squat hold.

669
00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:09,520
We've talked about this a lot already.

670
00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:11,480
I've already talked about how to go through it.

671
00:44:11,480 --> 00:44:16,600
And it's fantastic for increasing just your knee flexion as well as your overall lower

672
00:44:16,600 --> 00:44:18,280
body mobility.

673
00:44:18,280 --> 00:44:23,200
If you were holding a deep squat, it's going to be stretching your hips, knees, and ankles

674
00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:28,880
and improving just the overall range of motion in your legs and your joints in your legs.

675
00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:34,600
Again, I will do it as just a really quick warm up of just the act, the process of bending

676
00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:36,880
down into the squat, getting up.

677
00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:40,000
So I make it a little bit more dynamic if I'm trying to do it.

678
00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:43,040
But as the name suggests, it's a hold.

679
00:44:43,040 --> 00:44:46,400
So do hold it for 30 to 60 seconds.

680
00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:50,240
But if you need to kind of rock back and forth, as I talked about earlier, you can do that

681
00:44:50,240 --> 00:44:53,040
as well.

682
00:44:53,040 --> 00:44:57,840
Next would be banded terminal knee extensions, or TKEs.

683
00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:02,800
You'll attach a resistance band to a stationary object and loop it around the back of one

684
00:45:02,800 --> 00:45:03,880
knee.

685
00:45:03,880 --> 00:45:10,120
You'll step back to create some tension in the band and slowly straighten your knee,

686
00:45:10,120 --> 00:45:12,880
extending it fully and locking out the joint.

687
00:45:12,880 --> 00:45:17,120
And then you'll return it to a slightly bent position.

688
00:45:17,120 --> 00:45:22,240
So this is two to three sets, 15 to 20 reps per leg.

689
00:45:22,240 --> 00:45:28,180
And TKEs will strengthen the quadriceps while also improving the ability to fully extend

690
00:45:28,180 --> 00:45:29,680
the knee.

691
00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:36,680
And this exercise helps prevent knee instability and enhances mobility by working active knee

692
00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:40,160
extension.

693
00:45:40,160 --> 00:45:46,000
Next would be half kneeling ankle dorsiflexion, or the knee to wall stretch.

694
00:45:46,000 --> 00:45:51,040
You'll start in a half kneeling position where your foot is about four inches from a wall.

695
00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:55,580
And you'll keep your front heel on the ground and slowly drive your knee forward, trying

696
00:45:55,580 --> 00:46:01,000
to touch the wall with your knee, ensuring your knee tracks over your toes and doesn't

697
00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:03,240
collapse inwards.

698
00:46:03,240 --> 00:46:05,240
So again, it's a controlled movement.

699
00:46:05,240 --> 00:46:08,100
We're not being loosey goosey with the knee.

700
00:46:08,100 --> 00:46:13,240
It is very controlled going straight over our toes.

701
00:46:13,240 --> 00:46:18,200
And this is improving your ankle mobility, which is directly affecting knee function.

702
00:46:18,200 --> 00:46:22,720
And so better ankle dorsiflexion allows the knee to move more freely, especially during

703
00:46:22,720 --> 00:46:27,760
things like squats or lunges or any kind of jujitsu movement that's going to involve you

704
00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:30,700
leaning or going down.

705
00:46:30,700 --> 00:46:36,440
So there's four things I would suggest just in addition to those suggestions for improving

706
00:46:36,440 --> 00:46:38,080
your knee mobility.

707
00:46:38,080 --> 00:46:42,400
It is a battle I fight constantly, right?

708
00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:45,520
I am not perfect in it.

709
00:46:45,520 --> 00:46:48,440
If you are, again, go off Queen or King.

710
00:46:48,440 --> 00:46:50,640
But there are four things I'll talk about.

711
00:46:50,640 --> 00:46:53,640
First, consistency is key.

712
00:46:53,640 --> 00:46:58,840
So you want to be regularly incorporating these exercises into your routine, ideally

713
00:46:58,840 --> 00:47:00,720
three to four times a week.

714
00:47:00,720 --> 00:47:02,920
And that's going to give you the best result.

715
00:47:02,920 --> 00:47:07,600
Try mixing in different mobility drills to keep your systems varied and effective.

716
00:47:07,600 --> 00:47:12,600
Don't try to do too much too soon, but just be consistent.

717
00:47:12,600 --> 00:47:15,480
We make small gradual progress.

718
00:47:15,480 --> 00:47:21,560
If you want to look up new or different knee mobility exercises, there's a lot on YouTube

719
00:47:21,560 --> 00:47:23,040
I know.

720
00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:26,780
The Knees Over Toes guy, he's got a book out there.

721
00:47:26,780 --> 00:47:31,080
You can incorporate those if you have access to sleds and those sorts of things.

722
00:47:31,080 --> 00:47:32,080
Those are great.

723
00:47:32,080 --> 00:47:34,520
Backward sled pulls are great.

724
00:47:34,520 --> 00:47:38,200
But whatever you're doing, you want to be consistent.

725
00:47:38,200 --> 00:47:41,300
It's like in jujitsu, it's time on the mat.

726
00:47:41,300 --> 00:47:46,440
With mobility work, it's time doing the work, right?

727
00:47:46,440 --> 00:47:48,960
Second would be focus on controlled movements.

728
00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:53,500
Again, I've stressed this earlier, but whether you're performing dynamic or static mobility

729
00:47:53,500 --> 00:47:59,800
work for your knee, focus on control and precision to improve neuromuscular coordination, right?

730
00:47:59,800 --> 00:48:05,600
The goal is to get your knee, or any joint for that matter, to move through a full range

731
00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:08,400
of motion while maintaining control.

732
00:48:08,400 --> 00:48:14,240
Additionally, third, you want to work on your hip and ankle mobility because the knee often

733
00:48:14,240 --> 00:48:19,860
will compensate for a lack of mobility in the hips and ankles, right?

734
00:48:19,860 --> 00:48:24,960
By addressing mobility in these areas, you'll indirectly improve knee function and range

735
00:48:24,960 --> 00:48:26,280
of motion, right?

736
00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:29,480
You want to work the entire chain.

737
00:48:29,480 --> 00:48:37,280
If I am having an issue with my ankle, that could easily translate to an issue with my

738
00:48:37,280 --> 00:48:39,280
knee because things are not working right.

739
00:48:39,280 --> 00:48:43,560
I'm off balance, I'm off center, out of alignment.

740
00:48:43,560 --> 00:48:44,960
Your body compensates.

741
00:48:44,960 --> 00:48:50,040
It's just natural for biological systems to compensate for weakness, right?

742
00:48:50,040 --> 00:48:53,760
When it's compensating, it's doing something it's not really programmed or designed to

743
00:48:53,760 --> 00:48:56,000
do, right?

744
00:48:56,000 --> 00:48:57,420
Look at the entire system.

745
00:48:57,420 --> 00:49:01,800
Go through the range of motion for the entire leg and add in very specific things for those

746
00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:02,800
knees.

747
00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:07,600
Of course, warm up thoroughly.

748
00:49:07,600 --> 00:49:11,280
Make sure your knees are properly warmed up before engaging in those intense strength

749
00:49:11,280 --> 00:49:14,520
sessions or jujitsu classes and rolls.

750
00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:20,400
A solid mobility routine just in general as a warm up will reduce the risk of energy and

751
00:49:20,400 --> 00:49:24,680
injury and enhance your performance.

752
00:49:24,680 --> 00:49:27,040
That's what I typically do for my knees.

753
00:49:27,040 --> 00:49:32,280
Of course, there are supplements you can take like glucosamine and there's therapies you

754
00:49:32,280 --> 00:49:35,840
can do as far as icing, heat therapy.

755
00:49:35,840 --> 00:49:39,240
There's all sorts of things you can do, but as far as mobility work, that's what I will

756
00:49:39,240 --> 00:49:41,040
typically do.

757
00:49:41,040 --> 00:49:46,760
Again, there's other things out there if you want to try them that have and do help people

758
00:49:46,760 --> 00:49:50,000
with bad knees.

759
00:49:50,000 --> 00:49:56,600
I also suggest getting a good knee brace to wear during jujitsu.

760
00:49:56,600 --> 00:49:59,640
I've just recently worn the Anaconda one.

761
00:49:59,640 --> 00:50:00,640
That's been good.

762
00:50:00,640 --> 00:50:01,640
That's been good.

763
00:50:01,640 --> 00:50:04,960
I've used the Don Joy ones as well.

764
00:50:04,960 --> 00:50:08,320
Depending on the state of your knees, depends on the kind of level of brace you're going

765
00:50:08,320 --> 00:50:10,160
to need.

766
00:50:10,160 --> 00:50:16,560
Just sometimes keeping that joint compressed has helped me and has prevented worse injuries

767
00:50:16,560 --> 00:50:18,640
from happening because I'm hyper aware.

768
00:50:18,640 --> 00:50:22,800
It may just be psychosomatic, but I'm hyper aware of that joint because of the pressure

769
00:50:22,800 --> 00:50:23,800
on it.

770
00:50:23,800 --> 00:50:26,320
Does that make sense?

771
00:50:26,320 --> 00:50:32,840
I very much encourage investing in a good knee brace, if nothing else, just so that

772
00:50:32,840 --> 00:50:35,040
you're keeping that joint warm in jujitsu.

773
00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:42,400
Yeah, it's a bit of a hassle, but it's a hassle I think worth going through.

774
00:50:42,400 --> 00:50:46,720
You may be asking, Sarah, didn't you mention you were going to talk about yoga?

775
00:50:46,720 --> 00:50:48,080
Yes, I did.

776
00:50:48,080 --> 00:50:55,240
I'm going to quickly wrap up with my thoughts on yoga.

777
00:50:55,240 --> 00:50:56,600
Yoga is great.

778
00:50:56,600 --> 00:51:01,760
Yoga can be an incredibly valuable tool for jujitsu practitioners, offering benefits that

779
00:51:01,760 --> 00:51:05,320
extend far beyond just flexibility.

780
00:51:05,320 --> 00:51:09,040
By integrating yoga into your routine, you're not only improving your range of motion, but

781
00:51:09,040 --> 00:51:14,400
you're also enhancing your overall performance and longevity on the mats.

782
00:51:14,400 --> 00:51:19,240
One of the most obvious benefits of yoga is increased flexibility.

783
00:51:19,240 --> 00:51:24,320
Of course, we've talked about how it's really good in jujitsu to have a good range of motion

784
00:51:24,320 --> 00:51:28,080
in your hips, shoulders, spine.

785
00:51:28,080 --> 00:51:32,640
Whether it's trying to throw up a triangle choke, transitioning between another submission,

786
00:51:32,640 --> 00:51:37,800
or escaping from a bad position, flexibility allows your body to move freely and with less

787
00:51:37,800 --> 00:51:38,800
resistance.

788
00:51:38,800 --> 00:51:44,400
Yoga helps to stretch and lengthen tight muscles, making it easier to fold and twist and bend

789
00:51:44,400 --> 00:51:48,600
your body into positions you need to succeed on the mats.

790
00:51:48,600 --> 00:51:55,560
For example, yoga poses like downward facing dog and the pigeon pose work wonders for opening

791
00:51:55,560 --> 00:52:03,800
up your hamstrings, hips, which both are key areas for guard retention and submissions.

792
00:52:03,800 --> 00:52:08,440
While flexibility is about stretching your muscles, mobility focuses on the joints' ability

793
00:52:08,440 --> 00:52:11,680
to move through the full range of motion with control.

794
00:52:11,680 --> 00:52:13,520
Yoga does help with both.

795
00:52:13,520 --> 00:52:18,080
Dynamic yoga poses strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints, improving stability

796
00:52:18,080 --> 00:52:21,560
and allowing for better control in challenging positions.

797
00:52:21,560 --> 00:52:27,200
For instance, in jujitsu, your knees, hips, and shoulders endure a lot of stress, whether

798
00:52:27,200 --> 00:52:31,640
you're being stacked in guard or escaping from side control.

799
00:52:31,640 --> 00:52:36,720
Yoga improves the health and function of these joints, keeping them strong and mobile.

800
00:52:36,720 --> 00:52:42,200
Poses like the low lunge and eagle arms target hips and shoulder mobility, reducing stiffness

801
00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:46,800
and allowing for better positioning during rolls.

802
00:52:46,800 --> 00:52:51,360
To get the most out of yoga, consider using it in your routine in a way that complements

803
00:52:51,360 --> 00:52:52,360
your training.

804
00:52:52,360 --> 00:52:57,580
A couple of approaches I might suggest is a morning stretch routine.

805
00:52:57,580 --> 00:53:03,240
Use yoga as a daily mobility session to wake up your body and keep your joints moving freely.

806
00:53:03,240 --> 00:53:06,720
You can even do it as an evening cool down.

807
00:53:06,720 --> 00:53:08,080
I've done that before.

808
00:53:08,080 --> 00:53:13,960
That helps relax my muscles, relaxes my mind, gets me de-stressed, helps prime me.

809
00:53:13,960 --> 00:53:18,080
I don't do it that often because usually I'm so tired at the end of the day.

810
00:53:18,080 --> 00:53:22,520
You could use it as a post-training cool down because after a tough rolling session, you

811
00:53:22,520 --> 00:53:27,600
could spend 10 to 15 minutes just practicing yoga poses to stretch out tight muscles, which

812
00:53:27,600 --> 00:53:30,040
is going to aid in your recovery.

813
00:53:30,040 --> 00:53:34,200
And last, you could just have a straight up dedicated yoga session.

814
00:53:34,200 --> 00:53:38,900
You could set aside one or two days per week to focus on a full yoga session that works

815
00:53:38,900 --> 00:53:42,700
both your mobility and your mental focus.

816
00:53:42,700 --> 00:53:45,600
I have tried yoga in the past.

817
00:53:45,600 --> 00:53:52,320
It's worked well for me, but the odd thing is that my joints do separate under pressure.

818
00:53:52,320 --> 00:53:53,760
That's not great for my knee.

819
00:53:53,760 --> 00:53:56,040
So I've not done that.

820
00:53:56,040 --> 00:54:00,000
But I know people who have used yoga and it's worked wonders for them.

821
00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:05,280
I use yoga positions and poses in deep static holds.

822
00:54:05,280 --> 00:54:10,500
So kind of more like a yin yoga thing, just not putting any weight bearing on my knees.

823
00:54:10,500 --> 00:54:11,820
And that works great.

824
00:54:11,820 --> 00:54:17,800
So you can use yoga in a lot of different ways to aid in your jujitsu.

825
00:54:17,800 --> 00:54:21,520
If you want yoga to be your active recovery day, do it.

826
00:54:21,520 --> 00:54:28,160
They do have, there's some yoga classes that are very, very challenging and will still

827
00:54:28,160 --> 00:54:31,160
be helping your cardio like if you do hot yoga.

828
00:54:31,160 --> 00:54:33,600
Yeah, that's going to work your cardio.

829
00:54:33,600 --> 00:54:35,820
You're going to get a sweat and that's going to be good.

830
00:54:35,820 --> 00:54:39,080
So yeah, there's all different kinds of yoga.

831
00:54:39,080 --> 00:54:40,080
I am not a yogi.

832
00:54:40,080 --> 00:54:41,080
I don't know everything about it.

833
00:54:41,080 --> 00:54:44,000
I just know some of the stretches I like and I do them.

834
00:54:44,000 --> 00:54:48,880
So if you have access to yoga in your area, go and do it.

835
00:54:48,880 --> 00:54:54,060
And there's also online classes I think you can have or be a part of.

836
00:54:54,060 --> 00:54:55,900
There's also apps that you can do.

837
00:54:55,900 --> 00:55:03,120
So I use an app sometimes, but you can really use yoga very beneficially.

838
00:55:03,120 --> 00:55:08,260
And so I think if you combine yoga with your jujitsu practice, you'll not only see improvements

839
00:55:08,260 --> 00:55:13,400
in your physical abilities, but also experience greater mental clarity and relaxation on the

840
00:55:13,400 --> 00:55:14,400
mats.

841
00:55:14,400 --> 00:55:19,000
And this is a well-rounded approach to training and it can help you become more fluid, efficient

842
00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:23,320
and a balanced jujitsu practitioner.

843
00:55:23,320 --> 00:55:28,020
So all that being said, I had several notes to get through.

844
00:55:28,020 --> 00:55:35,240
But as we wrap up today's episode on flexibility and mobility, let's reflect on the key takeaways

845
00:55:35,240 --> 00:55:36,760
of what we went through.

846
00:55:36,760 --> 00:55:42,080
So we started by highlighting the importance of flexibility and mobility, not just as add-ons,

847
00:55:42,080 --> 00:55:46,720
but as foundational elements to keep you fluid, resilient and injury-free.

848
00:55:46,720 --> 00:55:52,440
Mobility enhances your ability to move through a full range of motion, while flexibility

849
00:55:52,440 --> 00:55:57,320
gives you the freedom to perform complex movements like guard retention, transitions and escapes

850
00:55:57,320 --> 00:55:58,800
with greater ease.

851
00:55:58,800 --> 00:56:02,360
These are essential qualities that complement your strength and conditioning, allowing you

852
00:56:02,360 --> 00:56:06,120
to perform techniques more efficiently and with greater control.

853
00:56:06,120 --> 00:56:22,180
One of the biggest takeaways that flexibility and mobility are key to injury prevention.

854
00:56:22,180 --> 00:56:28,580
By incorporating daily mobility routines such as hip and shoulder CARs and weekly flexibility

855
00:56:28,580 --> 00:56:33,200
sets stretches like the pigeon pose and the butterfly stretch, you can safeguard your

856
00:56:33,200 --> 00:56:36,960
body against the wear and tear that jujitsu inevitably brings.

857
00:56:36,960 --> 00:56:42,600
Remember, a flexible body is less likely to break under pressure, and mobility adds that

858
00:56:42,600 --> 00:56:47,280
extra layer of protection by stabilizing your joints and muscles during intense rolls and

859
00:56:47,280 --> 00:56:49,080
scrambles.

860
00:56:49,080 --> 00:56:53,760
Another highlight is the connection between flexibility, breathing and relaxation.

861
00:56:53,760 --> 00:57:02,760
When you're flexible, not only do you move better, but you also stay calmer under pressure.

862
00:57:02,760 --> 00:57:07,640
More breathing during flexibility work ensures that you conserve energy and maintain focus,

863
00:57:07,640 --> 00:57:10,680
even in the most difficult positions on the mat.

864
00:57:10,680 --> 00:57:13,760
So, now it's time for action.

865
00:57:13,760 --> 00:57:18,100
I encourage you to incorporate the mobility and flexibility routines we've discussed into

866
00:57:18,100 --> 00:57:21,240
your daily or weekly training regimen.

867
00:57:21,240 --> 00:57:25,320
Whether you're rolling on the mat or hitting the weights, warming up with mobility drills

868
00:57:25,320 --> 00:57:31,480
will ensure you're not only performing at your best, but also staying injury-free.

869
00:57:31,480 --> 00:57:35,360
Energy is key, so make this a regular part of your practice.

870
00:57:35,360 --> 00:57:42,680
By doing so, you'll unlock new levels of movement, control and longevity in your jujitsu journey.

871
00:57:42,680 --> 00:57:44,260
Thanks for listening today.

872
00:57:44,260 --> 00:57:48,520
If you found this episode helpful, be sure to subscribe and share it with someone who

873
00:57:48,520 --> 00:57:49,520
might benefit.

874
00:57:49,520 --> 00:57:55,240
And as always, keep striving to be your best, both on and off the mats.

875
00:57:55,240 --> 00:57:56,240
See you next time.

876
00:57:56,240 --> 00:57:57,240
Bye guys.

877
00:57:57,240 --> 00:58:01,840
Thanks for watching.