One of the biggest mistakes people make with exercise is neglecting to correct areas of the body lacking mobility. Aggressive physical training cannot change fundamental mobility and stability problems at an effective rate without also introducing a degree of compensation and increased risk of injury. It is impossible to develop strength to your full potential if poor mobility of joints is present. This is why mobility restrictions are the first thing I look during an assessment with a new client and is the main focus in the the initial stages of the program. However, not all people will need to improve mobility for some people may in fact have too much! These people are referred to as hypermobile and there problem is excessive mobility that compromises stability of the joints. In this case they require more stability and strength based exercises to correctly stabilize their joints. The only way to find out this vital information is to complete a thorough mobility assessment to identify areas of concern before you get into the more complex stability and movement assessments that are easily compromised by mobility dysfunctions. In this article I will show you how to complete a basic mobility assessment by yourself to help determine exactly what areas of the body you will need to improve your mobility.

One of the most difficult forms of muscle imbalance to correct is the lateral pelvic tilt which is often associated with a leg length discrepancy. When the pelvis is not maintained in a square and level position the body compensates by shifting the hip of the supporting leg out to the side, rotating the lower limb inwards,  forcing the opposing side of the shoulder to collapse. The body will be always want to maintain an erect head position with eyes level and will sacrifice anything in order to achieve this. This is often where many people are diagnosed as having one leg longer than the other (leg length discrepancy), as this is what appears to be the case upon examination of their posture. However, in most cases the bones of the legs are the same length and it is the muscular imbalance at the hips creating the appearance of one leg being longer than the other. Apart from the immediate problems felt at the hips and loss of function with walking and running, this poor pelvic position places tremendous pressure on the spine, and can lead to development of scoliosis and even shoulder pain. Failure to correct this condition will eventually lead to a lifetime of chronic pain that severely impacts daily activities. In this article we will take a look at what causes this problem and the exercises you can use to prevent or correct this condition.

One area of the body that attracts a great deal of attention with strength training exercises is the anterior core, otherwise known as the abdominal muscles. The “go-to” exercise for most people to use is the plank as it places enormous tension to the abdominal region the longer you hold the position. As a result people are drawn to this exercise to let their abs “feel the burn” in the belief it is making their core stronger. Unfortunately, the abdominal stabilizers were never designed to work like this and the strength gains people think they have made do very little to influence how the core truly works. While the exercise may not cause them any direct harm, it creates the illusion that they have incredible core stability when in reality it is far from that. There are so many ways to strengthen the abdominal muscles that are more effective than the plank enabling you to move with perfect stability and strength. In this article I will explain what the true purpose of the core is, and seven of my preferred exercises for the anterior core.