High knees and the odd leg swing won’t cut it. If you want to train harder but hurt a lot less afterwards, getting to grips with the new wave of mobility training is your MH prescription. For HIIT-proof joints, read on.
TAKE STOCK
A source of amino acids and healthy fats, bone broth can help alleviate joint pain. Arginine, found in bone’s gelatine, supports the production of collagen. It might be what your better half uses to erase signs of wrinkles, but natural collagen is a protein forming the basis of cartilage. The remains of your Sunday roast should get you through a week of training.
GET IN GEAR
Hours of pavement pounding leave your joints in tatters. Rotating your hips through their range of motion can remodel connective tissues, effectively lubricating the joint. Lie back with a resistance band around your waist, hooked over one foot with your leg straight in the air. Turn your foot to each side to open and close the joint. Think of it as WD-40 for men.
BACK UP A BIT
Desk jockeys should condition their joints just as much as gym regulars, if only to alleviate the grind of work. To preserve your spine, reach one arm overhead behind your back and grasp your elbow with the other. The contraction will loosen muscles tightened by hours of poor posture.
JOINT EFFORT
Research from the University of Sydney found that static stretching has no effect on muscle soreness after exercise. Functional range conditioning, though, safeguards joints against future injury. Take your shoulders: controlled rotations with your arm outstretched condition the joint’s range, instead of just stretching the muscle. Join the revolution!
HOLD UP
If you insist on stretching, at least make the most of a static approach: hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds, suggests the American College of Sports Medicine, or 45 for injury rehab.
OUTER-RANGE CONTROL
Insta-yogis aside, you needn’t worry about flexibility. Mobility, however, concerns the usable motion of a joint. The key to developing this is to take each joint to its outer range without leaning into the movement. You’ll be fully mobile in no time.
FUTURE TENSE
Back twingeing at the thought of breaking out of a walk? You’re not alone: 80 per cent of us experience back pain at some point, according to arthritis researchers. Here’s your daily fix: squeeze your glutes and core as you stoop your chest over your pelvis. Slowly rotate clockwise; change direction.
Ollie Frost is a top mobility specialist and PT at Reach Fitness. Frost has the advice you need to train at your peak – and stay there.
