FLEXIBILITY VS. MOBILITY

I get this question a lot. What's the difference between flexibility and mobility?

Long story short, it comes down to whether we're talking about soft tissues or joints.

FLEXIBILITY IS ABOUT SOFT TISSUE

When we work on flexibility, we're generally trying to lengthen muscles and smooth out the movement of ligaments and tendons.

MOBILITY IS ABOUT JOINTS

When we work on mobility, we're talking about joints. Shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles, for the most part. And the two need different approaches.

Just doing a lot of stretching won't improve joint mobility, though it can lengthen and loosen tight muscles. And exploring deeper ranges of motion might help your joints move better, but it won't make your muscles longer or more flexible.

So which is better? Both. We move and feel better with longer, stronger, more flexible soft tissue and more mobile joints. They go hand in hand.

Don't pick one. Build both into your training and your body will reward you for it.