Mobility Test for Better Squats, Faster Runs, & A Strong Body
If you want to run faster, get lower squats, and ultimately have a strong body, then you need to do a mobility test! Mobility is the key to healthy movement.
This simple mobility assessment is a great check-in. Examining these areas of the body offers important insight into what’s happening inside.
For example, if your upper back is restricted, it might be related to what’s happening at the low back and the shoulders, or even the neck. That’s why it’s important to start doing some assessments so you know what your body specifically needs down the road.
Follow along with the video below or read on for more!
(This video was sponsored by Fabletics! I’m always asked where I get my workout clothes and I truly do love this brand. The quality of their athletic gear is amazing- I feel good AND supported in it which is really important. When you sign-up for their VIP program you get two pairs of leggings for $24. That’s pretty much the best deal ever!)
This mobility assessment includes the shoulders, the upper back, hips, and ankles. These are the main places I like to guide people to focus on when we’re just getting started. Keep in mind that I have a whole assessment in my program The Mobility Method, so if you’re interested in further optimizing your body and physical ability be sure to check it out!
What is a mobility test?
First of all, what is mobility??
Mobility = Ability of a joint (or series of joints) to move through its full range of motion
Range of motion = degree of rotation available at a joint
Flexibility = ability of a muscle to stretch temporarily when needed
Mobility is the foundation not only to moving through your daily life and activities but building strength and endurance in your workouts as well. Mobility is important because you need some degree of mobility to perform basic functions and movements throughout the day. If you have poor mobility, your body does things to compensate for that lack of motion in the joint and you can end up with pain or injury.
Flexibility can be a component of mobility because you may need your muscles to stretch so you can move through a full range of motion. But mobility and flexibility technically aren’t the same thing.
A mobility test reveals your mobility in each joint so you can pinpoint where your imbalances are and apply your mobility efforts there.
Why testing your mobility is important
It’s a great idea to do these tests regularly because it increases your body awareness. Your body is so unique and that’s why it’s crucial to keep learning as you grow in your physical practice. You need to know what you need for your unique body.
Shoulder Mobility Test
Lie on the ground with your elbows out at about 90 degrees. This is a fairly functional position that most people are able to get into without too much restriction. The purpose of this assessment is to check the internal and external rotation. We’re inquiring how deep does the mobility go within this joint? Is my capsule moving okay?
With my elbows out at 90 degrees, I’m going to drop my arms back and check how my external rotation is going. Find out how far back you can release your arms without having to compensate rotation by popping the ribcage or chest up and off the floor.
This is a passive range of motion so there’s no effort required here. If the floor wasn’t there to stop you it could feel like your arms would just keep going back.
Now, internal rotation. Ideally, we want to see about 70-80 degrees of internal rotation. To check the internal rotation in the shoulders, lift your arms back to 90-degrees, elbows maintaining a connection to the ground with palms lifted. Passively release your arms forward, dropping them down towards the ground.
If I do this internal rotation shoulder evaluation I notice that my left arm drops further than my right. Yup, I have mobility restrictions, too!
Here’s the deal, a lot of people will cheat on this one by allowing the elbows to come down towards your hips or their shoulders will lift off the floor. Understand that the shoulder is part of the bond socket. So when the shoulder lifts you’re really not finding out your true range of mobility. No cheating!
When testing our internal range of motion our goal is 70 to 80 degrees. Mine (in the right shoulder) is about 50 to 60 degrees.
We want to work towards a full range of motion in our shoulders because, without it, that’s where we can start finding limitations when we try to reach above or behind ourselves. We’re so used to having this range of ability that we don’t even think about it- but it’s important that we start thinking about it and working towards optimal mobility while we’re able! Remember that it’s not just about muscles but it goes even deeper into the joints.
Upper Back Mobility Test
Let’s check mobility in the upper back. Here we’ll be focusing on rotation.
Come into a child’s pose position because that’s going to softly lock-out the low back.
Place your elbows right in front of you (a few inches away from the knees). Place one hand behind the head and rotate your chest up to the ceiling as much as possible. Try not to cheat here by rocking the hips out to the side to compensate! Then come back down and try on the other side.
Here, we’re examining if one side of the body feels more open than the other. We’re paying attention to times when we feel like we need to compensate by lifting up onto our knees or twisting from the hips. What we’ll begin to notice is small indications of imbalance. So if you’re able to lift higher on the right side then your left side is tighter and needs some attention. Just a small, simple self-assessment can be super helpful!
This is a great opportunity to start recognizing how the body works together, right? For example, When I tried this assessment I noticed that I’m more restricted on my right side with the upper-back rotation and I was also more restricted on my right side with shoulder internal rotation. These are all little clues to start piecing together a holistic view of what’s going on within the body, and you can see how it all works together.
Hip Mobility Test
This is one of my favorites because it can be so telling when it comes to low back pain.
Come into a 90/90/90 position. Make 90-degrees with the front leg and 90-degrees with the back leg, leaving 90-degrees of space within the middle. We’re not stretching here, just observing. Notice what happens. If your front knee begins to pop up this tells you that you have some tightness and restriction in that hip’s external range of motion. If the knee comes down in this position then you probably don’t have any restriction in that external range of motion.
Now, if you come into this 90/90/90 seated position and notice that your bottom isn’t staying connected with the ground and you find yourself leaning away from the position, then that would indicate that you have internal hip restriction.
Then check the other side by flipping the position (facing the other way and changing the leading leg) and come back into the 90/90/90 degree seat. Whichever leg is in the front is the hip you’re assessing. When I get to my right leg I notice that my knee meets the floor with much more ease, indicating that I don’t have as much restriction in my right hip. There will likely be differences between each side!
Ankle Mobility Test
For this test grab a chair if you have one with a straight (or straight enough) leg. If that’s not available you can use the wall.
Place your foot four to five inches away from the chair (and hey, no cheating! Find a true four to five inches away from your prop.) Now, try to bring your knee to touch the chair without lifting your heel off the ground. If you can’t touch move an inch closer. Keep trying this until you discover a distance that allows you to keep your entire foot on the ground and touch your knee to the prop. If it’s any less than four to five inches then you’re limited in that ankle range of motion.
Be careful of your hip rotating out to the side when you’re trying this. If the hip is rotating you’re actually placing the focus on the outside of your toe which is not a measurement of the functional range.
Why does this matter? Because when you’re stretching in yoga or doing a squat you don’t want your knee to be caving in towards your centerline. So when you’re doing this test of mobility always make sure the knee is going directly over the toes!
Next steps for improved mobility
Do you want to continue learning about mobility in all areas of your body? Try my FREE 7-day mobility challenge!
Continuing to understand all of your body will help you discover the best exercises for you and will provide an access point to opening up, releasing those restrictions, and relieve your pain. Remember– it’s not just about that single pain point. It’s about everything that’s happening within the body!
Get an inside look at your mobility needs so you can start paving your way to total physical freedom!
Learn more about the free Create Your Flow Mobility Challenge
