Mobility vs Flexibility - What's the Difference?

By Justin Haslam, LMT, CSC

Mobility vs. Flexibility – How they can be different, yet they need each other.

Almost every day I hear someone say, “I need to do more stretching to improve my mobility” or “I need better flexibility, so I don’t feel tight” and then proceed to do a static stretch for 10-15 seconds. While there is some great intent in those statements, I’ve come to realize there is a lot of misinformation about mobility, flexibility, and how to train those qualities into your body.

Mobility ≠ Flexibility and Flexibility ≠ Mobility

It’s true, they are not the same and even though they go together like peanut butter and jelly, we must recognize their differences.

·        Mobility is your ability to move a joint in your body through a range of motion (ROM) with control. That control, aka stability, comes from strength in the surrounding muscles and creates structural balance in the joint.

·        Flexibility is a muscle, tendon, or other connective tissue’s ability to elongate through a Range of motion (ROM). Typically, an increase in the ability to elongate or elasticity often is temporary due to lack of stability in the new range.

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Mobility and Flexibility improvements need to happen simultaneously to have a lasting impact on the body. I know that’s a bold statement and as with everything there are always gray areas, but for a general rule of thumb, it’s true.

Hypothetically, I want to be able to bend over and touch the ground. I’ve identified that my hamstrings are tight. If I just stretch and improve my hamstring flexibility, I will not have any control in the new ROM.  My body will recognize that it has no control and will go back to where it does to avoid injury. So, all that stretching I just did was for not.

In that same situation, if I would improve my hip mobility at the same time, my body would more readily accept the increase in flexibility, and I would see my hands getting closer to the ground in my toe touch. Keep in mind the body will prioritize joint stability/control over flexibility.

Training Better Together

Now comes the fun part, training. Please note, seeking professional help will save you a lot of potential pain and misery when it comes to mobility and flexibility exercise programing.

 Now that we know Mobility refers to the joint stability and Flexibility refers to muscle elasticity, let me explain how you can train them both at the same time. In fact, you probably already are and didn’t even know it.

Loaded full Range of motion exercises are the best way to train both qualities at the same time. Let’s refer to the above hypothetical, trying to bend over and touch my hands to the ground. My go to exercises to improve my hamstring flexibility and hip mobility is the Single Leg Romanian Deadlift. This exercise allows for a loaded stretch while having the other muscles in my hip active, which promotes structural balance.

There are many other exercises like this to improve other typically “tight” areas. You can improve bending at your knees by using exercises like deep bodyweight squats, quad leans, and split squats. Improve getting your arms over head by using exercises like prone T’s, Y’s and single arm lat pull-downs.

There are so many great exercises that will help with tightness better that just a static stretch.

Remember mobility and flexibility are like peanut butter and jelly and are best improved together.