If you were out for a run and decided to meet that person out on the ice, how would you make your approach? Personally, I would slow down. My running would reduce to a shuffle as I worked my way onto the ice.

Why?

My past experiences inform me that ice is slippery and could destabilize my footing, resulting in a fall. So I reign myself in by reducing my range of motion from running to shuffling. By keeping my legs underneath me (in a shuffle), I increase my chances of staying upright on the ice; thanks to the additional stability that shuffling has provided me.

Mobility Follows Stability

Chronic tightness (a loss of mobility) could be making up for a lack of stability elsewhere in the body. Following that logic, it’s easy to see that a daily routine of passive stretching won’t yield long-term results.

To increase mobility, speak to your nervous system. Once your nervous system trusts that you know how to manage these new ranges of motion (aka safe from falling), mobility will be granted.

Think of a sailboat. First, you tighten the sail (stability), then the wind will catch the sail and move the boat (mobility).

Something must stay still to allow for something else to move. The stillness (stability) allows for freedom of movement (mobility). When these two work together, force production (power and speed in movement) can be trained.

This approach is how we speak to the nervous system and build lasting results long-term.