When we talk about stablilty we think strong, worthy, dependable. But what happens if we loose some stability or worse, don’t have any at all?
In life there is balance that naturally occurs; a sort of Yin/Yang effect or what some of us may know as Newton’s Third Law of Motion: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reation.” If you take time to think about it, there are probably several examples you can think of from your own life experience. But today let us relate this cause and effect to stability and mobility.
For example, without stability in an interpersonal relationship: communication, trust, dependability, there can be uncertain mobility: confusion, distrust, insecurity about where to go next in the relationship, which can lead to a bitter end.
Or maybe you just had your tires replaced on your car but they forgot to do the alignment. Now the car is unstable, which causes a mobility issue.
Very similar to relationships and cars, stability and mobility in the body need to work in symbiosis. Without proper stability there is questionable mobility, or worse, mobility that can have damaging, long-term effects.
Take our muscles for example. When the bicep in the arm contracts, the tricep has an equal and opposite reaction of releasing or lengthening. These functions are also called agonist (bicep) and antagonist (tricep). This happens in order to move properly.
But, let’s say, the bicep wants to contract but the tricep is way too tight (mobility diminished). The mobility of the bicep is then impeded as well. This can create a cascade of cause and effect that leads to even more immobility, if the problem is not resolved by addressing the issue with the tricep.
The body depends on balance to function properly. When out of balance the wrong muscles function in the wrong roles. Certain muscles become weak, while others gradually become too tight, throwing off stability and mobility. This in turn can lead to injury, impairments, pain, and even surgery.
“But where does stability come from in the body and how can I create more of it?”
Let’s back it up to what muscle groups are our stabilizers. These include mostly all the small, deep muscles in the body: the ones we normally neglect because we tend to focus on the outside “look good” muscles. But as I’ve always said, “What good is a sports car if it doesn’t run?”
My favorite stabilizers are the core muscles. And no, I’m not just talking about the abs! Picture wrapping a towel around your waist. There you go…all the way around. Front, sides, back…all those muscles. These are your core muscles and they need to be all trained properly.
Other stabilizers include deep long muscles that run up and down the length of the spine, muscles around neck, sides of the bum (gluteus medius), lower back, front of hip (hip flexors), inside and outside of the thigh (adductors/abductors), pelvic floor, and diaphragm.
“So, Jill, how do I train my stabilizers for more, well, stability and in turn better mobility?”
I thought you’d never ask!
One of the best ways is by moving while trying to balance.
Let’s try it!
Stand on one leg and sweep the other leg from the front to the back, pointing your toe as if drawing a half circle on the ground, then draw it back to the front. Now, do the same thing except kick your leg counting 8 kicks to the back then 8 kicks back to the front.
Now, try it on the other side.
BUT, this time I want you to think about the muscles that are contracting while moving in balance. Which muscles do you feel? Your abs, glutes, inner and outer thighs, back? These are your stabilizers. You may be wobbling but not falling. These muscles are helping you to do that. And even if you do fail to stay on one leg the whole time, you are training the muscles where to be so that you don’t fall the next time you do it. (The body is so smart!) By keeping those stabilizers strong you can in turn move more freely and confidently.
Now, we apply this to real life. You are in front of a stair case and miss a step, you brace yourself and land without falling. This is because you trained your stabilizers to be strong so that when you mobilize you have less chance of falling
and get hurt. Good job, muscles… and good job, you!
For more exercises on stability through the Essentrics® program and to work with me LIVE on Zoom, go to : http://www.bodyawareness.com for my schedule of classes.
I will see you soon!🤗
Feature photo by: Loic Leray/unsplash.com
Body Awareness with Jill Roth 