Q: I started doing joint mobility drills a while ago. The drills I do make me very loose and they also reduce some of the pain I have experienced, but I am starting to get bored with doing those drills. How can I make the drills more challenging?

A:  I know what you mean. I have experienced the same thing myself. There are basically three strategies you can use.

1. Vary your exercises.

There are many available exercises to target the different joints in the body. I have found that "Super Joints" by Pavel Tsatsouline and "Body Flow" by Scott Sonnon are excellent resources that can show you many new and challenging exercises.

If you are experienced and a little creative, you might also come up with some new variations of your own, like I do.

2. Add very light dumbbells.

Certain core and upper body mobility drills can be performed while holding light dumbbells. The weight used should allow you to perform AT LEAST 15 reps easily, but prefereably more - a range of 30-40 reps is more ideal. Make sure, that you only lose a little, if any, range of motion.

The light dumbbells will add a muscle endurance component to your mobility drills, which allows you to kill two birds with one stone.

3. Vary your training method.

If the goal of your joint mobility training is flexibility/mobility and not specifically joint health, try varying your training method. For example, perform mobility exercises, static stretches and self myofascial release in alternating sessions.

A weekly schedule could look like this:

Monday: Mobility exercises.

Wednesday: Static stretching.

Friday: Self myofascial release.

This way you target joint and tissue health from various angles.

If you are very experienced and in tune with what your body needs, don't even plan the method in advance, but go with what you feel that day.

Move with Passion,
Karsten Jensen

NB: My next generation training diary will be available in a few days, so stay tuned.