Improved performance, freedom of movement and less pain: how to start a mobility practice

‘It doesn’t matter how much you can bench-press if your shoulders hurt too much to put a carry-on bag in the overhead bin.’ Illustration: Carmen Casado/The Guardian

Fitness is often measured through numbers: how much weight a person can lift, or how fast or far they can run. But one important metric is harder to quantify: mobility.

Mobility gets overlooked, because the relevant exercises do not “have the instant visual appeal of traditional workouts”, says Tyler McDonald, certified personal trainer and senior brand manager for the National Academy of Sports Medicine.