What the heck are the 4 knots? It’s NOT the key to a good first mate on a ship or the necessary knowledge needed to earn a Boy Scout badge.
Today, I’m talking about the 4 knots of the body: shoulder joints and hip joints. 4 areas of the body that when functioning with full range of motion and stability throughout, can be the key to pain free performance for life!
If you intend on being someone who is able to be active and giving for life, you need to constantly work on mobility around these joints and then layer functional stability on top.
So, let’s start with mobility
Shin Box
This one is great because you get the hips working reciprocally similar to what happens when you sprint or skip. One hip (the one you roll away from) will be in internal rotation, while the opposing hip will be in external rotation. Keep your torso as tall as possible throughout the movement and rotate back and forth. Use your hands to assist behind the body.
Half Kneeling Lat Stretch
You are going to lengthen the entire chain from the down knee, through the hip then shoulder knot and up through the finger tips with this mobility exercise. Start with your leg in 90/90 (both upper leg/lower leg relation at 90 degrees), then squeeze your booty (on the down leg) and brace your core. Reach OVERHEAD (literally over your head), inhale then exhale and reach further – open the space up between your hip and shoulder knots. I emphasize OVERHEAD because often I find individuals doing this that don’t realize their arm is headed more over their nose than their ear. It is “knot” nearly as effective 😉
Crossover toe touch
This mobilization is one you can do anywhere and ALWAYS feels great. Stand up ready to bend into a forward fold then cross one foot over the other. Bend down and reach towards the leg that is crossed BEHIND with the same side arm. You should feel a lengthening from foot to fingertips, which includes the hip and shoulder knot on that side. Glorious!
Oh yeah, and pull on that down arm with the opposite arm for a little extra mobility love.
We are FIT Strong!
Coach Jared
