1. Joint Mobility
JOINT MOBILITY
It is the ability to move a part of your body (joints) while maintaining the integrity of the tendons and muscles involved.
Joint Mobility is worked on in three different ways, depending on when and what for. See the below diagram:
TYPES
There are two types of joint mobility:
1. Static Joint Mobility (Passive and Active)
2. Dynamic Joint Mobility
1. STATIC JOINT MOBILIY
What Is It?
These actions are known as “stretches”.
There are two subtypes of Static Joint Mobility:
- Passive: are the stretches performed with no movements.
- Active: are the stretches performed with little movement (bounces or trigger-tension stretches).
Passive Static Joint Mobility
As you know, there are no articular movements when these are performed.
The stretches can be done with different intensities, which depend on the objective you want to achieve (examples: performing the stretches before warming up, during warm-up, during the main part of the training, at the end of the training, or outside of training).
It is important to have a designed routine that focuses on the muscles that mainly participate in football.
Active Static Joint Mobility
Active static joint mobility is used to activate muscles.
This task is performed before physical activity is started. This can be done during a team warm up or micro-breaks when performing intense activities.
*Micro-breaks are the rest time between exercises or repetitions. For example, when doing a small-sided possession activity for three minutes, four repetitions, and a one-minute recovery micro-break in between each.
Therefore, you will ONLY have to perform these types of “activation stretches” in two moments and ALWAYS during training sessions.
1.1 Passive Static Joint Mobility:
How and when can you train it?
BEFORE the training session:
⏰ Duration: 10-12 seconds each muscle.
💪🏼 Intensity: Sensation of “muscle pain” from 6-7; 0 being no pain and 10 maximum pain.
🔁 Repetitions: 1 set per muscle.
DURING the warm up part of your training:
⏰ Duration: 6-7 seconds each muscle.
💪🏼 Intensity: Sensation of “muscle pain” from 6-7; 0 being no pain and 10 maximum pain.
🔁 Repetitions: 1 set per muscle.
DURING the main part of the training:
⏰ Duration: 6-7 seconds each muscle.
💪🏼 Intensity: Sensation of “muscle pain” from 6-7; 0 being no pain and 10 maximum pain.
🔁 Repetitions: 1 set per muscle.
AT THE END of the training:
⏰ Duration: 15-20 seconds each muscle.
💪🏼 Intensity: Sensation of “muscle pain” from 4-5; 0 being no pain and 10 maximum pain.
🔁 Repetitions: 1-2 sets per muscle.
OUTSIDE the training ground: :
⏰ Duration: 15-20 seconds each muscle.
💪🏼 Intensity: Sensation of “muscle pain” from 4-5; 0 being no pain and 10 maximum pain.
🔁 Repetitions: 1 set per muscle.
Why do you train it?
Before the training session:
Passive static joint mobility before the training session serves to “awaken/activate” the joints, ligaments, and muscles for the subsequent performance of the training session.
During the warm up of the training session:
Passive static joint mobility during the warm-up serves to “awaken/activate” the joints, ligaments, and muscles for more intense and game-like exercises during the warm-up.
During the main part of the training session:
Passive static joint mobility should be performed when the exercise is very demanding. You have to listen to your body and identify when your muscles tell you they are tense, fatigued, or tired. Once you identify one of these situations, you must stretch the affected muscles.
At the end of the training session:
Passive static joint mobility at the end of the training session should be individualized per player.
There are players, fitness coaches, and personal trainers who prefer NOT to stretch after a training session to prevent increasing any micro-muscle tears that may have happened during the training session.
On the other hand, some DO advocate for stretching at the end of the training session to help muscles return to their pre-training state.
Outside the training session:
Passive static articular mobility outside the training session helps your muscles and ligaments stay flexible and toned.
1.2 Active Static Joint Mobility:
How can you train it?
During the Warm Up:
⏰ Duration: 3-4 actions per muscle.
💪🏼 Intensity: Sensation of “muscle pain” from 8-9; 0 being no pain and 10 maximum pain.
🔁 Repetitions: 1 set per muscle.
During the main part (Micro-breaks):
⏰ Duration: 3-4 actions per muscle.
💪🏼 Intensity: Sensation of “muscle pain” from 8-9; 0 being no pain and 10 maximum pain.
🔁 Repetitions: 1 set per muscle.
When do you have to train them?
During the Warm Up:
They are performed after each of the passive static joint mobility exercises.
Example: If you passively stretch your calf for 6-7 seconds, next you will perform activation stretches for the same muscle group.
During the main part (Micro-breaks):
They will be performed right before the start time of the next repetition (during the micro-rest period).
Why do you train it?
During the Warm Up:
A very important feature of this type of joint mobility is to introduce a small movement into the stretch as activation. These are the so-called “rebounds”. With them, we activate the muscles, tendons, and joints differently from passive mobility.
During the main part (Micro-breaks):
They are performed if the player has the feeling that any of their muscle groups are not fully active or need an extra activation.
2. DYNAMIC JOINT MOBILITY
What Is It?
These are the actions that are colloquially known as “stretches”.
As its name suggests, there is movement when they are performed (the joints are in constant motion during their performance).
They can be trained with different types of intensity, depending on the objectives we want them to achieve. Some examples are if you do them before the warm-up, during the warm-up, or when you do not have training.
It is important to have an exercise routine for the muscles that participate the most in your sport, in this case, football. Next, we present an exercise for each articulation to help you create a personalized routine that will make it easier for you to maintain your body in good condition during weeks both with and without competition.
How and when can you train it?
You can train Dynamic Joint Mobility in four different situations:
- Before the training session
- During the warm-up of the training session
- During the main part of the warm-up
- Outside of Training
Depending on when you want to train it, take into account that the duration, intensity, speed of execution and repetitions will change.
Before the training session:
⏰Duration: 3-6 actions per joint.
💪🏼Intensity / Amplitude: Sensation of “amplitude” from 8-9; 0 being no amplitude and 10 maximum amplitude.
🚀Execution Speed: 1 second to go up – 1 second to go down.
🔁Repetitions: 1 set per joint.
During the warm up of the training session:
⏰Duration: 3-4 actions per joint.
💪🏼Intensity / Amplitude: Sensation of “amplitude” from 6-7; 0 being no amplitude and 10 maximum amplitude.
🚀Execution Speed: 1 second to go up – 1 segundo to go down.
🔁Repetitions: 1 set per joint.
During the main part of the warm-up:
⏰Duration: 2-3 actions per joint.
💪🏼Intensity / Amplitude: Sensation of “amplitude” from 8-9; 0 being no amplitude and 10 maximum amplitude.
🚀Execution Speed: The rise and fall must be explosive.
🔁Repetitions: 1 set per joint.
Outside the training session:
⏰Duration: 3-6 actions per joint.
💪🏼Intensity: Sensation of “amplitude” from 8-9; 0 being no amplitude and 10 maximum amplitude.
🚀Execution Speed: 1 second to go up – 1 second to go down.
🔁Repetitions: 1 set per joint.
Why do you train it?
Before the training session:
Dynamic joint mobility before the training session is used to “wake up” the joints, ligaments, and muscles for the subsequent performance of the training session.
During the warm up of the training session:
Dynamic joint mobility during warm-up “wakes up” the joints, ligaments, and muscles in a realistic situation to prepare for specific warm-up exercises.
During the main part of the warm-up:
When performed in the main part of the warm-up, it increases the intensity/range of joint mobility and speed. These exercises replicate the actions that will occur in the main part of the training session.
Outside the training session:
Dynamic joint mobility outside of the training session is used to “maintain mobility and elasticity” of the joints and ligaments for the next training session.