Mobility and strength are two concepts in their own right.

Generally speaking, ballet dancers are very flexible but are not able to lift weight like a weightlifter.

Flexibility is not everything, nor is strength! That’s why we have to strike a balance in order to keep making progress.

What is strength?

Strength is the ability to generate muscle tension by exerting physical effort on an object. On the other hand, it is not because we have big muscles that we are automatically stronger.

In fact, the more muscles we have, the more we have the potential to develop our strength . To do this, we need the help of our brains. It is he who gives the order to our muscles to contract and by this nerve impulse we make this or that movement.

Normally we don’t use all of our muscle fibers, which means that we already have more strength than we need. From a physiological point of view, we all have strength but we have lost the ability to express it correctly because we are no longer “hunter-gatherers”.

And what about flexibility?

While many people know that strength does not necessarily equate to large muscles, a significant number neglect the work of flexibility.

Indeed, our muscles are long enough for various acrobatic feats: everyone has the potential to achieve the splits .

However, as with strength, we have protective systems in our brain so that as soon as we bring our muscles to a certain position, to a greater contraction, a blocking reflex is created.

In fact, to cheat this tension reflex in the brain it is necessary to have strength in the positions we are trying to achieve.

It is a classic mistake to bet everything on strength by abandoning the work of flexibility. The brain / the body gets used to classic strength positions with limited amplitudes which makes the athlete strong only in certain cases (example: Deadlift or guided weight training exercises).

Conversely, athletes who favor flexibility over strength will also face a problem. They will be able to reach certain positions while being static but will not be able to reach those positions where strength will be required (example: a heavy Squat Snatch).

Our body, this intelligent machine, allows us to progress (add weight and have strength) only in the movements where we have good mobility. This prevents injuries and protects us. So trust your body and respect it! Take the time to work on your flexibility to gain strength.

So … the verdict? Should we promote strength or flexibility? As you will understand, we have to work both, obviously in an intelligent way, that is to say to incorporate force in its circuits flexibility or vice versa .

Working in weightlifting movements by promoting depth to the load is the best example.

In summary, the more comfortable we are on a movement, the more our body will allow us to add weight. Example: if we perform a squat without difficulty in mobility, it will be easier to add weight gradually in order to do a “heavy” front squat.

Flexibility like strength comes gradually, without you realizing it … Rome was not built in a day!

Pur Vitaé Tip: If you have joint pain that prevents you from progressing, use our food supplement, Mobility Syrup. It decreases pain and improves suppleness and flexibility. On the other hand, if you fancy a boost in strength, you need Endurance Workout.