Mobility needs strength
- A mobility coach argued many movement problems come from lacking strength and control, not from too little stretching. - The advice was published in Chilliwack Progress quoting an Ascend Fitness coach on April 19, 2026. - The piece recommends adding controlled strength drills to mobility work rather than relying solely on passive stretching (theprogress.com).
Mobility is not just how far a joint can move; it is how well you can control that motion under load, and a Chilliwack coach said strength is often the missing part. (theprogress.com) (tanjashaw.com) In an April 19 column for the Chilliwack Progress, Ascend Fitness owner Tanja Shaw wrote that people who feel “tight” may be running into weakness or poor control, not simply a lack of stretching. Shaw identifies herself as a kinesiologist and strength coach based in Chilliwack, British Columbia. (theprogress.com) (tanjashaw.com) Shaw’s advice was to pair mobility work with drills that build strength in the same range of motion, instead of relying only on passive stretches. Ascend Fitness says its coaching focuses on strength, mobility and long-term function, especially for adults in midlife and older. (theprogress.com) (ascendfitnesslifestyle.com 1) (ascendfitnesslifestyle.com 2) That approach lines up with mainstream public-health guidance that treats movement capacity as more than flexibility alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says adults 65 and older need aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening work and balance activity each week. (cdc.gov 1) (cdc.gov 2) Stretching still has a place. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Whole Health Library, citing American College of Sports Medicine guidance, says healthy and older adults should stretch at least two days a week, about 10 minutes per session, to maintain range of motion. (va.gov) (acsm.org) But the evidence on stretching is narrower than many gym myths suggest. The American Heart Association reported in 2024 that stretching can improve range of motion, while research has not reached a consensus that it improves performance or prevents injuries for the average person. (heart.org) That distinction helps explain Shaw’s point: being able to reach a position is different from being able to own it. In practice, that can mean using slow squats, split squats, shoulder raises or balance drills to build control at the end of a range, rather than only holding a stretch. (theprogress.com) (cdc.gov) Ascend Fitness says it works largely with clients in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond, a group that public-health agencies increasingly target with balance and strength advice. The CDC says older adults should include activities to improve balance alongside at least two days a week of muscle-strengthening work. (ascendfitnesslifestyle.com) (cdc.gov 1) (cdc.gov 2) The upshot is not to stop stretching. It is to treat mobility as flexibility plus strength, so the body can move farther and stay stable when it gets there. (theprogress.com) (va.gov)
