Read my fitness tip about hypermobility, and how it can be a problem for weight lifting and good alignment. Hypermobility is common and can improve.

Frequently during training sessions, I correct my client’s alignment and weight lifting techniques. The major issue: hypermobility. Most commonly, I notice the elbow and knee joints with this alignment issue.

Hypermobility occurs when your bones lock at your joint. An example of hypermobility is when the elbow appears to move or looks like it is in the opposite direction.

I have a few clients with several hypermobile joints. By correcting their alignment, the muscles that surround the bone and joint get stronger. These corrections help them become stronger, reduce their chances of injury, and proper their posture. These corrections are critical; as we age, there is more wear and tear on our body, so more injuries occur during daily activities if aligned incorrectly.

How do I correct these alignment issues?

I educate my clients. I begin by teaching my students basic exercises, paying attention to their joint dysfunction. Starting to learn the basics can be very frustrating for some of my clients because they feel if they are not breaking a sweat that they are not working hard enough. On the contrary, they are working harder! Usually, my clients come back to their next session telling me that they couldn’t believe they had sore muscles in places they have never felt before.

Once they master the corrections, we begin to integrate weight and various movements in their exercises, during their session. As a dancer, I love to experiment, adding movement patterns that are not only physically challenging but mentally stimulating.

One of my regular Saturday morning clients has several hypermobile joints. She came to me because she was tired of working out at a gym and always finding herself injured. She is a healthy, young 40-year-old woman. From the beginning of our work together, she finds that she feels great physically, quite happy she has not been injured.

If you are interested in working in this way and not in the Rochester, NY area, I am available for consulting by email.