Controlled Articular Rotations (C.A.R.S.)
What are C.A.R.S.?
Controlled Articular Rotations (CARS) are active, rotational movements at the outer limits of articular motion. Basically, what this means is that we are trying to move our joints through the greatest range of motion that we have access to, trying to push to the outer limits of our range of motion. You can think of this as drawing a big circle with your joints.
CARS should feel pretty hard. Creating tension in your body, irradiating force, and isolating movement to just one joint should be both a brain challenge and a challenge for your body. You may notice that when you are done, you are slightly out of breath and sweating.
Read more about mobility in these LWL articles:
Watch these mobility videos to get experience with CARS:
Watch these mobility videos to get experience with Mobility as an active recovery option:
Why do I need to improve my mobility?
You are a human with a modern lifestyle. Human bodies did not evolve to sit in a car for 2 hours, sit at a desk for 9 hours, and then sit on the couch for 3 hours. Human bodies were built to move. If you don't move through all planes of motion regularly and use your joints to their fullest capacity regularly, your body will restrict that range of motion. “If you don’t use it, you lose it”.
How often should I do mobility training?
Every day.
Yikes. What if I can’t do it every day?
Do what you can. This could be a great way to start your day, a nice break in the middle of your work day, or add it in to your workout during your warm up or cool down. Consistency is key. Your body only adapts to direct stimuli, and that adaptation is specific to the demand. If demand is low (you rarely do mobility training), your body is unlikely to adapt much or make any changes.
