Copyright Men's Journal
When Sameer Mehta is working with a player like Paolo Banchero or Desmond Bane, he thinks of himself not just as the Orlando Magic’s physical therapist, but as a mechanic. And the players he’s working with? They’re Ferraris. “These guys are all the one percent of the world—they’re high-octane sports cars. You have to keep that car going, keeping it tuned up…optimizing that car to withstand the stress it needs to,” he says. That stress is an 82-game NBA season that beats up players’ muscles, joints, and fascia, the network of connective tissue that holds organs and muscles in place. To keep all those systems humming, and to keep players mobile and available for the grueling NBA season, Mehta’s philosophy focuses on integrating joints, muscles, and limbs together in the same way they will on the court. “Think of doing a layup,” he says. Players aren’t just moving one joint at a time. “You’re raising your arm above your head, one knee’s going to be somewhat straight, your hips are in alignment with your spine.” He may not be a Bugatti himself, but Mehta, who’s 44, says his approach to his own mobility mirrors what he does with the Magic players. His goal is not just to keep his joints, muscles, and fascia moving, but moving together. So when he does a move like a lunge to get warmed up, he also moves his arms, lifting them to the sides, pushing them back, or raising them overhead while he lunges. “If you don’t have things connected, and there’s some disconnect or tightness somewhere or lack of mobility somewhere, you’ll compensate,” he says. For example, if you’re trying to stretch your hamstring, but you lack the flexibility for the stretch, your body will compensate by getting your lower back involved. “That’s what our bodies do. They find a way to meet the demands we put on them.” To keep things connected, Mehta uses movements that integrate multiple joints in a single mobility drill when preparing for his own workouts. Try these three before your next lift, run, or ride. Mehta’s Magic Multi-Joint Mobility Moves There’s a bonus benefit to tying different parts of the body together with moves like these, Mehta says: It wakes up not just the muscles and joints, but also your mind, priming you mentally for the workout you’re about to do. One key to priming the mind and nervous system is opening the palms during these movements. As you’re doing the moves where your arms point down, imagine you’re Iron Man, using those thrusters in your palms to take off. This, Mehta says, will wake up your whole body while adding stretch in the forearms. Try each of these three moves for about five reps on each side before your next workout. If you’re not feeling warmed and primed, do a few more. 1. Bench Hip Stretch with Iron Man Arms Stand in front of a box or bench. Lift your left leg and place it on the bench. On an inhale, raise your arms up next to your ears. As you exhale, press your legs forward to stretch your hip by moving your knee in front of your ankle, pushing your ankle into dorsiflexion (when your toe comes towards your shin). As you do this, move your arms to your sides and press them behind you to open your chest, reaching your palms open as they face the floor. Hold for a beat, then inhale and return to the starting position, with your shin perpendicular to the floor and arms overhead. Repeat 5 times on this leg, then switch legs. 2. Hurdle March Pretend there’s a series of small hurdles and march, lifting your knees high to get over the obstacle. As you do, move your arms to the side and back, integrating with your legs. Even better, find an actual obstacle to step over, like a rock, Mehta says. Do this for a few sets of 5 reps on each leg. 3. Mini Single-Leg Squat with Sprint Start Don’t worry if you can’t do a pistol squat; this move doesn’t need to be a full single-leg squat, Mehta says. Bend your knee slightly, and move your arms as if you’re about to take off in a sprint.
