When Dr.s John and Chloe traveled to Tokyo for the Track and Field World Championships, it was more than a trip. It was the result of years of work and consistency. For over a decade, we’ve worked with Alex Rose of Samoa, a world-class discus thrower. He just took home the Bronze medal and we couldn’t be happier for him! Join us as we give a quick re-cap about our time together and some of the obstacles Alex overcame with his throwers mobility.
About Alex's Throwing Mobility
Alex has always been strong. But early on, his mobility restricted that strength. The surprising part? His tightness showed up in the direction of his throw — right where his power needed to go. That small restriction was really a big obstacle.
Instead of just improving flexibility, we built him a mobility primer — to open the right joints, prime the right muscles, and activate stability before every throwing session. It changed everything.
Years later, standing in Tokyo, we saw how that long-term investment paid off. Alex wasn’t just throwing far. He was moving better, recovering faster, and performing with control and confidence.
Mobility Isn’t Just Stretching
Many throwers think they need to stretch more. But stretching alone doesn’t build better movement. Mobility is the ability to move through range with strength and control.
Think of it this way:
- Flexibility is passive — how far a muscle can lengthen.
- Mobility is active — how far you can move and use that range.
- Stability is control — the ability your body manages that motion.
- Strength is how much force you can produce through it.
You need all of these to throw far and stay healthy. You can’t build power on a shaky foundation.
The Mobility Mistakes That Hold Throwers Back
Most throwers have a few areas that really limit performance. Here are the top 3!
- Poor Thoracic Rotation
The mid-back drives rotation in every throw. When it’s stiff, your shoulders overwork, or your low back takes the hit.
Quick fix: Try thoracic rotations
- Limited Hip Mobility
Any kind of hip impingement or lack of range will be detrimental to your throws.
Quick fix: Brettzel 1.0
- Tight Ankles
If your ankle can’t move, your body finds motion elsewhere — usually in the knee or hip. That breaks the kinetic chain.
Quick fix: Ankle Dorsiflexion Exercis
From Practice to the World Stage
Watching Alex compete on the world stage was a reminder of what smart, consistent training can do. Years of mobility, stability, and strength work and most of all determination made his dream possible. Every thrower can benefit from that same approach — not just to prevent injury, but to unlock their potential.
Check out our Recap Video of Dr. John’s time with Alex in Tokyo!
Better Throws in 4 Weeks!
Ready to improve your throwing mobility? We have 3 programs created just for throwers to improve exactly what you need to help unlock your potential.
MDRx Hip Mobility for Throwers – On of our best selling programs for throwers – this targets everything you need to get the most out of your hips
MDRx Shoulder Mobility for Throwers – Don’t underestimate the power of unlocking your shoulders and upper back! This is often overlooked and underrated!
MDRx Javelin Mobility and Recovery – specifically for javelin throwers, get a little bit of hips, shoulders, and spine.
Remember… you get what you put in! Consistency counts. You can’t do these programs 1X a week and call it done. If you stick to the program consistently you will see a difference.
