Building Strength and Stability for Those with Hypermobility: Your Guide to a Resilient Body

When it comes to fitness, there’s a lot of noise out there about what you should or shouldn’t do, especially if you’ve got hypermobility. If your joints seem to bend a little more than most, or if you’ve been told you're "double-jointed," you’re likely already aware of the unique challenges that come with this kind of flexibility. 

 

At Carpe Diem, we often see people with hypermobility wondering if strength training is right for them. Let’s get right into it: not only is strength training safe for hypermobile individuals, but it’s a game-changer for creating stability, reducing pain, and building a body that doesn’t just function but thrives.

 

Understanding Hypermobility and Its Challenges

 

Hypermobility isn’t just about being able to touch your thumb to your forearm or fold yourself into a pretzel. It comes with its own set of challenges that can often feel frustrating or even debilitating. Your joints might be prone to subluxations or dislocations, muscles could feel sore or fatigued more quickly, and there might be an ongoing fear of injuring yourself during workouts. 

 

Some folks come to us after years of trying different fitness approaches that just didn’t cut it. Either they felt too restricted by programs designed for more 'standard' bodies, or they jumped into routines that didn’t account for their unique needs and ended up sidelined by pain or injury.

 

But here’s the kicker—this isn’t a call to avoid movement. Instead, it's a call to move with intention and strength. Strength training, done right, is about creating a foundation where those hypermobile joints are supported by strong, responsive muscles. The goal is not to limit your movement but to give you control over it, turning your flexibility from a potential problem into a powerful asset.

 

Why Strength Training is Essential for Hypermobility?

 

When hypermobility comes up, we’re not just talking about loose ligaments. It’s a whole-body experience that involves the nervous system, muscle coordination, and often a heightened sensitivity to how your body moves and feels. Traditional strength training, which emphasizes controlled movements and progressive overload, aligns perfectly with the needs of a hypermobile body. Here’s why:

 

Muscle Activation and Joint Stability: One of the main concerns for people with hypermobility is joint instability. When joints move beyond their natural range, the surrounding muscles need to work overtime to keep things in place. Strength training helps activate these muscles, building a robust framework around the joints. Exercises like split squats, single-leg deadlifts, and rows, which we often include in our “Foundations of Strength” class, are not just about lifting heavy; they’re about enhancing muscle control and stability.

 

Building Proprioception: Proprioception is your body’s ability to sense its position in space. It’s the reason you can close your eyes and still touch your nose. For someone with hypermobility, proprioception can be off, leading to a lack of awareness of where your joints are positioned and how they’re moving. Controlled strength exercises, especially those that require balance and unilateral movement (working one side at a time), help sharpen proprioceptive feedback. In turn, this reduces the risk of injury and builds confidence in how your body moves.

 

Reducing Pain and Overuse Injuries: Hypermobile individuals often face muscle fatigue or pain more easily because their muscles are constantly working to keep their joints stable. This can lead to chronic pain or overuse injuries. With strength training, we’re not just building muscle for the sake of muscle; we’re strategically training the body to handle stress more efficiently. Strengthening exercises that emphasize eccentric control (like the slow lowering phase of a movement) can be particularly beneficial in reducing pain and improving function.

 

Tailoring Strength Training for Hypermobility: What to Focus On

 

If you’re hypermobile, you don’t need a cookie-cutter approach to strength training; you need a program that understands the nuances of your body. Here are some key areas we emphasize when building strength for those with hypermobility:

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Focus on Core Stability: A strong, stable core acts like a pillar that supports everything else. We’re not just talking about six-pack abs but about deep core muscles like the transverse abdominis and obliques. Exercises like dead bugs, bird-dogs, and pallof presses help engage the core without placing undue strain on the lower back or hips.

 

Control Through Range of Motion: It’s tempting to go all out and push those joints to their maximum range, but here’s where we hit the brakes. The goal is not just to move but to move well. Controlled range-of-motion exercises like partial squats, elevated push-ups, or cable pulls allow you to build strength without overextending the joints.

 

Strengthen the Posterior Chain: People with hypermobility often have a tendency to overuse their quads and underuse their hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles. This can lead to muscle imbalances and more stress on the knees and lower back. Incorporating posterior chain exercises like hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, and face pulls ensures that all muscles around a joint are strong and functional.

 

Incorporate Functional Movements: Exercises that mimic everyday activities or sports help build practical strength. Think carries, step-ups, and sled pushes. These not only train the muscles to work together but also improve coordination and body awareness, reducing the likelihood of injury in daily life.

 

The Mental Game: Confidence in Your Movement

 

Beyond the physical, there’s a huge mental component to strength training for hypermobility. Many who come to us are used to feeling fragile or hesitant with their bodies, worried that any wrong move could lead to an injury. We see you, and we get it. But the beauty of strength training lies in its transformative power—not just in what your body can do but in how you perceive it. Each rep, each set, each controlled movement builds not just muscle but a deep-seated confidence in your ability to move safely and powerfully.

 

And it’s not just about the exercises themselves; it’s about the mindset shift that happens when you start to realize that your body is capable of more than you thought. You start to shed the narrative that your body is “flawed” or “problematic” and begin to see it as adaptable and strong. That’s a win in our book.

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Getting Started: Make It Personal

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If you’re new to strength training or looking to adapt your current routine to better suit your hypermobile body, it’s crucial to make it personal. This isn’t about jumping into the latest fitness trend but about finding what works for you and your unique body mechanics. 

 

At Carpe Diem, we’re big believers in starting with the basics and building from there. Our trainers are well-versed in working with different body types and will guide you through exercises that not only suit your current abilities but also challenge you in a way that’s safe and effective.

 

If you're a Southampton local and want a place to start, our “Foundations of Strength” class is a fantastic option for those looking to build stability and confidence in their movements. We focus on form, control, and progression, making sure every step forward is a step toward a stronger, more resilient you.

 

Take the Step Toward a Stronger You

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Hypermobility doesn’t have to be a barrier to building strength. Quite the opposite—it can be an opportunity to create a body that’s not just flexible but incredibly strong and stable. The journey isn’t about pushing yourself to extremes but about understanding your body, respecting its limits, and gradually expanding those limits in a way that feels empowering and sustainable.