Why You Should Be Doing Input Sessions (Even on Your Off Days)

Most people still think results only come from the gym. Lift heavy, sweat more, push through pain, and somehow, you’ll become stronger, leaner, or out of pain.

That mindset is outdated.

At Motive Training in South Austin, we approach fitness differently. It’s not just about what happens when you’re lifting weights. It’s about how your body feels and functions daily—especially when you’re not working out. That’s where Input Sessions come in.

What Are Input Sessions?

Input Sessions are short, low-intensity mobility sessions designed to help you move better, feel better, and stay consistent. Think 5-10 minutes max. No sweat. No soreness. Just quality input your body needs to thrive.

These sessions can be done anywhere—your living room, a hotel room, or the office. The goal isn’t to get tired. It’s to teach your joints, tissues, and nervous system one thing: stay active, healthy, and progressing.

Input Sessions are:

• Joint-specific
• Based on your goals and assessments
• Easy to perform without equipment
• Safe for rest days, recovery days, or travel days

They’re perfect for people recovering from pain or injury, but honestly, they benefit everyone. Because they deliver what most programs forget: daily signals reinforcing movement and adaptation.

Why We Use Input Sessions at Motive

Everything is input. Sitting all day is input. Moving with intention is input, too.

At Motive, we prescribe Input Sessions to:

• Reinforce joint control
• Improve recovery without adding stress
• Keep your nervous system engaged
• Maintain range of motion in stubborn joints (like hips, shoulders, and spine)

Input Sessions also serve a psychological purpose. They help you stay engaged. Even on “off” days, you’re moving with purpose. That sense of progress—feeling your body work better in real-time—builds momentum, boosts motivation, and keeps you consistent.

Progress in Doses, Not Jumps

Most people chase progress in leaps—more weight, more reps, more time. But real, sustainable change often comes in smaller doses. That’s what Input Sessions are. They’re how we drip-feed progress into your system without overwhelming it.

Done consistently, they keep your joints functional, your brain engaged, and your tissues responsive.

What Do Input Sessions Look Like?

Every Input Session is built around your needs, but here are some examples:

Shoulder-Focused

• Shoulder CARs - 2 reps, slow and controlled

• IR PAILs/RAILs - 2 minutes + MVC

• Sleeper Position Passive Range Holds - 3 reps for 5-second holds Hip-Focused

• 90/90 Isometric Movement Path - 1 minute

• ER PAILs/RAILs - 2 minutes + MVC

• Side-Lying 90/90 Passive Range Holds - 3 reps for 5-second holds Wrist & Elbow (great for desk workers or pickleball players)

• Wrist & Elbow CARs - 3 reps in each direction

• Wrist Extension PAILs/RAILs - 2 minutes + MVC

• Elbow Axial Rotations - 1 minute or to failure on both sides

You can do them once, twice, even three times a day. They won’t ruin your recovery. They won’t leave you sore. But they will keep the lights on neurologically and biologically—especially in joints that like to shut down when left alone.

Why This Works (The Physiology Behind It)

From a physiological standpoint, Input Sessions work because of how the nervous system and connective tissues respond to frequent, low-load stimulation.

You’re:

• Encouraging synovial fluid production
• Reinforcing safe, usable range of motion
• Improving motor control without fatigue

They also help shift you away from an all-or-nothing mindset. Instead of waiting for the “perfect” workout window, you’re using your body the way it’s meant to be used—frequently, intentionally, in micro doses.

This is the backbone of Functional Range Conditioning (FRC): expanding and maintaining usable workspace in the joint. Input Sessions reinforce that workspace every single day.

How to Get Started

If you train at Motive, your coach will build Input Sessions based on your FRA and training goals. If you use KINSTRETCH Online, you’ll see these routines inside the platform.

You don’t need a gym. You don’t need equipment. You just need a few minutes and a plan.

Start with one area of your body. Ask yourself:

• What feels stiff or stuck?
• Where do I lack control?
• What’s limiting me most right now?

Then start simple: a CARs drill, a light isometric, maybe a positional hold. Do it daily. Same time. Same space. Track how you feel.

Most people are shocked at how quickly things improve:

• Better range of motion
• Less daily discomfort
• A stronger sense of control

And that’s the point. These aren’t just warm-ups. They’re not filler.

They’re the thing that keeps everything else working.

Why Input Sessions Are Core to KINSTRETCH Online

This is why we’re baking Input Sessions into KINSTRETCH Online. Too many people rely on one or two big workouts a week to fix their mobility. That’s not enough. Not if you want lasting change.

With our updated platform, you’ll get:

• Daily Input Session options
• Region-specific routines for wrists, hips, spine, and more
• Easy-to-follow instructions
• Sessions that plug into your existing workouts without adding load

Input Sessions give us the flexibility to support you anywhere—at home, traveling, or on your recovery days. They’re one of the easiest ways to stay consistent and finally get out of pain (or stay out of it for good).

Move With Purpose Every Day

Input Sessions aren’t flashy. They’re not sexy. But they are effective. They work because they’re simple, consistent, and easy to stick with.

If you want to feel better—not just in your workouts, but in life—Input Sessions are the move.

We’ll show you exactly how inside KINSTRETCH Online.

Written by:

Brian Murray, FRA, FRSC

Founder of Motive Training

We’ll teach you both how to move with purpose so you can lead a healthy, strong, and pain-free life. Our headquarters are in Austin, TX, but you can work with us online by signing up for KINSTRETCH Online or digging deep into one of our Motive Mobility Blueprints.