Let’s Work on Our Flexibility
Flexibility is something I’m not working on enough. I mean I can move well enough to do all the lifts and exercises that are important to me, and I tell myself that this is all that really matters. But then I see people who have clearly worked on their flexibility, and what they can do just amazes me. Maybe this month we can grab a page from their book?
Longtime readers will recall that we also ran a Flexibility Test in March 2018 . Then you yourself chose the stretch marks, but this time we will be more focused. But it’s still worth reading these old posts as they debunk several myths about stretching and give you additional tips to get started.
Here’s an important myth: Stretching doesn’t protect against injury. But it does help you increase your range of motion, which can make some movements easier. We do this in order to become a little more flexible for the sake of flexibility itself. Many people also find that stretching is relaxing or just makes you feel good, so let’s take a look at that.
First, let’s try squatting (wheel pose if you know that from yoga). When I was a child, I remember that I could show up in one of them anytime I wanted. Now this is … much more difficult.
Fortunately, you can work your way up. You can lie down with your back arched with your hips and shoulders still on the floor. Or kneel down and reach back to grab your heels. Here are a few steps in this progress that can also be your warm-up when you’re finally ready to do a full arch.
Or, if you think you are getting close, try bending over the wall . Try this the first time with a friend to spot you, and with pillows against the wall in case you slip. The idea is to reach back until you can place your hands on the wall behind you, and then slowly lower them down as far as you can.
Flexibility isn’t achieved in a month, so don’t despair if these steps seem daunting at first. Keep working on them and the results will pay off in the long run. So let’s try these moves this week and see what happens.