We all want to be flexible. Flexibility is beautiful. Flexibility helps with injury prevention. Flexibility improves performance. People who have flexibility are graceful, fluid, and effortless in their movements.
But what creates flexibility? How can we gain flexibility and maintain flexibility?
We think flexibility comes from stretching a muscle. But not's a very limited view and only a piece of the puzzle. Let's do a couple experiments to help you understand and experience what inhibits flexibility and what increases flexibility.
Experiment 1:
Sit in chair and slouch. Roll your hips backwards to flatten your lower back and then round your shoulders forward. While holding this position, reach your arms overhead toward the ceiling. Notice how limited your range of motion is? Notice how tight your shoulder feels?
Now while still sitting, roll your hips forward to create an arch in your lower back and pull your shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades together. While holding this position, reach your arms overhead toward the ceiling again. Notice how much your range of motion has increased and how your shoulder doesn't feel as tight?
Interesting isn't it? You increased your flexility by changing joint position not by stretching muscles.
Lesson 1: Flexibility is determined by joint position (posture).
Lesson 1: Flexibility is determined by joint position (posture).
Experiment 2:
Stand up and while keeping your knees straight bend over to touch your toes. Did you get them? How far down could you reach? Did you feel tight in your hamstrings?
Now stand up again and this time squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold them. Now bend over to touch your toes. Notice the difference? You were able to reach lower and you felt less tight in your hamstrings.
Makes you think does it? You increased your flexibility by changing joint position again, but this time you changed a joint far away from the area you were stretching.
Lesson 2: The body is a unit and flexibility of one muscle group can be influenced by joint positions (posture) throughout the body.
Now stand up again and this time squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold them. Now bend over to touch your toes. Notice the difference? You were able to reach lower and you felt less tight in your hamstrings.
Makes you think does it? You increased your flexibility by changing joint position again, but this time you changed a joint far away from the area you were stretching.
Lesson 2: The body is a unit and flexibility of one muscle group can be influenced by joint positions (posture) throughout the body.
Experiment 3:
Sit down on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend forward and reach towards your toes like the classic "sit and reach" test. Take note of how far you can reach.
Now while sitting on the floor, bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor. Rest your hands on top of your knees and lean your upper body backwards until your arms are straight and your upper body is leaned back about 45 degrees. In this position, roll your hips forward to arch your back as much as possible. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds. You will probably feel a lot of work in your hip flexor area.
Now straighten your legs out in front of you again and repeat the sit and reach test. Notice how you are able to reach further with less effort now.
Lesson 3: Increasing the contractile ability of one muscle group increased the flexibility of the opposing muscle group.
Now while sitting on the floor, bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor. Rest your hands on top of your knees and lean your upper body backwards until your arms are straight and your upper body is leaned back about 45 degrees. In this position, roll your hips forward to arch your back as much as possible. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds. You will probably feel a lot of work in your hip flexor area.
Now straighten your legs out in front of you again and repeat the sit and reach test. Notice how you are able to reach further with less effort now.
Lesson 3: Increasing the contractile ability of one muscle group increased the flexibility of the opposing muscle group.
If you want to get more flexible, don't focus just on stretching muscles, but rather focus on improving joint position and muscle contractile ability throughout your body. In other words, to increase flexibility improve your overall body posture and function.
Need help figuring out how to improve your posture and function? Contact me for a free posture evaluation and consultation!
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