Flexibility is key to working out at your highest level because it increases the range of motion in your sport or daily activity which burns more calories. Ninety-eight percent of injuries are due to a lack of flexibility.
I receive many inquiries from all over the world. The single most asked question from people of all ages in every sport genre is, “What is the best way to increase my flexibility?” The next one is “Am I too old to increase my flexibility?” Having been a professional flexibility expert & martial artist for over 30 years, I have seen countless clients and course members of ANY age or level dramatically increase their flexibility.
All that is needed for a complete beginner, pro or novice athlete, yoga instructor or professional dancer is the right flexibility training program tailored to their exact needs and level. In general, tightness is caused from not keeping the body in balance by stretching correctly. Honoring the body by preparing it before any physical activities is the key!
We all need to stretch in order to protect our mobility and independence. It's sad how many injuries, unnecessary surgeries and use of pain medication would be prevented if people only knew how to properly stretch and care for themselves. Another common avoidable issue is years of frustration from feeling completely stuck and believing there is no future training in your beloved art or sport. I have worked with countless individual’s about to quit competing or performing in their sport - that are shocked and cry tears of relief after just one flexibility training session.
Read on and I will give a break-down of the key elements what the best flexibility training programs entails
Why: After years of clients and online course members trying every healing modality before they found me made little or no progress. They are no replacements for proper flexibility training
How: I am intuitively guided to tune in and know the exact stretches and sequence the mind/body have been calling out for! Read on and I’ll share more of my secrets!
Images of Stacey's actual clients in some of the courses
How To Alleviate Needless Pressure On All Athletes And Performers:
These days the bar for sports performance in all the arts has been raised so high and continues to go higher every year, as seemingly other-worldly feats as seen on “Americans Got Talent”, “So You Think You Can Dance” and new record breakers are always being set in academies for dance, contortion to be fit and bendy The issue is the coaches are experts in their sport and not in the art and science of flexibility training. The coaches tell the athlete to perform in a certain way and it becomes frustrating for all because the coach cannot break it down and tell them exactly how to get there via a custom designed flexibility routine. In turn the athlete tries to force an unprepared body to perform a move, and this causes compensating and misalignment issues they may lead to emotional and physical damage.
No one is to blame or at fault here especially the students they are all doing the best they can the issue is due to a lack of understanding as they have never been shown how to “get there” Never try to force it by violently bouncing or allow an instructor to harshly push you down into splits or any deep positions. this method is outdated and may cause painful injuries. See How to Get Flexible Without Pain to immediately try my 10 proven flexibility tips & stretches.
This means there must be a new paradigm for flexibility program that stretches and develops core strength to match the demands and needs for everyone!! I have devoted my life’s work to this mission.
Sometimes the biggest shortcoming of attending a yoga class or any other type of class is that one routine does not fit all! The popular tread is going to yoga or Pilates. Many of the sequences in yoga do not prepare the body to go deeper. This can lead to frustration and injuries. To completely speed up progress in yoga, dance, gymnastics, track and field, martial arts, and all sports - the solution is a comprehensive flexibility training program for your exact needs and level.
Strength training is important however, the stronger you become the tighter you become therefore, it must be balanced by regular flexibility training. Stretching should be a part of everyone’s fitness program. It is important as well to do the proper warm up and stretching to get into yoga positions with ease.
How The Body Communicates With You:
When you have back pain, shoulder pain, knee pain or any pain, it's your body's way of trying to get your attention. To keep these common aches and pains from escalating, they can most often be relieved by performing the correct stretches. Injuries and what seems to be major setbacks can be an incredible opportunity to come back better than ever!
It's important to know that practicing stretches in a specific order can help the body to open-up faster. For example, before you can effectively stretch the hamstrings and the line up into lower back, one must stretch the calves thoroughly first.
In all my online video courses and when I work with clients, I show stretches in this order to help prepare the body for each following stretch:
1. Upper body 2. Lower legs/Calves/Feet 3. Quadriceps 4. Hips/Buttocks 5. Waist 6. Inner Thighs/Groin area 7. Hamstrings 8. Straddle Stretches 9. Back Arch 10. Splits
Images of actual Stacey's clients & course member results
Releasing Extra Tight Areas:
If one is only working out without stretching, there's is an imbalance in the body. Doing just one or two stretches is not enough because everything is connected.
It's best not to omit any body part because everything is connected. Stretching and strengthening the entire body will create balance and leave you feeling free and open.
Let's say your lower back is tight. It could be coming from your calves being super-tight which connects to tight hamstrings, hips, which goes into the back.
1. Use your breathing to help you stretch, people tend to hold their breath when they feel pain, so the more the stretch feels locked and uncomfortable, the more you need to breath.
2. If a certain area is tight and feels locked up- keep switching sides and go back and forth; you'll find each time you switch back you'll go a little further in the areas you feel tightest, and your body will begin to stretch more with increasing ease. If there is not another side to switch to, keep repeating the same stretch holding it for a few seconds, then come out of it and going back into it until you feel your body has let go.
3. When you are sinking down to go into the splits. (Only after being properly warmed up) To go further past a stuck position inhale through your nose and tighten then on the exhale and relax and let everything go. If done correctly you should feel the muscles release and, sink deeper into the splits to a new place you hadn't been before. That will become your body's new set point! The body remembers.
4. Also, keep visualizing seeing yourself exactly as you wish to be -- the body follows the minds influence and intentions.
Learn To Stretch The Right Way - Start with my free mini-course to learn the best stretches for tight quads. The Art & Science of gently allowing the quads & hip flexors to release & increase flexibility in a new innovative way!
Just Breathe:
The key to increasing flexibility by know how to breathe so that the body can let go. Start by taking a deep inhale before the stretch and exhale as you sink into the stretch. This will also help relieve stress and will put you in touch with your body. Some of the many possible benefits of breath work combined with the right stretching sequence -
A. Reduce the risk of injury B. Helps reduce menstrual cramps C. Increase range of motion in every sport D. Better posture E. Improved love-making pleasure F. Reduce muscle tension and soreness G. Improved sleep H. Anti-Aging keeps one active and more youthful I. Perform with a whole new level of confidence K. Release anxiety & stress
The Tremendous Power Of Setting Intention:
Here's what I know for sure as my flexibility training system is evidence based results from a wide variety of athletes, professional actors, performers, ballerinas, pro soccer and UFC fighters, martial artists, Olympians, and their grandparents! Any age or level. Including the 50+ age group, can increase range of motion and mobility from head to toe. There is an instantaneous healing that occurs when my instructions are followed carefully that clears pain, injuries and prevent future ones. The magic is in my details, which includes highest use of all facilities of setting clear intention, stretching with right sequence, breathwork and proper alignment, this will correct harmful compensation such as hunched posture from tightness and atrophy.
My system is not ordinary stretching. It is a waking up of untapped parts of the mind and body that have been lying dormant. You cannot separate the mind from the body. The mind gives the marching orders to the body. If you are tight and inflexible it’s in your power to turn this around! There is old programming and a collective agreement in mass consciousness to expect to decline. I produced an online video course called “Flexibility at Any Age-Where Do I Start- Here!”-I have taught this to thousands worldwide and you can see improvement in 90 minutes. It is a powerful anti-aging tool.
Growing Younger – The Mind / Body Connection:
Mobility is a critical tool in anti-aging because by gaining flexibility one loses that hunched-over posture and appears more youthful -- gaining the ability to move with ease and grace.
An individual is never too old to increase their flexibility. In fact, that is exactly when we need flexibility training more than ever. Some people believe that age has somehow defined their ability to be flexible. When I am asked “Am too old to become flexible”, I always respond with “You are only too old if you think you are.”
My personal belief is that the mind directs the body. I have seen firsthand that when an individual believes in decline at a certain age, they prove themselves right! My professional experience has also shown me time and time again that what you believe has a tremendous impact on your personal well-being and the immediate outcome in the events of your life including your flexibility.
The Power of Thought
It helps to check in with yourself and uproot any beliefs regarding your goals and well-being. It starts with seeing it and then being it. Stay open to your unlimited potential & possibilities. If you are comparing yourself to others and feel they are better than you -this only sets yourself up for the illusion of defeat. I find that staying on my own page and in my own yard and my highest visions of myself, cuts out draining thought and unnecessary distractions. The body is a mirror reflecting what your truly believe about yourself and the type of life expression you feel worthy of. In my meditation practice I see myself exactly as I wish to be and find my natural vibration of peace. This relaxes and softens the face, and my body performs at its best.
Sometimes the biggest shortcoming of attending a yoga class or any other type of class is that one routine does not fit all! Some of my clients come to me for flexibility training because their sport requires it. Others come because their lack of flexibility has caused them to become injured, and they are unable to participate in their favorite sport.
Posture & Head To Toe Alignment Is Everything:
A key complaint is the infamous hunch over
as we walk resembling early man. Hunched over posture is the beginning of the
end! I notice at the gym most people on the cardio machines are completely
leaning forward putting all their weight on the support bars. Another
misalignment is doing cardio on the ball of the feet with-out the heel coming
down or the feet are not pointing straight ahead but, either turned out or rolled
in. I designed a Posture Strap to
create new muscle memory.
Good posture is the highest starting point to
well-being, alignment, being able to breath deeper brings in more oxygen which brings
increased energy, improves balance and performance. It is the body language of
confidence and vitality. I have designed the strap specifically to help clear
shoulder, neck, and back pain, to enhance and improve how you stand, move,
carry yourself and work with your specialty sports. You can also work out with
it! For all levels, ages 15 years to 100 years it helps both men and women. And
for women, a true bonus--it gives an instant bust lift naturally!”
What Flexibility Tools Are Really Needed:
Gone are the days of needing large heavy stretching
apparatuses.
Here are the tools that I highly recommend
for maximizing results:
1. A stretchy stretch strap, (I have custom designed the Stacey Stretch Strap®) The
continuous loops make it easy for choosing the right amount tension to
Spot your body to a whole new place with
clean alignment
2. A
quiet area with some clear wall space to use as support. A chair or stepstool
also provide extra support
3. Yoga
blocks: Help greatly when you can’t get all the way into a position or when you
want to go past a position such as over splits.
4. A
soft mat the spine does not like a hard floor
Truly a game changer for these issues:
*A posture corrector: good posture is a critical starting
point because you don’t want to train with poor posture reinforcing muscle
memory patterns. I custom designed the Stacey Posture Strap to wear that
you can work out in or wear in daily life.
* Calf/ Achilles Stretcher:
The calf master has cleared my Achilles pain when I run or jump. Flexibility
starts at the bottom of the feet and up. This board rocks back and forth to
deeply stretch and strengthen. This improved my vertical jump, balance, core
strength and power. I believe in this product so much I offer it on my products
page
How
often should I stretch:
Real flexibility training is a workout within itself. If you are immersed in a demanding performing art or sport with a full schedule, dedicate at least 1 day per week to a full out flexibility intensive session. 3- 5 would be ideal with 1 complete rest day per week. Always, be sure to do a flexibility and stretching warm-up before dance, circus arts, martial arts, football, cheerleading, ballet, and all demanding sports. After you have gone to a new flexibility level and feel ready for more continue to more advanced programs. You will get to a point where you mix and match your programs for what your body needs each day.
Just like going to dance class, yoga, or any regular classes to improve and stay fit the same goes for flexibility fitness. Being consistent will keep you in balance and make all the difference in performing at an entirely new level
The Flexibility Solution is here:
The beauty about increasing flexibility is that anyone can change it at any time. No matter how old you are. If you don't use it, you lose it. Just start right from where you are now and build on it day by day. If you don't know how to start, I suggest my online video course or book a private flexibility training session with me.
The next best thing is my pre-filmed online video courses. After purchase they don’t expire. Feel free to email me for a free consultation if you need help in choosing the best flexibility program for your exact needs! This will be a valuable gift to yourself that keeps on giving! It can end up saving you in costly trips to doctors, chiropractors, physical therapy, and unnecessary surgeries.
