Deep down inside, many people strive to become more flexible. It looks awesome, and makes you feel like a circus performer. Some of the best athletes from gymnasts to dancers all make it look so easy. There’s always that one person at yoga class that can twist and bend their body without breaking a sweat, while you struggle just to touch your toes without bending your knees.

So, you might be saying to yourself, “Oh, that could never be me! I’ve never been flexible, I don’t have years of training, I’ve had multiple injuries, I’m too old…” The list goes on and on that before you know it, you’ve already given up before even trying!
The truth is, flexibility takes time. Just like building muscle, you won’t become the next Mr. Olympia after training at the gym for one day. You’re not going to be a world-class marathon runner after one jog down the street. So you need to lower your expectations and accept that anything worth fighting for is going to take time. And with time, you also need to know that consistency matters. That means making a commitment to working on your flexibility multiple days a week.

If you’re already a member of ZGYM, then you’ve already gotten into the habit of making exercise a regular part of your day. When you’re working toward a goal- in this case, flexibility- then you’re going to have to make it a focus of your training. Everyday, commit to stretching at least fifteen to twenty minutes- after a workout, before bed, in the morning, at a lunch break, or even during commercial breaks on TV.
I also recommend practicing my Stretch and Tone series, which are workouts that help to improve your flexibility as well as your strength.

When stretching, it’s also important to work the entire body. Everything is connected when it comes to flexibility, and overstretching or focusing too much on one area while neglecting the others can lead to imbalances overtime. These imbalances will increase your risk of injury or strain, which can affect your mobility and exercise performance. So, be sure to work the entire body- shoulders, back, glutes, thighs, legs- leave no area behind!

A good way to make sure you’re working the entire body is to practice yoga, at a class, or by doing one of my Power Yoga routines. Yoga is excellent for this purpose, and as an added bonus, works on your strength, balance, and mind. It’s a very efficient way to make the most of your time, especially when you don’t have a lot of it!

Even my Postural Therapy series would compliment your training, helping you to focus on specific areas of your body that are often tight and inflexible due to a sedentary lifestyle or injury.

No matter how you choose to train, it’s important to know that there will be times when you feel like you’ve hit a wall in your training. Maybe you’ve been practicing for a year, and still aren’t as flexible as you would like to be. Or, maybe you’ve been making excellent progress, only to suddenly find that your body just isn’t cooperating or feeling 100%. Aside from the possibility of overtraining, it could be that you’re simply having an off day. And that’s fine! No one is perfect. You’re going to find that some days are easier than others, when you’re more motivated or have less stress going on. Don’t let one, or even a few, days of ‘ok’ training put you down. If you’re getting frustrated, then own your feelings, and pick yourself back up. Go back and train later, when your mind is clear, and your body has taken a break from training.
Just like losing weight, building strength, and changing a habit, progress happens in little bits over time. Think baby steps. Slowly, but surely, you’ll see that you can do more with your stretches. Be patient, don’t push yourself, and pay attention to even the smallest of changes.

That is how real progress is made!