3 Surprising Things I Learned When I Tried Assisted Stretching

My stretching habits have always been a little lax. Sure, you’re supposed to stretch after exercise – but by then I am ready to lie down and not move for a month. And stretching doesn’t really cross my mind at any other time. To give my body a boost I signed up for a 1- on-1 assisted stretch. This is not your usual stretch class. There is no mat, downward facing dog or two dozen other people to block the instructor. Instead, my studio had just seven ‘beds’ for clients, each with their own personal ‘flexologist’ trained in how to match the resistance of each person. They come from a range of health and fitness backgrounds from chiropractors and physiotherapists to personal trainers and breathwork specialists. Here’s what I discovered in my first stretch session with a flexologist:

Image courtesy of Stretch Studios

I’m flexible in places I never knew!

There were muscles stretched that I had never stretched in my life. I am not even sure I could do it myself if you asked me.

Having someone else move your body and add the extra resistance, allowed for a deeper and more focused stretch. It also meant there was no chance of missing a spot or giving up after two seconds.

My flexologist began by bending and stretching my feet (which felt a lot like a foot massage) and brought my legs around at various angles. In one instance, I could barely get my knees higher than my waist, but she tried a different leg stretch and I was ready to join Cirque de Solei. It goes to show that just because you don’t stretch consistently doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible!

There are more benefits than just flexibility

At the end of the session I floated out of the studio. Not only did my body feel more relaxed, I was energised for the day ahead and felt myself standing taller and straighter. The effects lasted long into the week and I slept much more soundly.

Aside from improved energy levels and better posture, promising research suggests stretching also offers other benefits including reducing anxiety, decreasing depression symptoms, promoting blood circulation and regulating blood glucose levels.

It’s not as uncomfortable as I thought

Being told someone was going to be in your personal space and bend your limbs in all directions sounded a little confronting to me. But in reality, it was a lot like a going to the physio or a chiropractor.

Because my flexologist worked her way up from my feet, she gave me an opportunity to familiarise myself with the process and to ask my many stretch questions. By the time she was holding my head and stretching out my neck, I felt very relaxed in her capable hands. (The bonus is you can request the same flexologist every visit so you can stick with someone you are comfortable with).

We tried assisted stretching courtesy of Stretch Studio.