How Do I Improve My Flexibility?

Welcome to Thankful Thursday with our topic flexibility.

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I wonder why we should be thankful for flexibility? I think for me, as my flexibility has improved and increased with my yoga practice.

I used to run right before I practised yoga, then I stopped running and I started practising yoga. I remember going for a run and just thinking, goodness, I feel more free. My legs can move. So it has really big, subtle impacts on the way we live life.
Sometimes people think that flexibility means touching your toes?
No it’s actually in everything that we do, being able to sit up straight and broaden through your chest, being able to grab hold of things, move and just walk. We just need so much flexibility in our lives to live a good life.
I suppose one of the reasons that I'm such a fan of flexibility is that I did have those few years when... my hip joints got worn out and I became so inflexible to the extent that I ended up having to have a major surgery to put new implants in.
It took time to work back to flexibility. But I am just so thrilled that I do have hip joint replacements because I am able to live my life well and healthily.
I didn’t want to be one of those people that's always on a stick bent over, and can't walk. Because really the way we walk, sit, stand, even the way we sleep, well, it is assisted by how flexible we are.
Sometimes some people are like, "Oh, I can't do yoga because I'm not flexible enough." Like that is so not the point of doing yoga.
When I first started doing yoga, I was not flexible enough to my mind. You didn’t see me leaning over touching my toes. That was not part of my life experience. But now, leaning over touching my toes is totally available to me.
And the beautiful thing is that I can see the progression from "Wow. My forward fold is just me sitting up with my legs in front of me with a strap around my toes," to then, "Oh, now I can clasp my hands around my toes like this." So you actually can see the progression, but that wasn't the point.
Well, the point was that flexibility supports your mobility. And that was what you were saying, right?
Because we actually need our joints to be mobile.
That's right.
And if they are stiff and we are not mobile, then that's another word for inflexible.
So to make progress - you’d need to do a little regularly?
So flexibility is not like, "Oh, well I'm going to learn how to cook. I'll get the recipe and I'll make it and it'll be done." No.
Your flexibility is not going to get a work out and change just like that. It's committing to doing something regularly. And sometimes when you start you don’t see much progress at all. It's just actually the commitment to turn up.
Do a little bit every day.
“A little bit the right way.” I had a yoga teacher that said that. And it’s stuck with me and resonates.
So when you're sitting on a chair, ask, is it the right height? Are you sitting so you can lean back and your shoulders are open or are you hunched over your desk? Because all those little movements during the day add up to wrapped rolled shoulders, sore lower back, tight hamstrings.
The other day I was working on a desk space that I don't normally work on. I was pretty hunched over. Just a little bit of doing the wrong thing. It took all evening to get straightened out. I did that once. So imagine if I did that every single day impeding my flexibility and mobility.
Yeah. So that brings us to the next thing - being aware of ourselves and enjoying every moment. Now, you obviously were intensely working on something. Hopefully it was something that brought you joy, but you needed it to get finished, and you knew that when you were finished, you were happy. So when you want to improve your flexibility and feel happy and joyful in your body, you have to be aware of yourself.
Flexibility is also a lot about muscles. So we know we've got some big, strong muscles holding our arms out, holding our legs up and connecting our bones in our bodies. But you might not have heard about all the little muscles, say the ones that are wrapped around your spine that really are providing that internal support.
Flexibility is not just about stretching and moving your large muscles. It's actually being able to support and move those internal muscles too. And a really great way of doing that is by breathing.
Who knew?
We love breathing.
As you breathe, your diaphragm moves up and down. It's got lots of good benefits. It allows the muscles, the small muscles that are holding all your discs and vertebrae together, to get an internal massage. Plus as you're breathing in deeply, you are adding more oxygen into your lungs, which is transferred into your bloodstream. And to repair and grow muscle, you need to have oxygenated blood.
Simply when you breathe more deeply will actually improve your flexibility.
If you're breathing in and can feel it from your neck to the midpoint of your chest, that's quite a rapid, high intensity breath. That's what happens, if you're watching a scary movie or if somebody gives you a fright. You're taking a quick, fast breath and it's all coming into your upper chest. Your body is getting ready for quick action.
But if you take a deeper breath down through, into your belly using your diaphragm, that actually sends signals to your brain to calm down. You relax, because you're not bracing. Your muscles are saying, "I don't need to be ready to stand up and run anywhere or get out of the way of the sabre-tooth tiger."
And so taking a deep breath allows those muscles to go, "Oh, we're going to be here for a while. I'm safe. I'm okay. I can switch off and relax. You don't have to be holding on quite so tight and I'll be ready next time we have to get up and move."
Such a simple tip.
Breathe, breathe. Breathe deep. Breathe deep.
You didn't think you were going to get that on Thankful Thursday about flexibility, did you?
We know muscles need lots of oxygenated blood which comes from your breath. But they also need lots of water.
So drink fresh water and eat well. Fruit and vegetables contain between 80 and 95% water. So you're actually getting all those good nutrients and the water as well.
In life we can feel pushed in a certain direction, to stay on the path and to be rigid. Especially if you decide to go with a life that you're not thinking about, it is quite rigid.
I guess from a Thankful Thursday perspective, as we become more free in our bodies and move into a lifestyle that's more in alignment with what our bodies need, our life becomes easier.
Saying, "I'm going to practice stretching and yoga for five minutes every day this week and I'm going to swing my arms and I'm going to lean over and touch the chair." You have offered yourself the opportunity to change.
We improve our flexibility through our lifestyle. Amazing. And then you just add in a little bit of a yoga practice and then that's it.
Again, a little bit the right way. And yeah, it doesn't have to be touching your toes.
No, no. It can be simply swinging your arms.
Standing upright, swinging your arms. Moving slowly, one side to the other.
And that's opening up and your mind getting out of that stuck pattern, isn't it?
So flexibility is about living your life well.
Yes, it is. Absolutely. I love that!
Yes. Breathe deep. Eat good fruit and vegetables. Drink water. Move your body. Get enough rest.
Sounds like an amazing recipe for a great life. And maybe one day you'll progress to touching your toes. But if you don't, so what?
Yeah, that's right. Go forth and live your life well.
Be flexible, take those tips with you, and do leave us a comment if you feel like sharing some of your experiences and your journey with us. We'd love to hear.
And we are proud of you for reading our blog and having the opportunity to think new thoughts and make a change and maybe become more flexible.