Ankle mobility workouts are an effective way to minimize back discomfort and improve day by day perform. Increasing ankle flexibility and stability can help you move higher, regain lost range of motion, and cut back your threat of damage. This blog will stroll you thru the best ankle mobility exercises to assist you enhance your total motion and scale back stiffness or discomfort in daily actions. A nutrient-rich diet fuels your physique and supports muscle recovery, which is crucial to improve flexibility and steadiness. For example, protein from foods like rooster, eggs, or lentils helps repair muscular tissues after stretching or steadiness training.
She has greater than a decade of experience covering health, health, and vitamin for a wide range of publications, and practically 10 years of experience as a trainer and fitness instructor. Mallory stays on high of her persevering with training in health, in addition to the most recent science in wellness. As a freelance writer, Mallory’s work appeared in Women’s Health, Self, Men’s Journal, Reader’s Digest, and extra.
Athletes and energetic individuals often incorporate flexibility training into their routines to stop injuries corresponding to muscle strains or ligament tears. Even if you’re not an athlete, common stretching can protect you from on an everyday basis injuries that can happen throughout train, work, and even routine actions at residence. Use these actions to successfully warm up your body earlier than diving into train. With dynamic stretches, you can increase your mobility and improve your performance for workouts or sports.
Flexibility is an essential side of good physical health that promotes joint health and range of motion and helps prevent pains, strains and injuries. Cat-Cow may seem like a funny name for a yoga pose, however its benefits are anything but. This purr-fect pose helps enhance your mobility and enhance flexibility in your neck, shoulders, spine, and core. Lizard pose targets the hips and internal thighs, providing a deep stretch to improve hip flexibility. This is likely one of the most well-known yoga poses and is nice for stretching the whole body, especially the hamstrings, calves, and backbone.
And it’s not likely since you broken anything, your nervous system has simply determined that being tighter is best for you right now. Stretching lengthens muscles and improves blood flow (which promotes restoration and healing), so investing a few minutes in gentle, focused stretching might repay in the lengthy run. Sit on the ground with your legs prolonged straight in entrance of you. Inhale and lengthen your backbone, then exhale as you attain forward toward your toes. Hold the stretch the place you are feeling comfy, preserving your again as flat as possible.
By incorporating these five exercises into your routine, you’ll be able to considerably improve your flexibility. Remember, the key to success is to start slowly and concentrate on mild, regular stretches. Tight hips and inside thighs can lead to quite a lot of issues, together with decrease back ache and reduced mobility.
PNF stretching ought to be taught by a bodily therapist to ensure applicable and correct method so you possibly can safely improve your knee movement range. Corticosteroid injections might help to scale back joint ache and inflammation, so your doctor might suggest them to assist enhance your knee flexibility. Knee massage can also have the added bonus of bettering rest which may help to minimize back stress and anxiousness, which may reduce ache levels.
Lie on a mat with your knees bent and carry your right leg, grabbing it at the calf, ankle, or wherever you’ll find a way to reach. Flex your foot and gently pull the leg toward you to feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Stretching is an important part of any exercise routine, nevertheless it’s one many of us skip often.
Beyond its physical advantages, maintaining flexibility also can increase your psychological well-being. Step your proper foot forward in a brief lunge position with each heels on the bottom. Place your arms in your hips or maintain onto your golf club with one hand to assist with balance. Engage your left glute and feel the stretch in your left hip flexor and quad. With an exhale, bend your back leg and lengthen your entrance leg right into a hamstring stretch. Dynamic stretching can be particular to the kind of workout or activity you’re about to do, similar to practicing sun salutations before a yoga session.
In AIS, you contract the agonist muscle to get a extra important stretch out of the antagonist. For example, contracting your quadriceps when stretching your hamstring. Most individuals can turn out to be versatile so long as they’re willing to stay with a regular stretching routine for the lengthy run. The wall squat stretch is fairly self-explanatory, and you’ll really feel it pretty much in all places in your hips. This stretch improves hip range of movement for squats, thoracic place for squats, and ankle mobility.
There are several different sorts of stretching techniques, together with static stretching, dynamic stretching, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching. Each type has its own benefits and can be integrated into a senior fitness program in different methods. Most often, weak hips end result from a sedentary life-style with an extreme amount of sitting and never sufficient train. If you have ache, tightness, cramping, or other disagreeable symptoms in your hips, you can be dealing with weakness or immobility in any of your hip muscle tissue.
In order to do, it’s a good idea to know what to keep away from when stretching. The common notion is that the more time you spend stretching the world, the extra of a result you’ll get. This is basically just performing a stretch with a contraction of the muscle added in whereas doing it. Pilates is one other form of exercise that can considerably help in enhancing one’s flexibility levels. This sort of light exercise has proven to be fairly a great tool for seniors looking to turn into more agile. Yoga is a gentle sort of train, and that is great for flexibility, strength and psychological wellbeing.
Flexibility training may help correct muscle imbalances and enhance your posture. You can align and proper your muscle imbalances by focusing on particular muscles with strengthening and stretching workout routines. This might help scale back musculoskeletal ache, especially for those with sedentary careers or existence. Increasing your range of motion will allow you to sit taller and stand straighter. Flexibility is the ability of muscular tissues and joints to move by way of their full vary of movement without pain or restriction. It’s an important facet of total fitness that performs a big position in damage prevention.
Flexibility is crucial for pole vaulters because a proper technique requires a great stretch reflex. When you push off the ground to leap, it produces a stretch in the hips and quads. Your shoulders additionally undergo a stretch reflex if you push the pole into the box. Good flexibility in these areas helps with the stretch reflex and supplies a more powerful technique.
And it does not matter what class you fall underneath, gaining a greater vary of motion, each in muscular tissues and joints, takes persistence and time. The glute bridge train advantages many additional muscles, including the hamstrings, decrease again, and abs. You can pose utilizing your physique weight or place a looped resistance band above your knees to increase the intensity. Many people assume that resting their sore back will help remove the discomfort.
Bend the proper knee and both wrap the yoga strap around the foot, taking maintain of the strap with the best hand, or grab the big toe together with your index and middle finger. Begin by sitting on the ground with the legs stretched out in entrance of you. Bend both knees and allow them to fall out to the aspect as you bring the soles of the ft collectively, forming a butterfly form. Sit up tall, reaching the crown of the head towards the ceiling. Begin by standing at the entrance of your mat along with your feet hip-width aside. On an inhale carry the arms up overhead and, on your exhale, begin to fold forward, bending the knees as you draw the belly in the course of the thighs.
Plus, they’ll even contribute to decrease again pain, which no one desires. Consistency is critical to bettering mobility, and having daily-updated routines ensures athletes keep on monitor with their progress. Mobility just isn’t a one-time fix but an ongoing follow that builds over time. Pliability presents daily-updated mobility routines that adapt to your efficiency and objectives.
Grab your legs/feet (as far down as you can) and pull your higher body to your legs. The goal is to finally have your chest mendacity in your knees. This stretch will provide you with lax and lean hamstrings and permit you to get into Monkey pose with ease. Dynamic stretching involves transferring components of your body by way of a full vary of motion in a controlled and repetitive method. These stretches are sometimes carried out before exercise or physical exercise to warm up the muscular tissues and put together them for motion.
This hip flexibility train reduces hip flexor rigidity and tones your glutes. To get the maximum benefit, you need to be able to loosen up into these poses. If it feels like you’re forcing or combating the movement, ease up.
Stretching can additionally be helpful for individuals with arthritis and spinal issues (as lengthy as it’s accomplished correctly). The info in our articles is NOT meant to exchange a one-on-one relationship with a professional well being care skilled and isn’t supposed as medical advice. Experiment with totally different stretching techniques to seek out what works best for you. To assist you to keep motivated and on track, hold a journal or use a tracking app to notice your flexibility levels and any modifications you discover over time. You’ll undoubtedly really feel the distinction in your golf swing, and loosening up correctly might even help you hit it longer too.
Movements like leg swings, arm circles, walking lunges, and hip openers put together the muscular tissues for motion and activate joints through their full vary of motion. Unlike static stretches, dynamic warm-ups enhance blood circulate and simulate actual sport movement. Athletes with good mobility transfer extra effectively, conserving power and allowing them to carry out at a excessive level for longer. Efficient motion also means less pressure on muscles and joints.
These giant upper again muscular tissues are vulnerable to developing strains and tightness, which start suddenly or gradually over time (such as sitting at a desk with poor posture). Effective again stretches will target all of those muscle teams. Flexibility means the body can achieve a certain position, says licensed power and conditioning specialist India McPeak, CSCS.
Maintain a wide base of help with the arms barely wider than the shoulders and externally rotate the shoulders by turning the eye of the elbow towards the front of the room. You may have to bring the chest away from the floor in order to accomplish this. Bend the knees and draw the heels towards the sitting bones. The right distance may be assessed by reaching with straight arms towards the toes. Start in a seated position with the legs out in front of the body.
The following video reveals fundamental hamstring stretches that simply require an elevated surface—a bench, chair, desk, or something sturdy enough to put your foot on. Just as described above, ease into the stretches with easy rhythmic actions into and out of the stretch, followed by a brief holding period. Have you ever observed that your flexibility gains from an earlier training session seem to vanish once you attempt to work on the position again? This could be irritating, and this phenomenon is commonly brought on by a lack of increased movement in this new range of motion.
Get into a plank position and place the foam roller under quads (the entrance a half of thighs). Roll down the length of thighs, stopping when the roller reaches knees. As you roll up and down, be sure you also work towards the outside of thighs. Repeat for about 30 seconds, pausing on particularly tight spots. All that said, enhancing your flexibility can help you achieve and maintain a more comfy biking posture. If you feel ache while stretching, stop immediately to avoid potential damage.
After all, as we talked about, flexibility begins within the thoughts. She says that tightness is commonest in the neck and shoulders, together with the hamstrings, due to how a lot sitting we do, so assess these areas first. While some people are more versatile than others, everybody could be as versatile as they need to be as long as they’re willing to work at it.
“If a bike owner is having ache or they’re in search of methods to improve performance, flexibility is a great place to start,” says Rachel Andrews, CPT, a USA Cycling-certified coach. From a parallel lunge, scoot the back foot in towards the entrance leg, about a foot’s size, and bend both knees for a stretch nearer to the Achilles. This twist helps stretch the spine and may relieve tension in the again, selling overall spinal well being. This stretch can help alleviate decrease back pressure and improve flexibility. The Seated Neck Release is a straightforward but effective stretch for relieving neck pressure.
But sustain with your practice and keep stretching every single day. Over time, you want to really feel much less stiffness when you get up. You’ll also discover that on a regular basis actions are simpler to do with increased flexibility. Get into a lunge position on the floor, proper foot forward and left knee back, each knees at about ninety levels. Keeping the torso straight and abs engaged, lunge ahead, gently urgent until you feel a stretch within the front of the hip. With common practice, you’ll likely see higher flexibility, posture, and total consolation 12.
That’s when low-impact exercise options can actually come into their own. In addition to extra common types of exercise, you could attempt introducing sure stretches before or after a workout. Muscles such as the hamstrings, quadriceps, and calf muscle tissue play essential roles in knee flexion. Factors such as damage, arthritis, muscle tightness, or structural issues can hinder full knee flexion. I know, it’d sound foolish, however strengthening the hamstrings is a good way to enhance the pliability of hamstrings.

It’s a practice that ought to be done on a daily basis—regardless of whether or not or not you’ve labored out that day. “Incorporating a every day stretching routine can provide a selection of benefits for each your bodily and mental well-being,”says Peloton instructor, Logan Aldridge. Over time, a daily stretching routine will improve your flexibility together with bettering your posture and general athletic efficiency. Making flexibility a daily habit is like watering a plant – constant care results in growth and resilience. Research shows that every day stretching improves muscle tightness and vary of movement, prevents accidents by making muscular tissues extra adaptable, and even reduces stress. Aim to stretch no much less than 3-4 instances per week, holding every stretch for seconds and repeating 2-3 instances.
Ankle mobility performs a vital role in general joint health. In this information, we’ll discover the many advantages of increased flexibility, several varieties of stretching workouts, and tips on how to incorporate flexibility training into your daily routine. We’ll additionally have a glance at how correct diet and hydration can support flexibility and how physical therapy may help individuals who struggle with tight muscles or restricted mobility. In this article from humanhealthmag, we wish to introduce some of the best flexibility exercises for seniors over 70.
Flexibility is an integral part of good well being and health and is particularly vital for seniors. You don’t need any tools, however an train mat or yoga block could also be helpful since you’ll have to lie on the ground. The inhale introduces new oxygen, while the exhale eliminates any rigidity and old air you have been holding in. Allen Conrad, BS, DC, CSCS, a chiropractor for Montgomery County Chiropractic Center in North Wales, PA, seconds this method. “Research has proven that omega 3 fatty acid ranges can help forestall irritation. When muscle tissue get sore from irritation, you shorten your stride when strolling.
Dynamic stretching is a good way to improve flexibility and prevent damage. It is crucial to all the time take heed to your body and work inside your limits, gradually rising the depth of your stretches over time. Incorporating dynamic stretching into your daily routine also can assist enhance your total physical health and well-being. Improving your flexibility doesn’t should contain advanced routines or specialized gear. These 5 at-home workouts to enhance your flexibility are straightforward to do, require little area, and can deliver important results over time.
Dynamic stretching includes shifting your joints through their full range of motion with out holding a place. It’s an ideal approach to heat up and prepare your body for bodily activity. These movements improve muscle temperature, blood flow, and readiness for exercise. Tight hamstrings are a common drawback that may be brought on by tight hip flexors or glutes, overuse throughout intense activities like soccer, and even sitting an extreme amount of. If you’ve tight hamstrings, you might really feel stiffness, aching, or burning at the back of the thigh.
This arm position can be quite difficult, so have a strap helpful and prepare to stretch the biceps, pectorals, trapezius, and serratus anterior. Sit in cross-legged in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) together with your right leg in entrance.2. Bring your right foot to the skin of your left thigh with the best knee pointing up and right sole flat on the floor.3. Scoot your left foot to the outside of your right buttock with the outside of the left foot on the floor.4. Inhale each arms up and exhale to twist to the right, bringing your proper hand to the ground behind you and your left elbow to the skin of your proper knee.5. Activate your left hand and press the right foot into your mat.6.
Your focus must be on transferring shortly and comfortably round the place you may be. If you do this method throughout the board, you can turn out to be extra versatile and mobile simultaneously. “Lots of persons are so disconnected from their our bodies that they don’t understand their own lack of flexibility,” she says.
In addition to enjoyable and quickly lengthening the muscles, this feels excellent and will alleviate the stiffness and tightness that you just really feel across the joint. Like stretching, we advocate doing this twice per day for the first few weeks, then backing off to as quickly as per day (if desired) as you begin to become more flexible. There are several hypotheses explaining elevated ROM following stretching training. Furthermore, animal models present proof of structural diversifications by a serial accumulation of sarcomeres (2). From the authors’ point of view, there isn’t any conflict with the speculation of a reduced ache threshold in a given angle if a serial accumulation in humans can be hypothesized.
Dynamic stretching loosens muscles and joints by taking them by way of their full vary of movement with moves like marching in place, squats, or actions that mimic sports actions. Warming up earlier than stretching is essential for lowering the chance of injury and preparing your body for contortion training. A good warm-up routine may help improve flexibility and enhance efficiency while reducing the risk of muscle strains, sprains, and other injuries. Here are some recommendations on how to warm up effectively earlier than stretching to extend flexibility and turn into extra flexible. These simple movements promote better flexibility and functionality in everyday actions.
Maybe you’ve written your self off as somebody who “just has tight hamstrings”. This methodology works by alternating between stretching the muscle and then contracting it. For example, in a hamstring PNF stretch, you’d stretch the hamstring, then push towards resistance for a number of seconds, and at last loosen up the muscle and stretch it further.
Active stretching additionally enhances stability and stability, requiring you to interact your core muscular tissues and keep control throughout the stretch. It can even help to forestall damage by strengthening the muscular tissues and growing the range of motion. It’s important to note that active stretching should at all times be carried out inside your bodily capabilities and limitations. Examples of energetic stretches include the warrior pose and downward-facing dog.
On your subsequent exhale start to move in the reverse direction. Remember to only move into spaces that give your muscle tissue a delicate stretch, by no means ache. Seniors ought to keep away from any stretching that causes them extreme discomfort or pain. It’s also necessary to keep away from any high-impact or intense stretching that would doubtlessly lead to damage.
Step your left foot toward the front of your mat about 5 inches and out to the left facet about 3 inches. (Distances could differ depending in your measurement and adaptability.) three. Lower your left heel in order that your toes are turned out about 45 degrees.
There are many specific stretches that may allow you to assess your flexibility in different areas of your physique. For instance, the seated ahead fold can help you assess your hamstring flexibility, whereas the shoulder extension stretch may help you assess your shoulder flexibility. Trying out these stretches can help you identify areas that need enchancment and focus your contortion coaching accordingly. Poor posture may cause many people to be tight through their chest and front of the shoulder. Warming up the shoulders before a workout will help enhance your kind and also prevent damage.
Over time, you can gently push in your legs to increase the stretch too. Our information on health over 50 consists of tips on staying active, including exercises and exercises which are beginner-friendly. Flexibility in the upper body additionally performs a task in martial arts. Exercises such as push-ups, tricep dips, and shoulder raises contribute to balanced muscle improvement. Do them after a experience or use them to interrupt up periods of sitting all through the day. Check for overly wrinkled pores and skin behind the ankle (a sign that you’re jamming into your Achilles).
Think of stability like holding a plank regular, sustaining a hip bridge, or balancing on one foot. But your workout routine really still isn’t complete with out one underrated coaching element needed to carry out your finest. Kind of like how your favourite plate of pasta won’t be full with out parmesan cheese on prime, every good training plan isn’t complete without mobility. By dedicating just a few minutes at a time, you’ll be able to achieve nearly half an hour of flexibility coaching each day you train. You might feel rigid as a end result of adhesions in your fascia, a sort of connective tissue that covers your muscular tissues, bones and joints.
Healthcare suppliers assist design appropriate routines, provide steering on progression, and ensure workouts assist joint restoration without inflicting harm. This personalised approach helps optimize advantages and minimize risks. As you’re employed to enhance your mobility, don’t overlook about energy work too. “It’s actually essential to have stability by way of the vary of movement that you have,” says Haas, and strength work improves that.
The Piriformis Stretch focuses on a small muscle that connects the bottom of your spine to your thighbone. This stretch helps ease tension in the decrease again and improves hip flexibility. Consult a healthcare supplier before exercising with chronic ache. Some activities, together with stretches, might worsen your condition or increase pain. See a physical therapist for an individualized train program tailored to your particular health situation.
When you understand why ankle mobility is crucial and how to improve it, you probably can seamlessly incorporate workouts into your coaching to take care of full ROM and cut back the danger of harm. Regardless if you are doing standing or seated stretching workouts, it’s best to stretch the main muscular tissues 2 instances a week, for round 10 minutes. The most sensible choice for seniors is to carry each stretch for 30 sec so that the muscles may have loads of time to relax. Bend the right knee and bring the best ankle up behind your bottom, as close to the bottom as possible.
In a standing position, discover something to carry for balance. Bend barely with the other knee till you are feeling a gentle stretch in the again of the thigh of the raised leg. Bend slightly forward from your hips when you want extra stretch. Stand behind a chair together with your legs about shoulder-width aside.
By permitting smoother and more efficient movement, flexibility helps shield your body throughout physical activities and unexpected motions. Whether you want to contact your toes or move extra comfortably each day, improving flexibility is for you. Here are 10 essential flexibility workouts to target different muscle groups and improve mobility. Depending on how tight you’re feeling, Lawton recommends performing some stretching or flexibility coaching twice a day if attainable. And this doesn’t should be an enormous part of your day either.
Step both ft out to sides so lower physique varieties a triangle and toes face ahead. Lift arms at sides and raise to shoulder height so upper body varieties a “T.” Practice these expert-approved flexibility exercises, and you’re positive to feel extra limber. Paying consideration to your respiration whereas stretching and exercising is useful for numerous causes. For instance, monitoring how hard you breathe may help you gauge your train depth.
Sure, a highly skilled athlete with common mobility will doubtless outperform the athlete with less talent however better joint mechanics. The yogis have identified it for thousands of years – dedicating time to connect your actions with the breath decreases ranges of stress hormones like cortisol. He says that most individuals he sees are “very locked up around the hips”. As a result, “their back then finally ends up doing a lot of the motion for them”. While we do use PNF methods incessantly in the workplace, we additionally understand that it’s not possible for our sufferers to make use of PNF-style stretches on their own at residence for every joint.
Break down your targets into small, achievable steps and give attention to making gradual progress. Celebrate your successes alongside the way in which and do not get discouraged by setbacks or plateaus. Using these strategies, you’ll have the ability to increase joint flexibility successfully.
That’s why it’s essential to make flexibility a precedence in our routine to stretch the muscles, loosen up our joints and preserve mobility. Over time, this can enhance range of motion and cut back your risk of injury. Besides improving flexibility, stretching might help scale back exercise soreness and injury threat and improve efficiency in actions like walking, biking, and pickleball. Regular stretching additionally might help individuals with steadiness issues avoid falls. By integrating these methods into day by day routines, individuals can mitigate pain, strengthen knee assist constructions, and enhance overall joint flexibility. Remember, before embarking on any new exercise routine, consulting a healthcare supplier is advised to tailor the program to particular person wants.
The Daily Burn app has you lined with dynamic yoga and adaptability routines. Dive into our expansive collection of workout movies that let you improve your flexibility at a rhythm that fits your life. It’s a easy but effective approach to boost circulation and flexibility. When you make foam rolling a half of your pre- or post-workout routine, you’re setting the stage for higher recovery and top-notch efficiency. It’s essential to keep away from overstretching, as this could lead to harm. Instead, focus on gradual development by growing the depth and duration of your stretches over time.
This article discusses flexibility—why it is necessary, the method it benefits daily life, how to do it safely, and examples of flexibility exercises. Doing workout routines in water can actually assist improve knee flexibility and strength. Ideally, you wish to be in a hydrotherapy pool where the water is hotter (33-36o) than a standard pool, but if you don’t have access to at least one, use your native pool.
At Weljii, we information our students by way of health and wellness certification applications to take care of flexibility and health. Coaches trained at Weljii help people at all stages of life get match, get lively, and enjoy the wide-ranging well being benefits of flexibility training. When performing stretches, bear in mind a few things to remain safe and injury-free. First and foremost, it’s crucial to warm up earlier than stretching. Walking quick or performing light calisthenics is a simple way to accomplish this. This will help improve your coronary heart price whereas loosening your muscular tissues, making them extra pliable for stretching.
Lumbar spine flexion (forward bending) can irritate disc-related pain and sensitivity. It is also associated to tissue high quality, and massage remedies are the best methodology for locating new ranges of motion. Your glutes are weak, preventing you from controlling a posterior pelvic tilt and releasing your spine. Pliability’s mobility app might help you reach your again flexibility objectives with personalized routines targeting your needs.
By specializing in flexibility, you possibly can enhance your overall physical health and well-being. Everyone, regardless of age or fitness stage, can profit from incorporating flexibility workouts into their routine. Whether you’re an athlete looking to enhance performance or somebody seeking to improve day by day practical actions, flexibility is vital.
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II permits you to stretch the entire front physique and deep into the hip flexors to strengthen your again and enhance posture. Football calls for a lot from the hips and hamstrings, particularly during sprints, tackles, and excessive kicks. Players ought to include specific stretches like pigeon pose, seated ahead folds, and lunging hip flexor stretches to keep these areas unfastened and useful.
A number of strategies like stretching, foam rolling, yoga, tai chi, and massage can enhance range of movement. Aim to stretch all major muscle teams at least 2-3 instances per week. With consistency, you’ll become more cellular and flexible.
“Creating robust muscle tissue surrounding our joints is the easiest way to increase our flexibility and maintain it for years to return,” says Cruz. Moreover, a evaluate printed within the Journal of Physical Therapy Science concluded that flexibility coaching plays a vital position in harm prevention. It highlighted how improved flexibility reduces the pressure on muscle tissue and tendons, reducing the danger of musculoskeletal accidents throughout physical actions. Dynamic flexibility is the vary of motion achieved throughout lively actions. This is especially essential in martial arts for executing kicks and other strategies fluidly.
“The more you do them, the extra your body will be able to progress,” she adds. A great motivator is to trace your progress to see how your flexibility improves over time. If a daily stretch routine isn’t attainable, the Mayo Clinic suggests that you simply nonetheless profit from 5 to 10 minutes of stretching exercises two to 3 days every week.
Therefore, not everybody has the bone construction to attain the right alignment of this pose. After reading this text, you will have a significantly better understanding of the mechanics of yoga for flexibility. At this level I am going to clarify precisely what I mean by “back flexibility”. By increasing back flexibility I do NOT imply particularly stretching the lower back, however somewhat stretching every muscle that contributes to decrease back pain when stiff. When I mention “back flexibility” you should assume flexibility within the hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, and mid-back that every one contribute to decrease again pressure when tight.