Flexibility, the underestimated superpower

As I was sitting stretching I was thinking about how underrated flexibility really is. Even by the time I was in high school lots of my friends had trouble touching their toes, me included. That's kind of sad.For some reason, nobody seems to care too much about being flexible. They want to be fast and strong and jump high or be able to lift a car. Maybe it's because you can't usually see how flexible someone is that no one cares if they are. But it's time to put that ridiculosity aside and acknowledge how important it is to stay bendable.

As a cyclist and generally athletically inclined person flexibility is important to me for lots of reasons. For one, it means that I can comfortable move my body in the ways it needs to move on a bike, in the pool while swimming or just playing frisbee. Ultimately, I think that greater flexibility offers greater recovery. I can't say that I have cold hard proof of this, but I know that when I work on my flexibility it is easier for me to push my body day after day than when I neglect it.

As a college volleyball player we often played in a tournament style where each Saturday tournament would mean between 3 and 5 or more matches. I neglected my flexibility thinking that I was young and it didn't matter too much, but it often meant that I limped around campus for a day or more wishing that I had taken more time to stretch myself. However, during the summers while I ran triathlons, I often spent 10-15 minutes stretching after I finished swimming and running each day. With this routine I stayed limber and had an easier time cranking out training days one after another.

While flexibility may come easily for some and be more difficult for others it is worth everyone's time pursuing it. New research last fall indicated that there is a correlation between peoples flexibility and their chances of coronary artery disease and heart attack. While this is not necessarily a cause and effect situation there is no proof yet that it's not. Just one more reason for working a little harder to touch your toes.

Whether you try yoga--which can be pretty hard by the way, but well worth it--pilates, ballet, tai chi or just spending a few extra minutes in your day making sure that you're not too stiff the results will be satisfying.

See how happy it makes you?