Practicing and teaching at the Village

Let’s talk about flexibility. why is it so important?

Most aerobic and strength-training programs inherently cause your muscles to conrtact and flex. That’s why regular stretching is a powerful part of any exercise program. Consider this:

• Stretching increases flexibility. Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes, or playing with your kids become easier and less exhausting.
• Stretching improves the range of motion of your joints. Good range of motion keeps you in better balance, which will help keep you mobile and less prone to falls – and the related injuries – especially as you age.
• Stretching improves circulation. Stretching increases bloodflow to your muscles and organs. Improved circulation can speed recovery anfter muscle injuries.
• Stretching can relieve stress. Stretching relaxes the tense muscles that often accompany stress.

Some people are more flexible than others, and no, not everyone has to be able to do the splits. It’s really just about staying in a healthy range of motion with our body as we grow just a little older every day. We can increse our flexibility with certain exercises, such as yoga, Pilates, or plain old floor stretching.

By using our own bodies to create resistance and energy, we continuously improve and maintain a healthy range of motion in our joints. Maintaining flexibility in an elderly person, for example, can mean that if they fall they decrease severe injury, because they are flexible enough to react quicker and brace for their fall. Flexibility reduces our risk of injury significantly regardless of age, gender or weight.

We believe that flexibility helps to provide us with better quality of life, by increasing relaxation mentally and physically. It helps in reducing muscle tension and soreness, and improves our posture.

– Jo Svendblad, Village Yoga Instructor

Want to learn more about yoga at the Village? click here.