Aging often arrives in waves. One moment, you feel fine, and the next, you’re noticing stiffness, aches, or difficulty moving the way you used to—especially in your 40s or 60s. If you’ve felt those changes creeping in, you’re not alone. But here’s the good news: you can reclaim your freedom of movement and even feel younger, stronger, and more energized.
Stretching and flexibility is the key. It’s not just about touching your toes or nailing yoga poses. It’s about bending with ease, squatting deeply, lifting your kids or grandkids, and moving freely in the activities you love. Unfortunately, many of us lose that natural range of motion over time. But don’t worry—it’s never too late to turn things around.
Here’s something you might not know:
- Yoga poses often showcase flexibility—they don’t always help you develop it.
- Half of your stretching and flexibility gains come from training your nervous system, not stretching your muscles.
- Flexible yoga and fitness teachers often train at home with methods that differ from what they teach in class.
- The stretches most of us know are warm-ups, not true stretching and flexibility practices.
- Nutrition plays a surprising role in how your body adapts to stretching.
- Evidence-based methods for improving stretching and flexibility exist, but most people don’t know about them.
Feeling stiff can leave you trapped in your own body, whether it’s during traveling, your favorite activities, or something as simple as sitting on the floor and getting up. If that resonates with you, take heart—you’re not stuck forever. With the right tools and mindset, you can move better, feel better, and live better. Let’s work together on this.