Flexibility

The Inextricable Relationship: How Strength & Flexibility Are Intertwined

 I have been blessed with an extraordinarily flexible body throughout my life. At almost 74 I can still touch my palms to the floor and squat on my haunches without falling over. Whether that’s my DNA or my lifestyle is an open question, but I suspect DNA plays a big role, as both my daughters are very flexible as well. Some doctors have told me that being that flexible is not a good thing and could lead to joint and bone problems. Therein lies my reason to write this article, to explore my thoughts on this important subject.

In my later-life health practice I have found that flexibility does not exist on its own. Flexibility and strength are a tag team that unite the core of how our musculoskeletal system works. Within our body’s range of motion, every muscle or tendon that moves in one direction has another that moves in the other direction. When one side exerts itself, the opposite side relaxes and stretches. It is crucial to work on both these aspects of movement to stay both strong and flexible, especially as we get older.

Most good trainers in the gym know this instinctively and advise that whenever you do an exercise that is pushing, you follow it with one that is pulling to balance the muscles doing the work. And while they may not specifically incorporate the concept of flexibility into that awareness, it is a good first step toward keeping muscles balanced.

But you can gain a deeper and more subtle awareness of this push/pull muscle relationship by twisting slowly. It is best to be seated for this, either in a chair or on the floor. While sitting up straight, slowly twist your trunk in one direction, keeping your legs in place and letting your upper body and arms move with the twist. You can use your arms to stabilize yourself. Exert only one side of your body, the pushing side. Let the other side relax and expand. Breathe. On every exhale push a little more and let the relaxed side expand a little more, for five or ten breaths. Then do the same thing on the other side.

Virtually any type of yoga practice will introduce you to the many versions of this basic twist, including many where resistance from the opposing side is incorporated to build strength. (The word yoga literally means yoke, as in two sides opposing each other to hold the center in.) The breath and exertion act in the same way a massage does on the relaxing muscles, releasing built-up toxins by manual stimulation. The awareness I’ve developed of this dynamic has informed everything else I do with movement.

So, when a doctor tells me I am too flexible and may have problems with it, he or she is accepting the prevailing sedentary, modern-life conditions that result in much weaker muscles due to a lack of movement and exercise. Most of the musculoskeletal conditions in life are caused by too little strength training, not too much, partnered with too little stretching to maintain or increase flexibility. Every joint in our body is surrounded by a complex set of muscles and tendons to keep them in place and functioning well. By keeping these muscles strong I have balanced my strength and flexibility and prevented, or at least delayed, any disfunction.

Subtle Aspects of Flexibility

Does my flexibility in movement affect my flexibility in life? How flexible are my attitudes toward others? While the relationship might not be that direct, I’m sure one exists. I have felt, in my body, the tension of “holding onto” something, whether it’s a belief, a grudge, or an attitude that no longer serves me. It comes in the form of tension and sometimes anxiety. I have also felt it release when I am able to identify its source, feel it, and move through it. Whether this strikes a chord with you or not is up to you; there is no wrong answer. Yet I cansay that rigidity in later life, whether it is physical or emotional, probably does not serve your good health or the quality of your life.  A supple attitude to the many challenges of this age is sure to be a benefit.

So, circling back to how I started this article, flexibility needs strength and strength needs flexibility to work in harmony, in my body and in my life. Strength is not only physical. It can also mean having resilience, guts, courage, and stamina. Flexibility is not only stretching. It can also mean being amenable, adaptable, spontaneous, and free. The balance that both these qualities bring to my life is what I am seeking for my later-life health and well-being.