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I am sure you all have been wondering how my New Year's Resolution has been going, so here is my update...

Last week I decided to venture out and try new things in the world of stretching and flexibility. I booked myself a stretch therapy appointment with the best of the best. You may be asking yourself, “What exactly is Stretch Therapy?” Well in an hour and a half Anne, from Stretch To Win, helped my legs become the same length (my right was about an inch longer than my left when we started), she helped break down scar tissue from injuries, got my hips balanced from being twisted out of alignment, and she got more movement out of my hip joints than any other treatment I have experienced.

What people forget to realize is my lifestyle is like a competitive sport as far as my “job” is concerned. Weekly I have to perform at optimal fitness levels to teach spin classes, muscle conditioning classes, running sessions to prepare clients for races, and rack 45 lb plates on and off the leg press for clients, and this is just some of what I do on the job! All of this creates continuous tension and stress on the joints, connective tissues, and muscles. I have now learned that basic stretching is pointless for me, and quite frankly a waste of my time.

My session was relaxing and therapeutic. My range of motion was immediately improved. My left hip has full range of motion for the first time in a while because of her stretching technique that combines breathe, movement, and manipulation of deep connective tissue and fascia. I enjoyed it so much that I have decided to get certified to teach Anne's technique here at Luna Fitness.

So many of us do the cardio and the weights, yet we don't make the time to truly stretch out the way our bodies NEED us to stretch! And we wonder why we are sore all the time, back pain, neck pain, hip pain......need I say more? For those of you who have continued hamstring problems think about this: Maybe you wouldn't have pulled that hamstring muscle if you were better at stretching out your hip flexors and glutes. OR maybe your knee pain would go away if you really knew how to stretch your back and hips...and not just on the surface, but the deeper underlying muscles, fascia, and connective tissues. Please realize 5 minutes isn't going to cut it either. You don't expect to get all the cardio you need in 5 minutes, so why would you think that 5 minutes of stretching would be beneficial?

So, progress is being made! I am gaining more flexibility each week and look forward to my next massage with Jezy and Stretch Therapy with Anne. In the meantime you all should stay focused on your fitness goals. If you need a little help, we are here to support you whatever your needs may be.