I am so inflexible. I struggle to touch my toes. I can’t place one hand over my shoulder and grasp the other from below. I can’t even kneel down and sit on my heels. And whilst I readily embrace endurance and resistance exercise I find the recommended stretching that we should all be doing rather boring. But it is important. And I’m becoming increasingly aware of this as I tick off the years.

I have tried on numerous occasions to incorporate some form of stretching into my daily routine. Just before the first lockdown I started doing a yoga class once a week. I found it challenging. I was one of those people that needed a range of blocks to get me into position. I even brought some. They remain in their plastic wrapping. I sporadically use a yoga app where I curse the instructor for their ability to double over whilst I can just about keep myself from falling on my face.

I have two main motivators to improve my flexibility. The first is the execution off a front squat where you hold the barbell in place across the front of the shoulders. It takes a fair degree of flexibility in the shoulders and wrists to securely keep the bar in place while you get the arse to the grass. Or gym mat. I really struggle. I spent one holiday with a huge bruise on my arm (see feature image) courtesy of the bar dropping forward. I’d like to be able to blame the surgeon that put my sternum back together after my open heart surgery. But that would be ungrateful of me and I’m pretty sure I was no better before.

The second motivator is a more recent one and relates to my inability to sit on my heels. The muscles and tendons around my knees are tight. A consequence of all the squats, lunges, and deadlifting. And possibly too much sitting whilst we wait out the ‘stay at home’ order. This tightness would normally not bother me but as the weather becomes warmer the urge to break out the running shoes increases. And running aggravates my tight knees. They become painful. And painful knees impact on my weight training. Plus if I ignore the pain I may end up with an injury.

I’m not very disciplined at preparing my knees for a run and rarely do post run stretch. My daughter puts me to shame. She does five minutes on a static bike plus some active stretching before her run. Then finishes with static stretches. By doing this she has eliminated the knee and hip pain she once experienced.

There is no getting away from it. Stretching needs to become a habit.

I’m also very aware that as well in it preventing injury and improving flexibility the other benefits of stretching include improved posture and a reduction in stress.

Where posture is concerned nothing is more aging then a stoop of the shoulders. This is caused by an imbalance between the chest and upper back muscles often the result of spending too much time hunched over a computer or a phone. Something that is all too familiar after a year of home working.

Finally, stretching can reduce stress and relive feelings of anxiety. Emotions not unfamiliar to many of us.

My personal trainer suggested I read ‘Can’t Hurt Me’ by David Goggins. David is an ex Navy Seal with an impressive array of records to his name. He graduated as a navy seal, ran 60 ultra marathons, became the world pull up champion doing 4,030 in 17 hours. But what strikes you as you progress through his life story is the pressure he put on himself to be the best and the damage he was doing to his body in the process. At the end of one gruelling 100 mile run all his toe nails were hanging off and he was pissing blood. He pushed himself so hard that at the age of 39 his body gave up. He laid in bed for weeks. He thought he was dying. So he started stretching for up to six hours a day. He recovered. He is back as an elite endurance athlete and continues to stretch for two hours a day. He claims it saved his life and from reading his book, which I would highly recommend, I believe him.

I, of course, have no intention of running an ultra but a marathon is on my bucket list plus the perfect front squat. I’ll aim for 20 minutes.