Coaching tips, member stories and the thinking behind how we programme. Written by the people who coach here.
Your anatomy isn’t what’s stopping your flexibility progress, but it will shape your journey—part 1 Hip inclination.
AirSpace has been helping clients reach their flexibility goals for nearly ten years. Learn more about their training options.
Despite physiological changes that reduce joint range and tissue extensibility, we can improve flexibility as we age.
What you expect matters. A lack of belief in your ability to achieve your flexibility goal will hold you back.
If you are managing your own conditioning training you are likely to be making some of these six common mistakes.
It can be beneficial to start training oversplits before you achieve a flat split.
Hint. If you know what oversplits are, you are probably ready.
Considerations for inclusive, safe and meaningful flexibility training for neurodivergent people.
There are two types of isometric (static) muscle contractions and they both have benefits in performance training and rehab.
Not every set of an exercise has to be taken to form fatigue in strength training and there are positive effects in not doing so.
Too often, rehab lacks focus and meaning, is repetitive, uninspired and not challenging enough.
A labral tear doesn't always mean surgery, giving up your training or even that you have the answer to your hip pain.
Voodoo flossing isn't magic but can help reduce the sensitivity of an area to allow a greater tolerance to stretch in the short term.
This series of blogets will examine commonly held flexibility beliefs that miss the mark.
Get the most out of back bends knowing what to do with your shoulders.
Pain tolerance and pain sensitivity are different and impact flexibility in different ways.
For most people, prioritising consistent, goal-specific flexibility training will impact flexibility more than their cycle.
Neck pain is common and often doesn't indicate any damage. Learn how to reduce the load on your neck while training callisthenics.
Don't listen to the Kim K's of the world. You won't leave ISO more flexible no matter how hard you work.
Neck pain is common and often doesn't indicate any damage. Learn how to manage your neck pain while training callisthenics.
Pain is nothing to fear. It’s a normal part of life and is one way your body helps you take care of it.
Tips for getting the most out of flexibility progress pictures
Confused about whether to heat or ice an injury... Read on.
Rather than suffer in isolation, connect with your physiotherapist via a telehealth consultation and together come up with a plan of action.
Unless you recognise the source of your posterior thigh pain, your recovery can be drawn out and suboptimal.
Is personal training for you? Here are 8 reasons why one-on-one training may actually be just what you need!
Strength training is an integral part of increasing flexibility and should be part of any training program but tight doesn't mean weak.
Here are 5 reasons why you should point your toes during Bodyweight Training!
Unless you recognise the source of your posterior thigh pain your recovery can be drawn out and suboptimal.
Identifying the source of your symptoms can save you years of pain and suboptimal training.
SMART goals are considered the gold standard, but they are just one goal-setting method and may not be the best method for you.
While continuing to train when you don’t need to may not seem like such a bad thing, it may reinforce unhelpful beliefs.
Exercise is an important part of managing mental illness, but you can have too much of a good thing.
Pain itself isn’t dangerous, so there will always be a way to train with it. The tricky part is deciding when it’s in your best interest.
‘To train’ should be the default for those with CHCs but an ‘all or nothing’ approach to exercise isn’t helpful either.
Illness isn’t forever. By prioritising recovery, you will return faster than if you push yourself too hard too soon.
Reducing the influence of unhelpful flexibility thoughts requires conscious effort and practice.
Just because a thought is intense, persuasive or repetitive, doesn’t make it true.
Helpful flexibility beliefs support consistent, challenging, safe and mindful flexibility training.
The process of obtaining consent builds stronger, more productive, and more rewarding coaching relationships.
Helpful flexibility beliefs lead to more productive, consistent and enjoyable training.
Are your Flexibility Beliefs holding you back?
There is no one best way to train flexibility. Prioritise working on your weaknesses and what you find most challenging.
Most folks will be able to continue training flexibility throughout their pregnancy, with some modifications.
For most people, working to increase back flexibility into extension is no riskier than training other body parts.
Its not your fault you experience pain. Why you shouldn't blame yourself, and why to run if your health professional blames you.
Hard work doesn’t always pay off. Learn when a less is more approach is best when it comes to flexibility training.
The truth is, this form of fitness is probably the easiest to maintain and often benefits from having a break.
Hard work doesn't always pay off. Learn when a less is more approach is best when it comes to flexibility training.
Your anatomy isn’t what’s stopping your flexibility progress, but it will shape your journey—part 3 Femoral Joint Rotation.
Think pain means you are stretching incorrectly? Read on!
Your anatomy isn’t what’s stopping your flexibility progress, but it will shape your journey—part 2 Acetabular Depth.
The most important aspect of SMART goals is how they inform your programming, evaluation and review.
The decision to strap or brace an injured joint is one that can result in optimal healing OR ongoing pain.
There are risks associated with any form of exercise, but less risk than inactivity.
You deserve better than to be told ‘don’t do that or ‘just rest’ because a physio doesn’t know better.
Recovery from tendon overuse injuries usually takes months and requires active rehabilitation - not rest.
Exercise has a significant role in managing pain, but the link is not as direct as most people think.
There is no magic to progress when it comes to flexibility. Usually, when you feel 'stuck', there is a simple, easily correctable reason.
Sitting is causing your pain, but your posture probably isn't to blame.
Stretching is safer than a lot of other forms of exercise, but injuries happen. Learn to listen to your body to reduce your risk of injury.
Manual therapy techniques such as massage, cupping, and dry needling all work in similar ways but can they increase our flexibility?
99% of us LOVE a good massage, so why don't we do it more often?
Getting a massage when you pull up sore or wake up with a stiff neck can be really helpful, but did you know about these other benefits?
“WHAT’S THE TRICK TO DOING A HANDSTAND?” This is a question I have been asked a thousand times in one variation or another. I have even been asked, “How many push-ups do you have t
One of the core ideas we have built our studio on is to deliver highly technical material in a group class setting while still getting fit and having fun! We knew it was possible –
These might surprise you.
Take comfort in these.
A few hard truths.
Hamstring tears are one of the most common injuries sustained by artistic athletes, but they require special management.
Goal setting isn't one size fits all. How you ‘set’ your flexibility goals can influence your likelihood of achieving them.
Once you are ready to train, anything extra in your warm-up is just using resources that would be better spent elsewhere.
If you are feeling less motivated, you are not alone.
Is rigid thinking/behaviour limiting your flexibility progress?
A productive coaching relationship built on mutual trust and empathy improves flexibility progress.
Get the most out of backbends by knowing what to do with your shoulders.
Not sure about Group Classes? Here are 8 things to consider when deciding if they're right for you!
A therapeutic alliance is the positive social connection fostered between client and facilitator, leading to improved outcomes.
While you can't eat yourself flexi, a sensible, balanced diet can optimise your training efforts.
It's a myth that it’s dangerous to load joints that hyper-extend, but we need to clear up some points in order to talk about this sensibly.
I think I'm injured. What should I do now?
Do passive stretches deserve their bad wrap, and how valid is the term anyway?
Maybe you haven’t actually asked yourself this question. Maybe you have always eaten well, or maybe you don’t care to eat well. Or maybe you decided once that you’d eat better, and
Book a free intro with a coach and put some of it into practice.