You have to be strong to be flexible

In an earlier post I talked about my need for structure to do the things that I don't particularly enjoy doing. I don't like stretching! It is very hard for me and very uncomfortable. I believe this is so because of my lack of flexibility. Which is why I need to stretch.

I only recently started focusing on my flexibility - it's that getting older thing :-) While I have been doing weight training to maintain my strength for years, I finally put some structure in place where I get to stretch a few times per week. I decided to add a Yoga class for a limited period of time as part of the structure.

"You have to be strong to be flexible" said the Yoga instructor. That was an "aha" moment for me. Up until I heard that, strength and flexibility seemed to be two unrelated concepts. No longer.

However, it is a certain kind of strength that allows you to be flexible. For example, while gymnasts are BOTH strong and flexible, body builders are strong but very often they are too "bulked up" to be flexible.

Doing Yoga certainly promotes the type of strength that will increase flexibility. I now have another reason to continue practicing Yoga after my limited period is over. Who knows, maybe another benefit of working on my physical flexibility is that I'm becoming more mentally flexible as well.