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The Bendy Blog: Flexibility Training Articles

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Not Making Progress Stretching? 7 Reasons Why
Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips Danielle Enos (Dani Winks) Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips Danielle Enos (Dani Winks)

Not Making Progress Stretching? 7 Reasons Why

Generally speaking, most people who have an effective training regimen can expect to see (or feel) some sort of progress in about 4-6 weeks. So if you’ve been diligently stretching for months but aren’t seeing any progress, it’s time to look at your stretching routine.

These are some of the most common mistakes I see people make when it comes to trying to train flexibility that can inhibit progress (or even lead to injury - backwards progress)…

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“Diagnosing” Muscle Tightness vs. Nerve Tension
Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips, Neurodynamics Danielle Enos (Dani Winks) Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips, Neurodynamics Danielle Enos (Dani Winks)

“Diagnosing” Muscle Tightness vs. Nerve Tension

The role of our nervous system on flexibility training is something I wish I learned about way earlier in my training (because, spoiler alert, it needs to be treated totally different from our muscular system). This post is aimed to help get y’all up to speed on the basics of “neurodynamics” in flexibility training so you can start to understand the role your unique nerves play in your own personal training.

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Best Practices for Flexibility Training - How to Maximize Progress
Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips Danielle Enos (Dani Winks) Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips Danielle Enos (Dani Winks)

Best Practices for Flexibility Training - How to Maximize Progress

I’ve written before about how there are a zillion things from your genetics to how much you slept last night that can impact how long it takes to make progress with your flexibility training (which is also why if someone promises they can “get your splits fast!” you should know they’re full of crap). While there are some things you can’t control (hypermobility disorders, bone structure, etc.) there are plenty of things you CAN influence to optimize your flexibility training

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When is the Best Time to Stretch?
Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips Danielle Enos (Dani Winks) Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips Danielle Enos (Dani Winks)

When is the Best Time to Stretch?

If you’re interested in optimizing your flexibility training, you might be trying to find the “best” time to stretch to see the most results. What if you feel stiff every morning when you wake up? Or exhausted after a long work day and struggle to find the motivation? Or work non-traditional hours? When IS the best time?

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My Favorite Flexibility Props
Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips, Foam Rolling Danielle Enos (Dani Winks) Stretching - General, General Flexibility Tips, Foam Rolling Danielle Enos (Dani Winks)

My Favorite Flexibility Props

I get asked a lot (more frequently now that we’re all quarantined at home) for recommendations for what sorts of yoga blocks to buy for home practice, what foam roller I recommend, or what bow I’m using in my contortion archery videos. So here’s my official Big List of Stuff I’ve Bought for Contortion That I’d Wildly Endorse.

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