Buzz
I’ve always had an unusual relationship with flexibility. My ankles are so bendable that I can comfortably sit in a deep squat just to relax. I got into Olympic weightlifting without worrying about my shoulder mobility at all. Yet, for the longest time, I couldn’t touch my toes. That is, until recently.
I’ve had so many enlightening moments in fitness that I now actively seek ways to challenge my own opinions. I used to skip cardio, which I really disliked. But as I did more of it, I saw improvements in my lifting, proving what I already knew scientifically: cardio doesn’t ruin your gains, but can actually help you achieve more.
Now, I’m rethinking a long-held belief: What if stretching is actually beneficial? As I’ve mentioned before, I rarely stretch. I have the mobility I need and don’t worry about the specific types I lack. I’ve tried to become more flexible in the past and gave up because it didn’t seem like progress was happening. But now, I must admit, being able to do the splits would be pretty impressive. It would be amazing to have a wide stance for sumo deadlifts.
I’m starting a month-long experiment where I stretch regularly—four out of five days so far this week. I’ve been looking at before-and-after images on the flexibility subreddit, so I know it could take a year or more to achieve a full split. But I believe I’ll notice some improvement within the first month, and it’s time to test that theory.
How I improved my hamstring flexibility in just three minutes
With modest expectations, I began searching for stretching routines. One of the first things I found was a three-minute video that people claimed could instantly improve your ability to touch your toes.
I gave it a try. At the start, I could barely touch my toes with my fingertips. By the end, my fingers were completely on the floor, and I could even get my palms down with only a slight bend in my knees.
It’s a bit of a parlor trick; I didn’t actually lengthen my muscles in three minutes, and this new mobility won’t last. (It fades within minutes to hours, depending on how you move your body afterward.) But it offers a glimpse of what’s possible.
The video instructs you to squeeze your knees together, placing a ball or block between your legs. (I used a firm throw pillow.) If you've ever been to a yoga class where the instructor tells you to 'activate your inner thighs,' you’ll recognize this movement. Changing the position of your toes or heels will also adjust which muscles are engaged as you bend over.
These movements work through a principle known as reciprocal inhibition, where your body relaxes one muscle to allow another muscle to contract. For example, when you tighten your quads, it helps your hamstrings relax. (This is the same mechanism that lets you release a calf cramp by contracting the muscles on the front of your shin.)
Just gaining those few extra inches of mobility felt like a major breakthrough. I know that lasting flexibility will take more effort, but it was an exciting and motivating start. If you’ve never been able to touch your toes, give this video a shot. And check back next week for my first update on how my full stretching routine is progressing.
