Reset and realign at StretchLab
Maintaining a regular stretching routine helps the body feel more prepared for the unexpected physical demands of winter. Here’s how StretchLab Pinecrest can help.
The chill of winter means muscles and joints aren’t as prepared for the unexpected. Find out how an assisted stretch at StretchLab Pinecrest can keep you ready for whatever life throws your way. (Photography: Francis Angelone)
It’s been a rough winter in Northeast Ohio. Snow and frigid temperatures have kept us indoors and inactive. As hardy Ohioans, we withstand the harsh conditions, knowing the weather will break and we’ll get outside and get moving. But will our bodies be ready to move after so much time indoors?
StretchLab Pinecrest is here to help with an assisted stretch that will get you moving again.
“A consistent stretching routine helps keep you active, encourages the body to move and helps provide accountability on the days when it would be easy to stay on the couch,” StretchLab Pinecrest General Manager Christina Imondi says. “When our environment is colder, especially these intense cold spells, our muscles aren’t going to be as ready for activity. The cold affects the joints, muscles and overall movement.”
A StretchLab assisted stretch is a one-on-one customized stretch designed to help you achieve your fitness and wellness goals, whatever they may be.
Stretching is one of those things we know we should be doing more of but aren’t sure exactly how, and most of us are afraid of doing more harm than good. At StretchLab, your Flexologist is a trained expert, guiding you through your stretch and achieving results you may never achieve on your own.
“Many of our clients want to ease discomfort caused by a sedentary lifestyle of sitting at a desk or standing all day at work,” Christina says. “When they want to be active, they experience pain due to inflexibility, tension and fear of injury. It’s a vicious cycle that can be overcome with consistent assisted stretching.”
A StretchLab Flexologist is a trained expert with a background in health and fitness who completes an extensive, three-tiered certification process focusing on administering StretchLab’s 26 signature stretches, which are designed to address every muscle group in the body.
Each stretch utilizes proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), a stretching technique prioritizing resistance to target the body’s tissues and ligaments and improve muscle elasticity.
“Flexologist training includes 60 hours of in-person workshops, online sessions and more than 20 practice hours administering Stretch Lab’s 26 stretches,” Christina says. “We work with clients of all ages and abilities with very different goals. We’ll customize each stretch to get you where you want to be.”
Your initial stretch appointment begins with a MAPS assessment determining mobility, activation, posture and symmetry, giving your Flexologist helpful information that allows him or her to focus on the right muscle groups and you to get the most out of your session.
“Before you even arrive for your first stretch session, a StretchLab team member will reach out to you about your goals, lifestyle, past injuries and other helpful information,” Christina says. “The more we know, the better we can help.”
StretchLab members come in all ages and ability levels. Flexologists work with young athletes looking to improve flexibility and strength to perform better at their sport to people in their 80s and 90s who want to remain active, confident in their movements and independent as they age.
“We hear feedback from grateful clients who have improved their golf swing by having greater flexibility and strength, others who have better mobility for scooping the balls up off the pickleball court, and older adults who have an easier time keeping up with the grandkids. Everyone is different,” she says.
In the winter months, it’s even more critical to keep muscles ready for anything.
“Joints become stiffer in the cold weather and keeping muscles active and mobile supports fluid movements and decreases tension in surrounding joints,” Christina says.
Christina reminds us that in the snow, slush and ice, it’s important to make sure your body can move how you need it to, especially as you get older.
“The risk of injuries increases with ice, but a big part of whether a fall will result in a long-term injury or just a hiccup in your day is largely reliant on how your body is able to respond,” Christina says. “Assisted stretching increases circulation to the muscles, which helps with mobility and responsiveness to everyday functional movements.”
February is Heart Health Month. Do your heart a favor with a StretchLab stretch that increases circulation and lowers blood pressure and stress levels. Staying active and keeping your body mobile is directly correlated with improvement in physical and mental health.
StretchLab Pinecrest
400 Park Ave., Suite 194, Orange Village
Save on Your First Stretch!
Schedule your first 50-minute stretch at StretchLab for just $49. Call 216-342-4740.
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