What is Kinstretch?
Kinstretch is defined as a movement enhancement system that develops body awareness, maximum body control, flexibility and USABLE ranges of motion. Put simply, Kinstretch is an exercise that focuses on body control, strength and flexibility.
Unlike other common methods of flexibility training such as yoga and passively stretching muscles, Kinstretch focuses on teaching you how to actively control your joints by using your muscles to increase your joints range of motion.
At first glance, Kinstretch can look like yoga and Pilates, although they may have a few similarities, the principles of Kinstretch are much different than Yoga and Pilates. Instead of passively getting into positions, Kinstretch encourages you to isolate your joints through end ranges of motion and expanding your pre-existing ranges of motion ACTIVELY.
Mobility V.S Flexibility
Mobility is a term that is commonly misused in the health and fitness industry. True mobility is defined as usable ranges of motion that target body control, strength and flexibility, actively. Yoga tends to focus on improving flexibility and passive ranges of motion but this will not help you get better in your active ranges of motion.
If you’re lying on the ground using a band tied around your foot to help stretch your hamstrings, that’s passive range of motion. Same thing applies if you’re in a forward fold and gravity is helping you get deeper into the stretch, that’s passive. Passive range of motion is essentially useless range of motion. This means that you can not actively express your passive range of motion in daily life I.E Squatting, Jumping, etc
How can Kinstretch enhance your life?
Having more mobility and control over your body means more movement freedom. More freedom of movement you have, the easier your life will be and the better you will feel in your own body.
The goal of your practice is to improve your ranges of motion down to the deepest level while also teaching you how to control that range. If you’re spending most of your time flexibility training, you can easily neglect those active principals. Kinstretch also has been known to strengthen the connective tissues (ligaments, etc.) around the joints. This becomes incredibly important as we age to help reduce our risk of injuries.
Where can I practice Kinstretch in Boulder,CO?
Jacob Corley hosts 2 weekly Kinstretch classes at Crossfit Sanitas in Boulder, CO. He also hosts pop up Kinstretch classes at local gyms around the Front Range. You can find out more about our classes Here!
