I hate to stretch, mainly because my legs are super inflexible. Of course, my flexibility would improve if only I’d stretch.
You see my dilemma.
As usual, I’m not alone. Even among active, fitness-oriented people, stretching is the thing we often bail on, whether winding down a SoulCycle class or before a morning run.
Isn’t this something we can outsource? Turns out, now you can.
The benefits of stretching
It’s too bad that stretching seems so unappealing to so many, as it improves blood circulation, mobility, flexibility, and even helps you sleep better. And if you work out regularly, you need it.
Repetitive motions can damage your body in ways that stretching helps you recover from. Put in about 20 minutes of stretching a week, and you can counteract that damage and avoid injuries.
And it turns out that it’s not that we don’t like being stretched. We just don’t like doing the stretching.
“Being stretched out by someone else is an experience that people relish, whereas stretching yourself out is something people tend to avoid,” says Amanda Freeman, founder of the popular boutique fitness chain SLT.
Your dollar stretches you
Enter the boutique stretching concept. From the mobile-stretching startup Racked, to New York’s Stretch*d studio, to the three-year-old StretchLab, getting your stretch on might just become part of your fitness budget.
Basically, instructors hold you down and use a strap to lengthen limbs for more effective stretches. It’s somewhere between a workout and a massage, so it’s no surprise that Massage Envy — with its 1,000-plus locations — has gotten in on the action.
Stretching services are all about recovery, for both mind and body, thanks to the hectic pace of modern life. Investors seem bullish on the concept, but as you might guess, most people don’t “get” it until they try it.
Stretching studios are the next big boutique fitness trend (Fast Company)
