Back in my days as a nightclub bouncer, I went on a date with one of the club’s female security guards.
She was petite, very pretty, and several years younger.
Apart from realizing we had different interests, the conversation went smoothly, and we had a fun time.
The highlight of the date – which I’ll never forget – is when she pulled a knife on me.
No, not literally.
But once we’d established a bit of a comfort level, she removed a rather large switchblade from her pocket, explaining how she’d carried this concealed weapon on our date in case I’d “try something.”
Heh.
Girl’s got hutzpah.
I like a woman who knows not to let a man get out of line.
(In fact, I’m married to one. Not the knife-brandisher. That ended at the implied threat of mutilation.)
In fairness, she don’t know The Conz like you do.
In the part of town she’s from (let’s call it the wrong side of the tracks), you learned to protect yourself. And when you’re used to men whose idea of small talk is many less-than-creative variations on how they’d like to *tap that* – those instincts get placed on overdrive.
It’s natural to want a little insurance.
That’s kinda how I view my stretching program.
Like routine maintenance for your car, good mobility ensures you get a lot more mileage out your body.
Here’s why: if you’ve got some faulty biomechanics, you’re fighting against yourself every time you work out, play sports…or move. Not only does fluidity make everything you do seem easier, but it’s a great knife-in-yer-pocket against injuries.
However, flexibility is widely misunderstood and incorrectly prescribed.
In fact, the way I sees it…most people are over-stretching.
Traditional stretching says you relax into position where the muscle being stretched is the longest – then try to go further. In some cases, you may have someone else assist you to elongate the muscle even more, while you remain passive. Not only is this likely to cause injury, but it does little to improve your USABLE range of motion (beyond making you temporarily feel loose).
If you want the strength, mobility and injury-proofing stretching can deliver, you need to focus on expanding the range of motion (ROM) in which your muscles can still contract. The broader your usable ROM, the more invincible you are.
That means you’ve got to actively resist the stretch!
And the more you’re able to resist, the bigger the gains in flexibility.
I know it sounds weird, but it’s a game-changer.
It saved my lifting career.
Before you “knife-up”, keep in mind it’s a dangerous weapon – especially to one who knows not yet how to wield its power…
It takes specialized coaching to unlock the mysteries of an effective stretching program.
That’s why, next Thursday only – July 21st – I’ve opened up a few spots for 30-minute stretching sessions.
Call me at (416) 826-4844 if you’d like to partake.
I usually reveal these techniques only as part of my larger ticket 16-week programs.
So it’s a rare chance to pick up some valuable tips, reduce pain, and move better…without any long-term commitment.
Either way, let this charming tale be a warning to you.
Neglect your mobility at your own peril.
Or at least opt for some pepper-spray.
Happy Knife-Wielding,
Conor Kelly