I don’t know about you but my body could use all the love these days. I personally have been sitting a lot more than I typically do since I’m not running around Manhattan teaching yoga and fitness classes at all hours of the day. Thanks to all this sitting, my hips are feeling way more sore and tight than usual. Not to mention my chest feels permanently hunched over my computer. Can you relate?
I was super excited when the stretching studio STRETCH*D reached out to invite me in for a free session at their gorgeous Flatiron space. I had never been and was looking forward to experiencing a full hour of focused stretching.
So, what exactly is a stretching session?
Let’s be real, most of us aren’t stretching enough… myself included. A quick cool down at the end of a fitness class is good, but additional stretching can increase your flexibility and range of motion. A one-on-one session at STRETCH*D features dynamic stretching which means you’re still actively moving in the stretch as opposed to static stretching where you’re just holding.
Instead of me spending an hour doing chest stretches and hip openers, my expert Stretch*er, Jeff, who is also the owner and program manager, moved my various body parts in all sorts of ranges of motions.
At the beginning of the session, Jeff asked if there was anything, in particular, I wanted to focus on. Um, everything? Although it feels like my whole body is super tight these days, I wanted to focus on my tight hip flexors, low back pain I’ve been experiencing on my left side and my shoulders were super achy from demoing in a yoga class the night prior.
The Session:
Each stretch and position (like the one above) is held for a few seconds and repeated multiple times. For the most part, the stretches weren’t painful. If anything they felt like a glorious release. I personally have a limited range of motion in my hips (probably residual issues from a hip flexor impingement a few years ago) so some of the hip focused movements felt extra achey. Jeff immediately noticed the limited range of motion in my hips. This is something I should focus more on going forward.
As someone interested in anatomy and that has a background in fitness I do wish I would have received more explanation throughout my session about the why behind various stretches and moves. For someone that could care less about anatomy, this might not be a problem, though.
My favorite part of the session was the HyperVolt massage, which is typically at $5 add-on. It is the most intense but also awesome massage gun experience. My upper back seriously needed it!!
At the end of my session, I hopped off the bed and instantly felt SO much taller, like my body had literally been stretched out and therefore I felt taller and lighter. I wish this was something I had been able to regularly do while I was marathon training a few years back. It would’ve helped me with all my aches and pains from running!
A note about COVID-19:
Currently, STRETCH*D is following strict guidelines for COVID-19 which you can read more about here. Of course, I encourage everyone to make smart, safe decisions at this time. I am not a doctor or medical professional but can confirm that everyone I saw in the space was wearing a mask and constantly sanitizing their hands and all surfaces, including the bed where my session was held. I was also required to have my temperature taken upon walking in.
Visit STRETCH*D:
Flatiron Location:
27 W 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
Rye Brooke Location:
13 Rye Ridge Plaza
Rye Brook, NY 10573
[VIRTUAL SESSIONS ALSO AVAILABLE]
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