“If strengthening were the masculine side of fitness, then stretching would be the feminine; they would be the alpha and the omega of each other. As the two most basic forces in nature, one cannot exist without the other.” Miranda Esmonde-White, the founder of Essentrics.

How can you build strength with flexibility? Isn’t strength something you build when you lift weights and flexibility something you build when you take time to stretch? It seems counterintuitive to think you can increase flexibility and strength at the same time. Why does the fitness world separate flexibility and strength, is it necessary to? Can you combine the two? It is only now beginning to be challenged in the sports training communities.

The theory behind strength with flexibility it that you can build muscles stronger and faster. It also eliminates the need for weights, and all the negative aspects that come with weight training, like joint damage. Think of strength with flexibility like how ballet dancers train. They bend and stretch and compress and strengthen. And pound for pound, ballet dancers have the most strength than any other exercise modality. Second is boxing, which also uses the same concepts as ballet.

Barre, Essentrics, Yoga and even Pilates use these strength with flexibility concepts. Having strength with flexibility will enable to you move functionally through your day. Everything we do we lengthen, flex, lift. To maintain a healthy pain free body, we need to train our body to move this way. To have posture, to feel light in our bodies.

Come try Barre or Essentrics. Feel how good it is to have a balance of strength and flexibility in your body.