Why Am I So Inflexible & How Can I Finally Loosen Up?

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to move with such grace and ease that it almost makes you jealous? There’s a good chance that understanding "why am I so inflexible" and "why am I so tight" can help you unlock some of the stiffness that’s making these tasks and movements so uncomfortable. You can improve your flexibility with a little work, so daily activities and exercise feel easier, more comfortable, and pain-free. If you’re wondering why you’re so inflexible, you’re not alone and understanding the answer can help you improve your mobility and overall quality of life. Learning how to measure flexibility can also give you a clearer picture of your starting point and help track progress as you work on improving your range of motion.
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To improve flexibility and pliability, you can leverage Pliability’s mobile app to help you reach your goals. This tool can help you move more freely, feel less stiff, and improve flexibility so daily activities and exercise feel easier, more comfortable, and pain-free.

Why am I so Inflexible?

Flexibility is commonly referred to as the ability to move without pain due to bodily restrictions. The range of motion and flexibility vary widely from person to person. Soft tissues plays a significant role in keeping your flexibility, such as the:

• Muscles
• Ligaments
• Joint capsules
• Tendons
• Skin

Muscles Have Memory

Any work, exercise, or activity repeatedly overuses the same muscles daily will confine joints. This restricted range of motion will reduce flexibility. This is true whether you’re working on the computer, sitting, or driving for long periods. Any simple, repetitive task can produce these results. 

Conversely, the more you restrict your movement, the more you retrain your muscles to do less and less. This makes you more prone to injury, pain, stiffness, and soreness.  

How Your Muscle Gets Tight 

The muscle's "belly" (the thickest part) is connected to the tendons attached to the bones. Repeated overuse can tighten the muscle's belly, decreasing its length. 

This action reduces the flexibility and “give” it requires. This is especially important when making a sudden movement your muscle is not accustomed to. 

Muscle Tears: The Result of Sudden, Excessive Force

A sudden jerk can tear any of the muscle fibers, even tear the muscle away from the bone's attachment site. The result is usually pain and soreness of the muscles and/or joints. 

Think of a rubber band that you repeatedly wrap around a bundle tighter and tighter. It tears with great force. Once it snaps, it flies across to the other side of the room, just missing your eye. Well, not exactly, but you get the picture.  

Five Potential Reasons for Poor Flexibility  

1. Inactivity 

Nothing surprising here. Those sitting in a chair the whole day are less flexible than those with more active jobs. Our body gives us as much range of motion as we need to perform our daily tasks. If your daily tasks involve being a chair and couch warrior, don’t expect to have open hips and hamstrings. The more active we are in our daily lives, the greater the range of motion we can maintain. 

If you go to Asia, you’ll see many young and old people in the street squatting in Malasana, a deep yogi squat. This posture is hardly accessible to most of the US population nowadays. That’s because we have short hamstrings, tight groins, and a low back from spending most of our lives at a desk. 

2. Weak Muscles 

We often blame our short and tight muscles when struggling with specific yoga poses. But the truth is that the lack of flexibility can also stem from muscle weakness rather than their “shortness.”  Believe me, this happens more often than you think. Your brain controls everything that’s happening with your body. 

So it gives you as much range of motion as we can handle to prevent tissue damage and injury.  When your muscles are not strong enough to stabilize and protect the joint you’re trying to stretch, your brain will automatically stiffen that area for your good. 

3. Age & Sex 

As we age, our bodily functions naturally slow down:

• Joints
• Muscles
• Bones

Start to deteriorate. We are born extremely flexible as kids, striking the perfect balance between mobility and stability at 25 to 35. After that, maintaining mobility becomes an uphill battle. Bernie Clark nicely put it in his book The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga. “We continue to become more yin-like as we age, until eventually we end up completely rigid.”  

Unless you were a contortionist star in your youth and maintained the mobility throughout the years, you can’t expect to be as flexible in your 30s as yogis in their 20s. Our sex can also define how adaptable we are. Women are known to be more bendy because of bone structure and hormone differences. Besides, since childhood, women more often than men focus on activities that help develop body suppleness, such as:

• Dancing
• Gymnastics
• Pilates, etc. 

4. Bone Structure

It’s not all about the muscles and joints. The way you’re naturally built can affect your range of motion. For example, people with long femur bones (long legs), generally, can squat deeper than those with short femurs as their body has to go through a greater range of motion to get into the same position. 

While it can be advantageous in a yoga class, it isn’t in a weightlifting world. People with short femurs can naturally squat with better form and heavier weights. 

5. Genetics

Some people are born bendy while others are not flexible, whether they like it or not.  It can result from a mixture of different factors. But if we’re talking genetics specifically, a particular gene variation makes your connective tissues stiffer, thus decreasing the possible range of motion.  

How Much of Flexibility is Genetic?  

You may have heard some people saying that they can’t get into certain positions because they don’t have flexibility in their genes. It sounds like a good excuse, but according to Rachel Gilman, director of Stretch Inc. and lead stretchologist, it’s one of the main reasons people struggle to improve their flexibility.  

“So much of your ability to stretch is about naturally how long your muscles are, how tight your tendons are and how much water you have in the fibrous parts of your body. That’s all genetic. We can improve that to some extent, but your body has natural limitations,” she explains.  

Bone Structure Also Plays a Part

People with even the most flexible hamstrings won’t be able to get into the splits if their joint doesn’t allow for the ball and socket joint to rotate in that way. Other people won’t be able to do a fully extended downward dog if their spine is more or less curved, regardless of how loose their shoulders and calves are. 

“Sometimes, no matter how much your stretch, the joints don’t move that way and the skeleton doesn’t have the space to create those positions,” says Rachel.

Related Reading

• Why Do I Keep Getting Injured
• How to Prevent Soreness After Leg Day
• Why Are My Hips So Tight

The 4-Stretch Test to Tell If You're Dangerously Inflexible

These four stretches are exactly what Walter Norton, Jr., owner of the Institute of Performance & Fitness in North Reading, MA, uses to gauge every new client's flexibility, whether they're a pro athlete, a celebrity, or an average person looking to improve their fitness. Find out what your performance says about the state of your body.

1. Spider-Man

What you're testing: How flexible each hip is on its own

‍How to do it:

• Start in a pushup position, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
• Bring your left foot alongside your left hand and put your right knee on the floor.
• Dip your left shoulder towards the floor as you try to go deeper into the stretch. Hold for two breaths.
• Return to the starting position, repeat on the other side, and continue for three reps.

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You've got a problem if: 

There's a big difference between how close to your hand you can bring the foot on one side compared to the other.

The Danger

A lack of flexibility often stems from a lack of strength, says Norton, Jr., meaning your less flexible hip is weaker than the other. Not only can that create serious balance issues, but other parts of your body may pitch in to compensate, too, working in ways that they're not meant to work and leading to muscle fatigue in those areas. 

Both of those problems increase your odds of injury. Take weakness in your right hip, for example. It could mean you rely more on your left leg as you go about your day. If you don't work to correct this, you may have more wear and tear on your left knee and ankle.

2. The Inchworm

What you're testing: Hamstrings and calves

‍How to do it:

• From a pushup position, slowly start walking your feet toward your hands, taking tiny steps so your butt gradually goes up in the air.
• Walk your feet as far as you can without bending your knees.
• Take 3 breaths, then walk your hands forward until you are in pushup position again.
• Repeat 3 times.

You've got a problem if: 

You can only take a few small steps or get your feet past the spot where your knees were in the pushup position.

The Danger

Tight calves and hamstrings are a sign that your range of motion in your legs isn't what it should be. Norton, Jr. often sees this in treadmill runners, who tend to reach out with their feet instead of lifting their knees, overextending the muscles in the back of the leg. 

Limited range of motion also makes your back a prime target for injury. As you go about your day, your body will naturally take the path of least resistance, meaning instead of bending down to pick something up the proper way, you're more likely to bend over and put unnecessary strain on your back.

3. The Hip Shifter

What you're testing: How well your hips can move together

‍How to do it:

• On a soft surface, kneel with your knees spread as wide as they comfortably can, then lean forward and put your weight on your forearms.
• Keeping your forearms on the ground, push your butt back and sit back into your hips (picture the movement of a porch swing). Hold for 2 breaths.
• Come back to start and push your butt back again, aiming to go a little bit deeper.
• Repeat the stretch 10 times.

You've got a problem if: 

Your butt is barely moving when you try to sit back the first time and you make hardly any progress after the 10th time, or you can't get your knees wide enough to do the stretch at all.

The Danger

When both hips are tight, chances are you're tight everywhere. And that signals that you're way too sedentary, since frequent and varied movement helps your joints move more fluidly, including your hips, says Norton, Jr.

He adds that these are the types of problems you'd expect to see in elderly people whose main form of movement is standing up and sitting down. Flexibility concerns aside, a sedentary lifestyle is also linked to a host of health problems, such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

4. The Bretzel Lean

What you're testing: Glutes

‍How to do it:

• Sit with your legs spread wide out in front of you and your knees bent.
• Lean as far as you can to your right, trying to bring your right knee to the ground while keeping your knees spread. As you lean, twist your torso and get your hands to the ground on the side of your right leg.
• Once you're as far to the right as you feel you can go, try to lower your chest to the floor and stay there for 3 breathes.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side.
• Do the stretch 2 times on each side.

You've got a problem if: 

You can't get your leading knee close to the floor, or you can go much deeper into the position on one side than you can on the other.

The Danger

When your glutes are tight, your back picks up the slack of their limited range of movement, and the resulting back pain can affect every move you make. While most people have one stronger glute and thus are more flexible than the other, you should be able to get equally as far into the stretch on both sides (you'll just feel it more on one). 

If you can't, that's cause for worry, because just like with the Spider-Man stretch, severe weakness on one side leads to compensation elsewhere in your body and potential injury.

Do I Need to Be More Flexible?

If you need more flexibility to improve your movement quality and avoid injuries, then yes, you should be working on it. But the important thing is to stretch to your end range rather than compete with others. Rachel explains, 

“How much flexibility do you need to move with a functional range of motion? You probably aren’t going to learn to do the splits at 65 years old, but you can reduce your risk of injuries by building more flexibility alongside strength to be more mobile.” 

The Benefits of Improved Flexibility

Being too flexible can be a bad thing, too. “If you’re too flexible everywhere, then you won’t be able to stand upright or walk,” Rachel says. “Your body will compensate for some imbalances by tightening up specific muscles. My quads and hips have a vast range of motion, but my hamstrings are pretty tight. 

‍However, it wouldn’t really be in my best interest to spend loads of time being able to get my legs over my head and create really flexible hamstrings, because then my body wouldn’t be able to support my movement. The body is always looking for an equilibrium.” 

Flexibility Needs to Be Balanced With Strength

You shouldn’t be building flexibility without building strength. Muscles that can stretch and stretch but can’t hold those positions can also put you at risk of injury. It’s about setting practical goals, rather than intending to be more flexible so you can get into Instagrammable positions. 

For example, if you can’t perform moves such as a Romanian deadlift properly because your hamstrings are tight, developing flexibility in those muscles is functional. It will also help you build strength, as you can load the muscles further. 

Consistency is Key

We should be stretching for at least 10-15 minutes every day. That doesn’t mean doing something intense; it just means stretching your muscles and joints to activate them and encourage blood flow. 

Stretching should never be painful, either. It should be uncomfortable, as you are pulling the muscles, but don’t do anything that hurts you. 

Best Practices to Increase Flexibility

It’s best to stretch when your muscles are warm. This helps prevent pulling a muscle and soreness after an exercise. Know your body and don’t push yourself too hard. If you try to stretch deeper and feel pain, slowly ease out of your stretch. 

When your muscles are warm and stretched slowly, they will respond much better. So when you stretch, move with complete awareness of your body. Gently go deeper into your poses. 

Practice Consistency

To experience progress in your flexibility, you must stretch regularly. You’ll be surprised how much stretching three times a week makes a difference. 

Holding a pose for only five breaths might not be enough. It’s okay to stay in your stretch for a few minutes. Our bodies are different. If you had a great day of stretching yesterday, your muscles might not be up to the task today. It’s okay to be patient. 

Best Stretches to Improve Flexibility

Hip Flexor Stretch 

• Kneel on the floor with both knees bent and shins on the floor. 
• Lunge your right leg forward so your right knee is bent 90 degrees in front of you with your right foot on the floor directly under your knee. 
• For a beginner stretch, you can either place your hands on your front right leg or bend your left leg at the knee and hold it with your left arm. 
• Lean your hips forward into your stretch, keeping your torso upright. 
• Hold for 30 seconds or longer. 
• Repeat on the next leg. 

Stretches: 

• Hip flexors
• Quads
• Hamstrings 

Butterfly Stretch 

• Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together and your knees bent to the sides. 
• Grasp your feet with your hands, engage your core, and slowly bend your body toward your feet. 
• Go only as far as is comfortable. 
• Hold for 45 seconds to two minutes. If you are uncomfortable, elevate your hips with a few blankets or a pillow, then try again.

Stretches:

• Neck
• Back
• Glutes
• Hamstring
• Thighs

Reclining Pigeon Stretch: 

• Lie with your back on the floor, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. 
• Cross your right foot over your left thigh. 
• Hook your arms around the left hamstring and lift your left foot a few inches while keeping your back and shoulders on the floor. 
• Gently bring your right leg in toward you until you feel a stretch. 
• Hold for 45 seconds to two minutes. 
• Lower your legs to the ground. 
• Switch legs and repeat. 

Stretches: 

• Lower back
• Hips
• Glutes
• Hamstrings

Foldover Stretch 

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, with your arms by your sides. 
• Exhale as you bend forward from your hips, lowering your head towards the floor. 
• Keep your head, neck, and shoulders relaxed. 
• Wrap your arms around your back legs and hold 45 seconds or more. 
• If you’re uncomfortable reaching that far, bend your knees or place your hands on the ground. 

Stretches: 

• Neck
• Back
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Calves

Related Reading

• Why Does My Leg Shake When I Stretch
• Fitness Assessment
• Why Can't I Straighten My Arm After Working Out
• How Flexible Are You
• Why Are My Hamstrings So Tight
• Sit and Reach Flexibility Test

8 Stretching Tips for Super Inflexible People

1. Flexibility Begins in Your Mind

Flexibility starts with how you think. Some people are naturally more flexible than others. Even the most inflexible person can become flexible if they are willing to put the work into it. Flexibility is a skill you can work on and improve at any age; you just need to believe you can do it first. 

2. Deep Breathing

Breathing provides oxygen to your muscles and releases tension. Knowing when to breathe allows you to optimize all of your stretches. Actively inhale through your nose before stretching to oxygenate the muscles and exhale through your mouth to sink deeper into a stretch. When training for flexibility, learning how to breathe effectively is essential. 

The first step is to be aware of your breath. 

• Is it fast or slow? 
• Deep or shallow? 
• Do you find yourself holding my breath? 
• Are you breathing from your nose or belly? 

The second step is to gradually train yourself to breathe effectively. This means taking deep, even, calm breaths through your belly. Breathe slowly to find your natural rhythm. Avoid uneven breathing or jerkiness to prevent your muscles from tensing up.

3. Learn About Your Body

Stretching requires you to connect your mind to your body. Practice awareness by being present as you stretch and transition between stretches. Take a moment to notice where you feel the stretch, and this feeling changes from day to day. 

When we stretch, our mind and body learn what feels good and what doesn’t. Some days, our hips or necks may feel extra tight, and we can’t get as deep into a stretch as we’d like. This is part of the process, and it’s okay. 

Acknowledge How Your Body Feels

On any given day, choose to continue. Think of stretching as an interplay between what we tell our bodies to do and what the brain says we can do. 

Built-in mechanisms in the brain (called the stretch reflex) protect us from danger even when there is none. As you learn about your body and which muscles are at work, you can engage and strengthen these muscles to control them.

4. Focus on Your Stiffest Areas

Naturally, some joints feel stiffer than others. Stiff areas overcompensate, preventing other muscles from being stretched properly. To make the most of your routine, focus on stretching the stiffest areas for 10-20 minutes each day. 

Once these muscles loosen up, stretching neighbouring muscle groups will be easier. To identify your stiff areas, ask yourself if you feel tension in any particular muscle group when performing day-to-day tasks (sitting, standing, squats, bending over) or in places you find challenging to stretch. 

Targeted Stretching for Tension Relief and Flexibility

Common areas that store tension are the neck, upper back, lower back, hip flexors, and hamstrings. You can focus on stretching related muscles to achieve a specific flexibility move, such as your downward-facing dog, forward fold, or splits. 

Choose 3-4 stretches that target your stiffest areas. Stretch those muscles every day to increase your range of motion. Over time, you will notice improvements in surrounding muscles.

5. Stretch Consistently

To see the results of stretching, you must do it consistently and commit to the process. It may have taken you many months to get tight muscles, so you’ll not be perfectly flexible after one or two sessions…you’ll have to continue working on it to maintain it. 

Stretching daily helps keep your joints flexible, strong, and healthy. At the end of a stretching session, you may feel a temporary increase in your range of motion. If you don’t continue stretching, your range of motion will revert to your routine. 

Scheduling Regular Stretching for Improved Flexibility

Flexibility results from the hours you put into stretching each week. If you are a beginner, start by stretching three times a week. Plan your schedule by marking down which days you will stretch and the exact time and place that you will do it. 

Essentially, you are removing all ambiguity by being as specific as possible. You can explore adding stretches to your morning routine, after a workout, while watching TV, or make it part of your bedtime routine to help you sleep.

6. Set Small Targets to Measure Progress

Training for flexibility takes a lot of time and patience. It could take weeks or months to see any noticeable results. 

Pick smaller targets you can work towards each day to help you measure your progress and keep your goals in check. Taking progress videos at the end of each stretching session helped me work towards an end action and attempt the final stretched position. 

Pick Your Target 

For example, taking progress pictures after stretching or simply finding a spot on the ground you can reach. Whichever target you choose, take a moment to acknowledge your accomplishments as you continue with your daily practice. 

This will help you make little improvements each day.

7. Don’t Be Afraid to Make Modifications

Find a stretch variation where you feel mild discomfort. The idea is not to push to the point where you feel pain. Pushing too far and too quickly increases the risk of muscle strain, hindering your progress. There are stretches for every level of flexibility, whether you’re a complete beginner, intermediate, or advanced. 

If you are inflexible, start with modified stretches using yoga blocks. Practicing with yoga blocks allows you to focus on correcting your form. Work on form first for the best results and depth will improve naturally.

8. Stretch While Watching TV

Stretching while watching TV will distract you from any discomfort while holding a stretch. It also helps your muscles relax to prepare for better sleep and gives your body a break from prolonged periods of sitting. 

If you tend to skip my stretches after the gym, you can try stretching in the evening while watching your favourite show. Stretching is more doable when you can pair it with a fun activity you may already be doing in your downtime.

Improve Your Flexibility with Our Mobility App Today | Get 7 Days for Free on Any Platform

Pliability offers a fresh take on yoga, tailored for performance-oriented individuals and athletes. Our app features a vast library of high-quality videos designed to: 

• Improve flexibility
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Pliability provides daily-updated custom mobility programs for those interested in optimizing their health and fitness. It also includes a unique body-scanning feature to pinpoint mobility issues. If you're feeling limited by pain or ability to move, Pliability aims to complement your fitness routine and help you move better. 

Sign up today for 7 days absolutely for free, on iPhone, iPad, Android, or on our website to improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion with our mobility app.

Related Reading

• How to Test Hip Mobility
• Ankle Mobility Test
• Shoulder Flexibility Test
• Mobility Test for Adults
• Why Are Dynamic Flexibility Tests Not Used as Often as Static Flexibility Tests?
• Why Should You Measure Your Level of Flexibility?

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