Let’s talk about knowing where you are in space in a body that is hyper mobile! What a conversation to have! 😂 When you’re in your favourite yoga class, do you know where your body lands in a posture? For example, in Swan or Pigeon (Yin or Vinyasa) are you collapsing into your posture? Do you have your forehead or cheek on the floor or are you up on your hands? Is your foot 90 degrees in line and resting on your thigh or are you bending it and resting it into the opposite hip? Do you know if you’re going beyond your max or do you explain it away by saying to yourself this is how I can feel something in my posture, it’s just how I am? I get it. I’m the one laying cheek down and foot resting into the hip. Usually. But now I know that that can cause more harm than good. I’ve learned that controlled movements and learning where you start feeling something in your body is where we are meant to be. With gentleness, with compassion and with love. Learning to listen to your body carefully and asking your teacher for help if you’re unsure is a way you can come back to yourself and start healing the physical. Questions? Let’s talk about it!

Some things I wish I knew when I was younger as someone with a hyper-mobile disorder are not stretching to my limit, not being the circus gymnast for my friends, understanding the consequences of hyper mobility for a few!!

No! When you’re hyper mobile, more stretching only causes injury. Yoga is taught as the be all end all, best thing ever and hyper flexibility is admired and deeply encouraged. Yes, the average body needs more flexibility, most bodies are stiff, but the hyper mobile body is way too lax. We need to build strength - Dr. permitting.

What engaging your muscles actually looks like! This means when you move, you contact your muscles. See video describing this❤️. This man’s that you’re tightening up your muscles before, during and exiting your posture so you are not going to your personal full flexion. This helps prevent tissue, tendon and joint over extension and therefore less injuries!

This is not saying you’re not bendy. You are!! What the research is saying is you’re a human Gumby. The difference between flexibility vs. stability is joint laxity and muscle strength around it. When you are hyper mobile, you are stretching past the point of safety without enough muscular support. So while we are praised for being super flexible, what we are doing on the inside is hurting ourselves, sometimes seriously. Your body is relying on your ligaments instead of your muscles. So the goal now, is to engage your muscles with every movement to keep those joints safe. One day at a time. Many blessings!!