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Stretching and Panic!
Sometimes when I stretch I start to kind of freak out. Not because anything hurts or anything. I just get scared I’m going to like break in half or something irrational?!? Like sometimes I’ll look at my legs and be like “crap, I’m really low” and just kind of panic and come out.
I know I need to really focus on my breath and obviously ease myself into the idea of stretching that deep (which isn’t all that deep btw). But I’m just wondering if anyone else feels that way sometimes?!?
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4 Replies
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Yes, I used to have this happen when I first started training for splits and now it will occasionally happen with my backbends because they are getting deeper and it can be scary. Back off in the stretch. Don’t go as deep . Or when you see that your panicking back off and ease back into the deepness. Do it in 30 second stages . Hold the stretch for30 seconds. Go a little deeper. Hold that for 30 seconds. Then go deeper .find the deepest point you can hold without panic. It’s true that your body is capable of it and it’s not hurting you but your mind is freaking out. Your mind is freaking out for good reason. when your mind is panicking your muscles tense up and you can get injured. So back off and breathe and don’t go deeper until your mind is ready to allow it. If you listen to yourself your body will trust you in the future. By pushing through the panic and going deep you are setting yourself up for a vicious cycle of panic induced stretch sessions. And even though you may not be feeling pain , your muscles are telling your brain to stop. Those muscles will lock up in protest to protect themselves
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Thanks. Thats really good advice and I will absolutely try your method.
.. also glad to know I’m not alone.
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It’s not uncommon to feel that way, you’re asking your body to do something new and everything is more connected than we realize between body and mind. There are a lot of theories discussing how becoming more flexibility is more about programming of your nervous system than physical limitations of our muscle and tendons.
If you haven’t tried the flowmotion routine or the stretches yet, you might find them less stressful, because we’re not stopping and holding, it’s about relaxing and moving through your ROM.
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After I tore my hamstrings I had so much fear around starting to stretch again. I found that if I place my foam roller under my hips as I lower into a splits stretch, I can manage my fear by knowing that I’m not going to crash into the floor and hurt myself again. With middles splits too, there are ways to set yourself up with props to help you feel safer. It’s taken a long time to feel comfortable stretching again. I talk about my stretching journey on my blog if you’d like to read 🙂
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