Why Your Flexibility Isn’t Improving—And What the Pelvic Floor Has to Do With It
Have you ever devoted yourself to a regular yoga class, only to have your progress stall out after ten weeks—your hips more jammed than a rusted door?
Or maybe you're the one teaching, watching two-thirds of your students improve just like you expected with your carefully programmed, science-based method—while the other third remain stubbornly stuck, unchanged no matter how many ways you rework the exercises.
There are a lot of flexibility programs out there. So many, in fact, that it can feel daunting to know whether you should do yoga, Pilates, a gymnastics-based flexibility program, static stretching, FRC, ballistic stretching... or, or, or…
So Many Options, But What Actually Works?
Like most things, the best flexibility program depends on several factors:
Why do you want to get more flexible?
What do you want to use your newfound range of motion for?
And what kind of body do you live in? One that’s already bendy—or one that needs a little help getting down to the floor?
I'm not a naturally flexible person. In fact, people wrongly assumed for the first 32 years of my life that I should be able to touch my toes. (I couldn’t—despite starting yoga at 24, seeking flexibility and ease in a body wound tighter than an overly taut guitar string.)
I Tried Everything (And So Did My Clients)
I've tried all the things—which means my clients have, too. At some point, I just assumed I’d hit a wall with flexibility. Since I’m a movement generalist who enjoys distance running, among other things, I figured I’d accept that:
I could comfortably touch my toes.
I could straighten my arms enough in a handstand.
I could move well on the pole and on silks.
It was enough. Flexibility wasn’t my specialty, and it didn’t need to be. I focused on movement quality, accessing available range of motion, building body awareness, and developing strength. Clients felt good, and so did I—even if certain handbalancing or aerial skills felt perpetually out of reach due to flexibility limitations.
The Game Changer: The Pelvic Floor
And then I stumbled across something that changed everything.
Something that unlocked more overhead shoulder flexibility than I’d ever had.
Something else that gave me more hip mobility in pancake than I thought possible.
And I realized a few key things:
1. You Have to Create Space to Move Into Space
Adarian Barr and I talk about this in our book, Let Me Introduce You. When it comes to flexibility, this concept is critical. If you only focus on folding forward and isolating movement at the hip joint—say, during a pancake—you’re not making new space.
To improve hip-related flexibility, creating space in the pelvic floor is essential.
2. Most Flexibility Programs Aren’t Designed for the Average Body
Most flexibility programs are written by people who are already quite flexible. That’s not a bad thing—but it does mean that for the average woman looking to gain range, progress often stalls.
3. Movement Is the Key
To access more range in your shoulders, you need to target the spine and the shoulder girdle. Movement is the key. We aren't static creatures—even when holding a pose, you’re not truly still. You fidget. That subtle motion builds control, strength, and flexibility. This holds true for all areas of the body.
4. If You Want More Shoulder Flexibility, Reach Behind You
In my experience, the ability to reach behind you is inextricably linked to the ability to reach overhead. I’ve been using this approach with clients who’ve traditionally had "tight" shoulders—and the results have been profound. One client, age 67, can now hang comfortably from a bar for the first time in his life.
5. Words Matters—A Lot
Telling someone to “straighten their elbows” or “push more” doesn’t work unless you teach how. Sometimes it’s about the arms—but just as often, it’s about reducing pressure in the pelvic floor and hips.
And sometimes it’s about knowing what straight actually feels like (but that is a subject for another day).
6. Change the Pressure, Change the Range
Changing the pressure in your pelvic floor can unlock upper body and hip mobility you didn’t even know you had—if you know how to use it.
If you're curious about how to use your pelvic floor to access both flexibility and stability, I made something just for you:
👉 Check out the free pelvic floor guide here.
Got questions? I’d love to hear from you.
Warmly,
Jenn