“No pain, no gain” is a common chorus about fitness exercises. However, to increase and maintain flexibility, a better phrase is R. A. B., the initials that appear in the later Harry Potter books. In flexibility training, these initials stand for Relax, Attend, Breathe. And, as in the Harry Potter books, they are a key to unraveling mysteries, but in this case, it’s the mysteries of a more flexible body we seek to reveal.

As we age, our experiences and thoughts get stuck in our bodies, tightening muscles, the fascia holding the bundles of muscle fibers together, the tendons which connect the muscles to the bones, and the ligaments which attach one bone to another. Eventually, this tightness can affect our joints and bones limiting our range of motion and contributing to arthritis. As we get stuck in well-known attitudes and physical postures, we move less freely. According to Brad Appleton (www.bradapp.net/ ), “Inactivity of certain muscles or joints can cause chemical changes in connective tissue which also restrict flexibility. When connective tissue is unused or under used, it provides significant resistance and limits flexibility. Aging has some of the same effects on connective tissue that lack of use has.”

The more we move our bodies and the more in tune our minds and bodies become to each other, the easier it becomes to let go of tension, improve overall health, and increase flexibility.

My favorite R. A. B. exercise in one that tunes mind into body, and can be done sitting straight, standing with feet evenly shoulder width apart, or lying on your back (careful not to fall asleep). If standing, keep the knees soft. When breathing in, attend (or pay attention to) to one part of the body, beginning with the head. When breathing out, think about relaxing that part. Scan the front of your body first, starting with the head (for example, top of head, forehead, eyes, etc.). When you have reached the feet, begin again at the back of your head and scan downward along your back, finishing again at the feet.

A good flexibility exercise for every day, and especially before doing other activities, is a series to warm up, energize, and flex your joints. One common starting place is the neck—turning it left and right, up and down, ear to shoulder, and circling. Then go down your body—shoulder rolls, flexing elbows, circling wrists, opening and closing fingers, stretching the sides, hip circles, knee circles, ankle circles, bending your toes. Some people start at the toes and go up. When doing these, sink your weight into your feet, drop your shoulders and elbows down, go slowly, and go no further than a position of mild discomfort. Don’t push your body further in an attempt to increase range of motion. If you go beyond the point of pain, your body will tighten to protect itself. Do these at least several times a week, if not daily.

The joint warm-ups above are examples of dynamic or kinetic flexibility exercises, movements that help bring a limb or torso through its full range of motion in the joints. Others are squats and leg lifts. Always begin dynamic exercises slowly and speed up when and if your body feels ready.

Static flexibility exercises are those that maintain extended positions. Stretching one or both outstretched legs while sitting on the floor is a common static-passive exercise. Slow dynamic and static-passive exercises are best for releasing long held tension and increasing range of motion. Remember, don’t bounce; use R. A. B.

Static-active exercises combine strength training with flexibility training. Stretching and holding one leg out while standing on the other leg is an example of a static-active exercise. The static-active and many dynamic exercises are best for strengthening supportive muscle groups while others are being stretched. This muscle strength is critical to support one’s whole structure and full range of movement.

How you stretch depends on how much time you have, the time of day, the temperature, your own condition, and goals. Key points in flexibility training are to warm the muscles first, and to start slowly. Then, do a combination of dynamic, static-passive, and static-active exercises.

Relax into your stretches—let go of as much unnecessary effort and tension as you can. Attend to what is happening in your body as you stretch. Check out your whole body and you may find, for example, that your tight back is part of why your hamstrings are tight. Take the time to encourage your mind and body to communicate more fluidly to each other. Breathe as you move through or hold your stretch. This will help oxygenate your body and contribute to your relaxation.

For local help, try taking a class in yoga and Qigong and Tai Chi Chuan. Most gyms have a personal trainer who should be knowledgeable about improving flexibility. Stretch and Strengthen, by Judy Alter, and Stretching, by Bob Anderson are two good books. On the world wide web, see Stretching and Flexibility, Introduction by Brad Appleton, www.bradapp.net/.