Michaela Brown, the general manager of VIDA Fitness & Aura Spa, shares the importance of stretch and mobility classes.
Stretch and mobility classes are what’s hot in 2023. With all the post-COVID stress fitness seekers are carrying in their shoulders, neck, hips and back, it’s no wonder why classes that include self-myofascial release have become a fan favorite.
I’ve been building this program for about four years at VIDA Fitness in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Each year the popularity has grown. The program integrates foam rolling, static holds with pressure produced by lacrosse balls, active and dynamic stretching, deep breathing techniques, and sometimes mimosas. The class has been such a draw that we’ve created a “Mobility & Mimosas” event around it to attract prospects and to excite current members. The concept is simple. When you find a painful muscular knot, you take a sip. It’s a win-win.
I created this class in reaction to the bad technique I was observing from members in other classes I taught. Underactive glutes and overactive lower backs were a mainstay in BODYBUMP class. In barre and Pilates mat classes, I saw tons of protracted shoulders and overactive hip flexors. I observed even the most “fit” looking students struggling with functional movements and core strength. After thinking about this incessantly, I realized clients weren’t ignoring my technical cues out of defiance or laziness but rather out of a lack of mobility due to muscular imbalance.
Regulars of the class talk about being drawn to the wealth of knowledge they gain in each session. Target regions include the glutes, outer thighs, inner thighs, lower back, rear delts and upper back, front delts and chest, the neck, the lats, and quads. There is a considerable amount of focus put on the “where” and “why” of muscular knotting, followed by the “how” and “what” of the techniques required to release the muscular trauma. This attention to detail simultaneously empowers members to work on their own flexibility outside of class, while drawing them closer to the class itself. This is another win-win.
So, whether your clients are yogis, BODYPUMP-ers, new moms or the young at heart, stretch and mobility classes change lives by relieving stress and joint pain, increasing flexibility and range of motion, and helping everyday people perform their everyday activities with more balance, ease and effectiveness.
