Let me ask you three questions:
How does your body feel?
Loose, free of movement restriction, fully mobile or, on the contrary tight, heavy and old?
Do you suffer from back pain, neck pain, or tension in your shoulder?
Yes? So did I (and still do occasionally, but now I know how to relieve it quickly).
When you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you see?
A straight, confident, dynamic you or someone with poor posture that looks – and feels – much older than you are?
Regain full mobility
Even if you’re already in your 40’s or 50’s, or even 60’s, it’s not too late to start taking care of yourself. I mean, seriously.
Being fit is not just about being strong. It also feels fully mobile, with no restriction of movement, free in your body.
We don’t lose mobility because we age. We age because we lose mobility.
When moving becomes more challenging and less manageable, we take the easiest route: we stop moving. The less we move, the less energy we have. Life is Energy!
We start losing flexibility very early on, in our 20’s. By age 35, most men need to begin stretching if they don’t want to look and feel ten years older than they are. Women tend to be more flexible than men, but they, too, feel the effects of time and a sedentary lifestyle on their general flexibility and well-being.
What would you do if, at the age of 20, somebody told you that you could have your dream car, but it would be the only one you can ever get, your ENTIRE life? It is up to you to decide whether you can take it around the world for 80-something years or whether you can only go down the street with it, fearing that it won’t bring you back.
Wouldn’t you take care of it? Wouldn’t you look at fixing it at the slightest sign of tear before it gets worse before it’s too late?
Treat your body like a luxury car
Your body is like a luxury car. It’s costly to repair but lasts decades and can take you far when adequately maintained. Proper maintenance means your body needs regular checkups and care to run smoothly and stay in shape.
Your body is the only body you will ever get. You decide how far it will carry you and how long it will help you live the life you want.
A flexible body that is properly aligned, fully mobile, and functional is a lot less prone to injuries. And injury when you’re 45, is not the same as when you’re 15 or 20. The recovery time is much longer, the pain is much more significant, and the body never goes back to how it was before.
To help increase the flexibility of our clients, we use a method called Active Assisted Isolated Stretching, a technique that originated in the U.S.A.
How Active Isolated Stretching works
Active Isolated Stretching is the most innovative and safest form of therapeutic stretching and has proven to be particularly effective for postural realignment and increasing flexibility. Aaron Mattes developed this modality over the past 40 years, and we introduced it to Hong Kong in 1997.
Muscles in the body operate in pairs. Through reciprocal stimulation of muscles that actively contract, the antagonist muscles are relaxed and, therefore, safely stretched to increase joint and muscle mobility.
How Assisted A.I.S. Stretching can help you
It relieves pain:
80% of back pain is due to mechanical dysfunction and can be reduced by realigning the posture. Assisted Active Isolated Stretching is particularly effective in realigning your posture and relieving your pain.
It prevents injuries:
By increasing your flexibility, mobility, and the health of your muscles, tendons, and ligaments, you reduce the risk of muscle strain and tear. Regular Active Stretching significantly helps prevent injuries caused by day-to-day living.
It promotes a faster recovery:
Active Isolated Stretching improves oxygenation and nutrition of the myofascial structures, promoting growth and repair. So when you are injured, you recover more quickly.
It increases blood circulation:
Active Isolated Stretching also stimulates circulation and lymph drainage, which helps eliminate waste.
It increases mobility and flexibility:
Active Isolated Stretching allows you to intensify your training and protect you from pain, spasms, and tension which will ultimately inhibit your movements.
It helps realign collagen fibers.
Why stretch with Stretch Asia?
We introduced Active Isolated Stretching® to Asia in 1997 and have been specializing in it ever since. We have helped thousands of clients over the years. In the last few years, we have helped people realize how vital muscle flexibility is to ensure a better quality of life, and we have inspired others to start helping others too.
Stretch with the experts
Today, most, if not all, of the practitioners of Active Isolated Stretching in Hong Kong and Asia have been trained by a trainer working with us or by us, including by Mr. Aaron Mattes, the founder of A.I.S., who ran workshops at Stretch Asia in 2004 and 2010. Stretch Asia is recognized as the expert in Postural Conditioning
Today, more and more people realize the benefits of stretching on the body and our general well-being. Some choose to follow a regular yoga practice; some prefer to have the Stretching done by a professional that will make it safer and more effective.