I love stretching, so I wanted to take things to the next level and see what a professional stretch session could do for me
What it is: Stretch Relief NYC, a stretch studio where you can get professionally stretched and attend group stretching classes
Who tried it: Maria Pasquini, writer/reporter for People.com
Level of difficulty: 3/10. Whether you moonlight as a contortionist or can barely touch your toes, you’ll be able to make it through the class
Is stretching a part of your fitness routine? It probably should be. In addition to improving flexibility and posture, stretching can lead to faster recovery post-workout and help prevent injuries. And while you can technically practice stretching anywhere, visiting a stretch studio ensures you get the deepest stretches possible without overdoing it or pushing your body past its limits.
I attended Stretch Relief NYC’s foam rolling 101 group class. The 25-minute class acts as an introductory lesson on how to use a foam roller, a tube-shaped device made out of compressed foam that aids in trigger point therapy. Releasing your trigger points — areas of sore or tight muscle tissue — helps alleviate tension, reduce joint pain and improve mobility.
The instructor guided us through various tender muscle groups, starting with our calves and hamstrings and working up the backs of our legs. He asked us to roll back-and-forth vertically and horizontally in one-inch increments over each spot to help release any tension.
Rolling may sound easy enough, but this part of the class was actually the most challenging for me. While the roller is moving beneath your legs, your entire body weight rests on your arms — so my abs definitely felt the burn.
In addition to foam rollers, we also used ropes to aid us in additional deep stretches, which felt simultaneously nice, yet challenging.
Following the class I had a one-on-one personal stretching session, in which a trainer gave me a massage and stretched my muscles. He started by giving me a brief assessment to identify imbalances that might be causing tension. While that may sound daunting, it basically just involved me doing 10 squats with my hands in the air.
I was then instructed to lay face-down on a padded table so my trainer could use a Hypervolt all over my body, which is a type of vibration therapy tool used to increase circulation, target trigger points and loosen up muscles.
Like any kind of deep tissue massage, this experience wasn’t completely pain-free, especially when it came time to work on my hips, but it felt mostly relaxing, and my trainer checked in multiple times to make sure the vibrations were gentle enough for my body.
Next it was on to the deep stretch portion of the experience, as I laid back and let my trainer do all the work of moving my limbs for me, which — much like the Hypervolt portion of the session — alternated between feeling relaxing and challenging.
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The Verdict:
While I enjoyed the novelty of the experience, I’m not sure my body needs this kind of deep, concentrated stretching on a regular basis.
Do I feel like I got a really good stretch out of the experience? Absolutely. Was I able to sit up straight on the subway ride home because my back, which is normally crazy tight from slouching at a desk all day, was feeling more loose? Yup! But I already devote a good 15 minutes after my workouts to stretching — and since I’m usually just hitting the treadmill for 30 minutes and calling it a day, I don’t feel like I need additional recovery guidance.
If I were to extensively train for something in the future, like a marathon (or let’s be real, a half marathon), I could see how these classes and personalized sessions would be more helpful. It seems like a good option for people who have a demanding fitness routine, experience lingering soreness post-workout, or simply want to improve flexibility.
One thing I will say is that if you suffer from chronic back pain, consider taking the class and having the one-on-one session on different days. My back felt sore for a few days afterward, and it probably would have been better if I would have taken a little breather between my foam rolling class and Hypervolt massage.
Each class at Stretch Relief NYC costs $25, while personalized stretching sessions run from $59 to $139 depending on length and whether you’re doing it in-studio or having a professional come to your home.
For more information on the studio, the classes or the personalized stretching sessions, check out Stretch Relief NYC’s website.