Globe and Mail features Flxme

Flxme was featured in a recent Globe & Mail article on the growing trend of assisted stretching. Pay Chen, the author of the article, interviewed Flxme’s co-founder Justin Gould as part of her research. Here are her questions, and Justin’s answers:

Q: What is FLXME?

A: Flxme is an assisted stretching studio. Assisted stretching is where a stretch therapist physically stretches out another person. People come to us for relaxation and for relief from stiffness and pain. They know they need to stretch but they find it way too boring, or they want to stretch at angles that are beyond the range of motion of their own body and want to do it safely.

Q: Why did you open?

A: My co-founder (who is also my mother-in-law) and I both always thought that the best part of a personal training session was when the trainer stretched us out at the end. The more people we talked to, the more we realized we weren’t alone.

We began to talk about building a business offering assisted stretching exclusively. We looked for stretch therapists who were passionate about stretching; had an undergraduate degree in kinesiology or rigourous therapeutic training, and were careful and empathetic listeners listeners. We found them and opened FLXME in 2018.

Q: How are your staff trained as Stretch Therapists?

A: All of our stretch therapists have a university degree in kinesiology or exercise science. So they have a profound understanding of human anatomy and how the body is wired. In addition they all have at least one other designation that provides them with hands-on stretching skills (osteopathy, massage therapy, fascial stretch therapy). At Flxme we stress the human element as well – we look for stretch therapists with an empathetic nature who truly want to help people and are great listeners. Their relationship with the client is crucial, as the best outcomes happen within a relaxed and trusting relationship.

Q: Who is this great for? (The type of person)

A: Athletes, weekend warriors, journalists, judges, epidemiologists (yes we have an epidemiologist client), marathon runners, bikers, tennis players, hockey players, golfers, couch potatoes, anyone who sits at a desk or uses a computer or cellphone, young, old, and everyone in between.

 One of our clients is a 15-year old nationally ranked tennis player who also brought in his team members.

 Another is a radiologist who believes that stretching would prevent many of the musculoskeletal injuries he sees on x-rays, thereby avoiding surgery.

 Another is an 83-year old woman whose objective is to keep doing the things she loves – keeping up with her grandchildren, gardening, and cooking. She knows that reaching for a coffee cup can be a high-risk activity if she doesn’t maintain her range of motion and flexibility.

 On weekend days after major marathons we run an extra shift as our studio is jammed with runners seeking relief and recovery.

 We get referrals from physicians, chiropractors and physiotherapists who know that proper stretching will benefit their patients. One referring physician says that 40% of her patients’ visits are for musculoskeletal issues that could be avoided or alleviated by proper stretching.

Q: What makes fascial stretching great for active people?

A: Assisted stretching isn’t new. Professional and college athletes have recognized its benefits for years – namely improving performance by allowing muscles to work more effectively, and reducing the risk of injuries. Now the rest of us are realizing those benefits apply to us as well.

 It feels great. People find that stretching on their own is tedious and unpleasant. But virtually everyone enjoys the experience of being stretched out. One client describes it as “euphoric”, another says “I always feel like a million bucks when I leave this place”.

 Most people feel immediate relief both during and after the session. They get up from the table feeling lighter and taller. That limberness lasts for a few days and makes getting out of bed easier and workouts more productive.

 Assisted stretching is the new Pilates.

Q: How is fascial stretching different than yoga which also promotes holding poses for a stretch?

A: When you are in a yoga pose, the muscles that are supporting you are in contraction. So you can’t fully release the muscles being stretched. With assisted stretching, the rest of the body is completely relaxed (and often stabilized through the use of special straps). This allows our stretchers to isolate the targeted muscles and to position and manipulate them more precisely and more effectively.

 Assisted stretching provides similar or greater flexibility benefits as yoga, but in less time, with someone else doing the work.

Q: What can people expect if they were to come for a session? Anything afterwards? (Homework, followup etc.)

A: During the first session, stretch therapists assess each client’s flexibility and range of motion. The stretch therapist explains the purpose of each stretch, communicating closely to ensure the client is not over-stretched. 

 At the end of the session, stretch therapists demonstrate stretches that the client can do at home to supplement the Flxme sessions and work towards the treatment objective.

Q: If you feel your clinic/staff/services differs from your competitors, please feel free to let me know. 

A: Sixty percent of our clients are referrals from other clients.

 Our studio is a peaceful, happy place with a Zen vibe. It does not feel like a physician’s office where sick people sit on plastic chairs in a waiting room. We intentionally avoided a clinical environment. We are focussed on customer experience from the moment a client walks in the door.

 We are not a multidisciplinary clinic with stretching as an add-on service. We are specialists in stretching.

 We seek stretch therapists with university degrees in kinesiology or the equivalent – we feel that experience in dance or personal training is not the same as a solid academic background in anatomy.

Q: How would stretch therapy fit in with an active person’s lifestyle? How often and when would stretch therapy make the most sense?

A: Most of our clients come in at the same time once a week, incorporating stretching into their weekly routine. They book out their appointments two or three months in advance. These “regulars” see stretching as one of the three pillars of physical and mental health: flexibility, endurance and strength. They also do strength and cardio workouts, and find that assisted stretching enhances those workouts. For example they get more out of their strength training because muscles are more efficient when flexible and not working against each other.

Many find that after a few months, they are able to taper off to a maintenance level, coming in for a stretch once a month.

 Assisted stretching complements chiropractic treatments or physiotherapy. If a client is injured, we encourage them to get physio or chiropractic therapy, and then come back to us so we can help them prevent further injury.