Does genetics determine flexibility limits?
Written by
Stella Nilsson
Reviewed by
Prof. Graham Pierce, Ph.D.Many people blame their genetics for having tight muscles. I have taught yoga for 15 years, and I have witnessed even the stiffest yoga/lifestyle beginners surpass their naturally flexible counterparts. Genetics set the initial bar of flexibility, not the endpoint. You can transform your body and its limits through targeted and consistent training. Your limits increase your potential with commitment.
Connective Tissue Adaptation
- Collagen fibers realign with consistent stretching
- Increased elastin production improves elasticity
- Fascia becomes more pliable through regular movement
Neurological Rewiring
- Reduces protective stretch reflex over time
- Trains muscles to relax in extended positions
- Expands movement confidence at end ranges
Structural Compensation
- Joint capsules adapt to increased mobility
- Ligament strength develops to support new ranges
- Articular surfaces remodel through loaded stretching
Exercise changes your body. Think about it like molding clay: stretching consistently will reshape connective tissues. The stiffness of collagen fibers slowly reorganizes along engagement lines. Your muscles learn to let go rather than hold: All of this can happen without any inherited starting place. I've seen people who've called themselves 'naturally stiff,' make magical even miraculous transformations.
The nervous system has a remarkable ability to adapt. Individuals who are naturally tight (which is often the case) will tend to develop better somatic awareness. They also gain precise control of their edge ranges. For this reason, neural adaptation creates functional flexibility that exceeds the limits of our endowments. You shift from your limitations and instead focus on your possibilities.
Begin from where you are today. Select one confined area, such as the hips or the shoulders. After you have selected an area to work on, practice your selected and specified stretches daily for three months. Keep an objective record of your progress. You will prove to yourself that commitment is greater than your DNA. Your body responds positively to consistent and familiar care.
Read the full article: 8 Practical Ways How Increase Flexibility
