Exploring Hypermobility, Flexibility, Mobility, and Strength in Yoga Practice
In recent years, hypermobility has gained widespread attention as advancements in research and our understanding of connective tissues have evolved. Once casually referred to as "double-jointedness," it is now recognized as a complex condition that exists on a spectrum.
Extreme flexibility is often celebrated in the ability to achieve aesthetically pleasing poses across movement practice like dance, gymnastics, and yoga.
Just search up "Yoga" across social media and we see images of yogis in deep splits, extreme backbends, and gravity-defying poses, reinforcing the idea that the more flexible you are, the "deeper" your practice.
However, the relationship between hypermobility, flexibility, mobility, and strength is nuanced and requires a deeper understanding to ensure a safe and sustainable yoga practice. Let’s explore these concepts and their implications for physical (Asana) yoga practice.
The Truth About Flexibility: Why Strength Matters in Your Stretching
What Is Flexibility, Really?
Flexibility refers to your muscles' ability to lengthen passively. It’s what allows you to fold forward and touch your toes or sink into a low lunge. But flexibility alone doesn’t mean your joints are stable or that you have control over your range of motion. This is where strength and mobility come into play.
The Science of Stretching: What Happens on a Cellular Level?
When you stretch, your muscles, tendons, and connective tissues experience mechanical stress that leads to temporary elongation. At the cellular level, stretching influences sarcomeres, the fundamental units of muscle fibers. During a stretch, sarcomeres extend, redistributing tension along the muscle and increasing flexibility over time.
Additionally, stretching activates mechanoreceptors like muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs (GTOs), which regulate muscle tone and prevent overstretching. Muscle spindles detect changes in length and trigger a protective contraction (the stretch reflex), whereas the GTOs signal relaxation in response to prolonged tension, allowing deeper stretching.
Chronic stretching can lead to structural changes in the extracellular matrix, particularly in collagen fibers. These fibers reorganize in response to mechanical loading, influencing tissue pliability and resilience. However, excessive passive stretching without strength training can degrade collagen integrity, making tissues more prone to injury.
The Strength-Mobility Connection
Mobility is the combination of flexibility and strength. It refers to your ability to actively move a joint through its full range of motion. Unlike passive stretching, which relies on gravity or external force, mobility requires muscular engagement to control movement. This is what keeps your body safe and strong in yoga—and in everyday life.
Understanding Hypermobility and Its Risks
Hypermobility occurs when joints move beyond their normal range due to increased ligamentous laxity, as you can see below in Sarah's elbows in plank pose. While in some poses this may seem like an advantage, excessive joint mobility without muscular control can lead to instability, chronic pain, and a higher risk of dislocations or injuries.
A hypermobile individual may appear flexible but often relies on joint laxity rather than muscular elongation to achieve poses. For example, hyperextension in knees or elbows can mimic flexibility but places undue stress on the joints.
Repeatedly pushing joints beyond their functional limits can cause cartilage damage, inflammation, arthritis, and chronic pain.
Muscle Imbalances: Hypermobile individuals may actually have tight muscles compensating for joint laxity, which can lead to improper movement patterns and overuse injuries.
The Science Behind Hypermobility
Hypermobility is often associated with altered collagen synthesis, particularly in conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) or generalized joint hypermobility (GJH). Studies suggest that up to 34% of individuals with generalized joint hypermobility experience chronic pain, often due to microtraumas in soft tissues that lack adequate muscular support. Moreover, research indicates that hypermobile individuals have a higher risk of joint dislocations and sprains, underscoring the importance of strength training.
Signs of Hypermobility
Being able to hyperextend joints easily (e.g., elbows or knees locking backward)
Experiencing frequent joint pain or discomfort, especially after stretching
Feeling unstable in weight-bearing poses, even with good flexibility
To counteract hypermobility, strength training is crucial. Strengthening the muscles around hypermobile joints helps provide the necessary stability to protect them. In yoga, this means engaging muscles actively in every pose rather than passively sinking into stretches.
Why Strength Matters
Prevents Injury – Being able to move into deep stretches without muscular support can overstress your joints, increasing the risk of strains and hypermobility issues.
Builds Functional Movement Patterns – Strength training improves muscle engagement and stability, making your movement more efficient and reducing compensations that can lead to pain.
Supports Longevity in Your Practice – A balance of strength and flexibility ensures you can practice for years without discomfort or injury.
Enhances Mind-Body Connection – Strength-based movements require control, focus, and awareness—deepening your yoga practice beyond just achieving “Instagram-worthy” poses.
How to Incorporate Strength Into Your Yoga Practice
Active Stretching: Instead of passive holds, engage your muscles in poses like your Wide Legged Fold or Pigeon Pose to build strength through length.
Isometric Holds: In poses like Downward Dog, press into the mat and engage your core to build full-body stability. Think about your muscles hugging your bones to hold them in alignment.
Resistance Training: Complement your yoga practice with bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or weights to enhance joint integrity and strength.
Controlled Eccentric Movements: Lower slowly into poses like Chaturanga or a squat to build strength in your muscles’ lengthened state.
Proprioceptive Training: Exercises that challenge balance, such as single-leg standing poses, help hypermobile individuals improve joint stability by enhancing neuromuscular control.
Final Thoughts
Flexibility has its place in the yoga asana practice, but true freedom in movement comes from balancing flexibility with strength. Instead of pushing for deeper stretches, focus on building stability, control, and functional mobility. Your body—and your yoga practice—will thank you.
True yoga is about balance—sthira(stability) and sukha(ease)—rather than achieving contortionist-level postures
Hypermobility presents unique challenges in yoga practice but also offers opportunities for growth when approached with care. By understanding the interplay between flexibility, mobility, and strength—and prioritizing stability over extremes—practitioners can cultivate a safe, sustainable practice that supports both physical health and mental well-being.
Yoga is not about how far you can stretch; it’s about how well you can balance effort with ease—on the mat and in life.
Do you prioritize strength in your practice?
Let us know in the comments how you are working on balancing flexibility and strength in your movement journey!
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