Welcome! This page hosts resources for our Science of Stretching practices. This is a passive-stretching, long-hold discipline designed to release deep connective tissues, happy joints, and balanced hip and shoulder alignment.
📱 Home Practice Tip: Use the interactive timestamp table below to jump directly to any specific pose in our full 1-hour YouTube practice video!
🎯 The 3+2 Principles of Deep Flexibility
Before you stretch, remember these five rules to ensure your nervous system allows muscle fibers and fascia to lengthen:
- Wet Noodle: Relax your entire body. Do not tense or fight the stretch. Lock out your bones or use blocks/pillows so you can let gravity do the work.
- Breathe to Relax: Use 4:8 breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds). This stimulates your vagus nerve and down-regulates your nervous system’s stretch reflex.
- Passive Tension Over Time: Hold poses for 2 to 5 minutes. It takes about 2 minutes for the nervous system to relax and allow the fascia to release.
- Feels over Looks: We target a 7/10 tension scale. If you cannot speak comfortably, you are too deep. Back off, make adjustments, and use props.
- Work from where you are: Respect recent injuries or tightness. Keep moving, but work at a gentle 4-5/10 tension if needed.
🎬 Featured Full-Length Practice Videos
- 📺 Full 1-Hour SoS for Tai Chi & Bagua Class — A complete, deeply relaxing sequence targeting the entire body.
- 📺 41-Minute First Teach Sequence & Cues — Practice along with direct, detailed verbal cues and personal notes.
⏱️ Interactive Pose Guide (Quick-Jump Timestamps)
Click any pose below to open the 1-Hour Practice Video at that exact pose timestamp:
| Sequence Phase | Pose Name & Video Link | Time | Focus / Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calm Spine | 🔗 Establish Breathing | 1 min |
Breathe 4:8 to calm down. |
| 🔗 Circle Walking | 2 min |
Slow stepping for ankle/hip sensing. | |
| Shoulders | 🔗 Rag Doll | 3 min |
Deep hamstring and lower back hang. |
| 🔗 Cliffhanger | 3 min |
Shoulder rotation & chest opening. | |
| 🔗 Pretzel Right | 3 min |
Deep shoulder blade compression. | |
| 🔗 Pretzel Left | 3 min |
Deep shoulder blade compression. | |
| 🔗 Swimming Dragon (Reset) | 1 min |
Gentle spine wiggling to reset. | |
| Thoracic | 🔗 Wide Dog | 5 min |
Deep calf, hamstring, and upper back. |
| 🔗 Noodle | 3 min |
Passive shoulder and neck hanging. | |
| 🔗 Shoulder / Waist (Reset) | 1 min |
Torso twists. | |
| Hips / Pelvis | 🔗 Hero / Lightning Bolt | 3 min |
Front of thighs and ankle extension. |
| 🔗 Twister Right | 3 min |
Deep spine rotation. | |
| 🔗 Twister Left | 3 min |
Deep spine rotation. | |
| 🔗 Supine Washer Knees (Reset) | 1 min |
Windshield wiper leg moves on back. | |
| Closing | 🔗 Blaster Left | 3 min |
Deep groin, inner thigh, and hamstring. |
| 🔗 Blaster Right | 3 min |
Deep groin, inner thigh, and hamstring. | |
| 🔗 Bound Butterfly | 3 min |
Inner thighs and hip external rotation. | |
| Energy Reset | 🔗 Wu Chi | 1 min |
Rooting posture. |
| 🔗 Gathering Clouds | 1 min |
Breath-arm coordination. | |
| 🔗 Bathing in the Spring | 1 min |
Energetic closing wash. |
📆 5-Day Hips Routine
If you want to focus specifically on balanced hip strength and deep flexibility, try this 5-day rotation:
- 📅 Day 1: Strength (Psoas Hold, Floor Mountain Climbers) + Stretches (Blaster, Pigeon)
- 📅 Day 2: Strength (Lunge, Straight Leg Raise) + Stretches (Jackknife Blaster, Butterfly)
- 📅 Day 3: Strength (Half Kneeling Flexor Stretch, Psoas Hold) + Stretches (Blaster, Half Happy Baby)
- 📅 Day 4: Strength (Floor Mountain Climbers, Leg Raise) + Stretches (Jackknife Blaster, Pigeon)
- 📅 Day 5: Strength (Lunge, Half Kneeling Stretch) + Stretches (Blaster, Half Happy Baby)
See our dedicated blog posts for full cues on these hip strengthening exercises.
