Photography Courtesy StretchLab
No two bodies are the same. At a new assisted stretching studio in Town & Country, trainers know that everybody requires different care and attention.
StretchLab, which opened its first Missouri studio September 28 at 161 Lamp and Lantern Village, promotes deep stretching to not only decrease pain, lower risk of injury and reduce stress, but also to improve performance at work, the gym and in everyday life. After dreaming of opening a business together, co-owners Laurel and Alan Burke hope to use the studio to introduce people of all ages and fitness levels to the benefits of stretching.
“We looked at other opportunities, and we really wanted to be in something that was healthy, something that gave back to the community instead of taking out of it, and something that we felt good about offering,” Laurel Burke says.
Stretches are offered in both 25- and 50-minute sessions in which a trainer—at StretchLab, they’re called Flexologists—leads clients through a warm-up and a routine targeting major muscle groups. Flexologists aim to identify tightness and imbalances in the body before preparing a regimen tailored to each client. Routines are designed to increase flexibility and develop a wider range of motion.
“Having real feedback from your Flexologist that's personal to you encourages you to stay on that journey,” Laurel Burke says. “There's some accountability with having your personal Flexologist and having a plan in place for what you're going to do. If you have a fitness goal, we can work with you on that fitness goal. It's not just about flexibility. It's really training to enhance your personal journey. Everybody has a different journey, so you're going to have different, different plans.”
Photography Courtesy StretchLab
To become a StretchLab Flexologist, trainers receive both classroom and on-the-job tutelage to achieve their certification.
“StretchLab's owners help and set up a great education program for the Flexologists,” Laurel Burke says. “People come in having some background; either they have a degree in kinesiology or health sciences, or they have another certification or some experience in the field working with people. They do about 20 hours of online ... come in and demo stretches. Then, they go to a workshop that's about two days of in-person instruction with a master Flexologist. We want to make sure that they know what they're doing.”
The new StretchLab studio will also offer the use of a TRX MAPS machine which identifies movement inefficiencies across four critical categories: mobility, activation, posture, and symmetry. The machine has users perform three body-weight squats while utilizing 3D technology to perform a total body movement scan, calculating the user’s MAPS score in under 30 seconds.
The results from the TRX MAPS machine are delivered to Flexologists, who use the data points to map progress toward individual goals.
“[The TRX MAPS machine] helps StretchLab stand out,” Laurel Burke says. “We modify your plan based on the results that you've had or the changes in your body that may have come up. We want to address the changes and how your lifestyle has changed, and we adapt — it's not the same thing all the time.”
The Burkes hope to encourage clients to keep returning to StretchLab, not only to improve their overall performance, but to take advantage of the opportunities StretchLab provides, like the TRX MAPS machine and personalized fitness plans. StretchLab, Laurel Burke says, is for everyone.
“I hope that we're providing a place that's fun to work and where people feel valued,” Laurel Burke says. “Down the road, I hope there are opportunities for people to grow into different positions and learn from each other, and then we can take that learning, apply it and contribute to our community so people feel better and move better.”
This story has been updated.
