Being able to touch your toes is a real achievement, and it’s natural to wonder what happens if you stop. Do you need to keep stretching every day forever? The good news is that keeping flexibility usually takes much less than building it.

Keeping takes less than building

Research suggests that once you’ve built your range, a lighter routine can hold on to it. Exercise guidelines recommend stretching your main muscle groups at least two or three times a week, with daily stretching giving the biggest gains. So if daily practice has been part of getting here, you could ease back without losing ground.

A little goes a long way

Stretching sessions for keeping your range can be short. Guidelines suggest about 60 seconds in total for each muscle group, which could be two holds of 30 seconds. In one study, a one-minute routine twice a week kept flexibility gains just as well as a longer one. That study was in children, so it’s a guide rather than a rule, but it fits with what we see in adults.

Short videos for busy weeks

VIDA’s library has 30-second videos that are handy for this stage. A couple of those, a few times a week, can keep the backs of your legs and hips used to their full range without needing a full session.

Staying active helps too

A recent review found that people who stayed generally active held on to their flexibility better after they stopped a stretching programme. So everyday movement, like walking, gardening or bending down to pick things up, helps keep your range too.

What to take away

• Keeping flexibility usually takes less than building it.
• Two or three short stretching sessions a week may be enough.
• Around 60 seconds per muscle group is plenty for each session.
• Staying active in daily life helps you hold on to your range.

‍