We’ve all seen that person in class—the one who can fold in half without breaking a sweat or twist into positions that make everyone else cringe. On the surface, it looks like peak flexibility. But look closer, and you’ll often find a body struggling to keep itself together.
At CANSPORTS, we see it all the time: Just because someone can move that far doesn’t mean they should.
There is a massive misconception in the fitness world that more range is always better. But there is a tipping point where flexibility turns into instability.
For hypermobile clients, the issue isn’t tight muscles—it’s that their ligaments (the “tape” that holds joints together) are too stretchy. They aren’t using muscle to move; they are simply hanging out in their joints.
When a hypermobile person feels “tight,” their instinct is usually to stretch more. However, that tightness is often protective tension. The brain is tightening the muscles because it knows the joint is unstable.
If we keep stretching them, we create a dangerous cycle:
More Range → Less Control → Increased Injury Risk
By forcing more range into an already loose system, we are essentially weakening the structural integrity of the body.
If you work with bodies—whether you’re a trainer, a physio, or an instructor—you have to change the question you ask during a session.
The goal for these clients isn’t to find more space; it’s to build a “sleeve” of functional strength and motor control around the joints they already have.
If you want to stop guessing and start giving your “bendy” clients the stability they actually need, this workshop is for you. We are diving deep into the assessment lens and the specific stabilization strategies required to keep these bodies safe and strong.
Stop stretching for the sake of stretching. Let’s start building control.
Go to; https://cansports.org/pilates-teacher-training/#advanced for more information.
