This whole getting old thing has been more of a challenge than I expected. Bouncing back from setbacks is tougher than I remember—and the setbacks themselves seem to hit harder than they used to. I’ll admit, the initial recovery from both surgeries went quicker than I had hoped, especially my back surgery. But I’m still working on rebuilding cardio health, strength, and flexibility.

There’s been a lot of progress over the last six months, and I’m feeling good about it—I mean, I’m riding again, so that’s a win. But I’m still dealing with two major limitations: balance and flexibility.

That’s what led me to StretchLab today for an assisted stretching session.

What is StretchLab?

If you’re anything like me—constantly wrenching on bikes, riding rough trails, and occasionally tripping over your own garage clutter—then you know what a toll it takes on your body. Flexibility and mobility? Let’s just say they aren’t exactly built into the off-road lifestyle. That’s where StretchLab comes in.

StretchLab is a one-of-a-kind assisted stretching studio designed to help improve flexibility, mobility, and overall movement. Whether you’re dealing with stiffness from long rides, recovering from injuries, or just feeling the wear and tear of years on the trail, they offer one-on-one stretching sessions with trained Flexologists who guide you through a personalized routine.

Their goal? To help you move better, recover faster, and prevent injuries—so you can keep riding, wrenching, and living without feeling like a rusted-out suspension fork.

My First Session at StretchLab

Today, I had my introductory assisted stretching session at StretchLab. It was a 50-minute session, but before we even got started, I answered some questions about my goals, activities, and concerns.

One of my biggest challenges? Hip mobility. Throwing my old leg over the seat of my dirt bikes has turned into a full-blown ritual—it usually takes two or three attempts before I successfully mount up. That’s not exactly ideal.

Once the session officially began, we focused first on lower body stretching, which took up about half of the time. After that, we moved on to upper body work.

Throughout the session, my Flexologist, Joshua, carefully assessed my trouble areas. He was cautious, constantly checking in to make sure I was okay and explaining each movement before diving in. He also recommended stretches I could do at home—keeping in mind that I don’t have a lot of floor space for traditional stretching routines. He focused on movements I could do while standing or sitting, which was a nice touch.

Now, I’ll be honest—I’m not a people person, and I’m even less of a chatty person. But Joshua kept the conversation light, and while the small talk wasn’t my favorite part of the session, it wasn’t unbearable either.

Would I Go Back?

At the end of the session, he recommended I follow up once a week for additional 50-minute sessions. No surprise there—after all, they’re a new business trying to build a client base.

But overall? I enjoyed the experience and felt like it was genuinely helpful. The only sticking point? The cost. It’s definitely not cheap, and now I have to convince my wife that it’s worth it.

That being said—it does cost less than an hour with my massage therapist and probably provides more benefit for what I need right now.

So we’ll see. If I can make it work, I’ll be back—because if getting a little extra mobility means fewer awkward bike mounting attempts and a smoother ride, then it’s probably worth the investment.

author avatar
Ev'mon
Experience: Riding since '81. Hardware: '94 RMX250; '97 XR600; '12 WR 250F; '24 Husqvarna FE 230s; '24 Husqvarna FE 501s. Ranking: Adventurist Favorite Riding: Tight Woods & Desert Favorite Places: Hungry Valley, CA; Baja Mexico