How to Get Started With Kinstretch
If you’re looking to try Kinstretch but aren’t sure how to go about getting started, here is a step-by-step guide to help walk you through how you can get started with Kinstretch.
What is Kinstretch?
Kinstretch is a movement enhancement practice that develops maximal body control, flexibility, and usable ranges of motion.
If you aren’t quite sure what Kinstretch is, you’'ll find a full blog diving into Kinstretch in detail and answering all of your questions here.
How to Get Started
Step 1: Why Kinstretch?
First we need to determine your “why” behind getting dipping your toes in Kinstretch. For example, most people get involved in Kinstretch because they are looking to improve their own body’s mobility, flexibility, joint health, movement capacity, body control, among other things. However, some people also get involved in Kinstretch because they want to help others improve those qualities.
If you’re looking to use Kinstretch as a means of improving your own body, mobility, and so on, continue on to step 2.
If you’re looking to become a Kinstretch instructor and want to add Kinstretch to your toolbox as a way of helping others, you’ll find a section at the bottom of this article walking you through that process.
Step 2: Choose Your Setting
If you’re looking to use Kinstretch as a way of improving your own body, movement, and physical health, then we need to determine what environment would is best suited for YOU to do so.
For example, would you rather:
Try attending an in-person group Kinstretch class in your local area
Try Kinstretch on your own from the comfort of your own home or gym
Prior to the pandemic in 2019, the most common way to get involved in Kinstretch was to attend in person Kinstretch classes. This was great for those that had Kinstretch instructors in their areas. However, this meant limited accessibility and ability try Kinstretch for those living in areas that did not have a trained local Kinstretch instructor.
Now there are many online platforms and resources like Operation Human First that enable people to take Kinstretch classes from anywhere int he world with an internet connection and walk them through how to get started.
This now leaves many people with the option of either in-person group classes at a local facility or online Kinstretch classes from home.
To find out if you have any local instructors in your area you can use the Find a Provider database. Just make sure that you filter the search for “Kinstretch” and select your physical location on the map! This will then give you the physical location and contact information for any local Kinstretch instructors in your area if there are any!
If you have an instructor in your area, great! You have the option of both in-person and/or online Kinstretch classes.
If you do not have a local instructor in your area, this narrows your options down to online Kinstretch classes for the time being.
Step 3: Comparing In-Person VS. Online Classes
There are various pros and cons to both in-person vs. online Kinstretch classes. When determining which option is best suited to you, it can be helpful to consider the pros and cons of each.
In Person Kinstretch Classes
Pros:
Physically present instructor - when you attend a Kinstretch class in person you have an instructor that is immediately available and easily accessible to you. This enables you to get immediate feedback, immediate responses to questions, and more personalized recommendations. While at first glance it may look like there are more pro’s for online Kinstretch classes, having an instructor physical present is invaluable for some people.
Socialization & support- Kinstretch classes can be very challenging! Some people really enjoy doing this in a group setting where they feel like they are all “in it together” and can visit or discuss the class with others.
Cons:
Generally more costly - attending Kinstretch classes once a week at a local facility or even a few times a month is typically more costly than a month of online Kinstretch classes. For example, in person classes in our province in Canada are $23-30 per class. This works out to $92-120 per month if you attend once per week. In comparison, someone can sign up for Operation Human First for a month and access hundreds of Kinstretch classes for $29.99 or $69.99.
Limitations in where and when classes take place - you are limited to your instructor and the facility’s availability and physical location. As such, you can only take the classes on the days/times they are offered at that particular facility where the classes are held.
Class focus is outside of your control - when attending a in-person Kinstretch class you don’t get to choose the focus of the class. Meaning, you may want or need a hip class that day, but the focus for that class may be on another joint like shoulders or wrists.
Online Kinstretch Classes
Pros:
Take classes whenever your schedule permits - while local classes are only offered at certain days/times, on-demand online classes like those within Operation Human First can be taken anytime you want.
Do classes from anywhere - with online classes you can take the class anywhere with an internet connection and you are not confided to the physical location of the in-person Kinstretch class.
More budget friendly - There are some classes (like this one on our website) that are available online for free. There are also subscriptions like the Operation Human First Base Subscription that offers you access to hundreds of classes for the same price as one in-person Kinstretch class.
Your choose the class focus - assuming you have a class library available to you like our library within Operation Human First, YOU get to choose what you want to train that day. With in-person classes, the joints or movements that you focus on that day are chosen by your instructor.
Cons:
No immediate feedback - with online classes you do not have an instructor physical present and therefore you don’t have the ability to throw your hand up and get your question(s) answered immediately.
The instructor can’t see you - with in person classes the instructor can physically see you and therefore troubleshooting modifications or offering individualized recommendations, which is harder to replicate online.
Can’t Decide?
Good news! If local classes are an option for you, you can do both! This can be wise as once you have experienced both you will have a better idea of what feels best for YOU.
Step 5: What You Need to Know Before Starting Kinstretch
Whether you choose to try Kinstretch in-person or via an online class, in order to get the most out of your first Kinstretch class or classes in general there are various things that it pays to know ahead of time.
This includes various terms/acronyms that are used often in the classes such as CARs or PAILs/RAILs, physical strategies that you can use in the classes to get even more out of the exercises that you’re doing, and ways to modify certain aspects or exercises in the classes to make them more specific to YOUR needs.
It can be a bit overwhelming when you’re new to Kinstretch! Know that you don’t need to learn all of this at once or immediately!
Here is a short video that you can watch that covers the bare minimum and basics of what you need to know before taking your first online OR in-person Kinstretch class.
If you’re interested in learning more or learning how to get the biggest return on investment and results when you participate in Kinstretch classes I recommend checking out the “How to Get Started with Kinstretch” and “What You Must Know For Kinstretch” sections available within both Operation Human First subscriptions.
These sections will walk you through everything from how to get started with Kinstretch, what you need to know ahead of time, how to choose classes that are right for YOU, how to get the biggest return on investment in the classes based on your body’s needs, and answers to frequently asked questions regarding getting started with Kinstretch.
Step 6: Get Started!
At this point you’ve figured out:
Why you want to try Kinstretch
Whether in-person classes, online, or both are best for you
If there are any local instructors in your area and how you can contact them
What you need to know before taking your first class
All there is next is to take action and take your first Kinstretch class!
If you’re looking to explore Kinstretch online we have 100’s of on demand online Kinstretch classes along with guidance and detailed coaching available within our Operation Human First subscriptions. You can find more information about exactly what can be found in each subscription here.
If you want to try a free class to simply get a feel for what Kinstretch is like, you can find free classes like this one available online:
Becoming a Kinstretch Instructor
If you’re interested in becoming a Kinstretch instructor there are some steps that need to be taken to obtain the education and certification required to offer Kinstretch classes.
Step 1:
Before being eligible to become a Kinstretch instructor you must first become a Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist (FRCms). This involves attending a Functional Range Conditioning seminar, which are offered by Functional Range Systems.
Attending this seminar also requires a financial investment in your education and certification. At the time of this blog (November, 2023) the price of attending a Functional Range Conditioning seminar is currently $999.00 USD. Seminars typically 10-16hrs long and often take place over the course of a weekend.
Step 2:
Once you’ve attended a Functional Range Conditioning seminar and obtained a FRCMs designation, you can then sign up to attend a Kinstretch seminar and certification.
Much like the Functional Range Conditioning seminars, the Kinstretch seminars are typically 10-16hrs long and also often take place over the course of a weekend. At the time of writing this, the seminars currently also cost $999.00 USD to attend.
Step 3:
You do not immediately obtain a Kinstretch instructor certification or designation after attending the seminar. You must pass a practical component after taking the seminar before you can obtain your Kinstretch license. This currently involves recording yourself teaching a Kinstretch class and sending video footage in to be assessed and reviewed by the Functional Range Systems team.
Step 4:
If your video is approved and you pass the practical component, you are then eligible to obtain your Kinstretch license. Obtaining and maintaining your Kinstretch license involves paying monthly licensing fees, which at the time of writing this blog (November, 2023) is currently $100 USD per month.
The details of the seminars themselves, the testing process, licensing fees, and so on are all all determined by Functional Range Systems and can be subject to change. I recommend visiting their website or reaching out to them for the most up-to-date information.
