“Is Everything we Believe about Stretching and Flexibility Wrong?”

That is the title of my future TED talk.

One of the things that shocked me most of all when I returned to the Health and Fitness industry is the complete lack of advancement in stretching and flexibility. In fact, there has been no progression at all and we are still being taught the same techniques that haven’t changed in over 80 years.

UltraFLX* (formally PushPullFLX) is a technique created to follow all the principles and mechanisms of how the body works. The results are phenomenal from using this technique.

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“Push Pull Flx method is genuinely the most effective for increasing flexibility, joint range of motion, and reduction in pain I’ve tried…”

Dr Mick Murphy, B.Nat B.Clin.Sci. M.Ost.Med

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No other system can provide incredible improvements, not only in Flexibility, but more importantly, particularly at the ends of your range of motion in Strength, Power, Speed, Agility, Balance, Skill Acquisition, Posture, and even Endurance.

I have clear and defined goals for this method;

1. Educate everyone on the safe and most effective method of flexibility training
2. Massively reduce injuries of all types relating to inflexibility
3. Noticeably improve performance, posture and range of motion for all players, performers and people from their very first session.

And this is very possible!

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“… I believe Rod has created a technique that has produced positive change and can be a game-changer for so many people who suffer from poor joint range and mobility. I would
recommend this technique for everybody – it’s that good.”

Dr Trevor Clark PhD, MSc, BA(Hons), Ex-250 game professional rugby league player.
EL3 Coach ASCA, Aust. Strength and Conditioning Assoc. Instructor for Coaches 1,2, and 3.

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Early versions of this technique were developed over 30 years ago and yet no other system has even addressed the glaring errors of popular methods still taught today.

Let me give you just one example.

The most common form of stretching known worldwide is static stretching. I believe this technique should be banned as it is probably the No 1 cause of training-related injuries to soft tissue. So, let’s have a look at it.

Static stretching is where you take a muscle to its limit and hold it there for 30 to 60 seconds. The problem begins if you have even the smallest ambition to improve your flexibility and here’s why.

Every muscle has what is known as the soft tissue barrier or sometimes called the stretch barrier. That is where the muscle is stretched to its limit. Any further Than that limit then sensors in the muscle send a signal to the spinal cord, the spinal then does not tell the brain, it just sends a signal back to the muscle to contract, (one of the stretch reflex mechanisms) to try and prevent the muscle from going any further. However, if you have any ambition to improve your flexibility, and who doesn’t, then by going past the stretch barrier you are creating conflict in the muscle. The muscle is trying to stop you by making it painful (usually that’s a pretty good sign to stop) but we ignore that and push as hard as we can stand it. You are going to war with your muscle. Unfortunately, that can easily end in tears and has done for so many people.

I will start discussing far more about the 12 other forms of flexibility training, what’s good and mostly what limits their effectiveness.

Right now, I offer Personal Training in this technique in Sydney’s East whilst we are creating the video and book training series and the results I get are amazing. Some elder folk are just happy they can do their shoe laces up without pain, while other clients are noticing tremendous improvements in their ability for their sport. One client stated it improved by as much as 20%.

And what’s more, if I don’t greatly improve your flexibility it’s free.

For those who kept asking for proof here’s a link to my research case study, peer-reviewed and published in the European Sports Science Journal.

https://efsupit.ro/images/stories/februarie2022/Art%2036.pdf

*UltraFLX is the commercial name for the CRC (Contract-Reciprocal-Contract) Flexibility technique Rod created

Rod Millner Profile – UltraFLX Creator

Rod Millner has had a very diverse career. Highly skilled in multiple disciplines he has applied his trade in many corners of the world. At 18 he was a skinny scrawny kid when one night changed his life forever. He was threatened by a much bigger guy and realised he had no way to defend himself. It was diffused but that night he said to himself, ‘I will never feel like that again’. Within 2 years he’d become an Australian Commando ‘Green Beret’ and Runner-up in Australia’s Kung Fu Titles. Being surrounded by men of such high standards and beliefs rubbed off on him.

With a background in the Military, he also has qualifications in Applied Science, Health and Safety, Education, and Construction. Rod has had such an array of experiences including setting World Records as a Wingsuit Test Pilot at skydiving events, instructing fitness sessions to prisoners at some of Sydney’s toughest jails, directing and producing an Award-Winning feature film, commanding troops in Africa as well as taught and filmed Stunt Men doing extreme abseiling. Rod’s diversity in knowledge and experience from places where even angels may fear to tread is his strength. Rod has or had instructor qualifications in Kung Fu, Wingsuit Skydiving, Extreme Abseiling, Exercise Specialist, Military, Adult Education, Field Construction, Scuba Diving/Snorkelling and Outdoor Recreation. Lessons learnt in one arena can transfer over to the other disciplines and often in amusing ways.  

Probably Rod’s most extreme experience was not an audacious adventure but assisting, and then supervising New York Firemen in Ground Zero on Sept 11, 2001. Rod heard the call for volunteers with construction experience on the radio whilst skydiving in upstate NY Rod knew this was going to be intense, but felt compelled to help with his valuable skillset. The first night there, Rod found the ‘Search and Rescue’ lighting was severely lacking (why would firefighters need to know lighting). He quickly discovered an ‘abandoned’ (meaning, he stole it) generator and set it up with 500w metal lamps with long cables. In that one search area alone five firemen put their flashlights away and could see everywhere enabling them to use two hands for searching. This increased the speed of the rescue effort and made it far safer for the searchers. Within days he was given platoons of firefighters to work for him. He stayed every day and night, struggling with a lack of sleep but was determined to help in this hour of need. Rod kept going until a steel shard, hiding in the shadows, pierced through his right knee 7 nights later.

‘Here is a truly noble man’, Lieutenant Joseph Di Martino NYFD, 2001

Rod presents skills in the key areas of achievement for management of the mission, management of ourselves and crew, and finding innovative solutions. Having a wicked sense of humour, Rod’s speaking style is one of fun and enjoyment coaxing people to look at life, problems and activities that are at times beyond their comfort zone.

Later, finding work as an Advanced Rigger, I’ve worked in very challenging conditions in Mining, Ship Building, Entertainment, Construction, and including, like Comedian Paul Hogan, The Sydney Harbour Bridge! It’s one of the few jobs where at every moment you have to be 100% correct every time as lives are at stake during the rigging process. It keeps you very focused.

I loved teaching and seeing how young men’s and women’s lives were so positively affected. I further went and studied Exercise Science to see how I could improve how we prepared ourselves. It was here that I found the secret to massively improving flexibility and increasing power throughout the entire range of motion. My two closest friends Lee Stolz and Mark Dolton got the full benefit of this and they both successfully won the Aust Kung Fu Federation title, (Mark Twice) for their weight division.

At the time I never realised what I was creating, I just knew I could quickly improve anyone’s flexibility dramatically and even won bets of cases of beer at Martial Arts training camps in the USA by increasing other martial artists’ side split beyond what they could imagine.

Here’s my latest interview done on the 27 Aug 2023 on The Ross Cameron show TNT Radio, starting at minute 22

https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-juzx9-148ec29

Rod’s other Pursuits

Brad (Freddy) Fittler

Brad (Freddy) Fittler is the coach of the mighty NSW State of Origin Rugby League team. He is a legend of the sport and a terrific guy and will do anything to give his team the edge. He’s often said he’s always looking for that 1% improvement anywhere.

I hope to offer Freddy a method that could improve his team by way more than 1%, time will tell.

Rod Millner

The Flexibility Whisperer