The Flexibility Phenomenon

Making waves globally, the “World’s Most Flexible Girl” recently visited Kuching. In an exclusive interview with Sarawak Tribune, the essence of the flexible performer was captured.

Mind-muscle mastery: The journey to becoming the world’s most flexible

In a room filled with droppings from rats that constantly entered from the next-door pub, a young Liberty Barros felt at peace despite the surrounding chaos. Growing up in a terrace house in Norwich, Liberty discovered her passion for flexible movements and unearthed a talent that many find bizarre and beyond comprehension.

At 16, she holds six Guinness World Records and is known as the world’s most flexible girl, with a flexible movement named after her — the “Liberty Low Down”. Despite meeting with numerous doctors who have confirmed she has no flexibility-related diseases, Liberty has gained fame as an internet personality with over 5 million followers across social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. However, life was not always this way.

Growing up, Liberty struggled with breathing difficulties that hindered her from pursuing her passions — acting and performing. Despite seeing various doctors for a diagnosis, she found no relief.

“Back then, I wasn’t flexible at all, and my breathing difficulties prevented me from doing many things. I always wanted to perform, but I could never manage it. Whenever I tried to do something, it was really hard to breathe, and my throat and nostrils would become inflamed. It started when I was seven years old,” Liberty said during a recent visit to Kuching.

It wasn’t until she was 10 years old that a dance move she tried to mimic from Hollywood singer Rihanna’s music video “Umbrella” had a miraculous effect. While attempting to bend backward like Rihanna, Liberty found that her breathing difficulties were suddenly and inexplicably cured.

Realising her newfound talent and passion, Liberty began to practice her flexibility every day. Although initially limited to front bends and back bends, she learned how far her body could stretch. Back then, her parents took her to see a monk, who remarked that she was an incarnated master and a liberated soul.

It wasn’t until she was 12 that she saw a group of street performers demonstrating animation and isolation dance movements.

Fascinated by their wavy and flexible motions, she was eager to expand her own abilities.

“Seeing them perform, I thought to myself, I need to learn how to do this — achieving mind-muscle connection throughout the body. By mastering that, I could control my mind and move freely, which is what I aspire to do.”

In the days following that revelation, she returned home with a renewed determination to achieve maximum flexibility.

“I practiced everywhere. We didn’t have large mirrors at home, so whenever I passed by shops with windows that reflected my image, I would practice there too. I would replicate the animation I saw street dancers perform to strengthen my mind-muscle connection.

“I kept practicing and incorporating my flexibility movements into my backbends and frontbends. By combining these smaller movements, I was able to move freely and create my own animation routines,” added the 16-year-old.

Learning to perform flexible movements required sacrifices, which Liberty was more than happy to make. She had to adjust her diet to ensure she wasn’t stiff during her performances. Initially, she adopted a fully vegan diet, avoiding meat and other sources of animal protein that might impact her flexibility.

“I was vegan and relied on plant-based protein sources to minimise inflammation that could be caused by animal protein. However, I now eat meat as it is more convenient to get adequate protein when traveling to events with catered food,” she revealed.

Elaborating on how she maintains her flexibility, she emphasised the importance of breathing.

“Breathing is crucial for moving and bending the body. If I have a cold, I can’t bend as much because I struggle to breathe through the movements.”

A hope to inspire

Asked about her wackiest movements, Liberty described one: “I would whip myself into a backbend, grab my knees, and start running. I call it the ‘frontwards backwards’ because my legs are facing forwards, but my head is facing backwards.”

Meanwhile, the most challenging movement she has performed is called the ‘Remaya’. It involves combining her most intricate moves: starting with a standing swan.

“Then, I’ll transition to a slightly bent swan, a side transformer, and a slinky over. After that, I would perform the Liberty Lowdown and a Barros bounce.”

Although she has a flexible body, the jovial lass said it is still important to practice her movements every day. Even if it isn’t deep flexibility, maintaining a slight movement throughout the day is important.

With hopes of creating a movement institute in the future where she would teach flexibility, Liberty added that she has already conducted workshops in different countries. When asked if everyone can become flexible, Liberty said yes — the trick is to listen to your body.

“To me, having a mind-muscle connection is crucial. Being in tune with your body and controlling each muscle is important, and I believe that everyone can learn this. Even if one does not pursue extreme flexibility measures, it’s still important to incorporate a good amount of movement each day for health.”

However, she added, “It’s never good to force your body.

“Just go with how much your body feels like it. Don’t forget to breathe and to feel the muscle connectivity; otherwise, your body will feel stiff. It is important to always be mindful of how your body feels.”

This year marks Liberty’s sixth year since she realised her ability. Grateful for the blessings, she recalled the days when she was sick. Being able to overcome that predicament inspired her to continuously inspire others. Never having expected to perform and entertain, she believes in striking while the iron is hot and taking chances.

“I believe that when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it. If you truly want to do something, you can, once you decide to pursue it.”

To follow her journey as a flexible movement performer, search for her name, “Liberty Barros”, on all social media platforms.