A new studio tucked inside Norman's Brookhaven Village wants to convince Oklahomans that stretching can do more than loosen a tight hamstring — it can also take a load off a stressed-out mind. Fitness trainer Chanel Rogers has unveiled Stretch with Ease, a guided stretching studio at 3770 West Robinson Street, Suite 112, with its first class set for 2 p.m. on October 25.
Rogers, an Oklahoma City-based fitness model, personal trainer and real estate agent, is already known around the metro for her work with ConFITdent Training and her background in fitness competition and modeling, according to KOKH. She founded ConFITdent Training LLC, which offers online and in-person fitness programs in Oklahoma City that include group training, custom workouts and meal plans. Her fitness résumé runs deep: 405 Magazine reported in 2023 that Rogers holds a kinesiology degree and built her training business after competing in regional NPC bikini competitions as a track athlete turned fitness competitor.
The station's report notes that Rogers has also branched into other corners of the local wellness scene, launching an Oklahoma-based cold-pressed juice business called Gym and Juice as a complementary nutrition concept alongside her personal training work, per a July Facebook post. Stretch with Ease marks her latest expansion, this time focused squarely on recovery and relaxation rather than workouts or nutrition.
What Happens Inside a Stretch With Ease Session
Sunday classes begin October 25 at 2 p.m. and run 45 minutes, combining relaxing music with guided stretching, according to the same account. The sessions aim to release tension, correct muscular imbalances, and improve flexibility and mobility — all goals that have become central to Rogers’ pitch that stretching is as much about the mind as the body.
To get people in the door, Stretch with Ease is offering $20 pop-up sessions in Norman, along with free membership in what the studio calls its Founding 100 — a no-cost tier for early members. The studio is reachable at 405-582-0724 or by email at [email protected].
Stretch with Ease sits inside Brookhaven Village, a long-established shopping and professional development in western Norman that spans five commercial buildings housing retail, dining and healthcare service providers, according to Brookhaven Village. That setting puts the new studio alongside the kind of everyday retail and service mix that already draws steady foot traffic from Norman residents.
A Growing Industry Bets On Stress Relief
Rogers’ timing lines up with a broader shift in the fitness world. The global fitness recovery services market, which includes assisted stretching and massage therapy, was valued at $8.3 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to $26.8 billion by 2035 at a compound annual growth rate of 12.4%, according to Fact.MR. Dedicated assisted-stretching studios have expanded rapidly nationwide, with major franchise brands like StretchZone and StretchLab each opening more than 300 locations across the country as traditional gyms add their own stretch zones, per Athletech News.
Consumer motivations have shifted too. Market research cited by Inspire360 found that up to 78% of people exercise primarily for mental or emotional well-being, a trend that helped push exercise for mental health onto the American College of Sports Medicine’s list of top fitness trends.
The Science Behind Stretching and Stress
There is research backing the connection Rogers is drawing between stretching and emotional well-being. A trial protocol planned to measure salivary cortisol.
YogaUOnline discusses neurotransmitters in relation to exercise. A 2026 clinical evaluation of practitioner-assisted stretching, published via PR Newswire in the Journal of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Treatment, found that 78% of participants in a 30-day study experienced measurable reductions in physical pain and tension, while 66% reported higher energy levels and less fatigue.
The Mayo Clinic states that structured physical movement and relaxation techniques actively calm the sympathetic nervous system and lessen the long-term physiological impact of stress, noting that targeted movement stimulates endorphin production and helps reset the body's fight-or-flight response. For Rogers, Stretch with Ease represents a bet that Norman residents are ready to treat flexibility work as part of their mental health routine, not just their warm-up.
