Stretching: 30th Anniversary Edition

This isn't one of those "I just got the product and it still has shrink wrap on it but I really, really love the cover so five stars" reviews. I've been using this book for over a month now. I have multiple books on fitness and stretching (including yoga and pilates), and I can say that this is a legit fitness book. Compared to my other stretching book (Stretching Anatomy), there is no comparison. While SA gives you lots of pictures and descriptions of the muscles you stretch, this book actually gives you series of stretching programs and teaches you how to enjoy them. SA's motto is "the more it hurts the better you're doing". This book's motto is "no pain no gain is a bunch of BS so don't hurt yourself and relax and enjoy the stretches". I love the stretching technique in the book. It helps you ease into a stretch and know when you're doing it right. After a month+ of use I can say that it works. I have used it after waking up, before going to bed, to warm up for pilates workouts in the morning, to warm up for running, cycling, weightlifting, and sports, to cool down from all of these, and to stretch out tight muscles in my back, legs and shoulders. The book is a wonderful resource and has helped supplement my other activities superbly. I recommend this book to everyone, athlete or non-athlete. You will benefit by learning how to stretch properly.

I was looking for this exact book! I bought the earlier version from a thrift store online but it was the really old one, didn't have the shading of the muscles like this one. This is the one that I wanted. Looks like a brand new book, except for the back cover was a little crinkled, but that was not the sellers fault. That was the post offices fault, they just folded and shoved it in the mailbox instead of putting in on the porch. Other than that, it's perfect. These stretches really help me. I have had the library book for a few weeks now, doing the every day stretches several times a week, and they really help. Returning the library book now that I have my own copy!

I will admit I buy quite a lot of books and many end up just sitting on a bookshelf. This one has already gotten quite a bit of use, however. I was having trouble with posture and aches from working long hours on a computer at a desk job. This book is a really good antidote along with working out. The intro is quick and easy to read through and then the routines are all pictured so you don't have to sit and study, you can just prop the book open and go through the routine pretty quickly. It does have important notes of how to do the stretch, but once you learn it well enough you can just go through the pictures. It helps a lot when you're learning though. I thought I knew about stretching, but realized how useful this book is and also learned to stretch with sensitivity. I've actually made greater gains in flexibility while seemingly exerting less effort, just because I know I am stretching correctly now, instead of just harder. Plus you can look up stretches by what muscle groups you want to work (perfect for example when you want to work out a tight neck or back) and also routines using those stretches for various sports and activities. I also got the Stretching Anatomy book and that one has been opened once and is sitting gathering dust already. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

I hated to do it, but had to take a star off for the delivery. This book, sent all by itself, began its journey in Chambersburg PA. It took a trip to OH, back to Pittsburgh, a city close by and back again, a couple places in Cincinnati, PA again, and finally found my home on Day 8. I live a couple hours away from Pitt. Go figure. The book itself is mostly good. I found what I thought were correct stretches, and my doc was surprised that a couple of them were included, improved a couple others. He's used the book for the 20+ years I've been seeing him. All in all, I definitely recommend it, but not if you're in a hurry. The shipping wasn't delayed because of The Virus, as I purchased the book well before it hit.

Great Illustrations and written explanations about the proper form for any area of your body.. Stretching out those little aches and pains will keep you going.

Love this book. Easy to read with all the parts of the body explained

Love this. Use it off & on to this day

This is an excellent book! I first encountered it in my gym where there are excerpts from it on the wall. I now use it at home and do the Every Day Stretches routine in the morning as my coffee brews! . After a few weeks, my body is so much more supple, and my balance has improved noticeably . I have become somewhat of an evangelist to my adult kids and my friends, and have gifted this book to several people. The stretches for various activities (eg. golfing, cycling, running, etc) have proven to be very helpful to others. I should also say that the descriptions and diagrams are very easy to follow, and it is very easy to tweak the routines or choose a variety of stretches to suit your body’s needs and your activities at various times.

I've owned this book for a number of years but recently it's come into its own for me as I'm currently in rehab from a serious shoulder injury. With the help of my physio I've added a lot of complementary isometric work from this book to my programme. To summarise: * visual approach - every stretch is illustrated in easy to follow diagrams of the movements and stages. Dyslexia friendly presentation. * very good indexing - easy to find stretches for specific conditions e.g. shoulders and also defined sporting activities. * emphases on: understanding your own limits, warming up, who the stretches are for (who needs to do the splits?), taking away the tendency to be competitive (the stretch is for your body, not some ideal!). Go slow or at your own pace entirely - you are the boss! * encouragement to photocopy specific pages to refer to while sitting at your desk or in your car. Lovely nudge theory here! * the sections devoted to named routines e.g. golf. Great to have the guidelines about time and order. Every stretch though is referenced elsewhere in the book so you'd have to look up and learn 16 stretches for golf. This is a great opportunity for a website (I'd happily pay to join) where you could search for a sport or injury and it would just flip up a whole programme for you.

scheint ein wirklich tolles, informatives Buch zu sein. Sinnvoll gegliedert. Mit unzähligen Abbildungen. Die Zeichnungen der abgebildeten Personen sind auf die notwendigen Informationen reduziert und die Muskelgruppen, auf welche sich die aktuell beschriebene Dehnungsübung auswirken soll, farblich markiert. Die Beschreibungen zu den Bildern sind kurz, prägnant und verständlich - soweit ich das bisher beurteilen kann. (habe das Buch gestern erst erhalten und konnte bisher nur hineinschnuppern). Kein Geschwafel, keine Mehrdeutigkeiten. Cover und Aufmachung haben einen nostalgischen Touch. Das Buch wirkt harmonisch und ich freue mich darauf, weiterzulesen. Gefällt mir optisch und inhaltlich sehr gut.

lovely book on stretching without injuring oneself. Has something for everyone including elderly. This book helps people who practice yoga to explore gradually.

L'approche de Bob et Jean Anderson permet à tous sans exceptions de découvrir et entretenir leur corps par la pratique des étirements. Il n'est pas question ici de compétition, de dogme de la forme "parfaite" ni de contorsionniste mutilatoire. Il s'agit simplement de se faire plaisir tout en se faisant du bien. Les différents étirements possibles sont tous précisément dessinés et détaillés un à un dans la première partie du livre. Ils sont ensuite proposés sous forme de routines en double pages spécifiques à différentes activités de la vie : étirements pour les salariés au bureau, étirements pour les arts martiaux, étirements devant sa télé, étirements au lever, étirements du soir, etc'. Les routines sont toutes relativements courtes (max. 15-20minutes) et très simples à réaliser. Sans remplacer l'aide précieuse d'un professionnel de santé, ce livre est un compagnon de route valable pour ceux qui cherchant à retrouver ou entretenir la fluidité du corps. Dans un des chapitres, Bob Anderson nous parle du chat. Observez le, vous verrez qu'il pratique ses étirements tous les jours de sa vie et ce sans jamais forcer: c'est vers ce genre de discipline que ce livre vous emmène.

I purchased one of these books back in the eighties. I loved it and used it often. The diagrams and explanation for the stretches make this book easy to use. I can attest to the stretches being very helpful for stiff muscles, loosening up before working out or running. I also used the original book to use stretches that helped me alleviate some sciatic pain I experienced in my lower back and thigh. I was glad to see it still available and improved. There are stretches in here for almost any scenario you can experience in work or sports. Great, great book. Thanks Bob Anderson. Highly recommended to anyone young or old to stay limber and flexible and avoid muscle strains and injury.