Customer Reviews

Complete Stretching : A New Exercise Program for Health and Vitality

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is not a book for beginners! The exercises start at a challenging level and get harder. The illustrations are excellent but the prose is too much to read while trying to follow the instructions. There is no remedial instruction for someone who is having trouble with a particular stretch. All in all, a beautiful choice for advanced stretch or yoga enthusiasts only.

I found this book very helpful when I decided to incorporate stretching/strengthing to my workout routine without having to sign up for a costly class. There is a learning curve and anyone using this book should be prepared to take some time to learn the stretches - it won't happen overnight. The stretches are clearly described in a step-by-step manner with pictures and "easing the stretch" options to help people of all fitness levels. I particularly appreciated the 30 minute routines so I didn't have to decide which stretches to perform in what order. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Complete stretching is filled with easy to follow color photos, gently paced work outs and stretches for specific situations (tennis, running, relaxing, topping up energy, etc.) I substantially increased my strength and flexibility over a several month period starting with the basic stretch work out. The classic sun salute of yoga is shown in easy to follow pictures - and is a great a.m. work out. In addition to stretching and strengthening tight muscles, if performed continuously it is quite aerobic. I have recommended this book to many people of all ages and everyone who uses it loves it.

The word "yoga" is not mentioned anywhere in the title or on the covers of the book, but make no mistake, every "stretch" in this book is a yoga posture. This twist of labelling, however, doesn't take anything away from the fact that this is an excellent reference on how to stretch your body _using_ yoga postures. The book is entirely focused on increasing flexibility and fitness: No long discourses on chakras, spirituality, or benefits of a vegetarian diet in here; just detailed instructions on how to stretch in each pose accompanied by high-quality, annotated photographs that clearly show the correct body configuration. Note also that this is NOT a book that talks about the physiology of stretching or Golgi reflexes or the phys-ed approach to stretches. Go elsewhere for that kind of information. The stretches in here aren't designed to help you isolate a particular muscle so the descriptions are all high-level (e.g. "lumbar spine", "hip", "neck").

As one reviewer has already noted, the poses (even in the beginner sequence) are advanced. Fortunately, the authors explain and illustrate ways to make the poses easier using props with each description of the posture. Here's where my one nitpick comes in: if you look in the back of the book under "Stretching for Sport", you'll find that the authors are shown using props to ease stretches in ways that weren't covered back in the main section of the book (e.g. there's a way to ease the Inverted Stretch using a chair instead of a wall). It would have been great if descriptions for these other prop uses could have been included in the description chapters, but the pictures are clear enough that you can figure out what to do regardless.

I have a couple of yoga books and videos, but this is the reference I keep coming back to when I want to make sure I've got the posture right or find another way to stretch my hamstrings.

I was looking for a stretching programme which would supplement my weightlifting workout. This does not appear to be the book. I would have preferred stretches which would target specific aching muscles.

Worth the full list price, but notice the great discount! This book has beautiful color photos of the authors performing each stretch. Poses are easy to understand and include an "Easing the Stretch" step for those of us who lack the flexibility to do more difficult positions. Continued practice will give you the flexibility to progress into the more difficult poses. Increased flexibility is the most obvious benefit, but since starting these stretches I have also noticed increase muscle tone, strength, and energy.

This is a great book on stretching because it works the entire body towards good range of motion. It has an emphasis on working with the reader to make things either easier (for those who have not stretched regularly and are just beginning) or more complex. The book gives many ways to make a stretch easier to do, so don't let the photos of "extreme" stretches put you off from getting it. I like the use of pillows and folded blankets as "bolsters" for body support during stretches. The emphasis here is on safety. Flexibility is much forgotten in a world where strength-training has become the norm - but without flexibility, strength won't buy you as much as it could!! I have bought many copies of this book and GIVEN them away to those who needed help and showed an interest in learning how to become a full partner with their own body.