Essential Stretch: Achieve Expectional Results with Lemay Techniques, Gentle Movements for Stress Relief, Flexibiliy, and Overall Well-being [Paperback]

Michelle LeMay (Author), Cory Everson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 2003

Aaaaaaaaaahhhh.

There's nothing like a good stretch. But stretching is good for a lot more than a sports warmup or a seventh-inning break. Combining elements of yoga, mind-body focus, breath awareness, and flowing movement, Michelle LeMay has developed a unique stretch technique that will not only free the body but ease the mind.

This simple, illustrated guide will help relieve stress and increase flexibility, as well as offering additional health benefits including:

€ Reduced muscle tension
€ Rejuvenated internal organs, muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments
€ Toned body
€ Improved blood circulation
€ Reduced weight
€ Raised energy levels
€ and much more

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michelle LeMay is a pioneer in the blending of stretch, fitness, dance, and spirituality who continues to teach dance and fitness workshops worldwide. In addition to her own six fitness videos, Michelle is co-instructor for several of Jane Fonda's and Cory Everson's fitness videos, co-starred on ESPN II's "Gotta Sweat," and also hosted FOX SPORTS and FIT-TV's "Body Waves." She has appeared as a fitness expert on many networks including ABC, CBS, USA, and The Family Channel, and her "Urban Stretch" class was featured in such magazines as Seventeen, Shape, and Ms. Fitness.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade; 1 edition (August 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399528938
• ISBN-13: 978-0399528934
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,183,592 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE KEYS TO THE UNIVERSE, September 1, 2003

By 

Joe Antra (COTATI, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essential Stretch: Achieve Expectional Results with Lemay Techniques, Gentle Movements for Stress Relief, Flexibiliy, and Overall Well-being (Paperback)

Hello,
I am a forty year old construction worker in pretty good shape from the physical labor involved with my job. I have never been exceptional in the flexibility dept. but again my job has enough challenges to keep me passibly flexible. For almost one year now I've been engaged in weight training and martial arts. It has been through the martial arts that my true flexibility has come to light. I have tried several well known books and techniques doing both static and ballistic stretching. I had only achieved moderate increases and was considering yoga as my next step. Like a perfect accident, the clerk at the book store put a copy of Essential Stretch in my hand and after reading the back cover and three or four pages of its compostiton I knew I had found the keys to the universe.I could go on and on about Michelle LeMay.Anyone, man, woman, young, not as young, interested in improving the quality of their lives immeasurably, should own and use this book everyday!. I've only had this book for a week and my life is better already. This book is extremely well written and anyone can practice the techniques Michelle teaches.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars stretch...release, February 11, 2004

By 

James Seymore (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essential Stretch: Achieve Expectional Results with Lemay Techniques, Gentle Movements for Stress Relief, Flexibiliy, and Overall Well-being (Paperback)

Wow! Michelle's book is awesome! After trying different forms of yoga and a couple other stretching books, this one really hits the mark. I have been using the routines set out in the back of the book and they are great! Plus, the stretches are described in the routines section as well! No more flipping from page to page. After I do these stretches I feel warmed up and loose, and a relaxing coolnes in my muscles. Good but possibly long beging section on the theory of her system, and phillosophy. Touching none the less. I love the hip opening stretches best. Very relaxed form of stretching. Great book that I would recomend over many others. DANCERS - she uses some theory of Luigi's, if you know who he is, in her stretches. I love that.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really well done book, August 8, 2005

By 

CMCM (Nevada City, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Essential Stretch: Achieve Expectional Results with Lemay Techniques, Gentle Movements for Stress Relief, Flexibiliy, and Overall Well-being (Paperback)

I'm surprised there are so few reviews for this book, and none really since it first came out. In my own life I have learned how truly valuable stretching is and how good it makes you feel. The title is very apt....because a consistent stretching program really is essential whether or not you exercise heavily. After you get into a stretching program you will WANT to stretch daily and if you don't you will notice the difference and be driven to do it, believe me! This book has about 62 pages of information, introduction to the purpose and benefits of stretching, and touches on more esoteric benefits of meditation and relaxation gained from it. The rest of the book consists of various stretches...very well illustrated with photographs. Some of the more complex stretch take 2 pages and show step-by-step photos of each position thru the stretch. The printed descriptions are excellent...concise and easy to read. Each stretch tends to occupy one page, with a stretch name, description of what body parts it affects, a description of the benefits of the stretch, concise instructions for performing the stretch, and multiple photos of the positions of the stretch. Also included are some small stretches you can do at a desk, in a car in traffic, on an airplane, and so on. This really is the best stretching book I've yet to come across, and it's very easy to use. I just wish there were a video to go with it!