Full-Body Flexibility [Paperback]

Jay Blahnik (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0736041508 | ISBN-13: 978-0736041508 | Publication Date: November 7, 2003 | Edition: 1

Incorporate the best, most advanced techniques into your stretching program! Full-Body Flexibility presents a unique system that blends the best stretching methods from yoga, Pilates, martial arts, and sports training into stretching sequences that
-challenge muscles with multiple techniques to attain maximum flexibility,

-strengthen muscles so that they can support the body throughout specific moves in the entire range of motion, and

-balance muscles equally in opposing muscle groups and on both sides of the body. The stretch sequences are organized by body region and by type of movement so that you can quickly find a flexibility workout ranging from 10 to 40 minutes. The workouts help you to target tight muscle groups and relieve tension around problem joints, increase effectiveness of specific movements, and warm up and cool down for your specific activity.

Full-Body Flexibility also includes performance and recovery stretch sequences for the most popular sports, including sports that involve throwing and swinging, jumping and power, and running and endurance. Stretches are accompanied by photos and detailed instruction to help you execute each technique correctly.

Full-Body Flexibility offers the most advanced, effective stretching system available, head to toe.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stretching before you exercise or engage in sports can actually cause fatigue and damage to your body by putting undue stress on soft tissue, maintains Blahnik. Yet "a good warm up," he argues, "can in fact reduce the risk of injury prior to a workout if the warm-up is designed appropriately for the workout that follows." In this stretching guidebook, the fitness consultant, whom Shape magazine named one of the country's top five exercise instructors, emphasizes the importance of variety, strength and balance for increased flexibility, performance, and comfort in the workplace, home, or on the football field. Following an introduction that clarifies essential terms and concepts for the beginner, the book provides an assortment of stretching exercises, complete with explanations and illustrations, for all parts of the body. Chapter six presents challenging workouts based on yoga poses, which require strength and superior flexibility, and later sections specify the best exercises for different sports. For those who have a limited amount of time to devote to fitness routines, Blahnik organizes 10-, 20-, and 40- minute workouts as well as morning and evening stretch routines. Though perhaps a bit rudimentary, this volume should help novices reach their physical health goals.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

""""Jay Blahnik is a diamond in the fitness industry! In "Full-Body Flexibility" he has created an indispensable tool for anyone looking to make substantial gains in physical health. Jay's comprehensive, in-depth, and easy-to-apply strategy combined with muscle group graphics, positioning arrows, and range of motion recommendations result in a refreshing understanding and goal-oriented approach to improved flexibility that many will find revolutionary."""
Kari Anderson
American Council on Exercise fitness director for 2003
International fitness personality featured in 25 workout videos
"""Jay Blahnik's extensive knowledge and teaching experience are evident in the concise and accurate descriptions of the goals and techniques of the various stretches. This unique book should improve the performance of recreational and competitive athletes and enhance the comfort of nonathletes while they perform daily activities."""
Benjamin D. Rubin, MD
Team physician, co-chairman, Sports Medicine Committee
United States Diving
"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics; 1 edition (November 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736041508
• ISBN-13: 978-0736041508
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #740,504 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #98 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Stretching

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am glad I did not listen to the one negative review..., November 29, 2004

By 

Train to Win (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Full-Body Flexibility (Paperback)

I have been looking for a good stretching/yoga book, and came across Full-Body Flexibility and was reading the reviews. I have actually seen Jay speak in person, and so I was compelled to buy it. I was not surprised by the positive reviews, but was very surprised by the negative one because I thought Jay had a lot of interesting things to say about stretching and flexibility in the lecture he presented. I am a personal trainer, and enjoy Jay's approach and philosphies because he keeps things simple and straight-forward. I bought the book, and was very satisfied and impressed, and am baffled by the negative review. The pictures are clear, the instructions are simple, and the entire concept of active or "unassisted" stretching is VERY unique and not found in most books. In addition, Jay's book has great stretching routines at the end that I have found very useful and so have my clients. I have used the routines many times since I bought the book. I have seen Jay speak in person. He is not just a marketer. He is a renowned Trainers with an extensive background in exercise and health education. In fact, he has provided me with useful training information over the years that is often better than the PhDs in the same field. Jay has been a trend-setter in the health club fitness industry for years, and continually clarifies, simplifies and organizes what is often complex information into easy to understand and use exercise protocol that I use every day in my exercise routines with my clients and students. I am not sure what that particular reviewer was looking for in a stretch book, and maybe he never read the the opening section of the book (where much of the interesting information is presented), but I think it is a great book. Easy to read. Clear organized pictures. A variety of stretches. Routines I can use. Not a clinical text book, but not an artsy-fartsy picture book either. Well done...

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, November 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Full-Body Flexibility (Paperback)

I have been looking for a good book on stretching, and there are so many out there, I had no idea which one to select. However, I have been to a couple of Jay's presentations (author), and he is an amazing teacher. So, I thought buying his book would be a safe bet amongst all the other choices.

It is amazing! Easy to understand, great pictures and some interesting new information about stretching I did not know. Mostly, though, I love the routines. Every stretch book has stretches, but not every one has routines! There is a simple to follow routine for everything from tight shoulders to lower back problems. Some short routines, and some longer routines.

I love this book, and have already noticed a difference in the way I feel and my flexibility.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a comprehensive stretching book!, November 27, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Full-Body Flexibility (Paperback)

I was an athlete in my younger days and now only get to workout occasionally - but I know the importance of stretching, and over the years have lost so much flexibility. This book has helped me get it back and it's so easy to follow! There are routines for every level, clearly explained with great pictures demonstrating each move. I never thought I'd like yoga with all the strange positions and such, but the yoga-inspired poses in this book make it simple and I actually feel how effective they are. I'm buying this book for all the "weekend warrior" athletes on my Christmas list.