The Genius of Flexibility: The Smart Way to Stretch and Strengthen Your Body (Paperback)

by Bob Cooley (Author)
Key Phrases: sixteen stretches, own stretching program, balancing muscle groups, Start Stretch Here-Position, Finish Stretch Here-Position, Breathing Inhale (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
After a life-threatening accident, Cooley developed a series of 16 resistance stretches that he says gave his body a degree of flexibility that far surpassed his pre-accident levels. Cooley explains that program here, organizing the stretches into four difficulty levels and addressing personality traits, since, he says, stretching certain muscles can affect nonphysical areas in one's life. Once he used the program to heal himself, Cooley began to work with professional athletes and others suffering from injuries, including Olympic gold medal swimmer Dara Torres. While these athletes' testimonies and Cooley's own enthusiasm for his subject are inspiring, the principles he describes will be familiar—and hardly groundbreaking—to yoga students. Cooley's more direct approach and language, however, will appeal to those who find cues in yoga class too subtle or unclear. The chapter on adjusting the intensity level of stretches for maximum benefit without overstretching will be particularly useful, as will the charts listing physiological, spiritual, emotional and psychological concerns and associated stretches; organic meal plans; and an extensive resource list. 170 b&w photos.
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Review
"The best trainers in the world have put their hands on me from Sweden to Japan. And nobody knows what Bob knows."

-- Charles Austin, 1996 Olympic Gold Medal High Jumper

"It is my strong impression that you have uncovered an entirely new discipline of healthcare."

-- Dr. Joseph Mercola

"Without the flexibility training that Bob developed for me, I could have never accomplished the five Olympic medals I won in Sydney....I also know that Bob's program single-handedly developed me psychologically in very specific ways. With this mental edge, I felt unbelievable. There was no part of me that wasn't improved....What he has figured out about stretching no one knows yet. The world will give Bob the Gold."

-- Dara Torres, Olympic Gold Medalist

"I do not think that I could have made my fourth Olympic Team without Bob's help. Thank you, Bob, for allowing me to feel and perform better than I ever thought possible."

-- Eric Flaim, four-time Olympic Speed Skater

What Bob has created is not a trend -- it will change the way the world will exercise forever!"

-- Joni Evans, Senior Vice President, William Morris Agency

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Fireside; 1 edition (September 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743270878
• ISBN-13: 978-0743270878
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,213 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

173 of 183 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Cult of Flexibility..., February 19, 2006

By	Mark "Bottom line only please..." (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

If you've already tried everything, and you're SERIOUS about increasing flexibility, there are 3 essential books you must read about stretching: Relax Into Stretch by Pavel Tsatsouline, Stretching Scientifically by Thomas Kurz, and The Genius of Flexibility by Bob Cooley.

That being said, there are a few points to consider before buying this book:

1. Cooley has the background and credentials to be considered an expert on flexibility training. (work with Olympic athletes, Meridian Flexibility System founder, etc...) That being said, you have to forgive his eccentricities and get to the heart of what's in the book...how to use resistance stretching techniques safely and effectively.

2. The heart of the book (which is 302 pp. long) can be found in Chapters 2 and 3 (pp. 17-28) and the stretches (Level 1 Workout, pp. 88-119) That's really all you need to read. Why do I say that? Because (1) unless you believe increased flexibility will improve your love life, personality, awareness, concentration, physiological and psychological health, and give you spiritual insight about the universe, you don't need to read the other chapters. (I'm not joking, the list above only scratches the surface of the claims made by Cooley concerning flexibility) and (2) If you can do the stretches in Levels 2-3 you probably don't need to read this book.

3. Sometimes Cooley's world view of flexibility negatively affects the book. For example, in all of the stretch routines, he doesn't tell you what muscles you are actually targeting for stretch...instead there's a number code for a chart you refer to that let's you know that particular stretch "improves circulation and increases the health of your pancreas".

4. For me, this book was readable because I've already read Relax Into Stretch (see my review) and Stretching Scientifically. I would ABSOLUTELY NOT recommend this book for beginners who haven't already read those 2 other books.

5. Bottomline: Ignore the kooky theories about flexibility and its' application to personality and holistic healing (which unfortunately is about 75% of the book) and there is some extremely valuable information about resistance stretching.

6. The reason I didn't completely dismiss the book is I applied his techniques and I was able to stretch deeper in a forward bend stretch (page 98) than I have in my entire life. This is true and it amazed me, after only reading the first 2 chapters of the book. Only problem is I didn't warm-up and 12 hours later my lower back is still sore.

Good book but don't say I didn't warn you.

145 of 162 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, October 7, 2005

By	Rick "rickoleum" (Santa Monica, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I was very disappointed with this book. I had been waiting for some time for this book to come out, as I had heard good things about this flexibility/stretching system.

While this stretching system may or not be an effective way of increasing flexibility, it was hard for me to tell based on the book. What I view as the core of the book--the pictures and text explaining the exercises--was very hard to follow. There were not enough pictures and not enough specific instructions about what to do with specific limbs/muscles, etc. to really get a good sense of how to do some of the exercises.

For me, the author spent too much time discussing his fairly esoteric model of personality types and how stretching fits into this. I have no idea whether there's any validity to his theories but I found them hard to follow. I was doubtful just on the basis of the grandiose and ambitious nature of the claims made.

There are other reviews that are more glowing but I suspect they are written by people who already have taken classes (only offered in limited areas) in this system and have become "converted" to the system and its theories. Maybe if I was able to take classes in this system, I would become converted too. But to me, that means that the book has failed--either the system doesn't work, or if it does, this book doesn't do an adequate job of explaining it.

Bottom line, I didn't buy the book for the theories. I wanted more insight into stretching and didn't get it.

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting approach to Mind/Body fitness ,but may not convince the average fitness seeker, October 23, 2005

By	Lemon Magic (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews

I have some background in this kind of health/exercise philosophy, so I was interested in what Cooley had to offer.I practice Bikram style Hatha Yoga, and I include "Anma Shiatsu" (Japanese "acupressure" oriented bodywork) as part of the services I offer as a licensed massage therapist. I've also practiced three methods of Chi Kung (18 Buddha Hands, Muscle Tendon Change, and Flying Phoenix),lifted weights and practiced martial arts oriented calisthentics for more thana decade. So I know a bit about the so-called 'meridians' on which Cooley's method is based. And I have to admit that I am impressed and enthusiastic about what Cooley reveals here.

I've experimented with the first two courses of 'resistance' stretches that Cooley's book offers for the last month. I agree with one of the previous reviewers - you do have to 'dig' into them. It takes concentration to do them correctly and you expend a fair amount of energy pitting muscle groups against each other. It's very reminiscent of the old Atlas-style 'dynamic tension' exercises. But the Atlas exercises were good exercises, and people who stuck with them and did them faithfully gained great benefit from them. I am convinced that this would be the case with Cooley's system as well. I actually could feel some of the stretches increasing the energy flow through well defined pathways (not always the ones depicted in the book) and in a few cases, could actually feel a tug in my liver and spleen and prostate and lungs.

Spend 20-40 minutes performing 16 resistance stretches properly, with good concentration and effort, and you will feel as if you've had one of the most thorough and beneficial workouts of your life. And if you overdo it, you WILL be tired and sore the next day. (And I speak as someone who has managed numerous 90 minute 'Hot Yoga' sessions). So these drills need to be approached with respect and caution.

The book is not a perfect introduction to the method. Some of the photographs are less than helpful to anyone not already familiar with yoga or 'Makko Ho' poses, and the photographer made the mistake of having the models smiling and looking at the camera instead of keeping their heads and necks in the proper alignment. Also, some of the exercises in the beginners level routine seem actually more difficult to learn and perform than the more 'advanced' exercises in the later routines. (The "Level 1.0" DVD offered by Cooley's website corrects most of these problems.)

In addition, many people will have no patience or interest in the 'personality traits' ideas which take up quite a bit of the book. I have enough background in TCM and Oriental bodywork that I actually understand and agree in principle with most of these ideas (as 'tendencies',not 'absolutes'),but this will be heavy going for a lot of people. I suspect Cooley may lose as many people as he converts with the inclusion of this aspect of bodywork. To be fair, his extended descriptions of the more 'esoteric' benefits of each of the exercises are no worse than those of a typical Hatha Yoga or Kundalini Yoga book.

As mentioned above, Cooley's website offers a inexpensive 'bare bones' DVD with live demonstrations of the beginners' level exercises (and some alternative versions of four of them). This DVD clarifies many of the questions raised by the book and would be a valuable supplement.

In summary, I felt this book was a worthwhile purchase, and I intend to explore the ideas and techniques presented here more thoroughly - possibly finding a certified instructor or attending a seminar in the near future. Worth checking out for anyone interested in unusual or more 'esoteric' aspects of health and fitness.