Relax into Stretch : Instant Flexibility Through Mastering Muscle Tension [Paperback]

Pavel Tsatsouline (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2001

"Conventional stretching attempts to literally elongate your tissues, which is dangerous and ineffective. Relax into Stretch simply teaches your muscles to relax into a stretch. If you compare traditional training to a messy hardware reorganization, then Relax into Stretch is an efficient software upgrade.While stretching tissues may take years, changes in the nervous system are immediate! Your muscles will start noticeably elongating from your first Relax into Stretch practice-and within months you will have achieved a level of flexibility uncommon in our species."-Pavel Tsatsouline. Own an illustrated guide to the thirty-six most effective techniques for super-flexibility. How the secret of mastering your emotions can add immediate inches to your stretch. How to wait out your tension-the surprising key to greater mobility and a better stretch. How to fool your reflexes into giving you all the stretch you want. Why contract-relax stretching is 267% more effective than conventional relaxed stretching. How to breathe your way to greater flexibility. Using the Russian technique of Forced Relaxation as your ultimate stretching weapon. How to stretch when injured-faster, safer ways to heal. Young, old, male, female-learn what stretches are best for you and what stretches to avoid. Why excessive flexibility can be detrimental to athletic performance-and how to determine your real flexibility needs.Plateau-busting strategies for the chronically inflexible

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Pavel Tsatsouline

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Dragon Door Publications; 1 edition (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0938045288
• ISBN-13: 978-0938045281
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Stretching

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

149 of 152 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When everything else fails...., January 13, 2006

By 

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

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Relax into Stretch : Instant Flexibility Through Mastering Muscle Tension (Paperback)

I almost didn't buy this book because some of the reviews are so negative...but I'm glad I did anyway. A few points:

1. This method absolutely works...I say this after studying karate for 4 years (hundreds of kicks, stretching that included pouring water on the floor and having someone push down on your back, staying in stretched positions for up to an hour, etc..) yoga, stretch machines, standard stretch routines. Through all this, my stretch increased very little. I couldn't even sit on the floor with crossed legs without discomfort. My karate instructor used to say I had the flexibility of a rock. Pavel's method works. Get the book! The concepts are simple, but revolutionary. A few more points:

2. There is enough information and stretching routines in the book to last for years. I don't understand the reviews that say there is not enough info in the book, too many pictures, etc...I appreciated the fact that I could quickly go throught the book and get right into the stretching.

3. There is another reviewer who outlines all of the potentially harmful stretches, based on his assessment as a doctor. However, all of the stretches he talks about are in the advanced stretching section of the book; they are extreme exercises, that Pavel clearly states are not for beginners.

4. Appearances can be deceiving...for example I was experiencing slight lower back pain from one routine and then I went back and read how to do the exercise, and realized I was overstretching, not controlling my breathing and tension as described in the book. In spite of the clear, "simple" format of the book, it is rich in information, that must be read carefully.

5. One last point: this book is for those who need to get to the next level. (I can't believe someone recommended Anderson's "granny" stretch book over this one; give me a break) Whether to reach top levels of fitness, martial arts study, rock climbing, etc...I'm thinking of someone who is into total fitness.)
On the other hand, it's also worth reading for the weekend athlete, only because the knowledge can help one prevent injuries and avoid harmful stretching methods.

Disclaimer: this is not a cheerleader review for Pavel. I have no connection with him whatsoever, just a very appreciative reader. Get the book!

55 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes Perfect Sense, February 9, 2003

By 

David L. Kotschessa (Wilmington, DE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Relax into Stretch : Instant Flexibility Through Mastering Muscle Tension (Paperback)

I always had a sense that there was something wrong with the way stretching was typically taught and understood. When you stretch your muscles, they become tense. This can be observed by anybody, quite easily. Simply continuing to stretch beyond this point - the way most of us learned, is painful. It's no fun at all, and if you do manage to make any progress, it's over the course of months or years. I knew there had to be something better out there.

Found it! This is it. You learn to control the tension in the muscle, and the stretch happens naturally. This book tells you why this works, and how. There are 30+ stretches in this book, some for muscles you may not have previously though of stretching.

It's not painful, and it's a routine you can look forward to. You no longer have to stretch because somebody told you it was good for you. You won't be stuffing yourself into a suitcase like a contortiounist over night, but you will make significant progress in one session (your first).

Now, I doubt Pavel invented this method, and there seem to be other books on the subject, so let me address other aspects of this book. It's a blast just to read it. Pavel has a unique wit, the likes of which I have not seen before. His style allows him to be very straightforward about what he is teaching you.

Even the pictures are charming. These aren't those akward pictures that you see in fitness books, where the subject quite obviously does not want to be photographed, and consequently you don't feel quite right looking at them. He seems to be enjoying himself. There's even pictures where he's showing you what NOT to do, and he has a finger pointing at you as if to say "Now there, don't you try this, Comrade!"

I typically do not write reviews, but I'm very happy with this book and had to share. Have fun, Comrades.

70 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Info In The Book But Overpriced, June 26, 2002

By 

Richard C. Culver (Farmington, AR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Relax into Stretch : Instant Flexibility Through Mastering Muscle Tension (Paperback)

All of Pavel's books including Relax Into Stretch have excellent
information which it hard to find else where. However Pavel never invented the exercises nor he came up the research himself. However it is one of better stretching books in the market and I have got better results in my stretches with information found in Pavel's book. The main downside of this
book and other Pavel's books is that his books including Relax Into Stretch are overpriced. That's why I put a three stars on this one. For those whom want to be able to do full front split or side split, I recommend Stretching Scientifically by Thomas Kurz over Relax
Into Stretch by Pavel Tsatsouline for a better run for your money.