Customer Reviews

Resistance Stretching With Dara Torres

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

 

 

Resistance Stretching with Dara Torres 2-Disc Set is superb. You get 17 exercises to stretch & strengthen your body. One disc gives an overall in-depth tutorial with basic resistance stretching principles & demonstrates & explains each exercise. The second disc is Dara doing the complete workout. Additional problem solving is included & very helpful. I first bought Bob Cooley The Genius of Flexibility Video 1.0. Although it is good, this Resistance Stretching with Dara Torres & her 2 trainers, Anne Tierney & Steve Sierra is hands down by far better all around. Anne Tierney & Steve Sierra, trained with Cooley. This Resistance Stretching With Dara Torres 2-Disc DVD set is top quality & extremely well done with excellent pictures to show the area that each stretch addresses. I use it 3 times a week for my resistance stretching workout. Highly recommended.

NOTE: I received a free preview copy of this DVD from the web site Metapsychology Online; you can read a more complete version of my review on that site.

As a regular home exerciser in my early 40s--about the same age as Dara Torres, who is featured on this DVD--I have made more and more of an effort to include different types of stretching as part of my fitness routine, which is why this DVD set appealed to me. Resistance Stretching was developed by Anne Tierney and Steve Sierra, co-founders of Innovative Body Solutions. In the introductory chapters of the first disc, Anne and Steve explain that Resistance Stretching is the process of resisting during the stretch. In other words, it involves taking the muscle from the shortest position to the longest position while contracting the muscle at the same time, which is also referred to as the "e-centric" phase of strength training.

The first disc includes an almost one-hour tutorial in which Anne and Steve thoroughly explain all seventeen self-stretches in their program. Chapters 3, 5, and 6 each serve to assist with problem solving and modifications, either through learning how to work agonist/antagonist muscles, incorporating modifications for tight hamstrings, or building up strength to improve flexibility.

The Main Menu for Disc 1 is as follows; all times (in parentheses) are approximate:

Play All
Chapter 1, Introduction to Resistance Stretching (3m; with Dara Torres)
Chapter 2, Basic Principles: Resistance (6m)
Chapter 3, Basic Principles: Balancing Muscle Groups (8.5m)
Chapter 4, Master 17 Self-Stretches (55.5m; Anne & Steve modeling/instructing alternately)
Chapter 5, Problem-Solving for Tight Hamstrings (2.5m)
Chapter 6, Correlation Between Strength and Stretching (3m)

Here is the complete list of the 17 self-stretches which appear in Chapter 4 as well as on Disc 2:

Lower Body
1. Medial Hamstring
2. Central Hamstring
3. Outer (lateral) Hamstring
4. Lateral Quadriceps (includes IT band & glutes)
5. Inner Thigh
6. Outer Thigh (glutes)
7. Groin (seated)
8. Hip Flexors (lunge)
9. Calves

Upper Body
1. Chest, Shoulders, & Biceps (push-ups with emphasis on lowering)
2. Shoulders & Traps
3. Shoulders & Back
4. Shoulders, Back, & Neck (scaption)
5. Triceps, Lats, & Obliques
6. Chest, Biceps, & Forearms
7. Traps, Neck, & Side of Shoulder
8. Chest, Shoulder, & Biceps

Disc 2 offers a complete resistance stretching workout with Dara Torres. This 20-minute workout includes all seventeen of the self-stretches introduced on Disc 1, but the entire routine is performed without pausing for instruction. Dara models the exercises alone while Anne and Steve again take turns cuing via voiceover. Prior to the start of the workout, Dara provides a very brief introduction, suggesting props to have nearby (a mat and a small pillow or foam block to support the head). Compared to the tutorial, the pace of this workout is quite rapid. Although it felt a bit too fast the first time through, I have found the short length convenient for working in this routine on a weekly basis, and I haven't gone back to Disc 1 since my initial viewing.

I actually already incorporate some types of resistance stretching through other workout DVDs that I own (for example, the Classical Stretch series by Miranda Esmonde-White). However, Anne and Steve definitely present a unique approach that is apt to be beneficial, and in Dara Torres, they have an appealing, likable spokesperson. Although this method is appropriate for virtually all levels, I do think that it is likely to appeal most to those who are already active and/or who have an athletic background. Nevertheless, I would recommend this DVD set for anyone who is interested in gently working towards increasing their flexibility as well as improving their overall health and fitness levels.

Brought the resistance stretching book and was interested but kind of confused as to how to properly execute the exercises in question. When I purchased thiis video it answered all of my questions. Thedvd is a 2 set that takes you through all of the exercises. This is highly recommended.

Hmmm, some of the naysayers spoke too soon. Dara shows up in the second DVD because the other two TALENTED trainers walk you through the workout giving absolutely letter perfect instructions. Keeping multiple instructions in mind ("relax the neck, make sure you engage the glutes, you should feel the burn starting in your arms now too") they are covering all the bases and making sure you get the intended stretching done. Believe me, it's easy to cheat in exercise and many do.

This technique has been essential in giving me back my flexibility I lost through surgery, or long time lay up, or coming off of long-term (cortico-)steroid therapy etc. Stretching for 45 minutes at a time on the ferry over to Orcas for a bike ride, I would be locked up five minutes later. I couldn't get out of bed without help (I was 49 at the time and in good shape) and the pain was incredible and it didn't go away. Normal stretching just didn't work. It wasn't going after the deep injured muscles locked in tetany. Resistance stretching recruits the two sets of muscles necessary to stretch (extending and contracting muscles) and it has been KEY to getting healing done.

Man, I found out I had huge problems of deep injury (due to paralysis induced by surgery? I don't know. Coming off the steroids? Could be) that was not getting relief from practicing yoga, weights, aerobics, percoset, IBU, 12-hours of sleep a day, chiropractic, blah blah. The leg muscles began to contract and started turning my legs in different directions. The top in one direction, the bottom in another, my knees dying in the middle. This went on for two years until I found this method.

Resistance stretching, while very difficult for me initially (deep glute areas), has been a life saver. I have been able to release some of these deep charlie horses I didn't even know I had I knew something was wrong but I was still really flexible in other stretches) until I started doing their exercises. I'm sure that people could avoid hip and knew replacements if they worked on the muscles that are pulling their bones out of alignment.

I highly recommend this DVD.

the info in this dvd is good and it does work. you don't have to be a sports person to bennifit from this type of work.
apply this to any activity and you will feel good doing whatever you do. sports or not.

the process is so simple it's the doing of it that works.

This is horrible! There are two DVDs in this set and I didn't even make it to the second one yet. The first one does not even have Dara in it, but two weird looking trainers: a chick that looks like a fullback and a skinny dude with platinum blond hair. They do not even do a stretch workout! They just talk about the moves and then do one lame example--there is no stretching workout or sequence on the first DVD! So booooring!!!!!!!!! They are both horrible on camera--no wonder they needed Dara to endorse it! Could not even watch past Chapter 3, because I was so disgusted.

These stretches -- in one of them you lie on your back and grab your foot and push with your leg and resist with your arm -- just seemed strange to me. I tried one, and it hurt my back. I watched parts of the video and never really believed in it. Unfortunately, I didn't see any kind of notice about Amazon's return policy. But you only get a small refund and they don't pay for your shipping if there is nothing technically wrong with a DVD and you have opened it. So I spent $18 for the video and had to spend $9 to send it back, which totals $27. I complained and they gave me a refund of $13 or so, but the whole thing was unpleasant, time consuming and expensive. Sorry. I hate to bad-mouth anything to do with Dara Torres, but this didn't work out very well for me.