Stretch to Win

I read many stretching books in college while getting a Exercise Science/PE degree. Each one was absolute garbage and a waste of time. Until I read this book I pretty much dimissed stretching as a waste of time and a proper dynamic warm-up would be just fine. This book changed my my opinion on the importance of stretching. It explain why most stretching routines are outdated and can make you more tight. This book goes into great detail about how to find tight spots in your body that might be limiting your performance. The limits could be caused by injury, age, overuse etc. It also goes into great detail to explain tightness and pain at one point might be caused by from another point in the body. Case in point is I'm a competitive powerlifter. My hip has been very tight and has limited my squating. I did the self diagnosis testing and foudn out I had knots in my glutes which caused tightness in my hips. I took time and did a warm-up and some sport specific stretches before lifting as well as throughout the week when i was not lifting. Made a huge improve in my ability to squat without pain and allowed me to set up better on the bench press. I will say do not buy this book if you cannot think on your own. If you are the kind of person that follows workouts blindly from a magazine than you won't like the fact you have to think on your own. You will find plenty of ineffective stretching books out there.

Stretch To Win certainly delivers a very comprehensive overview on why and how to stretch using the Fredericks' Stretch To Win system. The book opens with chapters relating the anatomy of stretching to the basic fundamental principles of the system. It then offers the reader a chance to assess their own personal flexibility imbalances prior to describing how to correct imbalances and how to perform each stretch appropriately. As a Personal Trainer, I have used the principles of undulating stretching with success on clients and myself. The book is geared towards athletes, but anyone who wants to improve their overall flexibility and joint health would do well to follow the instructions in this guide. Two things I think they could have included more on however are: 1) A more indepth explanation on why it is important to stretch using different velocities surrounding practices & games, and 2) An emphasis that the practitioner learn more about basic anatomy and physiology as some of the knowledge given assumes an understanding of which muscles are which and what their function is. Overall, this guide (although primarily intended for athletic competitors is usable by anyone) provides a clear, well-researched program for developing a flexibility program that suits the needs of anyone looking to enhance their own pain-free range of motion. It is useful for people looking to form their own program as well as trainers, doctors, and therapists who wish to use the techniques given on their own clients and patients.

I like this book because it is very informative. The stretches are great for all flexibility levels- but especially for men. There is very specific information in this book about myofascial release and increasing flexibility through stretching techniques. I found this book very helpful.

I found myself being the guy doing always the same boring and not always so useful old-school stretching routines. This book had enough science and experience in its background, so it was a thrust-worthy starting point to read. The presentation covers in an understandable way stretching principles, self-evaluation, sport-specific needs and different techniques. And of course, how to customize your own program. As a jumper (high, triple) I have got a lot of new tips in adding flexibility in my problematic areas like low-back and hips. The series of photos are so clear that it is easy to do the routines as they should be done.

This book provides: 1. A systematic approach for identifying your movement restrictions and designing a program to resolve them 2. Clear instruction on effective stretching, with a focus on developing the right combination of mobility and stability 3. Specific guidelines for incorporating soft tissue work with a therapy ball into your exercise program My personal experience applying just the stretching guidelines has been the following: 1. My hips have opened quite a bit. I can comfortably drop into a deep squat. 2. Foot pain I have had for almost a year is quickly going away 3. A shoulder problem I went to physical therapy for but never quite finished fixing is rapidly improving I've got the recommended equipment for the trigger point therapy on the way (a $10 Footsie roller and a $15 Fitball). If it does as much for me as the stretching has, I'm going to be a very happy person. On a professional basis, I've been certified by the ACSM as a Health / Fitness Instructor since 2002. I was certified by ACE as a Personal Trainer in 2000. I've read a number of other stretching books and watched several DVDs. This book is the clearest out of any of them, and is one of the few to recognize being overly flexible is just as bad as not being flexible enough. It's also one of the few to address the concept of promoting soft tissue quality to reduce risk of injury. Considering the price relative to other fitness products on the market, everyone should own a copy and apply the guidelines. Diligent attention to a sound program of mobility work will have more immediate impact on quality of life and ease of movement than just about any other form of exercise.