"This book is a smaller-format edition of the vastly popular Stretching: 30th Anniversary Edition (ISBN: 9780936070469), with a re-edited main section, using readable bulleted lists, and updated for references to new technology. It does not supersede the larger addition, but is offered as an alternative"--

Avoid and treat back injury, improve your health, and maintain your posture with this illustrated guide to stretches for your back. Avoid and treat back injury, improve your health, and maintain your posture with this illustrated guide to stretches for your back. Fitness and stretching expert Linda Minarik provides a comprehensive guide to working with your body to assist it to become fluid and flexible, so that back pain becomes a thing of the past. She explains why you should stretch and how muscles respond to stretching, then gives clear instructions for a range of stretches you can use to help your back, not only targeting the back muscles but also the abdominals, hips, and thighs. All of the stretches can be done easily at home without any special equipment, and photographs are overlaid with illustrations to show which particular muscles are being stretched in each case. Linda also provides stretch sequences for warming up, to relieve pain, and to incorporate stretching into your daily life.

An updated edition of the best-selling guide on the science of effective stretching—with detailed anatomical illustrations and guidance on proper form, sports injury recovery, and more The multiple stresses of contemporary life—whether from excessive sports play, overwork, or overuse of technology—are increasingly taking a toll on the body. Symptoms range from muscle soreness and pain to pinched nerves to potentially more permanent disabilities, including serious body injuries. One safe, quickly productive way to address the problem is through a simple therapy that can be done anywhere, anytime, and without special equipment: stretching. This new edition of Brad Walker’s best-selling book on the subject presents 135 unique stretching exercises designed to help repair the body and make it more flexible, fit, and relaxed. Organized by body part, The Anatomy of Stretching presents stretching exercises in a uniform style accompanied by full-color anatomical illustrations. Equally useful for fitness fans, pro or amateur athletes, coaches and personal trainers, and healthcare practitioners, this new edition contains: • Step-by-step instructions for 20 new stretches • An expanded physiology and anatomy information • A revised numbering system that makes the stretches easier to reference • An expanded appendix with more resources on stretches for athletes and sports injuries Also featuring detailed descriptions of important principles of anatomy and physiology, The Anatomy of Stretching, Second Edition is the ultimate guide to improving flexibility, increasing strength, and relieving pain through stretching.

Introducing Active-Isolated Stretching, the revolutionary yet remarkably simple flexibility program—featuring 59 stretches for over 55 different sports and everyday activities! Whether you’re a serious competitor or weekend warrior, you know that proper stretching before and after your workout can improve your performance, increase your flexibility, help prevent injury, and make you feel better. But did you know that the traditional way of stretching—lock your knees, bounce, hold, hurt, hold longer—actually makes muscles tighter and more prone to injury? There’s a new and better way to stretch: Active-Isolated Stretching. And with The Whartons’ Stretch Book, the method used successfully by scores of professional, amateur, and Olympic athletes is now available to everyone. This groundbreaking technique, developed by researchers, coaches, and trainers, and pioneered by Jim and Phil Wharton, is your new exercise prescription. The routine is simple: First, you prepare to stretch one isolated muscle at a time. Then you actively contract the muscle opposite the isolated muscle, which will then relax in preparation for its stretch. You stretch it gently and quickly—for no more than two seconds—and release it before it goes into its protective contraction. Then you repeat. Simple, but the results are outstanding. The Whartons’ Stretch Book explains it all. Part I contains the Active-Isolated Stretch Catalog, with fully illustrated, easy-to-follow stretches for each of five body zones, from neck and shoulders to trunk, arms, and legs—over fifty stretches in all. Part II offers specific stretching prescriptions for over fifty-five sports and activities, from running, tennis, track, and aerobics to skiing, skating, and swimming. You’ll also find advice on stretching for daily activities such as driving, working at a desk, lifting, and keyboarding. Part III discusses stretching for life, with specific recommendations for expectant mothers and older athletes. It also includes specific stretching exercises that could help you avoid unnecessary surgery. Give Active-Isolated Stretching a try for three weeks. You’ll never go back to your old stretching routines again.

Achieve life-changing results for your body—greater mobility, better functionality, enhanced performance, and less pain—in as little as 9 minutes a day. In Better Stretching, Joe Yoon brings you the tips and techniques he gives world class athletes, and provides you with an entirely new way to think about stretching. You won’t need 90 complicated minutes to get more agile—you’ll just need 9! And your results will improve dramatically—and stay that way—when you incorporate just a touch of mobility and strengthening to your stretches. Joe Yoon shows you how. Better Stretching debunks myths and misconceptions. You’ll discover: · Over 100 wide-ranging stretches, from static to dynamic, including simple stretches you can do while sitting at your desk · Three 30-day plans designed to give you maximum results in a minimum amount of time, each tailor-made for goals that you choose · Stretching, strengthening, and mobility exercises for people at every level – whether you’re a beginner or advanced, a weekend warrior or a competitive athlete, a business executive or a new parent · Muscle-soothing self-massage techniques using simple foam rollers and tennis balls · Over 125 photographs of Joe demonstrating his stretches, so you achieve results beyond what you thought possible

Illustrates stretching exercises that can be done at the office to increase flexibility, relieve sore muscles, combat neck and back pain, prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, and reduce stress.

"Stretching with Ease" is a user-friendly, fully illustrated instructional manual for creating your perfect personal stretching program. Why should I stretch? What muscles should I stretch? How will it help me? You’ll find the answers to these questions and much more in Stretching with Ease. Discover the many ways you can work with your body to assist it to be fluid and flexible. Your body is built for movement and with stretching and flexibility training you increase both your ease of movement and life quality. Fitness expert Linda Minarik takes you from the basics and benefits of stretching, to all you need to know to make stretching a lifelong habit. Part I offers the important background information necessary before you begin to stretch, including using the tool of breathing. Part II provides clear directions for 76 essential stretches that target different muscle groups—they can all be easily done at home without any special equipment. Along with detailed instructions and helpful tips, each stretch includes a color photograph with an anatomical illustration so you can actually see inside the stretch. This visual reference enhances your understanding and practice of the movement. Part III has effective step-by-step stretch routines to accomplish different goals, such as relieving tension, stiffness or pain, and preparing for various daily activities and sports. Part IV offers invaluable resources to enrich your flexibility experience, including useful lifestyle tips and how to create your own routines. Stretching with Ease offers the practical guidance and supportive encouragement you need to develop a body that moves easily—and loves to move!

The American Physical Therapy Association Book of Body Maintenance and Repair explores the mechanical workings of every moving part of the body, explains what can go wrong, and then provides a complete program for ensuring the greatest long-term health for that area and tells you how to respond when injuries occur. Whether your concern is a sore back, an injured knee, or general strength and flexibility, no other book can lead the way to total body health as effectively or authoritatively as The American Physical Therapy Association Book of Body Maintenance and Repair. Book jacket.

Yoga has gone completely mainstream. Sensible people everywhere are saying "Om" and doing postures once a week. Enter the world's easiest yoga book for the place we need it most: work! Renowned teacher Darrin Zeer brings this ancient Indian art to the modern-day office with a fully illustrated, easy-to-use guide offering 75 stress-relieving stretches perfect for the cube environment. Unlike most yoga guides, Office Yoga offers a fun, accessible approach and is useful for both beginners and experts. Exercises are organized by time of day and for a variety of situationswaking stretches, commute exercises, on-the-phone and at-the-copy machine stretches. Humorous and colorful illustrations by Michael Klein enliven exercises that can be performed anywhere from the elevator to the conference room. This handy little book will fit nicely on any desktop, and makes a great gift for the workaholic in your life.

Wall Street Journal Bestseller A groundbreaking approach to succeeding in business and life, using the science of resourcefulness. We often think the key to success and satisfaction is to get more: more money, time, and possessions; bigger budgets, job titles, and teams; and additional resources for our professional and personal goals. It turns out we’re wrong. Using captivating stories to illustrate research in psychology and management, Rice University professor Scott Sonenshein examines why some people and organizations succeed with so little, while others fail with so much. People and organizations approach resources in two different ways: “chasing” and “stretching.” When chasing, we exhaust ourselves in the pursuit of more. When stretching, we embrace the resources we already have. This frees us to find creative and productive ways to solve problems, innovate, and engage our work and lives more fully. Stretch shows why everyone—from executives to entrepreneurs, professionals to parents, athletes to artists—performs better with constraints; why seeking too many resources undermines our work and well-being; and why even those with a lot benefit from making the most out of a little. Drawing from examples in business, education, sports, medicine, and history, Scott Sonenshein advocates a powerful framework of resourcefulness that allows anybody to work and live better.