Matthews - Stretching to Stay Young

or more than 16 years, Ive been in the business of helping people move better, feel better, and enjoy life to its fullest. I became interested in health and fitness after I witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, on the health of my family. I wanted to help myself and my loved ones have a better quality of life, so I set out to learn how healthy lifestylesincluding regular physical activitycan improve our well-being. It quickly became clear to me that a career in fitness was my calling. So, at a young age, I made the decision to focus my academic pursuits and professional work on educating and inspiring others to live healthier, more active lives.

As a physical education major, group fitness instructor, and personal trainer, I spent most of the early part of my career deepening my understanding of the physical body. I taught an assortment of group cardio classes, including step aerobics and cardio kickboxing, and developed customized resistance-training programs for clients. Meanwhile I was studying technical topics, such as exercise physiology and biomechanics, as part of my undergraduate work.

Although I had learned about flexibility training from books and understood how stretching worked, it wasnt until I attended my first yoga class that I truly realized just how important flexibility is to overall health and wellness. At the time I did mostly cardio and strength-based workouts, as many people do, leaving little to no time for stretching. As I continued to neglect stretching before and after my workouts, I noticed that the high-impact exercise classes I was teaching, not to mention the long hours I spent studying, taking classes, and writing papers, were taking a toll on me and causing a constant feeling of tightness.

I will never forget that first time I stepped foot on my yoga mat and how humbled I was by my extreme lack of flexibility. Lets just say I was far from being able to touch my toes! Once I was stretching regularly, however, I began to move more easilynot just while exercising but in my everyday life as well. I increased my range of motion and gained immense flexibility, doing away with the aches and pains I had become accustomed to. Yet the me time I spent stretching and breathing each day taught me the beauty of slowing down and tuning in, while also giving me the chance to mentally navigate the busyness and unforeseen events in my life with greater ease.

With this book, I hope you find what it took me so long to find for myself: a way to improve your fitness, health, and well-being. The wisdom I share with you here is rooted in the most up-to-date research and science. I have tried to set the record straight on many of the common myths that exist about stretching and provide an assortment of easy-to-follow stretches and flexibility-training routines to empower you to live the life you deserve.

Everyone Stretches

Like many animals, we humans are meant to move. In fact, our bodies are uniquely designed to perform a wide range of movements. Yet, because of advances in transportation and technology, we move less throughout the day than in the past. We take elevators instead of climbing stairs. We drive to the local store and hope to get the closest parking spot possible instead of just walking. We ride lawn mowers instead of pushing them, and use snowblowers instead of shoveling snow. And we exchange countless e-mails with colleagues instead of walking over to talk to them face-to-face. All this leaves us sitting for hours at a time.

For each stretch included in this book, Ive included easy-to-follow, numbered steps describing how to properly perform the movement, along with information about the benefits of each stretch and the key areas of the body the stretch targets. Make the most out of your stretching routine by using my tips on how to fine-tune your form and recommendations on how to vary the stretches using props or other forms of support (such as a table, wall, or chair) to meet your current fitness level, whether that means you want the stretch to be easier or more challenging.

Stretching is not a new concept. Its long been depicted throughout history in literature and artwork from around the globe. It has played a big part in physical activitiesfrom centuries ago to more recent athletic and physical therapy programs and even combat training. When done correctly, stretching feels good, both physically and mentally, and improves your overall fitness. Regardless of your age, lifestyle, physical condition, or current level of flexibility, you can tailor stretches to meet your personal needs and goals. When you perform the stretches in this book regularly and with a sense of ease and relaxation, you will dramatically improve how you move and positively enhance your overall quality of life.