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ISBN: Print 978-1-6473-9738-8 | eBook 978-1-6473-9440-0
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Contents
In loving memory of Ernest A. Hutchinson Jr. Thank you for being my daily inspiration to help people on their journey to wellness.
Stretching is simple, its free, you can do it anywhere, it requires no equipment, and it has the power to transform lives. How cool is that?
My curiosity for stretching started when I was a six-year-old girl trying to get my splits for gymnastics class. I would spend hours practicing them and even did my homework sitting in splits. It wasnt until I became a personal trainer in my early twenties that I really started to study the subject and understand flexibility on a deeper level beyond my firsthand experience. I quickly learned how a lack of flexibility limits us in a variety of ways and takes a toll not only on our lifestyle, but also our health and pain levels. Tight muscles result in both injuries and poor posture that can lead to health issues, balance problems, and further injuries. For our bodies to operate in their peak state, they must be flexible.
The effect that flexibility levels have on our daily lives is what really inspired me to invest so much time in learning more. I decided to make flexibility the focus of my career in fitness and wellness because of how good the success stories make me feel. Its always nice when a client hits their goal weight, but it is a whole different level of feel-good vibes when a clients entire quality of life changes. I am elated when I get a message from a client celebrating a hike with their grandkids for the first time or doing some home repair projects with ease because they have better mobility, stamina, and balance from their stretching practice. It excites me when stretching takes away pain in a clients joints and muscles or helps an athlete perform better and recover faster. I think it is amazing how stretching can make everyday tasks easier no matter what age you are, and it takes very little time to see results.
Im hoping that by writing this book I will be able to help even more people gain the benefits of stretching. This book will help you learn everything you need to know about safe and effective stretching, including how flexibility works and its benefits. Step-by-step directions for 60 individual stretches are accompanied by illustrations and alternative ways to make the stretches accessible to all body types and mobility levels. Then you will learn 35 essential stretching routines that can all be done in 10 minutes or less, with tips on how to breathe and perform each sequence. These routines are designed to supplement everyday activities, athletic endeavors, injury rehab, and pain relief. Finally, you will learn how to create your own unique routines that are both safe and effective.
Stretching routines do not take a lot of time and the rewards are very gratifying. All of the routines in this book can be done in less than 10 minutes. Consistency is the key to getting results, so make sure you sneak stretching routines into your day whenever you can! Most of my clients notice a difference after just a week of stretching, so it wont take very long to see and feel the benefits.
active stretching: Holding a position using the muscle you are focused on with no other support.
all-fours position: Coming down to your hands and knees with your wrists lined up under your shoulders and knees directly below your hips.
anterior: The front side of the body.
box breathing: Making your breath equal parts inhaling, holding your breath in, exhaling, and holding your breath out. For example: Inhale for five seconds, hold your breath in for five seconds, exhale for five seconds, and hold your breath out for five seconds.
contraction: Engaging a muscle.
contraindication: A factor or reason that you should not perform an exercise.
dynamic stretching: Quick movements that warm up the body and prepare it for movement.
fascia: Connective tissue that runs through every part of your body like a spiderweb.
flexibility: The ability of each of your joints to move through their full range of motion.
isometric stretching: Holding a stretch while engaging the muscle.
indication: A factor or reason to perform an exercise.
passive stretching: Using an external force to help you go deeper into a stretch.
proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF): A technique discovered by physical therapists to contract a muscle while stretching in an effort to get a deeper stretch.
posterior: The back side of the body.
proprioception: Knowing where your body is in space.
resistance stretching: Passing through a full range of motion in a stretch while applying resistance.
