Autorentext

Bob Anderson is the world’s most popular stretching authority. For more than 35 years, Bob has taught millions of people his simple approach to stretching. Bob and his wife, Jean, first published a homemade version of Stretching in a garage in Southern California in 1975. The drawings were done by Jean, based on photos she took of Bob doing the stretches. This book was modified and published by Shelter Publications in 1980 for general bookstore distribution and is now known by lay people, as well as medical professionals, as the most user-friendly book on the subject. To date it has sold more than 3.75 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 24 languages Bob is fit and healthy these days, but it wasn’t always so. In 1968, he was overweight and out of shape. He began a personal fitness program that got him down more than 50 pounds. Yet, one day, while in a physical-conditioning class in college, he found that he couldn’t reach much past his knees in a straight-legged sitting position. So Bob started stretching. He found that he soon felt better and that stretching made his running and cycling easier. The American fitness boom was just beginning, and the millions of people who started working out were discovering the importance of flexibility in their fitness programs. After several years of exercising and stretching with Jean and a small group of friends, Bob gradually developed a method of stretching that could be taught to anyone. Soon, he was teaching his technique to others. He began with professional sports teams: the Denver Broncos, the California (now Los Angeles) Angels, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the New York Jets. He also worked with college teams at Nebraska, UC Berkeley, Washington State, and Southern Methodist University, as well as other amateur and Olympic athletes in a variety of sports. He traveled around the country for years, teaching stretching to people at sports-medicine clinics, athletic clubs, and running camps. In the 1980s, Bob was a serious mountain runner and road biker. For 10 years in a row, he ran the Catalina Island Marathon in Southern California, the 18-mile Imogene Pass run in Telluride, Colorado (which goes over a 13,000-foot-high ridge), and the Pike’s Peak Marathon. These days, Bob spends most of his workout time on a mountain bike and hiking in the mountains above his house in Colorado, often going for 3- to 5-hour bike rides in the mountains, with occasional trips to Nevada. Although Bob works out a lot, he knows that training like this is not necessary for the average person to be fit. Through his travels, lectures, and workshops, he’s kept in constant touch with people in all degrees of physical condition. Jean Anderson has a B.A. in art from California State University at Long Beach. She began running and cycling—and stretching—with Bob in 1970. She developed a system of shooting photos of Bob performing the stretches, then making clear ink drawings of each stretch position. Jean was the photographer, illustrator, typesetter, and editor of the original homemade edition of Stretching. These days, she oversees the mail-order business of Stretching, Inc., and hikes and cycles to stay in shape.

Klappentext

Stretch with the pocket edition of the most popular fitness book in the world—more than 3.75 million copies sold, translated into 24 languages! The benefits of stretching are bountiful, from increased blood flow and better range of motion to improved physical performance and decreased risk of injury. Maximize your fitness journey with the most popular fitness book in the world! Stretching by Bob Anderson has been proven effective for decades. Now, with this pocket 40th Anniversary Edition—perfect for travel, a locker, or a desk drawer—a new generation can enjoy the advantages of stretching. With step-by-step illustrations by Jean Anderson, the Stretching Pocket Book is user-friendly. It’s the book that people tell their friends about, that trainers suggest for virtually every sport and activity, and that medical professionals recommend to people just starting to get back into shape. It features stretching routines specific to a variety of individuals, including sports enthusiasts, travelers, children, gardeners, and wheelchair users. A new section titled “Stretches for the Digital World” presents stretches for people using mobile phones and/or computers—to combat “tech neck”—as well as tips for better posture and stretches to do in an office environment. This 40th Anniversary Edition contains:

• 150 stretches with simple instructions for each stretch
• 17 stretching routines for everyday activities
• 10 stretching routines for computer users and office workers
• 37 stretching routines for different sports
• Graphic index of all 150 stretches, useful for medical professionals and body workers in prescribing stretches for patients
• Tips on back care, body tools (e.g., personal massagers), and more

Stretching is a great addition on your path to better health. Get started with the guide that has been helping people around the world for more than 40 years.

Leseprobe

Getting Started Here we will walk you through nine stretches that will help you to understand the phrase “Go with the feel of the stretch.” Once you understand this technique, it will be easy to learn and use the stretches in this book. First we’ll do a calf stretch. Lean on your forearms, using a wall, or something else for support. Rest your forehead on the back of your hands. Bend one knee and bring it toward the support. The back leg should be straight, with the foot flat and pointed straight ahead or slightly toed-in. Now, without changing the position of your feet, slowly move your hips forward as you keep the back leg straight and your foot flat. Create an easy feeling of stretch in your calf muscle. Hold an easy stretch for 5–10 seconds, then move slightly further into a developmental stretch for 10 seconds. Don’t overstretch. Now stretch the other calf. Does one leg feel different from the other? Is one leg more flexible than the other? Sitting Groin Stretch: Next, sit on the floor. Clasp the soles of your feet together with your hands as shown. Gently lean forward from the hips until you feel an easy stretch in your groin. Contract your abdominal muscles mildly as you go into the stretch. Hold an easy stretch for 5–15 seconds. If you are doing it right, it will feel good; the longer you hold the stretch, the less you should feel it. If possible, without strain, keep your elbows on the outside of your lower legs. This will help give you stability and balance. Exhale as you go into the stretch. Breathe slowly and rhythmically as you hold it. Relax your jaw and shoulders. Do not bend forward from your head and shoulders. This rounds the shoulders and puts pressure on the lower back. Concentrate on making the initial move forward from your hips. Keep your lower back flat. Look out in front of you. After you feel the tension diminish slightly, increase the stretch by gently pulling yourself a little further into the stretch feeling. Now it should feel a bit more intense but not painful. Hold for about 15 seconds. The feeling of tension should decrease slightly the longer the stretch is held. Slowly come out of the stretch. Please, no jerky, quick, bouncing movements! Next, straighten the right leg as you keep the left leg bent. The sole of the left foot should be facing the inside of the right upper leg. Do not keep the knee of the straight leg “locked.” You are in a straight-leg, bent-knee position. Now, to stretch the hamstrings and…