Nowadays, the various benefits of stretching are well-known, from increased blood flow and better range of motion to improved physical performance and decreased risk of injury.
This book sheds light on the newest stretching methodologies discovered, keeping a strong bond with the traditional and ancient methods of stretching that have been used for decades.
This is not just a step-by-step guide by Elia Bartolini, who will guide you through an immersive journey into the stretching world with a very simple approach. It is much more.
The problem with all the other stretching books is that they propose just a few techniques to stretch and then hundreds of different stretches you could never remember in a lifetime. This book’s approach is exactly the reverse: it first teaches you the most modern and science-based stretching methodologies you can use, then guides you through a selection of the best stretching exercises you can use to enhance your flexibility. Only the best has made its way to this book.
The book contains
11 programs created for everyone: fitness enthusiasts, sprinters, runners, endurance athletes, gymnasts, people who want to learn the splits, fighters, basketball players, tennis players, volleyball players, football players, and much more.
Simple instructions for each and every stretch.
A complete section about the science and anatomy of stretching that lets you understand what you stretch and how your body makes progress.
How to make progress with stretching: learn how to create change within your body and permanently gain more flexibility.
Myth busters: does stretching improves your posture? Are you too old to stretch? Are any differences between women and men in flexibility training? These and many more questions have been answered with a scientific approach.
“The “problem” with stretching, as with any other physical discipline, is that you need time to get better. There’s no way around it. I wish there was a microchip they could implant under your skin or into your brain that would instantly make you more flexible. Or a way you could buy more flexibility. But there’s not. The only thing you can do is invest your time into it, and guess what? The best moment to do it is right now: start a stretching program.”
Author(s): Elia Bartolini
Year: 2024
Language: English
Commentary: A complete stretching and flexibility guide
Pages: 285
Tags: A complete stretching and flexibility guide
CONTENTS
V
PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION ..............................................................3
THE SCIENCE OF STRETCHING ..............................................................5
Anatomy of stretching ....................................................................................................5
Why do we stretch? ........................................................................................................10
Genetics and limits of flexibility training ......................................................................12
PRINCIPLES OF FLEXIBILITY TRAINING .............................................14
Breathing ....................................................................................................................15
Intensity .....................................................................................................................19
How often to stretch ........................................................................................................2
STRETCHING METHODOLOGIES ........................................................32
Passive, active, tensed ..................................................................................................33
Static and dynamic ......................................................................................................36
Loaded .........................................................................................................................38
PNF .............................................................................................................................47
Antagonist ....................................................................................................................54
Ballistic ........................................................................................................................67
Stretching hierarchy .......................................................................................................74
When to stretch? ............................................................................................................78
Stretching with other activities ......................................................................................80
Stretching methodologies roadmap ..................................................................................91
STRETCHING PROGRAMS ......................................................................93
MYTH BUSTERS .......................................................................................250
Stretching and posture ...............................................................................................251
Stretching and injuries ................................................................................................254
Stretching, recovery and DOMS ..................................................................................257
I’m too old to get flexible ..............................................................................................260
Stretching makes you weak ..........................................................................................263
Gender differences in muscle length and joints flexibility ...............................................266
Foam rolling, massage, and flexibility ..........................................................................270
CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................275
VI
