Resistance Stretching--Check This Out!!!!

ottersocks · 2009-10-28T16:27:10+00:00

Hi everyone, I've been working religiously on flexibility, following the teachings of Alethea and Freya (my friend from Brassy Butterfly in Portland, she's unbelievably bendy!). I am seeing progress, but of course slowly. I'm more flexible than average in most places, but struggle with an old hamstring injury that is now all scar tissue and locked up. Two weeks ago I started cross fiber release work with my Rolfer on that scarred hammie. It is really helping to free things up. She also told me about resistance stretching and gave me a book, "The Genius of Flexibility" by Bob Cooley. Resistance stretching is essentially the idea of simultaneously contracting and stretching the target muscle. Bob Cooley stretched Dara Torres through all her Olympic wins. So yesterday I finally read the book, and last night very late decided to try one or two things. I sat on the floor, legs open wide into a straddle, and tried to bend forward. As usual, with a lot of holding and relaxing and breathing, I could finally juuuuuuust get my elbows down in front. Then, I sat up, and tried it Bob's way. I contracted all the muscles that I was trying to stretch in exactly the way he said, and over I went! Face, chest, and belly flat on the floor! I was absolutely amazed!! I have NEVER even gotten close to that. 🥂 I don't want to tell you how to do this, as you need to be sure to do it properly, and of course take into account your own body and limitations. But I highly recommend you check out his book if you're interested in increasing flexibility. 👍 (Oh and I promise, I don't know this guy or have any interest in you buying his book!)

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MeganJoan · 7/12/2014
If you go to the very beginner of this thread it talks about a book and how amazing it is. There's lots of posts from people about how it instantly improved their flex. It is truly incredible, as shown in the photos. Can hardly believe it.
NessaJa · 7/13/2014
I am getting it tomorrow!!! Ooooo !!!! I can't wait.. haha! I downloaded the sample on iTunes today and it looks awesome! I sooo want my splits!!!
ottersocks · 7/13/2014
Glad you are all discovering Bob Cooley's book and getting results! The DVDs with Dara Torres are really terrific too. Happy stretching!
grayeyes · 7/13/2014
Like a few others have said, I am having a lot of difficulty understanding or perhaps performing the exercises properly. For instance, #3 in the first energy series (dip) confuses me. It says to continually contract the muscles in the front of your chest by resisting as you lower yourself to pushup position. Is there any other way to do a pushup besides contracting those muscles? I also get a little lost in all the mind-body stuff. It's generally not my thing but I'm open to the concept--there's just so much about it in this book. I just reserved Dara Torres video at my library and am hoping that will clear things up for me. Interestingly, about a week after I got Cooley's book out of the library I saw my orthopedist for a 5-month-old hamstring injury that I've already treated with physical therapy with little improvement, and the one thing he told me to work on for now was resistance stretching. He directed me to do it a slightly different than Cooley's technique but very similar. However, he said it needs to be done with another person, not by yourself.
NessaJa · 7/14/2014
Yay my foam roller came and I got this book today! Bring on being flexy :p
tacha666 · 7/14/2014
As some of you might know, I'm really struggling with flexibility. I only made it 4 inches closer to the floor since I startet (Dec 2012). Since shipping from the US takes some time and is quite expensive, could someone please try to explain what this technique is about so I can sort out if that method might be covered in some of the exercises I already know, to find out if I need that book or the DVD. Thanks!
NessaJa · 7/14/2014
I got a copy on iTunes, almost instant delivery. And omg it makes so much sense. It's resistance stretching :)
MeganJoan · 7/15/2014
I definitely recommend getting the book rather than relying on descriptions giving by others. As I'm super impatient I got the ebook from Kindle Store and read it on the Kindle app on my phone. I def need to get my hands on that dvd! Is it one you can watch as you stretch in real time? That sort of thing really helps me with motivation.