Over 300 illustrated stretches to improve athletic performance! DESCRIPTION Sport Stretch is the most comprehensive book on stretching available for healthy athletes. Whether you are a recreation enthusiast or a serious sport competitor, you are certain to benefit from this wealth of information designed to help you improve your performance and prevent injury. Written by the author of Science of Stretching, this new easy-to-follow guide contains illustrated instructions for complete stretching routines. Whether you enjoy baseball, bicycling, dance, golf, hockey, soccer, tennis, wrestling, or one of more than a dozen other sports, you'll find a routine to match your interests and abilities. The routinesone for each of 26 specific sports and recreational activitiesinclude the 12 best stretches for that activity. And each routine can be accomplished in 20 minutes or less! In Sport Stretch, you will learn the basic principles of stretching, as well as what happens to your bones, joints, tissues, and muscles when you stretch. You'll discover how increased flexibility translates directly into better performance and lessens your chances of injury. An entire section of this comprehensive guide is devoted to illustrations of specific stretching exercises311 in all! The stretches are arranged according to the muscle group or joints they stretch and by their degree of difficulty. For each stretch, you'll learn which parts of your body are involved and whether you should attempt it based on your level of training and physical condition. Sport Stretch will also help you become more aware of stretching exercises you should avoid. You'll find illustrations of "X-rated" stretchesstretching techniques that can do you more harm than good. Sport Stretch is the first book of its kind to combine scientific facts about stretching with practical tips you can practice on your own. If you are serious about improving your athletic abilities and avoiding injury in practice and in competition, you'll want to own this book. AUDIENCE How-to for recreation enthusiasts and sport competitors
CONTENTS Preface
Part I: How Stretching Works
The Benefits of Stretching How Muscles Are Structured How Muscles Respond How Connective Tissues Are Structured How Bones and Joints Are Structured What Happens When You Stretch Different Methods of Stretching What Causes Muscular Soreness How Aging Affects Flexibility Warming Up The Controversy About Stretching "X-Rated" Exercises Part II: Stretching Routines for Specific Sports
Prestretching Guidelines Stretching Guidelines Baseball (General) Baseball (Pitcher) Basketball Bicycling Bowling Dance Diving Football Golf Gymnastics Handball Hockey Jogging Martial Arts (Beginning) Martial Arts (Advanced) Skiing Soccer Swimming Tennis Track and FieldHigh Jump (Fosbury Flop) Track and FieldHigh Jump (Straddle) Track and FieldHurdles and Sprints Track and FieldJavelin and Discus Volleyball Weight Lifting Weight Lifting With Very Light Weights Wrestling The Active Person The Older Person Part III: Illustrated Instructions for 311 Stretches
Feet Lower Legs and Knees Upper Legs Hips, Buttocks, and Abdomen Back and Trunk Neck and Chest Shoulders Arms Appendix
ABOUT THE AUTHOR A former gymnast, coach, and nationally certified men's gymnastics judge, Michael J. Alter is an expert on the subject of stretching. His previous book, Science of Stretching, continues to receive rave reviews from athletes, coaches, trainers, and physical therapists. In Sport Stretch, Alter expands on his earlier work by mapping out an easy-to-follow, sport-specific stretching plan every healthy athlete can use to improve performance and prevent injury. Michael Alter earned his MS in health education from Florida International University in 1976. He has taught physical education and coached gymnastics for several years in Florida; at present, he teaches high school in Miami. In his leisure time, Michael enjoys listening to classical music, bicycling, working out with weights, and studying sports medicine. WORDS OF PRAISE "This dictionary of stretching will help anyone target sport-specific muscle groups without guesswork. If you're looking for variety while still focusing on your sport, here it is. And if you're starting or continuing a regular stretching program that isn't sport-specific, here's a smorgasboard with a detailed list of ingredientsyou can pick and choose knowledgeably." Health & Fitness
"Even people who toil at a desk or in the field will find this well-illustrated book valuable for relieving stressed muscles, whether on the job or before a workout." Sports Etc.
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