Product Description

Improve your flexibility with the gentle, beginner stretches illustrated in this book.

Designed to meet the unique needs of the 50+ person, the carefully modified stretches in this book are easy to learn and safe to perform at any age. Illustrated with step-by-step photos and explained with clear captions, these stretches can reverse years of muscle tightening, helping you perform daily activities without pain and enjoy sports and leisure activities without injury. To help assist you, many of the movements in this book use a chair, block, strap, pillow or blanket. The author also includes tips, cautions and techniques for properly performing each stretch. Plus, this book offers customized programs for: * Back pain * Arthritis * Knee problems * Long drives * Desk fatigue * Shoveling snow * Golf * Jogging * Tennis * Swimming * Skiing * Gardening

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20168 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781569754450
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Dr. Karl Knopf has been involved with the health and fitness of the disabled and older adults for almost 30 years. A consultant on numerous National Institutes of Health grants, Knopf has served as advisor to the PBS exercise series "Sit and Be Fit," and to the State of California on disabilities issues. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and has written several textbooks and articles. Knopf is president of the Fitness Educators of Older Adults Association. He also coordinates the Fitness Therapist Program at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California.

Customer Reviews

Must reading for the elderly - and for the rest of you too.
This is a wonderful book. As the result of an accident many years ago I was introduced to stretching to limber things up, and for the past fifteen years (I'll be 90 in a few months) I have been diligent in streching five time per week. Have gone to stretch classes, done yoga, read seveal books, have seen tapes etc. etc; and , believe me, his book is far and away the BEST and most COMPLETE work on the subject. No matter your age if you follow these exercises wisely you will avoid the slouch, the stoop and the general structural limitations and weaknesses which come with advancing age. And if you're over 60 and do the exercises regularly you'll have some fall protection (and remember that falls are the common fatal disease of the elderly.) We can't do anything about our genetics but we can use what we're given at birth with wisdom. Great Book!

Excellent book, excellent tips, a few missing features
I'm 55 with severe lower back pains, trying to avoid surgery. I've tried 2 different physical therapists and multiple chiropractors, so I've done a fair amount of stretching before reading this book. However, in the first section of this book (through page 18) there were several tips that are priceless (e.g., the difference between Active and Passive stretching; recommending several stretches for warm-ups and several others for cool-down; an analogy with "taffy" illustrating why warm-ups are important). In addition, for the next several pages there is a list of several issues people have (back-pains, hip problems, knee problems, etc), and which exercises are best for people with these problems.

There are 2 issues I've got with the book, which kept me from giving it a perfect 5. First, there is no clear indication of which stretches are "Active" vs "Passive". Second, this book would be as close to perfection as possible if there were icons indicating which exercises were Active, which were Passive, which were particularly recommended for warm-up or cool-down, and which were specifically useful or contra-indicated for people with the various issues such as back-pain, neck problems, hip problems, knee problems, etc.

Even with these 2 issues, I heartily recommend this book for anyone who needs to who is ANY age who wants to start or continue stretching but has the slightest doubts about how to proceed.

I hope the author fixes these 2 issues and either posts the keys on a website or publishes a new version of the book. I know I'd buy it!

Excellent
Well written, common sense approach to stretching and avoiding injury due to common misconceptions about technique. Highly recommended!