First published in Australia in 1999 by

Simon & Schuster (Australia) Pty Limited

~t tr 20 Barcoo Street, East Roseville NSW 2069

A Viacom Company

Sydney New York London Toronto Tokyo Singapore

© Kit Laughlin, 1999

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the publisher in writing.

National Library of Australia

Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

Laughlin, Kit, 1953-.

Stretching and flexibility.

Bibliography.

Includes index.

ISBN 0 7318 0602 6.

I. Stretching exercises. I. Tide.

613.71

Cover, internal design and illustrations by Jeremy Mcars

http://announce.com/-jeremy
Photographs by Kit Laughlin

Set in Garamond 11/14

10 9876543

The exercises and advice given in this book arc in no way intended as a
substitute for medical advice and guidance. Because of the differences
from individual to individual, your doctor should be consulted to check
that the information given is safe for you. Consult your doctor before
beginning this or any other exercise program. The author takes no
responsibility for any injury that may be caused as a result of applying
the information in this book

To the students and teachers of Posture & Flexibility, wherever you may be

Contents
Illustrations.

Foreword

A NEW DIRECTION

Preface

Why SHOULD WF STRETCH?.

.|

How to me this book .

. 3

Introduction

How Posture & Flexibility evolves .

. 15

The 10 principles of using the P&F approach effectively .

20

Chaptfr One

Lesson one: the daily five (plus two) .

.25

/. Floor clasped feet middle and upper back .

. 25

Middle and upper back from chan .

. 27

2. Backward bend from floor .

. 28

3- Lying rotation . ..

. 30

6. Chin to chest .

37

12. Partner arm up behind shoulder bLide

. 50

/ 5 hlour neck rotation .

56

/ 6. Floor face down arm and leg lifts, and abdominal curls

58

17. Partner floor single teg forward bend .

60
IB Floor folded leg calf (totem) .

(,?

19. Wall standing caff (gastrocnemius) . 63

20 Floor unglr leg calf . . 64

21. Buttock and hip flexor . . 66

22. Lying hip (piriformis) .. 68

Exercise 8. Parmer lying rotation, revisited . 0

Standing alternate leg forward bend warm-up 71

Exercise 17. Partner floor angle leg forward bend, revisited. . 72

Lesson four: hip fi.exors, quadriceps, trunk backwards and hamstrings 75

Free squats warm up. partner or solo . 75

23. Floor mstep .

24. Standing quadriceps . 78

25- Standing suspended hip flexor . 79

Exercise 2. Backward bend from floor, suspended variation 81

Exercise I. Floor clasped feet middle and upper back, revisited 82

26 Seated/lying single leg quadriceps 83

27. Partner backward bend over support . 85

Exercise 4. Standing side bend, hanging version 88

28. Parmer lying hamstring, knee flexed 89

Lesson five: legs apart and rotation...92

Standing legs apart warm-up. bent and straight legs -93

29 Floor side bend over straight leg. other folded . 95

30. Wall seated knees apart . 97

31- Parmer/solo kneeling knees apart . 98

32. Partner/solo wall lying bent legs apart . 100

33 Wall lying straight legs apart . 101

34 Wall seated straight legs apart .. 102

35- Partner floor middle and upper back bend 103

36 Parmer/solo floor lying bottom leg folded rotation . 105

Lesson six: hip flexors, back bend and rotation .108

37. Abdominal curls over support . 108

38. Lying rotations . HO

39 Partner hip flexor . 113

40 Partner seated/lying single leg quadriceps . 115

41. Partner standing suspended hip flexor, with support . 116

Exercise 2. Backward bend from floor, revisited . 117

42. Floor feet held back bend . I t8

43 Folded legs clasped knees upper back . 119

44 Partner shoulder depress . 121

45 Upper back on all fours . 123

Lesson seven: hamstrings, hip flexors and partial front splits.124

Free squats warm up. with held positions . . 125

Exercise 21. Buttock and hip flexor, revisited . 128

46. Partner floor hip and hamstring . 129

Exercise 17. Floor single leg forward bend, revisitedfolded leg variation . 132

47 Parmer partial front splits, off support . 133

48. Floor forward bend over bent legs ... ; ...;....:. 135

49. Parmer all fours rotation ....'.....-.. 136

50. Parmer shoulder depress with flexion and lateral flexion ... .,...137

The unnumbered lesson: checking your progress...139

Chapter Two

Lessons 8-15.150

Lesson eight: hamstrings, legs apart, and back bend.151

5 / Standing clasped angle bent leg hamstring . 154

52 Partner/solo standing single leg forward bend .. . 155

53- Parmer wall standing hamstring . 156

54 Partner wall squat knees apart . 156

55. Parmer seated tegs apart . ./57

■' Lesson NINE: UPPER BACK. NECK AND SHOULDERS .162

Standing rag-dol! warm up . 162

56. Sideways bend across support . 165

57. Lying legs behind . 166

58. Parmer bar shoulder flexion with hip traction . 168

59. Parmer/solo shoulder internal rotation . 170

60. Parmer/solo shoulder external rotation ./ 7/

Lesson ten: legs apart and trunk ...174

61. Parmer wall seated knees apart ./75

Wall standing legs apart warm-up .. 176

62 Parmer wall seated tegs apart, facing wall . 177

63 Legs apart, off support ../79

64. Seated or standing bent leg rotation .. 182

65. Partner kneeling arms up and behind . 182

Lesson eleven: balancing and strength...184

Free squats warm up. knees apart, revisited .„. 184

Standing suspended hip flexor (ex. 25) and buttock and hip flexor (ex. 21) warm-
up . 185

66. Parmer lying 'V ... 187

67 Floor feet sequence warm up . 188

68. Standing horizontal one leg support . 190

69 Standing Y'one leg support ./jQ

Lesson Twelve: calf, wrists, trunk, and hip (piriformis) .195

70 Partner floor single leg. both legs calf . 197

71. Floor wrist and hand sequence . 198

72 Kneeling elbow on floor rotation .. 200

73. Partner floor wall seated side bend . 20!

tree squat ankles clasped bottom position . 202

74. Seated legs folded knees apart forward bend . 203

75. Seated clasped bent leg upper back ... . 204

76. Parmer floor external hip rotator ... 205

Lesson Thirteen: hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, front splits.208

77. Parmer bar standing calf . 209

78. Floor forward bend over straight leg, hurdler’s variation . 210

79 Standing forward bmd over bent and straight leg . 211

80 Wall and floor kneeling/straight leg outer hamstring . 213

Ij.sson Fourteen: nf.ck, wrists, ankles, whole body .216

Exercise 55. Seated legs apart, solo version . 222

Eree squat bottom position, ankles clasped, straighten legs sequence 224

Lesson fifteen: a final class of major poses .225

81 Partner wall reverse legs apart forward bend .226

82 Wall lunge rotation ..~. 228

83. Partner floor back bend, off support 230

84. Wall squatting rotation . 232

85. Partner floor backward bend . 233

Chapter Three

End poses. 236

86 The ultimate quadriceps stretch . .236

87. Partner floor hamstring and lower back . 238

88. The ultimate back bend . 239

89 The ultimate bent-leg hip adductor . 240

90. Balancing straight legs apart . 241

91. The ultimate legs-apart stretch . 242

92. Sitting and standing peacocks . 246

93. The ultimate front splits . 247

94. The ultimate abdominal workout . .248

95 Ultimate quadriceps and hip flexor . 249

96. Forward bend over straight tegs . 250

Chapter Four

Recommended exercises for sports.252

Racquet sports . 252

Football codes . 253

Court sports .. 253

Martial arts and gymnastics . 254

Cricket . 254

Golf .255
Swimming . 255

Acknowledgments.256

Technical notes.258

Recommended reading list.260

General index.262

Index of named exercises.268

Illustrations

Muscles of the body, front view. ... 22

Muscles of the body back view . . ... 23

Muscles of the neck, ude view, flexed .37

Muscles of the neck, tide view, extended . . 3$

Muscles of the neck, in tide-bend position .39

Muscles of arm and chest, arm lifted behind . 42

Muscles of arm and back, arm lifted to side . 43

Muscles of the neck, head rotated .35

Muscles of the leg. stde view .... (jQ

Muscles of the teg. inside view . 60

Muscles of the legs, from behind .6/

Muscles of the lower teg . 6_'

Muscles of the thigh .66

Scuttle nerve passes under piriformis . 6S

Part of sciatic nerve pierces piriformis. .69

Psoas, iliacus and quadrants lumborum . 75

How 'turnout'helps hip abduction .97

How tight ibo-psoas alters shape of spine /08

As leg extends, hip joint ligaments tighten around neck of femur 113

Levator scapulae details and Class II lever .. 122

A NEW DIRECTION

Flexibility and strength are critical in life—for all of us, at all ages—and not
just for the
professional or amateur athlete. Of the two, flexibility is the more important, in
my experience.
I'd go further, and say that a lack of flexibility is the main reason for the
muscular injuries that
affect top-flight athletes in all sports, and this is as true today as it was when
I was playing. And
everyone knows that injury is the most common reason an athlete's career stops.
More generally,
we might say that flexibility and strength are the physical attributes underlying
the essential
qualities of suppleness and resilience necessary for a good life. But how do you go
about developing
these?

Many people go to the gym these days and make a conscious effort to improve their
physical well¬
being. Quite a lot is known about how to get stronger and fitter and, to a greater
or lesser extent,
you can see this information being put into practice. The interesting thing is that
people, and
sports people in particular, treat stretching in an entirely different way from
other aspects of
fitness—the sort of thing that can be ignored entirely or treated as a sort of add-
on to 'real’
training—a sundry activity as it were. Whenever you go to a gym, you sec people
sitting around
doing their warm-up or cool-down stretches with nothing like the focus they display
when lifting
weights or doing an aerobics class. They stretch while looking out the window, or
chatting to a
friend, or they simply tune out as they go through the motions. One of the reasons
is they don't
find it enjoyable. Perhaps another reason is that people make slow progress, if
they make any at all.
Many assume that they were ‘born stiff and give up quickly.

Kit's new book Stretching & Flexibility will change your way of thinking about
flexibility and will
certainly improve the way you go about achieving it. Everyone will find exercises
to suit his or her
body type and level of flexibility. What I like most about the book is that the
people demonstrating
the exercises look just like you or me—to paraphrase H. G. Nelson, they are
ordinary people doing
extraordinary things. Kit would say, though, that being flexible is nothing
special; it just feels good
to be that way. I could not agree more. I think that becoming flexible physically
is one of the best
ways to acquire emotional strength, too, and when we feel good about ourselves, we
are more likely
to be understanding of others. Together with a good diet and a moderate lifestyle,
this book will
provide you with the tools to become healthier, in all senses of the term.

When we first met, I said to Kit over the phone that I could spare only 15 minutes.
Three hours
later, we were still sitting on the grass in a park, ideas flying backwards and
forwards as we
discussed how we would like to influence change in the world. I still laugh when I
remember his
response to my saying that the key to a healthy life was 'all things in
moderation'. 'Especially
moderation,' he replied. I am certain that this book will revolutionise the way we
go about
becoming more supple. Enjoy yourself, and learn something profound about how your
mind and
body works.

Greg Chappell

Why should we stretch?

These days everyone knows that they should stretch: you cannot open a magazine
without coming
across articles promoting stretching as the best way to decrease injuries, help you
lose weight,
decrease recovery time from workouts at the gym, reduce stress, and improve posture
—stretching
is even being promoted as the latest way for bodybuilders to increase muscle size!
And stretching
long has been the choice of self-help therapy for many practitioners who deal with
neck, back and
other musculoskeletal problems. But a number of questions remain: which positions
are best for
what part, what kind of stretching, done what way, and how often? This book will
answer these
questions and more besides. Before we start to look at answers to these questions,
though, I want
to emphasise what I have found to be the most important reason to stretch—it simply
feels
wonderful to do. This reason is almost never mentioned yet, if you arc to continue
any activity, it
must feel good, regardless of any other benefits it may have. Part of what this
book is about is
exactly how this subtle dimension can be maximised.

I realised there was a need for a book that takes a beginner through a number of
classes, similar to
the way we teach Posture & Flexibility at the Australian National University Sports
Union, where
these classes have been running for more than 11 years. 1 have found earlier books
that dealt with
stretching unsatisfactory, and here I have tried to write the book that 1 would
have found helpful
when 1 started. How many books have you seen that feature some lithe, apparently
boneless,
individual performing spectacular feats of flexibility (and balance and strength,
too), yet nowhere
could you find a stretch for an arm muscle, or that particularly tight muscle at
the side and back
of your neck? The answer must be many, if my experience is any guide.

And most books on the subject simply present separate exercises; the how-to-put-it-
all-together
section is buried at the back somewhere. What I do here is start at the beginning:
I assume that
you arc a normally flexible adult. In other words, touching your toes could be a
challenge some
days. It is a little-noted physiological fact, I believe, that the toes are further
away some days! So
we will begin with simple, yet effective, exercises, and will feature the warm-ups
we use,
movements that you can really do properly, that feel good to do, and that will
prepare you for more
difficult poses later on. In each lesson, exercises are linked in some logical or
functional way and
many of the later classes revolve around particular themes. You will be able to
move through the
material at your own pace and, by the time you get to the end, you will have done
one semester
(15 weeks) of our course. I guarantee that your flexibility will be markedly
improved, you will
know your body better than ever before, and your movements in daily life will have
become more
graceful. You will simply feel better.

If you are already flexible, at this point you may be feeling that you have picked
up the wrong
book, but do not despair. Many of the exercises presented here are new or
substantial modifications
of exercises you know. There will be a few staples, of course; there are only so
many ways that the
body can be moved, after all. But even our advanced students can get an excellent
stretch when
they drop into one of the Beginners' classes, and we have found that returning to a
simpler version
of an exercise you know well can reveal new insights if it is done a slightly
different way.

I have presented the material as I would in class. Essential anatomical information

is contained in
the relevant section of a lesson; all photographs refer to the text of a section,
and so on. You will
find simple cues to the essential aspects of what we have found to be good form in
larger type, so

you can read them when the book is alongside you as you practise. I decided to use
photographs
instead of drawings because a drawing can depict any position and this does not
inspire confidence
or trust. With photographs much information is provided in addition to the basic
positions and
you know that the person writing the book can do the recommended exercises too.

The question of precisely how to present the wealth of material that comprises
Posture & Flexibility
occupied all of the teachers for several months, requiring a large number of
occasionally rowdy
meetings, and resulting in the generation of charts, spreadsheets, diagrams and
lists. The problem
we set ourselves was this: what is the most user-friendly and efficient way to
present the huge
number of warm-up movements, partial poses, end poses, and movements that defy
simple
characterisation? Many of the teachers are professionally employed in research
institutions and feel
that they understand something about the problems of categorisation; in the end,
though, we felt
that we needed a new way of presenting the material that would achieve both goals
simultaneously.
The breakthrough came when one of the senior teachers. Dr Carol Wenzel, told us of
the reaction
of one of her students to the proposition of presenting the material as a series of
end poses, with
the required steps documented within that section. She likened this approach to the
generation of
lists of different ingredients (and perhaps not very different from other books on
stretching
exercises); what was needed, Carol realised, was the particular organisation and
presentation of the
ingredients that result in the recipe that is Posture dr Flexibility. This
suggestion was unanimously
approved by the teachers. I asked them all to make known their preferred ways of
organising and
presenting the materials; this resulted in the generation of as many variations on
exactly how new
students should be taken through a 15-weck semester of Posture & Flexibility as
there are teachers.

I have taken the best of these variations—in other words, the material is presented
here so as to
emulate as closely as possible the experience you would have if you enrolled in one
of our courses.

How this book is set out

The Introduction begins with a description of how the Posture & Flexibility classes
came to be, the
criteria by which we selected the movements that comprise the set of exercises we
use, and how the
classes arc run at the Australian National University. We hope that this can become
a model for
classes in your area.

Chapter one comprises the first seven classes that a newcomer would experience,
were they to join
a Beginners class. Each class builds on the one before and, by the time the seventh
class is complete,
the main elements that distinguish Posture & Flexibility from other approaches to
stretching have
been taught. Each class teaches the warm-up movements that arc related to the theme
of that class.
In later lessons, exercises from earlier classes arc presented again as repeats.
These smaller
photographs are marked with an 7? and the relevant page number for easy revision.

Chapter two comprises the final eight weeks of a typical 15-week course. In this
second term, some
reasonably difficult exercises are presented, more difficult versions of earlier
poses are taught, and
our particular approach to enhancing flexibility is added to the basic positions.
As far as possible,
each class is slightly more difficult than the one preceding. Every class has an
organising theme (for
example, one might be mainly concerned with forward-bending movements), and so a
particular
class may be more difficult for you than another if that class focuses on your
tight areas. Generally,
however, each class may be thought of as self-contained, as there will be
additional movements that
counterbalance the emphasis of that class's theme, and hence balance the effects on
the body.

Chapter three departs in style from Chapters one and two. Each section of this
chapter shows how
to get into and out of a standard stretch, or end pose. Appropriate warm-ups for
each stretch will
be indicated; these may include an easier version of the stretch that has been
taught in an earlier
class. These exercises comprise the elements of a typical Intermediate class and a
few from the
Advanced series of classes, but are not organised in the order they might be
taught. By this stage,
the reader will be able to pick and choose from among this array to achieve a
particular effect or
to prepare him or herself for a particular activity.
Chapter four lists collections of small photographs of warm-up positions and end
poses related to
sporting or martial activity. All are numbered so you can refresh your memory of
how to do
them—if necessary by turning back to the relevant pages. If you are a runner or a
basketball player,
for example, once you have worked your way through the elements of the list (either
by going
through all the classes in the order of presentation, or by turning back to the
relevant earlier class
or section) you can use it to review at a glance the exercises we have found to be
most effective for
your sport.

The next sections of the book arc Acknowledgments, Technical notes and a
Recommended reading list.
The Reading list is annotated and will guide you to the books that I have found
inspiring or
effective. This list will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of the anatomy
and physiology,
or even the ncurobiology, that underlies the basic task. All the recommended books
have been
useful in the development of the approach of Posture & Flexibility. The
Acknowledgment section
lists many of the current Posture & Flexibility teachers who have helped me
construct the system
presented here, and lists our web-site address which provides the most up-to-date
list of teachers
(many of whom are working around the world) and their locations, if you wish to
attend their
classes. The web site also gives details of our educational aids, such as video and
audio tapes.
Either the Table of Contents or the final part of the book, the Index, may be used
to locate a stretch
for a particular muscle or group. For example, if you want to find a biceps
stretch, it will be listed
in the Table of Contents as such (10. Partner front arm), or you may use the Index
to locate stretches
grouped by particular functions (for example, all exercises that may be considered
as bending the
body backwards) or by muscle name (for example, if you know that you need to
stretch tensor
fasciae latae). The Index duplicates much of the Table of Contents, but is
organised differently.

How to use this book

Although you may use the book (via the Index or Table of Contents) to locate a
stretch for a
particular part of the body, by far the best effects will be gained if you work
your way through the
book in the order that the material is presented, because some of the effects we
are trying to achieve
occur through the conjunction of poses or series of poses. Progress in the first
few classes will be
slower than subsequent ones, but this will be to your advantage in the longer term.
The early
classes contain more instruction than later ones—the early ones concentrate on
teaching the
method, which requires some explanation for comprehensiveness and safety. As those
aspects are
learned, the pace of subsequent classes picks up, and more exercises will be
featured. Additionally,
you will be able to apply the Posture & Flexibility method to any exercises not
described here, and
which may be essential to your activity.

I suggest you begin with lesson 1 and do a new lesson every week. As we recommend
stretching
only twice per week to begin with (the exceptions being the five trunk and spine
exercises that can

be done every day, and which are taught in lesson 1), do a complete lesson, and
choose the most
difficult exercises out of the lesson to try again at a subsequent, shorter
session. In the beginning,
I suggest that the old adage ‘less is more’ be your guide. I will expand on the
reasons behind this
advice in Chapter one.

Cautions

I strongly suggest you discuss your intention to begin a stretching exercise

program with your
coach or your health care professional, if you are seeing one. It may be that
embarking on a
stretching exercise program may work against whatever program or treatment you are
receiving
and you will need to know whether that is the case. If you have neck or back
problems, you may
wish to consult the book Overcome Neck & Back Pain, now in its third edition; this
book deals
direedy with these problems and contains many specialised exercises that will not
be found here.
Your health care professional may have reasons for recommending for or against
particular
exercises, and it is a matter of safety, as well as courtesy, that you discuss your
intentions.

On using the book itself, do not rely on the photographs alone. Each exercise
consists of
photographs that indicate the suggested form of an exercise, plus descriptions of
how the exercise
is to be done or the work to be done when in the final position. Sometimes the
precise way of
getting into or out of a pose is particularly important. These details will be
found in the text. Read
the entire description of each individual exercise while referring to the
accompanying
photographs, examine any illustrations that may accompany the photographs for
relevant
anatomical detail, then lie the book on the floor and get to work! Your enjoyment
of any pose will
be enhanced greatly if you know precisely where you are to feel any particular
effect and what part
of your body needs to be held which way before you try to do it.
Once you have read the text, the Cues point out the major style or effort aspects
of an exercise.
These are displayed in a typeface large enough to be read when the book is on the
floor next to
you, but do not rely on these alone. Before doing an exercise, make sure you know
how long the
final position is to be held, and how many breaths in and out are suggested for
best effect.

It may be that when you look at an exercise you know that you can do a more extreme
version. I
recommend strongly, however, that you begin with the easier-looking version. In our
Advanced
classes, we have found that returning to an easier version of a pose than the one
we would normally
use always gives the student new insight and new sensations. This is just because
the student can
actually do the pose (achieve it technically); accordingly, the student can attend
to the more subtle
aspects such as breathing in particular ways or concentrating on the sensations
coming from the
body—and it is in these subtleties that many of the large-scale effects of a pose
reside.

And finally, let me make a few practical suggestions. When practising at home, make
sure that you
can concentrate on what you are doing: turn off the television, and pull the
telephone jack out of
the wall. The former ensures that your concentration is on you ; the latter that
you will not be
disturbed in the middle of doing something difficult. Similarly with children and
pets: you will
not be able to concentrate with your two-year-old climbing all over you or with
your dog licking
your ear (lying on the floor is an open invitation!). So, it may be that a short
practice after putting
the children to bed, or at some other convenient time during the day, will be best.
I will expand
on the best time of the day to stretch, and how best to incorporate stretching into
your other
activities, below.

Make sure that you go to the toilet before beginning your practice. We suggest that
you do not eat
for an hour-and-a-half or so before practising, but a small snack half-an-hour
before beginning will
not usually do any harm. These prescriptions are really a matter of comfort—some of
the rotation
and forward-bending movements are simply unpleasant to do if your stomach is full.
Wear clothes
that permit easy movement: track suit pants and a loose top, or tights and a
leotard are suitable.
Have a strap, belt, dish towel or similar to hand, as you will need something to
use to hold onto
your feet if you are not particularly flexible. Many of the poses use equipment
that we have made,
but I will suggest substitutes that you will find around the house or in any gym
that will do the

The most important caution is to urge you to concentrate on the sensations coming
from your
body while practising. I will develop this theme in detail as we go through the
classes, but the latest
research strongly suggests that it is the re-mapping of the brains image of its'
own physical
capacities that is the main result of the correct stretching technique, and which
directly produces
the increases in the range of movements of the body that we recognise as ‘becoming
more flexible’.
This is not the whole story, but it is a major part, and to facilitate this process
we need to feel what
is happening; that is, be strongly aware of the suite of sensations coming from the
body.
Accordingly, you must get into every stretch position slowly —not primarily for
safety reasons
(although important), but to maximise the sensory information coming to you from
your body. I
will expand on this theme later, too.

And last, when you look at the photos and try to emulate the shapes being depicted,
attend to the
form of the exercise being demonstrated, not the teacher’s performance of it. You
may well be able
to achieve a more extreme position than the one demonstrated, or you may be less
flexible, but the
purpose of the photographs is to show the crucial elements of an exercise— how to
do it. For
example, the essential form of a seated forward bend may be that the movement needs
to be
achieved by bending only at the hip, and the trunk and the legs are held straight.
If you bend
forward (and let us say that you can place your forehead on your knees) but your
back is rounded,
you will have missed the point of the photograph completely. This is the main
reason I have
insisted you read the entire text for an exercise. In the one described, for
example, if the body is
not held in the suggested shape, it is very likely that you will have felt the
stretch in your back as
well as the back of your legs—which is totally undesirable. Each exercise will
describe precisely
where the effects should be felt, and what work you will need to do—in the example,
you need to
hold the trunk straight, and bend forward only at the hips until you feel the
stretch at the back of
the legs; conversely, the back will need to bend if that is what we want to
stretch. We have a
perhaps hackneyed saying in the exercise classes: ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’. So
take your time
and enjoy the journey of self-discovery you have embarked upon.

The Introduction describes how we have arrived at the positions we advocate, and
also describes
how the classes at the Australian National University are organised and run. You
may turn straight
to Chapter one and begin the first lesson if you like, and return to the material
in the Introduction
at a later time.

Background to the approach

I began stretching at the Australian Academy of Ballet in Sydney—but certainly I

was no dancer.
In feet I had the distinction (at the age of 26) of being the least flexible
student in the early
morning limber classes, held every day before the real classes started. Picture the
scene: a very fit,
very stiff adult male in a class of young dance students, all of whom had perfect
flexibility in the
usual sense (side splits and front splits used to warm-up for the warm-up class!),
and the students
going through a relaxed stretching program to a piano, or sometimes recorded music.
The
instructor would call out in a beautifully projected voice, ‘Now, fold your body
onto your legs for
a count of eight. One, two ...', and everyone except me would do just that. The
term ‘frustrating’
would not begin to cover what I felt: a moderately competitive middle distance
runner, capable of
putting up good times on the right day, and not able to touch my toes. What was I
doing here?

Like many people, I had realised at an earlier point that a lack of flexibility
probably had something
to do with the discomfort 1 experienced living in my fit and strong body. So, 1
tried all sorts of
classes to try to make myself more flexible. 1 kept going to the timber classes for
two years before
work, but 1 made only slow progress. In feet, for the first six months, I could not
see any
measurable progress and 1 wonder now why I stuck with it for so long. It could only
have been
that the sheer grace displayed by the young dance students fascinated me and it was
clear that these
slender bodies were strong, too. Overall, though, it was the quality of movement
that they all
displayed that most interested me: case, beautifully coordinated—in all, the best
word is graceful.
And I wanted that for myself. In terms of teaching an adult how to become flexible,
however, the
classes left much to be desired, and it was not until 1 realised that all of these
students had become
flexible at much earlier ages (often having started dance classes when they were
five or six years old)
that I understood that these students were correctly using the classes I was
attending. They used
the limber classes as an extended warm-up and to practise moving in certain ways in
preparation
for the days work, whereas I was trying to make my body imitate the patterns of
flexibility that
they already had. It became clear to me that 1 needed methods that would alter my
patterns, and
this realisation is where my search for efficient stretching methods really began.

My thoughts turned to the problem that 1 was feeing: how do you make an adult’s
body flexible?
For many reasons, this is an entirely different task from making a child’s body
flexible. It is not just
a matter of a child’s body having looser ligaments and more supple muscles
(although these are the
sorts of conventional reasons that are offered whenever discussions like this
occur), for to say this
is merely to restate the problem a different way. Why is it that adults' bodies are
so much tighter,
why do adults display such individual postural signatures, and why aren’t adults'
bodies soft, supple
and graceful, the way young children's are? And the most important question: can
the adult be
brought back into this state of gracefulness and, if so, how? The answer to the
question of whether
the adult body can be returned to its earlier suppleness is an unqualified yes, and
the answers to
the question of ‘how’ are what we are concerned with in the remainder of this book.

When I watched one of the young dancers folding a perfectly straight body over
straight legs, again
and again, without effort, I realised that the experience for her of doing that
movement was
completely different from the experience I had when I attempted the same movement:
my body
simply refused to move that way and, once the end of my range of movement had been
reached,
it was my body that stopped me from going further. How then could my body (using
the
conventional separation between mind and body for a moment) be made to do what my
mind

wanted? It became obvious that force would not work (if it had, my body would have
been
perfectly flexible a long time ago), and simply holding the end position of a
stretching movement
produced some results, but the discomfort in the muscles involved was off-putting.
Moreover, the
effects of this kind of stretching are felt for days afterward: the muscles can be
very sore. This
suggested that this approach was altering the muscles, but were the results worth
the pain? Many
people have tried conventional approaches to becoming more flexible and have
decided that the
answer to that question is no. These are the people who decide that they were bom
stiff, and they
arc the ones who drop out of classes everywhere.

A minor breakthrough in understanding occurred during a four-year stay in Japan. I

had been
working with an extremely flexible woman who was the translator at the shiatsu
school where I was
studying. She was the last remaining shihan (senior teacher) of an exercise form
named Jikyo Julsu
(which loosely translates as ‘self-help method’). The form is characterised by
various dynamic and
repetitive movements (including percussive techniques) to stimulate various glands
around the
head and neck and to direct pressure on particular internal organs, as well as
dynamic stretches for
the arms and legs. The woman explained that Jikyo Jutsu makes the practitioner
flexible not by
stretching the body (as it might appear) but by regulating the flow of internal
energy, called ki in
Japanese. Because I was studying shiatsu and immersing myself in the theory of
Oriental medicine
(one theory underpins all modern Chinese and Japanese traditional medicine, with
some
variations) I found the explanation convincing in that context. In time I became a
shodan (first dan
or black belt, but in Japan that signifies the most junior of teachers), but my
flexibility had not
improved significantly. And the attitude of the teacher was essentially one of
disbelief: how could
someone who had practised martial arts as long as 1 had not already be flexible?
Here was the same
old problem, expressed in a different way.

Watching her work, I realised that in some way my body was organised differently
from hers; and
the differences reminded me of that time 1 spent working out with the young dance
students. Once
again I became aware that movements which for me provoked the strongest sensations
in my body
had no such effect on her. Sliding her legs into the full side-splits position gave
her the same
sensations in her legs and hips as when I touch the back of my head with my hand:
mere awareness
of the movement involved. Suddenly I knew that my experience of trying to imitate a
movement
like side splits was completely different from hers, even though the movements
might look the
same to an observer. She explained that all she felt was the movement of her legs:
the same
movement for me produced feelings of alarm, fear that I would injure myself, and
pain. 1 wanted
to have the same expanded range of movement that I admired in the dancers and in
this teacher.
Like most people, I could touch my knee to my chest if my leg was bent at the knee,
but had no
capacity to do the same hip movement if the leg was straight. Clearly, there was no
joint limitation;
the limitation was somewhere in the muscles, nerves, or perhaps the fascia that
permeates the entire
structure. The task remained: how could I change the way my body mapped its
available
movements, so the desired movements would be as easy to do as all of my other
movements?
One day, working out in the small local gym near my traditional Japanese house, a
glimmer of
deeper understanding occurred. I was attempting a forward-bending movement with the
legs
apart, and 1 happened to be sitting opposite a piece of equipment that presented a
bar to me at
hand height. I reached out to hold it to help me hold my back straight. I grasped
it, lifted my chest
to help straighten my back, and, as I did, I became aware of the increased
sensations in the inner
and back thigh muscles, the ones limiting the movement. I decided to apply a
reverse tension to

my hands, using these muscles that were sending such strong sensations to me. I
pulled gently back
on the bar using the muscles at the back and inside of my legs for a while. I
noticed that as soon
as I began to pull back, the uncomfortable pain-like sensation in the back of the
legs diminished
slightly; in feet, holding the end position of the movement became more bearable
immediately.
But, as soon as I stopped the pulling movement, I became aware of something quite
different: the
sensations that initially had prevented me from going deeper into the stretch
position were no
longer present. Cautiously I took in a breath (all the while feeling a little
anxious), tried to calm
myself and let the body go limp while still holding myself in position and, very
slowly, pulled
myself a little closer to the bar. On moving further forwards, I could feel the old
sensations come
back, but it was clear that I had moved further into the stretch. 1 continued to go
forward until
the sensations returned. 1 waited a while, and began the process again. A greater
range of
movement was achieved. After trying this a couple more times I could feel that no
further
movement forwards was going to occur.

1 was tremendously excited by this event, because once I came out of the new end
position and
tried going back into it again I could feel that my body’s reactions and sensations
in this position
had changed. The initial point in the range of movement that ordinarily would stop
me from going
further had definitely receded; I could feel that something had happened to the way
my body felt
about that point, but it would be many years later before I realised what was
behind this change.
In the meantime I experimented with this approach, and devised ways of applying it
to all the
stretches I knew. Within weeks my flexibility began to improve noticeably.

Years later, in a book shop in Canberra specialising in remaindered texts, 1 came

across a book
entitled Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation, in which a partial explanation
for the effect I
had observed was found. The original textbook was written by two physical
therapists, Knott and
Voss (1968), and it describes a large number of complex movement patterns.
Originally developed
at the Kabat-Kaiscr Institute in the United States in the late 1940s, the technique
was designed to
re-educate the movement patterns of people with cerebral or spinal injuries.
Typically, the
handbook describes 'spiral-diagonal' patterns, such as the complex chain of
movements the body
makes when you roll on to one side before getting up out of bed. A short paragraph
describes the
Hold-Rclax approach to increasing the range of movement of an affected limb, where
the patient
applies an isometric contraction against an increasing force applied by the
practitioner: a static
contraction against resistance (Knott & Voss, 1968, p. 98). Most who use the term
PNF stretching
are referring to this fragment of the whole technique. The same paragraph describes
two other
approaches, both of which we have tested, and neither of which affects the body of
healthy
individuals to anything like the same degree.

I decided to call my approach to increasing flexibility Contract-Relax (C-R), even

though, in the
original book, this term referred to the use of isotonic contractions (a moving
contraction against
resistance), and despite the feet that my approach to using this technique is
different from the
original in a number of significant ways. My reasons are that the name Contract-
Relax describes
the crucial elements succinctly, and that the PNF approach was once a core idea in
physical therapy
and hence will seem familiar to many. I also dislike the coining of new terms when
perfectly
acceptable ones exist. The authors do not expand on the mechanisms behind what they
describe
(that is, they describe what happens when the techniques are used, not why), and it
would be many
years before I came across what 1 found to be a convincing explanation, which 1
shall address

The Posture & Flexibility approach to increasing flexibility

When I returned from Japan in 1985,1 opened my clinic, the Shoshin Centre, and
enrolled at the
Australian National University (ANU). I wanted to make sure that I did enough
stretching for
myself, and in 1986 I decided to start a class at the Sports Union. I had intended
to teach my own
approach to yoga, but there were a number of yoga teachers already operating there,
and the
manager (a large ex-Olympic water polo player, Rend Bol) asked me what was
distinctive about my
approach. I explained the use of the Contract-Relax approach in a context of
standard hatha yoga
postures, and that practice would make the student more flexible, and improve his
or her posture.
He suggested that we call it Posture & Flexibility, and I began with one class that
semester. By the
end of the first year, 1 was teaching five classes a semester and had taken on a
number of student
teachers. Now, 13 years later, we have about 27 classes a week: 19 or 20 Posture &
Flexibility classes,
(depending on how many of the teachers are available) and 6 to 8 Strength &
Flexibility classes
where the emphasis is more on efficient strength improvement. Outside the ANU we
run in-house
classes for various government departments, classes at Sydney, Adelaide and
Newcastle
Universities, specialist courses for elite athletes in various sports, and courses
at other locations,
including in countries other than Australia.

After years of experimentation and development, the Posture & Flexibility approach
is offered as a
stand-alone method to increase awareness and flexibility. In its simplest
conception, any potential
Posture & Flexibility exercise must satisfy two constraints, and most exercises
comprise three
elements.

The two constraints arc safety and effectiveness. The first of these, safety, is
paramount. We have
trialled a great many exercises, and estimate that, of the 100 or so routinely used
forms, we have
probably rejected as many, mainly on the basis of not satisfying this constraint.
We constantly
monitor the feedback from the classes to this end. For this reason we do not use
many extended
poses in our Beginners' classes (by extended, I mean poses where the body's weight
is supported on
straight arms or legs, where the elbows or knees are themselves not supported).
Similarly, any
exercise shape that imposes rotational torque on the knees is not used in
Beginners' classes, and
generally our backward bends are done over supports.

Effectiveness is assessed with respect to the over-arching goal of increasing

flexibility, and is
measured by results gained for time spent. For example, I will recommend later that
major exercises
(ones that stretch large muscle groups, such as the hamstring or the quadriceps
group) be done only
twice per week. Although it is often said that one needs to stretch every day in
order to become
flexible, I tested this claim while teaching in Japan. I found that the groups of
students who
stretched these muscles once or twice per week made consistently faster progress
than those who
stretched the same muscles every day, or every second day. These were groups of
adults, however,
and as I mentioned above, adults' bodies are different in many respects from those
of children.
The three comprising elements of Posture & Flexibility ate (i) the use of the
Contract-Relax (C-R)
approach, within a structure of (ii) partial poses, many of which are (iii)
partner-assisted I will deal
with each of these elements in turn.

(i) The Contract—Relax (C-R) approach

As mentioned above, the Contract-Relax (C-R) technique is one of three described in

the original
PNF handbook. Explicitly, it is a set of techniques to be used by a practitioner on
a patient. We
have found that the approach as described in the handbook can be improved, and this
is what I
will describe here. There are three steps to successful implementation of the C-R
approach. First,
the limb is taken into a stretch position, either by the student, or, in the case
of a partner-assisted
exercise, by the partner. This initial stretch position needs to be relatively
comfortable; we have
found no advantage to the final stretch end point by beginning with a more extreme
stretch
position. If anything the contrary is true: if you begin the process in a strong
stretch position, all
surrounding musculature will contract to a greater degree than otherwise, and this
increased
whole-body tension works against the final step. I recommend holding the initial
position for 10
to 30 seconds. We have found that the larger the muscle being stretched, the longer
all steps should
be held. Again, this determination is based on much experimentation, and these
recommendations
arc based on what seems to provide the greatest improvement in end position.

The second step requires the student to contract. This means that the student
pushes or pulls the
limb being stretched in precisely the opposite direction to that used to get into
the initial position;
alternatively, the student pushes or pulls the muscle(s) in which the stretch is
felt. The length of
this contraction can be varied to suit the size of the muscle being stretched; the
larger the muscle,
the longer the contraction. Generally, a contraction will range from a few seconds
(in the case of
neck muscles, for example) to half a minute (in the case of hamstrings or
quadriceps). The strength
of contraction has been tested over a long period. For beginners, I recommend a
gentle
contraction; sometimes just enough to actually feel the muscle concerned. It is
often the case that
a beginner cannot feel a stretch sensation in a particular muscle (the hip flexors,
psoas and iliacus
are common examples) and we have found that a very gentle contraction can make the
student
aware of the location of a muscle immediately, whereas a stronger contraction
produces an almost
overwhelming sensory feedback from a much larger part of the body as surrounding
muscles
become involved as well, to stabilise the body. As the student progresses, and is
further able to
distinguish between the stretch sensation and pain, stronger contractions may be
used for the
larger muscles of the body.

The final step has two parts. Once the contraction phase is over, the student will
need to relax.
This is a much more difficult instruction than merely reading or hearing will
suggest. The original
PNF handbook is silent on this element, but I can say that without effective
techniques to make
the body relax at this point, the C-R technique will produce indifferent results.
We have found
that attending to one's breathing is the key to this essential aspect. We make no
recommendations
for breathing in the contraction phase, for experience has shown that most people
will
automatically brace themselves using the Valsalva manoeuvre (holding the breath
against increased
tension in the abdominal and other trunk muscles). However, the same reflexive
behaviour
militates directly against effective stretching so, after the contraction, the
teacher will direct the
class to take a full breath in and, except for any muscles being used to support
the position, to let
the whole body go soft and relax. Then, as the student breathes out. the final
phase, the restretch, is
performed. In this second part of the relax phase, the student or the students
partner assists in
achieving a new stretch position, which will always be further into the range of
movement than
before. The new position is held for a duration that depends generally on the size
of the muscle
being stretched, but usually from 15 to 45 seconds.

The three-part C—R approach may be repeated. We have found that the most commonly
reported
experience is that no further increase in the range of movement can be achieved
beyond three
repetitions. In feet, if the student has a breakthrough in a tight muscle and is
able to move well
into a new range of movement (for example, a 10 or 15 degree improvement in the
session) they
will notice themselves tightening up within minutes of achieving the new movement,
even if only
one cycle of the C-R approach has been used to that point. Such improvements are
cumulative
however and, once a breakthrough has been achieved, stretching the same muscle at a
subsequent
session (assuming sufficient recovery) will produce sensations that are
qualitatively altered. Most
students report that a significant fraction of the increase remains and is
noticeable at the next
The C-R approach has a number of advantages over conventional stretching, both
ballistic (using
momentum to increase the range of movement) and static (holding the end position of
a stretch
without movement). Ballistic stretching (for example, performing high kicks to the
front or side)
is inherently dangerous for the untrained person, because the end point of the
movement is both
hard to predict and difficult to control. Momentary over-stretching is a common
cause of shoulder,
biceps and hamstring muscle group injuries, as reported in the sporting press
daily. Research has
demonstrated that the body's capacity to produce muscular contractions that could
prevent over¬
stretching at the end of the range of movement in fast, power-based activities is
significantly
reduced, compared with strength that can be applied in the normal range of
movement. However,
many sports require powerful ballistic movements, and these will need to be
practised. There are
two kinds of sensing mechanisms in muscles and tendons; one kind sensitive to
position, and the
other sensitive to time and position. Acquiring flexibility using the C-R approach
will improve
your ballistic flexibility to a significant extent, but the student who needs
ballistic flexibility in their
particular activity will need to do these specific fest movements in addition to
the slow, careful
exercises recommended in this book. For further information on how to improve
ballistic
flexibility, consult the book Stretching Scientifically, by Thomas Kurt (1994).

Static stretching, the approach most commonly used to increase flexibility, is

typified by holding
a position where a stretch sensation is felt for 10 to 30 seconds. A number of
these stretches are
performed in the one session. Reasons to support the use of this technique arc that
it is safe and
that it tends not to aggravate any existing injuries. The disadvantage of this
conservative approach
is that, for the inexperienced individual, the end point in the range of movement
is difficult to
determine (that is, exaedy when in the range of movement is a stretch being
experienced?) and
there may be difficulty distinguishing that further point in the range of movement
where pain, or
even injury, may be felt. People unused to stretching will feel pain and the
stretch sensation at the
same time if the static method is used, and will be unable to distinguish between
these sensations.
This is especially so if the student has been suffering muscular or other types of
pain for long
periods. The C-R approach distinguishes these sensations quickly, often the first
time it is used,
and awareness (proprioception) is enhanced immediately. The difficulty of
determining the optimal
end point of the range of movement experienced in static stretching has two
consequences: cither
the student does not stretch fer enough and docs not improve, or the student does
not acquire the
enhanced sensitivity to the range of movement between stretch sensation and injury.
We call this
range the ‘stretch window'. How it may be opened is dealt with in detail in
subsequent chapters.
A further advantage of the C-R approach is that its use develops strength at the
very end of the
range of movement, which is left unaltered by conventional stretching and
resistance training. This

is due to the contraction phase of the approach, which is an isometric

strengthening effort.
Research shows that isometric contractions produce increases in strength at the
points in the range
of movement at which they are used. Isometric means that the muscles are exerting
effort on the
limb concerned, but no movement is produced. It is usually contrasted with
isotonic, where the
effort results in movement. Accordingly, when you use the C—R approach, not only do
you become
more flexible, but you also develop increased strength, especially at the end of
the range of

(ii) Partial poses

The second element in the Posture dr Flexibility approach to stretching is the use
of partial poses,
or parts of standard exercises. We have broken down many complex exercises into an
elemental
vocabulary of what I call ‘functional units of flexibility’. This term denotes the
reduction of a
multi-joint movement into smaller parts, the classification of which is
pragmatically determined—
we stop reducing when the effect of a partial pose still can be assessed as being
effective in terms
of the desired outcome. Functional units arc logical elements based around single
joints initially
and which then include multiple joints and more complex movements. For example, a
standard
stretching exercise for the hamstring muscles (the large muscles at the back of the
leg between the
hip and the knee) is to sit on the floor with outstretched legs and to fold the
upper body over the
legs by bending forwards from the hips. One can see this exercise being done poorly
at any gym,
any day. Because the untrained individual lacks flexibility in the hamstring
muscles, the final
position is achieved by bending the spine strongly forwards.

We begin by using a couple of stretches for the two calf muscles. Loosening the
calf muscles,
especially gastrocnemius, can result in a startling improvement to bending at the
hips, even though
these muscles are not directly involved in the movement. Just why this is so will
be explored in the
forwards-bending class below. Next, we stretch the hip muscles {gluteus maximus and
piriformis, in
particular). We stretch the hip joint and gluteus maximus to signal to the body
that a certain range
of movement is possible at the joint; the reason for stretching piriformis will be
covered below. The
student then proceeds to do one or two single-leg hamstring stretches. We do one
leg at a time
because, although most people arc not strong enough in the trunk to hold the trunk
straight
against the combined forces of both hamstring muscle groups, everyone can do so if
only stretching
one leg. Another reason is that stretching one leg at a time reduces the total
sensory input; it is
easier to hold any final position as a result. Following this, we would do a lower-
back, and possibly
a middle-back and upper-back, stretch, and then try the complex whole-body movement
(the
forward bend over both legs) again.

In all people to date, their performance in the whole pose is noticeably improved
over their first
attempts, even allowing for warm-up effects. In addition, the student will have
become aware of
which are their tight muscles in the chain of muscles required to do the exercise—
and they will
have learned the most efficient partial pose to alter these tight muscles and a
simplified description
of the essential anatomy. In the inexperienced person, there is often a great deal
of difficulty in
working out exactly which muscles are limiting movement; the movement simply feels
stiff and
uncomfortable. The ‘functional unit' approach identifies these areas precisely. We
have also run
simple experiments which suggest that identifying one’s tightest areas in a chain
of muscles, and
using the partial pose approach to altering these, improves the student’s
performance of the whole

pose significantly faster than the same amount of time spent practising the whole
pose. We always
practise the whole pose at the end of the partial-pose session to realise any
holistic benefits the pose
may have, and to mimic most closely the functional demands of the complex movement.
The final
benefit of the partial pose approach is that all students, regardless of their
overall level of flexibility,
will be able to practise the elements in some suitable form, and this helps their
confidence and
shows them that they are improving.

(Hi) Partner-assisted

The final element of the Posture & Flexibility approach is partner-assisted

stretching. This has many
advantages over solo stretching. In the contraction phase, the student can
concentrate on just the
sensations of using the desired muscle to do the work against the partners support.
Another
advantage is that the student docs not need to make the effort to hold him or
herself in a final, or
difficult, position, and can concentrate on the subde details of good form and the
essential element
of breathing. The partner, who is another member of the class, can check the
student s form and
provide essential feedback. We have found that alerting the partner to form
considerations is an
extremely effective way to make them aware of the same details when the pairs
change over. In
time, our classes become self-correcting, all of the students becoming as aware of
good form as the
teachers.

Objections have been raised that partner-assisted stretching is dangerous, and a

number of
contemporary books on stretching recommend against partner work on this basis. We
have
overcome this objection by designing the majority of partner exercises so that the
person being
stretched (the stretchee, in our terminology—the one neologism of this book) is in
control of the
end position, and not the partner (or stretcher). This satisfies the safety
constraint and we stress this
point in one of the early classes. We note that the students are adults, and that
the best teacher in
the world cannot know what the student is experiencing. Accordingly, we inform out
students
that, as we will teach them only exercises in which they control the end point, we
expect them to
be responsible for themselves. This may seem somewhat peremptory, but we want our
students to
take control of themselves; indeed the essence of the approach we advocate is self-
awareness—and
self-awareness cannot be achieved without embracing this responsibility.

There are also substantial psychological advantages of partner-assisted stretching

over solo
stretching. The students find that they tend to hold the end position of a stretch
for longer than
they would if on their own and this is often volunteered in the course of a class.
It simply feels
good to be supported by another when concentrating on difficult positions, and
enduring the
sometimes powerful sensory stimulations one’s own body is producing in the big
hamstring and
quadriceps stretches is eased enormously if one has a partner to help; this will
have to be
experienced to be appreciated.

There are, of course, many occasions when the student must work alone. I will show
an individual
version of most stretches, and provide the essential cues for good form. Often
though, the subtlety
of a stretch will be felt more strongly when you practise with another and, when
you have felt these
sensations doing partner work, they are much more easily recaptured when doing the
stretch on
your own. If only for this reason, it is worth attending a class from time to time
if you can. When
choosing a partner in class, try to find someone approximately your own size and
weight. We have

had little trouble teaching people to assist well, but we often spend as much time
teaching the
stretcher as the stretchee; they have a basic relationship and both play a
fundamental role.

How Posture & Flexibility evolves

We have no tradition, which I believe is to our advantage. Tradition in an exercise

form can lead
to stagnation—in my experience, the originators of most of the major approaches to
body work
around us today were insightful, and uncovered novel and interesting ways of
working with the
body. What can happen is that the subsequent generation of teachers becomes rigid
in its
approach, and some contemporary exercise forms explicitly discourage innovation,
claiming that
the originators method is complete. The irony is that the originators of most of
these forms created
new systems precisely by breaking away from their own teachers, or by striking out
in a direction
that was new at the time. Further, there is a serious temptation to become overly
enamoured of
one’s own creation and blind to its shortcomings. In my own system, 1 hope that I
have avoided
these shortcomings, mainly by the strictest adherence to an impersonal objective:
the principle of
using whatever techniques appear to work in achieving our goal of increased
flexibility, within the
dual constraints of safety and effectiveness. Orientating oneself to this
objective, rather than
protecting the boundaries of one’s own creation, seems to be the best way to
proceed.

Early in my attempts to refine the Posture & Flexibility approach, one of my then
teachers expressed
reservations about teaching the method to all who wished to learn. He was concerned
that teachers
of other systems would take the ideas and incorporate them into their own systems.
1 believed
then, as I do now, that any attempt to protect the ‘purity’ of a system will fail,
and that having
explicitly permeable boundaries around one’s work is the only sensible alternative.
We invite the
teachers of other approaches (yoga, aerobics, pilates, physiotherapy, martial arts,
athletics and
others)—anyone with an interest in stretching—to participate. My feeling is that we
have learnt at
least as much as we have taught and, because of our stated goal, feel no misgivings
about taking
and using anyone elsc's techniques that appear to help us achieve that goal.

Our classes are graded Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced. There are other
classes too: a ‘Neck,
Shoulders & Relaxation’ class, which comprises 15 to 20 minutes of relaxation
practice added to
a gentle mix of neck, upper-back, and arm and shoulder exercises (office workers
and academics
love these): an ‘Over 40s’ class, which features a slightly slower pace, and which
includes many
students under 40; and a ‘Dynamic Forms’ class which teaches basic tumbling and
balancing
movements in addition to stretching. Most classes are an hour-and-a-quarter long,
some an hour,
and the Advanced is an hour-and-a-half long. The students spend the first 15
minutes of each class
practising their own work (we encourage them to practise their worst poses—and the
diligent ones
do) and this provides teachers with a unique opportunity to judge the effectiveness
of their own
teaching styles—are the students practising in good form? If not, the teacher
corrects the student
and (I hope) rethinks the approach of their previous classes. The only rule in the
class once the
formal teaching period is underway is that students may not talk while the teacher
is instructing.
All teachers in the local area are required to attend the Advanced class once a
week. The teaching
of this class is rotated among the teachers equally and new techniques are
encouraged. In addition
to the teachers being creative individuals, they attend workshops in different
areas and disciplines
and bring back new ideas. Many suggestions for the improvement of existing
exercises come from
students, too. The only rule in the evolution of new techniques in Posture &
Flexibility is that a

teacher must ‘road test’ a new exercise or pan of an exercise in the Advanced
class. In this way, all
• the teachers can assess the idea and usually improve it on the spot. If an idea
passes this scrutiny,
it is approved tentatively as an acceptable exercise. Subsequent experience will,
perhaps, reinforce
this impression and it may become part of the core technique. Like evolution
proper, many do not.
As I mentioned in the Preface , we have rejected at least as many exercises as we
have taken on. We
hold no exercise or technique immune from this scrutiny and, because we do not owe
our ideas to
any particular discipline, the current body of work is robust. We are not
particularly attached to
any form and nor do we mourn its passing: we are interested only in what works. I
cannot
overemphasise the extent to which these simple rules have contributed to a
dynamically evolving
form. For example, I came across a particularly effective piriformis exercise by
accident while I was
warming up to teach the Advanced class one evening and this excited me so much that
I decided
to make it the focus of that class. By the time we had finished, we had three
variations (some
looking quite different in form) on the basic movement and had discovered that over
a third of the
teachers were very tight in this area.

A great many teachers of other approaches have come to work with us over the years.
When
someone trained in another form works with us, we ask them to teach a guest class
in their style
from time to time, so we might learn something new or have our ideas challenged by
another
perspective. Egos arc remarkably absent in this process, exactly because our focus
is on what I call
‘the impersonal objective’: the goal of becoming flexible.

One more aspect of our approach deserves note. All techniques arc based on my
understanding of
anatomy, the one area of Western medical enquiry unquestioned by any other form of
medicine,
or any of the complementary forms within our own culture. 1 chose to attain this
level of
understanding because of its commensurability with the largest number of approaches
to body
work and because it gives us a basis for talking to practitioners of all sorts of
other modalities, who
traditionally may not have communicated with each other. This grounding also avoids
the
infuriating response I so often encountered in my own study of various forms: when
asking why
something was done a particular way, the answer often was ‘that’s the way we do
it’, or ‘that’s how
my teacher did it’. This is not good enough for me. If the form of an exercise
cannot be justified
by, or anchored in, anatomical understanding, there still, of course, needs to be a
reason for doing
it a certain way—it may be as simple as, ‘If you try it like this, compared with
that way, it feels
better.’ Some explanations and many experiences do not yield to the scientific
method, after all.

How to breathe in the exercises

Breathing cannot be separated from effective stretching. 1 have previously covered

the specifics of
how to breathe, but I wish to return to this important component of the stretching
experience
from a slightly different perspective. The way we breathe is so much a part of all
of life’s activities
that we tend to ignore it, except in extreme circumstances. However, because the
way we breathe
is fundamental to the experience of being alive, techniques that can help us to
become more aware
of this vital process, and perhaps improve its efficiency, are crucial. Attending
to this aspect can
have dramatic effects on the quality of one’s life.

Think back to the last time you felt angry. Let us say you were driving to work and
someone
thoughtlessly and dangerously cut in front of you. What were your first responses?
You took in a
breath, all the trunk and neck muscles tightened, and you may have felt a flood of
adrenaline

through the body. Your pulse and respiration rate went up, and you became strongly
aware of how
you felt. Does this sound familiar? It is such patterns of increased tension and
altered breathing
that form our emotional responses, a theme I will return to below. And, in this
typical example,
how would you go about calming yourself? You would take a few deep breaths in and
out; as you
did so your body would settle down to its more comfortable rhythms.

When you are stretching, you need to realise that holding the breath in, or
breathing in an
unusually shallow way (usually referred to as tidal breathing), is one of the bodys
primary
protective mechanisms. That is, when threatened or in pain, you will tend to hold
your breath, and
your muscles, of your trunk in particular, will display elevated tension. In any
case,
electromyographic studies have shown that tension in the muscles is slightly
elevated with every
breath in, and that this decreases as you breathe out. These facts about how the
body works suggest
strongly that any stretching effort will be best made as you breathe out. If you
take a deliberate
breath in before you stretch, the effect is heightened; in addition, you will be
teaching the body to
associate the sensation of being stretched with the action of a deliberate breath
out and, once
learned, this association will help you stay more relaxed in all other parts of
your lives.

It must be obvious, but worth repeating, that it is not possible to feel relaxed
while the muscles of
the body are tense. By ‘tense’, I mean having elevated muscle tension, for some
tension (called
tonus) is necessary for all of the normal body functions (from holding oneself up
during the day to
digesting food) and the absolute degree of normal muscle tension and its range vary
from person
to person. When I refer to tension, 1 mean changes to ones usual patterns, wherever
they may be
found on some universal scale. Western medicine recognises two ways of reducing
muscle tension
to desirable levels: the use of one of the benzodiazepine prescription medications,
and the
development of techniques that lead to the relaxed state. The benzodiazepines
achieve their anti-
anxiety effects mainly by reducing muscle tension—one’s state of mind alters as
one’s physical state
changes. I have dealt with the state of relaxation in some detail elsewhere (see
Laughlin, 1995);
here it is enough to say that there arc a great many approaches to acquiring this
state, among them
yoga nidra, the many approaches to meditation, biofccdback and self-hypnosis. For
an excellent
non-technical introduction to these concepts, see Benson (1976).

There is a third way of acquiring an enhanced state of relaxation at will: the use
and practice of the
right stretching exercise. By ‘right’, I mean efficient, but any stretching
exercise will have this effect,
to a greater or lesser extent.

I mention the two recognised ways of altering one’s state of mind to feel more
relaxed to make the
point that attending to your emotional state and the accompanying breathing
patterns while you
practise will lead to significantly heightened awareness. There is no doubt that
acquiring this sense
will improve your flexibility (in the sense of what might be observed by someone
else), but of far
greater importance is what you will learn about yourself in the process—knowledge
that simply
cannot be gained any other way. I will expand on this idea below.

What happens when we stretch?

Conventional explanations of the cellular changes accompanying the phenomenon of

becoming
more flexible would draw on terms such sarcomeres, A-bands and I-bands, Z-lines and
H-zones.
These kinds of explanations have been covered in detail by other authors and
references will be
found in an annotated section at the end of this book. Although flexibility is a
property of muscles.

ligaments, tendons and bones, it is not principally controlled within these parts
of the body. The
brain is a major part of what we ‘stretch’ when we do stretching exercises.
Further, to the extent
that muscles do stretch, the main changes occur through the remodelling of
connective tissue, or
fascia , the most abundant of the materials comprising muscles.
In this section, I shall only sketch the physiology involved; for sources of more
detail, see the
Recommended reading list at the end of the book. All textbooks on stretching claim
that muscles
can contract to about 70 per cent of their resting length and can be extended to
about 130 per cent
of this same length. A muscles capacity to contract decreases as it is extended
beyond its resting
length and, at around 120 per cent of its resting length, the two components of
muscle tension—
connective tissue resistance to elongation and active contraction by the muscle—are
about equal.
Accordingly, while you can still generate tension in the muscles, the brain and
nervous system
impose the significant limitations on how far you can stretch. This is one reason
we advocate the
C-R approach.

Of interest here is the neurological phenomenon called postcontractive reflex

depression (Kura, 1994,
p. 19) or autogenic inhibition (Alter, 1988, p. 49)—immediately after a sufficiendy
strong
contraction, the muscles resistance to elongation is momentarily reduced, and we
can stretch
further than would otherwise be the case. We have found that once someone becomes
accustomed
to using contractions to help their stretching, strong contractions are not
necessary. As mentioned
above, we have found that gentle contractions can elicit an improved end position,
and we suggest
that this may be due to a reduced overall level of excitation in the neural system.
As a student
advances, however, stronger contractions may be included from time to time, partly
to experience
the different sensations that result and partly to increase strength in particular
muscle groups.
Strong contractions seem to be required to achieve both the side-splits and front-
splits extreme
positions, and this may be related to the strength needed to support the
intermediate positions that
one must use along the way. Another reason may be that the brain is aware of the
propensity for
injury in these movements and will not facilitate relaxation until it is aware that
there is sufficient
strength to support the extended positions.

Once we can no longer voluntarily generate appreciable force in the muscles we are
stretching, it
is likely that we are working more on the connective tissue. About 60 per cent of
the weight of
muscles is composed of this interesting substance. Each bundle of myofibrils, the
smallest unit of
each muscles system, is encased in a thin wrapping of it, and numbers of bundles
are grouped and
further encased in it, at all scales up to the complete muscle. The outermost
casing of fascia forms
the tendons that join the muscle to its bony attachments. Connective tissue also
forms large sheets
of fascia, on which muscles pull, and which also act to separate muscles and
provide movement
between them. Our skin is largely composed of connective tissue. Connective tissue
is formed of
collagen, the longest molecules in the body and the substance which provides its
tensile strength,
and elastin, which gives it its elasticity. Both kinds of fibre are located in a
ground substance, a
mucopolysaccharide which allows the fibres to move over each other with little
friction and, at the
same time, acts as a glue to hold them together. Connective tissue exhibits a
property called
thixotropy, the capacity to become harder or softer, depending on what force or
energy is acting
upon it. Heat softens it, and this may be one of the reasons that having a hot bath
makes a
perceptible difference to how far you can move when you stretch. As you age, your
connective
tissues become generally tougher, drier, harder, and shorter. The process has been
described as
being very like tanning of leather; the collagen fibres become increasingly cross-
linked, a term

describing additional hydrogen bonds. Cross-linking reduces the movement between

the collagen
molecules—the connective tissue becoming tougher, but increasingly prone to damage.
Underuse
and overuse will alter connective tissue; the former facilitates the hardening of
the ground
substance and the latter damages the fibres comprising the connective tissue
itself.

Connective tissue is injured when we pull a muscle. Although rich in nerves,

connective tissue has
a poor blood supply, particularly at the junctions with bones and muscles. During
the healing
process, collagen fibres are laid down randomly (electron microscope scans reveal
that the fibres
form no pattern) but, as tension is experienced at the site, the collagen fibres
move to align with
the forces acting on them. If healing is complete, the new material is incorporated
into the old
seamlessly. Scar tissue is unorganised, low-strength connective tissue. Tension
needs to be applied
gently, increasing from very light forces to the sort of forces that the part will
experience during
normal activities. Stretching provides the right kind of forces, providing you arc
sensitive to the
feedback—the sensations of stretching.

The final aspect of stretching 1 wish to discuss now is the most problematic and
the one about
which the least is known, but which may yet prove to be its most important
dimension. In 1942,
Reich claimed that character armouring was ‘functionally identical with muscular
hypertonia’, and
that altering this tension altered the patients emotional trauma (1989, p. 270),
and a great many
schools of body work have elaborated the ways in which this might be brought about.
Emotional
states have their physical correlations—as everyone knows—but the idea that
physical states
(muscular and visceral) may be fundamentally constitutive of emotion, and an
essential part of what
we call rationality, is a recent development. Further, it may well be the case that
the memory of
emotions is located not in the brain but in patterns of proprioceptive activity in
the muscles,
tendons and skin of the body (Damasio, 1996). I am certain that one's postural
signature and the
varieties of the individual’s responses to stress emerge from this relationship;
that is, one’s
experiences arc literally embodied, as Reich suggested, and the mechanisms
described by Damasio
may be the key to further understanding this aspect of our existence. More
generally, it seems the
body is being moved from the periphery of academic interest towards the centre, if
somewhat
uneasily. For example, the operators of classical logic (and, not and or) have been
derived directly
from the body’s experience of learning about the constraints to its movement in the
physical
environment and, further, the body’s awareness of itself appears to be essential to
thought
(Johnson, 1987).

Stretching is one of the most efficient ways of exploring ourselves and our inner
states. If the
approach as outlined here is followed, you will be able to experience yourself
completely in the
present, as each instant of time goes by. When you stretch—if you pay attention—the
flood of
sensory feedback is so strong that you will not be able to think of anything else.
By making subtle
alterations to your position, you can make extremely fine changes to these
sensations, and will be
able to move them in the direction of more pleasurable sensations or greater
comfort. You will feel
the point at which stretching is no longer necessary for that place and will move
onto the next.
Finally, you will feel ‘done’ and the session will be over. You will have a strong
impression of
completeness, or closure, and a sense of oneness with yourself that is unique in my
experience. At
this point, your prevailing emotion will be a sense of calm—a feeling far from the
absence of
emotion. It is a feeling of balance achieved, a kind of deep satisfaction. In the
terminology of
physiology, your resting tonus is reduced, and you are relaxed. But it is far more
than this, because
the state was achieved actively. As you practise, you are remaking the
proprioceptive maps of
yourself, and you are finding ways to resolve those places in your body that suffer
the reactions to
the stresses of daily life. In a real sense, you are remaking your emotional
responses and how these
affect you, bringing them closer to what you feel comfortable with. When those same
stresses are
re-encountered, they most likely will trigger the same responses but, because your
awareness of
your internal states is heightened, you will find that you are able to let any
unwelcome responses
go more easily. Too many students have reported similar experiences over the years
for this to be
coincidental. It is time to get started; below you will find a summary of the key
principles of the
approach.

The 10 principles of using the P&F approach effectively

i) Maintaining the form of the exercise is the fundamental principle and takes
precedence
over all others. The text and the photographs are intended to illustrate the form
of each exercise.
Your performance will depend on your flexibility and, in some movements, your
strength—you
may well be more flexible than the model in some cases. Make sure you understand
where the
stretch is to be felt, how the position is to be stabilised, and which muscles have
to do what work.

ii) Always hold the final position for the recommended time; if you cannot, you are
overdoing
the stretch. All of us have seen someone at some time (often at a party, and
frequently after a drink
or two) drop down into the splits to show off how flexible they arc (or used to
be). This can cause
injuries. Unless you can hold a position, you do not own that flexibility. The
usual
recommendation for the length of time to stay in an end position will be expressed
in breaths; one
breath being a normally paced breath in and out. Ten breaths is around 30 seconds
if you are
working hard, and is the minimum time the end position should be held. You may
benefit from a
longer time, especially if large muscles arc involved.

iii) When using the C-R approach, do not let the limb against which the contraction
is being
performed move at all. We have found that any movement in the limb reduces the
final stretch
position, often significantly.

iv) When using the C-R approach, do not push too hard. The original PNF textbook
recommendation is based upon maximal resistance of an isometric contraction (Knott
& Voss,
1968), but we may assume that, as this method was intended to be applied in the
clinical or
hospital setting, no great force in absolute terms was expected. We have found that
gende
contractions (from the stretchce’s perspective) are all that are required, and that
stronger
contractions actually work against the desired outcome. This is probably due to the
necessity that
many other muscles be involved in stabilising the body if the forces generated are
high. Ones own
mass is often sufficient if the contraction is soft. We recommend that, generally,
between 20 and
30 per cent of the possible contraction force be used; less if the person has
muscular problems.

v) Only the muscie(s) used to contract will experience the stretch effect. In many
contraction
movements, it is possible to use different muscles to move the limb. For example,
in exercise 3 (a
lying rotation) it is possible to use the hip muscles to press the leg towards the
ceiling, or the waist
and lower back muscles to rotate the hips in relation to the shoulders. Whichever
muscles generate
the force experience the release.

vi) If you have a dear left-right pattern of flexibility, always begin by

stretching the tighter
side first, stretch the looser side, then restretch the tighter side. This
principle applies to any

exercise that permits a comparison of left and right in any plane of movement.
Stretching this way
means the tighter side will experience twice the work, and will adapt (aster. Once
both sides are
approximately the same (this may take some time), do equal work for each side.

vii) If an exercise requires one of a matched pair of muscles to contract to

produce the stretch,
repeat the first side’s stretch for a few seconds to relax the last-used muscles.
This principle
mainly relates to solo rotation and side-bending movements. For example, rotating
the trunk to
one side uses half of the trunk’s muscles to produce the movement, which stretches
the other half.
Turning to the other side contracts the just-stretched side, so to ensure the whole
trunk is relaxed,
turn back to the first side for a few seconds.

viii) Always bend forwards after bending backwards. Once in class, after giving
this instruction,
a young wag asked. Do we have to bend backwards again now, to compensate for the
forward
bend? I replied that he could if he wanted to, and he was welcome to keep going if
he could not
decide where to end the process. The point here is that the muscles of the spine
tend to tighten
when bending backwards, so bending forwards for a moment relieves this situation;
this is simply
the way the body is organised. The front (anterior) muscles do not usually tighten
when bending
forwards (although in the very first exercise we do, a forward-bending movement, I
do say to lift
the hands above the head if the stomach muscles have cramped while doing the
movement). The
main goal is that the body feel comfortable after particular stretches, which means
a compensating
movement is sometimes necessary.

ix) When returning from an extended (stretched) position, use muscles other than
the ones
you have been stretching. A moment's thought will tell you that if you are
stretching a muscle,
then, by definition , it is out of its normal range of movement. A muscle asked to
do work out of
its normal range is much more prone to injury; accordingly it is sensible (and
feels much better)
to use other muscles to return the body to the start position.

x) Using a contraction will locate a muscle, and help you focus the stretch effect.
It is often
the case that you will not feel a stretch in a desired muscle. This is most likely
(paradoxically,
perhaps) if this is one of your very tight muscles, or an area that you have
injured in the past. The
reasons are probably related to the way the body protects itself and its
dissociation from sensory
feedback from areas that long have been a problem. Performing a gentle contraction
really brings
this area back into your conscious focus, and will enhance the stretching effect
considerably.

Contact details

I would like to hear feedback, of any kind. If one does have an interest in the
worth of what one
teaches, criticism is at least as useful as praise. Additionally, if there is
sufficient interest in learning
more about what we do, we will come to you to present workshops.

Kit Laughlin

LPO Box 159,

Australian National University,

Canberra, ACT 2601

AUSTRALIA

E-mail: [email protected]

Web page (URL): http://www.posture-and-flexibility.com.au

Muscles of the body

Quadriceps

(quads)

The following pages present a front and back view of the surface muscles of the
human body. Most
of the important muscles we will be stretching in the lessons below will be found
here. Relevant
additional details of parts of the body wil) be presented in the lessons.

Trapezius

(traps)

(pecs)

Biceps brachii
(biceps)

Rectus abdominis
(abdominals, or abs)

Brachioradialis

Obliquus externus
(obliques)

Muscles of the body,

Posterior deltoid
(rear deltoids or
rear delts)

Infraspinatus

Aponeurosis (fascia)
of latissimus dorsi

Gluteus medi
Gluteus maximus
(glutes)

Biceps femoris

Semitendinosus

Semimembranosus

(underneath

gastrocnemius)

Achilles tendon

of the body, back view

Lessons 1-7

In the Preface we have covered how the method developed, a few practical cautions
about clothing,
the timing of meals and so on. Let us now turn to the first exercises we teach, and
the reasons we
teach them.

Lesson one: the daily five (plus two)

As I mentioned in the Preface, we do not recommend that stretching exercises for

the major muscle
groups of the body be done every day, but there are five that may be done daily—
mainly to keep
the spine mobile and to rid the body of the effects of the stress of daily life. A
great deal is known
about the biochemistry of stress—the classic fight or flight syndrome (for the
original, and still
completely relevant, text that began the field of research, see Selye, 1976)—and
hundreds of books
have been written about occupational stress (see, for example, Albrecht, 1979, for
one of the
seminal books in this field), but there is remarkably little written on the
muscular effects of stress.
Put simply, the major effect of stress is increased tension. Everyone—as you know—
holds elevated
tension in various muscles around the body. (These are the places you love to have
massaged!) In
time we will teach specific stretches for these areas, but today we will learn some
compound
movements that will stretch most of the muscles that attach to the spine (and
therefore move it),
and we will move the spine in all of its major directions. In addition, we will
show you one of the
best stretches for the hip region; just why this can be important we will leave
until a later lesson.
The lesson finishes with two effective neck stretches.

I. Floor clasped feet middle and upper back

This exercise stretches the middle to upper back, depending on your proportions. In
addition to
the paravertebrals (the muscles running alongside the spine), this exercise
stretches trapezius and
rhomboideus, and the movement is also one of the few solo stretches available for a
muscle that lifts
the shoulder, levator scapulae. As one end of levator scapulae attaches to the
shoulder blade and the
other to the side of the cervical spine, this muscle either elevates the shoulder
or flexes the neck to
one side. Consequently, this exercise can also be used as an indirect neck
stretching exercise. The
movement stretches the spine and all its posterior ligaments. Exercise 1 is also
great to do after
backward bending, to make the body feel completely comfortable.

Head placement is critical, both to avoid possible neck injury and to ensure that
the stretch is felt
in the correct muscles. Those who arc relatively inflexible may find it difficult
to get into the
starting position; if so, try placing your forehead, instead of the top of your
head (the standard
direction) on the floor. Bulky people will find it difficult to get into the
starting position unaided,
but using a strap around the feet will help (shown in the last photograph in the
series).

In the easiest version, kneel down as shown. While supporting yourself with one
arm, reach
through the knees (notice that the knees are further apart than the ankles) and
hold the! foot of the
same side, by reaching around the arch to hold the side of the foot. Lean forwards
and place the
top of the head on the floor, resting some of the body's weight on the head. This
locates the
shoulders with respect to the hips. Now reach through the knees with the other
hand, and hold
the other foot. If you cannot hold your feet, use a strap. Ensure that the top of
the head is resting

on the floor. Breathe normally. Gripping the feet (or the

strap) firmly, slowly and gently push the hips forwards.
Because the hands are holding the feet, the middle and
upper back are drawn into a forward curve, as in drawing a
bow. Generally, this will not irritate the lower back if back
pain is your problem—for most people, all of the stretch is
felt higher in the back. If this position is not possible for
you, a version that can be done on a chair or bench is
described immediately below.

In the final position, breathe in and out for about five

breaths. Let the stretch go by letting the hips return to the
start position. Take one hand off one foot, and place it in
the support position. Now breathe in and hold your breath
while you use the support arm to lift yourself back to the
beginning position. Holding your breath in as you get up
will stop your face going red and, if you have low blood
pressure, will stop you feeling faint as you get up, which is
always a possibility when exercising with the head below the
heart. Resume normal breathing. Do not lift yourself up
into the start position using the muscles of the back. As a
general rule, when returning from any extended (stretched)
position, use muscles other than the ones you have been
stretching. You may move the main locus of the stretch
further down to the middle of the back by holding the feet
from outside the legs; this variation is detailed in lesson 4,
page 82.

Cues

kneel and hold one foot

lower head or forehead to floor
hold other foot
gently push hips forward
breathe normally
hold breath in as you
return to the start position

Middle and upper back from chair

If you cannot get into the starting position for exercise 1,

you may achieve a similar stretch for the middle and upper
back using a bench or chair. Look at the first photograph in
the sequence. Sit on a stable chair, and let your neck bend
so that your chin comes towards your chest. You may feel a
stretch down the middle of the back by doing only this. If
so, hold the position breathing normally for five breaths or
so. If you want to increase the stretch, move your hips closer
to the front of the chair and reach your hands up and clasp
them behind your head. Slowly let the wei ght of your arms
come onto the back of the neck; this will increase the
stretch. If you want to increase the effect even more, let your
hips roll backwards as you let the upper body slump
forwards, as shown in the second photograph. Because your
neck is already stretched forward, slumping in this manner
gives a pleasing stretch in the middle and upper back. Hold
the final position for five normal breaths in and out. In
time, the neck and back will loosen sufficiently to let you do
exercise 1.

An alternative movement may be better, depending on your

pattern of flexibility and your proportion. Look at the
photographs. Sit on the front of a stable chair, and hold
your knees. Let your chin go towards your chest slowly. Two
movements will give the desired stretch. The first is to use
the arms to gently pull the shoulders towards the knees —note
that the trunk does not move at the hips. The second
movement requires you to roll the hips backwards to
increase the stretch. Varying the strength of the two bending
forces will change the main focus of the stretch, so play with
these elements.

Cues

chin to chest
let hips roll backwards
to increase stretch, hold knees
gently pull on knees with hands

2. Backward bend from floor

The next exercise is described in two forms, because your

proportion (lengths of body segments) substantially
influences the final effects of the pose. As you become more
flexible, the stretch will be felt in the abdominal muscles.
The critical aspect of this pose is in keeping the lower-back
muscles completely relaxed while using only the arms to lift
the shoulders and incline the upper body backwards.

This exercise, in various forms, has been a popular

recommendation for lower-back problems. A disadvantage
is that backward-bending movements commonly irritate the
back pain sufferer, probably through compression of the
facet joints. Such compression sensations will be
exacerbated by any tension in the muscles running along the
spine, so my advice is try to keep all the back muscles
relaxed while using the strength of your arms to get into the
position. The conventional way to approach this stretch (the
cobra pose from yoga) is to tense the buttock muscles before
starting and to hold these muscles tight during the pose.
The problem with this approach is that the untrained
person cannot avoid tensing the lower back muscles as
well—the very thing we are trying to avoid.

In the easiest version of this exercise, the starting position is

lying face-down, legs together, with your forearms flat on
the floor in front of the shoulders. Deliberately relax the
whole body. Rocking the body from side to side will help to
relax the trunk muscles. Take a deep breath in and, as you
begin to breathe out, elevate the upper body slowly onto one
elbow at a time, leaving the front of the hips on the floor.
Rest on the elbows with the head in a neutral position with
respect to the trunk, and let the front of the body sink as
close as it can to the floor. Breathe 10 slow breaths.

In the intermediate version, start the same way, but extend

the arms. If you think you may not be flexible enough to
extend the arms fully if you have them under the shoulders,
place your hands further out to the sides, so that the
shoulders will not be lifted quite as high when the arms are
straightened. If you can keep the lower-back muscles
relaxed, this is an effective and comfortable stretch for the
front of the body. As soon as you have reached maximum
arm extension, pause and breathe in and out a few times,
trying to keep the body as relaxed as possible. Breathe in
and draw the shoulders as far back as you can, using the

Cues

keep back muscles soft

use only arms to lift shoulders
breathe in a relaxed way
take head back with mouth open
roll up to recover

muscles of the shoulder blades and upper back. Be careful

that this action does not tense the muscles of the lower back.
If it does, lower yourself to the floor and begin again,
concentrating on the first part of the exercise only. Hold
the final position for 10 breaths.

If you have someone to help, the tension in your lower back

muscles can be monitored. In the photographs, Julie is
kneeling alongside Mark, with her hand placed on his lower
back, just above the hips. As he lifts himself higher, she can
feel whether the muscles tense; if they do, she tells him to
lower himself out of the stretch a little, and to roll his body
from side to side gently. Once the muscles have relaxed (this
may take a few attempts) she tells him to try again. The final
position of the stretch can be understood as the point just
below where the muscles tighten.

Once comfortable in the final position, the stretch may be

enhanced by opening the mouth and tilting the head back.
Once the head is back, slowly dose the mouth. Hold this
position for a few breaths. 1 am showing an intermediate-
level backward bend and Mark is showing a more advanced

The recovery position is shown in the third photograph.

Always finish backward bending by coming out of it slowly
and immediately rolling over onto your back, clasping the
bent knees to the chest. 'This action will gently stretch the
lower back muscles, which usually (despite ones best efforts)
will have tightened up a little during the pose. Hold the
knees to the chest until the lower back feels relaxed.
Alternatively, you can let the body relax over folded legs, as
shown in the last photograph.

Don’t forget that exercise 1, middle and upper back, can

always be used for the same purpose.

3. Lying rotation

Lie face up, as Jennifer is demonstrating. Gently pull one

knee towards the chest, and see what that feels like. Some
people trap the tendons and muscles of the hip flexors if
they pull the knee straight back to the chest. If you feel an
uncomfortable pinching sensation in the groin of the bent
leg, or the front of your pelvis makes contact with the top of
that thigh (common among women), check to see whether
overly tight clothing around the top of the leg might be a
contributing factor. If loosening the clothing does not
remove the irritation, let the leg go away from the chest
until at arm's length, and let it move more to the side of the
body. Then bring the knee back to the body again, but this
time in the direction of the armpit. Bringing the knee
towards the body, but more from the side, usually avoids the
sensation of compression in the hip joint.

Now, gently pull the knee into the chest (or armpit) using
both hands, as shown. You may feel the stretch variously
from behind the leg (top part of the hamstring muscle) to
inside the leg (the adductors), and you may also feel the
stretch in the bottom muscles on the bent-leg side. Pulling
the knee to the armpit is part one of the movement.

After holding the stretch for about 10 breaths, let the leg go
to arms length. Hold the outside of the thigh with the
hand of the opposite arm, as shown. Roll the leg across the
body. As soon as it passes over the vertical centre-line of the
body, take some weight on the bottom leg, and shift the
bottom hip across in the opposite direction. This ensures
that the spine, as seen from above, remains straight. Most
floor rotations do not include this refinement and, as a
result, the spine is both rotated and hyperextended (arched
backwards) in the final position; the two movements
together are often sufficient to cause pain in someone with
back problems.

Slowly take the top leg across as far as it will go. The limit
is when the opposite shoulder begins to lift off the floor.
You may grasp a sturdy table leg to hold the shoulder down,
but do not force the stretch. Concentrate on breathing and
relaxing. Notice that, as you breathe in, the leg tends to rise
and, as you breathe out, it tends to go closer to the floor.
You may rest the knee of the bent leg on a cushion if the end
position is quite a way from the floor, as shown in the last

wr~

Cues

knee to armpit to stretch hip

hold outside of knee
roll bottom hip underneath
breathe and relax

photograph. This will enable you to hold the position

comfortably. This is part two of the movement.

As you become more flexible, reduce the thickness of the

cushion until it is no longer necessary. In all but the last
photograph, Jennifer is demonstrating the intermediate
version of the exercise; her knee is on the ground, and her
shoulders are on the floor. Give yourself time and you will
reach this position too. In the exercise, look at your
outstretched hand. Hold the final position for about 10
breaths, then return the leg to the starting position.

If one side of the body is tighter in this movement in either

part one or part two, we can use the Contract-Rclax (C-R)
approach to even them up. In the final stretch position of
part one, hold the bent leg with both hands and very gently
try to press it away from you against the resistance of your
arms for five seconds or so. Do not let the leg move at all. We
have found that the extent of the improvement in the final
position depends crucially on this point being observed. Be
sure to push back gently, if you push back too hard, many
other muscles will tighten to stabilise your position and,
again, the extent of the final position will be compromised.
After the contraction phase, stop pushing, take in a deep
breath and, as you breathe out, gently pull the knee closer to
the chest. Hold this new position for five breaths in and out.
To improve part two, hold the outside of the bent leg as
before. In this contraction, push the leg towards your hand.
Rather than the hip muscles, use the back and waist muscles
to press, in order to maximise the stretch in these muscles.
Remember, the muscles used to generate the contraction
force will be the muscles that experience the stretch effect.
Relax, breathe in, and on a breath out, slowly press the leg
closer to the floor.

The next spinal movement we will do bends the body to the

side. In addition to the muscles of the waist, it stretches
many hip and back muscles.

eV <*

4. Standing side bend

Using a wall in this movement ensures correct alignment

and provides support. The aim is to stretch all of the side
waist muscles, the obliques, in the first instance. As these
become more flexible, the exercise will also stretch quadrants
lumborum and the deep spinal muscles. The abductors of
the leg will also be stretched, including tensor fasciae latae.
As one extends the arm above and across the head, larissimus
dorsi and other back muscles are added to the stretch.
Jennifer is demonstrating this exercise, too.

Standing with the weight evenly on both feet, lean the body
against a wall. Maintain the whole body in contact with the
wall during the exercise. Lean to one side as far as you can,
and place the hand on the hip. Alternatively, you may grasp
the leg firmly. Choose the position that gives you the best
support. The best feeling in the end position in this
movement will be experienced only if the upper body's
weight is supported completely on the arm. If this does not
occur, the very muscles we want to stretch will have to hold
you up.

Once comfortably leaning on the support arm, reach the

other arm out and over the head as far as you can—the locus
of the stretch will extend from above the hip you are
stretching to the whole of that side. Try to reach the hand
out past where it stops, as though you are trying to grasp
something just out of reach. This will increase the effect
noticeably. Hold the final position for five breaths only.

To come out of the stretch, very slowly roll the top shoulder
away from the wall, trying to increase the sidewards stretch
all the while. As you rotate the shoulder forward, your
apparent flexibility at the waist will increase noticeably and
you will need to increase the lean to the side just to maintain
the stretch sensation. The locus of the stretch will move
too, from just above the hip to further towards the spine
itself as the shoulder rotates forward. If you find a position
that feels particularly good in this transition move, pause
there for a breath or two. Repeat for the other side. To relax
all the muscles just worked, stand away from the wall and,
with your weight over both feet, swing your arms around
behind you to both sides. This turning action gently uses all
the muscles stretched and compressed by exercise 4.

Cues

lean sideways onto support arm

reach out top arm
slowly roll top shoulder forwards
stretch other side, then
bend knees and swing arms

5. Seated hip

Inflexible hip muscles (in particular gluteus maximus, the

main muscle of the bottom, and piriformis, one of the
external hip rotators) can contribute significantly to back
pain in some people, and to dysfunction in many more.
This stretch is one of the best to loosen this area.
Anatomical details are shown in the illustration
accompanying exercise 22, on page 68.

Before we attempt the movement, I wish to introduce a

technique that helps isolate many hip and hamstring
movements. We call the movement a 'negative thrust’, to
distinguish the movement from a standard, or ‘positive’,
thrust, in which the hips are moved forwards. Look at the
photograph. I am sitting on the floor with the legs about
shoulder width apart and the knees bent. Sit this way and
try to feel the bottom bones pressing on the floor. Now arch
the lower back backwards, and you will feel the pelvis rock
forward and the bottom bones contact the floor more
directly. If you have a partner they can assist you by placing
their hands on your lower back to assist in the movement.
Rolling the pelvis forwards in this fashion is the core idea
behind the negative thrust. The main sensation will be
experienced in the hamstring muscles (between bottom and
knee, at the back of the legs) if they are tight. If this is the
main sensation, bend the legs further at the knees and repeat
the movement.

This rolling of the pelvis is the key to isolating various

muscles, usually on the back (posterior) side of the body.
Later I will describe the positive thrust that can be used to
isolate particular muscles on the front (anterior) side of the
body. In some poses the direction ‘lift the chest' will be
made, and this often achieves the same effect as arching the
middle and upper back backwards. Rolling the pelvis like
this moves the bottom bones (the ischial tuberosities) further
away from the knees and lengthens the hamstring muscles
in the process. The movement also exposes some of the
external hip rotators to greater stretch, and this effect will be
felt in the next exercise.

| )

Cues

hold ankles; let body slump

arch back backwards, and
feel the pelvis roll forwards

Cues

hold knee with opposite elbow

negative thrust; lift chest
C-R: press knee into forearm
restretch: draw knee to armpit

With this technique in mind, we are ready to do the seated

hip stretch. In the easiest version, sit on the floor as Petra is
demonstrating, with one leg outstretched. Bend the other
leg at the knee and place the foot on the outside of the
straight leg. Check that your back is held straight (lift the
chest to make sure) and grasp the knee with the opposite
shoulders arm. As you breathe out, gently bring the knee
back to the chest. Ensure that you can feel the floor through
both bottom bones—the most common error in this pose is
that you inadvertcndy lift the bottom bone of the leg you
are holding off the floor as you bring the knee to the body.
If your form is good, you will feel the stretch in the hip of
the held leg.

A C-R stretch can be used here. You may care to review the
C-R principles on pages 11 and 12. To restate briefly, a C-R
has three main elements: first stretch the limb gently, and
hold for a short while. Hold the limb, and without letting it
move, press it away from you for six to ten seconds. Stop,
breathe in, and on a breath out, relax the muscles involved,
stretching a little further as you breathe out. If the hip is
tight, you may prefer to use the stronger grip position I am
demonstrating in the third photograph. Hold the new
position for five breaths (20-30 seconds) or so.

This exercise is a good one to practise the C-R stretch

technique because it is easy to hold the leg yourself. Hold
the knee in your best position for a few breaths in and out,
getting used to the feeling in the hip. Now gently press the
knee away from you, holding it all the while. The leg you are
pressing away from you must not move at all. Press for a
count of six (count one, two, ... and so on to yourself
slowly), then stop pressing—again do not let the leg move
from this position. Take in a deep breath, and on a breath
out, relax the hip muscles completely, slowly drawing the
knee closer to your chest in the direction of your armpit.
Make sure that the hip ofthis leg stays firmly on the floor. Hold
the new final position for 20-30 seconds, breathing
normally. Rest for a moment and stretch the other side.
Note which side is tighter in this movement, and next time
you stretch, begin with this side. Do the looser one next and
finish by stretching the tighter side once more. In time, the
differences between left and right will be reduced. If both
sides feel the same, do each side once.

>

If the version just described does not give you a strong

enough stretch in the hip, you may try the folded leg
version, demonstrated by Carol. In all respects other than
the starting position, this intermediate version is the same.
Look at the photograph. Do not sit on the folded lower leg,
but keep it sufficiendy outside the line of the body to permit
both bottom bones to contact the floor firmly. If you are
not loose enough in the hips to sit like this (insufficient
external rotation of the hip of the leg closest the floor is the
most common reason) stay with the version above. Lean
your upper body forwards on the bottom bones until it is
inclined towards the leg in front of you, and feel how this
presses the bottom bones into the floor. Carol has her eyes
closed to better feel the sensations. Because this is an
important point, you may wish to try this version sitting on
a hard floor without any mat or cushion the first few times
you try the exercise. Move subtly from side to side in the
starting position until you are sure that both bones are
pressing on the floor equally. Clasp the knee as close as
possible to under the armpit of the opposite shoulder while
keeping your back straight. Now slowly sit up straight, as
long as you can hold the form. The stretch will be felt in the
hip, but more strongly than in the straight-leg version,
because folding the second leg forces stricter form on you—
it is easier to hold the lower back straight.

A C-R stretch can be achieved by pressing the leg away

from you as for the previous version above. Stretch both
sides, and make a mental note of which one is tighter. When
you practise next time, begin with the tighter side, do the
looser one, and repeat for the first side. In this way the
tighter side will loosen more quickly and both sides will
become similar.

The next two exercises, 6 and 7, are not part of the daily
five. Many people hold tension in the neck area, however,
and any of the neck exercises may be included in your daily
routine if you wish.

Cues

ensure both hips on floor

negative thrust and lift chest
C-R: press knee to forearm
restretch: draw knee to armpit

There are a number of ways to sit for this exercise. If you can
sit on your folded legs, it is easier to hold the back straight,
but the disadvantage is that this may make the legs or feet
feel uncomfortable. Various ways of easing this position are
shown in the photographs accompanying exercise 23, floor
instep, in lesson 4 (page 77). Alternatively, the exercise may
be performed effectively sitting on a chair or sitting with the
legs folded. If sitting on the floor, I recommend placing a
cushion or rolled mat under the bottom as I am doing, so
that the body is slightly tipped forward; this makes it
possible to hold yourself straight with much less effort.

Sit in any position that makes holding your spine straight

comfortable. You will be distracted by sensations in the back
or hips if you arc not completely comfortable—and that will
mean that you cannot attend to the sensations in the neck.
Sitting up, let your neck bend forwards until the weight of
the head gives you a stretch in the back of the neck. In some
people this stretch will be felt in the middle of the back as
well. Rest in this position for a few breaths. This may be a
sufficient stretch. If you want a stronger sensation, reach the
arms up and place a couple of Angers of both hands behind
the highest part of the head. Very slowly let the weight of
the arms be felt on the muscles of the back of the neck. For
many people this is sufficient stretch; to make it stronger,
clasp the hands together and let the full weight of the arms
be felt.

A C-R stretch makes this an extremely effective exercise

indeed and helps many people with tension headaches and
stiff necks. While holding the head in the stretch position,
gently press the head back against the hands. As before, do
not let the head move during this contraction. Press for a count
of three (recall that small muscles seem to need less
contraction time to achieve a beneficial stretch), stop
pressing and breathe in. The hands maintain the position of
the head in relation to the body all the while. On a breath
out, let the neck relax as much as you can and at the same
time very carefully pull the head forwards so the chin moves
closer to the chest. When you feel a sufficient stretch, hold
the final position for a few breaths in and out.

Next, the natural inclination is to want to stretch the neck

backwards, but many people do not like this movement.
The next part of exercise 6 helps explain this reservation.

Once you have returned to the starting position, take in a

breath, relax and let it out. Open the mouth as wide as you
can. Holding the mouth in this position, slowly tilt the head
backwards on the neck, and then tilt the neck backwards
too. Doing it this way will probably feel more comfortable
than it usually does. Once all the way back, very slowly close
the teeth. When you are used to the stretch, slightly incline
the chin to one side; this will stretch the muscles on the
other side. Repeat for the second side.

When we close the teeth in the extended position, we are

using the powerful clenching muscles of the jaw (masseur
and temporalis , among others) to stretch the muscles of the
front of the neck. When you stretch the head back with the
mouth closed in the usual way, not only are the rear neck
muscles having to move the head, they are also having to
stretch the front neck muscles too. This additional effort can
make the rear neck muscles spasm (any muscle asked to do
work in the contracted end of their range of movement is
likely to display this unfortunate effect—try pointing your
foot hard for a moment), so knowing this we can
considerably case the discomfort of bending the neck back.
As soon as you let the head come forwards into the neutral
position, slowly lower the chin to the chest once more for a
second or two to relax the muscles at the back of the neck.

Cues

let chin go to chest

place a couple of fingers behind head
allow weight of arms to stretch neck
C-R: press head softly to fingers
restretch: gently pull head forwards
pause

Sternomastoic

Trapezius

Muscles of the neck, in side-bend position

The neck muscles react to stress strongly and this may be

because of the many ways these muscles arc used in ordinary
daily life to express fine shades of attitude and emotion. The
position of the head on the neck and the relation between
the neck and the shoulders—as everyone knows—very
often says more about your state of mind than what you say.
Hunching of the shoulders is a fundamental defensive and
protective posture, for example, whereas shoulders carried
low under a loose neck suggest a state of relaxed readiness.
All negative emotions have characteristic, though different
for every individual, postural signatures or patterns of
holding tension that are displayed in these muscles.

We have found that stretching the neck muscles has an

immediate effect on one's state of mind, compared with
stretching other larger muscles such as quadriceps and
hamstrings. Stretching larger muscles has a more diffuse
effect on the body in terms of relaxation, whereas loosening
the neck muscles seems to affect the way we feel directly.
This movement stretches all the muscles at the side of the
neck in addition to muscles that span the neck and the
shoulder. See the illustration for details. As there is
tremendous variation in the flexibility of people's necks, we
offer this stretch in a number of versions. Begin with the
easiest, even if you are sure that you can use a stronger
version. The sitting position and variations are the same as
for the previous neck exercise.
Cues

open mouth to take head backwards

incline head slowly to both sides
gently stretch head forwards to recover

Neck side bend

The simplest movement is to sit up straight and try to

incline the head to one side, direcdy over the shoulder, and
without lifting the shoulder up to the ear—the usual way
everyone does this. Gary is demonstrating the positions.
Any suitable seating position may be used and office chairs
lend themselves particularly well to neck exercises.
Consciously hold the opposite shoulder down (you will use
the latissimus dorsi muscle under the arm to do this) and
incline the head to the other side. You will feel a stretch
along the side of the neck, from the ear to the shoulder you
are holding down.

The stretch may be made stronger by restraining the

shoulder you are stretching away from. Hold the shin of the
leg you are sitting on, or your thigh if you are sitting cross-
legged. If you are sitting on a chair, holding the base is
effective, and is demonstrated opposite. Whichever holding
position you are using, lean away from this hand until you
feel a stretch in the muscles between the neck and the
shoulder. This action pre-stretches the muscles involved.
Now incline the head away, towards the other shoulder; this
will immediately increase the stretch as you take the other
end of the same muscles further away. Hold this new
position for a few breaths in and out.

It is common to feel a strong stretch sensation in the arm

used to hold the support. As the head is inclined away from
the shoulder, the nerves of the neck and arm, the brachial
plexus , are stretched as well as the muscles. People with
overuse injuries will find this effective.

A C-R stretch is a most effective way to improve the range

of movement. In the position just achieved, reach your free
hand up to above the ear, as shown. Do not increase the
stretch at this point. Rather, use this hand as a barrier against
which to push the head gently for a few seconds; the head
must not move while you do this. Stop pushing, take a
breath in and, on a breath out relax the neck muscles and
very softly pull the head slightly closer to the shoulder. Hold
the final positiorf for five breaths in and out. Repeat for the
other side, and note which is the tighter. For most,
stretching/i tway from your dominant arm side is more
difficult—the neck and arm muscles are usually more
developed on this side, and generally this leaves them
tighter. Stretch the tighter side again.

Cues

hold support to restrain shoulder

lean head directly to side
C-R: shrug shoulder; and
restretch: lean body further away,
C-R: press head to fingers
restretch: draw head gently to side

The final photograph shows the same exercise done in a

chair—office workers will love this one. To get into this
position, sit to one side of the chair, and hold the seat
opposite the hip joint. If your arms are long in relation to
your trunk length, you can sit with just one hip on the chair,
and one leg out to the side for balance, as Gary is doing. The
head is in the neutral position, directly over the shoulders.
Lean away from the hand holding the chair and you will feel
the shoulder being pulled down and, perhaps, a stretch in
the arm, too. Once in this position, lean the head directly to
the side, away from the restraining hand. This may be a
sufficient stretch; if not, place a couple of fingers on the
head as shown, and gently take the head to the side.

A C-R stretch can be done, with two different contractions

to great effect. The first C-R is to try to lift the shoulder of
the hand holding the chair, the second is to gently press the
head across to the hand holding the chair. You may restretch
after each C-R, or after having done both. Be very gentle
with yourself in the restrctch phase; this is a strong stretch.
The contractions need only be seconds long and the
rcstretch will be three to five breaths.

Once finished, take the hand off the head, place it on the
knee and use the arm to lift the body back to the start
position. Do the other si^e, and note any differences.

To finish this lesson, return to the daily five and repeat

them. When you are familiar with the sequence, it will take
only seven or eight minutes to complete.
Lesson two: shoulders

This lesson covers exercises for the three major shoulder

muscles (front or anterior deltoid, side or lateral deltoid, and
back or posterior deltoid). See the illustration for details.
Good shoulder stretches will also affect the other major
muscles that move the upper arm, including the large flat
muscles on the front of the chest (the pectorals, or pectoralis
major and minor) and the large muscles under the arms that
give the upper body its characterisdc ‘V’ shape when seen
from behind, lalissimus dorsi. Generally, we do not isolate
the muscles of the shoulder, concentrating instead on
movements that are chosen on the basis of complex
Junctions. For example, an exercise that stretches the front
deltoid will also stretch either the pectorals or the muscle at
the front of the arm, biceps brachii, depending on the
orientation of the arm to the shoulder. Both the pectorals
and biceps can limit movement of the upper arm at the
shoulder, so it is efficient to use large-scale movements that
stretch these muscles in addition to the shoulder muscles.
The muscle that is the limiting factor in the complex
movement will be more stressed and will adapt the foster,
without the need to identify which one is actually the
limiting factor. This generalisation also applies to other soft-
tissue limitations to movement, including the nerves that
innervate the arm and any adhesions between the many
layers of fascia that cover these structures.

To begin the session, do the daily five trunk exercises we

learned in lesson 1. The first new exercise is a partner
version of exercise 3.

8. Partner lying rotation

Alan (kneeling) and Pierre are showing how to do the

exercise on this page, and Julie and Steve opposite. Begin
this movement with your tighter side. Assuming that you
are in the final position of exercise 3. lying rotation, ask your
partner to kneel alongside you as shown. Look at the first
photograph. Note that one of your partner's knees will be on
the floor next to the armpit of your extended arm, and the
other is placed in such a way as to be a brace for the elbow
of the hand that will be placed on your hip.

Ask your partner to lean weight through a relaxed hand

onto the shoulder of the extended arm, and to place the
other hand behind the hip of the leg you are taking towards

the floor. In a moment, you will be pushing your hip against

their hand so it needs the support of the knee to be a secure
barrier to this movement. You will find it most comfortable
if your partner leans weight through a straight arm, rather
than pressing your shoulder onto the floor. Your partner may
lean on your upper arm if that feels better, or place a
cushion or a mat between their hand and your arm for
comfort.

Once in position, ask your partner to hold you stable; then

gently push your top hip back against their hand for a few
breaths; this is a C-R stretch. You do not need to push
hard—if your partner cannot hold you in position you are
pushing too hard; we have not found that a stronger effort
produces a better stretch. If anything, the opposite is true
because, if you do push hard, many other muscles must
become involved to stabilise the action. After pushing back
gently for a while, stop pushing, breathe in, and, on a breath
out, slowly take your knee closer to the floor until you feel
the desired stretch. Make sure that this second stretching
action is slow; you may need a few breaths in and out before
you reach the new end point. Ask your partner to hold you
in this new position for five to ten breaths, and then stretch
the other side. You may stretch the first side a second time
if there is a big difference between the tightness of the sides.
The stretch should be felt in the muscles between the hip of
the leg you arc taking to the side, and in the spine, and all
the way up the back to the shoulder blades. If your front
arm or chest muscles are light, you will feel this exercise in
these places too and this will be a good warm-up for exercise
10, below.

9. Arm across body

The standing version of this exercise is gentle and the floor

version is a much stronger stretch. If you are large or
muscular, do the standing version first; if you are slender, do
the floor version, as you may feel no stretch using the
standing version.

Look at the first photograph. Extend one arm out to the

side, parallel with the floor. Swing the arm at a moderate
pace across the body and catch it in the crook of the elbow
of the other arm. You will need to swing the arm to get it
into this position; if you move it too slowly you may not be
able to bring it close enough to hold. Once held, use the
arm, shoulder and back muscles of the second arm to draw
the arm onto the front of your neck-, if you bring the arm
onto the chest there may be no stretch at all. If you can, you
may hold the back of your neck as a way of holding the
stretch for a while without much effort.

A C-R stretch can be achieved by pressing the straight arm

away from you gently while holding it for a few seconds.
Stop pressing, relax and breathe in and, on a breath out,
increase the stretch by pulling the arm closer to the front of
the neck. Hold for four or five breaths in and out and repeat
for the other side. You should feel the effect at the back of
the shoulder, and perhaps across the back, and you may feel
a small compression sensation in the joint itself.

The lying version is much stronger, as the weight of the

upper body stretches the involved muscles. Some people
may feel a strong compression sensation in the shoulder
itself if the exercise is too strong for their present level of
flexibility. Look at the photographs on the facing page.
Begin by lying face down on the floor and bringing one arm
into the position we used to begin the last stretch. Support
yourself on the other arm and lift the shoulder of the first
arm clear of the floor. This is the starting position. Bring the
leg into position alongside you as shown. Make sure you
bring the correct leg into position; not doing so is the most
common mistake in this exercise. When in position, very
gradually lower the shoulder to the floor—the leg out to the
side will twist the body enough to strongly stretch the
shoulder of the arm underneath you. Make sure that the
arm is across the front of the neck; if you are lying with your
chest on the arm there will be little stretch.

Cues

clasp arm to throat

hold back of neck
C-R: press arm to forearm
restretch: draw arm closer

draw same-side leg to side and

lie with arm across throat
lower chest to floor
C—R: press arm into floor
restretch: lower body closer to floor

Adding a C-R stretch can be useful too; simply press the

arm under you into the floor (the shoulder may yet be off
the ground at this point) for a few seconds, breathe in and,
on a breath out, relax and slowly lower the shoulder closer
to the floor. Remain in the final position for three to five
breaths in and out. The stretch can be made stronger still by
lowering the armpit of the outstretched arm onto the arm
under you, as indicated by the arrow in the last photograph.
Some people feel their hands going numb in this position;
this is probably due to the blood supply being cut off to the
arm (in a few cases it might be compression of the nerves
that innervate the arm, the brachial plexus). If this happens,
come out of the stretch and swing the arm around for a
short while. Stretch the other arm.

10. Partner front arm

This exercise is by far the most effective stretch for the

muscle that fills the space between the crook of the elbow
and the shoulder, biceps brachii, or usually biceps for short.
(Another biceps muscle, biceps femoris, is located in an
analogous position at the back of the leg, between knee and
bottom.) We usually teach the partner version first in the
classes. Once you know what the stretch should feel like and
precisely how the location of the effect can be changed by
simple alterations of pose, you will be in a good position to
do the stretch by yourself. The standing version of the
stretch may be conveniently used in the gym while training
the arms or chest, or on location any time you feel a need to
stretch this muscle. Experience shows that this muscle is
frequently very tight indeed. In fact, general tightness of the
biceps muscle and irritation of the tendon of the long head
of biceps (where it passes along the intertubercular groove)
sometimes masquerades as a rotator enjoin jury. Two specific
rotator cuff stretches are offered later (see exercises 59 and
60) and using these three exercises together can often
identify the true cause of common shoulder soreness.

The exercise will focus its main effect on either the pectoral
and front deltoid muscle or the biceps muscle of the arm
being stretched, depending on the angle of the arm in
relation to the floor and which Surface of the forearm is
placed against the wall. Look at the first photograph in the
series; Olivia is helping me. Face the wall directly, and place
your arm against it, with the thumb up. Your partner can
hold it there by pressing the upper arm onto the wall.

Now rotate the whole body using the feet so that your other
shoulder comes away from the wall (you arc pivoting
around the shoulder held against the wall) and bring your
other hand up to the position shown to hold yourself there.
Do not lean forwards as you rotate the body—this is the
most common way people avoid the stretch. If desired, your
partner may lightly cup the shoulder to help you hold it in
position, as shown in the second photograph. You should
feel the stretch in the front of the chest on the side of the
arm that is extended against the wall and also in that
shoulder. Some will feel it in the biceps, too. Try the arm a
little higher or lower to vary the effect. These variations will
need to be only small. The most common mistake observed
in the classes is that a student will not have the fingers
roughly in line with the top of the head.
Cues

thumb up; hand level with top of head

bring other shoulder away from wall
C-R: press hand into wall
slowly bring other shoulder
away from wall

Cues

thumb down to stretch biceps

bring other shoulder away from wall
C-R: press back of wrist into wall
slowly bring other shoulder
away from wall

;;

Cues

make sure arm is at correct angle

use other arm to lift shoulder
C-R: press arm into floor
restretch: roll top shoulder further back

A C-R stretch makes this very effective indeed. While you

are held in position, press your palm and arm into the wall
gently for five seconds or so. Use a long, slow, pushing
action, increasing the effort slightly as you do. Stop pressing,
take a breath in and, on a breath out, very slowly rotate the
other shoulder further away from the wall. It is essential that
you be in control of the final stretch position, so do not let
your partner move your shoulder. Ask them to follow you as
you move the shoulder further from the wall, and to hold
you in the new position. Being held allows you to
concentrate on the sensations in your arm, to attend to your
breathing, and to let the muscles you are stretching relax
properly. Even though you will think that you are relaxed in
any new end position, always take another deliberate breath
in, and let yourself relax once more. You will always be able
to take yourself a little further. Stretch the other arm, and
note any left-right differences. The effect of this version will
mainly be felt in the chest and shoulder and, to some extent,
in the arm.

The next version will be felt almost completely in the biceps

muscle of the upper arm and, in some people, will also be
felt in two other arm muscles, brachialis and brachioradialis.
To begin, stand facing the wall as before (second photo,
facing page). This time, when you place the arm against the
wall, roll the arm and shoulder over so that your thumb
points down to the floor. In all respects other than the
orientation of the forearm the exercise is the same as just
described. When doing the C-R stretch, try to press the
back of the wrist into the wall using the biceps and other arm
muscles rather than the chest and shoulder muscles. So
doing will emphasise the effects on the biceps. As with the
first version, small alterations in arm angle can change the
location of the major effect.

The final sequence of photographs (Alan, assisted by Pierre)

shows the same exercise being done on the floor. I suggest
you try the wall version first, to ensure that the form is
correct. Most people have the arm too low (below the level
of the head, if you are doing the exercise standing) and lose
some of the biceps effect as a result. Once you are familiar
with where the stretch is supposed to be felt, doing the
exercise on the floor makes it very easy to hold the final
position. Gravity is working in your favour, especially if you
drop the top leg over behind you, as Alan is doing in the top
photograph. A partner may assist as shown—Pierre is
simply holding Alan in his final position, making the C-R
contraction and the restrctch final position easier to hold.

11. Partner arms up behind back

This is another chest, shoulders and biceps combination

movement. If your shoulders are tight, you may hold a strap
between your hands to allow them to separate (up to
shoulder width) to make early attempts easier, as I am
showing in the top photograph. This is also an excellent
stretch for the nerves that innervate the arm (the brachial
plexus). If you have any shoulder, arm or forearm problem
where the nerves might be suspected of playing a causal role
(such as overuse injuries), this exercise may be helpful. The
exercise may be done standing, kneeling or sitting,
depending on the relative heights of you and your partner.
Olivia and I are showing the easiest version of the exercise.
I have wrapped a thick cotton strap around both hands and
wrists to allow separation between the hands, which makes
the movement much easier to do. All directions below
relating to C-R stretches apply to this assisted version, too.
Once you can get the arms horizontal in this version (while
standing with the trunk vertical!) you may try the next
version.

This exercise can be done on your own, too, by clasping

your hands together behind you, or using a strap as
described, bending forwards, and placing them on a suitable
support. The stretch is effected by lowering yourself; the
C-R stretch is done as usual (described below), and the
final stretch is achieved by lowering yourself further. If using
a strap, you may experiment with rolling the forearms
inwards or outwards to vary the final stretch effects.

Cues

use strap if necessary

roll shoulders back to begin
partner elevates arms slowly
C—R: press hands to floor
restretch: partner slowly lifts arms

Cues

fingers together or use strap

roll shoulders back to begin
lower body to stretch
C-R: press hands into support
restretch: lower body further

Alan and Pierre are showing the intermediate exercise from

the standing position but, if you kneel as shown in the last
photograph, the task of holding the arms in the final
position is made easier. The choice of start position depends
on your respective heights. Clasp your hands behind your
back, or use a strap as suggested. Alan is demonstrating the
essential backwards roll of the shoulders before the arms are
lifted up behind (second photograph). Ask your partner to
take the arms up behind you as (at as feels comfortable. The
closer your hands are to each other, the more intense the
stretch in the arms and shoulders will be. When you feel a
sufficient stretch, stop. Do not sacrifice movement at the
shoulder joint for the sake of height of the arms behind you;
the most common error in this pose is to allow the upper
back to bend forwards.

To loosen the muscles, a C-R stretch is required. Ask your

partner to hold you in position and press your hands down
in the direction of the floor. As always, the arms must not
move during the contraction; if they do, either you are not
getting enough support or you arc pushing too hard. In this
exercise, a longer push is beneficial, so count to ‘10’ to
yourself. Stop pressing, breathe in (this is a good
opportunity to fully straighten your upper back by lifting
the chest!) and, on a breath out, ask your partner to very
slowly lift your arms up until the stretch is strong enough.
Alternatively, if you want to control the extent of the final
position more directly, you can ask your partner to hold you
in the contraction position and you can increase the stretch
yourself by letting your legs bend, lowering your body until
the desired stretch is felt. As before, do not let the trunk
bend forwards to achieve this; it is better to do the exercise
in good form.

Cues

roll shoulders back to begin

partner lifts arms
C-R: press hands to floor
restretch: partner slowly elevates arms

12. Partner arm up behind shoulder blade

In our experience, the next compound shoulder movement

reveals the most noticeable reduction in shoulder flexibility
in the normal person as they become older and is most
dramatically observed on the dominant arm side. For this
reason, choose your dominant arm to begin, so that it may
be given an extra stretch once the other is done. This
movement stretches the external rotators of the shoulder
joint (infraspinatus and teres minor) in addition to the front
and middle deltoid so, if you find that getting into the first
position is difficult, you may wish to stretch these muscles
now (see exercise 60, shoulder external rotation).

Place the back of your hand up between your shoulder

blades. Now try to reach behind you to grasp the elbow of
this arm; if you cannot, you may ask your partner to stand
to one side as shown and grasp the elbow for you. Julie is
assisting Steve in the third photograph in this way. If you are
on your own, you can use a strap to get into position: make
a loop in the strap, lower it behind you as shown and put
the wrist of the first hand through it. By gently pulling on
the strap, you will be able to get the arm into position. The
elbow of the held arm will be protruding past your side, and
you can lean against the elbow to tighten the position and
to provide a barrier against which to push in the next part
of the exercise if you are on your own.

If you do not have a strap handy, you can lean the bottom
arm’s elbow against a wall (by leaning away from the wall
first) or against a support, as shown (top photo facing page).
No matter which approach you use, the first stretch
movement is to pull the shoulder being stretched directly
backwards , as indicated by the arrow in the second
photograph. This movement, mainly initiated by the
rhomboid muscles, draws the scapula onto the rib cage and
significantly increases the stretch sensation. This may be a
sufficient stretch.
A C-R stretch will loosen all the muscles limiting the
movement. Either by pressing the elbow directly out to the
side against your partners support, or pressing it against
some other barrier (a wall or bar), contract the shoulder
muscles for a count of five. Without moving, relax the
shoulder, breathe in and, on a breath out, very cautiously
press your body towards the barrier to move the elbow closer
to the trunk. Hold the new position for five breaths in and

Cues

draw arm and shoulder behind body

lean on point of elbow if necessary
pull stretched shoulder back
C-R: press elbow directly to side
restretch: pull elbow across
and pull shoulder back

out. The stretch in this shoulder can be intensified by using

the muscles of the back to slowly pull the stretched shoulder
backwards once more while holding the position. Usually
this action increases the stretch effect in the very front of the
shoulder.

To relieve the ache in the front of the shoulder that everyone

seems to feel after doing this exercise, relax the arm
concerned and lift it above your head from your side. Let it
drop and make a few circles, and the arm will feel normal.
The end position of this exercise is usually much improved
with a second try so, after doing your non-dominant arm,
restretch the first shoulder. Was there a big difference
between the shoulder movements? We have found that
left-right arm and shoulder comparisons of flexibility reveal
significant differences in most people. Many minor
shoulder and arm problems can be solved by simply making
the body more symmetrical in this regard.

Another way of making the shoulder feel completely loose

and relaxed is to repeat exercise 10, partner front arm,
immediately. These exercises in combination have improved
many shoulder problems. From a more general perspective,
because both exercises stretch the muscles that pull the
shoulder joint and arm forwards, they arc the best way to
improve slumping or rounded shoulders. If this is your
problem, combine these exercises with exercise 14, wall
middle and upper back backward bend, or exercise 27,
partner backward bend over support.

Cues
partner helps you get into position
draw shoulder back to increase stretch
C—R: press elbow to side
restretch: ask partner to move elbow

13. Arm behind head

This exercise stretches the widest muscle of the back,

latissimus dorsi. It also stretches triceps (the muscle of the
back of the upper arm) strongly if the elbow joint is closed
during its execution. Place the palm of one hand between
the shoulder blades, from above. Now reach your other arm
across, hold the elbow as I am showing, and gently pull the
elbow across behind your head. Look at your position: if the
stretched arm is not approximately in line with your body as
seen from the side, use the neck muscles to press the arm
back. You will see your chest lift as you do this, and the
action will increase the stretch in the muscles under the arm.
A wall can be used to similar effect, by standing away from
it enough to lean the point of this elbow on it. By
straightening the back and leaning on the elbow, it will be
moved backwards in line with the rest of the body. This
version requires no effort from the neck muscles, and may
be preferred.

By now, the C-R stretch should suggest itself to you: by

pressing the held elbow directly out to the side, latissimus
dorsi will be activated and, accordingly, will experience the
extra stretch. After pressing for a count of five, breathe in,
relax and, on a breath out, bring the upper arm further
behind your head. Have regard to the alignment of the
upper arm in relation to the body in the new position; if it
is forwards, press the arm back. Hold the final position for
five breaths in and out. Compared with other shoulder
movements, most people arc quite flexible in this action.

Cues

take folded arm behind head

use head to press arm backwards
C—R: press elbow to side
restretch: arm across further
press arm back with head
Exercises 12 and 13 may be combined if you are loose
enough, either by using a strap as shown above (exercise 12),
or linking the finger tips together. As you become more
flexible, clasp the hands more closely together. Look at the
shape both arms make with the body, and apply appropriate
correction.

If the elbow of the arm behind your back is outside the line
of the body, you need to concentrate on loosening the front
and middle shoulder muscles using exercise 12. If the elbow
of the top arm is outside the line of the shoulder, or the line
of the arm is in front of the shoulder as would be seen from
the side, you will need to concentrate on the latissimus dorsi
component of the stretch by using exercise 13. Merely being
able to clasp the hands behind you docs not mean that the
shoulders are adequately flexible—your proportions play a
part, and some people can clasp their hands because the top
arm demonstrates much better than average flexibility in
this position. We arc trying to achieve all-round flexibility
rather than enhance the flexibility of a part already loose, so
check your form carefully.

The final photograph shows Alan applying both corrections

to Pierre; by placing his left elbow on Pierres left shoulder,
he can gently pull the top elbow back and, at the same time,
he can help to move the bottom elbow closer to the centre¬
line of the body.

Petra is demonstrating a wrist-to-wrist grip in the final

photograph, which flexible students may attempt. Use a
fingertip-to-fingertip grip to begin, then use the fingers to
bring the wrists closer together. Do not force this position.

Cues

clasp fingers together

look at position of arms; adjust
use wall or partner to assist

14. Wall middle and upper back backward bend

A forwards rounding of the upper back and a slumping of

the shoulders are frequent accompaniments to ageing. These
effects are mainly due to gravity and our incomplete efforts
to keep ourselves upright against it. Sedentary occupations
where one spends hours of each day hunched over
paperwork and keyboards only worsens this tendency. As
the shape of the body changes, a number of structural and
functional alterations occur. Chief among these are a
shortening of key muscles in the shoulders and the front
side of the trunk, and changes to the shape of the whole
spine. The most unfortunate aspect of these changes is that
they are no longer confined to middle age and beyond. The
next exercise directly stretches the muscles that shorten as
one’s posture alters: the chest muscles (pectoralis major and
minor), front shoulder muscle (anterior deltoid), the muscles
between the ribs (intercostales) and the muscle at the front of
the upper arm (biceps brachii). Various ligaments, tendons
and intrinsic muscles of the spine arc affected too.

Look at the first photograph. Stand away from a wall as I am

doing—the exact distance will have to be found by
experiment. The further away from the wall you are, the
stronger the stretch will be, so err on the side of caution the
first time. Extend the arms above the head at about shoulder
width. Some people will feel a compression in the shoulder
joint and often this can be alleviated by changing the hand
spacing, cither closer together or further apart. Place your
hands on the wall and bend your legs slightly. Lean onto the
wall while extending the arms off the body as far as you can.
Gravity will pull the body down, and you will find the trunk
bending backwards as it is suspended between hands and
hips. You will need to relax completely in this position to be
stretched: if the effect is too intense, begin again but stand
a little closer to the wall. In the second photograph Eldon is
helping me by applying a very light force between my
shoulder blades with his forearm.

In the last two photographs, Olivia is demonstrating a

kneeling version of the exercise, which is for more gentle and
can be used if either of the wall versions is too strong.
Because significantly less force is experienced on the
shoulders, you will need to make a conscious effort to relax
to make this an effective stretch. A gentle C-R stretch can
be achieved by pressing the hands onto the support. A

Cues (left page)

extend straight arms off body
lean into support so back bends
C-R: pull hands down wall
restretch: lean further into wall

Cues (below)

C-R: press hands up to ceiling

partner floor version of this stretch is shown in lesson 5,

exercise 35.

In the standing version, a surprisingly effective C-R stretch

can be effected by trying to pull the hands down the wall
once in the final position. Friction will hold the hands in
position, and all of the muscles mentioned will contract in
the action. After pulling for a count of 10 or so, take in a
deep breath (this will help to expand the whole rib cage),
relax the upper body completely except for the effort
required to extend the arms and, on a breath out, let the
body sink further into the pose. Try to breathe more deeply
than usual in the final position, and hold it for 10 breaths
in and out if you can.

I am showing a very intense version of the stretch on this

page that concentrates the effect high up in the back (at
about the level of the middle of the shoulder blades) by
leaning over a narrow support, padded if required. Effective
in either partner or solo versions, this is the best exercise to
use to reduce a ‘scholarly stoop', or that premature forward
curving of the upper back so often seen in middle-aged
people. To use this most effectively, you need to place the
least flexible part of the middle or upper back on the
support. The C-R stretch involves gently pressing the arms
in the direction of the ceiling; the restretch requires either
the hips to be lowered (solo) or the partner helping to take
the arms closer to the floor. Try to relax in the final position.
The following is the first of the repeated exercises. As the
lessons progress, we will see more of these. The page number
shows where the exercise will be found, and in many cases
the Cues are repeated too.

Exercise 7, Floor neck side bend

Refer back to lesson 1 for details of how to do this
exercise, and ensure that the key points are observed.

15. Floor neck rotation

This seemingly simple movement stretches all of the major

and many of the minor muscles of the neck. The movement
also exemplifies the general principle that one’s achievable
flexibility depends more on one’s daily pattern of movement
than on any bony or muscular limitation. Daily life
activities generate a neuromuscular mapping of these
patterns which constitute a major fraction of the brain's
activity. The outer edges of these maps are real constraints
on our flexibility and this is what we experience when we
feel that we cannot go any further in a movement.

Sit in any comfortable way that lets you hold the upper
body straight without too much effort—cross legged on the
floor is fine, but use a cushion under your bottom to tip the
body forwards slightly. An office chair is good, as is sitting,,
on folded legs. Without inclining the head forwards or
backwards and without tilting it to the side, slowly turn
your head as far as you can in one direction until it will not
go any further. Pause and count to three; now turn the head
further. Everyone can. Now do the same on the other side
and feel which side is tighter. Briefly turn once more to
whichever side you first turned, to relax the opposite
muscles.

When you turn your head to the right, you arc contracting
the left sternomastoid to achieve the movement; looking to
the left uses the right sternomastoid. What stops you turning
your head in the first instance is a reflex contraction of the
muscles that produce the opposite movement. The point in
your range of movement at which these contractions are
triggered is precisely that end point of the range of
movement you use in daily life. Resetting these points (up
to physiological limits) is just a matter of gently imposing
new ranges of movements. Even very flexible people
demonstrate this effect.

For most people, turning to the side of the dominant arm is

more difficult because you are using your non-dominant
sternomastoid to look towards your dominant side. Ask
yourself which shoulder you look over when you back your
car out of the driveway—this will be the looser side. The
most often repeated patterns are dominant. This applies
equally to patterns functional and dysfunctional.

Cues

turn head to side as far as possible

after pause, slowly turn further

Trapezius /

Sternomastoid

Pectoralis major

Muscles of the neck, head rotated

Lesson three: calf and hamstrings

If you were attending a Posture & Flexibility class, today’s lesson would be the
last time we would
take you through the daily five in a formal way. Our classes are structured so that
the first 15
minutes is spent doing your own warm-up movements, and many people include the
daily five in
this period. We encourage students to practise exercises for their tightest areas,
but many do not—
most begin by repeating favoured movements, and this means ones that feel good to
do. You may
well care to do the same. Be guided by how you feel on the day. Do not be
surprised, however, to
find that, when a problem area feels as though nothing you do will loosen it, later
in the session
you have a breakthrough in stretching that part—this has been reported to us too
often to be
ignored. In this lesson we are going to begin what most regard as real stretching:
loosening the
muscles at the back of the legs.

Not a day goes by where one does not read in the sporting press of a top athlete
out of action with
a pulled hamstring. What does this term mean and why do superbly conditioned
athletes seem so
prone to this problem? One reason, certainly, is a lack of flexibility or
suppleness in these major
muscles, and another is strength imbalances between opposing pairs of muscles that
control the
movements involved in the particular activity (agonist and antagonist groups). We
have found that
the C-R approach can go a long way to addressing strength imbalances and a very
long way in
addressing simple tightness—common among top athletes, you may be surprised to
learn.

The common term hamstrings describes the large muscles that span the bottom bones
we sit on
(the ischial tuberosities) and the lower leg, as illustrated on pages 60 and 61.
Because these three
muscles cross the hip joint as well as the knee, they can either extend the upper
leg with respect to
the trunk or flex the knee joint, or any balance of action between these two
functions.
Electromyograph studies have shown that fast running requires part of the
hamstrings to be
contracting to produce forward movement while another pan lengthens to allow
straightening of
the knee. In some cases, the hamstring muscle pulls itself apart during explosive
movement if
insufficiently strong or too tight.

We begin this lesson with a very simple but effective floor combination of back and
stomach
muscle strengthening movements. The first exercise is a mild whole-spine movement
which has the
benefit of increasing awareness of one’s posture and the second exercise affects
mainly rectus
abdominis, the muscle comprising the enviable ‘six-pack’—always admired but too
seldom seen.
Cosmetic dimensions aside, this muscle (along with the obliques and associated
others) form a
necessary muscular girdle to strengthen the whole trunk.

16. Floor face down arm and leg lifts, and

abdominal curls

The key to body weight strengthening movements, where

the resistance of the movement is largely fixed, is to perform
the movements slowly—slowly enough such that
momentum can play no role in the movement. In the first
of these two exercises, lifting the arm and leg more quickly
than recommended certainly will get them higher off the
ground, but so doing will defeat the purpose completely.
You need to move with deliberation so as to maximise the
sensations. Concentrate on the feeling of doing the
movement rather than on how many repetitions you can do.
Postural muscles respond quickly to this approach and, as
you lift your limbs, the entire body is extended.

Lie face down as Gary is doing. You may put a low cushion
or mat under your forehead, or turn the head to one side for
a few repetitions and turn it to the other for the remainder
so that the muscles of the neck and upper back arc evenly
stressed. Lift one arm and the opposite leg together, as high
ofF the floor as you can. Do this slowly, and feel how a great
number of muscles is coordinated in this simple-looking
movement. Lower the limbs to the floor, let the body relax,
and lift the complementary pair of limbs. The first time you
try the exercise, do just eight to ten on each side. When you
become stronger and your capacity to exert your strength in
this new movement improves, you can increase the
resistance with light weights in the hands, and weights on
the ankles. Variations include lifting the arm and leg on the
same side together, and both arms and legs together. This
last version is the most difficult in terms of effort, but the
first version teaches your body how to exert its strength
symmetrically, the important consideration in this

Gary is demonstrating two versions of the exercise; one

done while lying as described above, and one done on all
fours. This latter version involves more torsion around the
long axis of the body because the trunk is freer to move in
rotation; accordingly, it is more difficult than the lying
version. Movements should be slow in this version too.

The top two photographs of Jennifer show arms and legs

lifted together; this is closer to a pure extension movement
of the spine because the trunk cannot rotate. Breathing will
be difficult in the extended position due to the pressure of
your body’s weight on the abdomen. Jennifer is lifting her
arms as high as she can, to maximise involvement of the
middle and upper back muscles.

The next exercise, demonstrated by Julie, will provide a

pleasant stretch to counter the tightening effects of the last
one. As an aside, the conventional sit-up, in which the trunk
is lifted from the floor to complete the movement, can hurt
the lower back because another pair of muscles (the hip
flexors) come into play as soon as the lower back starts to
leave the floor. This criticism applies to the many variations
of this basic movement too. including touching the elbow to
the opposite side’s knee. The exercise shown here has no
such drawbacks, and may even be done by people with back
problems.

Look at the third photograph. Placing the lower legs on a

chair makes keeping good form even easier, but the exercise
may be done on the floor just as effectively. Julie has placed
her fingers next to her temples; deliberately, she avoids using
her arms to hold her head and, in this way, she can
strengthen the essential front neck muscles too. Once in
position, breathe in. On a breath out, very slowly curl the
entire trunk, starting with the neck, in one smooth
movement. Curl up slowly as high as you can without lifting
the body off the floor. If you are doing the exercise correctly,
the lower back will be increasingly pressed onto the floor.
This demonstrates the lumbar-curve-flattcning action
characteristic of contractions in this muscle group. Hold the
top position of the'movement for a count of two. Lower
yourself while breathing in, let the head touch the floor for
an instant, and begin again.

When you can do 10 slow repetitions, these muscles will be

quite strong. The resistance of the movement may be
increased by holding a weight against the forehead (a book
will do to start). You may feel the main effects of this
exercise in the muscles in the front of the neck in the first
few weeks and, if the neck tires before the abdominal
muscles, you may use the arms to help lift the head for the
last repetitions. If you feel the effects in the back of the neck,
you need to lift the head and neck proportionately faster
than you are now doing—the back of the neck can feel sore
if the neck bends backwards at all in the movement. If the

back of the neck is left feeling tight by doing this exercise,

do exercise 6, chin to chest, immediately afterwards.

Did you notice that curling the trunk stretched the lower
and middle back muscles that were tightened during the
previous exercise? These paired movements are
complementary and any unwanted effects of the former are
released by the latter. Do the exercises in the order
suggested.

17. Partner floor single leg forward bend

We begin the lesson with a test of your hamstring flexibility.
The forward bend over one leg—if done in good form with
the back held straight between hips and shoulders—is both
an excellent stretch for all the muscles at the back of the legs
(hamstring and calf muscles) and a modest strengthening
exercise. The movement also helps you become aware of the
shape that your body makes in various positions and, in
time, this increase in awareness helps both posture and
flexibility. The following exercises in this lesson are what we
call the partial poses; they will help you identify which of the
many muscles involved in this basic movement arc limiting
forward bending and, at the same time, teach you the most
effective exercises to target these tight areas. At the end of
the lesson we will do this exercise again, to sec if you have
improved.

Look at the illustrations. The three hamstring muscles

(semimembranosus , the innermost muscle, semitendinosus,
slightly further to the outside, and biceps femoris, the
outermost hamstring muscle) have interesting anatomy.
They span both the hip and the knee joints, and the shorter
head of biceps jemoris is attached to the femur, the bone of
the upper leg, for about half its length. This means that even
if the knee if flexed during the movement, one part of the
hamstring group is being stretched; when the leg is straight
and moved towards the head all parts of the group are
stretched. The arrangement of the muscles, where they arise
on the skeleton (the origin), and the place they attach (the
insertion), all determine their functions and how they might
be worked. This description simplifies great complexity and,
the capacity to bend easily at the hip owes much to factors
that are not easily seen in the muscle and bone picture just
presented. We will cover some of these other factors below.

IS-

(kneecap)

leg, inside view

magnus
Biceps femoris

femoris

Look at the photograph. You will need a strap to hold your

foot and, if you are not particularly flexible, a cushion or a
mat under your bottom will help concentrate the stretch in
the back of the leg. Loop the strap around one foot, and
reach down the strap as far as you can without bending the
back. A mirror is helpful, or better yet, a partner who can
tell you where your back is bending. To get an idea of your
flexibility, reach down the strap a little, and breathe in,
straightening the back at the same time, until you feel a
stretch down the back of the leg, somewhere in between the
bottom bone and the top of the lower leg (this sensation
often feels like it is in the calf muscle). When you have gone
as far as you can, note how (ar down the strap you are able
to reach. You may of course be able to hold your foot; if so,
check to sec that your back is still straight.

It will come as a surprise to some to learn that the calf

muscles can limit movement at the hip. Look at the
illustration overleaf: the underlying calf muscle, soleus,
shares the Achilles tendon with the other calf muscle,
gastrocnemius. Soleus arises from the bones of the lower leg,
the tibia and fibula, whereas gastrocnemius arises from the
end of the femur. For this reason,we will need two exercises
to stretch both muscles. The branches of the sciatic nerve,
the longest in the body, passes through both muscles and a
number of researchers have claimed that it is restrictions to
its gliding through the calf muscles that can limit movement
of the trunk at the hip joint: if the nerve branches cannot
slide they is placed under tension and signal pain or
discomfort. When you try exercise 17, note where you feel
the main effects of the stretch, and look at the angle your
foot makes with the leg. If your foot is strongly pointed
(rather than being dose to, or in the neutral position) and
you feel the main effect in the calf muscles, suspect that they
might be the limiting factor in forward bending.

If you feel that the main effect is in the hamstring muscles

themselves, make a mental note. If you feel the effect in the
hip of the leg being stretched, make a note of that, too: we
will stretch these muscles later in exercise 22, lying hip.

Cues

hold strap or foot;

trunk must be straight
partner supports lower back

-a

18. Floor folded leg calf (soleus)

Tightness in soleus is not a significant limiter of flexion at

the hip. However, stretching soleus is a good warm-up for
stretching gastrocnemius and, because the knee is flexed, the
position allows you to stretch the ankle joint more directly.
You will feel the stretch deep in the calf muscle as well as in
the arch of the foot itself, and you may feel a slight
compression sensation in the front of the ankle joint.

Kneel as Gary is showing. If you cannot fold the other leg,

you may put it in any comfortable position. The key to this
exercise is to have the knee directly over the foot, and to
ensure that the ankle does not roll inwards ( pronation ).
Misalignment will render the exercise ineffective so, if the
ankle docs want to roll in, press harder on the little-toe side
of the foot, and only go as far into the stretch as you can
while still maintaining the recommended shape.

Place the elbow on the leg, just behind the knee as shown.
By leaning your body’s weight through the elbow, the ankle
will flex. If you are tight, or you need more weight on the
knee to make the stretch effective, reach your other arm out
and grasp a stable support. By pulling on this arm, the
stretch will be increased.

A C-R stretch is achieved by pressing the ball of the foot

gently into the floor once in the final position for a count of
six to ten. Keep holding yourself in position, take a breath
in, relax, and press the knee further in the stretch direction.
Hold the final position for at least 10 breaths in and out—
the Achilles tendon is the thickest in the body and responds
to a decent stretch. Check the shape the foot and lower leg
make with each other, and ensure that the ankle is not
pronating in the final position.

Cues

hold support; elbow behind knee

ensure arch is maintained
C—Rs press ball of foot into floor
restretch: lean weight onto knee

a-

Cues

with foot under knee, lean onto wall

maintain arch shape
press leg straight
C-R: press ball of foot into floor
restretch: lean further into wall
partner can hold heel on floor
19. Wall standing calf (gastrocnemius)

Gastrocnemius can limit hip movement when the leg is

straight. This exercise is our version of the popular runners’
stretch you can see being done everywhere. Look at the
photograph; Kevin is demonstrating the recommended
position.

Take a long pace back behind you with one leg, and lean
into the wall, gently pressing the leg straight by tightening
the thigh muscle (this action is sometimes described as
pulling the kneecap up). You may support yourself on either
your elbows or hands. As you lean into the wall, again
ensure that your foot is not turned out to the side (in other
words, the knee needs to track directly over the foot) and
that the ankle does not roll inwards (or pronate). Pressing
more weight on the little toe side of the foot will help
maintain alignment. The other leg may be bent and placed
between the first foot and the wall for security, or you may
place it on the back of the straight leg, which will give the
strongest stretch, because more of the body’s weight is being
applied. Take the hips and body towards the wall, keeping
the heel firmly on the ground. You will feel a strong stretch
in the calf muscle, and behind the knee.

A C-R stretch is effected by pressing the ball of the foot

into the floor, but without lifting the heel, for a count from
10 to 15. Gastrocnemius shares the Achilles tendon with
soleur, this, together with the fact that we carry the body’s
weight around on these muscles, usually means that they are
both strong and tight. We recommend a longer contraction
in calf muscle exercises than in many of the other exercises
and a longer time spent in the final position, as experience
shows that this produces a desirable stretch effect. Hold the
final position for 10 breaths in and out, and you may find
that a second C-R will allow you to move even closer to the
wall. Stretch the other leg.

The last frame shows how a partner may assist; I am pressing

Kevin’s heel down to the floor so that he can concentrate on
maintaining the arch in his foot and leaning towards the
wall. C-R stretches for gastrocnemius are particularly
effective when assisted in this way.

20. Floor single leg calf

This is the strongest of the calf muscle exercises, even

though less of the body’s weight is experienced than in the
wall version, above. Exercise 20 gives the strongest stretch
(in terms of how the stretch feels) because the hips, as well
as the ankle, are flexed. A number of versions are shown,
allowing you to choose a version that suits your pattern of
flexibility.

Steve is demonstrating a version that everyone will be able

to do. He is leaning against the end of a bench, the other
end of which is against a wall. The support you use must be
completely stable. Stand far enough away from the support
so that, when you reach your hands down to it, the heel of
the leg you arc stretching just stays on the ground. Once you
have the right distance worked out, with one foot in front
for support, bend at the waist until you can place your
hands on the support. This will already be a stretch for the
calf muscles. The support leg may be moved to behind the
leg being stretched if you like, as Steve is demonstrating in
the photograph. Like exercise 19, wall standing calf, putting
the support leg in this position increases the stretch effect.

A C-R stretch may be done in this first position, to loosen

the leg and prepare it for the next step. Once in a reasonable
stretch position, straighten your back (tell yourself to lift the
chest or to arch the back) and bend forwards from the hips
until your arms and body are in the same line, or close to it,
as shown. This second movement will dramatically
demonstrate the functional relationship between calf and
hamstring flexibility.

Your hips will move backwards in relation to the back foot

when you bend at the hips, and this will reduce the stretch
on the calf muscle—even though the stretch sensation down
the back of the leg increases. After you get used to the new
stretch, you can increase the effect in the calf muscle by
coming out of the stretch slightly, moving the foot further
back (but still keeping the heel on the floor) and bending at
the hips once again. A C-R stretch, achieved by pressing
the ball of the foot into the floor, can be done at any stage
in the movement to release the tension in the back of the
le g-

Cues

lean on support; foot under knee

lean forward to stretch calf
C-R: press ball of foot into floor
restretch: lean further forwards, and
lower body closer to floor
(bend forward at hips)

Cues
keep heel on floor
hold back straight, and
pull body towards floor
C-R: press ball of foot into floor
restretch: arch back and
pull body closer to floor

If your hands and feet grip the floor adequately and you
have the flexibility, try the next version Steve is showing in
the photograph at the top of this page. If your foot slips, try
placing the heel against the join between the wall and the
floor. If your hands slip, turn around and place the fingers
against the join. The C-R stretch to be applied is the same
as for the preceding versions. If neither of these strategies is
effective (if you still feel that the unsupported limb is in
danger of slipping) we will show you a partner-assisted
version later, in exercise 70, partner floor single leg.

Runners often hang a heel from a road curb or the like while
standing waiting for traffic lights to change; the C-R
technique can be used to make this stretch more effective.
Once in the stretch position I am demonstrating in the
second photograph (assuming that you have the whole
body’s weight hanging from one foot), gently try to lift
yourself up from the bottom position. The operative word
is try, take just enough weight on the calf muscle to be able
to feel it doing work without allowing the heel to lift, for a
count of five to ten. Stop lifting and, on a breath out, let the
calf muscle relax completely and let the heel sink further
down. This stretch is much stronger for the calf muscles
than the wall version described in exercise 19, wall standing
calf, because the whole weight of the body is felt in the
stretch. A set of steps works well.

Cues

with straight leg, hang heel from support

C—Rs take some weight on calf muscle
restretch: let heel hang further down

21. Buttock and hip flexor

This is a personal favourite and a wonderful warm-up

movement. Everyone will be able to do it in one form or
another—we always use it on our Overcome neck & back
pain workshops. As you are supporting your weight entirely
on your arms, you can allow as gentle or as strong a stretch
as you wish and, depending on where the stretch most
affects you, you will gain insight into your tight areas. Ir is a
compound movement, stretching both legs—but in
different places.

Have a support handy, if you think that you may not be able
to reach the floor. Begin on all fours and, supporting your
weight on both hands and one knee, swing the other foot
out and around, and place it on the floor with a bent knee.
The foot needs to be in front of the knee (the knee is stable
in this position, but not if behind the line of the foot). Once
in position, reach the other leg out further behind you by
making small, sliding movements of the knee back as far as
you can, and rest there for a moment. Draw the ball of the
foot under the ankle, and let it take some weight, as I am
showing in the first photograph, opposite. Take in a breath
and, as you breath, out try to straighten the back leg without
letting the hips rise. Most people cannot straighten the back
leg—it is the straightening action that provides the stretch.
For some, the main effects will be felt in the back of the
front leg: the buttock muscles ( gluteus maximus and some of
the smaller muscles), the adductors (the muscles on the
inside of the thigh that pull the leg in to the centre-line of
the body) and part of the hamstrings. For others, the main
effect will be felt in the front of the back leg: the hip flexors
(iliacus and psoas ) and those parts of the front thigh muscles
closest to the hip joint ( rectus femoris and other parts of
quadriceps). See the illustration for details of the quadriceps
group, see page 75 for details of the hip flexors, and page 60
for details of the muscles at the back and inside of the leg.

A C-R stretch can be used here, too. To loosen the muscles

at the back of the front leg, gently press the foot straight
down into the floor—not so hard that the hips lift;
contractions must not produce movement if they are to
yield the maximum stretch effect. After a breath in, relax
and, on a breath out, let your arms bend until the desired
stretch is felt. If you have trouble keeping the back straight,
try gently pulling back on the hands first; this action

Gluteus medius

Psoas, Iliacus

Pectineus

Adductor longus

Vastus lateralis

Vastus medialis

Patella

Muscles of the thigh

engages the muscles under the arms and will straighten the
back. Simply straightening the back will intensify the stretch
in the back of the front leg. Once you are used to this, you
may increase it further by bending the arms as described—
but only as far as you can hold the back straight.

If the main effect in exercise 21 is felt in the front of the

back leg, make a note. This sensation suggests that the
quadriceps and the hip flexors are likely to be tight. We will
be concentrating on this area in the next lesson. In the
meantime, the back-straightening action described above
will stretch you more intensely here than in the back of the
leg if these are the tighter muscles. We are often asked why
someone feels a stretch in one place when it is supposed to
be a stretch for another muscle entirely. The reason is that,
in compound movements, you will feel the stretch most
strongly in whichever of the muscles is the tightest in the
chain of muscles involved in the movement.

Cues

use support if necessary

support weight on hands
press back leg straight
pull back gently on hands
C-R: press front foot into floor
restretch: lower hips; restraighten back

22. Lying hip (piriformis)

Exercise 5, seated hip, in lesson 1 provided the first of the

piriformis stretches. This relatively small muscle deep in the
hip is one of the four external hip rotators. Hip pain can be
caused by piriformis pressing the sciatic nerve against part of
the pelvis (see the illustration this page). In 20-37 per cent
of the population, however, part of the sciatic nerve passes
through this muscle (see the illustration opposite). In such
cases, if piriformis is tight, sufficient pressure may be applied
to this part of the nerve as to affect the flow of information.
In mild cases, either condition contributes to stiffness of the
hip and an inability to bend forward at the hips but, in
severe cases, piriformis syndrome can cause symptoms
indistinguishable from disc-induced sciatica pain.

Exercise 22 shows a movement that stretches the same

muscle, but from a different angle, and that applies the
stretching tension to its other end. If we think about
muscles simplistically (for example, thinking about them as
being analogous to elastic bands) we will mistakenly
conclude that pulling on one end of a muscle will produce
the same stretch within the muscle as will pulling on the
other end. For many reasons this is not the case: in any
particular position, muscles may hold tension only at one
location within them (the familiar trigger point is one
example); muscles pull over bony promontories in many
cases; joint position determines the angle of pull; and
muscles contain tendons within them. All these factors
contribute to uneven distribution of tension. Accordingly,
different versions of an exercise produce different stretch
sensations and effects. Additionally, there is considerable
variation in the normal population as to the precise
locations of origins and insertions in relation to joints. The
one stretching exercise is unlikely to affect everyone the
same way and we need to provide variations on basic
movements to ensure that all can benefit. One advantage of
exercise 22 is that, because you are lying on the floor and
drawing the leg towards you, there is no strain on the back.
Lie face up as Olivia is demonstrating, with the legs bent.
Place one ankle on the thigh of the other, near the knee. We
want the knee of the first leg to be as far outside the line of
the body as possible so, if your lower leg bones are short,
place as little of the foot on the thigh as is practicable. Reach
through the legs and hold the folded leg as shown; hold only

sr~

Part of sciatic nerve pierces piriformis

the back .of the thigh rather than the knee if you cannot
reach this far, or use a strap around the leg.

For proportional or flexibility reasons, you may find that

even holding the back of the thigh means the hips and the
head and shoulders will be lifted off the floor. This is not an
effective position for the stretch, so use a pillow under the
head to enable you to relax in the first position. Pull the
folded leg towards your armpit; this will stretch the hip of
the other leg. Keep your back and hips on the floor.

The C—R stretch is done by pressing the foot that is on the

thigh dirccdy into the leg. You will feel the hip muscles
being activated. Press for a count of five, stop pushing and
breathe in. On a breath out, relax the hip and slowly pull the
folded leg closer into the armpit. Hold the final position for
five breaths in and out.
Experiment with small variations in foot positions and, if
you wish, you can push the knee of the leg that is on the
thigh further out to the side with the closest elbow, as Olivia
is showing in the top photograph in the left column on this
page.

Exercise 8, Partner lying rotation, revisited

The first movement of exercise 3, lying rotation, is to pull

the knee to the armpit with both hands (see page 42). The
first way to increase the intensity of this movement is to use
a C-R stretch. Press the knee away from you in the stretch
position for a count of five and restretch after a breath out,
as usual. Hold the end position for a full six to eight breaths.
A partner can make this a much more impressive stretch.
Your partner kneels by your side, as Jennifer is
demonstrating with Sharon. Make sure they position
themselves as shown, as we have found this to be the most
stable position. While restraining the thigh of the straight
leg (do not lean weight on the kneecap), your partner leans
gently on the thigh you are holding. This alone will increase
the stretch. To improve the position, use the C-R stretch
technique: press the held leg back against the resistance of
your arms and your partners weight for a count of six to
eight. The knee must not be allowed to move. Take in a
deliberate deep breath, relax the thigh and, as you slowly
breathe out, pull your knee towards you. You must do the
rcstretch action yourself.

The stretch may be made more effective again by opening

out the knee angle to around 90 degrees. So doing involves
the hamstring muscles (and, in some people, the adductors)
in the stretch too. In this variation, your partner will lean on
the back of the leg and you will hold the foot from the
inside; if you cannot reach without lifting your head and
shoulders off the floor, use a strap to hold the foot, as
shown. The final frame shows a version for looser students:
Sharon has opened the knee angle to about 135 degrees, and
Jennifer is supporting the back of her knee. This variation
increases the stretch in the hamstrings: the greater the knee
angle, the stronger the hamstring effect.

The C-R stretch is achieved by pressing your foot into your

hand, and the back of the leg into your partner's hand. The
partner’s lower leg can stop your thigh from going too far
outside the line of your body. Recall from exercise 3 that
some people feel an uncomfortable compression in the
inside of the hip doing this stretch; if this is the case, let the
leg go further outside the line of the body and ask your
partner to reposition their lower leg to hold you in this new
position. Hold the final stretch position for 10 breaths in
Standing alternate leg forward bend warm-up

This is the first of our warm-up exercises. We decided not to

give them numbers, because they are loose versions of more
formal exercises. It is worth noting, however, that you can
get a fantastic stretch by doing only the warm-ups—and
because they are less strict in form, you can often stretch
areas in the body that are not usually stretched using
orthodox flexibility moves. Another way of thinking about
warm-up movements is that they are transitions between the
idealised positions of the formal exercises; accordingly,
because the positions you find yourself in are slightly
different and because the warm-ups are often done
dynamically (stretching while moving slowly), they have a
quality all of their own. In most cases, the movements are
done with the body as relaxed as possible, in contrast to the
exercises where one part of the body is doing work in order
to stretch another, so the stretch effect is more diffused.

If you cannot put your fingertips on the floor, you may use
a support or hold onto your ankles. The secret to this series
of movements being used as a warm-up is in being able to
lean on your arms while bending forwards at the hips. Start
by letting the chin go towards the chest, and let the upper
body slump forwards. As you go further forwards, let the
knees bend enough to take the stretch away from the
hamstrings. Hang over like this for a few breaths, leaning on
your arms. Now move around to one side, directly over one
leg and, while continuing to lean, straighten the other leg.
Rotate the shoulders from side to side. Bend the straight leg,
move across to it, and straighten the first one. Again rotate
the shoulders from side to side. Repeat this sequence until
the lower back and hips feel loose.

In the next sequence, straighten one leg before bending over

it and repeat the sequence; this time the leg that you will be
bending over will be straight—and so will give far more of
a hamstring stretch instead of an upper leg/hip stretch. You
will get a better stretch if the weight of the upper body is
supported, if you are not particularly flexible.

Finally, try to straighten one leg at a time; then try to

straighten both legs at the same time. Small back-
straightening movements can be used throughout; as you
try to straighten the back the stretch will be made stronger
in the hamstrings and hips. Bend the legs to come back to
the standing position. Alternatively, you may stand on your
hands as shown in the last frame, and add a slight pulling
action to increase the intensity of all the movements.
Exercise 17, Partner floor single leg forward bend,
revisited

Now we will be able to see how doing partial, contributing

poses can lead to a significant improvement in a complex
pose. Use a strap if you need to, and see how much closer to
your feet your hands are now. In the repeat of this exercise
(page 60), I want to show you how to get the most out of it.
Lean forward over the straight leg as Steve is demonstrating
and reach down the strap as far as you can, while trying to
keep the back straight. ‘Keeping the back straight’ is not a
direction for aesthetics (although it does look good); it is to
ensure that the bending movement occurs from the hips and
not the lower or middle back. This is where a partner can
help; ask your partner to look at your back and place their
hands on the roundest part. Where you feel their hands is
precisely where you need to exert a stronger straightening
effort. Julie is assisting Steve by placing her hands just above
his lower back which, as shown in the second frame, is
where he is beginning to bend.

The C-R stretch version of this pose is very effective (it may
be done on your own as well). Using your partner's guidance
to hold your back straight, make a separate effort to lift your
chest up; this will be a straightening effort in the middle and
upper back. Holding onto the strap with both hands, try to
pull your hands away from your feet. If doing this with a
partner, pull away from your feet as well as press back to
their hands. When you press back or pull back, do not
permit any trunk movement—the body stays still.

Pressing without a resultant movement is called an isometric

contraction, and is a feature of most of our stretches.
Experience has shown that any movement in this phase
reduces the final stretch effect. Another important point is
that, in a compound movement, often a large number of
muscles can produce the main contraction. In exercise 17,
for example, if you do not hold the lower part of your back
absolutely straight, the main contraction effort can be made
using the large muscles that run up the spine, erector spinae,
rather than using the hamstrings to move the body in
relation- to the feet. Of course, the spine muscles must work
too, to hold the body straight, but the feeling of the
contraction—the main place you need to be aware is doing
the pulling—needs to be in the hamstrings in order that
they experience the stretch effect. In every case in the class

hold foot or strap

hold trunk straight; lift chest
partner supports roundest part of back
C-R: try to pull hands from feet
restretch: go closer to leg; back straight

situation, when a student cannot feci the contraction effort

in the hamstrings, their lower back is not straight. Better
still, the back should be slightly bent backwards.

After pushing or pulling for a count of 10 or so (these are

big muscles and benefit from a long contraction), breathe in
and relax. Reach further down the strap or hold your foot
and, on a breath out, slowly pull yourself along your leg,
trying to hold the back straight. When you have gone as far
as you can, ask your partner to again place their hands on
the roundest part of your back and use this prompt to
straighten the back again. The stretch sensation in the
hamstring muscles of the straight leg will be much stronger
now. Hold the final position for 10 breaths; try to breathe
slowly. On each breath out, let the hamstring muscles relax,
and imagine their lengthening.

Various support positions arc shown. If your upper body is

closer to your leg than approximately 45 degrees, you will
benefit from your partner lying along your body, back to
back, as Julie is doing for Steve in the top photograph. This
is very comfortable and their weight is stable. This helps you
to relax. Make sure that you can support this person’s weight
without straining—to make sure, take one hand off the
strap and place it on the ground in a support position as
they lower themselves onto you. Once in position, they can
take some of their weight on their own hands or lie on you
with their full weight. Perhaps surprisingly, it is much easier
to relax with someone's weight on you than it is when they
support you with their hands. The reason is that someone’s
weight is a far more stable force than the muscular effort of
pressing with the arms. When you have stretched one leg
sufficiently, change legs and stretch the other side. Make a
note of the tighter side and next time you stretch begin with
that side.

I am showing two different hand positions in the last two

photographs; try both to see which is easier to hold for long
periods. Let the back bend when reaching for these more
difficult positions and straighten your back on a breath in to
increase the hamstring effect. You will notice that in all
suggested holding positions, whether using a strap or not,
the arms are straight-, if the arms are bent in the restretch
position, they will straighten as you relax, and much of the
potential hamstring effect will be lost.
Lesson four: hip flexors,

QUADRICEPS, TRUNK BACKWARDS AND

HAMSTRINGS

This lesson concentrates on the muscles that draw the legs

forwards and backwards. The hip flexors, ilio-psoas and part
of quadriceps, pull the thigh forwards; additionally,
quadriceps extends the leg at the knee. The hamstrings pull
the leg back and also pull the heel to the bottom by flexing
the knee. The illustration accompanying this lesson shows
the details of the hip flexors. These muscles have particular
significance for low back pain, as one end of psoas attaches
directly to the front of the bones that protrude from the
vertebrae (the anterior surfaces of the transverse processes). If
these muscles are tight, they will increase the lumbar spines
forward curve (lordosis) which affects the biomechanics of
the entire spine. A schematic of the possible effects will be
found on page 108. The hip flexors are difficult to stretch
for this reason, as most exercises extend the spine rather
than stretch ilio-psoas. Athletes, dancers and gymnasts will
find it useful to know that it is far more efficient to stretch
the muscles limiting the back leg in front splits than to
overemphasise hamstring flexibility—if you can loosen the
muscles of the back leg, you will be able to sit in front splits
with far less hyperextension than may be the case currently.
This additional flexibility will let you sit in this position
with your hips far closer to square, as well.

Free squats warm-up, partner or solo

This delightful series of movements will rapidly warm-up

the required muscles, and make your legs stronger as well.
Start by squatting down with the legs in a shoulder width or
narrower stance and keeping your heels on the ground. If
you cannot keep your heels on the floor, it is because your
ankles are tight; the knees cannot move far enough forwards
to allow you to balance over your centre of gravity, so you
lift your heels to tip your weight further forwards. All this
means at this stage is that you need to concentrate on
exercises 18, floor folded leg calf, and 19, wall standing calf.
If you cannot keep your heels on the floor, you may use a
board under them—this will tip your centre of gravity far
enough forwards to be able to balance.

Alternatively, you can find something to hold on to while

doing the movement; the third photograph shows Sharon
doing the exercise while holding onto a bar, using her
fingertips for balance—if you hold on with your hands,
your arms will do most of the work!

If you have a partner to assist, you can do the exercise

together, as Sharon and Jennifer are showing in the top two
photographs. By holding hands, you can keep the body
more upright and this makes it possible for everyone to do
the movements with the heels on the floor.

Whichever approach you use, squat up and down relatively

slowly and rhythmically. If doing the exercise on your own,
you can use your arms for counter balance, by extending
them out in front of you at shoulder height, as I am showing
in the first photograph on the previous page. For a few of
the repetitions, stay down in the bottom position; even this
will be a stretch for some people, especially if you let
yourself relax in this position. We would normally do 20
repetitions or so, especially if the room is cold.

Once you have finished, move over to a painted, smooth

wall—a brick wail will make the exercise too easy, due to the
much greater friction. Put your back up against the wall,
and, by bending your legs, let your back slide down until the
thighs are parallel to the floor with the lower legs vertical, as
shown by Olivia in the last photograph. Keep your arms by
your sides or fingers linked behind the head. It looks easy—
and feels easy at first, but quickly becomes difficult. Start by
holding yourself in this position for 30 seconds, then 45
seconds, then a minute on subsequent attempts in later
workouts. Do not be worried if your legs start to shake; this
means only that they are working hard.

Olivia is smiling, because she had been holding this position

for about two minutes by the time 1 got around to taking
this shot!

Cues

keep heels on floor

make movements rhythmic and graceful

breathe in before squatting
breathe out as you rise

Cues
ensure hips are level
lean weight onto hip of folded leg
lift knee to stretch instep
C—R: try to pull toes to knee
restretch: lift held knee higher

23. Floor instep

This is the best stretch for a painful condition called shin

splints, a common affliction of athletes who train on hard
surfaces. Exercise 23 is the complementary movement to
exercises 18, floor folded leg calf, and 19, wall standing calf.
Alan is demonstrating the positions.

To make this little stretch effective, you will need to be able

to sit with one leg folded beside you, with the hips level and
both parts of the bottom on the floor. This will itself be too
strong a stretch in the beginning for some people, so try the
movements and use mats to adjust your position as
necessary, referring to the photographs. The general rule is
that if you cannot sit with both buttocks on the floor, you
will need to prop up the hip of the straight leg. If this gives
you too much stretch in the instep, you will need to let the
toes and part of the instep hang over the edge of a mat. If
there is too much stretch in the front thigh muscle of the
folded leg, you will need to place a mat in between that
buttock and the heel to increase the knee angle, which will
reduce the stretch in quadriceps. The foot needs to be
pointing straight back behind you, not angled across behind
you, the first position you are likely to adopt.

Once in position, the instep can be further stretched by

reaching over to the knee, grasping it and, while leaning
weight over to the same hip , lift the knee off the floor. If you
are leaning weight on the correct hip (instead of leaning
away, as most people do, to avoid the stretch) you will feel a
strong stretch in the instep. Some people will feel a strong
stretch in the front shin muscle too (tibialis anterior).

The C-R stretch is performed by gently trying to pull the

toes of the foot to the knee; in other words, when in
position try to press the toes back down into the floor while
holding the knee for a count of five to eight. Stop pressing,
take a breath in, relax the toes, instep and shin muscles, and,
on a breath out, very slowly lift the knee a little further. You
will need to make a conscious effort to relax the instep to get
the best end position; you will need to consciously make
your shin muscles and small feet muscles let go. Sometimes
a second brief contraction can help you do this. Hold the
end position for five breaths in and out, or longer if you feel
it is doing you good. Note your required seating position;
we will need the same seating position for exercise 26,
seated/lying single leg quadriceps, below.
24. Standing quadriceps

This useful stretch can be done anywhere, but it needs to be

done carefully if you want to get the effect in quadriceps.
When most people do this stretch, they avoid the full
possible effect by letting the spine be pulled further into
extension ( hyperextension). I am showing the solo movement
and Eldon is assisting.

Stand opposite a support and grasp the ankle as shown. If

you are tight in this area, sometimes it is better not to pull
the foot all the way back to the buttock to begin. Rather,
tighten your abdominal muscles by slightly curling the
trunk forwards and use the bottom muscles on the side you
are stretching to pull the upper leg back in line with the
body first. Once you get it in line (or close to it), pull the
foot as close to the bottom as possible.

It is necessary to tighten the abdominal muscles before you

pull the leg back, otherwise drawing the leg back or pulling
the foot to the bottom will only tip the pelvis forwards,
increasing the lumbar curve. Every increment of pelvic tilt
decreases the effectiveness of the stretch, as far as quadriceps
is concerned. One of our standard principles is that good
form in a stretch often requires that one group of muscles is
tightened to hold another part in position so that a second
action may stretch it properly.

A C-R stretch may be achieved if desired. Two contractions

are possible here (a partner can help you by holding the
knee and buttock as Eldon is showing, but the exercise can
be done by yourself too). The first C-R requires that, once
in the stretch position, you try to straighten the leg for a
count of five. This activates quadriceps strongly. After a
breath in, pull the foot closer to the bottom. A second C-R
is to pull the knee of the folded leg forwards while you or
(better) your partner holds it there. Activating the leg in this
way uses the muscles in the middle and top of the thigh,
whereas the first C-R affects mainly the muscles close to the
knee. Do both for the best effect. Quadriceps is a large
muscle, and it can take a long stretch. I regard the standing
stretch as a useful warm-up for the lying version, which is
much easier to hold for long periods of time, or an effective,
quick movement to do before some aerobic activity.

Cues

pull heel to bottom, then

take folded leg back
C-Rs: try to straighten leg;
try to pull folded leg forwards
restretch: heel closer to bottom;
folded leg further back
25■ Standing suspended hip flexor

The ilio-psoas pair, rectus frmoris and sartorius all act to draw
the leg forwards in different leg and hip positions. The next
exercise will stretch these muscles effectively. It may be done
without a support if your balance is good, but a better
stretch will be achieved by using a support in the beginning.
Stronger versions using a partner will be described below
(exercises 39, partner hip flexor, and 41, partner standing
suspended hip flexor).

Take a big pace forwards so that the feet are well apart and
stand alongside a support, with the leg that is behind you
closest to the support (we will call this the back leg). Place
your hand on your knee and hold the support with the
other. Now let the back leg bend, and let the hips sink to the
floor until the knee of the back leg is on the floor as shown.
Using the waist muscles, rotate the hip of the back leg
forwards until the hips are square (at 90 degrees) to the line
of the legs. Ensure that your trunk is vertical or close to it,
with the supporting arm on the leg held straight. Press the
hand on the knee down firmly; this will tighten the
abdominal muscles. This is the first position.

To stretch quadriceps and the hip flexors of the back leg,

slowly straighten the back leg without letting the hips rise any
higher off the floor. The operative word here will be try,
because, if you do maintain the height of the hips at the
start position, only very flexible people will be able to get
the back leg fully straight. For many, the action of trying to
straighten the leg will provide a strong stretch; hold this
position for five to ten breaths in and out.

Cues

back leg behind as far as possible

lower hips to floor
try to straighten back leg
C—R: try to drag back leg forwards
restretch: restraighten back leg

To make the effect stronger, use a C-R stretch. While

holding the leg straight (or as straight as you can) use the
muscles of the front of the hip to try to drag the whole back
leg forwards for a count of eight to ten. This will need to be
a gentle contraction, because only your own strength is
available to hold you in the contraction position—nothing
must move as you try to pull the leg forwards. Stop pulling,
take in a breath, check your trunk is vertical and, on a
breath out, let the back leg bend once more and let the hips
sink lower to the floor. Tighten the abdominal muscles once
more, rotate the hips square and, without letting the hips
rise, try to straighten the back leg. Hold the final position
for a ten-breath cycle. You should feel a very strong stretch
in the top of the back leg, in close to the hip joint.

The major form faults are failing to keep the hips square,
failing to keep the trunk vertical, and foiling to tighten the
abdominal muscles to maintain the normal curve of the
lower spine.

Some flexible individuals who are not strong enough in the

abdominal muscles to maintain trunk straightness or the
desirable curve in the lower lumbar spine may use an
alternative correction. Once in the deep position, use the
buttock muscles of the back leg to tuck the bottom under
before trying to restraighten the back leg after the C-R.
Tucking the bottom under is always effective in isolating the
hip flexors. We call this tucking action a positive thrust, in
contrast to a negative one which moves the hips in the
opposite direction, and which was described in exercise 5,
seated hip. Once again we are using one group of muscles to
position a part of the body so that it can be stretched
efficiently.

from push-up position

lower body to floor
in lowest position, straighten legs
suspended between hands and feet,
lean back slowly

open mouth, take head back, close teeth

breathe deeply
curl up to finish

Exercise 2, Backward bend from floor, suspended

variation

Re-read the directions for exercise 2, if necessary, and do the

exercise. Because we have stretched the quadriceps and the
hip flexors, expect that your backward bend will be better
this time around. This is because both these muscle groups
limit extension of the spine in the lull-stretch position.
After doing exercise 2, we will now do a suspended version
of the same movement. For reasons of proportion (lengths
of respective body segments) this version will give some
people a better stretch than exercise 2. Mark is

demonstrating.

Start in the end position of the familiar push-up exercise:

arms directly under shoulders, legs straight and the whole
body aligned between shoulders and feet. Keeping the arms
straight, take a breath in and, as you breathe out, slowly let
the hips start sinking towards the floor, letting the whole
body (apart from the arms!) relax. You will sink down until
the front of the thighs just touches the floor. At this point
straighten the legs, and relax into the stretch. This will be
enough stretch for many people.

>

■ $

To increase the stretch, very cautiously pull back on the

hands: because they are fixed on the floor by body weight
your back will bend further backwards instead. Provided
this action docs not tighten the back muscles in an
unpleasant way, hold the position. To make the stretch
stronger still, open the mouth wide (recall exercise 6, chin to
chest), incline the head backwards slowly as far as it will go,
and then bring the teeth together. Finally, pull the shoulders
back as far as you can. Try to breathe as normally as you can,
and maintain the final position for five to ten breath cycles.
Come out of the pose and use cither the knees clasped to the
chest position shown at the end of exercise 2, or the position
shown in the last frame in this sequence. Let the whole body
relax for a few breaths in and out.

Exercise 1, Floor clasped feet middle and upper back,

revisited

Review the instructions for exercise 1. We are going to add

two contractions to exercise 1 (described on page 25) and
show you a second version of the exercise, which might suit
some people better, for reasons of proportion.

Once in the final position of exercise 1, two C-R stretches

will enhance the effectiveness of this exercise significantly.
The first contraction requires you to try to shrug your
shoulders, by trying to pull your hands away from your
feet—but you are holding tight, so the muscles between the
neck and the shoulders contract instead. Hold this
contraction for a count of five. Stop shrugging, relax and
take in a breath. On a long breath out, push the hips
forwards once again to restretch. In the final position,
breathe as normally as you can and hold the position for five
breaths or so.

The second C-R stretch contraction is a bit harder to

understand. Once in the final position, try to pull your
shoulder blades together behind your back (this tightens the
rhomboideus muscles). Restretch in the same manner as
above, and hold the new final position for another five
breaths.

The second version of exercise 1 is similar to the one you

know, except that the feet are held outside the legs. Gary is
showing the suggested form in the movement. Your knees
will need to be closer together so the arms do not bind
against them, and the feet apart so you can hold them. In all
other respects, including getting into and out of the stretch,
the exercise is the same as exercise 1. Try both versions, and
see which one you prefer. Your proportions influence where
the focus of the stretch will be felt.

The same two C-R stretches can be used in this version of

the exercise, too. You may care to try lesson 1 s version first
and do this version second. Try to feel the difference in
stretch focus between the two versions.

Cues

ensure hips are level

tighten abdominal muscles

26. Seated/lying single leg quadriceps

Because you will be fully supported in the final position of

this pose, holding the position for 30 seconds to a minute
will be possible. As mentioned above, quadriceps is a large
muscle group and responds to a long stretch. Mark is
showing the positions.

Use whichever of the seating positions you needed to do

exercise 23, floor instep, above. To stretch quadriceps safely,
the foot needs to point directly out behind you—if you have
the foot turned out to the side (so often seen in aerobics
classes, because the students are wearing shoes and their
insteps are not supple enough to sit in the recommended
position) you will be placing a potentially dangerous
rotation stress on the knee, especially on the inside ( medial)
ligaments. Once in position (the start position of exercise 23
above), tighten the abdominal muscles, tighten the buttock
muscles to tuck the bottom under a little (this alone can give
quite a strong stretch) and lean back onto your arms, or to
stretch further, onto your elbows. Do not let the back
hyperextend —not only might this hurt the lower back in this
position, but hyperextension helps to avoid the stretch. If
anything, curl the trunk forwards before leaning back and
you will improve the stretch. Permit me to labour a point:
the purpose of a stretching exercise is not to make a
particular shape—it is to provide a stretch in a particular
place. If you can do this in a less dramatic (and hence safer)
position, it is to be preferred. If you stretch properly,
progress is assured. Injury will stop your progress

One C-R stretch is offered here, as we arc doing the solo

version. Once in the stretch position, take a few breaths in
and out to get used to it. Now try to straighten the folded
leg by pressing the foot next to you into the floor for a count
of eight to ten. Stop pressing, relax, take a breath in and, on
a breath out, tighten the abdominal muscles again, lowering
yourself further. Use a mat under your shoulders to get
closer to the floor or, if you can, lie down completely on the
floor. Again, the lower back must not be allowed to
hyperextend.

C—Rs press foot into floor

restretch: retighten abdominals;

lower trunk closer to floor

To keep the hips level, you can bring the other leg up to
your hip and hold it (Gary is demonstrating this addition in
the second photograph); now you can put extra pressure on
the hip of the thigh being stretched. Change legs, and, as
always, compare left with right. Start your stretching with
the tighter thigh next time.

The final frame in the photograph column shows Mark

doing a two-leg version that we do not recommend unless
you are flexible enough to do it without a strong bend in the
lower back ( hyperextension ). One can see this exercise being
done badly everywhere—we strongly suggest that a better
stretch can be achieved by doing one leg at a time. A much
more intense exercise is demonstrated in chapter three
(exercise 86, the ultimate quadriceps stretch). Remember, it
is the combined tension of both the thigh muscles and the
hip flexors that extend the lower back if attempting the two-
leg version—so if you want to really stretch these muscles,
partial poses doing one leg at a time are the way to go.

Exercise 14, Wall middle and upper back backward bend

Do this exercise from lesson 2 again; this will complete
the scries of stretches for the front of the body (23, 24,
25, and 2). Do not be surprised if you can get
considerably closer to the wall this time, having
stretched these other muscle groups, all of which limit
your backward bending capacity.

ensure hips are level

tighten abdominals before leaning back
C-R: press instep into floor
restretch: retighten abdominals
and lean further back
hold foot of support leg for stability

Cues

lie face up over support

use support for head if necessary
extend arms from body
C-R: raise the head slightly
restretch: let yourself relax over support
partner can extend and press on arms

27. Partner backward bend over support

This apparently simple exercise exemplifies our approach,

and is a wonderful backwards bend for the entire trunk. Its
advantage over the many backwards bends from various
disciplines is that the body's weight is supported. This allows
an exploration of the sensations of lengthening and opening
all of the muscles and joints on the front of the body that no
other backward bend can emulate. It also allows you to add
small rolling movements side to side which stretch many
small muscles that are left untouched in standard exercises.
We use a ‘low-tech' tool: large metal drums split lengthways.
A little ingenuity will allow you to come up with substitutes;
if you have nothing readily available you may use your
partner (shown last in this sequence, overleaf). If you are
doing these lessons at home, you can use the end of a couch
(make sure that it will not tip over), tightly rolled mats (we
tie ours to keep them tight), or a narrow padded bench. One
of my teachers in California uses old electrical cable reels.
The radius of the support will be chosen according to the
length of your trunk and your degree of flexibility. You need
to feel comfortable in the stretch—you cannot relax
otherwise—so cover the support with something soft.
This exercise can be done on your own; simply drape
yourself over the support making sure that the back of the
head rests on something too (you can add an extra support
if necessary as Steve is showing in the first photograph)—
then raise your arms up over your head and press them away
from you. This will be a good stretch by itself. Stay in this
position for at least 10 breath cycles, then roll a small
amount to one side, and relax in that position for a while.
Repeal for the other side. A gentle solo C-R stretch can be
done: raise the head and slightly tighten the abdominal
muscles as though you were going to sit up. Relax and
restretch.

Recall my observations regarding backward bending made

in an earlier lesson. You may expect the muscles (on the
inside of the curve you are making with your body) to
tighten as you go further into the stretch. Accordingly, when
you roll sideways off the support, get down onto the floor
and immediately do exercise 1, or one of the other recovery
poses described for exercise 2, in lesson 1. This will stretch
the middle back muscles that will have tightened doing the
exercise. Julie is assisting Mark in the bottom photograph,
by gently drawing his arms towards her.

The least-intense partner version over a higher support is

shown first. Steve is sitting on a bench, so only his upper
and middle back is being bent, useful for those with lower
back problems. Julie has lowered Steve’s head for him. Steve
then stretches his arms out. This is the first position.

If you have a partner handy, you can increase the intensity

of this stretch, as Julie is demonstrating in the second frame.
Once in the final position of the solo stretch, your partner
takes hold of your wrists (we find the trapeze grip the best
where you hold each other’s wrists) and to begin draws the
arms directly out from the shoulders. This increases the
stretch by expanding the rib cage and lifting the chest. Now
the partner slowly takes the arms down to the floor while
maintaining the elongating pull until you have a strong
enough stretch. Breathe deeply in this position—breathing
will be more difficult than usual, because the chest is fully
open. Simply making the effort to breathe deeply in this
position will strengthen the diaphragm.

The C-R stretch requires you to gently press your hands up

towards the ceiling. This will use all the muscles that shorten
as wc age (described in exercise 14, wall middle and upper
back backward bend). Stop pressing, breathe in and, on a
breath out, ask your partner to gently take the arms further
towards the floor. Hold the final position for 10 breaths.
Once you arc finished, roll across the support to come out
of the stretch and immediately do one of the recovery poses.
It may be that having someone press on your arms in this
position makes you feel a strong compression in the
shoulder joint itself—so much so that you are unable to
relax sufficiently in the stretch. An alternative support
position that requires you to fold your arms about 90
degrees at the elbows and hold the palms together is shown
on the facing page in the second photograph.

In the top photograph, opposite, Mark is demonstrating a

more intense solo stretch over a smaller-radius support.
Small sideways stretches can be added to the backward bend
by rolling to each side in turn. Do this slowly to maximise
the effects.

Cues

relax back over support; extend arms

partner takes arms further
C-R: press hands to ceiling
restretch: partner extends arms and
gently presses arms to floor, or
you lower hips towards floor
do forward bend to finish

Mark and Julie are demonstrating the alternative, bent-arm

support position in the second photograph. Your partner
will press the elbows in until the upper arms are near your
head, and then will press the elbows down in the direction
of the floor. The C-R stretch requires you to press your
elbows, rather than your hands, to your partner. This arm
position will relieve a considerable amount of compression
from the shoulders. In terms of effect, this variation will
stretch the upper chest more than the standard version.
Both are excellent.

Consider for a moment the effect of different starting

positions on the support. If you have your shoulders on the
highest part of the support (you can position your hips off
the support by holding them away with the legs, if you
wish) and you do the exercise as described, the major effect
will be in the upper back and chest. If you try the stretch
this way, the final effect can be made more intense by slowly
letting your hips drop down onto the support once your
partner has taken the arms down as far as possible. In this
way, you control the final intensity completely.

If you have the middle of the back over the highest part of
the support, the entire thoracic spine will be bent
backwards, with consequently less effect in the shoulders;
this is Steve's position in the bottom photograph opposite.
Try a number of positions, and feel the different effects. All
versions will have the anti-gravity effects described in
exercise 14; they are stronger in exercise 27 because the C-R
stretch is easier to apply (gravity is helping your end
position), making it easy to hold and, finally, you will stay
in the position longer, as it allows you to relax.

The last frame on this page shows how the exercise may be
done if you do not have support handy, but you do have a
willing partner; Steve and I are demonstrating. The partners
position is a lovely lower-back stretch, assuming that your
partner is flexible enough to get into the support position.
The partner's chest and ribs will be pressing on their thighs,
so unless you are very different sizes, no strain will be felt in
the back. Let common sense be the guide, of course. The
partner adopts the position, then, making sure that you
lower your weight slowly, stretch back over their body. If
you have a second partner the C-R stretch can be done, but
the partner will be finding it difficult to breathe, so it is
probably better to limit the use of this technique to simple
backward bends.

Exercise 4, Standing side bend, hanging version

To the standing side bend we already know, I wish to add a

hanging version. Positioned in various ways, this variation is
an excellent stretch for tensorfasciae latae, the oblique group
of waist muscles, and gluteus minimus and meditts. This
version is considerably stronger than one from the daily five,
so give yourself sufficient rest before doing it again.

The hanging version requires a strong support. A vertical

bar is good, but a protruding room corner or door frame
will do just as well. Stand less than arm’s length away from
the bar (the closer you stand to the support, the stronger the
effect, so do not stand too close the first time you try) and
grasp it firmly. Let the hips move directly to the side in line
with the shoulders. Once you have gone as far as you can,
extend the other arm up and across the head. Straighten it if
you can; this will intensify the stretch considerably. You may
bend the leg closest to the support if that makes the stretch
more effective. All of the effects will be felt in the side of the
body you are stretching away from, and in the lower back
muscles on the same side. A C-R stretch can be done by
pressing the outside foot gently direedy away from the bar
(the opposite movement, in effect). This action will involve
the adductors of the hip. Stop pressing, relax and on a
breath out, slowly try to increase the movement of the hips
away from the bar or, alternatively, press the upper arm away
from the body more strongly. The former will stretch the
adductors more, the latter will stretch the muscles above the

To stretch tensor fasciae latae, roll the inside hip forwards

while maintaining the lean. The C-R stretch should come
instinctively now: once in the new position, use tensor
fasciae latae to press the outside foot away and also slightly
in front of you (of course, it will not move because you have
all your weight on it), and restretch.
To stretch gluteus minumus and medius, roll the inside hip
backwards until you can feel these muscles, above and
behind the hip joint. The C-R is to push the foot away and
slightly behind you. Breathe and restrctch. This latter
movement can use some forward bending at the hip to
intensify the effects, if you wish—in other words, let the
hips move back slightly as you lean to the side. Repeat for
the other side. These are surprisingly intense stretches, so err
on the side of caution the first few times you attempt them.

stand inside arm’s length from support

let body hang from arm;
let hips go to side
rotate hips forwards and backwards
C—R: press foot away to the side
restretch: let yourself hang further

■f-

4 *

i_

pull thigh to armpit with flexed knee

partner helps you try to straighten leg
C—R: try to pull heel to bottom
restretch: partner gently applies
straightening effort to heel

28. Partner lying hamstring, knee flexed

The hamstring stretch we are going to do from this position

feels completely different from most hamstring movements
because we are going to work into the stretch from a
strongly flexed hip position to the straight leg (extended
knee) position. Most hamstring stretches start with an
extended knee and that is what is familiar to your body.
Achieving the stretch this new way stresses the
proprioceptors and stretch receptors in an unusual way, and
an immediate improvement in hamstring flexibility will be
the result.

Look at the third photograph in lesson 3’s extension of

exercise 8, page 70, showing the lying hip stretch with the
knee opened at 90 degrees. After all we have done this
session you will not need to warm-up for this, so get into
your best position. Your hip flexibility may require the use
of a strap. Sharon is being stretched; Jennifer is assisting.
Your partner will be in position as shown. You may use a
C-R stretch to help you get into a strong first position. You
hold the back of your leg as close to the side of your body as
you can with both arms (first frame), or hold the foot if you
arc sufficiently flexible (next frame). The last photograph
shows how to use a strap if these positions arc too strong.
Your partner supports the lower leg and the other hand
holds the thigh of the extended leg. Press the back of the
thigh against your partners support (or press your foot into
your hand) for a count of 10 and, on a breath out, take the
thigh closer to the floor.

A second stretch may be done. While your partner holds the

thigh as close to your body as possible, slowly try to
straighten the leg. This action will provide a strong stretch
to the bulk of the hamstring muscles. Hold the position you
get to for 10 breaths. On no account let the leg you are
holding move away from the side of your body.

The C-R stretch used here requires that you try to pull
your foot back to your bottom by flexing at the knee. Your
partner will need to change their support position (shown
overleaf), so that the foot is held completely still against
your contractions. Hold the contraction for a count of eight
to twelve. Stop pulling, both you and your partner stay still,
take in a deep breath and relax the back of the active leg and,
on a breath out, ask your partner to move the leg closer to
being straight, very slowly. The object here is to get a strong

stretch, so do not let the thigh you are holding move at alL The
final effect, in time, will be much stronger if you can do this.
Even if you move the foot only a little with respect to the
knee, the stretch will be intense. You need to move
particularly slowly in this last extension movement, because
you are now working in an unfamiliar range of movement.
You are trying to let the muscles stretch—and if you try to
do this quickly the stretch receptors will fire and all extra
movement will cease. Make sure you are breathing deeply
and slowly. Hold the end position for at least 10 breaths in
and out. We have seen even flexible people improve their
end position (as assessed by a standard hamstring stretch) by
15 degrees with a single iteration of this exercise. Do not
cheat yourself in the movement. Olivia is assisting me to do
the exercise in the photograph on this page and I am
clasping my thigh tightly by wrapping my arms around the
back of the leg. This assistance position is good if there is a
great disparity in your respective sizes.

This exercise can also be done on your own (not shown),

but is more difficult. Assume the held-foot 90-degree lower-
leg position, keep the thigh as close to you as possible, and
use your hand to open the knee angle until you feel the
required stretch. The C-R stretch is to pull the foot back to
the bottom against the resistance of your hand for the
suggested time. When you do the restretch, use the strength
of your arm together with the quadriceps of the same leg to
try to straighten the leg. Do not sacrifice thigh position to
get the leg straighter: a better stretch will be felt with the
thigh still held in the end position of exercise 8, close to the
body.

Exercise 8, Partner lying rotation

Cues

do not lose thigh position

as you try to straighten leg
apply straightening effort slowly

Finish today’s lesson with the rotation part of exercise 8;

if you are working solo, remember that you can use the
leg of a table or similar to hold the shoulder on the floor
while you take the other knee to the floor.

Lesson five: legs apart and

ROTATION

The bulk of this lesson is devoted to the average persons

tightest range of movement—getting the legs wide apart.
Women seem to have an easier time making progress in the
beginning, and anatomists point to the wider angle between
the hip joints (as seen from above) as the reason. Some
authorities claim that the maximum angle that men can
achieve is around 160 degrees as opposed to 180 degrees for
women. And a truism of the dance world has
you are an adult, the ‘turnout’ you take into the dance
studio for your first class is the turnout you will have for the
rest of your dance life. In our experience, none of these

While women generally progress more quickly than men in

this movement, the difference between individuals of the
same sex is for greater than the supposed difference between
the sexes. Because women do have better legs-apart
flexibility than men—in the untrained individual—and
everyone knows this, the ground is set for a self-
perpetuating myth. Also, men are naturally stronger than
women and we have already discussed the inverse
relationship between the attributes of strength and
flexibility. The right kind of training can develop dramatic
flexibility, however, and if this is experienced in the context
of sufficient supporting strength, the result is far better than
simply being flexible. It is also true that most gymnasts,
dancers, skaters and divers acquire their flexibility as
children and reach maturity being able to demonstrate full
flexibility. But we have taught many adults with no
flexibility training in their past and they have demonstrated
superior flexibility with three to five years’ practice. The
sooner we begin, the sooner that day will come!

The muscles that limit hip abduction are the adductors

{adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, gracilis,
pectineus) and the three hamstring muscles in decreasing
significance from semitendinosus to biceps femoris. Pure
abduction (feet kept parallel as legs are taken apart; lower
back straight) is a limited movement; for most people it
ends when the legs are at about 90 degrees to each other. As
one leg is taken to the side (see the top illustration and the
top photograph), the abducted leg takes the pelvis with it
and the pelvis is then abducted in relation to the vertical leg.

How ‘turnout helps hip abduction

Pure abduction stops when one or more of three things has

occurred: the adductor muscles have reached their limit of
extensibility, the pubofemoral ligaments have reached their
limit of movement, or the femoral neck is checked by the
acetabular rim of the hip joint (see the illustration opposite).
This last aspect is the reason dancers and gymnasts develop
turnout —the capacity to externally rotate the femur in the
hip joint for, when that happens, movement of the leg to the
side is limited only by hamstring and adductor flexibility. In
the second photograph, Jennifer has turned out my leg and,
as a result, she can lift my leg up alongside my body easily—
and notice that my hips are now close to level. One further
physiological feet is of the greatest importance in getting the
legs apart: the side-splits position is a combination of
(i) adductor and hamstring flexibility if you can turn the leg
out, together with (ii) hyperextension of the spine in order
to loosen the iliofemoral ligaments. The lesson here is to
work on turnout and lower spine backward bending to get
the legs apart effortlessly. Many partial poses can help this

Another lesson to be learned at this point is that the

direction from which you approach the legs-apart position
is also significant. Your most limited legs-apart position is
when you sit on the floor with your feet pointing up to the
ceiling, as the hips are not turned out. And the protective
mechanisms in the adductors seem to be particularly active
in this position, probably because of the close relation
between the femoral neck and the hip joint. An exercise we
will do in lesson 10 (exercise 62, partner wall seated legs
apart) will get us towards the side-splits position, but will go
via the hamstrings; in other words, we will defeat the
normal protective mechanisms and we will take maximal
advantage of the turned-out position.

Standing legs apart warm-up, bent and straight legs

Cues

stretch forwards with bent legs

hold onto ankles for support
use gentle back and leg
straightening efforts

This sequence is done free in the middle of a room in this

lesson, and a stronger version is described in lesson 10. It is
similar in form to the standing alternate leg forward bend
warm-up described in lesson 3, but with the legs spaced at
various distances apart.

Stan with the legs about two-and-a-half shoulder-widths

apart, as Kevin is demonstrating in the first photograph.
Bend the legs at the knees slightly and slowly fold the body

down in between the thighs. Hang there with the legs bent
to stretch the bottom muscles (the ‘glutes’, as they are
generally called) and to provide a gentle stretch for the
hamstrings. You may support yourself by holding onto your
lower legs or ankles, or you can rest the fingertips on the
floor. Try rotating the shoulder with respect to the hips and
feel the stretch in the side of the waist (first and second
photographs) and do this on both sides.

Move across to one leg, position the body over it, and slowly
straighten the other leg. Move back across to the straight leg
now and feel the stretch on the inside and at the back of that
straight leg. Let yourself hang in this position for a while.
Bend this leg and straighten the other one, slowly move over
to it, and stay there for a while. The back is allowed to
assume its own shape during the preceding movements and
the head also hangs down in a comfortable way. Move back
to the position of where the body is between the legs. Reach
across to the legs (or the ankles, if you arc loose enough) and
take a firm grasp. Now lift the head so that the spine is in a
neutral shape and, by exerting the strength of the middle
and lower back, slowly arch the back backwards as much as
you can. As you do, you will feel the pelvis roll forwards,
and the stretch in the adductors and the hamstrings will be
increased significantly. Hold this position, breathing
normally.

The next stage of the warm-up requires that you let the legs
go further apart, keeping control. If you cannot support
yourself on your hands, use a prop. Rest your upper body's
weight on your hands, and let the feet slide apart. I suggest
not letting them go wider than you can actually hang on to
with arms outstretched—because you will be out of your
normal range of movement and your capacity to control the
movement will be reduced. If you have hold of the ankles,
the movement will be safer. Once you have let the legs go
further apart, repeat all the moves described above. To
finish, take hold of the ankles, arch backwards to straighten
the back and, very cautiously, pull yourself down to the
floor between your legs. Gravity will help you hold the
position and, because you are supporting your weight with
the muscles you are stretching, the sensation will be intense.
To come back to the standing position, bend the legs and,
arching the back backwards once more, lead with the head
and stand up.

Exercise 16, Floor abdominal curls

Cues (above)
hold foot or use strap
press bent elbow back against leg
roll top shoulder back
C—R: gently pull away from foot
restretch: pull trunk closer to leg

Cues (left)

widen legs and repeat sequence

hold ankles and straighten back
pull yourself forwards, first with bent
legs, then with straight legs
support on arms and widen legs
29. Floor side bend over straight leg; other folded

In one sense I found the full benefits of this simple pose by

accident. In the Overcome neck & back pain workshops, I
realised that many people could not get their legs far enough
apart to be able to bend the trunk sideways over one of the
legs, so I tried the movement myself with one leg folded to
remove the adductor restriction. I was surprised to find that
as a quadrants lumborum stretch, this revised exercise had no
equal and, in fact, was far more effective for stretching this
deep muscle group than the standard legs-apart movement.
We now use it in the Posture & Flexibility classes as a strong
side bend for the waist, affecting quadrants lumborum
primarily and erector spinae secondarily. The oblique group
and latissimus dorsi are stretched too, increasingly as the top
arm is taken towards the foot. The reason exercise 29 isolates
quadrants lumborum so well is that folding one leg keeps
that hip down on the floor—in the standard legs-apart
exercises, the hip you are bending away from leaves the floor
(in fact, the looser your hamstrings are, the more this
occurs). This exercise is the best for a deep lower back
stretch. If your hamstrings are not particularly flexible, you
will find a strap useful. I have shown this in the middle of
the room, but putting the straight leg up against a wall will
provide you with both alignment and support.

Sit on the floor and (in contrast to a forward bend) put one
leg out to the side as far as you can. Fold the other leg, as
shown. Reach out and hold the big toe of the straight leg
with a palm up grip (or loop a strap around it), pull gently
on the hand so that the elbow bends, and put the elbow on

the floor (or close to it) inside the leg. Press the elbow into
the leg to bring the shoulder forwards. Using the bottom
shoulder as a pivot, use the waist muscles to roll the top
shoulder back (if you are using a wall, roll back until the
shoulders are on the wall) and reach the top arm out
towards the foot as far as you can. This combination side
bend and rotation exposes the deep muscles between the hip
and the spine to a strong stretch. If the stretch is felt strongly
in the hamstring of the leg you are bending over, let the leg
bend slightly at the knee: this will not reduce the
effectiveness of the movement as a sideways bend for the

If you are careful, a good C-R stretch can be done here in

two ways depending on your end position. If you cannot
hold the foot with the top arm, hold the foot (or the strap)
with the other hand using a strong grip. Feel where the
stretch is—if you arc in the recommended position, the
stretch will be between the hip from which you are
stretching away and the waist and lower back on that same
side. Holding yourself in position, gently try to pull your
hand from the foot with these muscles for a count of five to
ten. Make this effort gentle. Stop pulling, take a breath in
and, on a slow breath out, use the hand holding the foot to
bring you closer to the leg. This will be a strong stretch
indeed the first time you do it, so do not exaggerate the
movement. Hold the final position for a ten-breath cycle.
Stretch the other side and, when you know which is the
tighter, do this side again. This exercise can be effective for
lower back pain.

The way the exercise is described, the movement is a strong

sideways bend for the spine, but a great many positions can
be achieved between the final position of this movement
and that of exercise 17, partner floor single leg forward
bend. Once you have gone as far to the side as possible, let
the top shoulder roll forwards a little and lean to the side
once more. The addition of some flexion of the spine that
occurs as you roll the shoulder forwards will allow you to
lean further to the side, exposing new areas to the stretch.
Try three or four shoulder movements forwards—you will
know when to come out of the final position because once
the shoulder has rolled sufficiently forwards the stretch will
disappear. If you try these variations, repeat all movements
for the other side.

Cues

back against support

press knees to floor
C—R: lift knees against hands
restretch: press knees to floor

Cues

use object to widen foot position

use rolled mat to lift hips
C—R: lift knees to hands
restretch: press knees to floor

30. Wall seated knees apart

This is a standard in gymnastics, dance and yoga. The

movement, in addition to stretching the adductors, is an
effective stretch for the pubofemoral ligaments. Whereas the
shoulder joint can become unstable if its ligaments are over¬
stretched, the hip joint is far more stable, and stretching
these ligaments docs not compromise the integrity of the
joints. A partner version is shown later (exercise 61 partner
wall seated knees apart).

In the dancers’ version of this stretch, the knees are bounced

up and down in the position shown in the first frame, on
the being page. This is adequate in a limbering class, as
most of the dancers have perfect flexibility in this position,
and the legs will go to the floor with ease. Bouncing the
knees is an ineffective way to acquire this flexibility however.
Using the C-R technique, your knees will be able to touch
the floor in fairly short order.

Get into the position from above, rather than by trying to

pull the feet dose to you once you have sat down. To use this
lowering technique, put the soles of the feet together a short
distance from the wall (you do not want to sit on the feet),
and carefully lower yourself to the floor. Get comfortable
and place your hands on your knees, preferably with the
arms straight, as I am showing in the photographs, opposite.
Lift your shoulders up if necessary. If you cannot place your
hands on your knees because the thighs are too high off the
floor, hold your feet and press your elbows onto your thighs
to achieve the stretch. Stay in this position until the muscles
in between your legs relax a little.

A C-R stretch is very effective here, because the position is

easy to hold, and supporting the contraction is simple.
Holding the knees down with straight arms, lift the legs up
to the hands reasonably strongly. The adductors are a large,
strong group of muscles. Hold the contraction for a count
of ten. Take a breath, stop lifting and, on a breath out,
slowly press the knees down to the floor until you feel a
sufficient stretch. Hold the final position for 10 breaths. To
relieve the legs, let the stretch go, straighten the legs together
out in front of you, and roll them in and out.

In the sequence on this page, Mark is demonstrating two

assistance techniques. If you can get the legs to the floor
easily (which is likely to be the case if the lower leg is
relatively short compared with the upper leg, due to the

reduced angle between the thighs as seen from above) you

can make the stretch more effective by doing it in your
shoes, or using a board or similar to increase the space
between the feet. Doing the exercise this way widens the
angle between the thighs. All C-R stretch directions for this
variation remain the same.

If you can get the legs to the floor, but would like to go a
little further, you may do the exercise with your bottom and
your feet on a suitable support, as Mark is doing in the
following two photographs, previous page. Fold a mat
double or in three and sit on it. Now when you do the
exercise the knees will be able to go lower than the hips and
this affects the ligaments even more strongly. C-R stretch
directions for this variation are the same, too. After doing
this version, sitting on the floor with the legs in the final
position will be no stretch at all. We will explore the next
stage of the exercise in lesson 8.

31. Partner/solo kneeling knees apart

This exercise stretches the adductors in pure abduction if

the lower back is held straight. Gravity works for you and
your partner here too, making the final position effortless to
hold. The stretch is intense, and seems to increase gradually
once in the final position. It will help if you can organise
your position so that the knees can slide apart easily—the
movement is safe if you are sensible, as much of your weight
will be supported by your arms and, if you feel the stretch is
becoming too strong, you can use the arms to relieve the
stretch instantly. I suggest a towel or similar under each knee
and that you do the exercise on a shiny floor. Other
approaches are to use a mat under each knee on a carpet
floor, or to wear clothes that will slide on the floor of your
exercise space. Julie is assisting Mark.

Get down on your hands and knees and spread the knees
apart. Make sure that your hips arc directly over your knees;
most people will have the hips too far back. You want to
stretch the hips in their least flexible position to affect the
adductors precisely. To this end, ensure that you pull the
stomach in, check that your lower back is straight (recall
that hyperextension aids abduction). Have your partner
kneel inside the line of your calf muscles, and ask them to
use their knees to slowly spread your calf muscles apart.
When you can go no further, hold the position for a few

Cues

partner’s weight directly above hips

keep lower back straight
C-R: squeeze knees together
restretch: let knees slide apart slowly
positions intensified if arms extended

gi

breaths. Ask your partner to place their hands midway

between the buttocks, in line with the hip joints, and make
sure that they do not place their weight too for towards the
lumbar spine—in addition to being uncomfortable, weight
there will only help the spine to hyperextend.

Now to the real stretch. The C-R stretch contraction to

activate the adductors is simply to try to squeeze the knees
together while your partner holds the hips down as
described. Your partner will feel when you are contracting,
as the hips will try to lift. If your partner is helping properly,
this cannot happen. Contract the knees for a count of six to
eight and then stop. Ask your partner to remove some of
their assistance weight and, on a breath out, ask them to
lean more weight, increasing the amount slowly until you
feel enough stretch. Hold the final position for a ten-breath
cycle. Your partner can lift you out of the end position by
drawing your hips up away from the floor, or you can move
the hips slowly forwards until you are in a lying position.
Rest there for a moment to recover. A lower position is
always possible with a second try so, after you help your
partner, try again. Extending the arms in the final position
makes the stretch stronger too.

This exercise can be done solo, as Jennifer is doing, but the

effect is reduced. If you try it on your own, you can do a
gentle contraction with your body's weight, the effect of
which can be increased by extending your arms in the start
position and resting your weight on your fingers instead of
your elbows. Instead of doing the stretch only in the hips-
abovc-knces position, you can develop a stronger stretch by
first letting the hips go in front of the knees a little and
gening into a stretch position and, once used to that,
pushing your hips back to slightly behind the knees. This
tightens the position considerably.

The last frame shows the slow, gentle way we suggest for
getting out of the pose, by slowly drawing yourself
forwards—the final position becomes intense, especially if
you hold it for a while.

32. Partner/solo wall lying bent legs apart

This can be an effective warm-up for the next exercise and

is a good stretch for the adductors. Carol is lying on the
floor, with her hips a little closer to the wall than her knees.
She is pressing her knees to the floor. A C-R stretch is
achieved by trying to squeeze the knees together against the
resistance of the hands for a count of five to eight, then
pressing the knees further apart on a breath out. A long stay
in the final position (one to two minutes) is effective.

Carol and I are demonstrating the partner version, which is

much stronger. In particular, the C-R stretch is easier to
apply, and your partner can provide the restretching effect,
too, if they are careful.

Notice that I am leaning on Carol's knees through straight

arms; this kind of leaning force is tolerated far better than
actively pushing with the arm muscles, as occurs when the
arm is bent. When you lean, the weight of your body passes
mainly through the bones and your partner will experience
this as a stable force. When you push (in this example, you
would use mainly the triceps, the muscles at the back of the
upper arm) the muscles tire relatively quickly and they begin
to shake. At first, this is imperceptible to you, but your
partners body can feel it and they will not be able to relax
under this instability. In the class situation, we have tested
the effects of these two ways of applying what may seem like
identical force many times—and, even with eyes closed, the
partner can distinguish easily between them. Always
organise your assistance pressure as a leaning force.

In both the partner and solo versions, the stretch effect can
be varied by trying the exercise with the hips closer to, or
further away from, the wall. Make sure that the feet stay
directly under the knees, or, putting it another way, the
lower leg needs to be perpendicular to the wall no matter
where the feet are placed. This will avoid strain on the

Cues

feet on wall, under knees

ease knees apart (solo)
partner leans on knees
C—R: squeeze knees together
restretch: ask partner to press knees
down to floor, gently

33■ Wall lying straight legs apart

This is the easiest of the legs-apart stretches because you are

lying throughout, and some people are surprised by its
effectiveness. This is a useful solo exercise, too. Mark is
demonstrating.

Lie with your legs reaching up the wall, and separate them.
Straps may be used on each foot to increase the stretch, but
most people find the weight of the legs alone is enough,
providing you spend a few minutes in the position. Widen
the leg position from time to time. Bring the legs together
to rest for a moment, then repeat the stretch.

To make this a C-R stretch, hold the legs in the stretch

position with your hands as you apply a light contraction
for a count of ten. Stop, and, on a breath out, press the legs
lower to the floor. Hold the end position for at least a
minute. Many of our students hold the final position of this
pose for five minutes or more—but I have often suspected
that they are using this exercise as a rest instead of a stretch!
Try it yourself and see what you think.

use straps if necessary

let legs go apart; let gravity work for you
C—R: try to bring legs together
restretch: gently widen legs
stay in final position for minutes

34. Wall seated straight legs apart

I prefer rhis movement to exercise because I can apply

more stretch effort and because the contractions can be
done easily on your own. Look at the first photograph,
where Kevin is demonstrating the start position.

Face the wall with the legs spread. Socks will help, as will a
wall you can slide the feet apart on. Widen the legs and,
with the hands on the floor behind you, push yourself
slowly towards the wall until you cannot get the legs further
apart. This is the start position, and you will need to hold it
for half-a-minute to a minute to familiarise yourself with the
sensations. You may feel the stretch anywhere from the
groin to just below the knee, where a number of tendons
join the bone (gracilis and semitendinosus, in particular).

The C-R stretch is obvious: while holding yourself in

position with the hands behind the hips to stop yourself
sliding away from the wall, try to draw the legs together, as
if they could pass through the wall. Begin with a gentle
contraction and, over a period of 10 seconds or so, slowly
increase the effort. Do not increase the effort if this hurts
the knees; this joint is not strong in relation to sideways
(lateral) forces. Sometimes tightening the quadriceps at the
same time as squeezing the legs together can overcome this
sensation because tightening quadriceps locks the knee,
tightens the ligaments, and makes the joint stronger against
lateral forces. Relax, hold yourself in position, take in a deep
breath and, on a breath out, carefully push the hips a little
closer to the wall. Hold the final position for at least 10
breaths in and out.

feet point up
push hips to wall
C-R: squeeze legs together
restretch: use arms to push hips
closer to wall

hold final position for minutes

I

extend arms; let body go to floor

partner supports least flexible part

restretch: partner gently helps

your chest move towards floor

35. Partner floor middle and upper back bend

This technically simple exercise has many of the effects of

exercise 14, wall middle and upper back backward bend, but
for some people there will be less compression in the
shoulders. The advantage of this stretch compared with
exercise 14 is that your partners assistance forces can be
placed anywhere on the back, from high up between the
shoulder blades (in which case the effects are felt in the
upper back and the shoulders) all the way down to the
lumbar spine. This pose has a tangible spine-lengthening
effect and, when you stand up afterwards, you will feel and
look taller.

The start position is on hands and knees. Position the hips

over the knees (this is simply to get as much height in the
hips as possible) and extend the arms out as far as you can.
Lower the chest as dose to the floor as possible. Stretch there
for a moment; if you arc already flexible, your own weight
will straighten, then reverse, the normal forward curve in
the middle back (thoracic spine). Ask your partner to kneel
as shown and to locate the roundest part of your back. This
will be the part of your spine that least wants to extend, and
the part we will first concentrate upon. Ask you partner to
lean their weight at 90 degrees to the shape of that part of the
back , until you feel enough stretch.

The C-R stretch requires that you press your hands down
into the floor with a moderate effort. This action will entail
all the muscles that increase the forward curvature of the
middle and upper back. Press for a count of ten, ask your
partner to remove some weight (but to still keep you in
position), relax and, on a long breath out, ask them to lean
on you once more. Sink as low to the floor as you can.

If you are deep through the chest or flexible, your chest may
contact the floor before enough extension is experienced. If
so, roll a mat and place it under the elbows as shown. This
will take some of the compression sensation from the
shoulders for some people too, but the main usefulness lies
in being able to experience a stronger bend backwards in the
spine before anything touches the floor. It will remove the
neck extension required as well, making it a more
comfortable exercise for some.

Whichever arm position you use, the exercise can be altered

in pleasing ways by asking your partner to change the lean
contact position on your back. As they work their way along

your back, their lean angle will need to alter also, so that it
remains at roughly 90 degrees to the surface. If you have the
time, small contractions can be done at any point in this
movement. You will need to do exercise I to relax the
muscles of the spine after you have come out of the final
position. The top photograph shows a quick alternative
recovery position: Mark is holding his knees and stretching
by pulling gently on the arms and pushing the hips back.
This will be detailed in exercise 43, folded legs clasped knees
upper back, below. A second recovery movement is
described here.

In any backward bending movement, it is normal (though

undesirable) for the muscles on the inside of any curve being
made by the body to tighten. If these happen to be back
muscles, you may feel that there is a problem. A final way to
release these muscles is shown.

Stand, put your hands together in front of you and let your
chin move forwards as far as possible to your chest. Tighten
the buttocks and make a small ‘positive’ thrust with the
hips. Stop, and breathe in. On a breath out, while
maintaining the position of the hips, slowly push the arms
down the front of the body as far as you can, without
bending forwards at the waist. It is essential to coordinate the
movement with breathing out. This movement will round
out the upper back, stretching the thoracic spine muscles as
the last photograph shows and, when you stand up again,
you will feel relaxed and taller than a moment ago. This
minor exercise is useful for stretching many of the muscles
across the upper back, too.

Cues (this page, above)

chin to chest, and use arms to gently
pull shoulders to thighs

Cues (this page, below)

chin to chest

push straight arms down body

*r~

Cues (right)

bottom leg folded 90 degrees

lower trunk on bent arm
C—R: twist away from arm and leg
restretch: lower trunk closer to floor

JL

36. Partner/solo floor lying bottom leg folded

rotation

This is a strong rotation movement in which the main locus

of effect on the spine can be moved up and down by how
you hold the shape of the spine. Too many muscles to
mention are stretched in this movement and, in addition to
the muscles, many layers of the fascia that separates muscle
layers and that surrounds the abdominal cavity and the
internal organs, are stretched too. Try this new exercise
slowly and carefully; it is a very strong movement yet
suitable for beginners and advanced students alike. The
exercise is effective in solo and partner versions. The first
solo version is shown by Jennifer.

Lie on your side, with the lowermost leg folded at about 90

degrees, as shown. Bend forwards, supporting yourself on
one arm, bending it so that the palm bears down on the
floor, with the elbow making a right angle as shown. Reach
the other arm across in front of you and let the first arm
bend, lowering the trunk towards the floor. This position
may already be a good stretch. Using the supporting arm,
lower your weight until your chest is near, or on, the floor.
Slowly straighten your back, and feel the effect of the stretch
change.

The C-R stretch here is to use the muscles of the waist to

try to push the supporting arm into the floor (a counter¬
rotation) for a count of five to eight. Pause, relax, take in a
breath (harder than usual, due to the restriction to rib cage
movements imposed by the position) and, on a breath out,
push the top shoulder further away from the floor. Hold the
end position for five to ten breaths in and out. If you can,
reach the other arm through under yourself too, as far as you
can. This will tighten the stretch further. If you are very
flexible, you may be able to get the back of the front
shoulder on the ground.

Alternatively, you can reach through to a suitable support,

as I am demonstrating, hang from the bottom arm and push
back with the top arm. The C-R stretch is to try to pull
back from the support while holding yourself in position.
Once in position, you may experiment by curling the trunk
forwards slightly and adjusting the stretch, or by arching the
back backwards. These slight movements change the focus
of the stretch. After a rest, do the other side. Some people
will feel the effect of this stretch in the hip muscles of the

'

lower leg too. If this is what you feel, you can feel an
excellent stretch by trying to emphasise moving the top hip
across further in the stretch direction, even if the chest is
quite a way off the floor.

Jennifer and Julie are demonstrating the easiest of the

partner versions in the third photograph. The partner
version can be applied in intensities varying from gentle to
strong. In the C-R contraction, Jennifer pushes her
shoulder back to Julie and, in the restretch, Julie helps her
move her arm further though under her body.

Pay attention to the details of the support positions of the

intermediate version, shown on the facing page. The
forearms need to be touching; otherwise the shoulders of the
person being stretched will rotate away as the spine bends to
the side away from the stretch. Julie is bracing Jennifers
elbow with her hand in the second photograph, in addition
to providing foot support for the forearm, and is using her
other hand to draw the arm under her body. The C-R
stretch requires you to try to pull the arm gently back, away
from your partner. Contract for a count of five to eight and,
on a long breath out, ask your partner to slowly increase the
pull on the arm until the desired stretch is felt. Remain in
the final position for five breaths.

To finish the lesson, repeat the following exercises from

lessons 1 and 2. Begin all exercises with your tighter side, do
the looser side, and finish with the tighter side once more if
there is a large variation in the comparative flexibilities.
Exercise 12, Parmer arm up behind shoulder blade

p. 53

' Vik

1 am demonstrating the solo, compound version of this

exercise but any of the variations may be used. The
purpose of the movement is to feel the right sort of
stretch effect in the muscles you need to stretch, rather
than making a particular shape with your body.

I-

partner helps bottom shoulder through

partner helps top shoulder back
C-R: rotate back against partner
restretch: partner helps improve position

behind back

Exercise 11, Partner,

forearm

partners

C-R: pull back against support

restretch: partner draws arm through

Lesson six: hip flexors, back bend

AND ROTATION

Most of the exercises in this lesson contribute to bending

the body backwards. Experience has shown that the hip
flexors are a tight muscle group in most people and
particularly among athletes. Keeping the hip flexors loose
will help the spine to attain a shape that requires the least
amount of energy to support, and general movement will
become more graceful. The illustration shows the effects
tight hip flexors have on the shape of all parts of the spine.

37. Abdominal curls over support

This is a much stronger version of exercise 16, the floor

abdominal curl. We feel that this version is a must for
recreational athletes (squash, tennis, and golf players, in
particular) because their sporting activities require the
strength of the abdominal muscles to be exerted in ranges of
movement outside those of normal daily life. No single
abdominal exercise can work these muscles through their
entire range, so we will need to use at least two; one to work
them in the range from from normal-to-contracted (exercise
16), and another to work them from stretched-to-normal
length (exercise 37).

To work the abdominal muscles in the stretched-to-normal

range, we need some kind of support. A curved surface is
best. In the beginning, I prefer to work from a stable surface
to develop the necessary coordination but, later, working on
an unstable surface can be to your advantage, because
ancillary muscles arc required to stabilise the trunk to enable
the abdominal muscles to contract effectively. As a
functional group, these arc often called stabiliser muscles. To
begin, you may use the curved end of a heavy couch, mats
tightly rolled and tied to the required radius, or even a
bench over which you put additional padding—any surface
over which you can stretch backwards. Jennifer is
demonstrating the movement over one of our drums.

Start by letting yourself go backwards over the support. Aim

to have the lower ribs over the highest part of the support.
Let yourself relax backwards to stretch the muscles. Now
place your fingers next to your temples and begin to curl the
body forwards slowly (recall that momentum will defeat this
exercise entirely). The head will move first, followed by the

neck, then the chest and ribs and, last, the ribs will be drawn
to the pubic bone. You naturally will find yourself breathing
out in this phase. You will feel the lower back being pressed
increasingly firmly onto the surface of the support. Once
you have curled the body to an approximately straight, or
slightly curved forwards position, stop and count to two. As
you slowly lower yourself to the starting position, breathe in
while the ribs are stretched open. Try to do 10 slow
repetitions, then roll sideways off the support. This will do
for today but, as the muscles become conditioned, you will
move from the support to the floor, where you will
immediately do 10 repetitions of exercise 16, floor
abdominal curl. In this way, you will be doing a long set
comprising the two different movements.

Do not do too many repetitions of exercise 37 the first time.

Much of the soreness you will feel the next day is simply
from working the abdominal muscles in an unfamiliar range
and you do not want to compound that with the soreness of
going all out. Take your time.

As before with exercise 16, you may find that the neck
muscles tire first, whereas the abdominal muscles have done
hardly any work. If this happens to you, do the exercise as
described and, as soon as the neck muscles fatigue, use your
hands to help yourself lift the head in the first part of the
movement —but do not let them do all the work. In this
way, the neck muscles will strengthen and, as a result, your
abdominal workouts will become more intense.

Cues

stretch back over support; relax

lift head on breath out
slowly curl trunk
keep lower back on support
breathe in as you go backwards

38. Lying rotations

Like exercise 37, this exercise has both stretching and

strengthening components too. It strengthens all the trunk
muscles, including the oblique group and quadrants
lumborum, and it also teaches you how to coordinate the
nervous and muscular systems to a specific task, which is
related to maintaining a strong and efficient posture. A
moments reflection will reveal that most activities require
the body to transfer the strength of the legs to the arms or
vice versa, and this can only occur through a strong trunk.
Unfortunately, the majority of personal training programs
only prescribe a few sit-up movements for this area of the
body and generally these are done at the end of a workout
when you are already tired, and so they are not particularly
effective. This exercise is an excellent warm-up for the trunk
in addition to being an effective strengthening movement,
and the only equipment required is your own body.

The exercise is shown in three stages. Lie down and flex the
hips and knees as Julie is showing. Crossing the ankles will
help to keep the legs together. Have your arms out to the
sides, palms facing the floor, this will help you keep the
shoulders flat. Now lift the knees about halfway to the chest
(thighs about 45 degrees to the floor) and slowly lower the
legs to one side so that the knees end up pointing at one of
your hands. This direction is essential, for the same reason
we tuck the opposite hip under the body in exercise 3, the
lying rotation: to keep the spine straight as seen from above.
This will distribute the rotation task over much of the spine,
whereas if you lower the legs out to the side (so that the
thighs make a 90 degree angle with the trunk) most of the
rotation will be experienced in the lumbar vertebrae, which
may be uncomfortable. This would also limit the stretching
and strengthening effect of the exercise to one part of the
spine but, if done as suggested, you would feel the effects up
into the middle and upper back.

Once the legs are just touching the floor, pause for a count
of two (do not rest the legs on the floor) and breathe in. On
a breath out, slowly lift the knees until they are back over
the centre-line of the body. Breathe in again and, as you
lower the legs to the other side, breathe out. Repeat eight to

<

^ •

press hands on floor

lower legs to side
nsure knees point to hand
l breath out; slowly lift legs

Cues

press hands on floor

extend legs to increase resistance
lower legs to side
slowly lift from floor
breathe in as legs cross centre-line

Once you can do 15 repetitions of the lcgs-folded version,

you may increase the resistance by extending the legs until
the knees make a 90 degree angle, as shown in the top
photograph on this page. This increases the apparent weight
of the legs considerably. Next time you try the movement,
use this new leg position. For safe and rapid strength
increases, the resistance you use should permit a minimum
of six and a maximum of 15 repetitions. Adjust the
resistance to fit these limits.

The last two frames show the most difficult version, in

which the legs are straight. Be aware that this requires a
strong trunk, so do not be in too much of a hurry to use this
form. Most people will cheat shamelessly in this version of
the movement by jerking their legs off the floor with a
sudden action. This is not only potentially dangerous
(demanding exertion from muscles in an extreme extended
range of movement is for and away the most common cause
of muscle pulls), but you will forfeit the strengthening
aspect almost entirely. For this exercise to be effective, the
lifting action must be smooth and continuous, and should
look effortless. This will take a while.

Note if there is a tighter or weaker side in the movement

and, if you prefer, you can do all repetitions for that side as
one set first. Do as many repetitions as you can for this side
and, on a second set, only do that many for the looser or
stronger side. The general rule is that, because the weaker or
stronger side is stressed more strongly, it will adapt more
quickly. In this way any flexibility or strength imbalances
will be redressed, in time.

Exercise 4, Side bend; standing or hanging versions

p.32

p. 88

im

Cues (standing)
ensure bottom hand supports
extend top arm
roll top shoulder forwards

Cues (hanging)
stand inside line of shoulder
let hips move to side
reach out top arm
roll hips to move stretch

Try either of these movements again and see how much

further you can go now that the trunk is warmed up. Do not
forget to support yourself fully on one hand if doing the
standing version.

Exercise 27, Backward bend over support

This movement, too, will be improved for the same reason.

Cues

let yourself be stretched

extend arms off body
partner presses hands to floor
C—R: press hands to ceiling
restretch: partner eases hands to floor

£03

cycle. Do both sides, and remember which is the tighter. Do

the tighter side once more.

40. Partner seated/lying single leg quadriceps

Review the instructions for exercise 26, seated/lying single

leg quadriceps, as your start position and way of getting into
this pose is the same. Once you are in your final position,
ask your partner to hold the hip and knee of the leg being
stretched, as Jennifer and Julie are showing in the last
photograph. Once held, curl your trunk forwards—this will
increase the stretch considerably, whichever position you are

Now two C—R stretches may be applied: the first is to try

to lift the held knee from the floor (this will engage the hip
flexors in addition to the quadriceps), and the second is to
try to straighten the leg. You may do each C-R by itself and
rcstretch, or do both and restretch. Compare the flexibility
of each leg and stretch the tighter leg a second time.

In addition to adopting a stronger stretch position (from a

reclining to a lying position, for example) your partner can
help you roll your hips fttrther backwards, so the lower back
is pressed more firmly onto the floor, by leaning more
weight on the hip. Do not sacrifice the neutral lower back
shape just to be able to lie back on the floor—so doing will
make your back sore and will nor increase the stretch in the
thigh. Getting the stretch in the right place is paramount.

Cues (left page)

front foot in front of knee
partner holds hip of front leg,
and supports under bottom of back leg
move forwards into stretch position

C—R: drag back knee forwards

restretch: partner moves you forward

Cues (this page)

hips level; abdominals tight
partner holds hip and knee
C—R: try to straighten leg
restretch: move further into stretch

41. Partner standing suspended hip flexor, with

support

Review all directions for exercise 25, standing suspended hip

flexor, as this exercise is essentially the same, except your
partner is going to hold your hips square for even greater
effect. Two support positions are shown, the second being
particularly effective if the hip flexors arc tight.

Assuming that you are in the start position of exercise 25

(top photograph), your partner holds you by the hip bone
and below the buttock as in exercise 39, above, as Olivia and
Jennifer are demonstrating. Now slowly try to straighten
your back leg as before, maintaining the vertical trunk and
neutral lower-back position (using the abdominal brace is
best here). The emphasis here is to keep the hips square
during the leg-straightening phase. The first C-R stretch is
to try to pull the whole back leg forward against your
partners resistance. Your partner, perhaps surprisingly, will
find it much easier to hold your hips square in this exercise
than in exercise 39, because of leverage advantages (the hip
flexors are required to try to move the whole leg, rather than
the thigh alone, in this exercise). After the contraction, let
your back leg bend and lower both hips closer to the floor.
The stretch is then achieved by again trying to straighten the
leg from this lower position. This is a very strong stretch and
the most effective of all the hip flexor movements. It is also
an excellent stretch for the upper quadriceps.

Now the partner moves their hands to the positions used by

Kevin in the bottom photograph. In contrast to the hand-
support position just described, in this version the C-R
stretch is to try to pull the back knee forwards. Because you
can feel your partners hand on your knee, the contraction
direction is easily understood. The restretch and final
position directions arc as described above; only the C-R
support position is different.
Cues

two support positions:

front hip and under buttock of back leg
or under buttock of back leg and knee
C—Rs draw back leg knee forwards
restretch: try to straighten leg

Exercise 2, Backward bend from floor, revisited

Cues (right)

ensure back muscles stay relaxed

lift only with arms
curl up to finish

Cues (above)

let yourself hang from support

use feet to bring hips forwards
breathe and relax completely

Cues (right)
extend arms off body
partner presses hands to floor
C—R: press hands to ceiling
restretch: partner presses hands down

Try either the floor or suspended version of exercise 2, again.

As we have stretched quadriceps and the hip flexors, you will
be able to bend backwards rather more easily than before.

A support may be used to great effect in a variation of the

backward bend. In the photograph, I am hanging from a
bar, letting gravity pull me to the floor. My position creates
a traction effect on the shoulders and the location of the
maximum stretch is higher than cither version of the floor
backward bend. To tighten the position, use your toes to
move the hips closer to being under the support. In time,
you will be able to hang with the arms vertical. Because the
hips arc drawn down from the shoulders, there is a pleasing
effect throughout the entire trunk.

Exercise 27, Partner backward bend over support

Continuing the backward bending theme, do exercise

27 again. Here, let yourself be stretched; too many
students try to force themselves to become flexible—if
this were possible, many more men would be flexible
than is the case. Breathe and let yourself relax.

42. Floor feet held back bend

The ease of doing the final backward bend in this lesson

depends more on one’s proportions than many of our
exercises, so give it a try and see if it suits you. This exercise
is also a strong forward bend for the neck, so if your neck is
tight you may care to put a mat under your shoulders to
reduce the angle of the neck's final position, as Julie is doing.
Lie on your back with the legs bent, as shown. Reach down
one side and grasp an ankle; then reach down and hold the
other. I suggest a hook grip—wrap as much of the fingers
around the ankle as possible and leave the thumb alongside
the index finger. For most people, this unfamiliar grip will
provide a stronger hold. Alternatively, a strap may be used.
Check your grip and push the hips up to the ceiling using
the buttock muscles. This is the second position; hold this
for a breath or two to get used to the sensations. Now slowly
try to straighten both legs. This action will pull you into a
bow-like shape: the whole front of the body will be
stretched. The most common mistake is to try to arch
yourself backwards with the back muscles, but this is
unnecessary. Try to keep the back muscles relaxed and use
the large muscles of the thighs to do the work.

Use one of the standard recovery movements that stretch the

spine forwards (exercise 1, or the last photograph of exercise
2).

Exercise 36, Partner/solo floor lying bottom leg folded

rotation

Try this exercise again; with what we have done since,

you should find that you can go further this time. All
the rotation exercises can also be used as recovery poses
for strong backward bends.

43. Folded legs clasped knees upper back

This is what we term a minor pose, but it can be wonderful

for some people (and a strong stretch)—it all depends on
where you hold the most tension in your body. This
movement stretches all of the muscles that extend the
middle and upper back (usually grouped and termed the
paravertebrals), the muscles that pull the shoulder blades
together (rhomboideus major and minor), and a number of
smaller muscle groups. A stronger version follows.

Kneel as shown (this may be done from the front of a chair

or a bench if you wish) and hold your knees with both
hands. Now tighten the abdominal muscles and push the
hips backwards—a strong stretch for the middle and upper
back will result. To make it stronger, pull the shoulders
towards the knees by pulling gently with the arms.

You may also try a moderate rotation of the shoulders once

in the final position (this is wonderful after hours of typing
at the computer), which will move the stretch further down
the back on each side.

Cues (left page)

hold ankles with hands or strap
push hips to ceiling
try to straighten legs
curl up to finish

Cues (this page)

chin on chest; let trunk slump
push middle back backwards
pull with arms

rotate at waist to move stretch

The stronger version can be done only from the floor: hold
the legs as shown and, using the bottom and thigh muscles,
lift the hips until the stretch is felt in the middle and upper
back. Slightly increasing the pull on one arm at a time will
induce a small rotation and will move the stretch around the
middle and upper back accordingly. Carol is holding her
shins from inside the legs, each hand grasping the opposite
leg, but the stretch can be done by holding the outside of
the legs directly, too (left arm holds left shin and vice versa).
Experiment to find the version you prefer.

In this stronger version too, a small rotation may be added

to the hip and arm actions to move the stretch further
around the back. In the third photograph, Carol has added
a rotation and sideways bend to the basic movements.
Experiment to find the most pleasing stretch positions. The
last photograph shows the details of the holding position.
hold opposite shin through legs
while holding, left hips up and forwards

incline trunk left and right

to move stretch from side to side

push forwards in neutral position

44. Partner shoulder depress

Cues

lean back slightly against partner

palms up on lap

partner leans weight on shoulders

C—R: lift against unmoving resistance
restretch: partner eases shoulders to floor

This exercise is one of the most popular in the Posture &

Flexibility classes because it always makes the students feel
good, and they have found it excellent to do with their
partners at home, too. It stretches the upper fibres of the
large muscle spanning the neck and shoulders ( trapezius )
and levator scapulae, as well as many neck muscles. See the
illustration overleaf for details. It is also a mild stretch for
the scalenus group, tightness in which can lead to shoulder,
arm and hand pain. Having this stretch done to you
immediately makes you feel lighter and more relaxed, as
your body's primary reaction to frustration, anger,
resentment (and stress more generally) is to tighten these
very muscles. The hunched shoulder pattern of tension is
characteristic of both aggression and fear. Accordingly,
combining exercise 44 with any of the trunk backward-
bending movements can be an effective physical approach
to altering these states.

Many seating positions are suitable: cross-legged, sitting on

the legs, or sitting on a bench or chair. If you and your
partner use a chair, make sure that it cannot roll away from
you. In all support positions, ask your partner to stand close,
with a space between you, as shown in the bottom
photograph. Lean back slightly from your upright balanced
position, so that the middle of your back is supported
(either by your partners legs or the back of the chair). If you
do not lean back slightly, your back will bend forwards
when your partner leans on you.

Ask your partner to place their hands on your shoulders,

with the fingers out to the sides, lightly cupping the
shoulders with the whole hand. Your partner will need to
lean on you, not push (the sensations of these two actions
arc completely different from the receiver’s perspective, as a
moment's experimentation will reveal) and, consequently,
your partner’s arms need to be straight. After you get used
to the sensation, ask your partner to hold your shoulders in
the stretch position for the C-R stretch. Lift your shoulders
gently against your partner’s resistance—they will have to
lean harder during this phase—and then stop; of course as
you stop they must reduce their leaning somewhat. Pause,
take in a deep breath and, as you breathe out, your partner
should lean more weight on you. If your partner watches
your chest from above, and concentrates on when you are
lifting and when you are relaxing, the exercise is technically
simple.

Do not lift with so much effort that your partner cannot

hold you in position. For leverage reasons, these relatively
small muscles are extremely strong. Trapezius and levator
scapulae enjoy enormous leverage, as their combined
contraction forces pivot the shoulder girdle on the
sternoclavicular joint; together they form a class I! lever (see
the illustration), where the effort and load are almost
coincident, and the fulcrum is at the end of the lever. What
this means is that the muscles lifting the shoulders are
incredibly strong in absolute terms (but the load is not
moved very far—compare with either biceps) and everyone
will be strong enough to lift their partner off the ground in
the movement. Accordingly, lift gently, so that your partner
can hold the shoulders down. When you stop lifting, do it
relatively slowly, so they can adjust their leaning weight.
Hold the end position for five breaths in and out or longer,
and be aware that, even if you think that you have relaxed
your shoulders maximally, they will still drop a little further
if you let them.

Do the following two exercises again.

Exercise 7, Neck side bend

Cues

restrain shoulder and lean away

C—Rs: lift shoulder, and
press head to hand
restretch: lean and
take head further to side

Cues

chin to chest

fingers behind back of head

C-R: press head to fingers
restretch: gently pull head forwards

This a minor pose which can have a pleasant recovery effect

when done after strong forward or backward bending
movements. This simple series of movements can be made
surprisingly strong with the addition of two C-R stretches.
Begin by resting on the floor on your hands and knees; you
may wish to have a mat under the knees for comfort. Ensure
that your hands are directly under, or slightly in front of, the
shoulders, and that the knees are under the hips. Let the
head and neck hang down to a comfortable position and
contract the abdominal muscles until your trunk is tightly
curled; this action stretches the muscles along the back.
Hold this position for a couple of breaths in and out. Then
relax the body and let it return to the neutral position. Next,
arch the back backwards, beginning with the neck. You will
feel all the muscles (that act to extend the spine) contract,
from neck to sacrum. Hold the arched position for a couple
of breaths—breathing will be slightly laboured as with all
backward bends. Return to the start position. Once the
spine is straight, bend to one side as far as you can and look
at one heel. You will feel all the muscles on one side
contract; this stretches the opposite side’s pairs of muscles.
After a breath or two, return to the neutral position and
bend to the other side. Bend briefly to the first side to finish.
C-R stretches may be added to the forward and backward
components of this movement in the following way. In the
curled position, push on your hands as though you were
trying to slide the hands away from you (friction keeps them
in place). This action increases the stretch in the middle of
the spine considerably. When in the back-arching position,
try to pull the hands back towards you; this action will
engage Utissimus dorsi and other muscles, and their
combined action will increase the backward bend
appreciably. So that the body feels relaxed after doing these
stronger movements, finish the exercise with a gentle curl
forwards.

curl forwards; push hands away

arch backwards; pull hands towards you

return to neutral position

Lesson seven: hamstrings, hip

FLEXORS AND PARTIAL FRONT SPLITS

This lesson is shorter than the ones preceding, but it is a

very strong lesson nonetheless. You may be surprised to be
exposed to front splits at this half-way point, but we have
had a great many people with only average flexibility tell us
that they had their best-evcr stretch in the hamstrings in
trying this. Because the front-splits exercise is intense and
has a number of parts, I feel that devoting some time to it is
time well spent.

It will be obvious to anyone who watches dance or

gymnastics carefully that the front-splits position is usually
achieved by a measure of turnout of the back leg, by
considerable hyperextension of the lumbar spine, or by
having the hips aligned at less that a 90 degree angle with
the line of the legs. The reasons were canvassed in exercise
39, partner hip flexor. Those of you who have tried to sit in
front splits will know that there is an intense stretch in the
hamstrings of the front leg. What most people do not realise
is that the stretch occurs because the back leg is
insufficiently flexible in extension. Look at the photograph.
Many people arc loose enough to be able to bend the front
leg at 90 degrees at the hip, as I am showing. However, only
a tiny percentage of people can allow the back leg to extend
the same amount—because of this, as the leg extends, it
takes the pelvis with it as well as the hamstring attachment
points (the ischial tuberosity). Accordingly, the hamstring
muscles arc stretched way beyond the 90 degrees mentioned
above. By working on the back leg, much of the stretch on
the hamstrings can be reduced and, for those of you who are
loose enough to sit in the position, your alignment will be
enhanced considerably.

Cues (right page)

heels on floor
squat rhythmically
pause in bottom position, then
rise until hips just below knees; pause
lift higher; hips just above knees

pause 30 seconds; stand

Free squats warm-up, with held positions

We begin the lesson with a more intense version of the free

squats introduced in lesson 4. Look at the sequence Carol is
demonstrating in the photographs before trying the various
held positions. The effect of the stationary points has to be
experienced to be believed. Simply holding the three
recommended points will elevate body temperature and
cote muscle temperature by a tangible amount and, as such,
is an excellent warm-up. Research in Germany in the late
60s showed that increasing core muscle temperature by one
degree Celcius increases flexibility by 15-20 per cent—this
makes a huge difference to the sensation of stretching, and
can be achieved by this simple sequence.

Do 15 to 20 repetitions of the free squat (recall that it is fine

to hold onto something if you cannot keep your heels on the
floor). On your last squat, hold the bottom position, letting
yourself sink as low as possible. Holding your arms out in
front will make balancing easier. Now comes the fun part:
lift yourself until your hips are just below the level of the
knees, and hold this position for 20 seconds. Do not cheat
by coming up too high. Wriggling your fingers will help to
take your mind off what is happening in your thighs. Next,
lift the hips a little more—when the hips are just above the
knees, the sense of work being done increases dramatically.
People who train with weights and do the full squat will
know this as the sticking point—the hardest part of the
movement. Try to hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds;
this will be hard. Next, lift the hips up until the thighs make
roughly a 45 degree angle with the floor, and hold this final
position for another 20 to 30 seconds (fingers wriggling all
the while), and then stand up.

Holding these fixed positions will make you stronger, too, in

addition to warming you up. Where 1 trained in Japan, we
would hold these stationary positions for what seemed like
an eternity (up to 10 minutes in the second, most difficult
position) and similarly hold positions in the wider ‘horse
riding' stance that we will be trying in a forthcoming lesson.
In contrast to weight training movements, these positions
involve only body weight, and will not be particularly
stressful to the knee joints. Do not be alarmed if your legs
start to shake; this is normal. Carol is using a shoulder width
stance, but wider foot positions work well, too. All
directions remain the same with the wider foot positioning.
Martial arts warm-up with partner
The next warm-up involves the adductor muscles as well as
the quadriceps , hamstrings and large hip muscles worked by
the last sequence. This lessons version requires a partner; if
you do not have one, hold onto a support. I suggest the
panner or supported version be used the first time you try
this, because considerable stretch will be experienced in the
adductors and it is better to be able to lower yourself into
the deep stretch position with all possible control.

Look at the first photograph, where Greg and Carol are

showing the start position. You will need to be standing at
arm’s length from your partner, with your legs wide apart.
Turn one leg out (your partner turns the same leg out, as
shown) and you both sink to a squat position on the other
leg slowly, keeping the heels on the ground. You may need
to adjust the feet the first time you do this to get the right
distance apart. The straight leg will experience the stretch,
both in the hamstring and the adductors. Refinements in
the squat position include distance from your partner (the
further away you are, the further you will be stretched
towards their hands as you sink) and in the bottom position
you can stretch sideways over the straight leg. No balancing
will be required: you can hold yourself in position easily
using your partner or the support, even if normally you
cannot squat down by yourself with your heels on the
ground.

From the bottom position, lift up to just below the hallway

point, turn the straight leg in, until the foot is pointing
straight ahead (at 90 degrees to the line of your feet, in other
words). Keeping the hips as low as possible, move sideways;
in the centre position both legs will be bent, and then
straighten the other leg, and sink down into the squat
position again. At all times the foot of the leg you lower
yourself towards must be positioned at 90 degrees to the line
of your feet; this will avoid strain on the knees, and will help
you to avoid rolling inwards on the ankle you squat towards.
To avoid over-stretching the adductors, lower yourself
slowly into the bottom position using full control on both
sides the first few times you try the moves. Use five to eight
transitions side-to-side as the complete warm-up.
The sequence of photographs on this page shows how the
solo version is done. Once you have tried the partner or
supported version, you may try the solo version if you wish.
If your ankles are relatively tight, you may warm-up for the
solo version by doing exercise 18, floor folded leg calf, and
exercise 19, wall standing calf. For the solo martial arts
movement, exercise 18 is the more important, as folded leg
ankle flexibility is essential in the squat position.

Keep the back as straight as possible and do not hold your

breath during the movement. Take in a breath before
lowering yourself and breathe out as you lift yourself. Keep
the hips as low as possible in the transitions from side to

Exercise 25, Standing suspended hip flexor

Familiarise yourself with the key form points of exercise

25 (sec lesson 4). Increase the intensity of the stretch by
trying to straighten the back leg from a deeper position
than you did previously. The closer to the floor your
hips are, the more difficult it will be to straighten the
leg, but remember the effectiveness of the stretch docs
not depend on getting the leg straight; too many people
compromise this by letting the hips rise. The C-R
contraction will be effective no matter how bent the

heels stay on floor

squat under control
lift slowly

keep hips as low as possible

127

Exercise 21, Buttock and hip flexor, revisited

Review the instructions for this exercise, first taught in
lesson 3 (page 66), and move into the final position. Look
at the angle made between your thighs, as seen from the
side. The looser the hip flexors, the straighter this angle will
become (the thighs will get closer to the front-splits
position). Having done the C-R stretch component for the
front leg, and having lowered the hips, straighten the back
leg. The stretch for both legs can be tightened from this
position.

To make the stretch stronger on the back leg, look to the

front and pull back on your hands as you straighten your
back, as I am doing in the second photograph. Hold this
position for a few breaths in and out.

To tighten the stretch in the hip of the front leg, breathe in,
and on a breath out, let your arms bend while keeping your
back straight. Hold this position for a few breaths in and

To add a lower back stretch to the mix, breathe in and, on a

breath out, let your arms bend further, also letting your back
bend. If you can, touch your forehead to the floor. You must
keep the hips level throughout; the tendency will be for the
hip of the back leg to tilt towards the floor; this will avoid
the stretch. Hold the final position for a few breaths, relax
and stand up. After your breathing returns to normal,
change leg position and stretch the other pairs of muscles.

Cues

weight supported on hands

pull back on hands to straighten back
on breath out, keep hips level and
let arms bend to stretch spine forwards
hold final position for a few breaths

46. Partner floor hip and hamstring

Unlike most hamstring stretches, it is almost impossible to

cheat in this one. The exercise may be done with one
partner but, if you are flexible, you will need a second
partner for best effect. Alternatively, you may slide the
straight leg under a piece of gym equipment or a similar
support and restrain it this way. The reason it is relatively
easy to avoid the full effects of most hamstring exercises is
that, in the contest between holding the back straight and
stretching the hamstrings, the hamstrings usually win. In
this exercise, your lower back is held on the floor, both by
gravity and by the leg that is restrained. Evidence of this is
that many people feel a strong stretch in the front of the leg
on the floor—in the hip flexors and quadriceps. In fact we
are using these muscles to hold the pelvis in position so that
the hamstring muscles on the elevated leg will be stretched
in the final position, shown overleaf. The important form
point is to ensure that the hips stay square to the line of the
trunk; the hamstring muscles of the elevated leg will tend to
rotate the hip on that side towards the shoulder and the
tension in the hamstrings can also lift the hip off the floor.
In addition to the case of maintaining correct form in this
hamstring movement, one of the features of this exercise is
that we can stretch the hamstrings in a number of different
ways in the one exercise. Conventional hamstring exercises
move a straight leg (or legs) into the stretch position. In
addition to a strict straight-leg stretch position, this exercise
can also work the hamstrings from a hip-flexed and knee-
flexed start position (as Kevin and I are doing) with the
stretch achieved by straightening the bent leg, an entirely
different stretch sensation. The closer the thigh of the bent
leg is held to the body (or past the body as I am doing), the
less you will be able to straighten this leg, but even
straightening the leg slightly past 90 degrees will provide a
strong stretch if the hamstrings are tight.

Cues

partner holds straight leg to floor

partner helps you straighten bent leg
C-R: pull heel to bottom
restretch: partner helps straighten leg

We can also move a straight leg into the stretch position.

This exercise can also target the different hamstring muscles
by varying the angle the leg makes with the centre-line of
the body, which is dealt with below.

Petra is demonstrating an alternative support position; she is

resting on her forearms, before lowering her head to the
floor (final photograph opposite).

Review the revisited version of exercise 8, partner lying

rotation, that is detailed in lesson 3, page 70, where the
emphasis is on the hip stretch. This end position can be the
starting position of exercise 46, depending on your level of
flexibility. Alternative start positions are illustrated: if your
hamstrings are fairly tight, have your partner sit on your
lower leg, as Julie and Mark are showing in the top frame. If
you do not have a partner, you will need to find a way of
restraining the leg on the floor, and you may need a strap to
loop around the foot of the other leg. The final two frames
of the sequence show the recommended partner-support
positions if your starting position for the leg to be stretched
is better than 90 degrees from the floor.
The first part of exercise 46, regardless of whether your leg
is bent or straight, is to try to pull the heel to the buttock.
This first C—R contraction makes the exercise unique—this
hooking action will engage the bulk of the three hamstring
muscles and, accordingly, will provide a powerful stretch
effect. Your partner must make sure that this pulling action
is not permitted to move cither part of the leg at all. Pull for
a count of 10, beginning very gently, and slowly increase the
contraction throughout the count. Stop, take in a breath,
and on a breath out, restraighten the leg and ask your
partner to move the leg further in the stretch direction. A
common mistake in this phase is for the partner to try to
move the leg too quickly. Hold the end position for at least
a ten-breath cycle; a longer stay in the final position will
yield additional benefits.

If you are doing the movement from the bent-leg start

position, the second C-R stretch is done by coming out of
the rcstretch position until you can straighten the leg fully.
If you are doing the first contraction from a straight leg
position, the second C-R will be done from that restretch
position. If your partner is sitting on the leg that is on the
floor, they can help you keep straight the elevated leg by
placing a hand to the hip-side of the kneecap and pulling
back slightly as the top hand takes the leg into extension, as
Julie is doing in the second photograph. Ask your partner to
slowly lean forwards to take the leg as far as possible into
extension, while keeping the leg straight. Pause in the new
stretch position for five breaths.

The second C-R stretch is provided by pressing the whole

leg back to your partner—that is, by holding the leg straight
(using quadriceps) and pushing back (using hamstrings).

Cues

partner sits on leg

partner elevates straight leg
C—Rs: pull heel to bottom and
press straight leg back
restretch: partner moves leg
in stretch direction

Cues (two partner version)

one partner sits on leg
second partner supports head and
helps you take leg back
C-Rs: pull heel to bottom and
press straight leg back
restretch: partner moves leg
in stretch direction
Other powerful hip extensors {gluteus maximus) can be
engaged to do this, so try to feel the hamstring muscles
before trying to push back with them—one reason for doing
the hooking movement as the first C-R stretch. In many
contractions in compound movements, muscles other than
the ones we want to stretch can be used to provide the
effort, and these will be the ones that will demonstrate the
stretch effect. Accordingly, for best results, you will need to
isolate the target muscles. Press back to your partner for a
count of 10, relax and, on a breath out, ask your partner to
take the leg further in the stretch direction until you feel the
desired effect. Hold the end position for a ten-breath cycle.
Repeat both contractions for the other leg. If you are doing
this exercise on your own, a strap and the use of both your
arms will provide the necessary support and restretch

Exercise 22, Lying hip

Repeat exercise 22. When in the initial stretch position,

feel precisely which muscles are being stretched and try
to use only these to generate the contraction effort.

Cues (above)

with foot in position on knee,

pull held leg back
C—R: press foot into leg
restretch: move leg further
in stretch direction

Exercise 17, Floor single leg forward betid, revisited;

folded leg variation

Review the directions for exercise 17, page 70; the version
here is one of the standard variations. Look at the first
photograph. Kevin is sitting on the floor with one folded leg
taken to the side around 90 degrees. Notice that both hips
are firmly in contact with the floor. This exercise is done
incorrectly in gyms everywhere—and usually by people
trying to do it with shoes on. The folded legs foot must be
tucked alongside the leg, as shown in the second
photograph, to avoid strain on the ligaments on the inside
of the knee.

In order to lean forward without tilting to the side, you will

need to lean towards the folded leg a little, before you lean
forward—if you do not, the tension in the quadriceps of the
folded leg will tend to lift the hip on that side. We want
both hips to stay on the floor as we lean forwards.

Keep your back straight, and take the body as close to the
leg as possible, grasping the foot with both hands, or by
using a strap. A C-R stretch can be achieved by lifting the
chest from the final position and trying to pull the hands
away from the foot for a count of 10. On a breath out,
slowly pull yourself along the leg towards the foot, and hold
the position for five to ten breaths.

Exercise 26, Seated/lying single leg quadriceps

Repeat this exercise, trying to get a little further in the

movement than previously. Remember to keeps the hips
horizontal—it is far preferable to use mats for support
to keep the form than to have the hips tilted away from
the stretch in the quadriceps.

Cues (above)

ensure folded leg’s hip is on floor

lean forwards with straight back
C-R: lift chest; pull hands from foot
restretch: pull body along leg

Cues (left)
ensure hips level
tighten abdominals
C-R: straighten leg
restretch: tighten position

47. Partner partial front splits, off support

Although described as a partner exercise, and although most

effective if done this way, exercise 47 may be done solo quite
well, providing you make an effort to maintain the
suggested form. As mentioned previously, good form in
front splits is rare but, once we know how the body moves
itself to avoid the stretch, we can counteract this tendency.
Done as suggested, this exercise will provide as strong a
hamstring stretch as you will ever need, safely, and in a way
that gives you frill control over the end position. Gravity
works to assist you and you can hold the end position with
little effort; as well, the support effort required from your
partner is small. Olivia and I are demonstrating.
In essence, exercise 47 allows the use of the same pair of
contractions as exercise 46 above, but gravity provides the
supporting force rather than your partner. The hamstring
stretch effect is much stronger, because the pelvis is rolled
forward by the back leg being taken into strong extension
(recall that moving the back leg into extension byperextends
the lumbar spine); this effect is used to your advantage here
to keep the lower back completely straight. Further, because
we will begin the exercise in a modest position that all will
be able to achieve, even people with tight hamstrings can
enjoy the benefits. All your partner will be required to do is
to keep your hips square to the line of the leg.

Imitate the form shown in the first frame: you are on the
floor with the front leg bent at the knee (a 90 degree angle
is a good place to start) and your back leg is as far behind
you as you can place it. Your front leg is resting on a support
of suitable height, if you wish. Your partner holds your hips
square. Holding you this way, your partner moves your hips
forwards—this is identical to what we did in exercise 39
above. Once in the hip flexor stretch position (and you can
use the C-R stretch of exercise 39 to get into a deeper
position if you wish), you can try to straighten the back leg,
too, to increase the stretch. Let yourself sink as low to the
floor as possible. Then slowly try to extend the front foot
without letting the hips rise from the floor. As you do, you will
feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings of the front leg, long
before you get the leg straight (this will feel similar to the
first contraction of exercise 46 above). Stop in this position.
The first C-R stretch is to try to pull the front foot back to
you, thus engaging the bulk of the hamstring muscles, for a

count of ten. Relax, breathe in, ask your partner to check

the squareness of your hips, and then slowly straighten the
front leg a little further, again without letting the hips rise.
Stay in the new stretch position for at least 10 breaths.

The second C-R stretch requires you to press the front foot
into the floor, regardless of the knee angle (this engages the
hamstrings and the hip extensors) for a count of five to ten.
On a breath out, try slowly to further straighten the front
leg. Because the contractions engage different muscles (or
different proportions of the same muscle’s strengths) the
stretch effects of the contractions are tangibly different. The
most common mistakes in this exercise are to try to
straighten the front leg completely or quickly, to let the hips
rise from the floor when trying to straighten the front leg,
or to let the hips skew around in the direction of the back

leg.

Once in the best stretch position (even if the front leg is

bent) you can increase the stretch even further by bending
forwards from the hips, keeping the back straight. This will
provide an intense hamstring stretch. Hold the end position
for at least 10 breaths in and out. Rest for a moment and
stretch the other leg.

You may need a support substantially higher than the one

shown—some of our beginners have needed a support
around chair height. Ideally, this support will be able to
deform slightly, so that, as your hips sink, the support
increases. All phases of the exercise may be done this way,
reducing the size of the support as you become more
flexible. The value of the support will need to be felt before
it is fully appreciated. We feel that the effects arc derived
from the body's awareness that it cannot be overstretched if
the proprioceptors can feel the presence of the support.
Additionally, your muscles will not need to exert as much
force to support the body’s weight (the stretching agent in
this movement) because some of that weight is supported.

Cues

have suitable support under front leg

partner holds hips square
C—Rs: pull front foot back;
press front foot into floor
restretch: slowly try to straighten leg

Cues (right)

chin on chest; trunk slumps

pull head to floor in between knees
pull head towards feet
pull body forwards
add rotations to move stretch

48. Floor forward bend over bent legs

We call this a minor pose, but the effects can be strong and
it is a useful recovery movement whenever hip flexors or
backward bending is involved. Unlike most forward bends,
this exercise is intended to stretch many small, and
important, muscles of the back side of the trunk, from the
back of the neck to the base of the spine. Read all the
directions before trying the movement.
Sit on the floor as shown, and hold your feet. If you feel a
strong stretch in the buttocks, move the feet a little closer to
you or a little further away—the hip position can be a
strong piriformis stretch for some. Let the chin go towards
the chest and let your back slump slowly. Rest in this
position for a few breaths; this start position can be quite a
strong stretch.

Assuming that your start position resembles the second

photograph, use your arms to very gently draw your face
straight down in the direction of the floor, towards a spot in
between your knees. Drawing the face in this direction will
bend the upper and middle back; accordingly, that is where
you will feel the main effects. Hold this position briefly.
Now gently draw the head towards a spot in between your
shins: moving the trunk in this direction will stretch the
middle of the back maximally. Lastly, draw the head towards
your feet; this will move the stretch into the lower back, the
lumbar spine area. Hold these positions for a breath or two;
this stretch is designed not so much to improve your range
of movement as to make the back feel good after other
exercises. Your proportions strongly affect precisely where
you will feel the main stretch effects, so you may need to
alter the pull direction to get the stretch in a desired place.
Once in the position that affects your lower back, you may
induce a gentle rotation by holding alternate feet as shown.
Make sure that you add the rotation after moving into the
maximum lower-back stretch position to feel the full effects.
If one side is tighter, stretch it a second time.

49. Partner all fours rotation

This exercise feels marvellous, and is one of the favourites of

the classes. In essence, your partner is providing the support
to stretch your whole spine in rotation but, because they are
pulling on one of your arms to do so, that shoulder is being
drawn off the body in the process. This adds a feeling of
overall lengthening and expanding that most rotation
exercises lack entirely; the combination will leave you
feeling excellent. All levels of flexibility are catered for in this
pose—both the stiffest and the most flexible can use the
same basic approach. You can do exercise 49 on your own if
you have a suitable support, as I show in the final frame.
Look at the first photograph. Position yourself as Jennifer
has done, on all fours with your knees under your hips (this
is essential; if your knees are too far forwards, there will be
insufficient weight on your supporting hand). Your partner
has positioned themselves alongside and you reach under
your chest to grasp their arm in a trapeze grip, as Julie is
doing. Your partner braces your support forearm, and places
a foot on your hip. The hand of your support arm needs to
point across your body to your other shoulder.
Breathe in. On a slow breath out, ask your partner to slowly
pull your arm through; in the process you bend the support
arm at the elbow, so your trunk rotates around both your
shoulder and your elbow. Go as far as you can, until you feel
a stretch in the trunk and shoulder.

The C-R stretch is to try to pull your arm back from your
partner; try to gently use your whole body in this effort. As
always, your partner must not let you move at all; it is an
isometric contraction. Stop pulling, breathe in and, on a
breath out, have your partner draw the arm further towards
them. Let yourself be stretched; the key to this exercise is to
let yourself go. To this end, your partner must make sure
that they make their movements slow—if they are quick in
any way, your trunk muscles will contract to protea you,
and the effect will be lost. Stay in the final position for a 10-
breath cycle.

For correct form, the arm that is drawn by your partner and
your support arm must be touching each other, if they
separate, a twisting moment will be introduced to your
shoulders and it will be impossible to be rotated without
your being pulled out of alignment. Your partner will need
to provide a stable forearm support, too. Stretch both sides.

The solo version requires a suitable support. Look at the last

photograph on the previous page: while hanging from one
arm, I am using the top arm to push the shoulder away—by
combining the hanging and pulling forces you can induce a
very pleasant rotation in the whole spine. Experiment with
different distances away from the support, and try the
movement while flexing or extending the spine slightly to
change the location of the main effect. A C-R stretch can
be achieved by twisting the trunk back against the support
of the arms. Lean back and hang from the top arm to
restretch.

50. Partner shoulder depress with flexion and lateral

flexion

This is the strongest of the neck movements and the most

precise stretch for levator scapulae in particular. The
movements can be done very effectively in a chair (in fact
more effectively than on the floor) and are the most
important of the neck exercises for the office environment.
Refer back to the illustration of this area of the body, on
page 122. From the flat, twisted structure of levator scapulae
you can see that stretching the neck to the side will
emphasise the stretch on the shorter fibres and stretching
the neck forwards in flexion will emphasise the longer ones.
Combining the two movements is will provide the best
stretch for this muscle.

Review all the directions for exercise 44, partner shoulder

depress: exercise 50 is the same basic form, but with two
embellishments. Alan and I are demonstrating the
movement. Once in the final position of exercise 44, slowly
reach up with one hand and gently pull the head to that
side, similar to exercise 7, neck side bend. This lessons
version will be much stronger than exercise 7 because the
shoulders are depressed as far as they will go. This action
alone stretches many of the neck muscles; when we add a
side bend to it, the movement becomes very strong indeed.
Do not be overly ambitious the first time you try this.

Once in the stretch position, two C-R stretches may be

done. The first is to try to lift the shoulder you are stretching
away from, working gently against your partners resistance;
the second C-R is to try to press the head back against your
own resistance. Restretch in between each contraction, or, if
you prefer, you can do both contractions and a single

restretch. Hold the final position for a few breaths (neck

muscles do not require the same stretching time as the larger
muscles seem to need).

Once you have had a sufficient stretch in this position, relax

and return your head to the start position. The next pan
requires you to lower the head forward to the chest; the
C-R stretch requires the head to be dropped forwards
slowly towards the chest. As in exercise 6, chin to chest,
press your head directly back against the resistance of your
own arms for a count of five. Relax and restretch on a breath
out; hold the final position for a few breaths.

The final C-R stretch is the strongest of all, and combines

the effects of all the preceding movements. It is a very strong
stretch for trapezius and levator scapulae. After you have
spent sufficient time in the last position, reach one arm up
and, while maintaining the forwards-most position of the last
movement, draw the head to the side cautiously. The major
error of form in this part of the exercise is to let the head lift
from the forward position. To do so will lose the stretch
entirely. It does not matter if you cannot take the head very
far to the side—the purpose, as you will recall, is to feel a
stretch in the right place.

Once you've stretched as for to the side as you can, restrain

the head, and gently press back and to the side at the same
time, gently, for a count of five. This direction will be
roughly 45 degrees to one side or the other. Notice the head
is not turned to the side. Stop pressing and relax, on a breath
out, first gently take the head further forwards, and then a
little further to the side as the second movement. Again, do
not sacrifice the forward position of the head just to get it
further sideways. Hold the final position for five breaths,
and repeat all C-R stretches for the other side.
9

Cues (for all parts)

partner leans on shoulders
C-R: lift shoulders

restretch: partner moves shoulders down

use hand to gently pull head forwards
C—R: press head back against hand
restretch: pull head further forwards
holding head forwards, take to side
C-R: press head back and across
against hand

restretch: pull head further forwards, then

further to the side

The unnumbered lesson: checking your progress

We have done seven lessons, and we have another eight to do to complete a typical
Beginners course
in Posture & Flexibility. To this point, we have adopted a reductionist approach to
the task of
becoming more flexible, by isolating and stretching specific muscle groups. Now
that we have had
direct experience of this over a series of classes, it is worth spending a moment
or two here to put
that somewhat piecemeal approach into the larger context—you. What's required now
is
integration of the small-scale work we have been doing, and this can be achieved by
two
complementary approaches. The first is to assess what shape the body will make when
exposed to
a whole body task and the second is to assess what the attempts to make these
shapes feel like. The
former can give us invaluable clues as to which parts of the body are looser or
tighter than the rest;
the latter can provide more subtle information on the state of your muscles and
their associated

Recall from the Introduction that I mentioned that the prototypical stretching
exercise—sitting on
the floor bending forwards over both legs—was an inefficient movement to improve
the capacity
to bend forwards at the waist with straight legs. To be able to do the exercise, in
other words, was
the outcome, and not the best process by which to achieve it. And I mentioned that
whenever you
see people doing this exercise, you see it being done badly. People will try to
touch their foreheads
to their knees and, if they do not have sufficient extensibility in the hamstring
muscles, they will
bend their spines instead. Bending the spine stretches the muscles that extend the
spine;
accordingly, I argued that doing the whole movement was an inefficient way to
stretch the
hamstrings. And from there we moved to the kinds of things than can limit the
hamstrings'
capacity to elongate (the calf muscles, and piriformis , perhaps) as well as
precise hamstring
exercises, some of these by design permitting movement only at the hamstrings.

Pursuing these strategies will make you more flexible in the desired movement;
there is no doubt
about this—but are we missing something fundamental in the process? I think we are,
and this is
what 1 want to consider in this deliberately unnumbered lesson—unnumbered because
it can fit
anywhere in the sequence (although it will be easier to understand now than if we
had tried it
earlier) and it will need to be returned to often. Whenever you feel the need for
an hour or so of
uninterrupted pleasure (which will provide an opportunity to perform a mental and
physical
inventory), this lesson will provide a check list to assess your progress and a way
of alerting yourself
to areas large or small that will need further attention for a time. ‘Where in the
Beginners sequence
should this lesson be put?' is a little like the conundrum of which came first—the
chicken or the
egg? If you had not had the experience of the previous lessons, what we are about
to do would not
mean as much, and most of you would not have the sheer basic flexibility to be able
to experience
what this lesson has to offer. Now we have both the experience and the flexibility,
and are able to
refine the basic question of how best to improve a stretching method so it provides
the most
effective harmonising influence on the body and the mind.

In our work so far, we have concentrated on moving parts of the body through
idealised planes of
movement—the cardinal points on your stretching compass, we might say. We have
stretched the
trunk directly to the sides, for example, and we have isolated individual muscles
for particular
reasons. While analysing movements this way is real in a geometric and anatomical
sense, in
another sense it is misleading when applied to the task of optimising whole-body
function. This is
because it is only when we isolate the hamstrings deliberately, for example, do we
move only the

hamstrings—no movement in daily life or in the most

exacting athletic or aesthetic activity ever occurs this way. As
long as these simple one-joint movements do not become
ends in themselves, this approach can be useful, as you have
found. From here, however, we need to find a way to
incorporate this vocabulary of movement—focusing on
particular joints or muscles—into the sentences and
paragraphs that are our dynamically changing structure and
its derived functions.

Another problem is determining which muscles need to be

more flexible, and by how much? This is why we return our
focus to the whole body movements occasionally, to see
what shape your body makes when exposed to particular
tasks, and, crucially, where you feel the effects (the stress) of
such movements. Answers to these questions will alter your
developmental trajectory—you will move in the direction
needed to supply the stress you require. It will be useful to
make notes of tight areas as we go though the positions. To
this end, the photographs in this lesson indicate the closest
relevant exercise number and page it first appears. Some of
these positions, however, do not correspond to specific
exercises, so imitate them using the text and photographs
and you may find that some of these, at least, provide very
pleasing sensations. If they do, add these positions to your

Today’s lesson concentrates on subtle movements, too—not

the big stretches like front splits, but a myriad smaller
movements that pull on muscles, small and large, and the
connective tissue that permeates our body, and which, with
the muscles, is the means for forces acting on us to be widely
distributed. And because we will be stretching while moving
from one position to another, we will be stressing the
muscles and connective tissue through many ranges of
movement that conventional stretching leaves untouched.
Begin by lying face up on the floor, stretching the arms out
behind you and pressing your feet and toes away from your
body. To get the idea, imagine that you are being pulled
gently by both the hands and feet at the same time. Now
press one arm and the opposite leg away, and feel how that
changes the sensations in the trunk. Now do the opposite
pair. Does moving each pair feel the same—if not, where
precisely is the difference? Stretch the tighter side once

Roll onto one side, and sit up, with your legs outstretched
before you, if you are flexible in hamstring movements; if
not, have the legs bent 90 degrees or so at the knee, and let
them fall to the sides. Put your hands behind your head,
take in a deep breath and arch the spine backwards for a few
seconds. As you breathe out, let the hands come back to
your sides, let the chin go towards the chest, and let the
spine slump. Where can you feel the effects of this
movement? If you have a partner with you, ask them where
you appear to be bending the most—upper or middle back,
or is the spine a smooth curve? In your check list, note the
tightest area and find an exercise relevant for this area,
making sure that you do it once or twice a week in addition
to the material in the lessons.

Now let yourself bend forwards at the hips, until you can go
no further. Where do you feel this? Let the body go limp on
a breath out. Does this change where you can feel the
movement? Resume normal breathing. Reach your arms out
and hold the feet by placing your fingers underneath.
Keeping the chin on the chest, apply the slightest lifting
force on the feet, straight up to the ceiling. Your feet will not
move if the force is small, but you will increase the
stretching effect in the upper back. Try to feel this. Now,
while applying this small force to the feet, add a very small
pulling effort to the feet; this will move the stretch effect
down the spine. Breathe deeply a few times, and feel the
breathing action move the ribs near the hips at the back of
your waist as you do this. Last in this part of the sequence,
stop the lifting effort and instead only pull yourself along
towards the feet; if you keep your chin on your chest, this
action will place the stretch sensation more in the lower
back. Based on where you feel the strongest effects, select an
appropriate exercise and add it to your list, too.

Return to the sitting up position, beginning the movement

by lifting the head up, and assisting with your hands if you
wish. Stretch your arms up and out above you. Relax.

Sit on your folded legs, and feel whether that stretches the
insteps or the front thigh muscles, the quadriceps, or both.
Next, tilt the head to one side (let the shoulder you are
stretching rise, if you wish; we are deliberately trying not to
be strict here—rather, we want to feel the normal,
distributed stretch sensation). Now slowly and smoothly roll
the head around on the shoulders, feeling where the tight
spots are and making notes as to which directions produce
the strongest sensations. Let your bottom slip off your feet
to one side and onto the floor as shown; complete this
sideways movement of the hips and spine by bending the
trunk to the other side. Let the top shoulder roll forwards as
you bend to the side. You may support yourself on one arm
if you wish; alternatively, you may do the movement a
second time with arms outstretched, and by pulling the arm
on the stretched side further out as shown. Repeat for the
other side, and note any left-right differences. Choose a side
bending exercise (seated or standing) if it feels as though this
area needs special attention.

Extend one arm and lean on it, then extend the bottom leg
until it is straight, as shown. Fold the top leg and place the
foot on the floor in front of the other leg's knee. Let your
body’s weight sink into the floor while leaning on the arm,
and feel the rib, chest and back muscles above the hip being
stretched in the process. To move the stretch, use the folded
leg to roll the top hip, first forwards (this moves the stretch
in the back forwards too) and then backwards (which moves
the stretch around the lower hip and the back). You can
intensify the effects by leaning the whole trunk in the
direction of the outstretched foot. Then lie down, roll to the
other side and repeat all directions.

Exercise 3, p. 30

Now, lie face up, and do the rotation part of exercise 3, lying
rotation. This time, however, once in the rotated position,
keep the extended arm on the floor and reach it out past
your head as for as you can. Hold this position for a second
or two; then, keeping the arm as dose to the floor as you
can, move it in a large arc down towards your side until the
stretch disappears. Reach the arm out to the side again in
the normal position for the exercise. While holding the arm
to the side and on the floor, bring the knee of the bent leg
closer to you (around 45 degrees) and repeat the rotation
movement. Once in position, extend the held thigh down
towards the straight leg, feeling the effects of this change of
angle. Repeat this sequence once or twice more, until you
feel you’ve done enough. Change sides and repeat all
directions. This may reveal a tightness across one shoulder
or its chest muscle, suggesting the need for additional work.
Also, by moving the arms and legs through the arcs
described, you may find a few tight places that are not
revealed by the standard stretches; make a note if this is the

Kneel as shown. Hold your knees and let the back slump,
then let the hips roll backwards as far as you can; this will
give a lovely stretch across the middle and upper back. You
may alter the effects by adding a twist to one side, pulling a
little harder on one arm to assist. Repeat for the other side
and check any differences.

Next, sit as shown with the legs together, bent at the knees,
and reach around behind you to place a straight arm on the
floor. Depending on your flexibility, the hand will be about
opposite the middle of your hips. Lean on the arm, and with
the other reach around and place the elbow on the outside
of the opposite knee, as shown. Start with a straight back
and, by leaning on the arm behind and gently pulling on the
elbow, twist around as far as you can. Note the effects, and
vary them by letting the back bend a little or by letting the
hips roll backwards. Repeat for the other side, noting any
differences.

Roll onto your stomach and do exercise 2, the backwards

bend from the floor. The key to this exercise today is to let
the weight of the body do all the work once you have
straightened the arms; so let your weight sink as far down in
between your shoulders as you can and let your stomach go
towards the floor. Once comfortable, take the shoulders
backwards, and feel the effects, then add slow rotations of
the whole trunk left and right, trying to look at each foot in
turn. The hip that you are turning towards may lift from the
floor; let it and feel the effect. Come back to the centre, then
take the head backwards as far as you can without opening
the mouth—we are trying to get an idea of how this
movement feels once the entire trunk is stretched
backwards. You may add small rotations of the head on the
neck once the head is in the extended position. How docs

Next is the deep lunge position, shown in the next

photographs. Make sure that the front foot is in front of the
knee and that the position you’ve taken allows you to
balance. Support yourself with both hands on the front knee
as shown, or with one hand behind the hip of the back leg
and let your body’s weight pull both hips towards the floor.
Feel the stretch; then, if you have enough flexibility lean
backwards so the trunk is vertical, at first, and, if possible,
past vertical. Again let the head go back as far as you can and
feel the effects of this position for a few seconds. Come out
of the position, using your arms to let yourself down
towards the floor.

Lean most of your weight on the outside arm, and let

gravity pull the hip of the back leg down to the floor,
allowing the thigh to move across and down slightly behind
you. In the second photograph, you will see that my weight
is being supported by the outside arm and the outside of the
back leg, which introduces a sideways effect. You will feel
this above the back hip, at the side and towards the front of
the body. Move the hips to find the best stretch.

Now come back to the middle position and use your arms
to support yourself as you let the trunk go towards the floor
to stretch the lower back, hamstring and buttock of the hip
of the front leg, in a similar way as we did in exercise 21,
buttock and hip flexor. You will need to let gravity work for
you here to make this successful; the key is to relax into the
various positions, and feel where the moves stretch you.
Repeat all directions for the other side. You may alter the
order of this sequence if you prefer, stretching the quadriceps
and hip flexors of each leg before doing the buttock and
hamstring segments.

Lie face up again, half bend one leg keeping the foot on the
floor and reach the other leg up and outside to hold the leg,
as shown. Use the second leg to slowly pull the other
towards the floor. Try different arm positions while you do
this; I find that taking the arm of the outside leg from the
position shown in the last photograph to out past my head,
reaching as far as I can, gives the best whole body sensation.
Do the other side, again trying to maximise the stretch
sensations. Note any particularly tight areas.

Now move onto your hands and knees, and extend the arms
as shown. Let gravity pull the body to the floor, as you try
to push your arms as far off the body as possible. Breathe in
deeply and, on an exhalation, let the trunk sink as close to
the floor as you can. Then, by taking the body’s weight
mainly on one arm and letting the spine bend gently to the
side as you let that shoulder go closer to the floor, you will
be able to strongly stretch the muscles of the trunk and the
large muscle under the arm, latissimus dorsi. The stretch
sensation will be much stronger than in the two-arm
movement just done, and you can regulate the intensity by
taking some weight on the other arm, which will be bent.
Repeat for the other side, trying to feel as much as you can.
For the next movement, sit as shown, with both arms
extended behind you, letting the trunk slump to a
comfortable position. By leaning weight more on one arm,
and rolling the hips aivay from that side, you can alter the
stretch effect on the arm; this can be further altered by
pressing one leg away from you at the same time. Now
emphasise the other arm and press each leg away in turn to
change the effect.

Next, let yourself down onto the floor, and clasp your arms
around your trunk. Lift one shoulder and roll away from
that side a little, and do the other side; the legs can be in any
comfortable position. I always let myself fall back gently
onto the floor; if I let myself relax into it at the same time,
the sensation is quite satisfying.

Roll onto one side, extend the bottom arm, and reach the
other arm back towards the foot of the top leg, as shown in
the last photograph. By pulling on the foot, the leg can be
pulled behind you and, by extending the leg to pull further
on the arm, the body can be stretched back to the leg. Try
pulling on both arm and leg at the same time (imagine you
are drawing a bow). Try the other leg to sec how that
changes the effect—this introduces a diagonal stretch from
shoulder to opposite hip. Roll over and sit up. Let the body
stretch over bent or straight legs, depending on your
flexibility. Roll to the other side and repeat all directions.
Finish this sequence by repeating the stretch over the legs.
While sitting cross-legged, grasp one foot in both hands, as
shown in the second photograph overleaf. Move the ankle
through a full range, including to the inside and outside
(inversion and eversion ), then (like wringing clothes by
hand) twist the hands on the foot in opposite directions.

Press the fingertips into the base of the toes and bend the
toes backwards; then use the other hand to stretch them
forwards, so making extension and flexion movements.
Gently pull each toe and give it a twist at the same time.
Interlace the Angers between the toes, pressing the Angers
through the toes as far as possible, as shown in the top
photograph, opposite. In this position, clasp the fingers to
the toes, and press the heel of the palm into the ball of the
foot, to stretch the toes (second frame). Change legs and do
the other foot. Now do similar movements for the wrists,
hands and Angers. Rotate the hands and forearms with the
hands in both flexion and extension, and feel the effects.
Stand up, bend the knees, and let the body fold onto the
thighs with the arms crossed and hanging down near the
legs. Let the head hang loose. Slightly straighten one leg at
a time, transferring more of the body's weight onto the leg
you are straightening. Do this on each side, and feel the
stretch. Let your body’s weight hang in this position, and let
gravity lengthen your trunk.

Now let the arms extend too, and feel that sensation. Make
sure you continue to breathe normally throughout. Slightly
bend the knees for comfort if you wish. Once in the full
hanging position, twist the trunk around so your arms are
to one side; feel this for a few seconds and move to the other
side. If you can, put your palms under your feet (hold the
ankles if you can't) and gently pull on the arms to help
gravity. Breathe in and, lifting from the head, arch the back
backwards, bend the knees, and stand up. Keeping the knees
slightly bent, move the body around as though it were limp,
letting the arms move to the sides in the process. Repeat this
a few times to each side.

By now, you should feel completely relaxed and have a

clearer idea of what areas need special attention. Lie down
for a while and run your mind’s eye around the body, seeing
if you can feel the problem areas. Let yourself relax in any
comfortable lying position—you may need to cover
yourself. Because the body uses muscle tension to generate
heat, one can feel cold aAer a good stretch. Close your eyes
and feel the weight of the relaxed body on the floor. Breathe
normally, letting yourself sink that little bit closer to the
floor each time. Try not to fall asleep—instead, hover
between wakefulness and sleep, and simply feel the suite of
sensations coming from the relaxed body. Five to ten
minutes will be enough for most people.

Lessons 8-15

By this point, the main elements of the approach will be clear, but it will help to
reinforce the
principles by considering what we have been doing from a more general perspective.
Form is the
paramount principle. By form, we mean that combination of body alignment and
position that
causes a stretch to be felt in a particular muscle or group. The requirements of
form are based on
an anatomical understanding of the relationship between the parts of the body,
together with
rudimentary geometry, a knowledge of lever systems, and basic physics. We have
found this to be
sufficient to derive the desired effect in any of the muscles of the body. Where
anatomical
understanding does not suggest a clear direction (for example, in the piriformis
stretches),
evaluation and organisation of the direct experience of many students and teachers
has been an
effective substitute—in other words, the empirical approach, unfashionable in some
circles.

In all C-R stretches, the body is moved into a stretch position, with or without
the support of a
partner or piece of equipment, and this initial stretch is held until the body
becomes used to the
position. Then a contraction is applied: this term means that the muscle or group
that experiences
the stretch effect is employed to pull or push back against an unmoving resistance,
a partner or
another form of support. This point is crucial and a frequent source of error: the
extent the support
moves is the extent to which any possible stretch effect is reduced. The
contractions are gentle—
we have found that isometric contractions used to enhance the final stretch effect
work better if
they are gentle compared with near maximal or maximal efforts. Strong contractions
require
surrounding muscle groups to contract forcibly for stabilisation. This reaction can
reduce the final
stretch because the required bracing of the whole body means that it is further
aroused
neurologically, making the relaxation necessary in the final stretch more elusive.

The final phase of the C-R approach is the rcstretch: after relaxing the
contraction you take in a
deep breath and, on a breath out (and only on a breath out), you move the body
further in the
stretch direction, until you feel a sufficient stretch in the target muscle. A
partner may assist in this
phase. The final position is held, usually between three and ten breaths, the time
depending on the
size of the muscles: most commonly, the larger the target muscle, the longer the
final position is
held. Breathing is normal and unhurried in the final position and the student is
encouraged to
concentrate on the sensations coming from the stretch; the stronger we can make the
experience
of the final position the stronger the effect in terms of the body’s map of its
capacities.

The other elements of the approach are the use of dynamic warm-up movements that
all can do
and which often work the body in positions that would be regarded as being between
the positions
of the more formal stretches, and the progression from easily achievable partial
positions to stricter
forms later in a class. Many exercises use initial positions that the body finds
comfortable, where
the elbows or knees are flexed, and the limbs are then further extended, rather
than moving into
stretch positions with straight arms or legs. This reduces the sense of
apprehension that many
standard exercises provoke. Later classes usually arc more difficult than earlier
ones, but
occasionally we teach a class that simply feels good to do, partly to integrate the
sensations of the
new ranges of movement that students display.

In lessons 8 tol5, I assume that the paragraphs above have been understood and are
thoroughly
familiar in a practical way. Accordingly, the directions for subsequent exercises
will be briefer and
more material will be covered in each lesson.

Lesson eight: hamstrings, legs

APART, AND BACK BEND

O
Q

In this lesson we will do three warm-up movements, all of

which are excellent stretches in their own right. There are
only a few new exercises, but one of them, exercise 55,
partner seated legs apart, takes some time to do, and is a
cornerstone of flexibility. It is a fundamental movement of
yoga, dance, and the martial arts. The final position of this
exercise is a compulsory pose in men's gymnastics.

Free squats warm-up, knees pressed apart by elbows

Do 10 repetitions of any version of the free squat, described
in lessons 4 and 7, with the feet about shoulder width or
slightly closer. Then look at the first photograph: this
lessons free squats arc done with a wider foot stance. Do not
have the feet so wide that your knees are stressed, and try to
use the hip muscles to widen the knee position as you squat.
Do 10 to 20 in this fashion, and squat down as low as you
can on the final repetition. Kevin is demonstrating the
recommended foot placement in the first photograph.

Look at the next photograph: Carol is demonstrating the

start position of the hip-widening movement. You will need
to shuffle your feet together slightly to be able to lower the
hips hilly. Squat in the bottom position for a moment, then
place the elbows on the inside of the thighs, back from the
knees. Put your hands together, and pull them back towards
you until the forearms form a straight line: this action will
force the knees further apart (bring the elbows closer to you
in the starting position for a stronger stretch). Alternatively,
use the position Kevin is demonstrating in the last two
frames if you are more flexible. Try both of the C-R stretch
holding positions to find the one that is best for you.

To engage a C-R stretch, squeeze the knees against your

elbows for a count of five. On a breath out, press the knees
further apart and let the hips sink closer to the floor.

After stretching the thighs apart, complete the free squat

warm-up by extending your arms to the front. From the
full-squat position, lift the hips to the second position (as in
lesson 7, the hips are just below parallel—hold for 20
seconds), then the third (hips arc just above parallel—hold
for 20 seconds), then the last position (hold for one
minute). Stand up, and shake legs and arms.

Martial arts warm-up, one foot flat; solo, bars or partner

The more difficult (and in some schools, more traditional)
warm-up that we learned in lesson 7 is done here with the
feet parallel, and kept on the floor throughout (recall that
we turned out each leg in turn the last time we did this).
Keeping the feet flat on the floor is a much stronger stretch
for the adductors, but it also lets you keep the hips lower in
the transitions once you get used to it. This is an excellent
leg strengthening exercise too. Do this version unassisted if
possible, or hold onto a bar if not. Use the lesson 7 version
of this movement if this variation places too much strain on
the knees—many people do not like lateral forces on the

Once the basic stretch part of the warm-up has been

achieved, try to keep your weight as low as possible for the
strongest effects in the transitions—do not stand up at all
during the moves from side to side. Once you become
familjar with the movement and find the best foot spacing,
move while keeping the hips as close to the ground as
possible. Lift from the squat position smoothly, when you are
good at this, it will be one continuous flowing movement,
beautiful to behold and wonderful to do. Each transition
should take a minimum of five seconds to complete, and
longer transitions are even more effective.

Standing legs apart warm-up

Do this warm-up, described at the beginning of lesson

5. Start the movements with the legs bent at the knees,
then try straightening one leg at a time before doing the
movements with straight legs. Concentrate on letting
yourself relax and allow gravity to stretch you.

Exercise 30, Wall seated knees apart

Review all directions in lesson 5 for this movement, and

do the exercise to your capacity. Once you have finished
the knccs-down-to-the-ground part and, assuming that
the legs are on, or very near, the floor, your position will
look similar to the photograph above.

Now look at the last two photographs in the left column,

where Jennifer is demonstrating the next phase of the
exercise. The task is to bend the body forwards at the waist.
The most common error in this pan of the pose is to bend
in the lumbar spine area instead of at the hip joints. Moving
properly, the shape of the spine docs not change until your
ribs come in contact with your feet; at this point your back
should be straight and near horizontal. Most of the
sensation will be felt in the front of the hip joint itself. Pull
yourself forwards only to the extent that you can keep the
back straight or even arched backwards.

The elbows can be used to hold the legs down if necessary;

1 prefer to put the elbows on the floor in front of the shins
and use the arms to pull backwards—this action helps you
keep the back straight. Lifting the chest at the same time
enhances the effect.

This is a fundamental movement in yoga, dance,

gymnastics, all martial arts and many other approaches to
body work. Many health benefits are ascribed to the final
position, including improvement in function of the
reproductive organs. In men, the position is said to help
regulate the prostate gland.

51. Standing clasped single bent leg hamstring

The effecr of exercise 51 is similar to, but in some ways

stronger than, the first part of exercise 47, partial front
splits. In the first part of exercise 47, we tried to straighten
a leg bent at around 90 degrees at the knee. In exercise 51,
the body is folded alongside the thigh; thus the hip is
maximally flexed, and the knee is again around 90 degrees.
The fact that the hip is more strongly flexed makes the
initial position stronger (in relation to the hamstring) and
the use of the hamstring muscles for support adds to this
effect.

Look at the first photograph. The body (with back held

straight) is placed along the thigh, the back foot a full leg
length behind the front foot and the feet at hip width for
balance. The back foot is turned out to around 45 degrees,
to ease the stretch in the hip of the back leg and to assist
balance. The stretch is achieved by trying to straighten the
front leg. The most common error is that the student
sacrifices the body’s close position in order to make the leg
straighten The priority here is to keep the body in contact
with the leg, while holding the back straight. Greg's final
position is not quite as strong a stretch as Carol's, because
Greg’s ribcage is hard on his thigh, limiting forward
movement.

The C-R stretch is achieved by lifting the head to initiate a

straightening effort and trying to lift the body away from
the thigh, keeping the back straight and the body in tight
contact with the thigh. This effort should be felt only in the
hamstrings. The restrctch is to try to straighten the leg
slowly from the initial stretch position, but with the body
held in place. Most people let the body come off the leg and
the stretch is lost. Do the other leg; if one is noticeably
tighter, repeat for this side.

You will notice that the stretch effect is different from

bending forwards over a straight leg and is often felt more in
the centre and higher parts of the hamstring group. Many
people have reported a significant improvement in overall
hamstring flexibility after practising this movement a few
times. Starting the movement with the body in contact with
the thigh seems to reduce the sense of apprehension many
people feel in standard hamstring stretches and is one of the
reasons this exercise can be so effective.

52. Partner!solo standing single leg forward bend

This partner exercise complements the previous one

perfectly; together they form an efficient complete
hamstring stretch. Jennifer and I are showing the form
elements and the support positions.

Stand lacing your partner, and take a long pace forwards (we
usually suggest one leg’s length, but it is amazing how many
people have no idea how long this measurement is in their
own case). The back foot can be turned out to about 45
degrees. Have the hips close to square across the line of the
legs. Lean forwards from the hips, and place your hands on
your partner’s shoulders for support. Your partner will check
to see if the shoulders are level with the floor and that your
hips are level, too. Ask your partner to sink down while you
hold the back perfectly straight, until the desired stretch is
felt. Arching the back (a negative thrust) will emphasise the
stretch in the hamstrings of the front leg.

A C-R stretch is easily achieved: once in position, either

press the heel of the front leg into the floor for a count of
eight to ten, or take some of your weight off your partner’s
shoulders by lifting your body away from their support—
either contraction will engage the hamstrings of the front
leg. Relax, and restretch; holding the final position is easy,
because your partner is supporting you. Check your hip and
shoulder alignment once more and change legs when ready.
In the third photograph 1 am showing the shape the body
will make once the ribs arc in firm contact with the leg and
the chin is on the shin. This will be the limit of hamstring
stretch in this position for most men. To come out of this
position, bend the front leg, lift the head and chest, and
stand up.

Jennifer is demonstrating a stronger version of the stretch in

the final frame. The differences in our proportions are
evident: my lace contacts the shin just below my knee and
the top of Jennifer’s head is in line with her ankle. Always
consider your proportions when comparing your shape to
that depicted in the photographs.

Cues

legs and back straight

use partner for support
C—R: press front foot to floor
restretch: move further in stretch direction

53. Partner wall standing hamstring

In the discussion of the hamstring muscles (lessons 3 and 7)

I mentioned that in forward bending, allowing the leg to be

placed to the outside of the centre-line of the body avoided
some of the possible stretch. Exercise 53 will make that
point in a dramatic fashion—especially if you are flexible.
Most hamstring stretches affect the middle and inner parts
of this group (semimembranosus and semitendinosus) more
than the outer (biceps femoris). because the form of the
stretch usually has the leg outside this line.

Exercise 53 deliberately brings the leg towards the centre¬

line of the body (and past it, if you can) because this most
strongly affects biceps femoris. We have found that flexible
people, especially those with good legs-apart flexibility, will
find this apparently simple stretch very strong.

Your partner applies enough weight to the elevated foot to

keep both hips against the wall—otherwise the tension
produced by the movement will pull the hip of the leg being
stretched away from the wall. The leg is slowly elevated and
brought across the centre-line of the body towards the
supporting leg. In the third photograph, I have moved
Kevins leg across to illustrate, in the direction indicated by
the arrow—this small horizontal movement dramatically
increases the stretch effect.

The C-R stretch is to press the leg down to the floor and
slightly away from the centre-line of the body at the same
time (try to use the muscles at the outside and back of the
leg). Hold the contraction for at least a 10 count. Restretch
following the centre-line or further across to the supporting
leg and hold for at least 10 breaths.

54. Partner wall squat knees apart

Unlike our standing warm-ups, holding this position is

relatively easy, as your partner is holding you against the
wall. Look at the photograph of Greg and Carol: the thighs
are roughly parallel to the floor, the back is held against the
wall, and your partner is helping the knees apart.

The C-R stretch is to squeeze the knees together using the

adductors for a 10 count; the restretch is to ask your partner
to very slowly increase the pressure on the knees with their
legs until a sufficient stretch is felt. Hold the end position
for 10 breaths.

Cues (left page)

lift leg to stretch position
take leg across centre-line
C—R: press leg across and down
restretch: leg further up and across

). Partner seated legs apart

Olivia and Jennifer are demonstrating all the major

elements of this fundamental pose. The initial seating
position stretches the adductors. The first movement is a
strong lateral flexion and rotation of the spine, using the
hamstrings to hold the pelvis in position so these stretches
can take place; the second movement is a strong single leg
hamstring stretch; and the last part is a combined adductor
and hamstring stretch. The effect of the final position can
vary from mostly hamstring to mostly adductor, depending
on how for the legs are apart—the further apart the legs, the
more the forward bend movement affects the adductors.

Sit on the floor with legs outstretched and as for apart as you
can comfortably get them. Look at the alignment of the first
part: Olivia’s shoulders arc near vertical; she is using a palm-
up grip on her foot to enable her elbow to press back into
the inside of her leg. This action brings the bottom shoulder
forward. By pressing with the elbow the shoulder is held in
position; your partner can assist as Jennifer is doing by
supporting the bottom shoulder and helping to roll the top
shoulder backwards until the shoulders are vertical. If you
cannot move the shoulders into this position, a C-R stretch
will help: try to pull the held shoulder forwards for a count
of five; and restretch on a breath out. An alternative support
position is shown overleaf.

The stretch is increased by reaching the top arm out in the

direction of the held foot; grasp it if you can. If the effect of
leaning to the side is felt predominantly in the hamstrings,
bend the knee slightly; this part of the exercise is designed as
a quadrants lumborum and obliquus muscle group stretch
primarily and, if the hamstring sensation dominates, this
will not be the case. If the hamstrings are loose, however, the
leg will need to be straight: it is hamstring tension that holds
the pelvis in position on the floor so that the trunk
movement becomes a sideways bend. An additional C-R
stretch is to have your partner draw the arm off the body
(bottom photograph), in line with the leg you arc bending
over, the contraction is to try to pull the arm directly back
towards you. This contracts latissimus dorsi. The partner
draws the arm further out in the restretch. This stretches
many layers of fascia in the trunk in addition to a huge
number of muscles, and feels wonderful. (Drawing the arm
off the body may be added to exercise 29, floor side bend
over straight leg, too, adding these additional effects to the
basic movement.)

If you can hold the foot with the arm of the top shoulder,
there is an alternative support position (from in front of
you) shown in the first photograph. This may be an easier
position for the partner to hold. The counter-rotation C-R
contraction can be applied from this position too.

The second photograph shows an excellent dynamic warm¬

up that can be done from this position. You and your
partner sit opposite one another, placing your feet together.
You do the same movements together, mirroring each other.
Do the side bending movement slowly and on a breath out.
The next pair of photographs shows the assist position for
part two of exercise 55, a hamstring stretch over one leg.
The partner supports the roundest part of your back. The
C~R stretch is to try to pull your hands away from your feet
while lifting the chest and, on the rcstretch, you can let your
back bend slightly to get a little further down towards your
foot. Your partner again supports the roundest part of your
back, and you hold the final position for a 10-breath cycle.

Cues

hold foot or strap; elbow inside leg

reach top arm towards foot
C-R: pull top shoulder forward to partner
restretch: roll top shoulder further back
C-R: press back to partner
restretch: move body closer to leg

Look carefully at the next two frames. They demonstrate the

negative thrust for the pelvis. This movement is essential for
the best stretch in part three of the exercise. I recommend
that you practise this forward roll of the hips before you
attempt the next part. Olivia is sitting in a typical shape:
when the hamstrings are tight, many people cannot sit on
the floor with their backs and legs straight, because the
hamstrings and adductors will not let the bottom bones
move sufficiently backwards to allow one to balance. This
round back shape is the result. Jennifer is providing the
support: Olivia has lifted her chest, arched her back, and
rolled her hips forwards. This will initiate the stretch
sensation in the hamstrings and adductors—if this shape in
the back is held, all movement of the body forwards will
further stretch these muscle groups. A C-R stretch will be
effective here: once in a stretch position, try very carefully to
pull back from it, while lifting the chest. This latter
direction is crucial; if you pull backwards with a round back,
some of the stretch effect will be in the back muscles
themselves, and we do not want that in this exercise. 1
suggest using this support position if you can incline your
body forwards from vertical to about 45 degrees from

The third frame shows Jennifer behind Olivia in the mildest

of the support positions, which may be used if your partner’s
muscles are too tight for the one just described. An
alternative support position is shown in the last frame.
Jennifer is gently pulling Olivia towards her, lifting her out
from her hips, which also allows one to move the hips
forwards along the floor to help open the legs.

The lying support positions shown overleaf look dramatic,

but, in fact, feel more comfortable than the preceding
support version for both people. Use the lying support if
you can incline the body 45 degrees from vertical or more.
You need to have your hands placed so that your partner can
lie on you without stretching you too for. If you have your
hands on the floor as shown you can control the stretch
position and intensity completely. The C-R stretch is
performed from this position. Lift your chest, press back
onto your partner with the hamstring and adductor muscles
(if you feel the effect in your back, you can be certain that
the lower back is not held in the slightly arched shape we
recommend) and, on the restretch, lower yourself into the
stretch by letting the arms bend. You have full control in

this version, even though it is potentially a stronger stretch

position than the preceding version. Do small back-
straightening movements once in your final position. You
may use rolled mats or other supports between your chest
and the floor to lean on, or to to signal to the body that
relaxation in this position is possible. Hold the end position
for at least 10 breaths; 15 to 20 is even better.

Kevin is demonstrating the bent leg version on the lacing

page. This is an excellent stretch by itself. Hold your feet if
on your own, or a partner can assist as shown—I am sitting
on a block to get my hips into the best support position to
help Kevin to straighten the lower back (second frame). The
bottom two frames show the third part of the exercise.

Exercise 8, Parmer lying rotation

Hold the final position for 10 breaths on each side, and
do your tighter side once more.

Exercise 27, Partner backward bend over support

On a breath out, let your partner draw the arms off the
body as far as possible. After the C-R, take in another
breath and let yourself be restretched on a breath out.

Exercise 1, Floor clasped middle and upper back

Do the legs-outside version or the legs-inside version as

you prefer. Keep pushing the hips gently forwards each
time you breathe out.

Exercise 14, Wall middle and upper back backward bend

Concentrate on letting gravity pull your trunk towards

the floor, looking up between your hands will tighten
the upper back muscles and can help increase the effect.

Exercise 36, Lying bottom leg folded rotation

Repeat this rotation to finish the lesson, if you wish. Let

yourself relax into the final position—the only work
being done should be by the support arm and shoulder.

Lesson nine: upper back, neck and

SHOULDERS

In some ways the exercises presented in this lesson are less

taxing than those in some of the preceding lessons, for they
stretch mostly small muscle groups. We have found that
varying the difficulty of successive classes is much liked by
students. As mentioned, small muscles generally require less
contraction time and less time spent in the final position for
satisfactory results. Of course, if you wish to spend longer in
either phase, you are likely to get better results, but it is a
good illustration of the principle of diminishing returns:
twice as much time will not give you twice the final effect,
nor will it help you to become flexible twice as quickly.
Experience suggests that the neck and shoulders are tight
areas in most people, and some otherwise comprehensive
exercise systems arc lacking in these areas. This lesson
provides a number of innovative stretches for the neck and
shoulders and supplements these with trunk stretches—
altogether this lesson should leave you feeling excellent.
There is a large number of exercises, but they do not take
long to do. People with problems in these areas may care to
return to this lesson every week, in between succeeding
lessons, for a while, until these areas show improvement.

Standing rag-doll warm-up

This simple movement feels good to do and will help you

warm-up the shoulders. Do not make too much effort here;
the idea is to let the body flop like a rag doll and let gentle
momentum provide a gentle pulling force on the arms.
Pierre is demonstrating.

Stand with your weight on both feet and let the knees bend.
Do not incline forwards at the waist: keep all the body’s
weight over the feet. Let the shoulders drop and begin a
rotation movement in the trunk by swivelling the hips to
one side. As you feel the rotation moving up the trunk, the
shoulders will begin to move. As you go from side to side,
the arms will be pulled gently out from the body. The
turning of the hips moves the arms; do not lift the arms
using the shoulders. Turn in each direction five to ten times.
Stand on bent legs and slowly throw the arms out behind
you at about shoulder height to stretch the chest and front
shoulder muscles. Then do a similar movement with the
arms at about 45 degrees, as shown. Finally, throw the arms

gently backwards and forwards. Stand on one leg and shake

the other while shaking the wrists and arms together. Now
do the other leg, still shaking the arms. Finish with a few
more of the bent-leg whole-body rotations we began with.

Standing alternate leg forward bend warm-up

The directions for this movement will be found in
lesson 3. You will find the warm-up much easier to do
this time. Let yourself relax; you cannot force flexibility.
Exercise 16, Floor face down arm and leg lifts, and
abdominal curls

Do 10 to 15 arm and leg lifts, and follow with 10 to

slow abdominal curls concentrating on holding a tig
top position in each repetition. This sequence
described in lesson 3.

P- 71

fu

[ Z

Exercise 38, Lying rotations

each side, using the leg position that

Exercise 50, Partner shoulder depress with flexion and

As your reward, spend a few minutes using this exercise to

start the relaxation process in the neck. Make sure that you
keep the head as far forward as it can go before trying to take

Exercise 10, Partner front ,

Review the instructions for this exercise. Make

Sideways bend across support

This may be done solo, or with one or even two partners. In

its simplest form, you lie across a curved support sideways,
with the hips and shoulders vertical to start, and let gravity
stretch you. Mark is demonstrating the position in the top
frame, opposite page.

One partner may assist, as shown in the next two frames

opposite: Julie is drawing Mark's arm off the body to
increase the latissimus doni component of the stretch, and 1
am applying weight to just under Mark's shoulder and to the
uppermost part of his thigh to increase the lateral flexion
part of the stretch.

A C-R stretch may be achieved by bending sideways away

from the support (to your partner’s hands, in other words);
and the partner applies a gentle second stretch. Contract for
a count of five and rcstretch for 10 breaths or so. More
stretch effect will be experienced by letting yourself relax,
but many people are instinctively apprehensive about this.
A second partner may help, as shown in the last frame
opposite: the first partner pulls on the leg first, then presses
the thigh in the direction of the floor while the second
partner draws the arm out from the body in the direction
the arm is pointing. Thus a second C-R may be added. As
in the first part of exercise 55, partner legs apart, above, the
partner draws the arm off the body; you try to pull it back,
and the partner applies the restretch. Contract for a count
of five and stretch for five breaths. This combination gives a
tremendous stretch to the whole trunk.

Breathing will be more difficult than usual because one lung

is compressed and the other is stretched open. Trying to
breathe deeply in this position is an excellent stretch for the
intcrcostals, the muscles between the ribs.

In the sequence shown on this page, Alan shows how one

partner can do the work of two, but in a less intense way.
His body is behind me so that the hips and shoulders are
held vertical. The second frame shows the leg being gently
pressed to the floor.

All the positions shown can be altered to great effect by

rolling your hips forwards slightly and restretching and by
then rolling backwards and restretching. The entire trunk
can be worked in this way. Pay attention to any differences
between the sides and restretch the tighter side.

Cues

lie sideways on support

let yourself relax into position
C-R: lift away from support; or pull arm
back to body and press leg up
restretch: move further in stretch direction

57. Lying legs behind

This is a modified version of a yoga asana, the plough pose.

When performed stricdy, the pose requires that the back
(from the upper thoracic vertebrae to the lower lumbar
vertebrae) be held straight, the body flexed at the hips, and
the legs held straight also. Although a beautiful pose to see,
this form necessitates a straight neck to be bent sharply
forward at the level of the lowest cervical vertebra (C7).
Some practitioners believe this to be responsible for some
kinds of neck problems, although this has not been my
experience. A modified form of the plough pose can be a
safe and relaxing upper back stretch.

If performed traditionally, part of the effort felt in the

muscles at the back of the neck is due to the legs being held
straight. Through hamstring tension and leverage factors,
considerable weight can be imposed on the back of the
neck. For this reason, at least in the initial stages of working
with the pose, the legs should be kept well bent at the knees.
In addition, because we wish to use this pose to stretch the
upper back, make no effort to straighten the back (in
contrast to the traditional way of doing the pose). If you
suspect that your neck is not sufficiently flexible bending
forwards, use a folded blanket or mat under the back and
shoulders to reduce the angle the neck will make with the
body in the completed position, as shown. Using support in
this way will not diminish the pose's effectiveness as an
upper back stretching movement.

Look at the photographs; Sharon is demonstrating the

movements. Before trying the pose, if you suspect that you
may not be able to complete the movement comfortably,
place a chair or box behind you, where you expect the legs
to come to rest. When you try the exercise, your legs will
rest on the support, and the difficulty of the pose will be
reduced accordingly.

Begin by lying face up on the floor. If you are slender, you

may wish to lie on something comfortable, because the
posterior processes of the spine (the visible bumps of the
backbone) will contact the floor as you get into and come
out of the pose. On a breath out, lift and bend the legs and,
continuing the momentum of this movement, press your
hands down to the floor to lift the hips and bring the knees
close to the chest. Continue this movement backward. This
will lift the body up onto the shoulders and flex the neck

■r-

Cues

use shoulder support if necessary

lift legs up and back

ensure legs are supported in end position

let hips tilt to side

stretch neck back then forwards to finish

forward. Be cautious and do not exceed your capacity to

bend at the neck. If you have placed a chair behind you
(near your head), rest your legs on it. Otherwise, lower the
legs slowly to the floor, keeping the knees flexed. Move your
hands behind your head so that you can control precisely
the degree of stretch in the neck, as shown. Rest in this
position for a few breaths.

To increase the stretch, use the feet to walk the legs very
slowly further behind you. As you do, let the upper back
relax completely. Walking the legs away will increase the
stretch in both the neck itself (the muscles at the back) and
the upper back. Hold the Anal position for five breaths or

If you wish, you may add a gentle sideways bending

component. Bend both arms at the elbows and hold your
waist, then gently incline the body to one side until you feel
a stretch in the opposite side of the neck. The body’s weight
will come onto the hand on the side you are leaning
towards. Hold for a breath or two, return to the centre, and
try the other side.

To return to the starting position, use the muscles of the

lower back and the arms and shoulders (by pressing back
against the floor) to lift the bent legs off the floor; then let
the hips fall away from the previous position. As soon as you
feel the upper back on the floor, or as soon as you feel your
weight moving over the balanced position, place your hands
out to the sides or alongside the body. Use the hands to
lower the body slowly to the floor. When the lower back has
reached the floor pause for a moment. Rest by letting the
legs go down to the floor too.

As mentioned above, whenever we have done a strong

stretching movement in one direction it feels good to
perform a brief movement in the opposite direction.
Accordingly, sit on the floor (or on a chair), straighten the
back and open the mouth wide; incline the head backwards
as far as it will go, and gently close the mouth and clench
the teeth. Hold for a breath or two and return to the neutral
position. Lift the shoulders up and down a few times, and
turn the head from side to side.

03

58. Partner bar shoulder flexion with hip traction

This rather oddly named exercise is unique among shoulder

exercises. The majority of exercises that use the arms and
shoulders to help extend the spine place some compression
stress on the shoulder joint. Many people find this the main
impediment to improvement. This exercise uses a partner to
apply traction (tension) to the shoulders and arms and,
accordingly, the extension movement of the upper back
imparts far less compression to the shoulders. Sharon is
stretching and Jennifer is assisting.

Kneel and hold a suitable support with the hands. The

knees are placed under the shoulders, or forward of the
shoulders if you want less stretching force. Hold onto the
support firmly. Your partner straddles your hips and, after
placing their feet next to you, squeezes your waist with their
legs. Once the waist is held, your partner leans back to pull
your hips backwards. When sufficient traction has been
applied, they bend at the waist and apply a downwards force
to the roundest (most convex) part of the back. Relax into
the stretch.

The C-R stretch requires that you press your hands down
onto the support (your partner must increase their leaning
force such that you do not move) for count of a five. On a
breath out, ask your partner to restretch you very slowly and
gently. Let yourself relax further into the position, and hold
for five to ten breaths.

Make sure you do one of the upper-back forward bends to

finish (exercise 1, any part of exercise 48 that stretches a
tight area, or exercise 56).

Do the following exercises before attempting the two new

shoulder exercises presented next.

Exercise 6, Chin to chest

Cues (above)
hold support
partner squeezes waist with legs and
leans back to elongate body
partner leans on roundest part of back
C—R: press hands into support
restretch: partner leans gently

Cues (left)
chin to chest

C—R: press head back to hands

restretch: gently pull head forwards

Exercise 15, Floor neck rotation

Cues (right)

turn head to side as far as possible

pause

turn head slowly further to side

Cues (right)

restrain shoulder; take head to side

C-Rs: lift shoulder; press head to hand
restretch: lean away; take head further

Cues (right)
arm across throat
pull with other arm
C—R: press arm away
restretch: pull arm closer

Cues (right)
hold knees
let body slump
push back backwards
The rotator cuff muscles provide most of the stability of the
shoulder joint in its large range of movements. Two muscles
pass behind the shoulder joint (the glenohumeral joint):
infraspinatus and teres minor. These rotate the upper arm
externally , and hence are called the external rotators. One
muscle is found above the shoulder joint ( supraspinatus this
acts to abduct the arm in the early part of the movement),
and one in front ( subscapularis-, this rotates the upper arm
internally)', together they are termed the internal rotators.
When all contract, the head of the humerus (the bone of the
upper arm) is pulled more closely into the cup of the
shoulder joint, the glenoidfossa. Experimentation has shown
that the majority of people have greater strength and
flexibility in the internal rotators than the external rotators.
The exceptions to this generalisation are rock climbers and
gymnasts, in which the opposite pattern is more commonly
observed. The following pair of exercises will give you
insight to your pattern, and partner and solo versions arc
shown.

59. Partner/solo shoulder internal rotation

To stretch the external rotators, one must internally rotate

the arm, the complementary movement. The external
rotators are usually the main limitation to the movement of
putting the arm up behind your back (exercise 11, arm up
behind back) so you may care to do exercise 11 now to see
whether doing exercise 59 yields improvement. The solo
version requires you to place the fingers of one hand at the
back of the waist as shown. Keep the fingers rigid while you
reach around with the other arm to hold the elbow. Slowly
pull the elbow forwards; this will rotate the upper arm in the
shoulder joint. If you cannot reach the elbow, use a column,
or projection from the wall, to move the elbow.

For the C-R stretch, press the held elbow dirccdy back
against the support of the other hand for a count of five.
Relax, breathe out, and very slowly pull the elbow further
forwards. You will feel the stretch in the shoulder itself, and
perhaps behind the shoulder as well. Normal range of
movement is to be able to move the arm to at least 45
degrees in front of the plane of the shoulders, as might be
seen from above.

Cues

hand on side of waist

draw elbow forwards
C—R: press elbow back to hand
restretch: gently pull elbow
further forwards
Cues

upper arm next to body

partner holds elbow and wrist;
draws wrist off back
C-R: pull your hand into your back
restretch: partner gently draws hand back

In the partner version (last frame; Alan is assisting) the fibres

of the external rotators can be stretched more directly in
their line of pull because the upper arm is next to the trunk,
making it a better exercise. Put your arm behind your back,
with the upper arm as close to the body as possible and the
forearm parallel to the floor. Your partner holds the elbow of
this arm stable and, holding your wrist as shown, slowly
draws the forearm directly behind you, so that the upper
arm rotates in the shoulder. Ensure that the upper arm is
vertical.

In the C-R stretch, press your arm directly backwards

towards your own back in a plane parallel to the floor,
against your partners resistance. The rcstretch is applied by
your partner; ask them to move the arm slowly and gently
until the required stretch is felt. Hold for a few breaths. To
recover, lightly swing the arm around and, if you wish, try
exercise 11 again.

60. Partner/sob shoulder external rotation

Cues (above)

hold support; hold upper arm to body

rotate other shoulder backwards
C—R: press hand into support
restretch: rotate further backwards

We now need to move the upper arm in the opposite

direction to complete the stretches. Solo, this exercise
requires a support that you can hold, and rotate the body
away from, to get the movement. Look at the first
photograph: the upper arm is held with the other hand, so
that the upper arm can stay vertical during the movement—
do not let the elbow go away from the body (a common
error). Once in position, rotate the whole body around the
held arm, so that the upper arm rotates in the joint.

In the C-R stretch, press the hand against the support (try
to use shoulder muscles to do this—many arm muscles can
be used in this action too) for a five count; then relax and,
on a breath out, rotate the body further in the initial
rotation direction until the right stretch is felt. Hold for a
few breaths. In the final position, the forearm will be
roughly in, or near, the plane of the shoulders, women
slightly further.
The partner version is better, for the same reasons that the
partner version of exercise 59 is better: greater stability and
a more intuitive restretch direction. Your partner stands in
front of you (top frame, overleaf), cups the back of your
elbow with one hand, and applies the stretch rotation to
your hand and wrist. The C-R stretch requires you to press
the hand back to your partner (again, try to use the muscles

of the shoulder joint to provide the force—arm and chest

muscles could also be used) for a count of five, then relax
and, on a breath out, ask your partner to cautiously take the
arm further in the initial direction; hold for a few breaths.
The usefulness of exercises 59 and 60 lies in their ability to
give you an idea of the comparative strengths of these
muscles, and to provide efficient ways to both strengthen
and stretch them. Experience suggests that the combined
forces of the external rotators should be at least equal to the
internal rotators. You and your partner will be able to assess
this roughly by how much contraction force can be
provided in the C—R stretches. If there is a significant
disparity, remedial work in the gym using cables or
dumbbells will improve the situation rapidly. The
recommended form of the strengthening exercise should be
as close as possible to the partner versions of the stretches
because, when the arm is in this position relative to the
shoulder joint, the line of pull of both sets of muscles is
ideal. Accordingly, when doing external rotator cuff
exercises, I recommend the upper arm be in line with the
trunk and the forearm at 90 degrees to the upper arm. Keep
the elbow close in to your side.

Do the following exercises to complete the shoulder

stretches. By now you will be acquiring an accurate picture
of your own loose and tight parts, and I suggest that you do
the exercises only for the tighter parts from now on.
Occasionally you can do the exercises for the looser parts,
but this is not a priority. The exception to this rule is when
particular gym training or athletic movements tighten even
your loose areas; use the exercises to return them to normal.

Exercise 11, Parmer arms up behind back

Do this exercise twice and ask your partner to check if

the shoulders are level. Lean a bit mote of your own
weight on the tighter shoulder if they are not.

Cues (above)

partner holds elbow and hand

your upper arm next to body
C—R: press hand to partner
restretch; partner gently takes
your hand further back

Cues (left)

fingers interlaced or use strap

roll shoulders back to begin
partner lifts arms
C-R: press hands to floor
restretch: partner lifts arms up

Exercise 12, Arm up behind shoulder blade

Cues

R P- 50

hold elbow; pull shoulder back

v4

C—R: press elbow to side

' r

restretch: pull shoulder further back

and pull elbow across

This exercise will be easier to do this time, because we

have stretched the external rotator pair.

Exercise 13, Arm behind head

Cues

pull folded arm behind head

C-R: press elbow to side
restretch: pull elbow across and
press arm back with head

Cues

hands and knees; hips over knees

partner holds arm; supports hip
partner draws arm through
C-R: pull back on arm
restretch: let partner take you further

p. 136

Ki: A

First encountered in lesson 7, this is an excellent whole-

trunk stretch to use at the end of a stretch workout.
Review the directions, because it is easy to make form
errors in this. Slight alterations to the shape of the spine
(in a backwards-forwards sense) make significant
differences to where you will feel the greatest stretch
effect, so play around with this aspect.

Lesson ten: legs apart and trunk

The main focus of this lesson is getting the legs apart; a goal
of all martial artists, hurdlers, dancers, gymnasts, yoga
practitioners—and you. No exercise demonstrates your
flexibility more clearly in the gym than this one. Quite a few
people are loose in the hamstrings without doing any special
training, but very few people are naturally flexible in the
legs-apart direction.

Free squats warm-up, knees apart version

Cues (right)
partner stands on legs
C— R: lift legs against resistance
restretch: let legs go to floor
incline straight body forwards
C-R: lift chest; press back to partner
restretch: pull yourself forwards

p. 125

Cues (left)
ensure feet are under knees

Ik

Si

use arms for balance

1 I

keep heels on the floor

Today, do a knees apart version of the free squat—20

repetitions. Except for the thigh angle, this is the same
exercise as done in lessons 4 and 7.

Martial arts warm-up, feet flat

Cues (left)

feet flat on floor and parallel

lower hips to floor
keeps hips low moving side-to-side

Do 10 repetitions once you have managed to get as lo\

as you can. Practising without a partner or a support i
you can will develop your balance too. As a warm-up
either version is good. As a rule, do not expect to be a
flexible (or more flexible) than the last time yoi
practised. Assess the body’s flexibility every time yoi
begin exercising and modify the demands you make oi
yourself according to how you feel.

61. Partner wall seated knees apart

A partner can help you in a number of ways in this

fundamental exercise; a number of possibilities are
illustrated. Please review the directions for exercise 30, wall
seated knees apart (lesson 5), before beginning practice. The
most gentle partner version is to have your partner press the
legs down for you, or support the lower back from behind
(not shown).

A stronger version, preferred by most people in our classes,

is to have your partner stand on your legs as shown; close to
the hip for the least stretch effect (first frame), and out
towards the knees for the greatest effect. You may roll mats
and place them under your knees to prevent you from
stretching too far if you wish and, similar to the supported
front splits of lesson 7, just feeling the support under the
knees helps the muscles to relax (Julie and Mark, second
frame). The weight applied by your partner may be further
varied by how much of their own weight they take, by
sitting on a bar or support, and by how much pressure they
apply to your legs. Recall that in the contraction phase, your
legs must not move at all; this means that as you apply the
contraction they must increase their support—and when
you relax, their effort must decrease, too. Accordingly, make
contractions and relaxations relatively slow.

Once the knees are on the floor, or close to it, the second
part of the exercise may be attempted. This involves holding
your feet and leaning forwards with a straight back, so that
the body moves only via the hip joints. To this end, have
your partner change their position to apply their bottom to
the lower back (so that the backward curve of the lumbar
spine is maintained), and support themselves by putting
their hands on your knees; this will help to keep them on
the floor as you bend forwards.

The C-R stretch contraction requires you to straighten

your back, lift the chest, and press back gendy against your
partner using the muscles of the legs. Your arms should feel
as though they are being unweighted if you do this properly,
but of course you keep the hands on the feet for support.
The contraction can be a long 10 count; relax and, as you
breathe out, rcstraighten the back and let yourself go further
forwards. In some people the final position causes a
compression sensation in the ankles, but this will disappear
as soon as you finish the exercise. Once your stomach and

ribs make contact with your feet, you may let the upper and
middle back bend forwards, but try to pull yourself over the
feet (that is, pull in the plane of the floor, rather than pull
yourself down to your feet) to increase the stretch. Hold the
final position for 10 breaths in and out.

Any of the assistance techniques for exercise 30 can be used

here too, such as widening the distance between the feet and
doing the exercise on a low support.

Wall standing legs apart warm-up

The reason this feels different to the free standing legs apart
warm-up (first encountered in lesson 5) is that, when the
wall is used, your hips cannot move behind the line of the
heels (in the standing version, this automatically happens as
you bend forwards, to maintain balance over your centre of
gravity). Because this cannot happen with your hips against
the wall the calf muscles experience a stronger stretch as you
bend forwards at the waist. Your partner holds your hips
against the wall, by leaning weight against the roundest part
of your lower back. The first two photographs show Carol
helping Greg to bend further forwards at the hips using this
assistance. The next two show bending over each leg in turn,
and an additional movement for the arm; you can precede
this straight-leg version with a slightly bent leg variation if
you wish, as an additional warm-up. Once you have
stretched over both legs in turn, come back to the middle
position and try a stronger forward bend between both legs.

Exercise 55, Partner seated legs apart

Use this exercise as a warm-up too. Spend just a few

moments doing the first two parts (side bending and
bending over each leg in turn). We will return to the
third part, bending forwards between both legs, later in
the lesson, when we have stretched the adductors
properly.

62. Partner wall seated legs apart, facing wall

Achieving side splits requires hyperextension of the lumbar

spine in addition to hip abduction, as mentioned above. If
we want to concentrate on pure hip abduction, we need to
stretch the adductors while keeping the lumbar spine
neutral—neither hyperextended nor bent forwards. Exercise
62 does this efficiently. Exercise 34, encountered in lesson 5,
describes the solo version; review the instructions if you
wish. The advantage of the partner version is that support is
provided at exactly the right place and, because your partner
is providing the effort to move the hips closer to the wall,
you will be able to use a stronger contraction. Take care with
your knees, however; as mentioned, some peoples knees are
sensitive to lateral forces, so you might need to tighten
quadriceps while applying the contraction, and again while
restretching. Two support positions are shown: the first is
more difficult for the partner to hold but allows very fine
control over how close you move towards the wall, and the
second is easy for the partner to hold the final position for
any desired length of time.

We have found that stronger contractions in the C-R

stretches for both the hamstrings and the adductors work
well in terms of final stretch positions achieved, in contrast
to using gentle contractions which seem to work well for
most other groups. ‘Stronger’ may be a matter of
perception: these are large muscles, and even using half one's
available strength in a contraction may seem like a lot of
effort. Try different effort contractions and sec what works
best for you. If you are going to try to use more effort, I
suggest you begin with a gentle contraction, and then, over
the period of applying the force, slowly increase the effort.
This way you are much less likely to hurt yourself: your
body will tell you if you are trying too hard. Stay in the final
stretch position for 10 to 15 breaths.

Cues

feet against wall, pointing up

partners back against yours
partner helps hips towards wall
C-R: squeeze legs together
restretch: partner gently
helps hips closer to wall

Exercise 27, Backward bend over support

To prepare the lower back for the next exercise, do

exercise 27 once more (full details are found in lesson
4). Be sure to do the second version that focuses on the
middle and lower back, with the middle of the body
over the highest part of the support.

Exercise 2, Backward bend from floor

Because the maximum legs-apart position occurs

together with hyperextension, the lower back will
benefit from a good stretch in this position. You can ask
your partner to sit on your lower legs, and very gently
help you to bend further backwards. Make sure you
stretch the lower back out with one of the forward-
bending recovery poses.

Cues (left)

middle of body over top of support

extend arms as far as possible
let yourself relax

Cues (left)
back muscles soft
lift only with arms
pull shoulders back; head back
curl up to finish

Cues (right)
use soft support or hands
feet flat on floor
widen legs

C-R: squeeze legs together

restretch: let gravity stretch you

63. Legs apart, off support

This exercise is the most effective movement for achieving

the flexibility that will allow you to sit in side splits one day.
It is suitable for beginners and advanced alike. Practising the
exercise as described will also increase the strength of your
legs considerably. The action of exerting your strength in
this movement may facilitate the brains mapping of the leg’s
proprioceptors—and we have noticed that as the students
capacity to exert the strength of these muscles increases, so
does their flexibility. We conclude that for particular
leverage and joint protection reasons, the proprioceptors are
the major limiters of flexibility in this movement.

Recall the discussion in lesson 5 in relation to position of

the pelvis and legs-apart flexibility: the pelvis needs to tilt
forwards (anteversion) and the thighs to turn out (externally
rotated) to achieve the maximum position. If we consider
this from another perspective, we can see that a maximum
stretch in the adductors will be achieved by taking the legs
apart without letting either of these facilitations take place,
and that is what we did in exercise 62. We can do exercise
63 without turning die legs out (keeping the feet flat on the
floor) but we can let the back bend—so, together, exercises
63 and 63 provide three different ways of stretching these
muscles.

Look at the first photograph. Alan is using a support that

can deform slightly under his weight and he has spread his
legs as far as he can with the feet flat on the floor;
accordingly, his legs arc not turned out. The C-R stretch is
achieved by trying to bring the legs together, as though
through the floor. Begin with a gentle squeeze and, over the
space of a 10 to 13 count, slowly increase the contraction
force. Do not use more than about half your available
strength the first few times you try this movement. You may
support yourself by using your hands or, if you are strong
enough, do the contractions unsupported. Kevin is
demonstrating the legs apart position supported on his
arms. Relax, and on a long breath out, slide your feet further
apart. Hold the new position for 10 breaths. All the stretch
effects will be felt in the muscles on the inside of the thighs.
The next two frames show Kevin and Greg demonstrating
two arm support positions that may be used. In both
positions the adductors will experience the main effects. The
C-R is achieved by trying to bring the legs together.

Now, lift yourself from the stretch position and walk around
for a moment or two to relax the body. Get back over the
support, but this time turn your feet out to the sides as
much as you can and rest on your heels with the feet
pointing up to the ceiling as I am demonstrating in the first
frame. Sink as low as you can, and repeat the C-R stretch.
This time, you will feel the hamstrings contracting as you
squeeze the legs together. Again, use an increasing strength
contraction for a 10 to 15 count. Stop, relax and, on a
breath out, use gravity to help you get the legs further apart.
Hold the end position for 10 breaths. You will notice that
you can get closer to the floor and you will be able to feel
that your lower back is bending further backwards as you
make this attempt. Rest, and repeat this two-pan cycle one
or two more times until you feel that you cannot improve
any more in this session.

Once you are as close to the floor as you can get, hold the
middle and upper back straight and let your trunk go
towards the support, moving through the hip joints, as 1 am
showing in the second frame, keeping the hips and feet in a
straight line. Any inclination of the body forwards past the
angle needed to get into the final position will increase the
stretch in both the inner hamstrings and the adductors, so
make this lean a slow and gentle move. One further C-R
stretch can be done in this inclined position by squeezing
the legs together. Instead of sinking lower after this
contraction, however, let the body go forwards closer to the
support, until the body is horizontal. Hold the final
position for at least five breaths.

Greg is demonstrating how to position the body so that the

inner hamstrings and adductors approximately share the
effects (bottom two frames). With the body inclined
forwards in this way, strong contractions produce an
immediate leg-widening effect. The top photograph on the
facing page shows how the legs can be taken wide apart
without hyperextension, best done by lowering yourself into
position, as Greg is doing.

I am demonstrating two assistance positions. In the first,

Olivia is holding my legs against the support with her legs,
by pressing backwards. This reduces the effect of gravity on
my legs, making relaxation easier. The third frame shows a
lowering technique where the feet slide apart in the
purpose-built boxes; Olivia is assisting by holding my hips
directly over my feet, the most difficult position.

*
I <3

As the last exercise is strenuous, lie down for a moment

and redo exercise 3. Take your time and let yourself relax
in the final position for at least five breaths per side.

use support of correct height

have feet pointing up

Exercise 4, Standing side bend

C-R: squeeze legs together

restretch: widen legs and

incline straight body forwards (left, 2nd)
partner holds hips against support (below)

Do this exercise again, and see whether the legs-apart off-

support exercise has improved your final position. Most
people have a breakthrough in this movement after doing

Repeat this exercise, but do not try to improve the range of

movement achieved; rather, use it to make the body feel
balanced.

Exercise 55, Partner seated legs apart

64. Seated or standing bent leg rotation

This rotation movement can be as strong or as gentle as you

wish. If done standing, it is more strenuous (simply because
you are having to support your weight on bent legs as well
as do the exercise) but, if done seated, is still an excellent
rotation. One of its advantages is that body size does not
limit its effectiveness (we developed it when Jennifer was
seven months’ pregnant) and, unlike some rotation
exercises, hip flexibility is irrelevant. There is no limit to
how far you go, either—as you will have seen by now, some
rotation movements are limited by physical constraints.
Here, your final position is limited only by your capacity to
move the shoulders in relation to fixed hips.

In the first photograph, the body is located in between the

knees (standing or sitting version). This body position gives
the stretch effect over the largest area of the trunk. Grasp the
ankle first, and pull on it so that the elbow bends. The
extent of the bend locates where the body will be in relation
to the knees. Place the other hand on the knee as shown,
and press the shoulder back as far as you can. Pull on the
ankle and press on the knee together to feel the stretch you
want. The C-R stretch is achieved by using the muscles of
the waist to try to twist in the opposite direction—but your
arms hold you in position. Contract for a count of five,
relax, and take a breath in. On a breath out, slowly pull and
push on both hands until the desired rotation is felt. Hold
the final position for a few breaths in and out.

The third photograph shows the exercise being done in a

different way—the body is closer to one leg. Try a variety of
positions between the knees; each one will focus the stretch
in a different place. A number of these different positions
can be tried in moments and particular positions may
stretch desired tight spots.

The bottom photo shows my preferred version. Done

standing, further alterations to the sensations can be made
by the depth of your squat position, as well as by where you
position the body between the legs.

65. Partner kneeling arms up and behind

This exercise is a distinct change of pace—it is a minor

exercise that nonetheless feels great to do. It is an excellent
stretch for the pectoral muscles and, in the final position.
Cues (above)
arms up and back

partner helps find most difficult angle

C-Rs draw hands towards knees
restretch: further up and back

Cues (left)

sit or stand in support position

hold opposite ankle; pull on hand
while you push top shoulder back
C-R: twist trunk in opposite direction
restretch: push/pull in stretch direction

the ribs will be lifted, and the front shoulder and biceps
muscles will be stretched, too. In the flexible person, there
will be a gentle extension of the upper and middle spine.

Sit on folded legs as shown. Your partner stands so that their

legs are a support for the middle of your back. Lift your
arms up so the fingers are approximately level with the top
of your head. Your partner holds your wrists from above and
takes the arms back while maintaining their height. Let
yourself be stretched for a moment or two. The C-R stretch
requires that you gently pull the arms down and in, towards
the knees. This line will pull directly on the middle fibres of
the chest muscles, where they attach to the sternum : and the
rcstretch will provide a pleasant sensation. Breathing deeply
in the final position will work the diaphragm muscle
strongly, as it is stretched by the elevation of the ribs.

We will finish with two spine-flexion exercises, the first for

the middle and upper back (first taught in lesson 9) and the
second for the lower back (presented in lesson 7).

Exercise 57, Lying legs behind

Exercise 48, Floor forward bend over bent legs

Lesson eleven: balancing and

STRENGTH

This relatively short but taxing lesson teaches preparation

techniques for balancing poses, and two major compound
exercises that combine strength and flexibility. Each of these
exercises has dynamic and static elements and the transitions
from the moving to the held parts provide additional
interest. We have found the balancing exercises to be
excellent stretches as well—perhaps only because you will be
so occupied trying to balance that you won’t notice how
intense the stretch aspect really is!

Free squats warm-up, knees apart, revisited

Review the directions for the standing version of exercise 64,

bent-leg rotation, page 182. Do 20 repetitions of the knees
apart version of the free squat (first encountered last lesson).
Do not hurry these; the emphasis in this lesson is on making
the connection between your mind and your muscles as
strong as possible. Feel the way the body transfers weight
between its parts during the lowering phase, and how the
buttock and hamstring muscles provide the effort for the
first part of the lift out of the squat position and how the
quadriceps take over just below the half-way point. If you do
the movements quickly, these subtleties will be lost. Pause in
the bottom position for a moment in a few of the
repetitions.

In the final repetition, use the elbows inside the knees to

gently force the thighs further apart (described in lesson 8).
Hold this position for five breaths. Lift yourself up until the
thighs are parallel with the floor and, placing one palm on
the floor next to one foot as shown, reach the other out as
far as you can, rotating at the shoulders until the arms are
vertical. Hold this position for a couple of breaths. Bring the
top arm back, place it on the floor inside the other foot, and
repeat for the other side.

Come out of the second position and move direedy into the
standing version of exercise 64, which you can follow with
an arm supported legs-apart warm-up, with contractions if
you desire. Directions for the legs-apart warm-up will be
found on page 93.

Cues (above)

lower into deep squat position

use elbows to widen knees
C-R: squeeze knees together
restretch: press knees back
using support arm, take top shoulder
and arm back; reach up

Martial arts warm-up, feet up or flat

Choose which version of this exercise you prefer; full
descriptions will be found in lessons 7 and 8. You may
use a partner or a support if you need to but, as the
emphasis of this lesson is on balance, try to do eight
repetitions by yourself. Feel how the body needs to fold
forwards at both the hips and the ankles, just to be able
to balance. Do not let the ankle of the folded leg roll
inwards, and check to sec whether this foot and the
straight leg make a 90 degree angle (both versions). Try
to keep your lower back as straight as you can and, in
the transition moves, keep the hips as low to the floor as
possible.

Standing suspended hip flexor (ex. 25) and buttock

and hip flexor (ex. 21) warm-up

Review the directions for exercise 25, lesson 4, and exercise

21, lesson 3. We arc going to do a version of exercise 26
without support, so it contains a balancing component in
addition to the stretching component, and link the final
position to exercise 21. Together, these movements are an
excellent warm-up for any activity performed on the legs,
and will be the perfect warm-up for this lessons focus.
Move into the start position of exercise 26, one hand on the
front knee, the other behind the hip of the back leg to help
you get the hips square. Make sure that your feet arc hip-
width apart (as might be seen from the front) for balance.
The front foot must be slightly in front of the knee, to
ensure its stability. Use the hand and the hip and waist
muscles to rotate the hip of the back leg forwards as much
as you can, and press the hand on the knee down hard to
activate the abdominal brace. As mentioned when we first
practised the hip flexor exercises, you may use the back leg’s
bottom muscles to tuck your bottom under if that works

better than the abdominal brace. Alternatively, you may use

both hands on the front knee, if that makes holding the
abdominal brace easier. Holding the position, slowly
straighten the back leg, keeping both hips as low as possible.
Once in this position, maintain the rotation, take your arms
out wide and join them over your head, extending the arms
towards the ceiling as far as possible. This is the first
position.

After a few breaths in this position, let the back leg bend
again, until the hips lower further and the knee touches the
floor. Check the hip rotation once more, keep the hips
down, and restraighten the back leg—it docs not matter if
you do not get it straight; this is a balancing, strengthening
and stretching exercise. Lean the trunk back until you arc
vertical, and hold the final position for at least five breaths.
Breathe out, take the arms out wide, and place them on the
floor inside the front foot—you will recognise this as the
start position of exercise 21. Recall the directions: pull back
on the hands to straighten the back as you breathe in, hold
the position for a few breaths and, on a breath out, let the
arms bend, only as for as you can hold the back straight.
Hold this position for five breaths and, on a breath out, let
the arms and the back bend as far as possible. Keep the hips
level with the floor while you do this. Hold the final
position for a few breaths, return to the starting position,
and repeat for the other side.

Cues

move into deep lunge position

lift arms up; lean back and reach above
place hands on floor inside leg
C-R: pull back on hands
restretch: let level hips sink deeper
let arms bend (keep back straight)
let back bend while keeping hips level

66 Partner lying T

This fantastic hamstring and adductor stretch will prepare

us for a later exercise. The advantages of the lying version are
that the lower back is entirely supported, good form is
guaranteed by the floor, and the contractions are easy for the
partner to apply. It may be that you will need to work on
this version for a while before trying the standing version

Cues

partner supports leg on floor

hold bent leg next to body
try to straighten leg
C—Rs: pull heel to bottom;
press thigh back to partner
restretch: slowly straighten leg

Exercise 66 is an advanced version of exercise 28, partner

lying hamstring, that was presented in lesson 4. Review the
instructions for exercise 28 (page 89) before attempting this
exercise. The C-R stretches arc the same, but as we are
attempting to put the leg on the floor alongside us, we will
need to have the leg quite a bit further outside the body
than before.

Lie on the floor as shown. Ask your partner to support the

thigh of the bent leg, as close to the back of the knee as
possible. If you are very flexible, the front of this thigh will
be on the floor, with the back of the straight leg held firmly
on the floor. The stretch in the hip of the flexed leg is lost if
the hip of the straight leg leaves the floor. While your
partner holds you in this position, use the quadriceps of the
flexed leg to try to straighten it. This will be a strong stretch
in the hamstring (and the adductors, if the hip is sufficiently
flexed) of the leg you are straightening.

Two C-R stretches may be done, as in exercise 28; one is to

press the thigh back against your partners resistance, and
the other is to try to pull the heel of the flexed leg back to
the buttock against resistance (your partner will need to
change support position for this). The final stretch is done
with your partner's hands in support positions as shown.
The key to success in the final stretch is to let the muscles
being stretched completely relax. To this end, you and your
partner must perform the straightening movement very
slowly; one is apprehensive about what will happen because
the stretch is intense. Hold the final position for a minimum
of five breaths. Change legs and stretch the other side, then
walk around for a moment.

67. Floor feet sequence warm-up

You deserve a rest after the last exercise but, before you sit
down, look down at your feet, and try to spread the toes.
Can you move them all apart? Let’s see if this can be
improved. In most people, the feet are their forgotten body
part—toes are cramped by shoes, the big toe is pushed
towards the other toes by pronating ankles and, in general,
the feet have poor flexibility.

This minor sequence will redress some of these problems.

Sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Interlace the fingers
of the (say) left hand with the toes of the right foot, as
shown in the top photograph. Push the fingers in as deeply
as you can; you should be able to feel the skin in between
the toes being stretched. We have found that stretching this
skin—normally moist from wearing shoes—seems to
protect the feet from fungal infections. Grip the foot firmly
and stretch the instep by pressing the heel of the palm into
the ball of the foot (second frame). A C—R stretch may be
achieved by trying to draw the toes back against the
resistance of your hand for a few seconds, and restretching.
Do this with both feet.

To stretch the toes backwards, sit on the floor as shown in

the third photograph, with the ball of the foot firmly on the
floor. By sliding the knee forwards slowly while keeping the
ball on the floor, you will reach a position where the toes arc
strongly stretched. To effect a C-R stretch, press the toes
into the floor gently for a five count, relax, and rcstrctch by
sliding the knee a little further forwards. Do both feet.

Now stand with the weight on both feet. Try again to spread
the toes—any better results this time? Practising the above
sequence will activate the toes quickly, and you will be
surprised by the control that you will have.

Stand once more; this time, lift all toes off the floor as far as
you can. Feel where your feet make contact with the floor.
For many people, the floor is felt through the ball of the foot
behind the big toe and through the heel. If this is so in your
case, look at the shape of your foot—does the ankle roll
inwards? You can help correct this by pressing weight on the
little-toe side until you feel the foot on the litde-toe side
contacting the floor too, giving you three points of contact
with the floor (ball, little-toe side of ball, and heel). When
you have this three-point contact, look at your foot and its
arch once again—is the arch further off the floor? The

Concentrate on stretching the hip and upper hamstring

muscles, one leg at a time. Try to get the body as low to
the floor as possible before bending the back.

Exercise 17, Floor single leg forward bend

Concentrate on getting the maximum stretch in each

hamstring—the two exercises we arc about to learn tax
these muscles. Hold your best end position for 15 to 20
breaths on each leg, and restrctch the tighter of the two
for another 10 breaths.

majority who have been told that they have flat feet in fact
have pronating or inverting ankles, which is very largely a
muscular condition, and can be altered by going through
this simple exercise from time to time. You can also practise
gripping the floor with your feet, such that the tips of the
toes bend backwards as shown in the top two photographs;
when you do, you will feel the arch of the foot contract.
The second reason to go through the sequence above is to
acquire the feeling and awareness of the foot’s natural tripod
support, the long (plantar) arch between the ball and the
heel, and the metatarsal arch, between the points of contact
behind the big and little toes. Lifting the toes brings this
second arch out, and makes us aware of how we might
balance—vital in the two new exercises, overleaf.
Exercise 21, Buttock and hip flexor

68. Standing horizontal one leg support

In addition to being an excellent hamstring stretch and an

enjoyable balancing pose, exercise 68 is an extremely
effective hip and lower-back strengthening movement. It is
also effective in revealing subtle left-right differences in the
body’s balance, strength and flexibility—and just as effective
in redressing these. Like many complex poses, its effects will
likely be different for everyone.

To maximise the benefits, it will be necessary to get into the

pose in the recommended way. Begin by bending one leg
and lifting the toes of that foot to make sure that you are
standing on all parts of your foot. Spread your toes as wide
as possible and place them firmly on the floor. Pivot the
body far enough forwards until you can straighten the other
leg and bring it into the same line as the body. Take your
arms out to the sides and keep bending forwards at the hip
until the body and leg are parallel with the floor, and as
straight as you can make them. This is the first position—
have your partner check that your hips are level (the hip on
the straight-leg side will want to lift). If the hips are not
level, drop the higher one; normally this will make you feel
a small stretch high up and under the buttock of the
supporting leg.

Slowly extend the arms out in front of you, as far as you can.
Feel how both hips need to move back slightly as this occurs,
in order for you to be able to maintain balance. Once the
arms are extended as far as possible, imagine that both the
foot behind you and both hands are being pulled gently
away from each other, so that the body becomes a perfectly
straight object. Again check the level of the hips—the
support leg must still be bent at this point.

To finish the exercise, very slowly straighten the support leg

without letting the hip lift. This is far more difficult to do
than it sounds—as you attempt it, you will feel a very strong
stretch in the hamstring of the supporting leg, so it is
essential to try to straighten the leg slowly. The reason this
apparently modest hamstring position is such a strong
stretch (turn the book to the side, and you will see that the
leg is making only a 90 degree bend at the hip) is because
the leg behind you has rotated the pelvis into a very strict
negative thrust position (the hip flexors and some of
quadriceps take the pelvis with them as the leg goes behind).
Notice, too, how much work the buttock muscles on the

horizontal leg and all the back muscles from shoulder to hip
have to do—this is the strengthening aspect and, because of
the alignment of the body, you (and your proprioceptors!)
become aware of what being in a good line feels like. Hold
the final position for at least five breaths in and out.

Do not be tempted to hold a support when trying this

exercise. It is far better to lose your balance many times than
to do it from a support, in my view. Success will come to
you if you try, and the secret is in perfecting the second
position (body and leg horizontal on a bent support leg). A
partner may tell you to lift the leg or the chest, or give you
pointers regarding alignment, of course. Do the pose for the
other leg and repeat for whichever side was the more
difficult—difficulty may be a matter of balance or flexibility.

Exercise 42, Floor feet held back bend

Cues (right)
hold ankles tightly
push hips up to ceiling
C-R: try to straighten legs
restretch: push hips higher

Push harder with the quadriceps in your efforts to try to

straighten the legs in the final position on this attempt.

Exercise 43, Folded legs clasped knees upper back

Cues (right)
chin on chest
let back slump
pull face to knees
add rotations if desired

Recall that you may pull on the arms to increase the

stretch and induce a rotation by pulling on the left knee
with the right hand, and vice versa.
Cues (left)

lean over bent support leg

hips level; reach arms out to side
arms, body and leg aligned
reach arms out to front
check hip level

very slowly straighten support leg

69 Standing ‘Y’ one leg support

This exercise is a strong stretch for the hamstrings and a

good strengthening exercise for many hip and trunk
muscles, especially those that stabilise the pelvis. If your
hamstring flexibility is limited, loop a strap around your
foot—all the strengthening and balancing aspects will be
experienced, but with less effect in the hamstrings.

Again, alignment is paramount in this movement. Because

your centre of gravity is quite a bit higher than the previous
exercise, balancing is more difficult. In addition, moving the
outstretched leg from the front of the body to the side
involves considerable transfer of weight from the middle of
the body to the side. The first position is by far the more
difficult exercise in the stretching sense, even though the
final position looks more difficult.

Repeat the toe lifting, spreading and placing sequence

described above at the end of exercise 67. Hold one foot
from the inside, as shown, making sure the support leg is
completely straight and in line with the body. Maintaining
this alignment, slowly try to straighten the leg you are
holding. Errors include bending forwards at the waist, and
bending the support leg. If you cannot straighten the leg as
directed, use a strap. Once the leg is straight, breathe deeply
and stay as still as possible, elongating your body and lifting
the chest to achieve the desired line.

Slowly take the held leg to the side—be aware that this
movement will disturb your balance position if you are not
careful. As you reach the limit of your hip flexibility, try not
to let the hip on this side be pulled away upwards to the leg.
Keep the hips as level as you can, as I am demonstrating in
the third frame, because this provides the strongest stretch
effects. In the final position, breathe in and out for five
cycles, let the leg bend, and gracefully replace it on the floor.
Do the other leg and repeat the sequence for whichever side
was either tighter or harder to balance on.
Cues

spread toes and grip floor

hold bent leg from inside
do not hold onto support
extend leg slowly; use strap if necessary
keep trunk and support leg aligned
slowly take leg to side

Cues (right)

use various pull directions

once stretched forwards, add rotations
stay in positions for a few breaths
let the body relax

Cues (right)
use trapeze grip

partner uses foot on hip for support

ensure knees behind or under hips
C—R: pull arm back
restretch: let partner pull arm through

Kevin is showing a more dramatic version of the exercise,

where he has deliberately let the hip of the raised leg be
lifted to the side. It looks spectacular but is not as effective
a stretch as the version above, because the body has
accommodated the demands of the position by a tilting of
the pelvis and a lateral curve of the spine. It is good to try
this version from time to time, if only to experience the
alteration in the body’s balance that this additional
movement requires. Let the body cool down and finish the
lesson by doing the following two poses.

Exercise 48, Floor forward bend over bent legs

This photograph shows the rotation part of this pose—

stretch the whole of spine first. To get the most out of
the rotation component, pull yourself forwards as far as
possible before going to the side. Finish by bending
forwards in the lower back-part of the movement.

Exercise 49, Partner all fours rotation

This photograph shows the second position, to

demonstrate the positions of the hands; your partner
will place a foot on the hips for bracing. Let yourself be
stretched; this will only happen if you concentrate on
breathing as normally as possible and letting the whole
body go soft.

Lesson Twelve: calf, wrists, trunk, and hip (piriformis)

This lesson goes over previous work for the calf muscles and introduces one of the
strongest of the
calf stretches. It teaches stretches for some of the smaller muscle groups of the
body: the forearms,
wrists and fingers, and introduces some interesting movements for the trunk and
neck—especially
those hard-to-reach places in between the shoulders. Oriental medicine suggests
that the three
necks of the body—the ankles, wrists, and the neck—are the first places flexibility
is lost as one
ages. I have not noticed the accuracy of this teaching over the years (the
shoulders and the neck
together seem to lose their normal flexibility the most quickly) but the assertion
will be a useful
organising principle for this lesson. We will finish with powerful movements for
the external
rotators of the hip, including piriformis. In contrast to some others, this lesson
is gentle. Control
your enthusiasm for the more dramatic stretches and try to emphasise the mind-
muscle
connection for the next hour or so.

Exercise 19, Wall standing calf

You may need to review the instructions in

lesson 3. Do this exercise for each leg, with
contractions, and hold the final position for at
least 10 full breaths in and out. Remember to
keep the stretched leg straight and the heel on
the ground.

Martial arts warm-up with partner, or wide squats with partner (shown)
If doing the martial arts warm-up,
concentrate on getting the body as far
forwards with respect to the squat leg as you
can (this targets the ankle in the movement,
rather than the hamstrings and adductors on
the straight leg), so your start position will be
a little further away from your partner than
usual. Do 10 to 15 slow transitions.

If doing the wide squat, make sure your feet are in position directly under the
knees, with the feet
pointing in the direction of the thighs, as Jennifer and Sharon are showing. Squat
as deeply as you
can, and keep your heels on the floor. If you have tight ankles that would normally
limit you from
doing this movement on your own, lean back against your partners support so that
the trunk is
vertical and you will be able to do it easily. Do 10-15 slow repetitions.

Exercise 18, Floor folded leg calf

Details will be found in lesson 3. Make sure

the arch shape is preserved, and the foot is not
turned out to the side. Lean body weight on
the knee through the elbow, as Gary is doing.
Use contractions, and hold the final position
for five to ten breaths.

Exercise 23, Floor instep

Details will be found in lesson 4. Ensure that

you keep weight on the hip while you stretch
the instep on the same side. Use contractions,
and you will need to let the whole foot go
completely limp as you rcstretch. Most people
are resistant to letting this area relax
completely, so make a conscious effort to do

Exercise 67, Floor feet sequence

Your feet will be completely warmed up, now.

Sit on the floor, and go through the feet-and-
toe sequence described in lesson 11. Push the
fingers as far in between the toes as you can.
You may add an ankle inversion movement,
by grasping the forefoot in both hands and
turning the sole of the foot to face your body
(third photograph, facing page), and eversion
by turning the sole away (bottom photo¬
graph, facing page).

A C-R stretch can be done by trying to twist the foot the other way, and
restretching on a breath
out. Hold the final position for a count of five. This can be effective for
restoring foil movement
to those people who have sprained their ankles. When you have finished, stand with
your weight
on both feet evenly and lift and spread the toes as far as you can. Place the toes
on the floor and
grip the floor as hard as you can for a five count.

U~

70. Partner floor single leg, both legs calf

This exercise can be done with a variety of intensities and

everyone will be able to benefit. Steve is demonstrating and
Julie is assisting. We have already encountered a similar
exercise in lesson 3, wall standing calf, but the addition of
the forward bend at the waist changes the sensations greatly.
Steve is supporting himself with his palms on the floor but,
if you are not loose enough in the hamstrings or the ankles,
you may lean the hands onto a bench or similar support
(shown page 62); however, ensure it cannot slide away from
you. Lean on the support and then extend the arms at the
same time as you push the hips back, pressing the heel onto
the floor. The other leg can be on the floor as shown in the
first photograph, or folded out of the way and tucked
behind the straight leg, as shown in the second photograph.
To increase the stretch, pull your trunk forwards (use the
abdominals and hip flexors) which will move the arms closer
in line with the body. You will probably need to repeat the
instructions, with the foot at different distances from the
support, until you find the best position. The first
photograph shows an intense position, with the hand
support on the floor.

A C-R stretch will help; press the ball of the foot into the
floor, and restretch by letting the arms bend at the elbows.
There arc two ways a partner can assist. The first frame in
the sequence shows Julie holding Steves heel down to the
floor. This allows Steve to move his hands and body further
forwards, increasing the stretch in the calf. C-R stretches
can be done in this position.

The second frame shows Julie supporting Steves lower back,

at its roundest point, by leaning in the direction of the heel
on the floor. As Julie leans, Steve is able to further straighten
his whole spine and, as he does, the hamstring stretch
increases; the heel is pressed more firmly on the floor, so it
does not slip. The same C-R stretch can be done here, too.
After the C-R, you will need to move the hands slightly
further away to increase the stretch in the calf. Hold the
final position for five to ten breaths.

The heel of the stretched leg can be placed at the join

between floor and wall to stop the foot sliding away;
alternatively, the fingertips of the hands can be placed in the
same way so the hands do not slip.

71. Floor wrist and hand sequence

It the feet are the most neglected part of the body—even

among those who stretch regularly—then the hands and
wrists are probably a close second. Treat this sequence like
the foot sequence: do it from time to time, unless there is a
more pressing reason or you work out in the gym, as weight
training will tighten the wrists and hands unless you do
some specific compensating exercise.

We will stretch the wrists in extension first (backwards

bending) using the floor. Two start positions are shown in
the first two photographs—try both and see which one you
prefer. If you are sitting as shown in the third frame, make
sure that the wrists arc in front of the hip joints. Turn the
arms so that the fingers point directly backwards, press the
heels of the palms to the floor and straighten the arms (you
may need to lift your shoulders). Lift the chest to straighten
the back, breathe in and, as you breathe out, lean back
slowly as for as you can until you feel the stretch in the
forearms. If you are flexible, you may feel as though you arc
having to lean too far back for comfort; if so, place the
hands further forwards (cither position) before you start.
The C-R stretch is effected by gently pressing the fingers
into the floor once you arc in the stretch position. Relax,
breathe in and, on a breath out, restretch. Move slowly; this
can be intense. Hold for five breaths or more.

Now we will stretch the wrists in flexion (forwards). We do

this in a similar way, but with the backs of the hands pressed
firmly onto the floor. Two positions arc shown. The most
common fault in this exercise is to let the elbows bend: this
will defeat the stretch. As before, you may need to lift the
shoulders to straighten the arms. Again, the fingers point
directly backwards. The stretch is achieved by leaning
backwards; the C-R by pressing the backs of the fingers and
hands into the floor. Restretch by leaning further
backwards. This movement is particularly intense for men
who lift weights. Hold for five breaths.

Sit in a comfortable position; we will stretch the hands next.

Begin with the little finger. Use the thumb to press the little
finger back while holding the base with the index finger of
the other hand. A C-R stretch is achieved by pressing the
finger against the thumb and restretching. Do all the fingers
on the same hand, and then stretch the thumb.

Two stretches are offered: the first affects the wrist more
than the thumb. The third frame shows an effective
position: flex the wrist of one hand and hold the back of the
forearm with the other. Use the thumb of the holding hand
to stretch the other thumb towards the inside of the
forearm, as shown. A C-R stretch is achieved by pressing
the thumb back (the effort will straighten the wrist);
restretch by moving the thumb further in the initial stretch
direction.

Now turn the hand and wrist over, so that the wrist is
extended, as shown in the last frame. The stretching hand is
in essentially the same position, so the second movement
can be done immediately after the first. When the thumb is
moved in this direction, the major muscles moving the
thumb into the gripping position will be stretched (opponent
pollicis and adductor pollicis); these are the muscles
responsible for the pain of writers cramp, and muscle pain
at the base of the thumb. Stretch the other hand.

The two photographs in this column show an additional

pair of start positions, where the wrist is both flexed and
rotated at the same time. Once the wrist is flexed and
rotated as far as possible, the stretch can be intensified
greatly by trying to bring both hands towards you (third
frame) or by gently trying to straighten the arms (bottom
frame). Do not lose the flexion and rotation aspects in order
to improve the arm position. People with overuse injuries
will find these movements helpful.

72. Kneeling elbow on floor rotation

The body is able to use its own strength in this exercise to

provide a lovely rotation stretch for the entire trunk. A
partner may help you increase the stretch in the final
position, but it is not necessary if you are careful about
positioning your weight and using your strength effectively.
Kneel on your legs as shown. Use mats as supports as
necessary, as shown for exercise 23, lesson 4. Take in a
breath and, once you have fully breathed out, let the trunk
relax completely, bending forward and placing an elbow on
the floor as Mark is doing. Use the muscles under the arms
to pull the shoulder across the body, to complete the
rotation, put your hands together, and lean weight onto the
bottom hand to press the other shoulder backwards.

A C-R stretch is easily achieved by trying to twist out of the

position using the waist muscles for a count of five. Breathe
in, and relax; on a strong breath out use the strength of your
arms to go further in the initial stretch direction. Hold the
final position (breathing will be more difficult than usual, as
with all rotation poses) for five to ten breaths, come out of
the pose and do the other side.

Interesting variations in sensations and effects can be

achieved by changing the shape of the spine—allowing it to
bend forwards, or by arching the back backwards.
Additionally, a number of body work schools have claimed
that beneficial effects on the internal organs can be achieved
by trying to breathe deeply when the movements of the ribs
are restricted, as in this position. You will find that, because
the ribs of the chest cannot move as much as normal, you
will be able to feel the ribs at the back near the pelvis move
to facilitate breathing (the arrow on the bottom photograph
indicates the general area).

Cues

kneel, and place elbow

outside opposite knee
arch back straight

use top shoulder’s arm to improve leverage

C—R: twist back against resistance
restretch: pull further into stretch

73. Partner floor wall seated side bend

This exercise provides a way to stretch all of the muscles of

the side of the trunk, but without hamstring involvement,
as the legs are folded. This aspect may enable you to
concentrate more fully on the muscles of the lumbar spine
(,quadrants lumborum in particular). Olivia is assisting.

Sit with your back against a wall (this may be done away
from the wall as well) and your legs folded. Your partner sits
with their thigh across yours, as shown, to hold that hip on
the floor. If you cannot sit with your thighs on the floor, roll
up a mat and place it under the leg your partner will sit on.
Use the wall to guide you and lean directly to the side,
supporting yourself with one hand on the floor alongside
you until the desired stretch is reached. This may be
increased by reaching the top arm across as far as you can,
as shown.

A C-R stretch can improve the final position dramatically.

Your partner places a hand under your shoulder as shown in
the bottom photograph; you use the waist and back muscles
to press back for a count of five; breathe in, relax, and very
slowly lower yourself further to the side. Make sure this
restretch movement is slow and controlled. You must move
into the restrctch by yourself—your partner only assists. You
may roll the top shoulder forwards to move the stretch
further around the waist into the spine, and an additional
C-R can be done in these new positions.

If you do the stretch away from the wall, you can feel a
strong stretch towards the front of the waist above the hip if
you let the top shoulder roll behind the line of the stretch;
conversely, if you let the shoulder roll forwards, the stretch
will move around from the side of the waist into the lower
back, and down into the hip (gluteus minimus and medius).
Experiment to find the most pleasing angles.

Cues

sit cross-legged with hips on floor

lean back against wall to align
lean directly to side; reach top arm out
C-R: press trunk back to partner
restretch: let yourself go further to side

Review the instructions for the pair of stretches we

recommend be done over a support, described in lesson
4. You may add subtle rolling-to-the-side movements to
stretch new areas (make these extra movements slow and

Free squat ankles clasped bottom position

Another variation on the standing forward bending warm¬

ups, this simple dynamic exercise is an agreeable stretch for
the lower back, hips and hamstring muscles, and is perfect
to follow the backward bend we just did. Do not force the

positions in any way; gravity is working for you here, so let

it do what it docs best!

Bend forwards with your knees flexed until your stomach

and ribs are pressing on your thighs. Grasp your ankles or
your heels, depending on your flexibility. Stay in the bent-
over position for a moment; let the body and neck hang
comfortably. Keeping the chest against the thighs, slowly try
to straighten one leg at a time—unless you are very flexible,
you will not be able to, but the action gives a good stretch
high up in the hamstring, next to the buttock. Let the leg
bend again, and try to straighten the other one; then try
both. Gentle C-R stretches can be done at all stages.

Squat down, and still holding the ankles, let the knees
spread apart. Gently pull the body through the knees; this
will be an excellent stretch for the lower back and you can
make it more intense by using the arms to press backwards
on the shins. Follow this by slowly standing up (still with
the chest on the thighs) and run through the leg¬
straightening sequence again. Let go of the ankles and
(leading with the head) stand up.

74. Seated legs folded knees apart forward bend

Left-right differences in hip flexibility can be identified and

corrected with this next exercise. This is a good exercise for
piriformis-, if this is a problem for you, add it to the list of
essential exercises. Jennifer is showing the movements.

Sit on the floor as shown. You do not need the knees hard
on the floor for this to be effective, but having the knees
spread apart is essential. You may put the ankle of one foot
in front of the other or on top of the other—the latter gives
the stronger stretch in the hip of whichever foot is
uppermost. Lean forwards towards the feet, holding the
back straight. You can use a support to pull yourself
forwards if you wish, or hold the knees to pull yourself
forwards. Return to the start position, rotate the shoulders
to face one knee, and lean over that knee, again keeping the
back straight. You can place your palms flat on the floor
under the knee, and use the arms to pull the trunk forwards,
if you like. Return to the start position, and lean over the
other knee. Do not be surprised if leaning one way is much
harder than the other.

Change leg position, reverse the initial foot placement, and

run through the sequence once more. If the same side is
tight regardless of which foot is on top (or in front) then a
genuine difference has been identified. For most people,
changing the foot position changes which side is tight in the
movements.

Cues

sit cross-legged, thighs on floor

use arm as brace on opposite knee
lean to both sides
lean to middle; relax over feet

75. Seated clasped bent leg upper back

This is an alternative to exercise 43, folded legs clasped

knees upper back, first encountered in lesson 6, and should
be considered a complementary movement, as the focus of
the strongest part of the stretch will differ, depending on
your proportions. All of these minor stretches will be
excellent for gently pulling tension out of the middle and
upper back—particularly for those who spend most of their
life in front of the keyboard (I’ll just run olf and do these

Sit on the floor as Carol is demonstrating, and hold the back

of the thighs. The first stretch is to simply let the hips roll
back as you slump forwards tightening the abdominal
muscles. An additional stretch is to incline the trunk to one
side while in the stretch position, followed by leaning to the
other side, as shown in the second frame.

A variation is to open the legs, as shown in the third frame,

and hold only one at a time; again slump and let the hips
roll back while holding the leg. An additional stretch may be
achieved by leaning the trunk to one side once in the stretch
position; do both sides.

A final, related stretch is to rotate the shoulders and place

both hands outside the leg, and use the back of one arm to
increase the rotation, as shown in the final photograph. You
can also try letting the chin go to the chest in any of these
positions to increase the stretch a little higher in the back.

Exercise 50, Partner shoulder depress; flexion and lateral

flexion

Follow the gentle, but extremely effective trunk stretches

with the partner movements that stretch the muscles
between the neck and shoulders. Because the middle and
upper back will be looser than normal, expect to be able to

«-
I

m m

stretch a little further than usual. Review the directions for

exercise 44 (lesson 6) and exercise 50 (the last exercise in
lesson 7) to make sure that all the subtleties are understood.
Be gentle with your neck muscles.

Exercise 25, Standing suspended hip flexor, with support

( P-79

Use exercise 25 as a warm-up for the hip flexors and

quadriceps only.

76. Partner floor external hip rotator

If done as directed, this is the strongest of the piriformis

stretches. Look at the photograph: I am sitting on one hip,
the knee of the front leg bent at 90 degrees, and the back leg
stretched out behind me, as dose to parallel with the front
thigh as possible. Everyone will be able to sit in this
position; the flexibility of the hip of the front leg will
constrain how close to the floor you can move the back leg’s
hip. The partner supports you as shown and, for the first
movement, tries to roll the back leg’s hip across to the floor.
You will need to assist your partner, using the muscles of the
trunk. This movement will place the hip flexor of the back
leg under tension, and rotate the pelvis forwards; this action
also moves the pelvis in relation to the hip of the front leg,
and its position on the floor imparts a strong rotation to the
hip. This action provides the initial stretch.

The C-R stretch is to press the outside of the front foot into
the floor (try to feel the muscles that do this). The restretch
is to ask your partner to move the hip further across towards
the floor. You may try two or three brief contractions here;
try to move a little further in the stretch direction each time.
Hold the final position for at least five breaths. Do the other
side. The third and last frames show an alternative support
position, and a second movement—when the hip of the
back leg is as dose to the floor as possible, leap the centre of
your body over your foot.

Solo external hip rotator; with support

In the photographs on this page, Olivia is demonstrating
exercise 76 on her own. To do this, you need enough
flexibility in both the external hip rotators and the hip
flexors to get into the first position. Use the trunk muscles
to twist the hip of the back leg to the floor as far as possible.
The C-R stretch is the same as the partner version of the
exercise; press the front foot into the floor and restretch.

If your hips flexors are so tight that the main effect of the
stretch is in the front of the back leg, I have added a bench
or table-top version of the exercise that, essentially, removes
the back leg from the requirements of the movement. Look
at the photographs on the facing page.

Cues

front knee open at 90 degrees

hips as close to level as possible
use waist to twist back hip to floor
C-R: press front foot into floor
restretch: back hip closer to floor
then lean straight body over foot

What would have been the back leg in the solo version just
described is on the floor for stability and to keep the hips
level. Only one hip is on the support. The front leg is folded
at the knee at 90 degrees as before, and the foot placed
inside the line of the edge of the support (recall that in many
piriformis exercises the further outside the line of the body
the thigh is placed, the stronger the effect in the hip). To get
into the initial stretch position, aim the centre of your body
at the edge of the support, rather than at the foot. Hold
your back straight as you incline the body forwards. Grip
the support for balance and to reduce the effect in the hip if
too strong; alternatively, if the stretch is not strong enough,
the same hand position can be used to pull yourself
forwards.

Once you feel the stretch in the hip of the front leg, hold the
position for a while to get used to it. The C—R stretch
requires that the front foot be pressed directly down into the
support for a count of five-to-cight. Stop pressing, breathe
in and straighten the back and, on a breath out, move the
trunk further forwards until the desired stretch is felt. Hold
the final position for five to ten breaths; the C-R may be
repeated from the new position.

Cues

only one hip on support

front knee open at 90 degrees
foot across from edge of support
other foot on floor for stability
lean forwards to edge of support
C-R: press foot into support
restretch: incline straight trunk
further in stretch direction
Lesson Thirteen: hamstrings, quadriceps, hip
FLEXORS, FRONT SPLITS

This lesson concentrates on the muscles that control the legs' movements in the
forwards-backwards plane. These exercises should form the basis of the stretching
routine of
anyone who desires a greater range of movement for the legs in this plane, as well
as anyone whose
sport emphasises movements in this plane. Gentle and advanced exercises will be
found; try them
all and make a selection based on how well you can do them and how they feel.

Standing alternate leg forward bend warm-up

Free squats, with pauses

R ft p-

Exercise 19, Wall standing calf

R A p-«

Review the instructions for this

sequence in lesson 3. Make all
movements gentle; start with bent
legs and position yourself for
maximum comfort. Once you have
explored the bent-leg positions,
straighten the legs slightly and do
them again. The photograph shows
the final position in the sequence.

Review the directions for this sequence,

first encountered in lesson 7. Hold each
of the four pause positions for 10 normal
paced breaths—or as normal as you can
make them while doing this strenuous
movement. Do not lift yourself too high
for the first-pause position: your hips
should be just below your knees.

First tried in lesson 3, review the details

and practise this exercise again. Do not
let the ankle of the straight leg roll
inwards and make sure that the leg is
pressed straight before you take the hips
closer to the wall.

77 . Partner bar standing calf

A much stronger calf exercise that provides the maximum

stretch for the sciatic nerve is shown. This movement is
really two stretches in one: the first part stretches the ankle
(dorsiflexion)-, the second flexes the trunk forwards over this
stretched leg—you will find this position intense.

Hold onto a support, lower yourself until you can jam your
heel into the join between floor and wall (make sure the heel
is hard against the wall and the leg straight), and lift yourself
using the arms and the other leg until the desired stretch is
felt. Carol has lifted her hips until this point is reached.

A C-R stretch works here, too: press the ball of the foot
into the wall for a count of eight to ten, then relax, breathe
in and, as you breathe out, lift yourself higher in the initial
stretch direction. Hold this position for 10 breaths.

The second part requires you to bend forwards at the waist

with a straight back while maintaining thefull calf stretch just
achieved. Greg is providing Carol with support in two ways:
his right leg is holding her hip in the calf-stretch position,
while his hands are pressing on her lower back to help her
keep her back straight as she leans forward. Do not be in too
much of a hurry to move into the final position; this is a
very strong stretch. You may care to try a second C-R for
the calf muscle once in the final position.

Exercise 40, Partner seated/lying single leg quadriceps or

Exercise 26, Seated/lying single leg quadriceps

78. Floor forward bend over straight leg, hurdler's

variation
To this point, the single-leg hamstring stretches you have
done had the other leg either bent at the knee and next to
the stretched leg (exercise 17, lesson 3) or folded and placed
alongside (exercise 17 variation, lesson 7). Exercise 78 is a
useful hamstring stretch, and it will help to loosen the hips
in sideways movements too. You can see this exercise being
done badly anywhere stretching is done. If the foot of the
folded leg is turned out to the side, there will be potentially
dangerous uneven strain on the ligaments on the inside of
the knee. Look at the second photograph on page 132: the
foot is alongside the hip, the calf muscle has been pushed
out of the way, and the folded leg taken to the side at about
90 degrees. If you cannot sit this way, you will need to
master exercises 23, floor instep, and 26, seated quadriceps.
To lean over the extended leg, you will need to incline your
body’s weight towards the folded leg to an extent, until both
bottom bones are on the floor. Tension in quadriceps is
trying to lift the folded leg’s hip, and you will need to
counteract this force. If you cannot sit with both bottom
bones on the floor, you arc not ready to use this variation.
Greg is showing how to use a bent leg to get into position.
Lean forwards with a straight back until the desired stretch
is felt; a partner can assist by supporting the lower or middle
back (whichever wants to bend first) as usual. A C-R
stretch can be done by trying to pull away from the held
foot, using the hamstring muscles of the extended leg, or by
trying to pull the heel of the extended leg through the floor.
Make sure that your chest is lifted in these contractions.
Hold the final position for 10 to 20 breaths.

Standing suspended hip flexor (ex. 25) and buttock and

hip flexor (ex. 21) warm-up

1 %

Cues

folded leg 90 degrees

foot next to body
body on bent leg; try to straighten
C—Rs: pull heel into floor, or
press whole leg into floor, or
pull hands away from foot
restretch: straighten leg further

p. 185

Directions for this

l-up are found in lesson 11.

79. Standing forward bend over bent and straight

leg

This is a standard pose from hatha yoga, but done with

support. It is an excellent alignment exercise, it has a
strengthening component, and the final position is an
efficient hamstring stretch.

In the first position, the legs should be far enough apart

such that, when you bend one leg and sink into the start
position, the bent leg’s foot should be in front of the knee
and pointing in the direction of the thigh. This requires
about one-and-a-half leg lengths. The back leg’s foot is
turned at about 45 degrees in the direction of the front foot.
Sink down until the thigh of the bent leg is parallel with the
floor, if you can, and while watching the bent leg’s knee, roll
the other hip backwards slowly. When you have reached the
limit of your adduction on the straight leg, you will see the
knee move forwards-, stop at this point and hold for a few

Running your hand down the thigh allows you to get into
position without risk: if you feel that you are going too far,
you can stop yourself. Put your palm flat on the floor (or on
a block if that helps) and lean your weight on it. Lower the
hips as far as you can. Extend the other arm out to the side
level with the shoulder, and move the arm and body
together around the shoulder of the supported arm until the
top arm and both shoulders are vertical. Hold this position
for five breaths.

When you come out of the pose, reverse the instructions

and bring both hands together on the floor. Using the hand
you brought back from the overhead position for support,
bring the first hand up onto the knee and use this arm to
help you stand up. Repeat for the other side. If you find
significant differences between sides, do the tighter side

The second version of this pose is similar in approach (the

body’s weight is supported as much as you need by the
bottom arm) but, because the leg you are bending over is
straight, the hamstring stretch is the limiting factor—if you
use good form. Many people feel that they are doing the
pose well because their bottom hand is flat on the floor, but
when you analyse their form, their spines are bent strongly
to the side in addition to the desired rotation.
Take a stride of approximately one leg length, with the feet
in the same relation as for the pose just described. Now
rotate your hips so that they are near square to the line of
the legs (that is, the hip of the front leg pulled back), check
to see if your back is straight and, running your hands down
your leg for support, go as tar as you can before the lower
back starts to bend. You can place the back of one hand on
the lower back as a way of checking this or you can watch
yourself in a mirror. The bottom hand must be able to
support the - body’s weight for the next part, so hold your
ankle, lean on your fingertips, or place the flat hand on the
floor. Do not let your back bend. Alternatively, you may
lean on a block placed inside the foot. Holding your shin,
but with the back straight, is far preferable to bending the
back and placing the hand on the floor.

Now very gently pull back on the bottom hand: this will
slightly arch your back and increase the hamstring stretch.
Maintaining the neutral shape of your spine, reach the other
arm out to the side, parallel with the floor. Using the
bottom hand as a pivot, extend the other arm as far off the
body as you can, and rotate arm and body until the
shoulders are vertical. If you have kept the back straight, the
spine will be only rotated, and there will be a stretch in the
hamstrings of the leg you arc bending over. To finish off the
pose, push the hip of the front leg forwards (that is, the way
you arc now facing) until there is a stretch in the front of the
hip too. Hold the position for five to ten breaths.

To come out of the pose, reverse the order you used to get
into it. Once both hands are near each other on the floor,
bend the just-stretched leg, arch the back and, lifting from
the head, stand up gracefully. Bending the leg removes the
strain completely from the standing action. After a rest, do
the other side.

In addition to being an effective hamstring stretch, this pose

has excellent strengthening effects. Holding the trunk
straight against gravity and the stretching forces of the
hamstring muscles requires considerable strength. Do not
be surprised to feel the waist muscles the day after you do
this exercise well.

80. Wall and floor kneeling/straight leg outer

hamstring

The end position of this pose resembles exercise 47, partial

front splits, which we practised in lesson 7. The difference is
that exercise 80 uses a board or wall to dorsiflex the calf
muscle as a preparation, and we deliberately lean the centre
of the body to the outside of the leg. This action emphasises
the stretch in the outer hamstring (biceps femoris), which, as
I mentioned previously, is often the tightest of the three.
Kneel on one leg with the other extended as far as you can
in front, and with that foot pressed on a board, as Kevin is
doing. You want the back thigh as far behind you as
possible, because its hip flexors will tilt the pelvis forwards
(hence straightening your lower back) when under stretch,
making good form easier to keep. Try to keep the hips as
square as possible, however, and level. Keeping the back
straight, lean forwards as far as you can, maintaining the
centre of your chest outside the line of the leg you arc
bending over.

A number of C-R stretches arc possible. For the first, try to

pull the heel to the bottom by bending the knee. The
second is achieved by trying to press the heel into the floor.
If the calf muscles are protesting particularly, you can use a
third: press the ball of the foot strongly into the board. The
restretch is the same for all contractions: hold the back
straight and bend further forwards across and over the leg.
A partner stretch can be done too, by asking a partner to
support the roundest part of the back. And if you have a
partner, a fourth C-R is possible. Once your partner is
supporting your back, lift your chest and gently press your
body back to your partner's hands. The restretch is the same
as before. You may try all four contractions.

Eldon is demonstrating a wall version: gravity and friction

will hold the foot in position and make leaning forward
easier. Make sure that you lean across the leg as you lean
forwards for maximum effect. The contractions are the
same: down and across, not just down. Try to feel the stretch
in the outer hamstring—to this end, don't put your foot too
far up the wall (even if that makes you look more flexible!);
use a more modest position and emphasise the leaning
across aspect. Jennifer is demonstrating a sitting version (a
strap may be used here) and a lying version. Both emphasise
the outer hamstring area of the thigh, and you may feel the
stretch in the lateral aspect of the calf muscle, too.

Exercise 66, Parmer lying 'Y\ face-down variation

A p. 187
_

Review the instructions for this exercise (lesson 11) and

remember to let the hamstring muscles relax; you will not be
able to force them to become flexible. Gravity will help you
in this version. Read the Cues before attempting this.

Exercise 39, Parmer hip flexor or exercise 25, Standing

suspended hip flexor

Keep the hips as square as you can in both exercises.

Exercise 47, Parmer partial front splits, offsupport

By this time you will be as warmed up as you are going

to be today, so tackle this major exercise once again.
Remember, the object of the movement is not to get
down to the floor (although that will happen one day),
rather it is to feel the stretches in the right places.
Review all directions for this exercise, found in lesson 7.

Cues (left)

held leg can be put against wall

bent-leg position can be used
partner presses hip to floor
C—R: press leg into floor
restretch: partner eases hip to floor

Cues (left)

use support for balance

partner holds front hip and
supports under bottom of back leg
C—R: drag back knee forwards
restretch: go deeper in stretch direction

Cues (left)

use support under front leg

partner holds front hip and
supports under bottom of back leg
C-Rs: press or pull front leg
and drag back leg forwards
restretch: sink deeper into splits
Exercise I, Middle and upper back

Cues (right)

knees together; feet apart

hold outside of legs
top of head on floor
C-R: shrug shoulders strongly
restretch: push hips forward

Cues (right)
hands and knees
trapeze grip

let partner draw arm through

C—R: pull arm back
restretch: let arm be pulled
further through

p. 82

tei

We arc going to go back to the beginning with this

exercise. Review the instructions; but this time when
you do it, hold the feet from the outside of your legs, as
shown, and described in the instructions for the more
advanced version of the exercise found in lesson 4. Use
whichever of the versions feels best for you.

Exercise 49, Partner all fours rotation

Finish the lesson with these stretches, which always

leave the body feeling so relaxed.

Exercise 57, Lying legs behind

Cues (right)

use mats and support under feet

if necessary

let body relax completely in position

lets hips go to side if desired

Do
force this movement in any way: relax in it.

Lesson Fourteen: neck, wrists,

ANKLES, WHOLE BODY

This lesson has a little of everything: an initial focus on the

neck, wrists and ankles, and a number of pleasant whole-
body movements in the second half. All but one exercise will
be familiar to you, and the photographs will remind you of
the main form points. If you are unsure of the details of an
exercise, refer back to the lesson in which they first
appeared.

As a general rule, any stretch presented in an idealised form

(by this I mean one whose directions use expressions like
‘stretch directly to the side’, or similar) has many effective
stretch positions between it and an adjacent movement
(bending the trunk forwards, for example). At this stage in
your practice, you will achieve the most effective stretching
sensations by doing the idealised movements first, and then
finding as many intermediate positions in between as you
wish. Once you have developed the capacity to interpolate
between the formal positions taught so far, your own body
has become your teacher—this is the outcome we have been
looking for, without stating it. I cannot overemphasise the
importance of maximising the suite of sensations coming to
you from your body as you do this work: these sensations
are the language of the body, which many of us cannot hear.
As I am fond of saying in the class situation, the body has
its own imperatives and its own tempos—of change, of rest,
of variety. If you want genuine integration of mind and
body, you will need to make a real effort to understand these
imperatives. So, todays lesson concentrates on a variety of
stretches that work small parts of the body, or large parts like
the trunk, but in a general way. Your task is to concentrate
as hard as you can on what the body is saying to you.

Standing rag-doll warm-up

This sequence, described in lesson 9, wakes up the whole

body and reconnects you to all parts. It is the very opposite
of some of the strenuous movements we have employed in
earlier lessons and it simply feels good to do.

If your balance is good, you may do ffont-to-back, and side-

to-sidc movements with the legs, as well. This part of the
sequence can be done holding a support. Again, do not
force the movements and remember that if too much
momentum is built up the movements can become
dangerous. The core idea is to do just enough work such
that the momentum of the leg carries it to a gentle stretch
position, increasing with each repetition as far as you can.
Notice that 1 let the trunk bend into the leg movements; do
not try for what would be otherwise strict form,

Finally, again with bent knees, initiate the trunk movement

with a quick twitch of the hips; this will move your
shoulders, and the loose arms will be gently moved out and
around. The head should follow the shoulder movement.
You will need to experience this to be sure that you have
understood: the tiny hip movement initiates the shoulder
movement, and this moves completely relaxed arms, whose
elbows are kept loose too. It is momentum that straightens
the arms, not the arm muscles. The entire body will be
moving like a rag doll—completely floppy.

The last moves in the sequence are to shake a leg and both
arms vigorously, change legs and repeat. This sequence will
leave you feeling energised. If the leg movements are
included, this simple sequence can gently stretch all the
major muscles of the body in a few minutes, and I
recommend this before any athletic activity. The movements
affect the stretch receptors that are time- as well as position-
sensitive, and so can reset their position to prepare for more
strenuous activities. As I mentioned in the Introduction, my
preference is for slow stretching after the body is completely
warmed up, or as a cool-down.

Exercise 44, Partner shoulder dept

R Q p -121

Exercise 7, Floor neck side bend

I D „ r.

This partner exercise is the best preparation

for any sequence of neck or shoulder
exercises. Remember that these muscles enjoy
excellent leverage, so lift up gently rather than
with too much effort. Concentrate on
allowing the shoulders to be eased down
gendy after the contractions.

Notice how Gary is holding his shin to hold

the shoulder down. You can increase this
effect by leaning to the side before you reach
up to hold the head. If you do this correctly,
you will feel a mild stretch in the arm.
Stretching the neck to the side will increase
the effect in the arm and add a stretch effect
to the neck.

Remember, this and the preceding exercise

can be done effectively from a chair or other
support, making these very useful for the
office situation. Do not pull the head forward
with any great effort; it is often better to let
the weight of the arms do the restretch
movement, while you concentrate on
breathing in a relaxed way.

Review all instructions for exercise 57, first

practised in lesson 9. Once in the final
position, with the neck and the body feeling
relaxed, you can add three refinements.

The first is to reach behind you with both

hands and grasp the feet. Take in a breath
and, on a long slow breath out, gently pull the
feet towards you so that the knees are drawn
to the front of the shoulders. This tightens the

pose considerably, so make sure you do it carefully. Hold the

position for a few breaths in and out. This position will
increase the stretch in the back of the neck (you can see
from the photograph that Sharons spine has moved closer to
vertical, increasing the effect in the neck).

Let the legs go to a relaxed position once more. The next

move is to let the hips tilt to one side; to allow the knees to
pass over the face you will need to straighten the legs
slightly. Let the hips go as far to one side as you can, while
keeping both shoulders on the floor. Hold the position for
a couple of breaths and slowly move to the other side.
In the final version, slightly straighten the legs once more
and use small foot movements to walk them around behind
you, as far to the side as you can while keeping both
shoulders on the floor. The spine is given a gentle rotation
and lateral flexion, and these movements are transferred to
the neck in the process.

Make sure that you do the neck extension and flexion

movements described at the end of exercise 6 to relax all the
muscles of the neck.

Exercise 50, Partner shoulder depress with flexion and

lateral flexion

This will feci great to do after the last exercise, and you
may find that you are looser in the final positions than
normal due to the effects of the preceding exercise.

Exercise 15, Floor neck rotation

1 _1

Exercise 71, Floor wrist and hand sequence

Review the directions (at the end of lesson 2)

for this exercise to finish the neck sequence.
Make the second rotation after pausing for a
couple of seconds and relax as many muscles
as you can before making the attempt.

R r - 198

Exercise 23, Floor instep

Review the instructions for exercise 71, lesson

12, before practice. Make sure you keep the
heels of the palms pressed tightly to the floor
while leaning backwards.

To prepare the foot, review instructions for

exercise 23 (lesson 4), and stretch the instep
and the toes backwards as far as you can. If
the arch of the foot cramps while practising,
immediately do exercise 19, below. This will
relieve the cramp immediately, so try exercise
23 once more.

Exercise 19, Wall standing calf, partner or solo

The instructions for exercise 19 are in

lesson 3. Make sure your foot is
positioned as described and the back leg is
pressed straight.

Cues

Exercise 67, Floor feet sequence

feel three points of contact with floor

Once you have run through the floor feet sequence,

spreading and stretching the toes as far as you can, see
whether your standing toe spread has improved.
Remember to lift the toes off the floor as far as you can
to feel the balance points before you spread them. Once
you have spread them, keep the toes apart and place
them on the floor. Grip the floor as hard as you can, so
that the tips of the toes are bent backwards. Once you
have done this, stand there for a moment, and
experience the sensation of being ‘grounded’, in the
most practical sense. Let your shoulders drop, and feel
the weight of the body pressing into the floor through
both feet.

Many foot, ankle, knee, hip and lower-back problems

have their genesis in poor alignment of the foot in
respect of the lower leg. If the ankle is aligned as shown
in the photograph, the foot is an excellent shock¬
absorbing mechanism. Because the control of the
position of the ankle is largely muscular, and hence can
be altered, it is worth concentrating on these simple
exercises occasionally.

Exercise 34, Wall seated straight legs apart, facing wall

push hips towards wall

hands behind hips to hold position

C-R: squeeze legs together

restretch: press hips closer to wall

Directions for this exercise will be found in lesson 5.

Exercise 55, Seated legs apart, solo version

Review the directions for exercise 55. presented in lesson 8,

page 157.1 am showing an intermediate level solo version of
this exercise, which comprises three main movements. All
form points need to be observed, so you may use a wall for
alignment in part one of the exercise (shown in the top
photograph), if you wish. By placing the leg you are bending
over against a wall, you can get into position by rolling back
against the wall, and you can use it to help straighten the
back, too. Do not have your legs so far apart that you cannot
hold the feet, if you are flexible—it may surprise you to
learn that this intermediate legs-apart width is the hatdest
position from which to incline the trunk forwards, because
all hamstrings and all adductors limit the movement.
Imagine if you could sit with the legs 180 degrees apart: if
you were to bend forwards from this position, all that
happens is that you would roll forwards from the back of
your legs to the insides, with no further stretch.

Try to keep your back as straight as possible in parts two

(bending over one leg) and three (bending forwards between
both legs). This sequence stretches a huge number of
muscles in the body. Because you arc doing the exercise on
your own, the strengthening component is greater—
assuming that you arc trying to hold your back straight in
parts two and three!

C-R stretches can be done for all movements. In part one,

try to pull your body away from your leg while holding your
foot. This will affect the muscles between the hip you arc
stretching away from, and the ribs. In part two, arch the
back by lifting the chest and try to pull the hands away from
your foot. If your form is good, you will feel this only in the
hamstrings. Part three requires you to arch the back and pull
back on both feet; this will affect adductors and hamstrings.
Rcstretch in the usual way; hold for 10 breaths.

Opposite, Petra is demonstrating an advanced alternative to

the part one position, achieved while sitting on the floor
with one leg folded. Hold the foot of a bent leg and slowly
straighten the leg, keeping it as close to the body as possible.
If your back muscles have tightened while trying to hold
yourself straight, use any of the recovery poses from
backwards bending. Exercise 1, middle and upper back,
either version, or exercise 48, floor forward bend over bent
legs, emphasising the lower back, are both excellent.

Cues

roll top shoulder back; C-R

turn to face leg; pull body to leg; C—R
restretch: pull body closer to leg
hold both feet; straighten back; C-R
pull body towards floor

Cues (right)
lean back over support
extend arms; partner assists
C-R: press hands to ceiling
restretch: partner presses hands down

Cues (right)
lie across support; relax
partner presses trunk and legs down
C-R: lift away from support
restretch: partner helps you
stretch further

Exercise 27, Partner backward bend over support

[ft P-85 \

Remember you can let yourself bend backwards over

any stable support, even a chair. To make a flat surface
more comfortable, roll a mat or a firm cushion to
produce a curved surface. If you do not have a partner
to assist you, the movement is still worth doing; just stay
in the position longer than you otherwise would, and
introduce some small sideways rolling movements to
stretch the muscles at the sides of the waist. Even on
your own, small C-R stretches can be done to enhance
the stretching effect: simply lift the head and shoulders
slightly by tightening the abdominal muscles, and
rcstrctch by relaxing and reaching out your arms at the
same time.

Exercise 56, Sideways bend across support

Review the directions for this exercise, first presented in

lesson 9. This may be done effectively by yourself, or
with one or two partners. Once you have experienced
the movement directly sideways, roll the body a small
distance forwards and restretch, then backwards and
restretch. You will find some pleasant areas to stretch in
these intermediate positions.

Free squat bottom position, ankles clasped, straighten

legs sequence

Today, we will use this warm-up as a cool-down: all the

muscles we have worked will be given a gentle stretch and,
because the form is not strict, you can attend to all the
sensations of the movements. Begin in the bottom position
of the free squat. If you cannot keep your heels on the floor,
you can place your heels on a board, or balance on the balls
of your feet. Clasp the ankles and slowly straighten both legs
while keeping your chest firmly on the thighs, and your
head hanging down and relaxed. Once you feel the stretch
in the hamstrings, pause in that position for a few breaths,
and squat back down. Repeat the leg-straightening action
five to ten times, trying to straighten the legs a little further

A C—R stretch can be done in this exercise, too, to great

effect. Once in the best position you can achieve, lift the
head to the neutral position and apply a slight back
straightening effort. The only place you should feel this is
up under the buttocks, in the hamstring muscles. The chest
remains tightly pressed against the thighs. To restretch, relax
the back, keep the chest on the thighs, and slowly try to
straighten the legs further. One leg may be straightened at a
time in a separate sequence, if you like.

Exercise 8, Partner lying rotation

If you have a partner, do this exercise; if not, do exercise

3 from lesson 1 to finish, or any of the other rotation
exercises you like. Rotation movements are a lovely way
to settle the body into a comfortable state after any
vigorous exercise.

Cues

squat and hold ankles

use slow leg-straightening efforts
relax and pull body onto legs
C—R: apply slight back-
straightening effort
restretch: try to straighten legs
Cues (right)

hands on suitable support

heel flat on floor; leg straight
partner supports lower back
C—R: press ball of foot into floor
restretch: arch back straighter

Cues (right)

trunk vertical; hand on knee

apply brace; let hips sink to floor
rotate back hip forwards
C—Rs drag back leg forward
restretch: sink, restraighten leg

Lesson fifteen: a final class of

MAJOR POSES

In this, the last lesson, we will concentrate on the more

difficult versions of most of the poses we have learned and
introduce a few new exercises and variations on ones you
know. To do all the exercises will take you approximately an
hour and a quarter, and will stretch most of the major
muscles of the body. Doing a series of difficult poses is
challenging, and the feeling when you finish is fantastic.
Spend a moment or two relaxing at the end of the class as a
reward—simply lie face up, arms and legs by your sides,
close your eyes, and enjoy.

Exercise 70, Partner floor single leg calf

LR p- >97

This exercise can be done solo (exercise 20 in lesson 3)

or with a partner, the version suggested here.

Exercise 25, Standing suspended hip flexor

Do a partner version of this exercise (exercise 39, lesson

6), or the partner version of the suspended movement
(exercise 41, same lesson) if you prefer. Try to keep the
hips as low as possible to the floor when trying to
straighten the back leg. Use a C-R stretch to improve
the final position—you can use a little more force in the
contractions now that you are used to doing them.
81. Partner wall reverse legs apart forward bend

Unlike some two-leg forward bends that can strain the back,
gravity and a wall’s support of the lower back make this an
excellent hamstring exercise; and depending on how far you
have the legs apart, an excellent adductor stretch too.

How for away from the wall you place your feet depends on
the answers to two questions; how loose are your
hamstrings, and how much stretch do you want in the calf
muscles? The looser the hamstrings, the more acute the
angle the body can make with the legs and the closer you
will be to the wall as a result. If you are loose in the
hamstrings, however, and want to increase the calf muscle
effect, deliberately stand further away than necessary—the
extra lean into the wall will flex the ankles strongly, making
the whole stretch in the back of the legs stronger.

To get into the first position, stand next to the wall at

roughly the right distance, bend the knees, and turn to the
side while bending forwards. Lean into the wall, and bring
the body back to the centre. The first part of the stretch is
to lean the lower back against the wall with bent legs and ask
your partner to support your legs on, or just under, the
bottom. Small back-straightening movements comprise the
C-R.

From here, you may try to straighten one or both legs,

depending on your flexibility, and use small back-
straightening efforts as in the C-R as before. Additionally,
you can try moving the body more to one leg than the other,
to emphasise the stretch in one leg at a time.

Further, you can try the exercise with various foot spacings,
being aware that the wider the foot position, the less the
hamstring effect and the greater the adductor effect. Finally,
try the stretch again from the centre position, so both
hamstrings are stretched together. Once you arc held in
position, try to relax into the final position, and hold it for
20 to 30 breaths—this will be a couple of minutes or so. If
you know that you intend to hold a stretch for a long time,
do not be to eager to begin it with an intense position: the
stretch will become more intense simply because you are
holding it for longer than usual. After a while (usually a
minute or so for the hamstrings), the intensity will
diminish. Mark is demonstrating a solo version of the
stretch, also effective because gravity is helping him hold the
final positions.

Cues (left page)

bent legs; back against wall
partner presses hips to wall
apply single- or two-leg straightening
C—R: arch back and press into wall
restretch: partner presses hips to wall

Cues (right)

lower body between feet and hands

let body relax

lean back; open mouth,take head back

close teeth; breathe deeply
curl up to finish

Cues (right)

both bottom bones on floor

lean forwards; clasp knee
lift chest; pull knee to armpit
C-R: press knee away
restretch: pull leg closer to body

Exercise 2, Backward bend from floor

Do cither the standard or suspended version (described

in lesson 4), or both if you have the time. Make sure you
bend the spine strongly forwards after bending
backwards, or do one of the rotation movements to
stretch the lower back muscles.

Exercise 5. Seated hip

Any of the piriformis exercises may be substituted for

exercise 5. In increasing order of difficulty, they are
exercise 22 (lesson 3) and any version of exercise 76
(lesson 12). By now you should know which is the most
effective for you—but don’t forget, doing other
stretches over time can change the effect of any other
stretch. If you have the time, try a few of them.

82. Wall lunge rotation

An excellent hip and rotation exercise in its own right,

exercise 82 can be applied at various intensities: by how far
you let the hips sink, and by how far you straighten the back
leg. Look at the first photograph: you need to be one
forearms length away from the wall, with the bent front leg
closest to the wall. Lean on the wall with the closest arm
while cupping the knee with that hand, and kneeling on the
back leg with the ball of the foot on the floor. On a strong
breath out, rotate the other shoulder forwards and across
until you can put the front leg’s knee in behind the shoulder,
as shown. At this point, the back will be bent forwards as
well as rotated, and the forearm placed on the wall so that it
is both level with the floor and perpendicular to the wall.
Ideally, there should be no space between your body and the
thigh.

As you breathe in, arch the back straight: this will tighten
the rotation component considerably. Reach the forearm of
the top shoulder up, so that it, too, is perpendicular to the
wall, and use the arm to push the top shoulder away from
the wall. You can also use the muscles under the arm of the
bottom shoulder to help pull the leg further across the body.
Hold this position for a breath or two.

To increase the stretch, slowly straighten the back leg, trying

to keep the hips as low to the floor as possible. You will feel
the effect more strongly now in the front leg’s hip; this is an
excellent piriformis stretch. To tighten further, let the back
leg bend a little, sink to the floor as low as you can and
restraighten the back, then restraighten the back leg.

A C—R stretch can be done from here: while using the arms
to hold you in position, use the waist muscles to try to twist
yourself out of the position for a count of five. The hands
on the wall and the lower arm trapped behind the knee will
provide resistance against the contraction. Stop, breathe in,
relax and let the hips sink, and restraighten the back and the
back leg. Hold the final position for five to ten breaths;
breathing will be difficult due to the constraints on rib
movement, but this will help you breathe into the lower
quadrant of the lungs (between the top hip and the middle
of the back), which most people do not use. Pay attention
to left-right differences, and do your tighter side once again.

deep lunge position

forearm’s length from wall

position hands; straighten back

strait

C—R: twist

support
restretch: arch back, let hips sink to
floor, straighten back leg

Exercise 42, Floor feet held back bend

A full description of this exercise will be

found in lesson 6. The final position is
determined both by your flexibility and by
the strength in quadriceps. Keep the lower
back muscles as relaxed as you can, and make
sure you bend the spine forwards afterwards.

Exercise 58, Partner bar shoulder flexion with hip traction

Lesson 9 has the details of this exercise. Recall

that the essence of successful performance in
this exercise is to let yourself be drawn away
from the support, and to let yourself relax
under your partner's weight—so, partners,
press very gently! Recover with exercise 1,
middle and upper back or exercise 43, folded
legs clasped knees upper back, emphasising
the upper back aspects.

Exercise 6, Chin to chest

Some neck tension is likely after the last

exercise, so sit (or stand) and briefly stretch
the neck forwards, as described in lesson 1.

83. Partner floor back bend, off support

The standard full back bends done off the floor, sometimes
called the bridge or the crab, are fundamental to dance,
gymnastics and yoga. For most people, however, because of
tight hip flexors and quadriceps, and tight shoulders, the
main effect of floor back bends is to strongly bend the
lumbar spine backwards. This can result in an unpleasant
compression sensation or can strongly tighten the lumbar
spine muscles. It is mainly for these reasons that we
concentrate on stretching the muscles mentioned until they
are relatively loose, and to practise more passive back bends
off supports, as in exercise 27. Once these muscles are loose
enough, the full exercise can be done easily and, instead of
feeling it in the lumbar spine, you will feel a strong stretch
in the front of the body. In a real sense, this next exercise in
its various forms is a major pose: all of the muscles
mentioned in the ageing process discussed in exercise 14,
lesson 2, are strongly stretched and, if a partner helps you,
the effect can be transferred to any particularly tight places
in the spine. My reservations about doing standard back
bends come from observing thousands of students attempt
the full exercise, and noting that, if the thoracic spine resists
bending backwards (by for the majority of students), the
lumbar spine must bend commcnsuratcly further. In most
students' attempts, if unassisted, there is little backward
bend in the thoracic spine. Assisted, the spine can be
encouraged to bend at its tightest points and the effect is
entirely different. This pose can be enormously exhilarating
and can have a calming effect on excited people, and,
paradoxically perhaps, a stimulating effect on dispirited
students or those whose energy levels are low.

To enable a student to master the full back bend, we have

found assistance useful in addition to a support for the feet.
Olivia is helping me. The higher the feet are off the ground,
the less the spine is required to bend backwards. Supports of
up to a forearm’s length are useful; above this height, getting
into the position is difficult. Look at the first photograph.
The feet are placed on the support, the bottom is brought
close, and the palms placed on the floor behind, at about
shoulder width for the first attempt. Your partner stands
next to your hands, so that any tendency for the hands to
slip away behind you is arrested against the feet. The partner
bends forwards from the hips with a straight back, and
places their hands under the shoulders. You breathe in.

Cues

hips next to support

hands under shoulders
lift yourself onto head; pause and adjust
press arms out and lift up
push hips up to ceiling
use recovery pose

On a breath out, press your hands away behind you to lift

yourself from the floor, at the same time your partner helps
by applying a small lifting effort under the shoulders, until
you are resting on the top of your head. Pause in this
position if you wish, adjust your hand and foot positions,
and then try to lift yourself all the way up. Partners, do not
assist too much: if you are not strong enough to do all, or
most, of the lifting work you must try anyway—and this
effort will make you strong enough in time. Lift yourself as
high as you can, and try hard to straighten your arms. Try
to breathe normally (breathing is difficult in this
position)—under no circumstances hold the breath.

Now your partner can help you move the major bending
effect from the lower back. Ask your partner to draw your
shoulders back very gently and slowly , away from your feet,
as Olivia is doing in the last frame, opposite. A note to
partners: usually, the effort of only a couple of fingers is
needed to achieve this movement. As the partner moves
you, the stretch will move into the middle and upper back,
and the shoulders. Make your best possible effort to
straighten the arms fully (or keep them straight) during this
process. As an additional effect, you can try very gently to
apply a small straightening effort to the legs; this too will
move the stretch higher in the back. In the final position,
the shoulders will be directly over, or close to over, the
hands. Hold the position for at least five breaths (10 is
better) and, to come out of the stretch, slowly bend the
arms, remembering to bring the neck and head forwards so
you don’t bump it on the floor!

Curl up in one of the recovery positions, or roll around on

the floor for a moment to relax the back muscles. The best
recovery poses are exercises 1 (Mark, last frame) and 48.

Try the exercise a second time after a rest. Generally the

second attempt feels much easier, especially the lifting part.
If the final position was relatively easy, you may try a lower
support, or no support at all. If you choose to do the pose
from the floor, place your feet at the join between floor and
wall for your first attempt: the tighter you are, the more the
hands and feet want to slip away from you. Do not bring the
bottom too close to the feet in the starting position for your
first try. As you progress, you can bring the bottom closer;
eventually you can start with the feet under the bottom.
This position and its variations will be explored in chapter

84. Wall squatting rotation

This exercise is similar to exercise 82, wall lunge rotation,

but is a stronger rotation for the whole of the spine
(especially the lumbar region), and is also a good stretch for
piriformis, because the outside leg is brought a long way
across the body with the hip flexed. Gravity and friction
work for you here, so the final position is easily held. Small
back-straightening movements will change the focus of the
stretch, so spend some time and experiment.

Mark is leaning on his right elbow, holding his knee, and is

spaced about one forearms length away from the wall. To
get into the first stretch position from here, breathe out and,
while the breath is held out, twist the trunk to bring the far
arm and shoulder into position. Lean your weight on the
point of the elbow closest to the wall; the forearm of the
bottom shoulder will be level with the floor. Your feet are
flat on the floor but, if your ankles are not loose enough to
permit this, the exercise can be done on the balls of the feet.
As you breathe in, reach your other arm up and place the
hand on the wall, so that the forearm is perpendicular to it.
Use both the muscles of the back under the bottom arm,
and the muscles of the chest and arm of the upper arm, to
rotate yourself into a tighter stretch position. Try to breathe
normally.

A C-R stretch can be done in the final position: straighten

the back by arching it backwards, make sure that you are
held in position, and use the waist muscles to try to twist
yourself out of the position for a five count. Relax and, on a
breath out, use the muscles described above to tighten the
position further. Stay in the final position for 10 breaths.
Notice the stretch in the hip—this is due to the leg being
brought strongly across the body while the body is being
rotated in the opposite direction. For some people, this will
be one of the strongest stretches for the hip region; for
others it will be one of the strongest lumbar-rotation
exercises. The movement is a good strengthening exercise
for the trunk.

Cues

squat on flat feet or balls of feet

forearms length from wall
hands into position; arch back
C-R: try to twist out of position
restretch: arch back,
and pull trunk into tighter position

Cues

partner sits on back of legs

support provided by leaning back
let yourself relax

C—R: gently pull shoulders forwards

restretch: partner takes you gently back

m
Partner floor backward bend

The partner version of one of the first exercises we learned

is qualitatively different from the solo movement. Recall the
observations about the tendency for muscles to cramp if
asked to work in the contracted end of their range of
movement, and how common this is with backwards-
bending exercises.

Todays exercise avoids these problems because, unlike most

backward bends, you can relax in the position completely.
Look at the first photograph. To begin, we get into the
exercise as usual. Once you are supported on your arms, ask
your partner to sit on the back of your thighs (take care that
this docs not press the knees into the floor), and to place
their hands on your shoulders, loose fingers cupping the
muscles. Take in a deep breath.

On a breath out, ask your partner to lean back very slowly

and carefully, until you feel the desired stretch. The
mechanics of the position and the weight of your partner
holding your hips onto the floor will help the very lowest
part of the spine bend backwards. Make sure that you move
into the final position very carefully; this can be an intense
stretch. Most men will be able to get the trunk close to
vertical using this strict form.

If you are extremely careful, a C-R stretch can be done by

using the abdominal muscles to pull the shoulders forwards
once in the stretch position. The final position that results is
intense, so proceed carefully. Try to breathe deeply in the
final position, and use one of the recovery poses to stretch
the lumbar spine muscles forwards to finish.

The bottom frame shows an alternative way of doing the

hanging version of exercise 2, shown on page 115. Get into
the final position of exercise 2 and, with your partner in
position, lift one arm off the floor. The partner takes this
arm, leans back slightly to stabilise themselves, and you
hang from their support and give them your other arm.
Relax in this position for a moment, then on a breath out,
let your whole body relax slowly. As you do, you will feel the
front of the body being stretched. Once in this position, the
effect can be increased by asking your partner to take your
arms back further. This is one of the few backwards bending
exercises that provides this lengthening, stretching
sensation. Use a recovery pose to finish.
Exercise 64, Seated or standing bent leg rotation

Review the directions for this exercise,

found in lesson 10. If you normally do
the seated version, try the standing one,
and vice versa. You may also vary the
focus of the maximum stretch sensation
by moving closer to each leg—have a
play with this. Don’t forget to use the
C-R stretches to improve the final
position.

Review the directions for this exercise in

lessons 9 and 14, where walking the legs
around was introduced. Let the body
relax completely after this tough class.
Chapter three presents a number of
additional end poses, and some new
warm-ups, too. Do not be in too much
of a hurry to achieve these positions.
Challenge yourself—carefully.

End poses

These are presented in no particular order. Some will be

relatively simple; others are advanced exercises that may take
you years to achieve. Introducing each pose are the exercises
that we have found to be effective warm-up movements—
but you may have others that are even more effective for
you. If you have worked your way through the previous 15
lessons and can do most of the exercises in good form, you
will be able to at least attempt all of these.

86. The ultimate quadriceps stretch

Warm-up for this exercise by doing your favourite

hamstring stretches and follow with your preferred
quadriceps stretches. Do at least two different exercises for
both muscle groups.

You will sec that the start position for this sequence is the
final position of exercise 26. Draw the support leg’s knee as
close as you can to the body, with the leg bent. Even though
the hamstrings will not be stretched (because the knee is
flexed) doing this will increase the stretch in the folded leg
considerably, as the lower back is flattened. Julie and Mark
are demonstrating the most intense position of this version
in the bottom photograph. Three C-R stretches can be
done from any of these positions: the first is to try to
straighten the folded leg; the second is to try to lift the knee
of the folded leg; and the third is to press the raised thigh
back to your partner. Restretch after each contraction.

Once this position has been achieved, the stretch can be

intensified by opening the knee angle of the leg next to the
body. As the lower leg is moved (sequence on facing page)
the stretch in the quadriceps of the folded leg is increased.
The third photograph opposite shows the beginning
position of the full stretch. When the raised leg is straight,

the stretch is intense. Various C-R stretches can be done.

For the folded leg, the contractions are as described above.
For the straight leg, you may try to pull the heel back to the
bottom, and you can press the straight leg back to your
partner. Restretch after both. The further the leg is moved
back towards you, the more intense the stretch in the folded
le g-

87. Partner floor hamstring and lower back

The end position of this exercise resembles exercise 96,

forward bend over straight legs. However, because we get
into this position via bent legs, the sensations are very
different. For most people, bending forwards over both
straight legs is difficult. Earlier, I suggested the reason was
that the protective mechanisms of the body, the
proprioceptors , are most directly stimulated in this position,
and hence can limit the movement significantly.

In contrast, everyone will be able to do this movement and,

when we use it in class, usually in an Intermediate course, a
dramatic improvement in the capacity to bend over both
legs is the result. Carol and Greg arc demonstrating the
exercise: Carol holds her feet and pulls her body as dose to
her thighs as she can. Once the ribs are in contact with the
legs, you will find that the body relaxes somewhat. Greg is
supporting her middle and lower back, to help it maintain
the shape it made getting into the first position.
Keeping her body firmly on her legs, Carol then tries to
gently straighten her legs using quadriceps. Socks can be
worn to help your feet slide, or you can place a mat under
your heels. If the sensation of straightening both legs is too
intense, try doing one at a time. The standard contractions
to improve hamstring flexibility can be used: one C-R
stretch involves pulling one or both heels to the floor: the
other to press the back against your partner’s support.
Always restretch on a breath out—doubly significant here,
as your spine will lift away from your thighs slightly as you

In the bottom frame, Greg is showing the preferred support

position once you can get your upper body past 45 degrees
from vertical: a partners body weight is far better than force
applied using their arms, as the force is far more stable and
you can relax under it.

Don’t think that the object of the exercise is to straighten the

legs, although that will happen one day. A better objective is
to explore the many feelings accompanying the process of
getting to that position and the many stretch sensations that
will be felt, from the calf muscles all the way up the back to
the neck. Try to hold your end position for at least 10
breaths—20 would be better!

§g—

88. The ultimate back bend

This is a standard in dance, gymnastics, yoga, and both the

traditional exercise forms I studied in Japan. If you can do
this well, shoulder flexion movements, hip flexor stretches,
upper, middle and lower-back backward-bending move¬
ments will be unnecessary. If you cannot, these are precisely
the exercises you need to focus upon for your warm-ups.
Exercise 88 stretches all the muscles on the front surface of
the body. As I observed above when we first encountered
backwards-bending exercises, for most people the emphasis
will be in the lower back, and this is undesirable. For your
first attempts, a partner is desirable, because your shape can
be monitored and correction applied as necessary. The
minimum warm-up should be exercise 83, partner floor
back bend, off support. Review the instructions on how to
use your arms to get into position to lift the hips up.
Look at Jennifer's demonstration of the movement in the
top photograph: the whole of her spine is a smooth curve.
Nonetheless, when Mark gently draws Julies shoulders
towards him as shown in the second frame, more of the
stretch effect is experienced in the middle, or thoracic,
spine, and the lumbar spine is not as curved as before. For
men in particular, this assistance will transform the effects of
exercise 88, as most men are particularly stiff in this area. As
you are drawn back you will feel the chest being opened
lengthways and sideways: this position is maximum
expansion for the rib cage and a powerful stretch for the
entire abdominal area. Huge sheets of fascia are stretched in
the process—there are over 30 layers of fascia in the trunk

Due to the position of the front ribs hi the final position,

breathing will be difficult. For the greatest benefits from the
movement, accordingly, breathe as deeply and rhythmically
as possible. You will be able to feel the intercostals, the
muscles between the ribs, being stretched as you breathe.
Jennifer is demonstrating the ultimate back bend, her spine
a smooth even curve. She starts the movement from the
same support position as exercise 88, having lifted herself up
onto her head, but then places her forearms on the ground.
She is trying for maximum elevation by pushing up with her
hips and, by applying a slight leg-straightening effort, is
moving the stretch from the lower back into the middle and
upper back. Use any of the recovery poses that bend the
spine forwards to finish.

89. The ultimate bent-leg hip adductor

Warm-up for this movement by using a partners weight to

stretch the legs to the floor, as we did in exercise 61, partner
wall seated knees apart. Olivia is standing on my thighs,
about midway between hip and knee. For a stronger stretch,
ask your partner to place their feet closer to your knees.
Look at the second frame. Mark is lying back on his elbows
and Julie is helping him to open the legs. This is a gentle
position that anyone will be able to do. If you feel too
exposed in the stretch, by all means roll up two mats and
place one under each knee: this will make you feel perfectly
secure, and as you relax the mats will change shape slightly,
letting the knees go to the floor.

The final frame shows the strongest version, with the hips
perfectly abducted and the legs hard on the floor. Rolled
mats or similar supports may be used under both knees to
facilitate early attempts. Additionally, if your partner stands
closer to your hips, less stretch effect will be felt.

In either position, the C-R stretches will be the same: try

to lift your knees up against your partner's weight,
beginning with a gentle contraction and, in time, trying to
lift the partners whole weight. We arc certain that the
ultimate legs-apart positions require great strength in the
adductors before the brain can signal to the muscles to let
go. Try it for yourself.
h

a \

t «5

Cues

use mats under knees for first attempt

partner stands on thighs
let legs go to floor
C-R: squeeze knees together
restretch: let legs sink to floor

90. Balancing straight legs apart

One of the reasons I like the balancing poses so much as

stretching movements is that, because you are focusing so
strongly on staying balanced, you can more easily ignore the
flexibility demands of any movement. Many students have
reported that they either experienced breakthroughs
immediately following such exercises, or that an unusual
muscle soreness was experienced in the days following. By
this 1 don’t mean to imply that these sorts of exercises will
leave you stiff and sore but, once you have become flexible,
you will find that you can hit a plateau in your
improvement, and a stronger stimulation will be required to
move you onwards.

Begin by sitting on the floor with the legs bent and apart in
front of you, holding the feet from the arch side. Lean
backwards until you are balancing on the ischial tuberosities,
or the bottom bones. Arch the lower back until the spine is
a long, straight shape. Take in a breath.

On a breath out, slowly straighten the legs. I prefer to

straighten one at a time; try both ways and see which you
prefer. If you are very flexible, you may care to straighten
both legs out in front of you while holding them together.
If you cannot straighten the legs completely, you may loop
a strap around each foot. Jennifer is demonstrating my
preferred approach, which is to straighten the legs at the
most comfortable angle. Balance there, making sure that the
lower back is held straight, or better, slightly arched
backwards.

Again on a breath out, and focusing closely on balancing,

slowly take the legs out to the side as far as you can. Jennifer
is demonstrating the ultimate final position, where legs and
body arc in the same line, and the trunk is held perfectly
straight. Notice that, as you separate the legs, the angle of
the body to the floor changes as your centre of gravity
changes. You will need to feel how to come forwards slightly
on the bottom bones to maintain balance: this is the point
where most people topple forwards! This exercise is great

Finish by doing any of the exercises that stretch the middle

and upper back forwards: holding the spine straight against
the combined forces of the adductors and both hamstrings
is hard work.

91. The ultimate legs-apart stretch

There are a number of benchmarks in stretching and, of

them all, front splits and side splits (sometimes called
straddle, or Chinese splits) probably rank the most highly in
impressiveness. I am bound to say, though, now that I can
do these myself (and having taken 20 years to achieve
them!), 1 feel that these movements are not as important as
I once thought. Of course, if you are a gymnast or martial
artist, you must be able to do both of these fundamental
movements, if only to demonstrate good technique. But if
your main interest in flexibility is good health or the
exploration of the mind-body connection, the relevance is
much harder to argue and, as I mentioned in the
unnumbered lesson, myriad minor positions—often in
between the positions that most people regard as
‘stretches'—may be of greater importance to you.

In this exercise, I shall group all the major warm-up and

partial positions that I have found most useful in achieving
side splits. For me, discovering that one might get into the
side-splits position from above by opening the legs wider
and wider from the standing position, rather than trying to
open the legs further from the seated position, was the
breakthrough that accelerated my progress. I cannot say that
this approach will work for you—you will need to try all the
assistance and partial approaches to find the key.

The first assistance position is being demonstrated by Greg

and Carol. In the first frame, Carol has locked Greg into
position against the wall by standing in such a way as to let
her jam the back of his thighs against the support. The
resulting friction allows him to stay in this position with far
less discomfort, because the adductor muscles do not need
to support nearly as much of his weight. Stay in this
opening position for a minute or two.

The C-R stretch is to contract the inner thighs while you

support yourself on your arms, as though you are trying to
squeeze the legs together through the floor. Begin with a
gentle contraction and slowly increase it to your limit over
10 to 15 seconds. Relax and, on a breath out, ask your
partner to let you go a little closer to the floor. The second
frame shows Greg contracting sufficiently strongly such that
he no longer needs to hold the upper body off the floor
such contractions should be built up to slowly, but they will
yield excellent results. The third frame shows the son of

supplementary movements that may be added, and the last

shows the assistance position to use in the C-R once you are
strong enough to lift yourself out of the position by
contraction force alone.

Mark is showing a position between side splits achieved by

pure abduction (as Greg is demonstrating on the facing
page) and the versions I am demonstrating overleaf
(achieved by hyperextension and getting into the position
via the plane of movement that emphasises stretching the
hamstrings rather than the adductors). Marks position is
similar to the standing version Greg showed in exercise 63,
lcgs-apart off support. Accordingly, adductors and the inner
hamstrings are stretched in this position.

Mark is using a block to alter the angle between his body

and the floor. Even small changes of trunk angle will change
the stretch effects considerably. The contractions for the
C-R are to try to bring the legs together. Use the strength
of the arms to lower yourself closer to the floor. Try to stay
in your best final position for a minute or so.

Using our purpose-built boxes, Olivia is helping me to bring

the hips directly over the line of my legs in the third frame:
this is the most difficult stretch angle by far, especially for
men. Two C-R stretches arc possible in this position: to
help move the hips directly over the legs, contract the
adductors (the inner thigh muscles) as though you were
trying to bring the legs together in front of you. On a breath
out, ask your partner to gently push your hips forwards.
Once in your forward-most position, for the second C-R
try to squeeze the legs together , as though you were trying to
press them harder, directly down onto the surface of the
box. For the restretch, let yourself go closer to the surface on
a breath out, while your partner holds the hips in line with
the feet, directly above them.

The final frame shows the solo version. If you concentrate,

you will be able to keep the hips over the feet. To recover,
you may use any of the piriformis stretches (these seem to
make the hip joints feel good after a strong sideways stretch)
or any of the exercises that stretch the spine forwards.

The top frame shows how any vertical support can be used
for these sorts of warm-up movements. You can see here
how the side-split position forces some hyperextension into
the lumbar spine but, if you relax while lowering yourself,
this will happen without effort. If the lower back is left
feeling a little tight after this practice, stretch it forwards
with exercise 48, floor forward bend over bent legs.

Once you have achieved some depth in the position, you

may find that your progress stalls. I have found that using a
support that will deform slightly under my weight can be
helpful in getting over these 'sticking points'. In the second
frame 1 am showing the legs-apart position off a low
support, a height just above my maximum stretch position
with the legs at 180 degrees. This lets you relax properly in
the position, which you cannot do if the stretch is too
intense. To add the adductors and inner hamstrings to the
stretch, incline the body forwards, until the straight trunk is
resting completely on the support if you can (frame three).
The sensation of feeling your stomach and chest pressing on
the support is excellent and you will be able to relax in the
position.

If you have good side splits, Olivia is demonstrating one

way of ensuring that you are in the perfect position (last
frame): with her body firmly on the floor, she has pushed
herself back onto the support (a wall is good, too) until the
backs of her legs are pressed hard against it. If you arc close
to this position but not quite on the floor, roll a mac and
position it under the body lengthways.

In the top two photographs, I am demonstrating my

preferred approach to side splits. I am using two blocks to
show the sort of strength required to hold these positions—
there is no support from the floor in the final position. In
the first frame, I have let my legs go apart, inclined my body
forwards, and let the lower back hyperextend just enough
for balance. All the muscles of the legs will be working hard
in this position. If your knees do not like being stressed this
way, try to relieve the pressure either by tensing the
quadriceps (this is done by pulling the kneecaps upwards by
tightening the thighs) or by using one of the other exercises.
The previously shown movements that stress the knee joint
from behind (the movements where you lower yourself into
the position from directly above) will not have this effect,
usually. Holding yourself as shown in the first frame, I find
to be the best warm-up movement for the final position,
and the weight of your body is a perfect resistance for a C-R
stretch. The second frame shows the full side splits, in
suspension off blocks. Greg is providing support for me—
it's a bit hard to balance on the backs of your legs—he is not
holding me up. You will notice that the calf muscles are
below the level of the surface of the blocks, and the hips are
directly in line with the feet. I do not recommend
attempting this position unless you can hold yourself
securely as shown in the first frame for at least half a minute

Contractions in this position will ensure that you are able to

do the movement on the floor. Use the muscles at the back
of the legs to vigorously try to lift yourself straight up from
the stretch position and, on a breath out, very slowly lower
yourself to your limit. Working like this will remove the fear
often associated with this movement, especially for men.
The third frame shows Olivia in full side-splits while sitting
on a bar—a handy position for gymnasts. I have included
this to show how easy the position will become for you one
day (I’m still waiting for this day to come!). The final frame
shows Jennifer in a totally relaxed side splits prone
position—for her this is a warm-up. By all means make an
effort to achieve similar positions yourself, but bear in mind
my remarks at the beginning of this exercise, and be careful
not to injure yourself in pursuit of a position that has little
utility in daily life. My suggestion is to have no heed as to
how long it might take you to get into these positions.
Concentrate on the process rather than the outcome.

92. Sitting and standing peacocks

Jennifer is demonstrating a pair of beautiful poses from

hatha yoga. The standing version requires great flexibility in
spinal extension and shoulder flexion—but these poses arc
not good ways of achieving the required flexibility. I have
included them here to show Jennifers flexibility and
balance, and to create the opportunity to suggest that, if you
have come this far and want to go further than we have here,
you may consider learning yoga from a good teacher.

The start position is achieved by holding a foot by the

opposite shoulders hand, and pulling the leg up behind
you. As you do so, notice how you will need to incline the
trunk forwards to keep balance; this will give you a good
hamstring stretch in the support leg, too. Once the foot is
close enough to the body, hold it with the other hand, too.
The final position is shown in the last photograph in the
right-hand column. Notice that Jennifer's hips are level—
this is hard to do, as the held leg pulls the hip up with it.
The seated version shown below is essentially the same, but
without the balancing aspect.

93. The ultimate front splits

I have asked Eldon, one of our senior students, to

demonstrate the Rill front splits because he is a recreational
athlete (a runner) and because he is middle-aged,
chronologically speaking. People like Eldon are remaking
the image we have ,of the term ‘middle-aged’. At the time
this sequence was taken, he had been attending Posture &
Flexibility classes for about five years, and he was quite stiff
when he began—he could not touch his toes.

He is using the approach to get into this position that I

described in exercise 47, partner partial front splits, off
support, page 133. All contractions are the same, so turn
back to this exercise to refresh your memory. I am holding
his hips in perfect form, at 90 degrees to the line of his legs.
In the final position, the front of his back leg is hard on the
floor, and the back of the front leg is too, except where it is
lifted away by the thickness of the mats. We use mats, or
socks on a shiny floor from time to time, to help ensure that
the transitions to the final position are very smooth and jerk
free—it is easy to injure yourself as you get close to your

In the third frame I am showing the recommended support

position for when you are working with someone who is
physically much larger or stronger than you, or when the
position needs to be held for a long time. Even small people
will be able to use their weight to hold the partner in good
form if this technique is used. The essence is to use your
weight, not your strength, so hang off your partner as far as
you can, pivoting yourself from the folded leg’s knee, placed
under the hip of your partner’s back leg.

Cues

hips perfectly square

bent front leg to start
small supports under front leg if desired
straighten front leg using C—Rs
restretch: sink down onto floor

94. The ultimate abdominal workout

This sequence demonstrates the most difficult abdominal

strengthening exercise that can be done without gymnastic
equipment. All you need is a bench or a table. I caution
against trying this movement if you are not already quite
strong in this area of the body because, if your abdominal
muscles are insufficiently strong, you will find your lower
back hyperextending rapidly in the second-last or final
position and you will not be able to control it. It is possible,
however, to do a modified version of the movement, by
folding the legs fully at the knees; this will mean that you are
holding less weight, for leverage reasons.

Start by lilting yourself up into a loose shoulder-stand

position, holding the edge of your support platform as
shown. Try to elevate the body as far as possible (top frame).
Once secure, lower the body and legs until you can feel their
weight, and lift the hips (or lower the legs a little further)
until the legs and body form a straight line (second frame).
The exercise is much harder to do if the body is held
straight, because the abdominal muscles do an increasing
amount of the work as trunk and legs come into alignment.
Once the body is straight, lower the whole body by pivoting
around the shoulder joint, as shown in the third frame. To
this point, the exercise will feel relatively easy. Pause in this
position for a few seconds. Take in a breath and, while
holding it in, lower yourself slowly as far as you can without
resting your hips on the support. Once the body and legs arc
under a 45 degree angle (between shoulder and foot), the
exercise rapidly becomes difficult—each position a degree
lower seems twice as hard as the position above. Hold your
best final position for at least five breaths in and out.

Once you have achieved the final position shown, there are
two further movements that increase the strengthening
effect. The first is to cautiously lower the legs below the level
of the hips (be careful to do this very slowly to avoid
straining the lower back); the other is to lift the whole
straight body back up to the start position.

This sequence resembles the lever from men’s gymnastics. If

you are tall, or your legs are relatively long in relation to
your trunk, this is the only abdominal exercise you will ever
need to do. As we say in class, though, 'Rome wasn’t built in
a day!’. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to accomplish this
difficult exercise.

k Ultimate quadriceps and hip flexor

This is a deceptive pose, for it looks easy compared with

many others. As you try it, however, you will realise why it
is here in chapter three rather than in chapter one. The
combination of flexed thigh and movement of the body
forward from this starting point will give you a stretch in
quadriceps that is unparalleled. Additionally, whereas most
quadriceps stretches have their main effect in the lower part
of the thigh, and most combination quadriceps and hip
flexor stretches have their effects high in the thigh, the
exercises shown here affect the whole of the thigh with the
focus in the middle, and hence is the perfect complement to
the others.

Mark, assisted by Julie, is showing the start position. He has

pushed the calf muscle of the folded leg out of the way
before getting into position. Julie is holding the hip of the
other leg against the wall. In the second frame, she is
applying the necessary counter-rotation by pulling the hip
of the folded leg away from the wall while pressing the hip
of the support leg back. Mark is applying the abdominal
brace. C-R stretches that may be done include Mark’s
trying to straighten the folded leg by pressing the foot into
the wall and trying to pull the knee of the folded leg
forwards. The third frame shows the start position of the
solo exercise, intensified by applying both the abdominal
brace and the tucking-thc-tail-under movement.

The bottom frame shows a much stronger version,

demonstrated by Kevin and myself. I have moved forward
from the start position into approximately the same position
as shown by Mark in frame two. Kevin has moved behind
me and positioned his hips onto the back of my leg, just
below the hip joint. By letting his weight bear down on my
leg and pressing back to me gently, the best quadriceps and
hip flexor stretch will be felt.

Contractions are the same as described above. The value of

this version lies in the completely stable pressure your
partner is able to apply, and the magnitude of the force
itself. The sheer intensity of the final stretch sensation will
have to be experienced to be appreciated. You can see from
the photograph how far behind the line of the body the leg
has been taken—and this is with the leg folded at the knee
as well, which makes it very strong indeed.

96. Forward bend over straight legs

I have saved this pose until the end, because it is how we

began. Recall that in the Introduction that I used this
exercise as the example stretching movement, because it
illustrated all the problems of conventional stretching. All
that is a long way behind us, now. We are ready to attempt
this excellent, whole-body movement.

Depending on your pattern of flexibility, this can be an

intense hamstring stretch, a pleasant lower-back stretch, or
simply a lovely movement to do. You may care to warm-up
for this with a variety of hamstring stretches and, again
depending on your pattern—which is well known to you
now—a piriformis stretch, a calf muscle stretch, or one for
the lower back.

The best single warm-up movement is exercise 87, partner

floor hamstring and lower back. Do this now, emphasising
the leg-straightening aspects.
Various support positions are shown. There is no one
correct way of doing this exercise, because it can be used to
achieve different effects. I am showing the movement with
Jennifer, going into the final position via exercise 87:
starting with bent legs, 1 straighten one at a time to get used
to the sensation. Three C-R stretches can be used: pulling
one or both heels to the floor while holding the leg in
position; pressing one or both straight legs into the floor;
and pressing your upper back against your partner while
lifting your chest (you will need to hold your feet for this).
When restretching, try to pull yourself along the legs rather
than trying to pull your face to your legs—this last
movement stretches the back. Of course, if that is the effect
you are after, do just that. My final position, simply relaxing
over both straight legs, is a wonderful stretch for the whole
of the back, and back of the legs. Deliberately, I have
demonstrated this with my arms placed on the floor
alongside my legs to show that once the ribs are in firm
contact with the legs, your partner's weight is supported
effortlessly.

partner lies with full weight

restretch: let yourself relax onto legs

Jennifer is showing the exercise in a more conventional way,

where the emphasis is on moving the hamstrings to their
maximum stretch length. Various support positions may be
used; a partner may simply apply a gentle straightening
force to the lower back using their hands, or the most
effective one, second frame, where Olivia is lying on
Jennifer’s back. All contractions are the same as described
above. This is a wonderful stretch to finish any exercise
session—let yourself relax completely.

The third frame shows this exercise done perfectly, solo.

At this point, the formal teaching ends—and hence is a new

beginning for you. You have the tools to design a program
that's just right for you; all that is needed is to continue this
process of self-exploration. I mentioned in the Introduction
that, in time, our classes become self-teaching. This should
be the goal of every teacher: to create the environment
where the teacher is no longer necessary.

Recommended exercises for sports

Different sports place different demands on the body and have different
requirements for specific
patterns of flexibility. This has lead to the wide prescription of specific
exercises based on particular
activities. I feel strongly, however, that the best overall results to be gained by
stretching in terms of
performance enhancement, injury reduction and self-awareness will occur by starting
at lesson 1 and
working through the material as presented because, as I have argued throughout,
stretching is about
for more than simply becoming flexible.

It may be helpful to arrange exercises by activity, though, if only to simplify the

teaching of the
exercises to groups of athletes of all ages, and to ensure that athletes are doing
a bare minimum
requirement of flexibility work. I have grouped sports and activities on the basis
of more-or-lcss
shared functions. The AFL football code, for example, with its requirement of high
jumps, aerial
activity, and spinal extension with shoulder flexion, resembles the requirements of
the court sports
more closely than it resembles Rugby League. These divisions are ones of
convenience only and I
encourage students to add any exercises to the groups shown here as they feel they
need.
Bodybuilders and others who stress particular parts of the body in their workouts
are advised to
select exercises that stretch the muscles being worked, and to do these in between
sets and as a cool¬
down. For example, if doing a chest workout, select those exercises that stretch
triceps, the pectorals
and the front shoulder muscles.The index provides exercises both by function and
muscle name.

Racquet sports

Tennis, badminton and squash. Other activities requiring agility and overhead arm
movements may use this group of
exercises. Add any additional movements that work your tight or problem areas.

Ex. 14 a

p. 54

Football codes

Rugby League, Rugby Union, soccer and running activities in general. Cyclists may
use this grouping, but empha
the hip and quadriceps movements. Middle- and upper-back exercises can be added to
relieve tension in these areas, i

Golf

The emphasis is on the development of whole-body rotational flexibility, essential

to a good swing. In an activity like
golf, where all the rotational power of the body is used in only one direction,
asymmetry of both strength and flexibility
are common, and can lead to back problems. Concentrate on balancing this pattern in
all your stretching practice.

Swimming

Shoulder, hip-flexor and ankle flexibility arc emphasised here. Different stroke
specialists will need to add appropriate
exercises, though—for example, the butterfly requires excellent lumbar and thoracic
extension, so add these exercises.

Waring p. 71

Ex. 2 ^ p. 28

Ex.37^i
P- 108

Ex. 23 77

Ex. 18 p. 62 1

91

Ex. 19 p. 63 1

*3

Ex. 35 p. 103

is*

Ex. 3 p. 30

1_

Acknowledgments

Many people helped me in the preparation of this book, directly and indirectly. I
shall begin by
thanking all the Posture & Flexibility teachers currendy working at the Australian
National
University, and a few who travelled from afar to be present during the protracted
shooting process.
Two teachers, Jennifer Cristaudo (the senior instructor) and Dr Joe Hope, I would
like to single
out for special mention before the others for the time and effort spent in
categorising the huge
range of exercises, and for Jennifers help in modelling for many of the
photographs. Because we
knew the material so well, the process was last, and fun too. I have never accepted
the wisdom of
the old adage of not mixing business and pleasure—if you can’t, you’re in the wrong
business!

My brother. Dr Greg Laughlin, helped by taking many of the photographs of me as

well as
demonstrating some of the more difficult exercises, dispelling once and for all the
myth that you
can’t be big and strong and flexible at the same time. Dr Kevin Moore, Gary
Williamson, Pierre
Le Count and Alan Richardson (now famous as the teacher of the Over 40s class, many
of the
members of which inspire the younger students to work harder) all gave their time
to model for
the photographs, too. Dr Carol Wenzel travelled from Canada, complete with a photo
album of
the poses she wanted to see in the book—and many of the ones that make you feel
good are among
these. Olivia Allnutt, in addition to demonstrating many of the exercises, also
proofread the
manuscript and made many helpful suggestions. Additionally, she is the originator
of the Dynamic
Forms classes within Posture & Flexibility.

Julie Nctto, one of the most recent additions to the teaching team, has set up
classes at Sydney
University. 1 give a special thank you to her here for all the research she did for
the International
edition of Overcome neck & back pain , too. Dr Mark Donohue made a special trip
back from Irian
Jaya to give his interpretation of some of the major and minor poses, and teaches
in Sydney with
Julie. Steve Burton modelled for pictures as well, and he, Jackie van der Neut and
Julie organise
the external Posture & Flexibility teaching program, to which all of the senior
teachers from
Canberra contribute. Sharon Clark organises the Overcome neck & back pain
individual and
practitioner workshops, the Posture & Flexibility workshops, teaches classes in
Newcasde at the
university and other locations, and took the time to model for some photos, too. Dr
Petra
Boevinck is working in Scotland at present, and organised to have photographs of
herself done
there—these images turned up at the Sports Union mysteriously one day—thank you!
Ben Farrell
teaches Posture & Flexibility at Adelaide University. I want to acknowledge my
continuing debt to
the entire team: much of the innovation and thoroughness of the Posture &
Flexibility system is
attributable directly to you all.

In terms of production, Jeremy Mcars’ contributions are found on every page. And
Jeremy’s
personality deserves mention, as a model: no matter how frustrated I became at
different stages of
making the book, Jeremy embodied the concept ‘cool’, being entirely unflappable.
His
understanding of the Macintosh technology is legendary, too. His web-site address
will be found
on the back title page.

I wish to thank sincerely Jon Attenborough, David Rodrick, and editors Julie
Stanton and Brigitta
Doyle, from Simon & Schuster, Australia. We have evolved with each other over these
past few
years and enjoy a relationship of a kind that only the passage of time can yield. I
wish to express
my gratitude to Jason Gray, who was the external editor of the manuscript. I thank
Grant Cole,
Executive Officer of the Australian National University Sports Union, where most of
the ACT

genuinely negotiate, and who actively

classes are held, for being someone with whom one can
supports the Posture & Flexibility enterprise.

I reserve my final expression of appreciation for Dr Ross Gilham, who both edited
and proofread
the manuscript. He made copious suggestions regarding syntax, grammar and comma
placement
(many times!) and the book has benefitted greatly from his input. He took the time
to explain the
reasons for his suggestions and, as a result, not only was the book improved but I
learned much,
too. I feel fortunate that a man of his unique experience—both in the medical and
linguistic
fields—was able to review the entire manuscript, including illustrations and
photographs, before
we sent it to the printers: many errors were thereby avoided. Ross built the index,
too. Remaining
errors are my responsibility alone of course.

There is a growing number of teachers of Posture & Flexibility, both here and
overseas. For an up-
to-date listing with contact details, check our web page:

http://www.posture-and-flexibility.com.au

You can make contact with us through the web site, or write to my snail mail or e-
mail address,
found at the end of the book’s Introduction. We will present workshops to any
interested group,
and an increasing number of sporting bodies are contacting us. Get in early!

Last, I wish to thank you, the reader, the essential final partner in the
relationship, and to whom
I have two things to say. To illustrate what I mean about being a partner in the
relationship, I shall
mention that at the end of our Posture & Flexibility classes, the teacher and the
class face each other,
kneel, and bow. This is a habit I brought back from Japan. My teacher, Okamoto
Hisama,
explained it like this:

‘We bow to each other to show respect, and to make explicit the mutual
necessity of the relationship. Without students, there can be no teachers—
and without teachers there can be no students. So, 1 thank you.'

Finally, as I recounted at the end of Overcome neck dr back pain, don’t be like the
businessman who
rushed up to me at Melbourne airport when the book was first released, and said,
‘Didn’t I see you
on TV the other day talking about back problems? I've got your book; it’s a
fantastic book!’ Quite
naturally, as a brand-new author I was very gratified by this, so 1 asked what
exercises he had found
the most helpful. He said, ‘Oh, I don’t do any of the exercises, but it’s a
beautiful book!’ The moral?
Holding the book in your hand is an essential first step, but if you want the
benefits, you have to
do the work. Good luck.

Technical notes

Stretching & Flexibility is still one of the few books written, photographed,
illustrated, laid up, and
printed all-digitally—that is, none of the images involved the standard silver-
halide film process,
except the few shots of Petra. All the text was written on a Macintosh PowerBook in
ClarisWorks ,
e-mailed to Jeremy (the graphics guru who sensibly lives an hour away from me in
the country),
who poured it into Quark Express 4.04 for the final layout. Illustrations were done
in Adobe
Illustrator and Photoshop. Photographs were taken using a Nikon CoolPix 900s, the
images first
being recorded on a 24-megabyte flash memory card in the camera, downloaded onto
the laptops
hard drive and transferred to Iomega Zip Disk at the same time, all on location.
The Zip Disk was
sent to Jeremy and, because it was copied at the same time, we both had identical
copies of the
images, each identified by a unique set of folder and photo numbers. This becomes
important
when trying to keep track of more than 1,300 images—over 700 of which are used in
the book.
We used Graphic Converter to make single-screen thumbnail summaries of each photo
session (43
images will fit on a 24-megabyte flash memory card at the finest resolution). These
thumbnail
images are big enough to see sufficient detail to know what’s in each shot. As each
photograph had
a unique folder number and shot number (the latter automatically appended in the
camera),
finding the right images was a relatively simple matter of paging through the 30 or
so folders.

For an experienced photographer, the current generation of affordable digital

cameras has good
and bad points. On the good side is the capacity to instantly review images, by TV
screen if you
wish, as you take them. This allows the photographer to assess the images to be
certain that the
required content is there and that exposure and framing are acceptable (and the
model's eyes really
were open when the flash went off). As you cannot control aperture directly through
the camera
unless you use a proprietory flash unit (none of which had the power we needed to
light our large
room), any desired exposure and saturation must be found by experimentation. In
contrast to the
silver-halide process, where aperture can be minutely controlled in half-stop
increments, and where
particular combinations of aperture and shutter speed can give the same exposure to
the film yet
with quite different aesthetic effects (providing, for example, control over depth
of field) the digital
cameras have no such analogue. To illustrate, we found that over-lighting and
underexposing
manually did absolutely nothing for depth of field, so that creative tool could not
be used. The
reason for this is that the lens on this camera has a 17-mm focal length. I used
the fine setting (1.3
million pixels per image) on all shots, because we wanted the best possible final
images.
Annoyingly, you cannot select camera-to-subjcct distance manually either, which
means that you
must rely on the auto-focus mechanism. In low light this can be a little slow, or
the camera may
refuse to focus until you realign it onto part of the subject that triggers the
mechanism into action.
In the studio situation, measuring the distance to the subject (especially if most
of the images will
be recorded from the same position) gives perfect focus and perfect exposure every
time, once you
have found the best subject distance and flash intensity settings.

We wanted the photos to look as natural as possible—but as anyone who has done this
kind of
photography knows, what looks natural and uncontrived takes a lot of time and
effort. 1 made a
huge wood and paper background to shoot against (4.5 by 2.7 metres; it was still
too small for
some shots) and we used this for most of the images, to avoid the background
clutter of an exercise
studio. I used a blue background because blue is furthest away from flesh tones,
with the intention
that Jeremy would drop it out electronically to the manufactured white background
that we
wanted in the final pictures to give us maximum creativity in the final look of the
photos.

I used a single studio Hensel (lash unit to light the sets, bouncing the light out
of an umbrella, and
mostly aligned direedy above the camera lens, to avoid shadows on the background
walls (we shot
against them if they were necessary to the exercises) and on the paper background,
I decided that
we needed to show the actual room and equipment we use in the classes for some of
the exercises,
and this created a number of lighting problems, which this on-axis approach (while
having a
flattening effect admittedly) mostly bypasses. 1 blocked off the flash light sensor
and the red-eye
light on the camera with gaffer tape, so the on-camera flash would fire at full
power. An aluminium
foil reflector taped on to the camera body bounced all of this light up to the
studio strobe trigger
unit. The umbrella, as sole light source, helped achieve a softer modelling of the
teachers’ feces
(while not doing much for mine!). Additionally, by eliminating the flash light
coming from the
camera and shooting manually (not using the automatic exposure facility) 1 was able
to control the
final exposure more directly. Flash synchronisation trigger-voltage incompatibility
meant that I
had to use the on-camera flash to trigger the big unit, and this was an additional
reason for using
the on-camera hand-made reflector.

In a book with this many photographs, the time for developing original film and
having proofs
made, then transferring the negatives to Compact Disc (which was the method Jeremy
and I used
for Overcome neck & back pain), and the sheer expense of conventional photography
meant that
we could not use it, even if we had wanted to. In using digital images, the main
cost (in addition
to the equipment) is how much time the graphic artist needs to spend to make the
images
acceptable, both aesthetically (does the image show sufficient detail to allow
someone to imitate
the form of the movement and is it pleasing to the eye?) and technically (how will
it look when
convened to dot screen and printed using conventional printing presses?). This
meant that we
needed to run a few tests and shoot at specific distances to get as dose as
possible to even and
repeated exposure on all images (recall that we were not using automatic exposure).

The teachers and I decided to show the exercises wearing the sort of clothes we
teach and practise
in—and this is an interesting mixture. As we were using our usual room (apart from
the
background) we felt that the clothes represented gave more of a feeling of being in
the classes than
a studio background with everyone wearing leotards would have. You will have to let
us know
whether this was a good choice!

To anyone contemplating doing something similar, I recommend insisting on asking

the publisher
to run tests of your images before you commit the entire book to CDRom (or
whichever medium
you are using). This is because printing presses vary considerably and, for
example, the presses
being used by the publisher may not be able to hold the resolution of the images
you supply. Too
fine a dot will not print; accordingly, the printed images will be too light. On
some illustrations
for the USA edition of Overcome neck & back pain, for example, this meant we had to
lower the
screen ruling of the mezzotint to the point where the dots could be held by the
presses to produce
images of acceptable density.

Recommended reading list

All of the references mentioned here have helped me to understand what happens to
us as we
stretch. Some readers may be surprised by the age of the books mentioned in this
list, as there is a
widespread tendency to place greater reliance on more recent publications, on the
assumption that
the scientific enterprise moves forwards continually. In my experience, however,
the earliest
possible sources are often the best, even if subsequent work reveals errors of
various kinds.
Innovators create fields of enquiry; subsequent researchers provide refinement of
detail. Both kinds
of enquiry are necessary to fuller understanding. The big ideas usually appear in
earlier works.
Albrecht, K., 1979. Stress and the Manager: making it work for you. Simon &
Schuster, New
York, Touchstone edition, 1986. Foreword by Hans Selye. One of the earliest texts
in the field of
occupational stress; relevant and practical. Contains a good relaxation script.

Alter, M. J., 1988. Science of Stretching. Human Kinetics Books, Champaign,

Illinois. A wealth
of scientific detail underlying the practical dimensions of stretching.

Benson, H., 1976. The Relaxation Response. Collins, London. This very small book is
a minor
gem, condensing a great deal of technical research into meditation and similar
practices.

Chiba, S., Ishibashi, Y., and Kasai, T., 1994. Perforation of dorsal branches of
the sacral nerve
plexus through the piriformis muscle and its relation to changes of segmental
arrangements of the
vertebral column and others. Kaibogaku Zasshi (Acta Anatomica Nippon).

Damasio, A. R., 1994. Descartes’ Error: emotion, reason and the human brain.
Macmillan,
London, Papermac edition, 1996. The most influential book I read in 1997, and which
provides
a deep understanding of the relation between the ‘mind' and the ‘body’. It is my
sincere hope that
Stretching & Flexibility can provide some of the tools to alter the perception of,
and the function
of, this dualism.

Jerome, J., 1987. Staying Supple: the bountiful pleasures of stretching. Bantam
Books, New
York. The 'Unnumbered lesson' derives much from this slim but rich publication. 1
had extolled
the pleasure of stretching long before I found this book, but Jerome made me think
again about
how the points between the cardinal points on our stretching compass need to be
explored. His
insistence on the necessity of listening to what the body is trying to tell you
cannot be
overemphasised in achieving the goal of flexibility. Are you listening?

Johnson, M., 1987. The Body in the Mind: the bodily basis of meaning, imagination,
and
reason. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. This brilliant book examines the ways
in which our
body and its movement through time and space is constitutive of thought, from basic
awareness
to abstract concepts, via image schemata and metaphor. Although Johnson’s focus is
different, his
insights are compatible with Damasio's. Perhaps the negative prejudice accorded the
body (in
comparison with the mind) explains why Johnsons ideas are not more central to
mainstream
philosophy.

Juhan, D., 1987. Job’s Body: A Handbook for Bodywork. Station Hill Press, New York.
Foreword by Ken Dychtwald. I read this wonderful book many years before Damasio's;
when I
read the latter I was reminded of the many insights Juhan had achieved without the
new
biochemical and neurological evidence presented in Descartes’ Error. The
understanding provided
by direct experience, and acts of imagination constrained by this experience, can
be far-reaching
indeed. Juhan’s book should be read by all who describe themselves as body workers.

Kapandji, I. A., 1974. The Physiology of the Joints. Volumes I—III. Churchill
Livingstone,
Edinburgh. This is the first and finest exposition of the anatomy and physiology of
the bones and

muscles of the body, presented from an engineering and Newtonian physics

perspective. The sheer
comprehensiveness of these texts is humbling and they are beautifully and
innovatively illustrated.
Kapandji’s capacity to draw the fundamental physical principles involved in joint
movement in a
simple, though anything but simplistic, way is an inspiration. This is a must-have
set of books for
anyone interested in exercise or rehabilitation.

Keleman, S., 1985. Emotional Anatomy: the structure of experience. Center Press,
Berkeley.
Kelcman argues persuasively that one’s own body shape is a dynamic interaction
between one’s
genetic inheritance and one’s personal emotional history. His work is a
considerable elaboration of
Reich’s insights (sec below) into character armoring. Of particular interest is his
analysis of the
internal implications of this history, and its efFect on organ function, the
musculoskeletal
dimension, and the emotional choices that are made as a result, all of which
constrain options for
future adaptation. Remarks made above in relation to Damasio's work are relevant
here, too.
Kendall, H. O., Kendall, F .P., and Wadsworth, G. P„ 1971. Muscles, Testing and
Function.
Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, 2nd edition. Again, the original and, in many
ways, the best. A
newer revised edition is available.

Knott, M., and Voss, D. E., 1968. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. Harper
& Row,
New York. The first of its kind: two subsequent editions have been released.

Kurz, T., 1994. Stretching Scientifically: a guide to flexibility training.

Stadion, Island Pond,
Vermont, USA, revised 3rd edition. Kurz's book has some useful ideas on developing
dynamic
flexibility; athletes in sports requiring this kind of flexibility would do well to
read it. He is critical
of partner stretching, though: too dangerous and inefficient, on his account. His
theory chapter is
brief and excellent.

Laughlin, K., 1998. Overcome Neck & Back Pain, first published 1995, by BodyPress,
Canberra;
second edition Simon & Schuster, Sydney; revised third edition, Simon & Schuster,
New York. All
relevant details of how we approach the treatment of neck and back problems will be
found here,
as will the references on which the approach draws. For example, the Chiba et al.
research that
revealed the high percentage of the general population whose piriformis muscle is
pierced by the
sciatic nerve will be found here. This reference is included, above.

Reich, W„ 1989. The Function of the Orgasm. Souvenir Press, London. First published
in
English, 1942, as The Discovery ofthe Orgone, Volume I: the function ofthe orgasm ,
Orgone Institute
Press. Through his insistence that ‘muscular attitudes and character attitudes have
the same
function in the psychic mechanism ... they cannot be separated ... [and] are
identical in their
function', Reich gave modern voice to what are now called schools of body work.

Selye, H., 1976. The Stress of Life. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York. Revised
edition 1976,
paperback edition 1978. This book, first published in 1956, spawned a major field
of research and
remains relevant today. Selye’s insights are one of the longest-lasting major
revisions in modern
medicine and the full weight of his research is yet to be felt.

Travell, J. G., and Simons, D. G., Volume 1, 1983; Volume 2, 1992. Myofascial Pain
and
Dysfunction: the trigger point manual. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore. Another
monument of
scholarship, Travell and Simons's two volumes are, in my experience, owned by many
but
understood by few. Like Kapandji, these books repay constant revisiting, and one
cannot help
feeling awed by the sheer hard work involved in their preparation. The
illustrations of muscles and
bones by Barbara Cummings are the best I have ever seen.

General index

1. Page locators in italics indicate pages located in

a named exercise

2. Page locators with an ’asterisk indicate

diagrams

3. Page locators in bold indicate pages of major

4. Word entries in italics indicate (Latin) named

anatomical structures

5. A separate index of named exercises follows this

general index

abdominal muscles 108, 197

see also rectus abdominis (‘abs’)
abductors (general)
see also individual named muscles
shoulder 170

thigh 32, 92-3, 98, 177, 179-80, 182, 187,

195,240, 243-4
acetabular rim 93
Achilles tendon *23, 61, 63
adductor brevis 92
adductor longus "66, 92
adductor magnus *60, 92
adductor pollicis 199

adductors of thigh (general)66-7, 70, 88, 92-3,

97, 98, 100, 126, 152, 157, 179, 187, 195,
226, 240, 241, 243
see also individual named muscles
see also hip movements & muscles
aerobics 15

AFL football & footballers 252, 253

ageing 54, 55, 247
agonist muscle groups 57
anatomy

connective tissue 18-19

fascia 18

importance of (in technique) 16

muscles 18-19
skin 18
ankle

flexion 62, 64, 195, 196, 197, 209

general 216,255
inversion & eversion 147, 196
sprain 196

antagonist muscle groups 57

aponeurosis 23
arches (of foot) 189, 220
athletes 10, 15, 57, 75
autogenic inhibition 18

back pain 34

badminton & badminton players 252

balancing exercises 241
baseball & baseball players 254
basketball & basketballcrs 253
benzodiazepines 17

biceps brachii (‘biceps’) *21, *42, 46-7, 48, 54-5,

122, 164, 183, 254

biceps femoris ‘23, *60, *61, 60-1, 92, 156, 213,

254

biofeedback 17
bodybuilders 252
Bol, Rcni 10
brachial plexus 40, 45, 48
brachialis 47
brachioradialis *22, 47
breathing 16-17
contract-relax and 11
posture & flexibility and 16-17, 20
tension and 16-17
tidal 17

Valsalva manouevre 11
C-R see contract-relax

calf muscles (general) 57, 58-74, 139, 176, 195,

209, 213, 220, 225, 226, 238
see also individual named muscles
cervical spine 25, *108, 166
Chinese splits 242
collagen 18-19
connective tissue 18-19
contract-relax (C-R) (general) 11-13
see also posture & flexibility
see also C-R stretches in individual exercise
descriptions
advantages of 12-13, 18
agonist/antagonist imbalance and 57
breathing and 11
contraction and 11,13,150

foot 188-9, 198, 220-1

flexibility and 13
history of 7-9
isometric contraction and 13
isotonic contraction and 13
posture & flexibility (C-R as element of) 10,
11-13

principles (ten) of 20-1

relaxation and 11,15
repetitions of 12
restretch and 11, 150

safety/cautions and 4-5, 10, 12, 14, 15, 20, 21,

25, 83

steps of 11-12
strength and 13
stretching and 11,12,150
contractions, isometric 9, 13, 72
contractions, isotonic 9, 13
contraction of muscles see contract-rclax
cool-down exercises 224
cricket & cricketers 254
cycling & cyclists 253

daily five (plus two) 25-41, 57

dancing & dancers 7, 75, 93, 97, 124, 151, 153,

17 A, 230,239

deltoid (‘delts’), anterior and posterior '22-3,

*37-8, *42-3, 46, 50, 54-5

dynamic forms classes 15

elastin 18

emotion 16-17, 19-20, 39, 121, 230

erector spinae 72, 95
eversion (of ankle) 147, 196

facet joints (of back) 28

general 8, 18, 105, 157,239

latissimtis dorsi “23
shoulder stretches and 42
fascia lata *60
femur 60, *68, *69, *75, *92, 93, *113
fibula 61
fingers 195, 198-9
flexibility see posture & flexibility
‘flight or fight’ syndrome 25

AFL 252, 253

rugby league 252, 253
rugby union 253
forearms 195
form 150

fimgal infections (feet) 188

gastrocnemius 13, *22-3, *60-1, *63

glenohumeral joint 170
glenoid fossa 170

gluteus maximus (‘glutes’) 13, *23, 34, *60, *61,

66-7, 131

gluteus medius "23, *66, 88, 201

gluteus minimus *60, 88, 201
golf & golfers 108, 255
gracilis *60, *66, 92, 102
groove, intertubcrcular 46
ground substance 18-19
gymnastics & gymnasts 75, 93, 97, 124, 153,
170, 174, 230, 239, 242, 248, 254

hamstrings (general) 57, 58-74, 89-90, 124,

125-38. 139, 154-8. 166, 174, 180, 187,
190, 195, 197, 202, 210, 212, 213, 214, 224,
226, 234, 236-7, 238, 241, 243-4, 250-1
see also specific muscles
description of h 57, 60, 75
duration of contraction of h 11
frequency of stretching of h 10
hip movements and h 57, 60, 75, 92-3, 154
knee movements and h 57, 60, 75
partial poses and h 13
partner assisted and h 14
‘pulled’ hamstring 57
tension and h 39
thrust (negative) and h 34
hands see wrist and fingers
hip movements & muscles (general)
see also individual named muscles
abduction 32, 92-3, 98,177,179-80,182,187,
195,240, 243

adductors (general) 66-7, 70, 88, 92-3, 97, 98,

100,126,152,157,179,187,195,226,240,
241,243-4
awareness of hip flexors 11
back pain and 34
calf muscles and 57, 61, 62, 63, 64
daily five and 25, 34-5
external rotators 34, 68, 195, 206-7
flexion 64-5, 66-7, 68-9, 72-3, 75, 75-6,
79-80, 108, 113, 115, 117, 128, 129, 154,
185,190,197,202,205,210,214,225,230,
234,237,239,249, 254, 255
hamstrings and 57, 60, 75
partial movements and 13
piriformis syndrome 68
seated forward bend and 5
hurdling & hurdlers 174, 210
hypnosis (self) 17

iliacus 11, *60, *66, 66-7, *75

ilio-psoas 75, 75-6, 79-80, 113
iliofemoral ligaments 93, *113, 113
ilium *68, *69, *113
infraspinatus *23, *43, 50, 170
intercostales (intercostals) 54—5, 239
intertubercular groove 46
intervertebral disc *75
inversion (of ankle) 147,189, 196
ischial tuberosity 34, 57, *113, 124, 241
isometric contractions 9, 13, 72
isotonic contractions 9, 13

JikyoJutsu 8

knee (general) 8, 13, 46, 57, 60, 63, 75. 83, 89,
97

knee ligament, medial 83, 210

kneecap (patella) *60, 63, *66, 70
Knott & Voss (physical therapists) 9, 20

latissimus dorsi (lats) *23, 32, 40, *42, *43, 52-3,

95,123,157,165

levator scapulae 25, *37, *38, *56, *122, 121-2,

137-8

ligaments (named)

iliofemoral 93, *113, 113

medial (knee) 83,210
pubofemoral 93, 97, *113, 113
lower-back problems 28, 190,221
lumbar spine see spine, lumbar

martial arts 15, 126-7, 151. 152,153, 174, 185,

195,242, 254
masse,er 38
meditation 17
metatarsals 189
muscles (general)
see also individual named muscles
agonist/antagonist muscle groups 57
anatomy & physiology 17-20
diagrams of *22-3, *37, *38. *39, *42, *43, *56,
•60, *61, *62. *66, *68, *69, *75
insertion of 60
origin of 60
pulling’ of 19, 57
tone (tonus) 17, 19-20

neck muscles (general) 37-9, 40-1, 56, 166-7,

216, 219-20

see also individual named muscles

see also spine, cervical
daily five and 25
diagrams of *37, *38, *39, *56
duration of contraction of 11
emotion and 39, 121
flexibility 195

neck, shoulder & relaxation classes 15

overcome neck and back pain workshops 95
netball & netballcrs 253

obliquus extemus (obliques) *22, 32,95, 110, 157

opponens pollicis 199

oriental medicine 8, 195

over-40s classes 15

overuse injuries 40, 199

paravertebrals see spinal muscles

partial poses 13-14
see also posture & flexibility
calf muscles and 60

effectiveness of 13-14
functional units and 13-14
hamstrings and 13. 60
partner-assisted exercises (general) 14—15
see also posture & flexibility
advantages of 14
choice of partner 14—15
hamstrings and 14
quadriceps mi 14
safety of 14, 15

patella (kneecap) “60, 63, “66, 70

pectineus ‘66, 92

pectoralis (pecs), major and minor “22, '38, '42,

54-5, *56, 182-3, 252

pelvis 34, 78, 92, “108, '113, 129, 179, 200

physiology (of stretching) 17-20

physiotherapy 15

pilates 15

piriformis 13, 16, 34, '60, '68, '69, 68-9, 135,

139, 150, 195, 203, 205, 207, 227, 228, 232,
243, 250

piriformis syndrome 68
postcontractive reflex depression 18
posture 8i flexibility (technique) 10-21
aerobics and 15
anatomy and 16,17-20
athletics and 15
breathing and 16-17, 20
constraints on 10, 15
contract-relax and 10,11-13
dynamic forms classes 15
effectiveness of 10, 15
elements of 10, 11-15
evolution of training 15-16
hatha yoga and 10
history of 10
martial arts and 15
neck, shoulder & relaxation classes 15
objective of 15, 16
ovcr-40s classes 15
partial poses and 10, 13-14
partner-assisted and 10,14-15
physiology of 17-20
physiotherapy and 15
pilates and 15

principles (ten) of 20-1

proprioception and 12, 19—20
relaxation and 11,15

safety/cautions and 4-5, 10, 12, 14, 15, 20, 21,

25 ,83

tension and 16-17, 19-20

tradition of 15-16
yoga and 15

pronation (of ankle) 62, 63, 189

proprioception 12, 19-20, 134, 191,238
proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)
9, 11,20

prostate gland 153

psoas 11, “60, '66, 66-7, '75
pubofemoral ligaments 93, 97, '113, 113
psychological aspects see emotion; tension
quadratus lumborum 32, '75, 95, 110, 157, 201
quadriceps (quads) 66-7, 75-6, 77, 78,81, 83—4,
90, 102, 115, 116, 117, 126, 129-30, 132,
143, 177, 184, 187, 190-1, 205, 210, 229,
230, 236-7, 238, 245, 249, 253

see also individual named component muscles

contraction (duration of) 11
diagram '22
hip flexor 75
partner-assisted and 14
stretching (frequency of) 10
tension and 39

racquet sports 252

rectus abdominis (‘abs’) '22, 57

rectus femoris '60, '66, 66-7, 79-80, 113

relaxation see contract-relax; posture & flexibility

reproductive organs 153

rhomboideus major & minor 25, 82, 119, '122

rock climbers 170

rotation of spine see spine, rotation

rotator cufT 46, 170,172

rugby league 252

running & runners 246, 253

sacrum “68,'69

safety/cautions 4-5,10,12,14,15,20,21,25 ,83

sartorius *60, '66, 79, 113

scalenus group 121 sternoclavicular joint *122, 122

scalenus posterior *37, 38 stemomastoid *37, *38, *39, *56, 56

sedentary occupations 54 sternum 183

segmental nerves 68, 69 stress see tension

self-hypnosis 17 stretching

sciatic nerve & sciatica pain see also contract-relax; posture 8c flexibility

calf muscles and 61, 209 ballistic 12

diagrams “68, *69, *75 breathing and 16-17

piriformis syndrome 68 cautions/safety 4-5, 10, 12, 14, 15, 20, 21, 25

semimembranosus *23, *60, *61, 60-1, 156

semitendinosus *23, “60, *61, 60-1, 92, 156
serratus anterior *22, *42
shin splints 77
Shoshin Centre 10

shoulder 25, 42, 42-56, 70, 162-3, 168-72,

239, 252, 255

see also individual named muscles

abduction 170
diagrams *42, *43
external rotators 50, 170-1
fascia and 42
flexion 239, 254
glenohumeral joint 170
glenoid fossa 170
internal rotators 170
intcrtubercular groove and 46
pectorals and 42
rotator cuff and 46
skin 18
soccer 253
softball 254

soleus *23, *60, *61, 61, 62

spinal muscles (paravertebrals) 21, 25, 32,54, 72,

78, 119

cervical 25, *108, 166

lumbar 75, 78, *108, 133,166, 177, 201, 230,

232,233, 239, 243, 244, 255
rotation of 20, 21, 30-1, 42, 58-9, 90, 105-6,
110-11, 136-7, 144,145,157,162-4, 181,
193, 200,212,224,228, 232, 253, 255
thoracic 103-4, *108, 113, 166,230,239, 255
splenius *37, *38
splits 242

squash & squash players 108, 252

83

rationale for 1-2

tension and 17
static 12
straddle 242
subscapularis 170
supraspiruttus 170
swimming & swimmers 255
tennis & tennis players 108,252
tension

body and emotion 19-20, 39, 230

breathing and 16-17
'flight or fight' syndrome 25
muscle groups and 39, 121
tensor fasciae latae *22, 32, *60, *61, *66, 88
teres major *23, *43
teres minor *43, 50, 170
thixotropy 18

thoracic spine 103-4, *108, 113, 166, 230, 239

thrust (ncgaiivc/positivc) 34
thumb see fingers
tibia 61

tibialis anterior *22, 77

toes 148, 188-9, 196, 220-1
tonus see muscles-tone

trapezius *22, *23, 25, *37, *38, *39, *43, *56,

*122, 121-2, 138

triceps brachii *23, *42, *43, 52, 100, 252

tuberosity(ies)

intertubercular groove ( humerus) 46

ischial (pelvis) 34, 57, *113, 124, 241

Valsalva manouevre 11
vastus intermedius *60
vastus lateralis *60, *61, *66

vastus medialis *60, *66

vertebral body *75, 75, 113, 166
volleyball 253

Voss, Knott & (physical therapists) 9, 20

wrist 195, 198-9, 216

writer’s cramp 199

yoga 10, 15, 25, 97, 151, 153, 166, 174, 211,
230, 239,246

Index of named exercises

1. Numbers in (bold) are rhe numbers given to

the exercises as listed in Contents

2. Some exercises are unnumbered in Contents

(37) abdominal curls over support 108—9, 254,

255
(9) arm across body 44-5, 107, 169
(13) arm behind head 52-3, 173
(90) balancing straight legs apart 241
(2) backward bend from floor 28-9, 81, 117,
178, 227, 252, 254, 255
(21) buttock fid hip flexor 66-7, 128, 185-6,
189, 210, 253

(6) chin to chest 37, 122, 168, 218, 229, 255

daily five (plus two) 25-41
(1) floor clasped feet middle and upper back
25-6, 82, 161,215,254
(16) floor face down arm 8d leg lifts, 8d abdo.
curls 58-60, 95, 163, 253

(42) floor feet held back bend 118, 191, 229

(67) floor feet sequence warm-up 188-9, 196,

221

(18) floor folded leg calf (soleus) 62, 196, 255

(48) floor forward bend over bent legs 135, 183,
193, 222, 234, 244, 252
(78) floor forward bend over straight leg,
hurdlers variation 210
(23) floor instep 77, 196, 220, 255
(15) floor neck rotation 56, 169, 220
(29) floor side bend over straight leg; other
folded 95

(20) floor single leg calf 64, 253

(71) floor wrist and hand sequence 198-9, 220

(43) folded legs clasped knees upper back

119-20, 169, 191,204, 255

(96) forward bend over straight legs 250-1

free squat ankles clasped bottom position 202
free squat bottom position, ankles clasped,
straighten legs sequence 224
free squats warm-up, knees apart, revisited
184-5

free squats warm-up, knees pressed apart by

elbows 151

free squats warm-up, partner or solo 75-6

free squats warm-up, with held positions 125,

174, 208

(72) kneeling elbow on floor rotation 200

(63) legs apart, off support 179-80, 234
(22) lying hip 68-9

(57) lying legs behind 166-7, 183, 215, 218,

235
(3) lying rotation 30-1, 181, 255

(38) lying rotations 110, 164, 253, 255

martial arts warm-up, one foot flat; solo, bars or
partner 152, 174, 185, 195

martial arts warm-up with partner 126-7, 185

middle and upper back (floor clasped feet) 25-6,
29, 222

middle and upper back (from chair) 27, 29

(7) neck side bend 40, 55, 107, 122, 169, 218
(49) partner all fours rotation 136-7, 173, 193,
215

(12) partner arm up behind shoulder blade

50-1, 106, 173

(11) partner arms up behind back 48-9, 107,

172

(27) partner backward bend over support 85-7,

112, 160, 178, 202, 223, 252, 253

(58) partner bar shoulder flexion with hip

traction 168-70, 229

(77) partner bar standing calf 209

(83) partner floor back bend, off support 230-1,
239

(85) partner floor backward bend 233

(76) partner floor external hip rotator 205
(87) partner floor hamstring 8 c lower back 238
(46) partner floor hip 8c hamstring 129-31
(35) partner floor middle 8c upper back bend
103-4, 255

(70) partner floor single leg, both legs calf 197,

225

(17) partner floor single leg forward bend 60-1,

72-3, 132

(73) partner floor wall seated side bend 201-2

(10) partner front arm 46-7, 164, 254

(39) partner hip flexor 113-15, 214

(65) partner kneeling arms up 8c behind 182-3

(28) partner lying hamstring, knee flexed 89-90,

187,253

(8) partner lying rotation 42-3, 70, 90, 160,

224, 252, 254
(66) partner lying ‘Y’ 187, 214
(47) partner partial front splits, off support
133-4,214, 234,247

(55) partner seated legs apart 157-61, 176, 181,

222, 254

(40) partner seated/lying single leg quadriceps

115.209

(44) partner shoulder depress 121-2, 218

(50) partner shoulder depress with flexion &
lateral flexion 137-8, 164, 204, 219
(36) partner/solo floor lying bottom leg folded
rotation 105-6,118,161
(31) partner/solo kneeling knees apart 98-9

(60) partner/solo shoulder external rotation

171-2

(59) partner/solo shoulder internal rotation

170-1

(52) partner/solo standing single leg forward

bend 155

(31) partner/solo wall lying bent legs apart 100

(41) partner standing suspended hip flexor, with

support 116-17

(81) partner wall reverse legs apart forward bend

226

(61) partner wall seated knees apart 175-6, 240

(62) partner wall seated legs apart, facing wall

177

(53) partner wall standing hamstring 156

(54) partner wall squat knees apart 156

(75) seated clasped bent leg upper back 204
(5) seated hip 34-7,227

(55) seated legs apart, solo version 222

see also partner seated legs apart

(74) seated legs folded knees apart forward bend

203

(26) seated/lying single leg quadriceps 83-4,

132, 209

(64) seated or standing bent leg rotation 182,

184-5, 235
(56) sideways bend across support 165, 223
(92) sitting and standing peacocks 246

solo external hip rotator; with support 206-7

standing alternate leg forward bend warm-up

71, 163, 208, 253, 254, 255

(51) standing clasped single bent leg hamstring

154,253

(79) standing forward bend over bent and

straight leg 211-12,252,253

(68) standing horizontal one leg support 190—1

standing legs apart warm-up, bent & straight legs

93-5, 152

(24) standing quadriceps 78, 252, 253

standing rag-doll warm-up 162—3, 217

(4) standing side bend 32-3,88, 112, 181,253,

254

(25) standing suspended hip flexor 79-80, 127,

185-6, 205, 210, 214, 225, 253, 254, 255

(69) standing ‘Y’ one leg support 192-3, 254

(94) ultimate abdominal workout 248

(88) ultimate back bend 239, 254

(89) ultimate bent-leg hip adductor 240

(93) ultimate front splits 247, 254

(91) ultimate legs-apart stretch 242-5, 254

(95) ultimate quadriceps and hip flexor 249

(86) ultimate quadriceps stretch 236-7
(45) upper back on all fours 123

(80) wall and floor knccling/straight leg outer

hamstring 213

(82) wall lunge rotation 228, 232

(33) wall lying straight legs apart 101

(14) wall middle and upper back backward bend

54-5, 161,252, 253, 254, 255
(30) wall seated knees apart 97-8, 153, 253

(34) wall seated straight legs apart 102, 221

(84) wall squatting rotation 232

(19) wall standing calf ( gastrocnemius) 63, 195,

197, 208, 220, 252, 253, 255
(9) wall standing legs apart warm-up 176