Stretching For Dummies

290 Pages·2007·7.96 MB·English

Stretching
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
by LaReine Chabut
with Madeleine Lewis
Stretching For Dummies®
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006939586
ISBN: 978-0-470-06741-3
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Author
LaReine Chabutis a lifestyle and fitness expert, model, and mom. She’s the author of
Exercise Balls For Dummies(Wiley) and Lose That Baby Fat!(M. Evans) and is a contributing
fitness expert for Shape Fit Pregnancymagazine. LaReine has served as the lead instructor
forAmerica’s number one exercise video series The Firm(over three million copies sold
worldwide) and has graced the covers of such high-profile fitness publications as Shape,
Health, New Body,and Runner’s World.She has appeared on CNN, ABC, FOX News, EXTRA,
Access Hollywood, Good Day LA, and KABC and is a premier trainer for Ipods (see www.
podfitness.com/lareinechabut) along with Kathy Smith, David Kirsch, and other top
trainers in their field.
As an actress, LaReine penned a sitcom with Meg Ryan entitled Below the Radarfor the Fox
Network and Castle Rock Entertainment. She has co-written and starred in two short films:
Separation Anxiety,which broadcast on Lifetime Television, and Good Jill Hunting,which
aired on the Sundance Channel. Her series regular and guest starring appearances include
Linc’s, Nash Bridges, The Secret World of Alex Mack, USA High, The Single Guy, Strange Luck,
Murder She Wrote, andQuantum Leap,to name a handful.
To read more about LaReine, check out her Web sites at www.lareinechabut.comor
www.losethatbabyfat.com.

Dedication
To my newborn daughter Sofia Rose (who arrived on the first deadline of this book), her new
big sister Bella, and my husband Bobby . . . you are my world. And to the many readers who
purchase this book because they need a good stretch — I hope you get one!
Author’s Acknowledgments
Stretching For Dummiesis my third book, and once again I have to thank Rob Dyer at Wiley
for encouraging me to write in the first place. I certainly couldn’t have done it without his
guidance. My literary agent, Danielle Egan-Miller, also deserves big thanks for pushing me to
write this book, knowing that the birth of my second daughter was on the horizon (she’s a
mom, too, and knows how hard it is to multitask). That being said, I have to give special
thanks to Madeleine Lewis for all her help . . . I couldn’t have done it without her.
Writing a book such as this requires a lot of teamwork, so I’d like to thank the entire staff
atWiley, including Kristin DeMint, my project editor, who was very enthusiastic with the
material and really made the book flow. Lindsay Lefevere, acquisitions editor, who couldn’t
believe there wasn’t a For Dummiesbook on stretching and called me on Stacy Kennedy’s
suggestion. Copy editor, Carrie Burchfield, for making my sentences flow smoothly, and
photo editor Carmen Krikorian, who once again helped me produce such fantastic photos.
The photographer, Tilden Patterson (who also had a new baby a few weeks after me),
deserves a big thanks for making everybody look so good and for shooting 165 stretches in
one day! You’re awesome, Tilden . . . And special thanks from Madeleine Lewis to Dr. Jerry
Hizon MD, FAAFP, and to Denise Klatte, MPT, for sharing their knowledge and perspective.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at
www.dummies.com/register/.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development Composition Services
Project Editor: Kristin DeMint Project Coordinator:Jennifer Theriot
Acquisitions Editor: Lindsay Lefevere Layout and Graphics:Melanee Prendergast,
Heather Ryan
Copy Editor: Carrie A. Burchfield
Anniversary Logo Design:Richard Pacifico
Technical Editor: David L. Walston, ATC; Assistant
Athletic Trainer for the Indianapolis Colts Proofreaders: John Greenough, Jessica Kramer,
Susan Moritz, Techbooks
Senior Editorial Manager: Jennifer Ehrlich
Indexer: Techbooks
Editorial Assistants:Erin Calligan, Joe Niesen,
David Lutton, Leeann Harney Special Help
Carmen Krikorian
Cover Photos: © Tilden Patterson (www.
tildenphoto.com)
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies
Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies
Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies
Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel
Kelly Regan,Editorial Director, Travel
Publishing for Technology Dummies
Andy Cummings,Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User
Composition Services
Gerry Fahey,Vice President of Production Services
Debbie Stailey,Director of Composition Services
Contents at a Glance
Introduction.................................................................................1
Part I: The Why’s, Where’s, When’s, and How’s
of Letting Loose and Snapping Back..............................................7
Chapter 1: Here a Stretch, There a Stretch, Everywhere a Stretch, Stretch.........................................9
Chapter 2: Preparing for a More Flexible You.........................................................................................19
Chapter 3: Testing Your Flexibility to Establish Your Stretching Routine..........................................29
Part II: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes:
Targeting Specific Areas.............................................................45
Chapter 4: Taking It from the Top: Upper Body Stretches....................................................................47
Chapter 5: Centering on the Core: Stretches for Your Middle..............................................................67
Chapter 6: Soothing Your Lower Back without Paying for a Massage.................................................77
Chapter 7: From Your Knickers to Your Kickers: Stretches for your Bottom Half.............................93
Chapter 8: Total-Body Stretch Routines................................................................................................115
Part III: From the Daily Grind to Ways to Unwind:
Routines to Fit Your Life and Needs...........................................135
Chapter 9: When the Cock Crows and the Evening Wind Blows: AM/PM Stretch Routines...........137
Chapter 10: Stretching Out the Workday: Stretches for Work and for the Road..............................151
Chapter 11: Basic Warm-Up and Cool-Down Stretch Routines...........................................................165
Chapter 12: My Favorite Stretches for Specific Sports........................................................................187
Part IV: Getting Limber As You Live:
Stretches for Various Life Stages...............................................205
Chapter 13: What to Stretch When You’re Expecting . . . and After...................................................207
Chapter 14: Family Fun: Kid-Friendly Stretches...................................................................................217
Chapter 15: Seventh Inning Stretch: Special Stuff for Seniors............................................................233
Part V: The Part of Tens............................................................243
Chapter 16: Ten Common Aches and Pains and Stretches that Can Help........................................245
Chapter 17: Ten Surprising Around-the-House Stretching Accessories............................................249
Index.......................................................................................253