The Genius of Flexibility by Bob Cooley

[TomFurman]

http://physicalstrategies.blogspot.com/ ... ooley.html

I went thru the first series and it takes some getting used to. His theory on strength stretching is interesting. The meridian stuff relative to organs and ailments I'll buy to a degree since I have been around martial arts for years. The personality qualities attached to the stretches is a leap. Too New Age for my taste.

Some of the stretches are familiar, some aren't. They felt real good. These techniques should be used alternately with a systemic system like Yoga for Real Guys, or Maxwellian Joint Mobility. There are some nice shoulder and hip stretches for those of you who need help in those areas.

This book is well put together. He has a tape out with more to come, and guess what???? A certification program. Anyone on IGX can figure this book out and add some tools to their tool box.

[Shafpocalypse Now]

I saw that on your blog. Looked interesting. Will probably pick it up.

I did find the explanations on the website to be extremely reminiscent of some of the original "Beyond Stretching" stuff by Pavel.

[Abandoned by Wolves]

http://physicalstrategies.blogspot.com/ ... ooley.html

I went thru the first series and it takes some getting used to. His theory on strength stretching is interesting. The meridian stuff relative to organs and ailments I'll buy to a degree since I have been around martial arts for years. The personality qualities attached to the stretches is a leap. Too New Age for my taste.

Some of the stretches are familiar, some aren't. They felt real good. These techniques should be used alternately with a systemic system like Yoga for Real Guys, or Maxwellian Joint Mobility. There are some nice shoulder and hip stretches for those of you who need help in those areas.

This book is well put together. He has a tape out with more to come, and guess what???? A certification program. Anyone on IGX can figure this book out and add some tools to their tool box.

Agreed. I wrote a review of the book on Amazon which said about the same thing. The bare bones DVD (available on customflix.com) of the 1.0 exercises is a valuable supplement to the book and is actually more useful in learning the exercises. Cooley substitutes a couple of exercises from the 2.0 level for the "grapevine" and widelegged forward bend, and these exercises are actually easier to learn and do.

I play around with them at odd moments (after the important do-every-day parts of my routine), and the exercises are beginning to feel more natural. Not bad, in any case.

[Mickey O'neil]

How does this compare to Pavel's Strength Stretching, which I was planning on getting?

[TomFurman]

Haven't seen Pavel's DVD. We did some of that on the beach in San Diego a few years ago.

Pavel's is more practical. "Will this stretch make my squat stronger?"

Bob Cooley is more esoteric. " Will this stretch make me a better human?"

[Shafpocalypse Now]

OK. I picked up this book at the library. It's interesting. The stretching theory is worthwhile and different too.

What's fucked up is that with the first three demonstration exercises:

1. I cannot grab my foot in that position. Too fat/big/inflexible...? I am not an inflexibly mess, but I cannot do that. Had to use a strap.

2. The quad thing...super hard to stay upright if I am against a wall. This stretch was one I felt had an immediate value to. Most quad stretching only hits my lower quad, this I felt along the entire length of the upper leg.

3. The grapevine arms...once again, I could not get into this position...it's some "eagle" yoga position, right? I had a yoga instructor bitch at me for not being able to get into it too. The reality? My arms are probably too big. While doing this my bicep cramped. What the fuck?

The book is some seriously hippy dippy goofy new agey philosophy coupled with some very hardcore stretching tactics. I'll be messing around with it for a few weeks, I imagine. Not that I don't mind the meridian stuff, or even the new agey stuff, but some people can't stand it and it'll be an immediate turn off.

[TomFurman]

I agree. Diamond Dallas rules for big guys. You're size and mass limit some of the positions. I assume the one muscular guy in the book is the SEAL he mentioned. The rest of the group is from a Commune. Granola heads.

The ideas for stretching are good however.

[Abandoned by Wolves]

OK. I picked up this book at the library. It's interesting. The stretching theory is worthwhile and different too.

What's fucked up is that with the first three demonstration exercises:

1. I cannot grab my foot in that position. Too fat/big/inflexible...? I am not an inflexibly mess, but I cannot do that. Had to use a strap.

2. The quad thing...super hard to stay upright if I am against a wall. This stretch was one I felt had an immediate value to. Most quad stretching only hits my lower quad, this I felt along the entire length of the upper leg.

3. The grapevine arms...once again, I could not get into this position...it's some "eagle" yoga position, right? I had a yoga instructor bitch at me for not being able to get into it too. The reality? My arms are probably too big. While doing this my bicep cramped. What the fuck?

The book is some seriously hippy dippy goofy new agey philosophy coupled with some very hardcore stretching tactics. I'll be messing around with it for a few weeks, I imagine. Not that I don't mind the meridian stuff, or even the new agey stuff, but some people can't stand it and it'll be an immediate turn off.

The DVD makes substitutions for those three exercises which are easier to do (and learn). (It took me 4 months before I could come close to doing "grapevine arms", btw.) Whether it's worth spending another $20 to learn them is debatable. The models on the DVD are mostly skinny young people, so it's not especially inspiring for bigger, stronger weightlifter and MA types.

The "previews" for later DVDs in the series (assisted exercises and "advanced" exercises) look pretty interesting.