By Brad Walker



Everyone from regular exercisers to professional sportspeople and health/fitness practitioners knows the importance of stretching the muscles both before and after physical exercise. Many books have even been written on the subject. But The Anatomy of Stretching, written by Brad Walker – an Australian sports trainer who works with elite-level and world champion athletes – is like no other.



''It''s very helpful to be able to see the exact muscles that are being stretched,'' explains Walker. ''That''s why The Anatomy of Stretching takes a more fundamental approach than other books by taking the reader inside the body to show exactly what is happening during a stretch.''



Aimed at fitness professionals such as chiropractors, physical therapists, masseurs, sports coaches and personal trainers, as well as amateur and professional sports people, The Anatomy of Stretching looks at stretching from every angle, including physiology, flexibility and the benefits of stretching, as well as rules for safe stretching and how to stretch properly.



''When stretching is done incorrectly, soft tissue injury, muscle strains and ligament sprains are very common,'' explains Walker. But by having a greater understanding of exactly what happens to the muscles during stretching, you can not only stretch safely but more effectively too. ''For instance, being able to see and then target some of the smaller, deeper muscles within the body allows you to really zero in on any problem areas,'' he adds.



The Anatomy of Stretching is unique in that it contains 300 full-colour anatomical illustrations that show the primary and secondary muscles worked in 114 key stretches. There are stretches for all areas of the body including the neck and shoulders, arms and chest, stomach, back and sides, hips and buttocks, legs, ankles and feet. Each stretch includes essential information including:



• How to perform it

• Which muscles are being stretched

• Sports that benefit from the stretch

• Sports injuries that benefit from the stretch

• Tips on performing the stretch correctly

• Complementary stretches



In The Anatomy of Stretching, Walker also explains about the different types of stretching – as well as what they should be used for. ''To get the most out of your stretching – and avoid injury – it''s important that you use the right type of stretching for the right purpose at the right time,'' explains Walker. ''The two main types of stretching are static and dynamic: static stretching involves getting into the stretch and then holding for a period of time; dynamic stretching, on the other hand, refers to stretches that are performed with movement such as bouncing or slow, gentle swinging.



''Static stretching is most effective for improving flexibility and is best used after a work-out. It''s also very useful as an injury rehabilitation technique. Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, is more effective in conditioning the body for the demands of sport, and is the preferred choice for the pre-exercise warm-up.



''The biggest mistake I see people making by far is using the wrong type of stretching for the wrong purpose. Just doing the right type of stretching at the right time can make all the difference to both improving your flexibility and avoiding injury.''





About the author

Brad Walker, Assoc. Dip. Health Science (Sport and Exercise), is a prominent Australian sports trainer with more than 20 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. Brad graduated from the University of New England, and has postgraduate accreditations in athletics, swimming, and triathlon coaching. He is also the author of The Anatomy of Sports Injuries, published by Lotus Publishing.



The Anatomy of Stretching, an addition to the best-selling ‘The Anatomy of’ series of titles from Lotus Publishing, is priced £14.99 and is available from Waterstones, amazon.co.uk and www.lotuspublishing.co.uk.