Stretching

This DVD is based on Bob Anderson's well-known book by the same name. It provides a solid introduction to basic athletic-type stretch, albeit in a rather dry manner.

The DVD is nicely chaptered; I've listed the chapters (along with the times as given on the menu) and added my own short descriptions below.

Getting Started, 7:09. This is a short educational segment about stretching which begins by showing people engaged in various athletic activities and stretches (somewhat dated-looking). Bob Anderson then comes on screen and reviews his philosophy of stretching. He emphasizes that stretching is NOT exercise and that stretches should feel comfortable at all times; he focuses on "easy" and "developmental" stretches as opposed to "intense" stretches. Bob also introduces his two models, Marlon and Debbie.

Neck and Back Stretches, 12:14. In this first segment, Bob leads Marlon through a series of very gentle stretches for the back, mostly from a reclined position. There are no neck-specific stretches, but Bob reminds you to keep your neck in alignment with your back.

Legs, Groin, Hips, and Feet Stretches, 12:30. Here, Bob leads Debbie through a nice series of standing and sitting stretches for the lower body. Most of the stretches are held for a longer duration (about 15 seconds), and Bob also includes instructions on massaging your feet, although only one foot is demonstrated.

Upper Body Stretches, 10:20. This was my favorite stretch segment. Starting from kneeling and moving to standing, Bob again leads Marlon, this time focusing on stretches for the shoulders, neck, and torso; it ends with a nice upper body twist.

Everyday Stretches (A Daily Routine), 12:29. This final segment is instructed by Bob alone via voiceover. Here, Bob includes stretches from each of the above segments to form a nice full-body routine. However, because there are more stretches included, he also moves more quickly through each stretch; I would have liked to see some longer holds here. In addition, I found the music quite distracting and jarring, as it alternated between loud bells/chimes and no music at all, which I did not feel was very conducive to relaxation.

Soemthing about this DVD didn't really "click" with me; as mentioned above, I found it to be quite dry (Bob barely cracks a smile the entire time) and thus not very relaxing. However, this is a solid athletic stretch DVD that could be very useful to someone who is looking for short stretching routines to incorporate into their fitness regimine and/or daily life.

Instructor Comments:
Bob is quite serious and dry, although his instruction was fine. However, I was disappointed that the stretches weren't held for longer periods--in his intro, he suggested that most stretches be held 15-30 seconds, but he definitely did not hold them for this long.

Beth C (aka toaster)

This tape consists mostly of Bob Anderson teaching about stretches, but I haven't watched that section for years (although I vaguely recall that it is informative and useful). What I find useful are the final 13 minutes, "the everyday stretches." Bob Anderson shows an efficient series of stretches for neck, torso, back, and legs. I find that this is just the perfect thing to tag onto a workout that is stretch deficient.

mel VF