autostretching0003

F -REWORD

Olaf Evjenth

Z>ć y ou ever feel stiff? Or suffer muscle pains? Then el? :? the book for you. It teaches you how to get rid ir • xir discomforts and avoid injuries.

Oo you exercise regularly? Or rarely, or not at all? li y our work heavy, monotonous or onesided? Or i x Ight?

i: your answer to any one of these ąuestions is yes, nec you should give yourself a test and start stretch-ng y : ur muscles. You’ll feel much better. This book •. -ritten for you, no matter what shape you’re in. : :cr muscles are very important for your generał v~_l-reing. To work well, they have to be tough, cg. and supple.

We‘ve studied muscle stretching for many years, jzc -e've found that muscles can be stretched - and e scretched - in lots of different ways. When we : rrrpared different methods, we discovered that the ~r depends a lot on how you do it. It’s all too easy .: ge: it wrong and do yourself an injury.

?iretch a muscle or muscle group correctly you tul-?.: snów what you’re doing and do it with care.

u? ;> why we demand certain basics from any BHEscIe exercise. It must:

•    icjrt and end in a safe position

•    gr. e maximum stretching effect without being

•    :c :otally safe for the tissues involved

•    -rgjire a minimum of eąuipment

- possible to do anywhere, at any time.

This is quite demanding, and our stretching exer-cises may seem morę difficult than others in current use. But experience shows that it’s better to leam something safe and effective, even if it is a little harder, than use a simple method that doesn’t give results - and may even be dangerous.

Take it as a challenge! This book describes Auto-stretching, a specific, safe and effective way of stretching your own contracted muscles. Look up an exercise and test yourself:

•    Are the movements described difficult for you? Then you need stretching to be able to move better - that is, stretching as treatment.

•    Can you do it without difficulty? You should still stretch from time to time for preventive reasons -to stay supple.

Correct muscle stretching should be part of your daily routine, just like brushing your teeth, washing your hands, and so on. With this book we want to help you to test and stretch muscles right - smoothły and safely.

Oslo, Norway and Alfta, Sweden, September 1990

Jem Hamberg