Kristian BergReseñas

Kristian Berg's book contains a roughly 2-page spread for each muscle discussed, and it includes all the major muscles from around the body. It stands out for its clear color diagrams illustrating the muscles to be stretched and its notes on common mistakes.

Consult this book if you've been told to stretch a muscle or muscle group. If you're trying to treat pain on your own, you may want to start with The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook instead; it makes a strong argument that even the targeted stretching that Berg's book enables is not enough on its own and that stretching is most fruitful once the acute pain stage is over (which my experience upholds).

The first section of the book gives an overview of why stretching is important, anatomy, posture, etc., which I found very useful. The middle section describes how to stretch specific muscles. The descriptions are good, and there are illustrations to help. The final section explains common issues (waking up with neck pain, for example) and then refers you back to certain pages in the middle section.

Overall it was a little more in depth than I personally needed, but it was well written and gave good instructoins.

This is a book that I take with me on long trips. The exercises are unique and very specific to various ailments. The neck stretches in particular have saved me trips to the osteopath for injections. This is an important manual for self-care. You do have to take your time and read through the instructions for the various stretches, but they're laid out very clearly. Having studied massage and the teaching of yoga, I appreciate seeing what muscles are being released.

Very thorough detailed treatise on stretching. Book was laid out in three sections: anatomy/physiology, specific stretches, and programs for various conditions. Seems to be targeted towards semi-professional athlete and/or someone who has worked with a lot with a physical therapist before. Anyone with a strong sports and conditioning background should be able to glean they need to proceed to the correct exercises. My only concern is the exercises may be a little too technical for the casual person (e.g. opening with six different stretches for the neck might be overwhelming). Overall a useful tool for those seeking to improve their health, reduce pain and increase performance.

Having read many books on stretching, I found this to be an excellent book for learning the theory of stretching, what is good/bad in stretching techniques (e.g., stretching the muscle rather than the joint, keeping the back flat and abs tight, etc.), and the importance of stretching. It also has good drawings of anatomy. For one learning muscles and the anatomy of stretching, the clinical approach to proper stretching, and how tight muscles negatively affect one's health and body, this book is very well done. It also teaches the importance of stretching the muscle rather than the joint, why to do a stretch in a certain way in order to avoid injury or imbalance, and how to stretch deep muscles which are not usually stretched by standard stretches. The last section, programs for pain relief, is not very in-depth, but still good for learning the possible causes of different kinds of chronic pain and stretches and practical changes to your habits to resolve that pain in the long-run (e.g., how to position yourself to sleep properly, how to heal a thrown-out back, how to relieve a kink in your neck, where headaches come from, etc.).

However, as far as learning practical, everyday stretches, I found this book much more difficult to follow than other stretching books - mostly because of poor illustrations with lack of dimension and contrast. While most of the stretches are creative and interesting, how to execute them properly is sometimes difficult to learn from the book. Despite having experience in stretching, I could only figure out how to do about half of the stretches successfully. Many of the descriptions of the more complicated or small muscle stretches (particularly those for the neck) were not straight-forward enough and the sketches were not clear enough. For example, one could much better understand the stretches if the illustrations showed the stretch from more than one angle (i.e., front and side), and if they had more contrast and dimension to show more clearly how one's body should be positioned in 3D. With several stretches, it took some trial and error before the "light bulb" went off and I was able to figure out what I was actually supposed to do, because the illustrations were to vague and too washed-out to see enough detail (e.g., which part was the wall and which part was the doorway - since they were both white!, or how the rest of the body was supposed to be positioned because the illustration didn't show any dimension).

Additionally, many of the stretches in the book were not recommended for those with shoulder, neck, or back pain, yet the book is supposed to help alleviate that pain by stretching and balancing muscles. So, it would have been nice if the book included alternate stretches for those with existing problem areas or injuries, rather than providing less-complicated versions of some of the stretches, which were still not recommended for those with existing pain or injuries. Furthermore, many of the stretches require items which are not always on hand, thereby making one less likely to attempt them while traveling, etc. However, overall this book was helpful to learn a few new stretches to add to one's stretching routine.

My favorite stretching book, "Stretching" by Bob Anderson, on the other hand, is a book which is full of creative stretches, which makes those stretches very easy to learn and execute. It was the first stretching book I read which made stretching both doable and fun for a non-flexible person. So, while I would recommend "Prescriptive Stretching" for learning theory, injury prevention, causes of pain, and the anatomy of stretching, I would not recommend it for those who just need to learn practical, non-complicated stretches for daily life. If the book were just the theory and the program for pain relief parts, I'd give it 4-5 stars; but since the practical part isn't very practical for ordinary people, I can only give it 3 stars. That said, it's still a book worth reading, if for nothing else than to learn the causes of chronic pain and how to stretch properly in theory, rather than practice.

This is an excellent book designed to help you by guiding you to the exact stretches you will need to alleviate any pain and stiffness that you may have. Each stretch is illustrated and outlined thoroughly in the text, including information on how to stretch each muscle and how NOT to stretch particular muscles. Information is also include on how stretching can help with problems due to skeleton problems (such as joint pain and posture). Full diagrams of the skeletal and muscle systems are also included.

The Table of Contents guides you to the following sections: Introduction; Muscles and Bones of the Human Body; Stretching Fundamentals; Targeted Stretches; Programs for Pain Relief; Assessing Flexibility and Muscle Balance; Stretch Index; References; and About the Author.

If you want just one book to guide you in stretching buy this book. If you have other books on stretching and/or yoga, buy this a supplement to aid you in your current program of stretching.

Another excellent book from this publisher. Each "chapter" focuses on a particular muscle and describes it, the reasons it can become tight, the symptoms of tighness in that particular muscle and then the stretch. In many cases, two stretches are shown for each muscle. The first is the standard stretch, the second is a modified version for those who would have difficulty performing the first. The book ends with prescriptive stretches for a number of aches--headache, stiff neck, thrown back, etc.

I am a full-time veterinarian and a naturopathic physician by training. I am also a former Big 10 lineman from Purdue, which makes me very interested in methods of healing and preventing the problems that come with living a full life. I have a lot of exercise books like Stretching by Bob Anderson and The Easy Stretching Workbook by Karin Smith. Prescriptive Stretching by Kristian Berg has a unique medical perspective. It explains the theory and practice from a professional clinical approach. Many questions about stretching are answered, and the stretches are anatomically illustrated by beautiful drawings. This book serves as a bridge from casual stretching to a serious student of science. It can be easily read, and it also serves as a well organized reference to specific areas of the body where stretching can help alleviate pain. This is a medical self help book that would help most people. It is always good to have a way to learn the best ways to take care of your body and your health. Exercise is key to good health, along with diet. An exercise regimen needs to include stretching that is easy to do and effective when done correctly. This book will elevate your knowledge and your physical well being.

This book is not at all what I expected...but that is a good thing! When I received the book, I expected to find a list of various exercises with the basic how-to instructions that every other stretching book I've ever bought included. Imagine my delight when I found that this book takes stretching to an all-new level! Yes, there are many of the same stretches here that I've seen over and over...but this book actually tells what it is that can make each muscle too tight.

For those people who have never studied the muscles of the body, the book starts out with some general information and muscle locations. It then goes on to explain why you should stretch and how to do it properly. The book then proceeds to my favorite section...and one that most stretching books don't include: what exercises NOT to do. This was probably the second most useful section for me.

The next section is also one I have never seen in a stretching book before: posture. The book goes in depth in explaining how bad posture affects the whole body and causes pain.

The book then moves into the targeted stretches. Each stretch includes an illustration showing exactly what muscle is being targeted. There is a section about the muscle itself that includes the most useful part of the book to me...what actually CAUSES that muscle to get tight. It goes on to give a list of the symptoms that will be felt when that particular muscle is too tight, which I found to be extremely useful in determining which stretches that I personally need to do. After that, it lists tests to do to see if your muscle is really too tight, since OVER stretching a muscle is just as bad as not stretching it enough. After that, it goes into detail about the technique of the stretch, including common mistakes to watch out for.

The book does not leave you to figure out a routine for yourself, though, if you don't already have advice from a physical therapist. The last section of the book includes specific programs for pain relief depending on where your pain is.

Ahhh...where was this book when I was in the military?

When I received Prescriptive Stretching by Kristian Berg through Library Thing's Early Review program, I had no idea that it would literally change my life. By that I mean Berg gave me the information I needed to end what I thought was inevitable, inescapable chronic pain in my shoulder and neck. By discussing how the pain may have developed, the likely reasons it was persisting, and what I could do to relieve pain and prevent its recurrence, the author gave me hope. From the moment I began stretching the painful areas according the instructions in this book, I felt hope and relief – no pain. I even gave up prescription muscle relaxants because I found I could relax those muscle through these stretches. The initial relief was sustained through continued stretching over time. I should send a thank you card to the author, illustrator, and publisher because this book has given me back flexibility and usage, and should I experience a flare-up, I now know what to do to attain relief.

My physician had prescribed a couple of exercises, but this book gave me several more, and told me why each exercise was important. Most importantly, it told me common mistakes to avoid with each stretch, and additional comments that would maximize the benefit. For example, it may be necessary to do a stretch of another area before stretching the area that is causing you pain because our body is system of integrated muscles. It was as if I had a personal trainer by my side, encouraging, correcting me, and explaining everything I needed to know to make the stretching successful and avoid further injury.

Mind you, this information is probably appropriate only if your pain is muscular in origin and not due to organic disease or significant orthopedic dysfunction or injury. However, if stress, poor posture, repetitive movements, incorrect movement, or too much activity after being inactive for a long period have your muscles cramping, pulling, or just plain in pain, this book is for you.

The illustrations by Erik Beijer compliment the highly detailed, but easily read and understood, text. Those illustrations were the key to mastering this information for me. They helped me visualize the area I was stretching more clearly and gave depth of understanding impossible with only text or photographs.

The three major segments of this book build on one another to give the reader an appreciation of how the muscular system works, and how to care for it when it doesn't due to inactivity, stress or injury.

The first section of this book, Stretching Fundamentals, is invaluable to the average reader. Be sure to spend time reading through it. Berg has taken complex medical explanations and terms and made them accessible to us. Did you know there are 300 skeletal muscles and six types of joints? Do you know not only how to properly stretch (and why), but also how to avoid stretching that could be harmful to you? Everyone should regard this section as a basic user's manual on how the muscular system works because, if you understand that, you will know how to take care of it and avoid pain and minimize pain when it occurs.

The second section, Targeted Stretches, is a thorough presentation that first identifies the muscle or muscle group to be stretched, factors that may be causing tightness (aka pain and discomfort), a flexibility test (if applicable) to see how far from the normal range you are, specific technique instructions, precautions to take, common mistakes to avoid when stretching, and what I believe amounts to trainer's comments that give you additional insights and tips. The illustrations of the muscles and stretches are clear and memorable.

The third and final section, Programs for Pain Relief, is the shortest of the three, but it will tempt the reader experiencing pain to dive in right away. I would recommend reading that first section before seeking pain relief, because although I dove into this section, I found my work in it to be greatly enhanced by the information I learned in Stretching Fundamentals later. It's amazing how well things go when you take the time to read the basic information first.

As other reviewers have noted, there are six beautifully rendered plates showing details of the skeletal and muscular systems of the entire body. However, I enjoyed the page preceding these as well because it was a basic primer of Latin terms that unlocked the mysterious-sounding names and phrases. and helped me communicate with my physical therapists and physicians in a more precise and meaningful way.

I highly recommend adding this book to your personal library, even if you are not a trainer, a sports enthusiast, a therapist or masseuse. It really is a manual that gives you practical knowledge you can easily grasp and implement to both prevent and eliminate muscular pain brought about by lack of use or by misuse of your body.

While most people (myself included) would think a book like this is just for fitness professionals, athletes, or people who at least work out regularly, Prescriptive Stretching is actually a great tool for everyone. It begins with an explanation that likens stretching to a necessary everyday task like brushing your teeth. The reason? To reduce, eliminate, or prevent pain that we all will inevitably encounter in our backs, shoulders, knees etc. from simple things like bad posture, crossing your legs, or carrying a bag on one shoulder too often.

It focuses on the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (“PNF”) method of stretching, which was originally developed as a rehabilitation tool with highly successful results in increasing range of motion, muscle flexibility and strength. It explains the steps to proper PNF stretching in easy to understand terms, and offers complete and simple descriptions of 40 different stretching exercises that show specifically which muscle you are working. As a great “real world” tool, the book also provides stretching routines for common injuries and pain.

I think it is essential book for anyone interested in good general health and maintaining their body. It certainly has a wealth of information, but would benefit if some sort of general stretching program (not just for injuries) was added in order to help everyday people implement stretching into their daily lives.

I got this through the Early Review program, and I've been happy with all the Human Kinetics books that I've won, this one included. It was a pretty fast read, but applying the lessons learned will take a while. I was a bit disheartened to read that all my favourite stretches are specifically called out as not useful to dangerous, but it gives a good list of replacements. The focus is on doing the stretches correctly, in proper alignment, to benefit specific muscles. At the end, a shopping list of stretches is given for specific complaints (though it could have used an index of stretches recommended for certain sports). I brought the book to work to keep by my desk so that I can try to undo years of keyboarding.