Stretching is NOT
the best way to become flexible

Why Americans lose flexibility as they grow older • the dangers of physically stretching muscles and ligaments • the role of antagonist passive insufficiency • the nature and function of the stretch reflex • how to master muscular tension • how to inhibit the stretch reflex • intensive and extensive learning methods.

Waiting out the Tension-
relaxed stretching as it should be

Just relax-when and when not to use the technique of Waiting out the Tension • Victor Popenko's key to mobility • the importance of visualization • why fear and anxiety reduce your flexibility • maximizing perceived safety in the stretch.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation

How Kabat's PNF fools your stretch reflex • the function of the Renshaw cell • why it works to pre-tense a stretched muscle.

Isometric stretching rules!

Why contract-relax stretching is 267% more effective than conventional relaxed stretching • what the 'frozen shoulder' has to teach us • the lifestyle problem of 'tight weakness'‚ • why isometrics is more practical than weights.

Extreme flexibility through Contrast Breathing

How to breathe your way to greater flexibility • effective visualizations for the tension/release sequence • avoiding the dangers of hyperventilation.

Forced Relaxation-
the Russian spirit of stretching

How to turn the contract-relax approach into a thermonuclear stretching weapon • determining correct duration • tips for the correct release of tension.

The final frontier: why Clasp Knife stretches
will work when everything else fails

How to cancel out the stretch reflex • taking advantage of the inverse stretch reflex • the last line of defense against injuries • shutdown threshold isometrics • mastering the Golgi tendon reflex.

Why you should not stretch your ligaments-
and how you can tell if you are

Yoga postures and stretches to avoid at all costs • the function and limitations of your ligaments.

Stretching when injured

Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation • what happens when a muscle gets injured • contracting and releasing the injury • why stretching won't help a bad back and what to do instead.

The demographics of stretching

Why your age and sex should determine your stretches • the best-and worst-stretches for young girls, boys and adolescents • a warning for pregnant women • what's best for older folks.

The details, the schedule

Isometric stretches-when to do them and how often • how to know if you are doing too much • Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace's hardcore stretching schedule • correct order and choice of stretch • why isometric stretching should be the last exercise you do in your day.

The Relax into Stretch drills-

1. The Souped Up Toe Touch Page 49
2. The Spine Decompression Hang Page 51
3. The Improved Cobra Page 54
4. The Side Bend Page 57
5. The Spine Rotation Page 60
6. The Lateral Neck and Trap Stretch Page 61
7. The Headache Buster Page 62
8. The Anti-Slouch Neck Stretch Page 63
9. The Head Turner Page 64
10. The Chest Opener Page 65
11. The Overhead Reach Page 67
12. The Biceps and Shoulder Stretch Page 68
13. The Shoulder Blade and Lat Stretch Page 69
14. The Upper Back Loosener Page 71
15. The Wrist Flexion Page 73
16. The Wrist Extension Page 74
17. The Good Morning Hamstring Stretch Page 75
    1. standing Page 75
    2. seated on a chair Page 76
    3. seated on the floor Page 77
18. The Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch Page 78
19. TheLunge Hip Flexor Stretch Page 80
20. The Karate Stance Hip Flexor Stretch Page 82
21. The Karate Stance Groin Stretch Page 84
22. The Seated Groin Stretch Page 86
23. The Calf Stretch Page 89
24. The Shin and Instep Stretch Page 91

How much flexibility do you really need?

Why excessive flexibility can be detrimental to athletic performance • why old school strongmen instinctively avoided stretching • what stretches powerlifters and weightlifters do and don't need • warning examples from sprinting, boxing and kickboxing.

When flexibility is hard to come by, build strength

Plateau-busting strategies for the chronically inflexible • high total time under tension.

Two more plateau busting strategies from the iron world

Popenko's flexibility data • the reminiscence effect • the dynamic stereotype • How to exceed your old limits with the stepwise progression.

Advanced Russian Drills for Extreme Flexibility

25. The Side Stretch Page 100
26. The Cossack Page 102
27. The Reverse Cossack Page 104
28. The Hip and Side Stretch Page 106
29. The Crawling Lizard Page 108
30. Hamstring Stretches Page 109
31. Hip Flexor/Quad Stretches Page 114
32. The Lower Calf Stretch Page 117
33. The Front Split Page 118
34. The Bent Press Stretch Page 123
35. The Modified Reverse Triangle Page 126
36. The Roadkill Split Page 128
37. The Side Split Page 131

This book tells you HOW and WHY and WHEN to stretch. The photos make it easy to learn the various stretches. This book allows anyone to customize their own stetching program to exactly what their own focus needs to be. I use it as a powerlifter, my wife uses it as a dancer, my boss even used it to get ready to take a ski vacation.

A must for every athlete.


Jack Reape - New Orleans, La

Pavel provides the ultimate in stretching techniques. If you have spent any time in your life being instructed to stretch tendons and ligaments, you now have the ability to lay those dangerous myths to rest and get on with stretching that not only works like a miracle but makes you feel incredibly good. So good I can't put it into words. Pavel will tell you the rest.


Mark Hanington - Huntington Beach, California United States

Relax Into Stretch will teach you how to be as flexible as a yoga student while being as strong as you wish, all from a few minutes per day two or three times per week. Relax Into Stretch is for people who want to be both flexible and strong, and the principles it will teach you can help you stay strong and injury-free in all the activities of your daily life, not just stretching.

I had a severely herniated lumbar disc a few years back; Pavel's "Power To The People!" was the beginning of my salvation, his "Russian Kettlebell Challenge" taught me to add endurance and some flexibility to my strength, and "Relax Into Stretch" was the icing on the cake, teaching me how to go from not being able to touch my toes to being able to do splits within the space of 6 months while almost 50 years old!

Picture of me in a split - that says it all, and I owe it all to "Relax Into Stretch.

"-S-
Steve Freides - Ridgewood, New Jersey United States

This book does an excellent job convering safety while still getting the most out of your streaching time. The only issue i had with this book was some of the streches could be a bit difficult to understand. Pavel does do a great job explaining them somethings are easier to understand in person.
Ben - canada

very very good
jasvinder - london uk

Yes! I am ready to take my strength, energy and health to undreamt-of new heights thanks to Relax into Stretch. I want to order Relax into Stretch NOW and understand that I am ordering with ZERO RISK because Relax into Stretch comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for one full year!

ris, is the BEST, practical, book on the subject, paval does not bog you down with scientific jargon.The book can make a more fuctional person, raise a martial artist's skill, and it has raised the bar...the cossack stretch, is really excellent for a chamber postion for kicking,..i use it daily!my splits are over 180 degree and easier maintained, less work...i highly recomend this book to ANYONE, looking to better thier mobility, Paval, thank you, i cant emphisise that enough! and ive only had the book three weeks!
thank you..
chris wright
chris wright - modesto, ca. usa

I would automatically give this book the highest possible rating on any scale because I've yet to learn about a more effective method of developing flexibility. When I first read this book, I was 6 inches from doing a full side split and couldn't go down any further. This book provides a method that will work when all else fails. After six weeks of using the principles contained in this book in my own flexibility training, I did my first full side split. However, it is very tough. I think that the process of developing extreme flexibility is inevitably painful and uncomfortable. However, this book teaches a person how to distinguish between the pain of progress and the pain of injuring yourself. Lots of the former will result in all the flexibility a person could ever possibly need. I have tried a lot of stretching programs and I would recommend this one because it is the most efficient that I have seen and the only one that I think would guarantee results.
Mercer - NL, Canada

I bought the book as a supplement to the DVD. Frankly the book is quite expensive, and I was concerned whether the amount of material contained therein is worth the cost. However, the quality of the information, on both the DVD and the book, most certainly is. I am recovering from a back injuty that had me laid out for 5 weeks. Part of the reason for the injury, I am convinced, was from a lack of flexibility. Too much muscle and not enough flexibility. I intend to use Relax Into Stretch and Super Joints, along with yoga and other stretching routines, to ensure I never go though that again. I can already say, it is working well in this regard!
R. Friederich - Manassas, Va.

I have purchased almost every book and video on stretching available, and without question this is the best, in my opinion. A great source of information and options for every stretch. A great book to own, particularly for martial artists! Worth more than I paid for it!

JonFrost - Naples, FL

My boyfriend loves this book -- great pictures and good reading and humor from the author - thanks
Jeanette - Greece, New York

Yes! I am ready to take my strength, energy and health to undreamt-of new heights thanks to Relax into Stretch. I want to order Relax into Stretch NOW and understand that I am ordering with ZERO RISK because Relax into Stretch comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for one full year!