ACTIVE ISOLATED STRETCHING

Whether you're a serious competitor or weekend warrior, you know that proper stretching before and after your workout can improve your performance, increase your flexibility, help prevent injury, and make you feel better. But did you know that the traditional way of stretching -- lock your knees, bounce, hold, hurt, hold longer -- actually makes muscles tighter and more prone to injury? There's a new and better way to stretch: Active-Isolated Stretching, a groundbreaking technique, developed by researchers, coaches, and trainers, and pioneered by Jim and Phil Wharton. This method which is used successfully by scores of professional, amateur, and Olympic athletes is now available to everyone.The routine is simple: First, you prepare to stretch one isolated muscle at a time. Then you actively contract the muscle opposite the isolated muscle, thereby relaxing it in preparation for its stretch. You stretch it gently and quickly -- for no more than two seconds -- and release it before it goes into its protective contraction. Then you repeat. Simple, but the results are outstanding.