Relax into Stretch: Instant Flexibility Through Mastering Muscle Tension

Actually I've been working with Pavels "Relax into stretch" and "forced Relaxation" video for about six month now. I bought the video, because I would try to get some of my old flexibility back from my Taekwondo practice 20 years ago.Using these video's I got my old flexibility level back after just 1½ month of routine! Amazing.My muscles felt (and still do) awesome and my posture improved a lot. At this moment I can do front split and I'm only 1½ inch from the ground in full side split. I'm 34 years old and way more flexible than when I practiced Taekwondo. That's really amazing.Why are you not in full split, then, you might ask? That's because, I've felt some discomfort in the outside the knee at some point in the sitting straddle (As the book describes - Page 88) and had to work on strengthening the muscles around the knee for a while. After some time the discomfort disappeared and I could continue working on the flexibility.I'm pretty amazed about the reviews that claim that this way of stretching is harmful and with no routines to follow. I only do a simple warm-up before my routines and I've never felt anyway of being close to tear a muscle or injure my selves in anyway, even I pushed my selves really hard once in a while. That's the thing. You must read the book carefully and listen to your body all the time(Just as I did, when I got discomfort at the knee join as written previously), when you working with the drills. Especially as a beginner, you should go slowly and learn the different types of pain e.g. "Muscle-being-stretched" pain, Muscles-being-stretched-a-bit-more" pain and "Don't do that" pain. Read the book several time to make sure you understand the alignment and posture for the drill. As in any other type of working, you should always use good judgement and never force it.Let it happen and have patience...I highly recommend going for the video as well. It much easier to understand, when you just follow along the instructions in a video. Even the book is well illustrated, it can be difficult to understand the drills through an illustration in the book.The reason I bought this book was to get some more detailed information about "why this is working" and I think the price was fair enough. Fun to read and provides you with the knowledge about the principles of this way of stretching. Seems very logic, even it might seem a bit strange at first. Once you start working with it, you realize that the principles are working. It will hurt, but in a good way :)The book is for any level of ambition, and everyone can benefit from the drills in the book.I think the price was fair enough, if you think about all the money we spend on other stuff.It is a onetime expense and you can benefit from it for many years ahead - and maybe pass it on to your grandchildren :)

I would like to pass a message to all future buyers who read reviews from us, previous buyers, as a way to decide if this book will be of use to them: please ignore all negative comments from some previous readers and go for the book.It will instantly help you to better understand the 'stretching' and what is all about. Improvement in stretching/relaxing is also instant, without tendon injuries (if you carefully follow instructions). Instead of relaxing muscles, I was also "stretching muscles" and "pulling my tendons" for decades (I am in 50s) with rather limited results. By following Pavel's guidelines I am in constant daily stretching/relaxing improvement. Suddenly, the stretching became pleasure and fun instead of previous torturing muscles and tendons.I have tried other generally accepted stretching methods, and in my case it worked but with very limited success, like other readers pointed out as well.Many readers complain about the high price for the book. I would also like to pay less for any product, but if you want to drive Lamborghini, please do not expect the price for it equivalent to the entry level cars with just basic functions. I also do not want to minimize the value of other authors on this matter, but Pavel's approach is new (at least to me), yet very effective.Another complaint from some readers is that half a book is advertising for Pavel's other books and DVDs. My opinion about it: thanks to that we can see what Pavel also prepared for us. People, please have in mind that when we buy a book, we do not buy "number of written pages about the issue", rather we are trying to buy a KNOWLEDGE new to us, being expressed in one, or 100 pages. Everyone who was involved in any kind of scientific research knows that sometimes we need to read 100s of articles about some issues in order to get new meaning that at the end can be expressed in just one sentence. However, we'll never say that other pages from these 100s articles are 'useless'.Other Pavel's work is also the first class (Kettlebels for men and women, Power to the People, etc). The best way to get the full instruction from Pavel is to have a book together with DVD. I analyze and implement whole his work published and available to us. It is great help for any sport that we might be involved.Pavel, spasibo (thank you)!

Excellent book. It's really simple to follow with plenty of photos to demonstrate the stretch. The easy reading is made more enjoyable with the humour that is thrown in.

Good variety of stretches, nice as a reference when not looking online...

really well explained and graphically perfect to complement the text - it works exactly as he says it does with impressive results.

Good straight forward advice with plenty of photos to help you along the way, Pavel puts his instruction in a nice simple manner

I cannot understand people who complain about these books. They are well made, attractive in their format, and contain enough great advice to keep most of us a lifetime to perfect. Just buy this if you want the best teaching on flexibility out there.