A New Year and a New Mindset

I don't know why, but we tend to avoid stretching when we go to the gym. Actually, let me rephrase that, we don't stretch if we go to the gym or not. Take a look at the people you are around. Do you see people's heads leaning forward, their shoulders rounded, maybe you see their feet turned out when they walk? Maybe you should take a quick look in the mirror too. I know I personally have my right foot turn out simply because I don't stretch the calf muscle and do individual single leg calf raises. There are so many simple things you can do to correct your posture and avoid some of the neck pain, back pain, and even knee pain that you have. Paul Chek recently wrote an article about stretching and mentioned two excellent books:

• How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy! - This is a book for the general population that discusses eating habits, stretching prescription based on posture deviations, and some general workout principals. The nutrition is based on eating by metabolic type. It's a good book that I've looked through. I haven't applied it to anyone's routine yet, but it does have some great information. I do recommend this book. He gets a little weird in some parts of it, but you have to overlook that. Paul Chek is new age in his thinking. In some ways I would consider him a genius, in other ways I completely disagree with him. His principals are solid though and could be followed by the average person, which is often missing from a lot of other diet books I've read.


• The Golf Biomechanic's Manual - To be honest, I know some personal trainers that can't understand this book. It has the most detailed posture assessment I've ever seen, and I use it all the time. I can't wait until I can fly out to California and go through his golf certification class (based on the principals of this book). If you don't know the names of your muscles, you will have a hard time getting through this book. He goes through posture deviations in magnificant detail, explains what to do stretch by stretch, and how each stretch will improve your golf swing. I fell in love with it just from the technicality of it.

Going back to his article though. Take a look at it and learn the importance of stretching, and if you have trouble understanding it......that's what I'm here for. Just let me know.