Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training

The fourth edition of Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training teaches:

• How to stretch safely and quickly to achieve and maintain your maximum flexibility

• How to make your muscles grow stronger and longer so you stay flexible all the time

• How to do splits even if you are over 40 or 50

• How to kick high and do splits with no warm-up

• How to develop each of the three kinds of flexibility--dynamic, static active and static passive--to suit every athlete's needs

• What exercises are "no-no's" if you want to stretch your muscles

• All the factors limiting flexibility

• Brilliantly simple tests of hip joint mobility and muscle length that dispel common misconceptions of what limits flexibility the most

Thomas Kurz is the author of Flexibility Express, Stretching Scientifically, Secrets of Stretching, and Science of Sports Training and co-author of Basic Instincts of Self-Defense. He also translated from Polish to English book by Tadeusz Starzynski and Henryk Sozanski, Ph.D., titled Explosive Power and Jumping Ability for All Sports: Atlas of Exercises. Currently he translates from Russian to English books by V. I. Usakov, Ph.D., on teaching children to swim and to skate.

Before coming to the U.S.A., Thomas Kurz studied physical education at AWF (University School of Physical Education) in Warsaw, one of the top East European institutions that prepare coaches, instructors, teachers of physical education, and rehabilitation specialists.

While still a student, he was appointed assistant coach of the students' judo team. As a part of studies' requirements, Kurz competed in several sports,including swimming, gymnastics, and track and field events. This gave him athletic versatility which shows itself now in his expertise in the field of sports methodology and physical education, an expertise evident in his work with his students, as well as in his books and videos.