Introduction

the focus of this book is an exercise program which will teach you how to contract a specific muscle while lengthening it.  This eccentric contraction (explained later) will integrate the movement of a certain muscle with the surrounding joints and muscles in that area, in order to involve the whole body and to create harmonious movement. 

The contraction occurs while lengthening and stretching fibers, yet the number of participation fibers decreases.  Having less fiber share the load increases tension.  Consequently, the overload stress and tension create greater stretch on the working fibers, resulting in enhanced flexibility.

The program will improve your sensory motor skills, enhancing coordination, strength and flexibility.  Kinesthetic awareness will increase.  The exercises will help you learn how to initiate movement from the larger and stringer muscles within the center of the body - which creates efficient movement - and let it continue through to the smaller muscles in the 4extremities.  This order will result in more efficient and more delicate movement for expression. 

Why would dancers be interested in the Get Stronger by Stretching program?  Besides the more general benefits, dancers will develop the use of the psoas in lifting the leg (hip flexion).  They will be able to extend their legs higher, and hold them longer.  Low back stability will increase, thereby decreasing  the possibility of pain and injury.  By increasing the use of the lattisimus dorsi in correct body placement and arm usage, the back will stay wider, and arm movement will have better strength, control and coordination.

This exercise program will introduce you to Thera-Band®, an elastic device that can prepare you for any athletic activity  Using the band during you warm-up simultaneously provides you with increased strength, flexibility and circulation.  As a result, Get Stronger by Stretching with Thera-Band® can be beneficial for all athletes, including dancers, swimmers, skiers, runners, etc., as well as for non-athletes who are looking for toned and fit bodies. 

Noa Spector-Flock

Chapters Include:

This book is divided into two chapters.  Chapter 1 explains whole body movement.  It contains discussions on stretching and strengthening, body alignment, and breathing.  Chapter 2 is divided into muscles groups and areas, which will gain additional length and strength through proper attention and exercise using the body as a whole system.  The exercises start at an easy level and build to a more difficult level by changing position of the body or by increasing the complexity of the exercise.  a brief Conclusion expresses the author's hope for what you will have gained from doing the exercises in this book.

Chapter 2:  Exercises

Part 1:  Center of Body

1. Abdominals:  The Ice Cream Scooper

2. Abdominals:  Rotation

3. Abdominal Combination

4. Iliopsoas Stretch

5. Leg Stretch

6. Spinal Chain

Part 2:  Lower Body

1. Antigravity Leg Work

2. Advanced Antigravity Leg Work

3. Lying On One Side

4. The Hinge:  Hamstring Group

5. Posterior:  the Jungle Cat

6. The Little Mermaid's Tail

7. Strengthening the Adductors

8. The Pendulum

9. Leg Adductors

10. Antigravity Foot Work

11. Calf and Foot:  Revving the Accelerator

12. The Stork Leg Work

Part 3:  Upper Body

1. Chest Press

2. The Shawl

3. Crescent Bend

4. Hands of the Clock

5. Biceps

6. Triceps

7. The Traffic Directory

8. Head and Neck:  The Giraffe

Part 4:  Warm-up Closure

1. P.N.F.:  The Infinity Symbol

2. Half-Moon Twist

3. Laterals

4. The Body Builder

5. The Archer's Bow

6. Deep Rotation of the Back (Advanced)

7. Deep Rotation of the Upper Torso (Advanced)

8. Pearl Necklace

9. Working with a Barre

Part 5:  Especially for Dancers

1. Preparation for Allegro Work

2. Advanced Barre Work