Expand your library

Our friends at Orthopedic Physical Therapy Products (OPTP) recently brought three excellent books to our attention.

The Supple Body ($19.95) by Sara Black

Unfortunately, we can't go through life injury-free--physically or emotionally. Joint injuries cause painful arthritis and angry words result in raised shoulders and defensively hunched backs. As time goes by, we accept our stiffness as the norm and forget we used to be able to open our chests and relax our shoulders. But Sara Black doesn't want us to accept this limited range of motion. By focusing while stretching, you can delve deeply into areas that have been locked up tighter than Fort Knox. "To realize possibilities that have been dormant for too long, you must look within yourself," notes Black. "Learning to understand how your body works can unlock its potential to improve your fitness. This book will help you to do just that."

The Supple Body is oversized, printed on heavy-duty, glossy paper and contains high-quality photos.

Anatomy Trains ($42.95) by Thomas W. Myers

In Anatomy Trains, Thomas W. Myers shines a new light on the musculoskeletal system. His focus is on the fibrous, collagenous nets of myofascial tissue that surround and bind our muscles.

Myers uses the words "trains" and "tracks" as metaphors for the connecting lines running throughout our bodies. He focuses on 11 of these trains, explaining how you can read your client's physical structure like a book, enabling you to design a truly effective workout regimen.

Myers' book is for movement therapists in general--from chiropractors to fitness trainers--providing information for diagnosis of structural alignment through an understanding of the fascia (i.e., connective tissue) and its interactions with other body systems. "Use the Anatomy Trains scheme to comprehend the larger pattern of your client's structural relationships, then apply whatever techniques you have at your disposal toward resolving the pattern," says Myers.

Anatomy Trains is a dense book. Get through it, absorb it and you will be able to structurally analyze a person's body and design a workout that can result in amazing changes.

Pelvic Power ($19.95) by Eric Franklin

For those who want to narrow their focus on anatomy, Pelvic Power concentrates on the pelvic floor--what the author considers the foundation of the body. "Because of the central position of the pelvis, small shifts can effect big changes: a small shift in the pelvis can mean a big twist in the neck, spine or a foot," says Franklin. By consciously training the pelvic floor, problems in other areas of the body can be cured.

Since the male pelvic floor is generally stronger and a woman's more flexible, the goal of Franklin's training program is to increase flexibility in men and build strength in women. An elastic, powerful pelvic floor plays an important role in the health of our organs and "has an essential effect on our well-being and vitality, as well as on the way we tackle daily life," he explains. "The pelvic floor plays an important role for the coordinated triggering of almost all movements, as well as for balance and good posture."

In Pelvic Power Franklin reveals the bones, joints, muscles, organs, ligaments and connective tissue that are affected by the health and vitality of the pelvic floor. The exercises in the book are based on the Franklin Method and developed from idiokineses. They involve movement, visualization and touch.

To order any of these books, call (800) 367-7393, write P.O. Box 47009, Minneapolis, MN 55447 or visit vwvw.optp.com.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Aerobics and Fitness Association of America
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group