getting thomas kurz book...stretching scientifically

i was wondering if i should get thomas kurz book stretching scientifically if i am under 18...Thomas Kurz's books are suppost to be really good but he talks a lot about doing isometric stretches and i read that it isnt safe to do isometric stretches if you are under 18 because it can stunt growth...on thomas kurz's web site it has good good info but i dont completly understand it(his web i think is stadion.com)...so my question is should i get thomas kurz book even though im not going to be doing isometric stretches...will i still beable to follow his program and see results...if not will some one request a book that is good and will teach me to do a side split without hurtting myself


thanks

 

I don't see how they could stunt growth as you have to isometrically contract muscles throughout your daily activities anyway. Could be wrong but it's a new one on me.

It's a great book though, well worth a read even if you don't use it for a while.

I've also get a stretching book by Bob Anderson which is pretty good.

 

I wouldn't bother. I bought it and thankfully went for a cheap second-hand paperback. There is absolutely nothing in there that you can't learn from browsing MAP for half an hour aside from the introductory section which seems to be an academic review paper and of minimal interest to non-specialists.

 

I agree!

 

i dont think im going to get the book...but one of the main reasons i wanted it was beacause i wanted to know if it was safe for me to just stretch on my own....so let me jsut ask you this....i want flexible hips and stuff cus im always pulling a muscle in my groins and hamstring and stuff... if i just stretch on my own by warming up then go as far as i can in a box split or side split will it be safe for me if i havent fully grown yet??? i really want to get my box split all the way to the floor and do that chair thing thomas kurz does...will it be safe for me to just go as far as i can??


thanks

 

If your pulling your groin and hamstrings stretch your hip flexors and you TFL.

 

Just follow the correct progressions and you will be fine. It won't stunt your growth.

 

Anyway, you can find most of the information in his book (and much more!) on this website:
http://trickstutorials.com/index.php?page=content/flx3

 

He does recommend against iso stretches while you're still growing (I don't remember exactly why, but he had some scientific-y reason).

The isometric stretch descriptions are the reason to buy the book since they are not described well on the net. [after looking at the link: It does look like the link above has basically copied Kurz's program.]

 

To be honest, I found the descriptions of what you should and shouldn't do so confusing that I gave up on the idea of doing isometrics. The combination of "these are really good" with "but if you do this, this and this wrong or do them at the wrong time of day or when the earth meridian is alligned with jupiter then you could DIE!!!!" just put me off.

 

Hi

Actually, his general advice on isometric stretching is pretty straightforward:

• Treat them like weightlifting and other resistance exercises - you can't do them every day. 3 - 4 times a week at most, to allow for proper recuperation of the muscles.

• Do them only when you're well warmed up, like at the end of a workout. If you do a weightlifting workout and you're going to do isometric stretches too, do the stretches after the lifting.

• Work for incremental improvements. Otherwise, you risk injury and muscle fatigue.

• Don't ignore the importance of establishing and maintaining strength, in addition to flexibility. He has a tape / dvd that explains several strenngth exercises for the legs.

hth....