While searching some books on the subjects of stretching, dance training, figure skating, systema (a Russian martial art), physical conditioning and chiropractics for my leisurely "focused interest" reading, I found this book.
This book, "World fastest Stretching for your personal best flexibility ever", is said to be a Japanese bestselling book with over 100,000 copies sold in 2019. It is for someone who wants to increase flexibility, obviously.
Your flexibility directly affects how you move. It is beneficial to maintain good flexibility. In social settings, stiff dancers just don't look or feel right.
Overly flexible condition (like you see in contortionists) can increase risk of injuries. But for great majority of people, such condition does not apply.
I do stretching in the morning every day. It helps me to figure out my condition for the day. Yet, my "personal best" has stayed about the same for a long time. I picked up this book so that the book might help me get out of the plateau.
A novelty they purport is that they incorporate latest findings from brain science and muscle sheath release technique in the book.
Even so, the book is not too technical nor complicated in the message. That should be a reason that it sold well.
In short, their method comes down to;
(i) Do active warm-up (like rotating joints, shake, etc. Increase blood flow and warm up the body).
(ii) Use PNF stretch (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation). Know and be conscious about muscles you are stretching and their antagonizing muscles. For two seconds you activate the target muscle(s), then relax it for two seconds, so that you get deeper stretch on the target muscle(s). Repeat 3 times.
(iii) Stimulate and "release" muscle sheath. This helps to correct tense muscles and physical alignments overall, resulting in better moving joints and wider range of motion. Use of props like massage roller, foam roller, rubber band and tennis ball helps.
(iv) Work on each and all parts of the body (or select part(s) of your interest). They categorized the body parts to twelve; neck, shoulder, arm, back, flank, chest, thigh front, thigh back, thigh outside, thigh inside, calf, and shin, foot and toe.
I tried it a few times during winter break. After the first trial, it did work and I saw increases in flexibility, although neck stretching left some sore muscles and headache.
I'd include this method once a week (let's say Saturday) and see how it goes.
Not sure if I seriously try Biellmann myself, though.
