Becoming a Supple Leopard review (long): Mobility/Stretching resource

[Catrin]

I apologize in advance for the length of this review, but I think this is a very important and useful resource so wanted to draw attention to it. This book was just released a week ago - and to give you an idea - all of the 181 reviews on Amazon so far are 5 star.

Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance by Dr. Kelly Starrett (PhD in Physical Therapy, owner of San Francisco Crossfit , strength and conditioning coach) is an incredible resource for those seeking to understand more about human mobility and movement AND how to address our own aches and pains.

His knowledge is incredibly vast and spends a lot of time traveling around the country giving seminars to Crossfit coaches and athletes. He is a strong believer that most issues related to athletic performance as well as aches and pains can be self-treated and this book is an excellent reference. The book itself is beautiful, with hundreds of clear photos, the text is directed to the non-professional. It also helps to understand just WHY we shouldn't allow our knees to come inwards during a squat, how to brace our spines properly, how to free up our tissues that might be tacked down from any number of reasons (like spending too much time bent over), and how different body systems affect others (just to name a few). He has a website (www.mobilitywod.com) on which there are hundreds of videos where he demonstrates all of the techniques in the book and them some - it is easier to find things in the book This book really is a must-have for all coaches and athletes - regardless of your sport of choice.

There is a lot of good information here for cyclists. The base of his approach is simply this "All human beings should be able to perform basic maintenance on themselves" (a quote from his blog). He has a knack of breaking things down to an understandable level, and most of the exercises found in this book (and website) require no more advanced equipment than a foam roller and a couple of Lacross balls. What he has to teach goes well beyond the Crossfit community.

I've a host of mobility problems related to old injuries - not only has my trainer suggested many of the very same techniques that Dr. Kelly advises - I've had good results. The proof is in the pudding, as I continue my training AND rehab efforts, I've noticed that while many of his suggested approaches may not feel good - they ARE effective and I tend to see results from them quickly. In the end, I am coming to a much better understanding of how my body actually works AND how to help it do what I ask of it - and THAT is key - regardless of if I am asking my body to ride 100 miles or to deadlift well over my body weight.

The book isn't inexpensive, but it is available from many places for <$40. Considering the size of the book, quality of the binding and the photography, it is a surprise that it isn't a lot more expensive. The Mobility WOD website I linked to above has a lot of the same information in the form of videos, what you don't get there is is the clear discussion of why all of this matters. The website is a great resource anyway, I've been using it for months. It is a bit chaotic, but useful.