STRETCH: 7 easy daily movements to support your joints, mobility and wellbeing

by Roger Frampton

Life in chairs causes muscles and joints to slowly tighten. Mobility and flexibility should become a habit that gets done every day. STRETCH  outlines a daily program of seven simple stretches (with three variations of each) staggered throughout the working day, making it easier than ever to combat the common aches and pains of working from home. Ever wake up in the morning with aches and pains? Does your job keep you hunched over a desk for hours a day? Perhaps you are a runner with a good level of fitness but can barely touch your toes? If the answer is yes – it’s time to STRETCH! There has been a lot of emphasis from both public health campaigns and the wellness industry on getting people moving ‘more’. We all now know that we are supposed to do 10,000 steps per day and many of us possess some sort of wearable tech to track how much distance we cover; however, how we move is still somewhat ignored. Due to the sedentary nature of modern life, the destiny for many is muscles and joints that slowly tighten over the years. All of a sudden you realise that you can’t sit comfortably in a squat, touch your toes or get up from sitting on the floor without using your hands. In life, if we don’t use the movement, we lose the movement. In STRETCH , professional movement coach Roger Frampton is here to tell you that flexibility and mobility should really be likened to brushing your teeth daily, on waking up and before you sleep. His TED Talk “Why Sitting Down Destroys You” has been viewed over 3 million times and his revolutionary approach to functional fitness emphasises the importance of conscious movement. Combining light bodyweight exercises, gentle twists and elongating stretches, STRETCH is a daily programme of seven essential movements (with three variations of each) to help combat the key areas of the body that have lost functionality, improve overall wellbeing and fight the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle. All without a gym membership. “This book has definitely made me rethink my priorities when it comes to a workout – it’s the perfect way to start your mobility journey!” – Tom Daley, Olympic swimmer

Genres: Health

144 pages, Hardcover

Published August 31, 2021

Reviews

[Juliana Es · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some of the moves introduced in the book, I already incorporated in my daily stretch, thankfully. Notwithstanding, I still find each accompanying note enlightening. It's good to know the variation, too, as one may not right away do the same movement depending on individual's level of flexibility.

I like that the book is in hardcover and I find the size just nice and comfortable to hold. Other than that, I wish the font size is much bigger, so I'm knocking one star just for that.

[DJ_Keyser · Rating 3 out of 5]

It certainly gave me some hope that I can repair, at least improve, my current level of flexibility and mobility (zero), but even with pictures and accompanying instructional text, I still find it difficult to translate into action without the worry of painful injury occurring. This is perhaps a concern that only a personal coach or trainer could completely relieve, but part of it is also due to the relative inefficacy of documentation vs practical demonstration.

[Vaughan Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book after watching Rogers TED talk.
I have decent flexibility for a 48 year old, I can touch my toes without bending my knees. But more recently I’ve been feeling the effects of aging, that and a recent cancer surgery. So I decided I needed to address these issues.
I’m still working my way through the book incorporating the exercises into my daily routine. Within 3 weeks I am finding my flexibility levels already improving and that back pain I had from sleeping is no longer noticeable. Makes me question if I needed a new mattress after all.
I will definitely continue these exercises for life and look forward to reading Rogers other book, when I have mastered the exercises found in stretch.

[T H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book for anyone who wants to stay acive
Sitting is the new smoking> Frampton sets out clearly the stretches required to avoid the risks of a sedentary lifes