Positive Health Online

Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) is a class which teaches  professionals how to incorporate  F.A.S.T. (Flexibility and Strength Training) Therapy(tm) techniques into any practice - Osteopathy, Chiropractic, Massage, Physical Therapy, Athletic or Personal Training. It is a unique toolbox filled with the tools to achieve faster, longer lasting therapeutic results and help restore balance to the body.
 
It is useful to actually stretch your client's muscles before therapy. But the theory behind AIS is that if a muscle is stretched too fast, too far, or for too long, it begins a protective action known as the myotatic reflex, causing it to automatically recoil in an attempt to prevent the muscle from tearing.

Advanced Active Isolated Stretching Practitioner Marjorie Brook has recently introduced Flexibility First: A Fitness Approach for Life. Marjorie is an International Educator/Therapist and founder of Brook Seminars.

In two comprehensive sets of manuals available in PDF, E-book and Kindle formats, Marjorie shares what her 20 years of experience have enabled her to learn and refine into the latest most effective stretching and strengthening techniques.

The Professional series is designed for bodywork professionals and therapists of all levels of experience, while the Personal series provides instruction for the individual.

The manuals are very user friendly with great illustrations and comprehensive instructions that clearly lead the reader through step by step instructions on how to achieve the best results for their clients and for themselves. The author also gives specific instructions to ensure proper body mechanics are utilized, preventing injuries, and also provides hints that increase efficacy of treatment techniques.

"Stretching is essential to achieving and maintaining balance in the body," said Marjorie Brook, founder of Brook Seminars. "However, people will not stretch because they find it too difficult or time consuming.  The goal was to create a body of work that would provide the easiest, most complete set of information needed to facilitate one's own well-being."

Flexibility First is system designed to help an individual achieve and maintain balance and well-being. Flexibility First is not strain/counter-strain, PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation), or any other popular system which claims to increase flexibility and function by simply exhausting muscle fibres into laxity.

Flexibility First teaches the professional as well as the individual how to stretch each muscle distinctly (in non-loading positions), thus re-training each muscle to act correctly, specifically and cohesively within its muscle group.

There are times when our daily actions are less than beneficial for our health and well-being, whether due to a trauma, exhaustion, improper training, or boredom. When that imbalance exists, our muscles learn to function incorrectly or to compensate. Without corrective stimulus the compensate cycle continues to force the muscles into working inaccurately and inefficiently. What is needed is a simple and effective practice that helps the body to return to maximum performance, efficiency and wellness.

Through specific focused stretching and strengthening, you and your clients will learn how to increase joint range of motion (ROM), and lymphatic and venous circulation. The emphasis is placed on building and maintaining muscular flexibility, strength and endurance throughout the ROM of each and every joint.

Further Information
Available from www.flexibilityguides.com,  www.pro.flexibilityguides.com,  www.amazon.com  and www.amazon.co.uk   

Marjorie Brooks will be holding a series of seminars in the UK in 2012 for health professionals with David Lintonbon DO PG Cert (Clin Ed) Registered Osteopath. For further details contact Brooks Seminars www.brookseminars.com