Search - Resistance Stretching With Dara Torres on DVD

Great resistance stretching exercises & very well explained

R. Armstrong | New Port Richey, FL United States | 04/26/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Resistance Stretching with Dara Torres 2-Disc Set is superb. You get 17 exercises to stretch & strengthen your body. One disc gives an overall in-depth tutorial with basic resistance stretching principles & demonstrates & explains each exercise. The second disc is Dara doing the complete workout. Additional problem solving is included & very helpful. I first bought Bob Cooley The Genius of Flexibility Video 1.0. Although it is good, this Resistance Stretching with Dara Torres & her 2 trainers, Anne Tierney & Steve Sierra is hands down by far better all around. Anne Tierney & Steve Sierra, trained with Cooley. This Resistance Stretching With Dara Torres 2-Disc DVD set is top quality & extremely well done with excellent pictures to show the area that each stretch addresses. I use it 3 times a week for my resistance stretching workout. Highly recommended."

Unique approach to flexibility training

Beth Cholette | Upstate NY USA | 07/19/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"NOTE: I received a free preview copy of this DVD from the web site Metapsychology Online; you can read a more complete version of my review on that site.

As a regular home exerciser in my early 40s--about the same age as Dara Torres, who is featured on this DVD--I have made more and more of an effort to include different types of stretching as part of my fitness routine, which is why this DVD set appealed to me. Resistance Stretching was developed by Anne Tierney and Steve Sierra, co-founders of Innovative Body Solutions. In the introductory chapters of the first disc, Anne and Steve explain that Resistance Stretching is the process of resisting during the stretch. In other words, it involves taking the muscle from the shortest position to the longest position while contracting the muscle at the same time, which is also referred to as the "e-centric" phase of strength training.

The first disc includes an almost one-hour tutorial in which Anne and Steve thoroughly explain all seventeen self-stretches in their program. Chapters 3, 5, and 6 each serve to assist with problem solving and modifications, either through learning how to work agonist/antagonist muscles, incorporating modifications for tight hamstrings, or building up strength to improve flexibility.

The Main Menu for Disc 1 is as follows; all times (in parentheses) are approximate:

Play All
Chapter 1, Introduction to Resistance Stretching (3m; with Dara Torres)
Chapter 2, Basic Principles: Resistance (6m)
Chapter 3, Basic Principles: Balancing Muscle Groups (8.5m)
Chapter 4, Master 17 Self-Stretches (55.5m; Anne & Steve modeling/instructing alternately)
Chapter 5, Problem-Solving for Tight Hamstrings (2.5m)
Chapter 6, Correlation Between Strength and Stretching (3m)

Here is the complete list of the 17 self-stretches which appear in Chapter 4 as well as on Disc 2:

Lower Body
1. Medial Hamstring
2. Central Hamstring
3. Outer (lateral) Hamstring
4. Lateral Quadriceps (includes IT band & glutes)
5. Inner Thigh
6. Outer Thigh (glutes)
7. Groin (seated)
8. Hip Flexors (lunge)
9. Calves

Upper Body
1. Chest, Shoulders, & Biceps (push-ups with emphasis on lowering)
2. Shoulders & Traps
3. Shoulders & Back
4. Shoulders, Back, & Neck (scaption)
5. Triceps, Lats, & Obliques
6. Chest, Biceps, & Forearms
7. Traps, Neck, & Side of Shoulder
8. Chest, Shoulder, & Biceps

Disc 2 offers a complete resistance stretching workout with Dara Torres. This 20-minute workout includes all seventeen of the self-stretches introduced on Disc 1, but the entire routine is performed without pausing for instruction. Dara models the exercises alone while Anne and Steve again take turns cuing via voiceover. Prior to the start of the workout, Dara provides a very brief introduction, suggesting props to have nearby (a mat and a small pillow or foam block to support the head). Compared to the tutorial, the pace of this workout is quite rapid. Although it felt a bit too fast the first time through, I have found the short length convenient for working in this routine on a weekly basis, and I haven't gone back to Disc 1 since my initial viewing.

I actually already incorporate some types of resistance stretching through other workout DVDs that I own (for example, the Classical Stretch series by Miranda Esmonde-White). However, Anne and Steve definitely present a unique approach that is apt to be beneficial, and in Dara Torres, they have an appealing, likable spokesperson. Although this method is appropriate for virtually all levels, I do think that it is likely to appeal most to those who are already active and/or who have an athletic background. Nevertheless, I would recommend this DVD set for anyone who is interested in gently working towards increasing their flexibility as well as improving their overall health and fitness levels."