New to stretching? Read this!
920408
TLDR; these are pretty but made out of acrylic, which isn't good to be worn 24/7 (and fresh gauges need to be worn basically 24/7). I like them, but Id get a steel set instead of / in addition to this set, because steel is easier to clean than acrylic and not porous.

I purchased these several months ago from a friends account in white marble. Theyre good, cheap, and pretty. Overall, a good buy. However, these should NOT be the only jewellry you're buying. Until you get to a larger size (like, 00 or bigger) and have had your ears stretched to that larger size for a pretty long while, its best to keep your gauges in at almost all times (including sleep! I only take mine out to shower and clean them) so your holes won't close up.

If you get these, they're good for aesthetic wear, but acrylic isn't the best for long-term/constant use. There are several science-y reasons for this (feel free to google), but basically it can irritate your ears after being worn for a long time and can make stretching more difficult. This wasn't an issue for me until I got past 4g (because until then it wasn't such a stretch for my ears), but wearing acrylic 24/7 can make ears leaky, red, crusty, cause pus to form, make your gauges smell funky, and a bunch of other not so fun stuff (if they get irritated). It doesnt always happen, but its a fairly common occurence.

Id recommend getting a steel set in addition to these, or just a steel set if cost is an issue.

This acrylic set is 100% safe to wear for periods of time, btw, just not ALL the time. Get some steel while stretching.

Thats my experience, and always do your research, but I hope this helped.
1967771
This is a fact-filled book that really very extensively covers stretching. The authors don't just tell their audience how to perform stretches. Throughout the book there are medical facts, and what your muscles, tendons and ligaments do, the science and reasons to warm up and cool down before exercising. The authors do an excellent job of explaining why your body needs to stretch, how to stretch, how not to stretch and how to use resistance or ballet bands to stretch more effectively.
There are also specific stretches to perform, along with some pictures and a written description of the stretch.
This is a fascinating book. I knew some of the anatomy and medical issues covered in this book and many were new to me. I have a greater understanding of the mechanisms of the body while working out, stretching and the importance of warming up, cooling down and preparing your body to allow it to give the best it can.
Great information for everyone from pro athelete to someone looking to get in shape to someone who maybe justs wants to stretch to improve circulation, flexibility and health. 4 stars, I would have liked more pictures showing the stetches in greater detail. Otherwise, no complaints. Well written.
I received this product for free or at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. If this review has helped you, click on "helpful" below and have a great workout!
3070802
I've become a fan of this author. Presentation is clear and concise and stretches are well-illustrated with photos. Many stretches have intermediate and advanced alternatives. There is a good introduction on how to stretch with illustrated dos and don'ts. As with his other books, the author provides ready-to-use programs. These include stretching programs for warm-up and cool-down; chronic conditions like arthritis, frozen shoulders, and knee and hip problems; sports like jogging, golf, biking, rowing, and skiing; and functional activities like gardening, housecleaning, and working at a computer. In short, this book is a great supplement to any exercise program and a must for those with chronic conditions.
1570927
I have found this tape to be outstanding for starting to stretch after not working out for a very long time! It's the perfect pace and nothing in is so advanced that it's discouraging. I feel so good during and afterwards. I'm addicted to this tape. I'm telling you, you feel so calm, relaxed and limber after doing this. You'll want to do it everyday. Perfect for beginners. Highly recommended!
2065664
This thing is really wonderful. Very simple but extremely useful for all kinds of stretching. I liked the one at my local YMCA so much that I noted the label and bought my own from Amazon. Very glad I did. Comes with a very helpful and informative little book, too. I've since lost this, in my recent house move, so I might have to buy another one. Strongly recommend these, they're very handy for stretching.
3360805
This book is all about learning to modify yoga poses to make them work for YOU.  It begins by helping you to become more aware of your body and how to control the way it moves.  For example, many yoga poses include the instruction "roll your thighs outward"--how do you do that?  This book doesn't just TELL you how, it SHOWS you how!  Using a varitey of props such as blankets, straps, bolsters, chairs, and even helpful friends, you will learn to find comfort in some of the most common yoga poses, such as downward facing dog, standing forward bend, seated forward bend, and headstand.  Yoga teachers and students of various shapes and sizes illustrate the many poses included in this book.  This book is an excellent tool for anyone looking to further their yoga practice by attaining postures best suited to their ability.
2200070
I've taken 10 flexibility classes and a year of dance with stretching prior to the dance so I'm not a complete beginner.

Cons: : its only about 28 minutes of streching if u can't do splits. I  have never done anything close to a split so part 3-  splits was useless since she offers NO MODIFICATION. There is not enough streches or time with each stretch.
 Pros: I learned few  things.  Having a video helps me to stretch at home.

Breakdown of video give or take few seconds
Warm up. : 6 minutes
Leg/hip stretch:  19 minutes
Splits:  9 minutes
Shoulder warm up:  5 minutes
Backbends:  8 minutes
Cool down:  4 minutes
3777503
A friend loaned my husband his copy of this book and now I am buying it to have for reference. I am 'only' 47 and feel I should be in much better shape, but am not. I have old injuries and am in quite a bit of pain daily requiring me to take both otc and prescription meds just to function. I began doing the program and a few of the additional exercises. What I want people to realize is that you can modify the positions until you become stronger and more flexible, which will happen. You can even do some of the exercises in bed. The most difficult position for most seems to be the squat. I modified it by putting a book under each heel of equal thickness. As I become more balanced and stronger (which is happening quickly) I reduce the thickness of the books with the end goal of using nothing. If you cannot lower yourself from the standing position, start in the squat. Use your common sense. Even though I have decent knowledge of the human body, I really enjoyed learning the "why" of each position. It gives me something to concentrate on while I am holding the position. My advise is to go straight to the exercise portion of the book, read and review it. Then go through and read the rest. Most people want instant gratification for all things. well, our bodies are not microwave ovens. It took time to get where you are and it will take time to reverse the conditions causing your pain. If you try to stretch a muscle to aggressively to get faster results, you will just tear the tissue, injure yourself and be further behind. It doesn't take years to see results from this plan, but it might take a few months to see dramatic improvement. My initial impression was a sense of accomplishment and a better mental state because I was doing something rather than sitting/lying around being in pain. As my muscles stretch I noticed quickly feeling more at ease and stronger, more balanced. It is worth giving it a try. It takes a very short amount of time and you have nothing to lose. Think about it this way: If you do nothing you are guaranteed to stay in pain and it will get worse. If you do this the worst that can happen is it won't get worse, and it will probably get better!
968559
This is a wonderful stretching, low impact set of exercises.  I am a pretty fit 50 year old, exercising strenuously 5-6 times a week for 45 minutes- 1.5 hours per day through weight lifting, running, and interval types of workouts. I have done "some" yoga over the years, but nothing to this degree. Don't let the idea of low impact fool you. In typical Chalean style, these workouts are worthy and challenging. Chalean is always a good teacher 1st and foremost if you follow her advice. The routines make me feel SO good for days after, and my flexibility has improved greatly in the 5 weeks since I began incorporating Piyo into my routine. I do not see me relying on this as my only type of workout, but I definitely think it will become a standard in my personal fitness plan 2-3 times a week. The SWEAT routine the first couple of times was downright grueling. Now it just feels good to know I can do it!
1221802
I know there is value in stretching, but find it exceedingly boring. The trainer I work with also recommends rollers to plain stretching. I have been using a generic roller I bought at a local athletic store and jumped at the chance to sample this new line of SKLZ barrel rollers.

The rollers are simply packaged and look great! There is no odor from the materials. The included Usage Guide contains solid descriptions of 6 main stretches. This video from the SKLZ website also shows the roller in use: http://www.sklz.com/videos/sklz-barrel-roller-d. There is also a QR code with a product demo on the packaging.

While my generic roller is longer, I don't miss the extra length as the SKLZ roller as it grips better while in use. At 15" long, it works for my quads (both together), calves, and back just fine. This length is also very easy to maneuver into other positions.

I have tried both the soft (yellow) and the firm (red) rollers. There are often 5 days between my work outs, so I have a tendency to be really sore.  I found that the pressure from the soft (yellow) roller works best for me now. I liked the firm (red) for my back and calves and expect that as my work-outs become more frequent that I'll end up wanting the increased intensity of the firm roller.

I recommend the soft (yellow) density for more casual/beginning exercisers or if you are new to using a roller. I agree with the manufacturer's chart which notes the firm (red) is the most popular density for those with good muscle mass. I also find the firm density is my go-to when I have some residual soreness day 2 and want to roll it out.

I have been injury-free with my training and I credit much of that to using a roller.
984887
<div id="video-block-R3K1NN9K88HRBZ" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/E1F0lqbC7XS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41x1sBS5fSS.png" class="video-slate-img-url">&nbsp;I am trying out a lot of new things lately to try to discover the best fit for me to be healthy while taking care of three kids. It's a daily struggle to do anything for myself. The tension and stress is like nothing I have ever experienced before. People told me that adding a third kid was easier than adding a second kid, but honestly I thought two was pretty easy compared to this. I just wasn't ready to have my third when we did is why. To relieve the stress, I am trying my hardest to get some kind of daily exercise, but that doesn't happen anywhere near as often as I want. What I am making happen every night though are stretches. I have got to work out the kinks in my muscles to I can sleep a little better when I actually get to sleep. My youngest will be three months old in a week and he still wakes me up in the night more than he should. It is imperative that I fall asleep as quickly as possible so I can maximize the amount of sleep I am getting.

I was told to try out yoga to help relieve the stress, to tighten my stretched out skin, and just for overall health. I decided that I would try yoga stretches each night. A picture of the stretches that I decided to start out with using the FiveFourTen Yoga Stretch Strap can be seen at http://www.identitydiscovery.net/2016/01/FiveFourTen-Yoga-Stretch-Strap.html. They have provided me with a yoga stretch strap for my honest opinion and I received no other compensation for this review.

The Yoga Stretch Strap is thickly made from 100% cotton. It is flexible enough to use for any stretches or yoga poses, but it is strong like a car seat belt. It has two steel D-rings that you can use to help you tighten the strap to deepen your stretch and flexibility. The D-rings can also be used to force the strap to maintain a certain length without sliding loose. It is 8 feet long and 1.5 inches wide so it can be used by any height of person. It is machine washable as well.

This strap helped me to stretch out my legs wonderfully! It was amazing how a hamstring stretch that I had done in the past could suddenly be turned into an entire leg stretch. The sitting Hamstring Stretch in the picture used to only stretch my hamstring and now that one stretch loosens the muscles in the entire back of my legs. The Standing Overhead Stretch went from a semi-ineffective stretch for me to something that stretches my muscles from my hip all the way to my elbow. Using a stretch strap essentially allows you to stretch more muscles in one stretch saving you time and helping you to loosen up even more than when you don't use a strap. It was very shocked at how much it helped me. I have to find more stretches that target my back and hips, but I know without a doubt that FiveFourTen's Yoga Stretch Strap will make any stretch I use it with even better. It's fantastic.
2615396
Been bellydancing for a while and also been exercising for a while.  Was getting bore and not getting results from most of my bellydance workouts that I already had, because most of the material out there is meant for the beginner.  Beginners can still get a good workout from this, but be prepared to only do a few sections at a time and to take the movements at maybe half the speed-  she moves really fast!!  There are tutorials for each section and Sadie breaks everything down well-  but you skip all these breakdowns!!  This is so nice because I can keep the burn going - i don't have to keep stopping my workout.  This workout will really hit your core-  all parts of your core but especially the obliques and lower abs.  I have done this workout twice now and already see greater range of motion in my undulations and they are more fluid as well.  I am also gaining more control and speed over my pelvic lifts and drops.  She also does a good job of keeping your heart rate up.  I was breathing pretty hard through out the whole thing-  The dabke section and shimmy section especially .  I really liked the dabke section too-  i dance in a troupe that does mainly darker fusion and it was so much fun to do the more energetic folk dancing!  You can choose to do the whole workout or just sections-  which is nice if you need to break down the workout over the week into more time friendly pcs.  This will work you legs and arms some-  i will probably continue to do my barre workouts for my legs and arms though .  Be careful of the warmup!  If you are already pretty flexible you will be ok, but some of these stretches will be really difficult for  a lot of people especially if you are doing this in the morning and your muscles are cold.  It would be quite easy to hurt yourself here- know your limits and modify as you need.  I would rather have seen more movement to get the heart pumping and light stretching in the beginning, and then deeper and longer stretches at the end when your muscles are fully warm-  but she does the brief stretching at the end.  What you won't get from this is a lot of fancy combinations-  this very much simple movements drilled to perfection with just enough variations to hit every muscle.  The goal is to gain strength , range of motion, flexibility and burn fat-  it is a workout that will also help your technique.  I can do this in the morning before my brain is fully awake - it is straight foward and uncomplicated.  This is not meant to teach you a bunch of combinations for your dance and it is not full dance choreos like World Dance (Neon) uses in their workouts.  The music is up beat and a lot like the music she has used in her other videos
4178806
My 8 1/2 year old completive dancer tried this dvd for the first time today and she loved it! Although a lot of these stretches demonstrated on the dvd she does at her dance studio! she usually only stretches at home for maybe 15 minutes every once in awhile so this motivated her to stretch MUCH longer! I would have to agree with other reviewers that said the stretches are not held long enough but I solved that problem by pausing when I felt like she could use a little longer of a stretch! Overall I think it will be a good resource to get her even more flexible than she already is!
165297
I recently tried stretching my ears from a 14g to a 12g with a cheap acrylic set, and almost passed out from the pain. I had tons of lubrication on my ear and the taper, and it felt like I was jamming a knife into my ear. So I bought this set after reading that stainless steel and titanium were better for stretching.

Everything you read about acrylic being bad and steel/titanium being awesome is 100% true. I passed the 12g taper through my 14g piercing with almost no effort. The taper slid through on its own almost. I decided to be a bit adventurous and went with a 10g instead, and it still went through with only a tiny amount of wiggling and pushing on my end.

If you plan to stretch your ears at all, don't bother with anything else. This is the set you want. If you hurt yourself with some cheap acrylic crap, don't say I didn't warn you. :)
2474485
This tape is a good place to start for anyone looking to learn a little about bellydancing, as well as shape up. The instruction is presented well, with everything done in a slow fashion at first and sped up gradually as you get the hang of it. I haven't exercised in over a year, and found my shoulders and arms starting to burn long before these 2 women were done, but I am a true beginner. If you're already in good shape, you probably won't even break a sweat. I've never seen a tape like this before though, and would imagine it's great for breaking the monotony of a stale workout regimen.
The warm up consists of a some good stretches, with lots of twisting and control in the hip region (no surprise) later on in the tape. The arms are not ignored either - there was more 'snake arm' and shoulder work here than I anticipated. Camera angles are good, and the music is very ethnic and appropriate. These 2 ladies are very graceful and doing the tape with them  made me feel like maybe one day I will be to.
1107051
This is a great product - a bit weird if you've never used one before, but if you have, you know how great these can be for stretching. I haven't had mine that long, but it seems pretty durable, and I like that it comes in fun colors, rather than just the standard white. This is comparable to the ones at NYSC - it may be a bit less firm, but I wasn't really able to tell the difference.
3114347
I think this work out is excellent. The reason I give 4 star instead of 5 is because the stretching at the end is terrible. Stretching after a workout is very important. I understand they need to keep the time down, but this is something that needs not be skipped. So I would advise everyone to take a little time and stretch on their own once it's over.