Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I almost didn't buy this book because some of the reviews are so negative...but I'm glad I did anyway. A few points: 1. This method absolutely works...I say this after studying karate for 4 years (hundreds of kicks, stretching that included pouring water on the floor and having someone push down on your back, staying in stretched positions for up to an hour, etc..) yoga, stretch machines, standard stretch routines. Through all this, my stretch increased very little. I couldn't even sit on the floor with crossed legs without discomfort. My karate instructor used to say I had the flexibility of a rock. Pavel's method works. The concepts are simple, but revolutionary. 2. There is enough information and stretching routines in the book to use over a life time. Some of the reviews criticize the fact that there's not enough info, too many pictures, etc...I appreciated the fact that I could quickly go throught the book and get right into the stretching. 3. There is another reviewer who outlines all of the potentially harmful stretches based on his assessment as a doctor. However, he's writing about the the advanced stretching section of the book; extreme stretches, that Pavel states are clearly not for beginners. 4. Appearances can be deceiving...for example I was experiencing slight lower back pain from one routine so I went back and re-read how to do the exercise and realized I was overstretching, not controlling my breathing and tension as described. So in spite of the clear, "simple" format of the book ("too many pictures" as one reviewer stated), it's quite a bit of info that should be read with care. 5. One last point: this book is for those who need to get to the next level. (I can't believe someone recommended Anderson's "granny" stretch book over this one; give me a break) Whether to reach top levels of fitness, martial arts study, rock climbing, someone into total fitness. However, probably also worth reading for the weekend athlete to prevent injuries and avoid harmful stretching methods. Disclaimer: this is not a cheerleader review for Pavel. I have no connection with him whatsoever, just an extremely appreciative reader because I've been looking for this type of information for quite some time. If you want this same information, purchase this book without hesitation.