Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance

Excellent book. If you're interested in improving your mobilty, to get rid of pain or prevent getting injured, this is the book to read. So much to learn from this book. Pictures are thorough and easy to follow. Overall the book is easy to read if you've done, some terms might be new if you're new to myofascia release, which basically means unknotting. But you can always Google things for info. The ideas from the first 3 chapters are interesting, i.e starting with improving your core. Myofascia release on the core wasn't something I didn't know how to do and how important it was, but makes a big difference. PrecisionMovement by Eric Wong has excellent courses and is easier to follow them reading the book. But I think having both available are all you need to build or maintain good mobility.

A clear and concise guide on how to improve your mobility, functional strength and muscular well being. I've been recommending it to friends who are interested in how to improve either their physical health or their athletic performance. The book is a hefty hardback tome, covering all aspects of relieving muscular pain and improving performance. It's written in simple and easy to understand English with comprehensive pictures detailed both good and bad motor patterns and movement. It also includes a range of suggested clusters of exercises, stretches and releases that I've found excellent for targeting weak or sore spots. I've noticed improvements in my range of motion across most of my major joints and a better self awareness of posture since I started following the advice in this book. It's often painful, but that's because I have had many years of sitting in a work desk with bad posture coupled with a heavy workout routine. The relief afterwards is a great reward however! Highly recommended.

Yes, the book may seem expensive but it is a hard back and the quality of pictures within make this easier to swallow. However, what clinched it for me was the information imparted. At age 53 you'd think I would know how to stand, apparently not! My lower back has always been my weak link and standing for long periods often resulted in a tight lower back, restricted movement and resulting pain. After reading and digesting the initial part of this book I realised that I may have been standing incorrectly. Since putting into place the teaching of Dr Kelly I can now stand for longer periods of time with no detrimental effect. I am now working through my tight areas one by one and although this could take a long time (I have lots of tight areas, including my wallet) it is worth the investment both in time and money. I have tried different stretches and mobilisations as described in the book and do feel I am making incremental improvements. This is not a book to read form cover to cover, especially when you get to the descriptions etc, but it it easy to find something and work at it to help in areas where you may be looking for improvement in movement or banishment of pain - some of the stretches can be painful! If you tend to like these kinds of books then I would recommend this addition to your library.

It seems odd to give a 5 star rating to a book that I immediately returned - but it didn’t feel fair to give it anything less. The volume is beautifully bound, abundantly illustrated and packed to the brim with hundreds of exercises, each accompanied by a photograph. It is so incredibly detailed that it feels more like a textbook to accompany a degree course in sports science, than a book for the layman looking to improve their physical condition. It was tempting to keep it because it is so lavish and comprehensive in scope. Thankfully, a rarely heard voice of reason whispered to me that the content of this book is so overwhelming that it would almost certainly never make it off the shelf.

This is THE go to book for mobility and stretching. Almost anyone involved in Crossfit or Martial Arts will recommend this to you when you ask about stretching. The book is huge and absolutely full of colourful photographs and explanations about the methods the author uses to bring gains in mobility. Whether you are looking to improve your range of motion for snatch technique, a high kick or simply reduce muscle stiffness from sitting at a desk all day, it is likely this book will give you all the knowledge you need. One weakness I would point out is that you kind of have to read the whole book to really be able to put a programme together for yourself. One thing I think would have really benefitted this book is a few more 'routines'. There are a couple in the back of the book that require you to flick back through the book to pages of exercise descriptions, but I think maybe a flow chart would have been better so that those who wanted to get started right away could do so without having to read the whole thing. I'm knit-picking a bit, but I think that would have made the book 5*.

This will now be my bible of how to correct my physical issues. Amazing and I would recommend to anyone

C'est parfait. Parler des moments de torsion en expliquant le pourquoi et le comment, proposer des figures claires, décortiquer des tests à effectuer soi-même, donner des conseils affûtés : ce livre est un DÉLICE que l'on savoure petit à petit. On apprend comment se tenir, bouger, tout cela de façon physiologique en respectant ses muscles, articulations, tendons et ligaments. Un GRAND MERCI à Kelly Starrett qui m'a permis de comprendre beaucoup d'erreurs ! Je conseille absolument ce livre pour ceux qui ont mal au dos, ou aux genoux, ou aux chevilles, etc. Traiter ses douleurs, c'est comprendre pourquoi elles surgissent, et Kelly Starrett l'explique de façon parfaite. Il faut faire cet effort pour s'en débarrasser et reprendre son corps en main. Cette nouvelle édition ne ressemble pas à la première : tout à été reclassé, augmenté et précisé avec intelligence. Ah si j'étais à Los Angeles, j'aimerai assister à des stages de l'auteur. Mais son livre permet déjà d'aller très loin et de faire des progrès admirables. A acheter les yeux fermés, à lire en entier et surtout : à appliquer 24h sur 24 !

Durch das Buch habe ich so viel gelernt, was ich schon immer über Biomechanik wissen wollte. Ich habe es bestellt, um die Ursachen von Knieschmerzen besser verstehen zu können. Diese führten bei meiner Freundin durch vermehrtes Abstützen mit den Armen langsam auch noch zu Ellenbogenschmerzen. Durch das Buch weiß sie nun nicht nur, wie man richtig läuft, Treppen hochsteigt und weshalb man Mobilitätseinschränkungen im Training nicht umgehen sollte (was ihr mit den Knieschmerzen sehr viel weiterhilft), sondern auch noch, warum sie Ellenbogenschmerzen bekam und was das alles mit ihrer Haltung zu tun hat. Seitdem sind ihre Ellenbogenschmerzen auch verschwunden. Mir hilft es bei der Prävention von Verletzungen, da ich meine Beweglichkeit durch die zahlreichen Tests im Buch überprüfen und behandeln kann. Ein absolut grandioses Buch mit elementaren Grundlagen, Allgemeinwissen darstellen sollten.

Great book. Needed this specially for shoulders but now see that whole body needs mobilisation. This will be your Bible.

Incredible book that provides and illustrates so many exercises that you will never get bored if you do all of them.

What a great resource. This book will guide you through practical steps, with clear pictures and descriptions, to keep you moving freely and your body happ, in between your visits to the expensive massages! And all delivered with Kelly Starrett's usual energetic and positive vibe. Couldn't recommend it more to active people.