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

Kelly Starrett has written a great book which improves athletic performance, reduces the risk of injury and helps with the rehab of injuries.The first part of the book is about basic principles: midline stability, entraining good mobility patterns based on the shoulders and hips, and discusses laws of torque to maximise power. The second part of the book goes in depth into various exercises, with a breakdown of good form when it comes to motor control, common faults, and the solution to them with reference to the principles in the first part of the book. The final part of the book involves many different mobility exercises for every part of the human body involved in athletic performance, not merely stretches but self-massage, drills, and banded work.Starrett makes it clear that the basic principles should be strived for, the correct motor control learned, and then the mobility exercises practised to address mobility restrictions. The exercises for mobility do need a few bits of equipment which I bought, but Starrett says that you can use everyday items.I found the selection of mobility exercises overwhelming at first, but Starrett gives you just about every variation so that you can find what works best for you. The book is written in a jovial and humorous way, although I think some clarification or explanation of the terms regarding human movement (such as internal and external rotation) would be beneficial, albeit something which isn't too hard to figure out or look up on the web.Overall, a fantastic book that I'd recommend to any weight-lifter or athlete, and as others have noted, well worth the price.

I purchased the book on the advice of a physiotherapist and to be honest if I was him I would not have told anyone else about it.For a number of years I have suffered lower back pains and spent a lot of money getting it fixed with osteopaths and chiropractors and that is partly the trouble they have always fixed the point of pain but explained or sought the cause, this book does. Already I have found out and performed a pelvic straightening technique which in this one example has made the book pay for itself. As an active cyclist I have unwittingly by the nature of the sport allowed certain muscle groups to shorten and in doing so created other referred problems, I believe I am now starting to address these issues.The book mentions using a few pieces of equipment, voodoo bands, foam roller, lacrosse balls and rogue bands, these are all inexpensive items which is a refreshing change and I would support there purchase.My only criticism of the book is that there is no index at the back, an unfortunate trend I have noticed of late.

I've had this book less than a week, and it is already the most useful one I have in my sport related library. Kelly Starrett's approach to diagnosing and correcting mobility issues (and helping top avoid new ones) is simple, logical and highly effective. In the past week I have found the cause of two separate issues that have been bugging me for almost two years - these are issues which neither a competent trainer nor multiple chiropractors and sports massage therapists were able to identify.I'd been stretching and using rollers, balls and bands for quite a while, but without the tools to accurately identify my problems, it was a case of trying everything in the hope that something would work - which I didn't have the time or the motivation to pursue. I am now well on the way to fixing these issues and achieving the goals that I'd hoped to have completed ages ago.I highly recommend this book - so much so that after years of using Amazon, I've finally felt compelled to write a review about something. You will not regret buying it, I am sure.

Ive been a huge fan of kellys for some time. I think mobility wod and the concepts and ideas it showcases are new , intuitive and most importantly, work. I was excited when he announced he was bringing out a book, however I find most experts manuals lack the depth and detail to really get there ideas across. Supple leopard did not dissapoint. The two pages detailing Kellys how to brace concept are worth the fifty quid alone. I can honestly say that every concept, technique and process is explained in such concise, well photographed, detail that not once was I left with the, eh um, feeling that usually prevails. Kelly knows his stuff and is systemic and empiricist in his depth of knowledge. The quality of the book itself is fantastic, it will stand the test of time guys. All in all if your going to buy one excercise related book this year, I would highly recommend becoming a supple leopard

This guy REALLY knows what he's talking about.Having watched many of his mobility videos on YouTube I was very excited to find out about this book. It has a large amount of in-depth guides on mobility with plenty of clear illustration using photos and drawings.It also covers a wide variety of other areas including how to perform many of the standard lifts (e.g. Squat/Bench Press) and a lot of info on other more hardcore, cross-fit type exercises such as muscle-ups.The best thing is that everything is explained in a way that is very easy to understand, remember and put into practice. Kelly knows how to get a point across.I really have learned a huge amount from this and I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

love this book!Makes some physio exercises more accessible and helping you prevent injuries with the section on technique.That being said this book isn't a be all and end all; if your experiencing pain you should probably go to a physiotherapist to have some hands on treatment instead of trying to do it yourself especially if your an athlete who needs to address injuries as quickly as possible

Becoming a Supple Leopard nos mostra como podemos dar manutenção no nosso corpo e como podemos nos livrar de dores e incômodos os quais aceitávamos como parte da vida. Dividido em duas partes, o autor mostra, na primeira, os principais exercícios para desenvolver um corpo forte e saudável. Na segunda, nos mostra como melhorar a mobilidade do nosso corpo e como nos livrar de dores, incômodos e problemas que aquelas vinte sessões de fisioterapia não resolveram. De fato, o que mais chama atenção no livro é o fato de que os métodos comumente utilizados nos tratamentos de dores, acidente e pós-operatórios são ineficazes e, em muitos casos, inúteis. Descobri esse livro procurando por uma solução para uma dor em minha lombar (depois de 20 sessões inúteis de fisioterapia) e, além de resolver isso, melhorei minha postura, minha mobilidade (flexibilidade), meu joelho (cuja dor eu aceitava como consequência da "idade") e meu ombro esquerdo. O mais incrível, no entanto, é como são simples e fáceis de aplicar os métodos ensinados. Por quê eles não são aplicados nos tratamentos comuns? Por quê eu nunca tinha ouvido falar nessas soluções antes, sendo eu atleta desde a infância? O livro é grande e um pouco caro, além de não ter em português. Mas um corpo mais saudável, forte e sem dores vai além disso tudo.

Indispensable a tout athlète désireux d'améliorer ses performances et sa récupération.Tout y est indiqué, notamment pour le Crossfit :- Mouvements- Étirements / Assouplissements- Auto massagesEt la philosophie de l'auteur que j'ai trouvé intéressanteJe recommande !

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be as agile as the ninjas you see so often on TV? Oh, you've never seen a ninja?! There's a good reason for that - they are NINJAS.Ninjas are fast and graceful, and you always see them doing crazy things with their body that involves wicked flexibility. Where does all that flexibility come from? How do you think they recover after being beaten down by Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jet Li or Jackie Chan? By reading this book, targeting their goats, smashing their psoas, freeing their matted down tissues and working out other downstream issues they become more agile and deadly than ever and recover far faster from deadly one-inch punches to the face.Last thing to mention, is that ninjas are never in anything like a pain cave. They brave out their training and all their fights to the death. The pain cave or a pain "face" means nothing to them. Except for above mentioned deadly one-inch punch to the face. But then they're dead.Basically, become a leopard, become a ninja, become anything extreme and more awesome (I scribbled "Snow" above Leopard, because my spirit animal is a Snow Leopard).Enjoy this book. But don't. Because if you do the exercises, it will hurt. In a good way. Like if your favourite movie star crush strapped you down and ripped your pants off. But then again, you're now a ninja - so that will never happen.

I must first let you know that I am not one to review books. I wrote my first book almost 2 years ago and I understand the incredible task it is to undertake something that Kelly has done. I have read hundreds of books in my life. Going through Pre-Med and then on through Chiropractic School I was expected to read every book having to do with anatomy, physiology, neurology, and you name it. I have spent over 20 years treating patients for back, neck, shoulder, hip, elbow, wrist, knee, and ankle problems. I have attended over a hundred seminars dedicated to teaching me to better understand the dynamics of the human body and how to help my patients heal faster and completely. I have also dedicated a large percentage of my practice to treating athletes and the injuries they suffer. Also being certified in Physiotherapy I have always tried to stay as competent as I can to help them heal from their injuries and most importantly to help prevent them.I came across Kelly's work over a year ago through his mobilityWOD.com site. I was so impressed with the dedication he showed by posting a daily video on helping others not only treat but prevent injuries. When I heard of his upcoming book I can say for the first time in a long time I was very excited for a new book to read. I pre-ordered it many months ago and continued to check for its release like a kid waiting for Christmas. I received my copy early this week and after spending about 4 days and unable to put it down, reading it at every opportunity, let me summarize my thoughts on what I can say without question is the absolute best volume of information I have ever seen compiled in one book that addresses the human body.With nearly 400 pages and bound like your college textbooks (Large and Hardcover) it is built to be used and last. You know that book you have. The one that has been taken with you most everywhere. Has stains and abrasions all over it. Marked all up with highlighters, underlined and has sticky tabs or folded pages to help you quickly access those impressive parts-it will be like that one. If you are like me once you get your first copy, you will not only buy a second for the office but download the digital copy for your iPad/Iphone or electronic device. Believe me you will be referencing this book thousands of time in your life so you will want a copy with you whenever you have a few minutes to read.Next you will be impressed with the outline-the way the book is laid out. From the stunning photo's that are easy to understand to the overall layout and how easy it is to access sections of the book. You will find it easy as you read to understand the way Kelly teaches you, not only how to treat injuries but much more importantly how to prevent them. With that being said I know many will take this book and head straight to the second half of the book where Kelly goes over each part of the body and teaches you how to treat injuries you are dealing with. The approach he uses is detailed and 100% on spot. You will see instant results with these treatments. You will be amazed that he has taken the complex body and in small easy steps teaches us how to fix/treat problems that are effecting the quality of our lives. But if you only spend time at the back of the book you will be missing in my mind the GENIUS of this work. You see the first half teaches you WHY you hurt, and WHY if you don't change you are going to have that prosthetic knee or shoulder someday. WHY you back hurts all the time. I don't think most people understand unless they suffer from back pain how debilitating it is. I see it everyday in my office. It ruins peoples lives-it not only effects the individual it effects entire families. So please don't cut yourself short and bypass the first 1/2 of this book. Study and learn the WHY's of your problems as Kelly teaches you a detailed easy to implement way to begin to change immediately.If you are like me you won't put this thing down. I am going through it a second time as I write this. I have already recommended it to all my patients, and this will be a staple in my office and it is a must read for anyone that has a BODY-I guess that covers all of you reading this. In closing I have spent thousands of dollars on seminar after seminar. I can say unequivocally that this book has more information in it, which by the way is very simplistic for you to implement, than all of the education I have received on the dynamics of the human body. I have spent ten's of thousands of dollars on rehab equipment. With a $5.00 Lacrosse Ball, some exercise bands, and Kelly's book you can treat your body more effectively than any of that equipment. As the title of my review states, "Buy it, Read it (all of it), Implement it all NOW!! I can promise you whoever you are. Old or young, male of female, athlete or non athlete you will conclude as I have this is a instant classic and as Kelly says on the front cover: This is the " Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance." You have a billion dollar body-- With this book, now you have the owners manual on how to take care of it.

For anyone who is into bodybuilding and powerlifting , this is the book to have.Being a doctor (Orthopedic Surgeon) myself, I could relate to many of the concepts in the book.The chapter on the concept of 'stretching' was an eye opener.After following the techniques in the book, i have consistently surpassed my previously achieved personal records in the gym.Highly recommended.The techniques on back squats, dead-lifts, push press, were enlightening.