Bob Anderson's Stretching For Winning Tennis

Bob Anderson, the author of the best-selling book Stretching, along with three other professionals (tennis players and teachers' Eve Ellis and Billy McGehee, and exercise physiologist Dr. Les Knight) discuss the importance of stretching and demonstrate proper stretching routines for improving one's tennis game. The tape begins with the doctor's comments which are general, and could as easily be applied to lawn mowing as to tennis. But the majority of the video is given over to Anderson running through a repertoire of stretching exercises, beginning with warm-up stretches, and including stretches for changeover, relaxation, and the back and neck. During the demonstrations, Ellis asks a handful of tennis-related stretching questions, which Anderson, in turn, answers. The program concludes with everyone getting an ad for their services ("for more information about Eve Ellis' Tennis School, please call...," etc.). While the stretching exercises do appear to be helpful, it is questionable whether a general stretching video wouldn't also do the trick (and Anderson does have a video simply titled Stretching, as well as one entitled Stretching for Better Golf.) But tennis, as well as golf, is one of those social sports, wherein any edge no matter how small will be eagerly grabbed. In other words, a video called Chanting Mantras to Improve Your Tennis Game would still fly off the shelves, regardless of how silly the concept might sound. Stretching for Winning Tennis, while not entirely convincing, is certainly not silly by any means, and would undoubtedly enjoy heavy use amongst the library's weekend warriors. Recommended. (Available from: Stretching, Inc., P.O. Box 767, Palmer Lake, CO 80133; 1-800-333-1307.)