An Olympian's Stretching Program

Jan.30, 2001 -- You knew stretching was good for your body, but did you know that it might also relieve PMS, help relieve your stomachache, and give you a burst of energy?

Olympic swimmer Dara Torres and her stretching guru, Bob Cooley, joined "Good Morning America" as part of the show's "Personal Best" series. During the Olympics, the 33-year-old U.S. athlete raised eyebrows with a unique stretching routine that made her look like an acrobat, and strengthened her muscles enough so that she could swim like a champion.

Torres' secret weapon: Cooley, who founded the Meridian Stretching Center, and created the Meridian stretching system. The system combines resistance stretching with yoga postures for a demanding workout that increases both strength and flexibility. Resistance stretching involves forcefully working muscles in a stretch position.

More Than Muscle Stretching The goal of Cooley's programs is not just to stretch the muscles.

"We want you to feel better, we want you to eat better, live better, get what you desire and think better," Cooley said. "So in addition to stretching, we provide dietary advice, suggest lifestyle changes and teach pertinent emotional and psychological knowledge."

Cooley, who says the stretching system works similar to acupuncture, says that flexibility training is sort of a missing link between exercise science and alternative medicine, and that it can improve both physical and mental health.

Among the benefits of a stretching system, he says, that not only can it make you stronger and give you more stamina, but it can also improve the functioning of the digestive and immune systems.

Working The System The Meridian Flexibility System is a program of powerful stretching exercises. It is based on the principle that muscles stretch best if you contract them, while simultaneously elongating them. This active muscle contraction is called resistance, and it is the foundation of Cooley's technique.

In order to truly stretch, you need to contract muscles to create resistance in three directions, while at the same time holding a position to keep the muscles elongating. An inflexible muscle is a weak muscle, Cooley said.