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About This SiteA few months ago, my physical therapist prescribed a few stretches to help me recover from a foot injury. Sticking with the routine was easy for the first few days, but soon I found myself putting it off. While the stretches were simple enough to do, my mind wandered and I often lost track of where I was in the stretch, or how many reps I'd done. What should have been a relaxing break in my daily schedule became a chore. Inspiration struck me during a run (after I'd recovered enough to start running again). I realized that as a musician, I had the tools at my disposal to record some cues to guide me through my routine. That way I wouldn't have to count at all! I'd be guaranteed to hold each stretch for the right amount of time, and perform the right number of stretches. As a side benefit, I'd know ahead of time exactly how long my stretch routine would take. Once I'd assembled the building blocks in my recording software, I realized that I had two different routines: one for my running days and one for my non-running days. After I recovered from my injury completely, I'd need yet another routine. As my enthusiasm faded, I wondered if it would be hard to automate the process. I contacted a programmer friend of mine, and Stretch Secretary was born! Now anyone can convert their own stretching routine into an iPod-ready mp3 file. Just select the parameters for each stretch from the drop down menus, and add as many stretches as you'd like. Sync the mp3 file to your iPod to take to the gym or your next physical therapy appointment. I guarantee that it'll help you stay motivated. You may even find yourself looking forward to stretch breaks! Try it for yourself and you'll see - stretching is better when you don't have to count! Brian Hazard |