Publication Date:September 30, 2006 Shipping:Eligible for Super Saver Shipping Promotion:Save $10.00 when you spend $50.00 or more on Qualifying Items offered by Amazon.com. Enter code BMLSAVES at checkout.Terms and Conditions Availability:Usually ships in 24 hours
Must reading for over-40's!May 4, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A very thorough how-to book to a more fit and healthier life. It starts with testing your status in 5 areas. Then, it prescribes specific exercises to do to improve the areas that are poor. It was written by 2 highly-praised physical therapists for the general population.
Need a Tune-Up?January 16, 2008 141 out of 142 found this review helpful
Just a great little book written by two physical therapists. The idea the book is based upon is that the antidote to aging is activity. So what kind of activity do you need?
To answer this question, the book begins by having you evaluate your physical performance so you can identify those areas that you need the most work in. Thus, you complete five tests that assess your posture, strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance- or what the book calls "the five domains."
After finishing these tests, you should have a pretty good idea of what areas you need the most work on. From there, you just go to the posture chapter or the balance chapter, or the strength chapter and so on- whatever chapters you need the most.
Each chapter contains additional "tests" for the reader to do to further hone in on problem areas. These are kinda neat and very easy for just about anybody to do. After these specific tests, easy-to-do exercises are provided. For instance, the posture chapter contains a lot of stretching exercises. the strengthening exercises use a theraband which comes with the book, the balance exercises (there are eight) are simple i.e. stand on one leg, flexibility exercises which cover your neck area down to your legs, and endurance exercises such as walking, jumping rope or cycling.
The book ends with a brief chapter called "Putting It All Together" which ties up loose ends such as coping with soreness and staying consitent with exercise.
All-in-all its a neat book with a wealth of evidence-based information and simple exercises you can do with little or no equipment. Other books I liked in the body repair genre include Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem or rotator cuff tear that keeps you from exercising. Good luck with the tune-up!
great bookOctober 30, 2007 3 out of 4 found this review helpful
The book is well organized and gives adequate descriptions and pictures of the exercises. It allows one to develop an exercise routine according to specific needs. There are also cautions to not use some exercises if certain conditions exist such as low back pain. I found it to be a great addition to physical therapy.
I Needed a PlanOctober 7, 2007 11 out of 12 found this review helpful
I bought this book because I began to realize my reasons for exercising were changing. I no longer expected to get lots of definition and washboard abs. I'm in my 40s and I felt some things changing, and I was bored with my gym routine. Once I gave up on the definition and being as thin as possible I didn't have any goals. This book told me exactly what I needed to know - what the focus on for health and feeling and looking good for, hopefully, the rest of my life. The measurements tests were very interesting. This book is different because it tells you what to focus on - the 5 areas - balance, flexibility, strength, endurance and posture. I'm glad I bought it. I like it a lot better than "Fit Not Fat at 40Plus" which I also bought.
Great springboard to fitnessSeptember 21, 2007 20 out of 22 found this review helpful
This is a book that will help ease you back into fitness. I recommend it to friends who would like to get started on a fitness program and don't know where to start, as well as a few who have injured themselves and want to continue exercising. To date, I've purchased three copies for myself and close friends.
Here's my experience with Age Defying Fitness. I purchased a copy after reading a NYT review with the goal of improving my posture. Upon receiving the book, I read the first seven pages then skipped to the chapter on posture. The next morning I took the posture self-assessment tests and got a baseline reading. Next I started through the chapter "8 Great Exercises for Posture". The exercises were challenging but doable and, before I knew it, I was doing them every day!
The improvement in my posture in the next three weeks was astounding, according to both the self-assessment tests and feedback from friends. I was so inspired I decided to work on my core muscles using the "8 Great Exercises for Neck and Trunk." Before I knew it my abs were strong and physical things I enjoy doing, like gardening, just got easier and easier.
I've made so much progress that I no longer regularly see my chiropractor for neck adjustments. Now I know how to release neck tension and have strengthened my back and abdominal muscles to the point that my body stays in good alignment every day. I've also been able to leverage what I learned to help me deeply relax at night. When I go to bed, I use one 10 second repetition of exercise 1, 4 and 5 from "8 great exercises for posture" and one repetition of each of the neck strengthening exercises from "8 great exercises for neck and trunk" (there are four of them) as a 3 minute relaxation sequence which prepares me to sleep.
I haven't made it through the other chapters yet. My physical progress resulting from the posture and core muscle training inspired me to start using my Bowflex again (which had become a sweater holder in the past year). However, I still do the posture and core muscle training from Age-Defying Fitness three times a week and my relaxation sequence every day to keep my posture going strong.
If you know you need to exercise and are wondering how to start, I recommend you buy this book and work your way through it. The self-asessment tests help you document your baseline and progress. Exercises are clearly written and there are photos that illustrate proper positioning for each one. Plus, each section of the book (there are five: posture, strength, flexibility, balance and endurance) starts with an explanation which helps you understand what was going on with your body as your fitness level declined over time and how to reverse the trend.
Get fit! You know you can do it. And when you do, you'll be telling others about this springboard to fitness.
