We joke that when we hit our thirties it is all downhill but the truth is, we dint bounce back the way we used to. This book is a great prescription to remedy rhat. I have always been intrigued by mobility exercises and ways our bodies can move better. This easy to follow guide breaks down a lot of information, with picture guides too, and makes mobility exercises simple to implement into your daily routines. I like the tests to monitor progress and all the little lifestyle changes that seem really manageable and realistic.

While I think the mobility tests and strengthening “mobilizations” that make up this book seem spot on, the book itself seems written to drive website traffic and maybe even to sell apps. Written instructions for mobilizations often left me wondering. Most were accompanied by a single illustration — hardly enough information to help me visualize what to do. The free website content promised at the end of the book was not the supplementary information I was hoping for, just unrelated blog entries and app ads.

Thanks alot netgallery for a copy
I really appreciate
I loved and enjoyed the ten test to guard your health
I will highly recommend the book

It was an amazing read.....
Thanks

I’ve read a lot of different books pertaining to health & fitness; this one absolutely stands out. I believe everyone could benefit in some way from reading it and I plan to purchase a physical copy to refer back to as needed. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

There were things I really liked about this book and other things that frustrated me. I like the ten tests you can take to gauge your health. They were fun and surprising, like being able to cross your feet and sit down and stand up without using your hands. I failed miserably and thought nobody could do it, and all of my kids could do it easily, even the grown ones. I also liked the variety of things that make a difference in our health and mobility— this is not at all just about exercising.

The ten essential habits include things like breathing properly, getting enough sleep, sitting less in chairs (floor sitting and standing are encouraged), getting enough steps, holding your body properly (they avoid the word posture because people imagine the unhealthy military posture), eating enough protein and produce, and so on. Many of them were quite informative and I’ve worked them into my life more.

However, my problem with some of the steps is that they involve very specific daily exercises that are hard to illustrate in a book and that would be hard for me to incorporate into my routine for the rest of my life. Sleeping enough, walking more, bouncing and breathing right? Sure. Rolling things across my body in certain positions while doing specific movements every few days for the rest of my life? Sorry, but I know myself well enough to know that’s just not going to be sustainable for me. I couldn’t even follow what I was supposed to be doing. And the goal of working up to standing at least 2 1/2 hours a day by the end of three weeks? While I know I should, that’s not realistic for me at this stage of my life and when combined with all the other things I’m supposed to start doing every day it just feels too overwhelming to try.

It’s a very interesting and helpful book and I will be working on a lot of it. I do wish they made it a bit more doable for those of us who are in middle age and older, and who have disabilities. I feel like I can work in most of this but I knew better than to even try to get my husband into it as he’s older and disabled and so much of it is absolutely impossible for him and would really depress him. It doesn’t really offer a middle ground or encouragement that making some of these changes is still great. It will work best for those who are already relatively young, fit and healthy, which is a shame as others are the ones who need it the most.

That said, it’s an interesting and informative book that has really helpful information.

I read a digital advance copy of this book via NetGalley.

As a PT, I follow Kelly's work and was excited he has a new book coming out! What's even better is this book is for everyone and anyone! Seriously, everyone should read this book! It breaks down 10 essentials of health and mobility. Then, clearly explains how to test where you are at and then how to improve in each area. It's fun to try the mobility challenges with friends and family! Kelly and Juliet acknowledge that everyone will be at a different starting point and account for that in their recommendations. Everything is outlined really well with great descriptions and pictures. And, the practices and exercises they encourage are easy to fit into your everyday life. I have already seen improvements in myself in just a few days and I will be buying a copy of this book to continue on my journey!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this review copy.

Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starret are all about helping people move better - for specific athletic endeavors, yes, but also to improve everyday life for non-athletes. In this book, the authors identify ten basic functions (such as breathing, getting up off the floor, and balancing) that are critical to a well-functioning body that's ready for whatever life throws one's way. For each function, the authors offer self-assessments and suggest ways to get better or to advance performance. At the end of the book, to make this even more accessible, the authors have a daily plan, a way to build a routine that incorporates their suggestions into busy, active lives. None of this is intimidating, complex, or difficult to follow. Building a resilient and robust body doesn't have to be complicated, but it does require knowing what to do -- and this is a terrific blueprint to follow.

I love anything and everything that Kelly Starrett and his wife put out into this world, and this is no exception. I admire how Kelly and his wife are trying to help individuals become better humans, and their niche is helping people learn about their bodies and how they can improve upon them by way of stretching, It seems simple - and it is - but a lot of people are not well versed in the topic and are just looking to better themselves in an uncomplicated and relatively easy way by using stretching as a tool to feel better. This book fits the bill. What I liked about this book is that there are guided photos showing you exactly how to do each exercise mentioned. I like these pictures because it helps me to understand whether or not I am doing them correctly and what they should ultimately look like. What eqiupment is needed for this program is also listed, and it's affordable and easy to find and use. The program is incredibly easy to follow, not complicated or overwhelming like others can be. Each exercise comes with a "test" to measure how well you can do it and if you need improvement. There is also advice included on what someone can do to prevent or treat injury, which I think is super helpful for many. Lastly, something I greatly appreciated that Kelly included was advice on breathing and diet - two very important things when it comes to health. I highly recommend checking this book out, particularly if you just want to have better mobility and flexibility to feel better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Knopf for an eARC of this book.