Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The only reason I didn't give this book five stars is that Chan Ling is a somewhat pedantic writer. This book is exactly what I was looking for!
Most of us are far from perfectly fit, and most have weak and unbalanced muscle groups---and yes, a lot of us are over 50. I want to improve my core strength and develop overall muscle tone in a way that really works---and I don't want to be sidelined by injuries. Chan Ling's approach provides an overall synthesis of the concepts from many practices, including western science, and distills out the most beneficial techniques. There's no focus on meditation or spirituality. There's no focus on peak performance. Her goal is to provide a strong base to build on, and do that quickly, simply, and with low risk of injury---and to explain why it works.
I've tried lots of exercise regimes. Yoga sounds great, but it puts too much stress on some of my joints, I can't get into most of the postures, and I always have the nagging feeling that I'm not progressing much at all toward my goals.
Tai chi is great in some ways, but limited in many others, and I'm bad at the choreography aspect. I've looked into Pilates---it seems to really strengthen the core, but proper execution is key, and who can afford the classes? There are tons of exercise books out there, and most of them are just variations on standard, mindless calisthenics and weight training.
I've tried putting together my own routines, and I do have a pretty nice stretching sequence that works well for me. I do a lot of walking. But I need more muscle toning that doesn't overwork one area while overlooking others---but I did't know how, exactly, to accomplish this. What I do know is that the local aerobics class is not the answer.
Chan Ling goes into lots of detail about physiology, explaining why certain things work, why certain things are risky, and how to work with your body and give it what it needs. For example, I found the clear descriptions of the abdominal muscle layers and how they work very enlightening. The exercises are clearly explained and manageable in number. This is good, basic, sensible, thoughtful exercise!
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Fusion Fitness: Combining the Best from East and WestFor over 25 years, the author has studied a wide range of disciplines including yoga, Pilates, the Alexander Technique, callanetics, and Chinese martial arts. Focusing on exercises that integrate the best and safest elements from these disciplines, she presents a balanced exercise regimen for optimum strength, endurance, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness. Dozens of photos, illustrations and charts are included as well as a chapter for exercisers over 50.
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