Built to Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully

This hits a sweet spot between Katy Bowman's books and more technical/athlete-focused sources like Kelly Starrett's Becoming a Supple Leopard. Full of straightforward mobility exercises targeted on repairing ordinary damage done to our bodies by living a normal modern life. The exercises require simple or no equipment and seem easy to adapt to a wide range of ability. Great advice on breathing exercises (give them a try, they really make a difference), sleep, and ways to incorporate movement and mobility work seamlessly into your day. The only weak point in the book is the chapter on nutrition. This chapter is a mixed bag with a challenge to eat more fruits and vegetables (inspired by research) and advice to eat an unusually high amount of protein (inspired by anecdotal experience). Personally, I found the protein advice hard to follow. For my weight (healthy BMI), the recommendation worked out to the equivalent of 5-6 servings of chicken, or 6-7 servings of fish, or 19 eggs, or 8 cans of beans per day. (In all fairness, you're supposed to mix up your sources during the day, and they recommend protein powder if you have trouble eating this much.) Maybe it works for you. It reduced my energy and power in the pool and during the day. Something to think about, though: if you follow their advice you will avoid eating junk food--mainly because you'll be to full to eat any. :) Reminds me of a high-protein version of Tim Ferriss' beans and greens diet.

Take-aways: Pain and aches aren't a part of getting old. With VERY simple daily intentional activities (think breathing, walking, less sitting), you can love longer, hurt less, and do the things you love. Reasons I love this book: Dr. Starrett has been able to simplify the mystified aspects of fitness and wellness for decades. He takes all of the vast amounts of information on health and wellness, and condenses it down to practical, applicable means to improve your life. This book DOES NOT talk about hardcore exercise routines or restrictive diets, but instead approaches our societal physical ailments with a simple anecdote: we're meant to move, and we don't do it enough. If you need data, it has all the science behind why breathing better and more steps MATTER. If you need a daily checklist, it has that too. It has a 21-day challenge. But most of all, it has practical advice to better your life, so you can do more, and be there more for those that need you. Tell me when you buy it. Thank your lucky Starretts when you use it to improve your physical wellness.

Another good read from the Starretts. It is easy to move about and increase activity when you follow their 10 vital signs.

If you can do the exercises they suggest, you will feel healthier and feel sure on your feet.

“Built to Move” is the Starretts at their best. Not only do Kelly & Juliet offer 10 ways to enhance your life, improve your mobility, & perhaps live longer, but they back their thoughts & recommendations with real-life experience & easy-to-understand research. Not sure you need this? Can you cross one foot in front of the other & sit down on the floor into a cross-legged position without holding on to anything? No? Then you need this book. Can you hold your breath for 30 to 40 seconds? Can you walk outside breathing only through your nose? Do you eat 800 grams (by weight) of fruits & vegetables a day? Yeah, I thought so. You. Need. This. Book.

I purchased this book in March 2023 and implemented several of the habits immediately, which I still maintain. I am a middle-aged, woman who likes physical activities (even though I am an uncoordinated, below-average athlete 😊). While I have always been active and quite flexible, I do have a desk job and sit a lot. This created an imbalance I was never able to “fix” with physical therapy, pilates, yoga, stretching, mobility, etc. The floor sits were the biggest game changer for me, I do them every day and have for about a year. Within 2 weeks I was amazed at how something so simple could be so impactful. I am now able to do a deep squat easily and no longer feel the imbalance from excessive sitting. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be a better version of themselves with a few very easy habits that fit in to even the busiest life. This book really is for everyone, regardless of if you are active or not, and is very easy to read, understand and implement.

Good insights, if i could only read

I just received my pre-order and I am blown away. I wasn't really sure what to expect and how this book could be for athletes as well as people that don't really have a fitness plan. But just skimming through the TOC and some of the chapters, I'm starting to understand how they've broken down some daily habits that are critical for every human. They make a solid case for the importance of getting tons of movement (not formal exercise!), and simple tips for how to hit the goals they recommend - turns out, if you don't sleep well, you probably need to move more. If you have aches and pains, more movement will probably help a lot. There are tests in each chapter, and after giggling my way through the sit-and-rise test a couple of times (not as easy as I thought!), I'm looking forward to trying each of the tests and then incorporating the habits designed to help you get better at each. What I love about this book, is that it doesn’t appear to be a program that will require tons of time to work in. Making different movement choices throughout the day, and even getting some mobility work in while watching TV at night seems very achievable. And the nutrition recommendations are more about expanding what you eat, not restricting. All in all, this is a GREAT book if you are looking to build SIMPLE habits that are gonna help you move BETTER and move LONGER, even into old age. I can’t wait to read through the entire book and look forward to gifting it to my Mom!

Ė da molto tempo che pensavo a questi concetti di benessere fisico pratico per la vita quotidiana e soprattutto che valgono per tutta la vita. Perfetto

Me gustó por lo práctico del libro y que me abrió los ojos de que para estar bien físicamente no es necesario pasar todo el día en el gimnasio. Entendible el libro.

Book binding is fully messed up. Need to read from last to first. Book is really built to move. Lol

I heard Kelly and Juliet talk on the plant strong podcast and immediately bought their book. I am quite fit and flexible for my age (66) but I thought I was getting some arthritis in my hips and just struggling a bit. Now I know it isn't arthritis because the discomfort I was feeling is gone after using their hip opening exercises. I am walking faster and moving easier already. I couldn't get up off the floor the way they do but in 5 days I have already improved. I was frustrated initially because I couldn't understand the pictures in the book but they give you a QR code and it explains with video's the mobilizations. The QR code wasn't easy to find and its essential for me anyway. The book and the video's together are perfect. Without the QR I think I would have sent the book back because I couldn't understand what they were asking. I started making some changes based on the podcast and now I am full on in this book. This is life changing especially as you age this can be the difference in mobility which is absolutely huge. Thank you so much Kelly and Juliet, I am benefiting so much.

Clearly written book that sets out some easy, useful exercises and steps to build and protect mobility.