Exercise... there's a dirty word! It is impossible to stand in line at the grocery store and not see some magazine cover promising to help lose inches and pounds without lifting a finger in exercise; or maybe promise 14 days of repetitive motion will whittle a few inches off your bum.

So when I saw the title of this book it made me stop and want to see what there was to think about in exercise. When I finished the book, it didn't take long. it's only 160 pages long. I was kind of overwhelmed with all the heavy duty philosophical discussion and references to ancient arts. The book bogged down a lot with deep discussions that seem to make their point early and then went on and on.

But there were many statements that made me think about my life and my exercise routines.

My personal exercise interests are walking and yoga so the chapters on those areas stood out for me.
Any time you read a self-help book and come away having "seen the light", finding ways to improve the quality of your life, then the author has been successful.
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I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

I don't normally read books about exercise, because they are boring to me. This book changed my outlook on exercise books. It was very witty and philosophical. It showed that smart people can exercise too, not just the steroid heavy types. In fact, the book reveals how even intelligent people should strive to work out more. Working out can increase your creativity and give your mind a rest at the same time.

I loved the author's side notes through the book. I also loved how he included pictures of himself trying to complete his own personal goals. He also asks questions for you to ponder about. I also learned some things about Charles Darwin I never knew before.

The main question in the book that really got me thinking was "How far did you walk today?" I also loved the chapter on tennis because I used to play.

I think everyone would find this book enjoyable. It discusses many different sports, and even if your a couch potato it gets you to think about how you could change and add in a few minutes of exercise to your life.

I look forward to reading more of this author's works. I also am considering reading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. The author discussed him a few times in How to Think about Exercise, and he really seems extraordinary! ( )