Start Strong, Finish Strong

by Kenneth H. Cooper, Tyler C. Cooper, William Proctor (Contributor)

Arguing that an age-related physical decline is not an inevitable process, a guide to overcoming chronic pain while staying active outlines seven steps that promote a range of desired benefits, from maintaining flexibility and promoting overall health to overcoming substance abuse and avoiding injury.

Genres: Health

432 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2007

Reviews

[Rebecca]

This is a great book to motivate you to make healthy lifestyle changes. I am taking it slowly at one chapter a time.

[Dee Renee Chesnut · Rating 4 out of 5]

My copy of a different one of Cooper's books,The New Aerobics, was published in 1970(and sold for $1.95 in paperback.) I decided to look for more recent aerobic conditioning information for those of us who are over 60 because my old book gives it for age 50 and over.

Start Strong, Finish Strong says strength training needs to be half of my fitness regime now in order to prevent any further, fast-paced decline in muscle weakness and muscle loss. Aerobic points charts are still included, with the goal of reaching a 15 point/week minimal fitness level or a 35 point/week advanced fitness level. I found the chart for "Cooper Fitness Circuit Training Program" and the 30-60-90 plan for weight-loss useful. Early chapters are discussions of how to find your mature adult motivations for starting this program and sticking to it. There is a chapter about how the aerobic exercise can help you cope with stress and another chapter that lends support to those who may have a depression after stress or any number of life's setbacks.

I recommend this book to every adult reader for even if you don't need it now, you may need it later. Even if you don't need it now, you know someone you love who needs it now.

[Kaylie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a gimmicky, often insulting book that frequently misunderstands how to interpret statistics about health and misrepresents research with the goal of either A) improving reader health by hook or by crook, which is not in itself so bad, or B) selling their expensive trademarked Cooper System (TM) to those who have already been suckered into the book. While there are certainly valuable health tips inside and this book might aid individuals, especially older ones, in planning and executing beneficial lifestyle interventions, this book has a bombastic and slimy feel and should not be mistaken for science.

[Hal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is authored by Kenneth Cooper M.D. and his son Tyler Cooper M.D. Ken Cooper being the originator of the aerobic concept of health training from the 1960's. The focus of this book is for those getting up in years and looking for a way to extend health in these years when so many face declines that impact the quality of their lives. On balance good material for doing something to change this, however I found many pages devoted to what I considered filler and I was expecting more on the concrete mechanics of a program which I found lacking.

[Christine Pia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has inspired me to be healthier and take care of my body more. During and immediately after reading this book my diet and exercise had been on point.