Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

I don't normally write reviews but felt compelled having gained so much knowledge by this fantastic guide for complete fitness in your forties. For background, I am fairly fit, doing 3 HiiT classes a week as well as long-distance running. I came at this book knowing that while I have a good level of fitness, there are areas I need to improve upon and clear gaps in my training. That and the fact that as my own fortieth birthday approaches I am getting injured more and finding it harder to achieve new PB's.This book really has it all, it clearly establishes the dilemmas of what is happening 'under the hood' as we age, through scientific explanations and highlighting practical, relatable examples. From here Swettenham dives deep on approaches to not just maintain fitness but to completely re-wire your training so that you can be fitter in your forties than in your twenties. This is done by breaking fitness down into 7 foundations and key areas to focus on. I would say, prior to reading this book, I had a solid grip of 3-4 of the foundations with work to be done on the rest.I have been inspired to set myself new goals in the foundations I was lacking and have joined the gym to focus on strength (resistance training) and Flexibility (Yoga), amongst others. There's also a super cool 7 day foundation program that hones in on how you can incorporate the 7 foundations into your weekly training schedule.I am just Looking forward to being at my all-time fittest as the glory years commence.NOTE - I gave this a 4-star review but it's really a 5-star read. I took off a star as I would have preferred more illustrations, specifically on the scientific sections (what can I say, I am a visual guy).

Stepping into a gym after years of no exercise and self neglect was a daunting prospect. I was out of shape, couldn’t afford a personal trainer and didn’t have a plan. After a circuit around the gym and a half hearted 10 minutes walking on the treadmill I sheepishly slipped out the gym cursing myself. Everyone else seemed to know what they were doing, and I thought I would before I walked in there.I resolved to make a plan and after searching on Amazon came across Total Fitness after 40. Everything is clearly laid out and the principles of fitness and training are well explained.Using the tools in the book I was able to build myself a personalised training plan for my specific fitness goals and I’m confident I’ll be able to tweak and adjust it as my fitness improves. The nutrition sections really helped me understand how to eat right for my training and recovery and to make sure I’m getting enough calories which surprised me.It made such a difference going into the gym with a plan and the goals I set after reading the book. I could focus on my programme, I knew what I was going to do achieve and I felt comfort that I looked like I knew what I was doing.I can’t recommend it enough, it’s given me the drive to start achieving my fitness goals and to finally actually use a gym membership rather than paying and never going! 5*

Wow! What a GREAT read! I’m rapidly approaching the big 4-0 and needed something to help me take control of my physical future. This book did exactly that!It breaks down the term “Total Fitness” into 7 clearly laid out foundations:1. Strength2. Flexibility3. Mobility4. Stability5. Agility6. Endurance7. NutritionI now feel like I am fully equipped with a wealth of knowledge. Knowledge that I have taken and applied into a lifestyle that I am motivated to lead, both inside and outside of the gym.I think this is a must read for anyone who wants to beat back that lethargic body clock and jump on that path towards true, total fitness! Now I know....age ain’t nothing but a number!RECOMMENDED!!

I bought this book as a gift for my mum, but ended up having a quick read through the chapters and was pleasantly surprised as to how many information was applicable for me as a 22 year old! The layout of the book is really easy to follow, as the signposting with the chapter titles makes the information very clear and concise. I especially liked how the book takes the time to comprehensively explain the reasoning BEHIND different exercises and nutrition choices, making it easier to pick and choose which one were most applicable for me and my lifestyle. The pictures showing the correct form for various exercises was also a nice touch. Really happy with this purchase!

This book covers more than just strength and flexibility. It also shows how to assess your current fitness and ongoing improvement, with achievable benchmarks.

Insightful and unintimidating. This book is a great wake up call for anyone looking to change their mindset about fitness and wellbeing. This book helped raise my awareness about my general condition and has me thinking, and acting in a healthier way every day. Highly recommended.

This is a book about exercise. I was hoping for more insight, I knew all of this, not really useful.

book good for explaining what exercise is best for you as you age and why