Customer Reviews

Regaining The Power Of Youth at Any Age: Startling New Evidence from the Doctor Who Brought Us Aerobics, Controlling Cholesterol and the Antioxidant Revolution

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Kenneth Cooper, MD, was the inventor of aerobics exercise,
which he initially developed to keep astronauts physically fit
while in space. At age 67 he wrote a provocative book titled
Regaining the Power of Youth at Any Age. Cooper challenges the
notion that "true happiness is possible only if we can maintain
some illusion of agelessness." Cooper writes to people
between the ages of 31 and 75 with his "easy-to-use manual for
recapturing their lost or declining youthful vigor," advocating
a combination of impact exercise, aerobics, and stretching. His
exercise program is specially designed to counteract the effects
of aging--particularly to prevent loss of bone and muscle mass,
and maintain cardiovascular power. "Building bone mass is
an essential part of maintaining the vigor of youth," he writes.
"Lean body mass provides us with the power and strength we
need to continue to move, lift, and maneuver in our older years
as effectively as we did when we were in our teens or twenties."

Cooper clearly practices what he preaches. In Regaining
the Power of Youth, he skillfully combines personal experience,
research knowledge, and wit. While writing his book, he suffered
a mountain bike riding accident and smashed head first into
a rock. He consequently "became even more a believer in
protective helmets than in the past." This incident validates the
claims of his exercise and fitness program: although he was in his
late sixties, he didn't break any bones and only needed a little
aspirin at night for soreness.

Cooper's exercise strategy promises "boundless energy and
stamina, emotional resilience and optimism, and agile reasoning,
creative thinking, and comprehensive memory." These are
qualities we all need at any age, but when we can reclaim them
in middle age, it effectively demonstrates the power of exercise
as a bona fide agent of rejuvenation.

Dr. Cooper's work was a great influence on my own research. I consider him to be one of my Spunky Eldsters--older individuals who can serve as role models to us baby boomers of how to age successfully. All us boomers need to be reading books like this--and not just read them, but practice what we read about. Get out there and get more exercise, eat healthy, take better care of our bodies. After all, what's the point of living a long life if we are not going to be healthy?

Richard Kownacki, Ph.D. From my book: Do Not Go Gentle: Successful Aging for Baby Boomers and All Generations

I know this is is an older book so I was very glad that[...] carried the book. The book is a wonderful. It is full of everyday suggestions to help a person stay as physically and mentally strong as possible.