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on May 14, 2017
You can improve your posture and mobility and Kelly's book teaches you how. Don't just skip to the exercises, the first sections are loaded with knowledge of bimechanics written for people with no medical background. The concepts are extremely important to understand for long term mobility and health.
I was diagnosed with kyphosis (similar to scoliosis, think hunched back) in high school. It was not that bad, most people would never notice, but I had some back pain. Doctors just said there was not much I could do.
10 years later I started lifting and came across Kelly's work and started working to improve my body mechanics. I have significantly improved the curvature of my spine and mobility in my spine, hips, and shoulders. I notice big differences when I look in the mirror and have much less back pain.
I am in my 20s, but see my parents loosing their mobility in their 50s. I have shared th book and ideas with them. I am sure this will help me stay functional long past my 50s and 60s.
I was diagnosed with kyphosis (similar to scoliosis, think hunched back) in high school. It was not that bad, most people would never notice, but I had some back pain. Doctors just said there was not much I could do.
10 years later I started lifting and came across Kelly's work and started working to improve my body mechanics. I have significantly improved the curvature of my spine and mobility in my spine, hips, and shoulders. I notice big differences when I look in the mirror and have much less back pain.
I am in my 20s, but see my parents loosing their mobility in their 50s. I have shared th book and ideas with them. I am sure this will help me stay functional long past my 50s and 60s.
on August 10, 2013
As a biomechanics and Injury prevention specialist, I specialize in corrective exercise and have made a successful career out of it. I am always looking for new information and books to expand my knowledge of the human body. I was looking for a bit more than what this book provided. I was originally drawn in by the amazing reviews (even before the book was released). Which is awfully suspicious. Regardless, I'd figure I'd see what all of the hype is about. As a practitioner, I am more interested in causation and correction, less in just what looks( or doesn't look) right. This book provided very little of what I was looking for and I'd recommend several other, more detailed books before this one, if you are interested in injury prevention. The book was filled with errors, that was easy for someone like myself to pick out quickly.
Pros: Solid info on 'smashing', picked up some new stuff.
Cons: Lack of detailed explanations
Errors in simple understandings of human mechanics
Heavily influenced by Crossfit propaganda
Little info on causation
Recommendations: NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
Movement-Gray Cook
Pain-Free Program-Anthony Carey
Advances in Functional Training-Mike Boyle
Pros: Solid info on 'smashing', picked up some new stuff.
Cons: Lack of detailed explanations
Errors in simple understandings of human mechanics
Heavily influenced by Crossfit propaganda
Little info on causation
Recommendations: NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
Movement-Gray Cook
Pain-Free Program-Anthony Carey
Advances in Functional Training-Mike Boyle
on May 13, 2015
Excellent. I discovered Kelly Starrett on his YouTube site and had to have the book. Second edition is about to come out and I would recommend it just based on how good the first edition is.
If you are into fitness, this is a must have.
If you have mobility or other physical issues, the last third of the book is invaluable. I pair the book with his videos for best results. The book helps me discover the the methodology more easily and then I can pinpoint my search of his Youtube channel for better instruction.
I have made more progress in addressing twenty year old physical problems in a few weeks than in all of the other modalities that I have used combined.
If you are into fitness, this is a must have.
If you have mobility or other physical issues, the last third of the book is invaluable. I pair the book with his videos for best results. The book helps me discover the the methodology more easily and then I can pinpoint my search of his Youtube channel for better instruction.
I have made more progress in addressing twenty year old physical problems in a few weeks than in all of the other modalities that I have used combined.
on March 30, 2017
This book is amazing! I checked it out from the library three times, then gave in and bought it.
SO MUCH information! It's a heavy book and a dense read, but worth it. Also check out the DVD by Kelley Starrett and Jill Miller, as well as Kelley Starrett's website.
SO MUCH information! It's a heavy book and a dense read, but worth it. Also check out the DVD by Kelley Starrett and Jill Miller, as well as Kelley Starrett's website.
on April 28, 2013
In "Becoming a Supple Leopard" Kelly Starrett and Glen Cordoza have scored big. This book is the basics of human movement patterns well presented and well taught. Throughout Kelly and Glen present good posture and proper movement techniques as enabling enhanced superior athletic performance, with echos into occupational body mechanics and ergonomics, and also into military evolutions.
Kelly starts with simple standing and shows us how to do it properly, with tests to determine if we are doing it properly. He progresses into torque and lever mechanics as they apply to the human body. The majority of the book is explaining and demonstrating with well designed pictures the basic athletic exercises (deadlift, pushup, dip, etc). He does the same with stretching and development of flexibility techniques.
Many may think this book is too simple, too basic. But the fact remains that many of us damage ourselves over time with improper movement and posture habits. Our human body is designed do millions of repetitions of every movement. If we put undue stress on various areas by poor mechanics, we will weaken and damage our bodies. Many great athletes get by for a time with poor body mechanics, but it does catch up with them. Yes, we age and are mortal, but we let ourselves age far too fast through improper uses and mechanics of our bodies. The vast majority of Americans stop being active just at the moment they need to be more active. But, we have let (Kelly's list page 25) no warm up, no cool down, sleep deprivation, dehydration, poor nutrition, prolonged sitting, chronic inflammation, stress and insulin sensitivity rob of us the use of our body far before we should. This book is not about those errors, but about the body mechanics necessary to maintain the ability to perform for many more years than average in our society.
Kelly stresses that we will perform as we practice. Kelly stresses that many tasks are mechanically identical using the same postures and strengths and self support systems to the basic exercises. Example from this book: round back deadlifts lead to round back tackles with a much higher incidence of injury. Kelly's point is that if we teach proper movement mechanics, we will perform better, perform longer, have less pain, have fewer injuries, have less wear and tear failures (e.g. ACL tears, disc herniations, spinal stenosis) and feel better and look better far longer than average. And the best place for this teaching is in the gym, concentrating on the basic movements.
There should be at least one well used copy of this book in every coach's office, in every PT department that deals with athletes and the aging, in every gym, in every sports medicine clinic. Kelly's point is that the practice of correcting dysfunction and exercise mechanics is neccessary and needs to be done in the gym as we teach our youth to move, our young adults to move and perform, and our aging to age gracefully.
This book is another notch in Victory Belt Publishing and Glen Cordoza's ventures moving from MMA technique books, to paleo diet books, to exercise. From Victory Belt Publishing we now have Marthone's "The Kettlebell Rx," MacKenzies "Power Speed Endurance," Starrett's "Supple Leopard." And forth coming is "Beyond Parallel," due out late May or early June . Victory Belt has a winning formula in taking great Crossfit coaches and publishing their wisdom. Let's hope they keep it up.
The book reads well. The book is well organized and well laid out. The pictures are excellent elaborating on the text. This book will become a standard text filling a need for many years to come.
Kelly starts with simple standing and shows us how to do it properly, with tests to determine if we are doing it properly. He progresses into torque and lever mechanics as they apply to the human body. The majority of the book is explaining and demonstrating with well designed pictures the basic athletic exercises (deadlift, pushup, dip, etc). He does the same with stretching and development of flexibility techniques.
Many may think this book is too simple, too basic. But the fact remains that many of us damage ourselves over time with improper movement and posture habits. Our human body is designed do millions of repetitions of every movement. If we put undue stress on various areas by poor mechanics, we will weaken and damage our bodies. Many great athletes get by for a time with poor body mechanics, but it does catch up with them. Yes, we age and are mortal, but we let ourselves age far too fast through improper uses and mechanics of our bodies. The vast majority of Americans stop being active just at the moment they need to be more active. But, we have let (Kelly's list page 25) no warm up, no cool down, sleep deprivation, dehydration, poor nutrition, prolonged sitting, chronic inflammation, stress and insulin sensitivity rob of us the use of our body far before we should. This book is not about those errors, but about the body mechanics necessary to maintain the ability to perform for many more years than average in our society.
Kelly stresses that we will perform as we practice. Kelly stresses that many tasks are mechanically identical using the same postures and strengths and self support systems to the basic exercises. Example from this book: round back deadlifts lead to round back tackles with a much higher incidence of injury. Kelly's point is that if we teach proper movement mechanics, we will perform better, perform longer, have less pain, have fewer injuries, have less wear and tear failures (e.g. ACL tears, disc herniations, spinal stenosis) and feel better and look better far longer than average. And the best place for this teaching is in the gym, concentrating on the basic movements.
There should be at least one well used copy of this book in every coach's office, in every PT department that deals with athletes and the aging, in every gym, in every sports medicine clinic. Kelly's point is that the practice of correcting dysfunction and exercise mechanics is neccessary and needs to be done in the gym as we teach our youth to move, our young adults to move and perform, and our aging to age gracefully.
This book is another notch in Victory Belt Publishing and Glen Cordoza's ventures moving from MMA technique books, to paleo diet books, to exercise. From Victory Belt Publishing we now have Marthone's "The Kettlebell Rx," MacKenzies "Power Speed Endurance," Starrett's "Supple Leopard." And forth coming is "Beyond Parallel," due out late May or early June . Victory Belt has a winning formula in taking great Crossfit coaches and publishing their wisdom. Let's hope they keep it up.
The book reads well. The book is well organized and well laid out. The pictures are excellent elaborating on the text. This book will become a standard text filling a need for many years to come.
on October 8, 2014
Going in, understand it's coming from a 'CrossFit' mind set. But, if you actually read the book, he tells you NOT to do things that many CrossFitters do.
Two things I would question, and I am no expert by any stretch.
1) People in other parts of the world do all sorts of activities in a squat position, so we all should.
I think this is an over-simplification. Many people the world over carry things on top of their heads, too. Should we all now do likewise?
2) The effect of external rotation on the shoulder/hip is illustrated by wrapping a rag around a sheleilia. In practice, how much external rotation can you get in your hip by pointing your feet straight in a squat? Seems strange that the natural placement of the feet for most squatters is pointing out, yet Kelly says they should be straight, then somehow 'screw them into the floor'.
Overall though, the book is good. It tells you HOW to do the exercises, how NOT to (common faults). and how to increase mobility (smashing, flossing, etc)
Two things I would question, and I am no expert by any stretch.
1) People in other parts of the world do all sorts of activities in a squat position, so we all should.
I think this is an over-simplification. Many people the world over carry things on top of their heads, too. Should we all now do likewise?
2) The effect of external rotation on the shoulder/hip is illustrated by wrapping a rag around a sheleilia. In practice, how much external rotation can you get in your hip by pointing your feet straight in a squat? Seems strange that the natural placement of the feet for most squatters is pointing out, yet Kelly says they should be straight, then somehow 'screw them into the floor'.
Overall though, the book is good. It tells you HOW to do the exercises, how NOT to (common faults). and how to increase mobility (smashing, flossing, etc)
on November 6, 2014
About 3 years ago, a small ache in the muscles on the right side of my lower back began to surface. Growing older, I began to feel it almost constantly. I tried rolling and stretching but the ache would return quickly. My first guess was that one leg was longer than the other, but 2 trainers said that I was symmetrical. Anyway long story short, Supple Leopard helped me understand that the cause of my lower back pain is both very small adjustments in my posture and muscles that I tend to completely relax when I stand and sit. And it gave great clear instruction on rolling on trigger points farther up and down stream that were much more effective than rolling the actual site of the pain. He also has a website with videos that I found very helpful. It has a small fee but for me it was well spent.
on June 1, 2016
I bought this book to just improve my hip mobility, but found so much information here, I have gone far beyond my hips. I have improved my hip mobility, my knees feel great (50-year old knees that have run several marathons in the past 5 years), and now I am working on my shoulders. I feel better and move better than I have in years (I also sleep better). My squat and deadlift have improved immensely, and now I am working on the pistol squat. I am going to nail that move!
One warning: This is a big technical book, that is more of a textbook than just your average fitness book. Geared toward coaches and trainers and physical therapists. But if I can find value here, so can others looking to improve mobility.
One warning: This is a big technical book, that is more of a textbook than just your average fitness book. Geared toward coaches and trainers and physical therapists. But if I can find value here, so can others looking to improve mobility.
on December 10, 2013
Great information for alignment and proper position for basic strength skills such as, braced-ready position for activity in genral, push-ups, bench press, etch. I see people doing strenght movements in grossly incorrect positions in the weight room. Now when I do yoga, strength building and cardio, I make adaptations to the activity to try to maintain the correct alignment. I have also used it for pain relief. These include using balls and a roller for pressure points as well as various exercises. I've always thought I was flexible, but found that there are areas of my body that I need to increase my range of motion in order to reduce pain. Since I'm older than many who use the book, I start very gently with the exercises, then increase the intensity as I progress.
