Book Review - Becoming a Supple Leopard

I'll admit before I review this that I've been geeking out pretty badly on all sorts of food and exercise science lately. And I also know most everyone else out there isn't. I didn't think I'd review it here because I assumed it would be a geeky mobility science book to feed the nerd in me. I knew before I started reading this book that I'd love it. BUT I wasn't sure how practical it would be for everyone else in the wide wide world. In fact I know that KStarr can be quite technical in how he presents concepts as well as quite strict in his beliefs about movement so I was pretty sure going into this book that it wouldn't be one I'd recommend to most of my friends. I mean I'm kind of a boring stay-at-home mom with mostly homeschooling stay-at-home mom friends. Giant books about mobility aren't everyone's cup of tea. So I was pretty sure I would only have about three people I'd recommend this to and one is a black belt martial artist stay-at-home mom and another is obsessed with kettlebells. :)

Boy was I wrong! I'm convinced that everyone should own this book even to just keep on the shelf in case of injury. I know so many people with all sorts of health books on the shelf and this one should be sitting up there with them even if you aren't a Crossfitter or aren't into weight lifting at all.

First let's just say this isn't a cheap book. In the era of kindle books we can get a bit turned off by expensive books these days. The price on Amazon has been hovering around $35. But it's a BIG hardback book. And while I can see a day where I might want the info on my iPad I am beyond glad to have the big gorgeous book in my hands. I think of it price-wise as a giant reference book. I will use it basically for the rest of time. But you don't know why yet so this is all babble right?

KStarr (Kelly Starrett) can be intense. He is someone beyond passionate about his love of human movement. So often on his website I found him quite intense. And he's such a force I think I'd be quite nervous in his presence and do the worst squat in the history of squats or forget how to just pick a barbell off the floor properly. I feared I'd feel that way about this book too. But the tone is conversational and down-to-earth while still digging deep into the mechanics of movement.

I'll be honest and say not all of this book will be of interest to everyone I think should own it. Does that make any sense? The first part really gets you excited and explain human movement, why we have pain, how we develop certain injuries, and truly convinces you why you should care about your ability to move and move WELL. It inspired me for sure.

Then it delves into diagnostics. Diagnosing weaknesses in knees or ankles or back flexibility won't matter to everyone. And at the same time it's deep and extensive enough to excite and challenge all who do care whether they are elite athletes or a simple Crossfitting or martial arts mom.                                           

Then it moves into something I didn't expect though I should. A huge part of the front half of the book is devoted to breaking down the steps, correct form, and mistakes/faults of all the basic human movement exercises of anything you can think of from overhead squats to pullups to rowing or kettlebells. Everything! He lists them in progression of how to do and learn them and is a great resources for anyone to have.Take the squat. So it shows you not only the proper form but the common faults and how to fix them! *note, I'm keeping this image and other images small so they can't be read *

Then comes the really good stuff. The next part of the book is why I think everyone should have this on their shelves as a reference book. Everyone. Midwives, moms, elite athletes, older people, younger people, coaches, everyone.

The second half of the book is a reference manual. It's a diagnostic and mobility manual. I'm in love with it right now. It has the body broken into 13 parts. It looks like a book from medical school!

Then each section gets broken down into diagnostic, then different mobility exercises some that use bands, others balls, or foam rollers, and even friends. He tells you how each muscle relates to injuries or pain in your joints and how to work on the mobility in the right places to help alleviate pain in joints. It's a must have. I think we often get aches and pains and just accept them instead of doing everything we can to help heal and prevent them in the future. This book would be great to just pull off the shelf whenever you have any sort of movement pain. Though in theory we should be working on mobility always to prevent aches and pains.

So that's that. I knew I would love the book but didn't expect it to be something for everyone. I can see friends having it sit up there next to their books on herbal medicine or nutrition. It's that kind of book. A must have!

The original book picture is linked to the book but here's another link to the book if you want to buy it. 

Becoming a Supple Leopard.

I haven't been asked by the author or anyone but ME to review this book. It's one of those books I feel like most everyone I know hasn't even heard of and here I am calling it a must-have. And Lorri, if you're reading this I should say that I think it would really be an amazing resource for you as a teacher of movement!

*my Amazon links do go through my affiliate program and I earn a tiny bit off every purchase made through my blog. I haven't really made anything so far so it's not like it's a lucrative business but I'm out of magnesium and could use some from Amazon LOL. I wanted to be open about that in terms of writing a review*