The Fitness Jungle: Stage 2 Fitness : the Exercise Survival Guide

So you want to get fit? But do you really know why? And, if so, do you really know how? The fitness boom is the biggest trend of the 1980s. No longer a fad, exercise and movement are here to stay. They constitute one of the major lifestyle shifts of the decade, and millions now jog, work out, dance or practise yoga. But the fitness craze has brought with it a bewildering array of different exercise forms, each with its own dedicated followers. Caught in the middle of a mass of contradictory advice, scare stories and mystifying scientific jargon, the beginner may find it impossible to decide which form of exercise is best suited to their particular lifestyle, temperament and needs. Do you want to exercise to lose weight or to increase flexibility? To tone muscles, for relaxation or to improve your self-image? This book helps you map your path through the burgeoning fitness jungle. The first part gives a clear overview of the entire exercise movement, taking into account the personal as well I as the physical goals of exercise, with reports on the latest theories and findings on topics ranging from body/mind centring and mastery to endurance training and neuro- muscular co-ordination. A second section looks at all the main forms of exercise available, from traditional Western sports such as tennis and skiing to dance, Eastern movementtechniques such as judo and t'ai-chi ch'uan, and movement re-education forms from the Alexander Technique to the Feldenkrais Method. With details of the principles, aims and forms of movement of each one, together with cautionary guidelines and useful addresses, it will help you to make an informed choice based on your own unique requirements and goals. The Fitness Jungle explains the exercise revolution in layman's terms, and is essential reading for anyone interested in improving their fitness and general wellbeing.