This is a book that can benefit all of us, regardless of athletic ability or physical capability.
The principles espoused will make anyone healthier and feel better. Faster Better Stronger: 10 Proven Secrets to a Healthier Body in 12 Weeks is co-authored by Dr. Eric Heiden, the Olympic gold medal winning speed skater who is now an orthopedic surgeon; Dr. Massimo Testa, one of the foremost cycling trainers, physicians and exercise physiologists in the world; and Deanne Musolf, a fitness and outdoor writer.
The book is written in an engaging and easily understandable style that moves logically from scientific background to step-by-step training manual. Whether you’re training for a marathon, bicycle tour, hand-cycling adventure, Paralympic competition or just want to make the most of what you have physically, it’s an excellent and motivating tool.
I purchased the book because, as a 58-year-old spinal cord injury (SCI) survivor (an incomplete C4-5 fracture that resulted in quadriplegia), I want to maximize my limited physical capabilities so I can continue to pursue my outdoor passions of cycling and cross country skiing.
I have limited strength, range of motion, balance and coordination, so it made sense that I could benefit from following a scientifically designed and proven program. As a resident of Salt Lake City, I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Testa and have him do a bicycle fitting for me at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital’s athletic performance lab.
What I discovered is that the book has benefits that go beyond athletic training. The chapter on nutrition is worth the price of the book alone.
As the book states, “A Formula One race car cannot be separated from Formula One fuel. Likewise, the food you eat cannot be separated from your body and its performance.”
What follows is a simple way to eat right for maximum performance. It’s not complicated and it’s not expensive. Additionally, it’s presented in a way that anyone can follow—college student, working parent, or traveling road warrior. The book will tell you what to eat at what time of day to maximize your training and performance, make you feel better, and attain your proper weight.
Another important aspect the authors deal with is goal setting. Fifty percent of all people who start an organized exercise plan drop out within three months, defeated not by the exercise itself, but by their goal.
As the book states, a meaningful and realistic purpose is critical to fitness success. Realistic is key. It makes little sense for me to set a goal to ride in the Tour de France. It’s not possible, no matter how hard I work. My goal is to ride a century tour (100 miles), a goal I set after consulting with Dr. Testa. To attain that, I will set smaller interim goals along the way.
What I love about this book is that it is written for those of us who are not professional athletes—those who work for a living, have other responsibilities, and yet who want to be healthier, more fit and improve our performance. As Dr. Testa told me, “Anyone can improve.”
The book is a complete tool kit. After providing all of the background to understand the “why,” the second half of the book tells you “how.” From initial assessment to detailed training schedules, it gives you everything you need to be your own personal coach.
Anyone who wants to be stronger, healthier and feel better can benefit from this book, whether you have a disability or not. Proper nutrition, getting enough sleep, the right amount (and type) of exercise—these are beneficial practices we should all pay attention to in order to have a better quality of life. Faster Better Stronger is as foolproof as it gets.
For more information, visit Faster, Better, Stronger.
