Taller, Slimmer, Younger: 21 Days to a Foam Roller Physique

I am giving this book 5 stars not because it is perfect but because I enjoy using it. I have had foam rollers for years but never really used them much until I got this book. Somehow, a daily 10min program of pre-selected exercises is just what I needed to do regular foam rolling. The first part of the book is mostly fluff that has no value for me. It tells you all about how amazing foam rolling is and how it will fix all your problems in just a few minutes a day. This is followed by an exercise section with 20 days of exercises. Each day has about 5 exercises which together should only take up about 10 minutes. For the most part that is pretty accurate which I appreciate a lot. As mentioned above, the book is not perfect. Most exercises are pretty straight forward for someone like me who exercises a lot. However, some descriptions are unclear. Sometimes the pictures to the exercise are missing (though there is space) or don't match the description (in one exercise the foam roller is not mentioned at all but is shown on the picture). And there is no modification ever in case your flexibility does not allow you to follow the instructions. As another reviewer mentioned, the terms up and down are often different from a normal definition of up and down. The pictures are black and white and often such that I can't tell the difference between the left and right leg making it harder to follow the instructions. I hope the author and editor read the amazon reviews and take them to heart. Maybe a next edition will be even better than this one.

The bulk of this book is the actual 21 day program. Each day you get about 10-15 minutes of moves plus some tips on how to become aware of/improve that area of the body. I was impressed that I was able to read all about the program (first 15 pages) and get started with the exercises on day 1. I did end up ordering her specific foam roller and it is a huge improvement over using the foam roller I started with (mine was not as wide or long as hers, had no texture, and was maybe a bit too hard for some of these moves). I enjoy doing the routines and have been able to work them, along with 5 minutes of rebounding, into my daily routine in the evenings after our LO is asleep. The routines get my blood flowing and leave my body feeling alive and invigorated yet able to fall asleep soon after. I like the advice at the end of each routine as well, which, if applied, has the potential to be life-changing. I have to read the instructions thoroughly. Some of the moves are a bit complicated, and there are some that feel very difficult (for example the jack-knife) but start small and you will find that your body learns fast. I'm 5 months pregnant, BTW. Definitely worth the time and money investment, IMO. (Anthony's wife)

There is much hype about this book. I am glad that I got a chance to read it and will implement a few things here and there. It is more like a restorative yoga approach as oppose to a true foam roller routine. Also her foam rollers are astronomical in price. I ordered mine from amazon basics at the same density. I found this book by an article she was featured in. Later, I found that she was also featured by G.Paltrow's website/blog/ezine. Had I known that, I may have not even made the purchase. All in all, it is helpful if you would like to learn a solid restorative yoga routine that utilizes the foam roller as a tool. However, in all honesty, the only thing that classifies this as a foam roller routine is the fact that you use one.

Lots of great information and stretches

As a Pilates instructor I really loved this book. So many of my clients need a massage and now I have a go to book on exercises that can help relieve muscle tension and still give them a good workout. I also am a huge fan of the LoRox foam roller. It's just want you want in a foam roller. Great book, thank you!

I would love to achieve all three, 'TSY', as Lauren says - and this program does appear to produce the results I want. From her philosophy, to her explanations, instructions and workouts, this foam roller program and method is 'doable'. The foam roller is an inexpensive, truly effective piece of 'equipment' I want to have ( I did purchase her foam roller, too.) I just turned 65 and have been practicing mat Pilates for over 12 years- an exercise program I don't ever want to give-up. With the addition of the foam roller and its benefits, I can work this in to a daily routine - and take 15 minutes to do it. Great book and program at the right time for me !

You know, the ideas in this book are good, and I think the technique can be beneficial. But as a book, this fails. There's a 21-day program, where she gives you exercises to do each day, and then a "Glossary" of exercises in the back. Ok, but it's like no one edited or copy-edited this book. Some exercises are missing the corresponding illustrations, or the description tells you to do something not shown, or the opposite of what is shown. The "Glossary" is literally the exact same exercises as from the front, with the exact same instructions, except totally useless because the book has no index. So there is no way to look up individual exercises -- you have to flip through the whole book to get the same misleading instructions you already got. Annoying and redundant. If there were better descriptions, or a guide to modifying the moves for different levels, or more advanced exercises, then it would be useful. And no real guidance on how to make your own program (ie, doing this would be good for x). As published, this book is lousy.

I completely agree with the reviewer who questioned if this book was edited - it clearly was rushed to press to meet demand after she was featured on a certain celebrity's lifestyle website. Many of the worded instructions do not explain the movement pictured, there are pictures missing and/or the pictures do not correspond to the instructions given. Example: pg 58 - there is no written mention of using the roller for this lunge exercise. In the 2 assisting pictures, the roller is used in one and not the other and there is no reference indicating that the roller is optional or more or less advanced. There are educational videos out on the internet that help demonstrate what the book is trying to explain, but that does complicate what is supposed to be a quick 10 minutes-a-day investment. All that said, I blame the publishing house for this, not the author. The exercises are gentle and effective. I've been using it for 8 days and I already feel good stretches in muscles I haven't used in a long time. I find that if I read ahead a day, review the exercises over and over, google what needs clarifying, then I can visualize what I need to do tomorrow. Looking forward to completing the full 21 days. Oh, and I bought a roller before I read the book. The oneI chose is compressed styrofoam or polystyrene or similar. It hurt like the dickens! I broke down and bought the LoRox and it IS more gentle. There are probably other brands that fit the bill, but I decided to just go for the recommended one.

Adoro questo work out, lei é veramente brava, lo consiglio, il libro contiene esercizi spiegati molto bene e anche tanti consigli di igiene mentale

I really enjoyed this book! I can honestly say that I finished the 21 day program and I've stayed with the process because it feel so good in my body. I do wish the pictures were in colour to make it easier to understand some of the poses but the descriptions are good. I'm very glad to have bought this book and to have made this practice part of my routine.

I am so glad I ordered this book after reading a positive review and excerpt in a magazine: it only takes about 15minutes a day to do the exercises, and they have been so effective. I really love the fact you do not have to do endless repetitions, usually it is 8 or 10 per exercise, and there are maybe 6 to 8 exercises a day. I tried countless other exercise books in the past, where I did not manage to complete the programme,as it was boring or took too long, but here it was actually a joy to do the 21 days and I am continuing with the targeted exercises that are helpfully set out at the end of the 21 day programme. I bought a good value great foam roller on Amazon in the size specified in the book. Initially, the exercises take some concentration to work out from the descriptions, but the photos are really helpful and I quickly got the hang of it. I liked that the author clearly states when to inhale and exhale during the exercises- not only are the muscles visibly toned in the long and lean way I had hoped, but it is also good for stress relief. I found the author's general wellness tips really useful too. Very highly recommended.

I'm feeling better doing the exercises, it also includes a glossary of the exercises by zone and in two weeks I lost 1cm of contorn

Non of the photos are on my kindle version...very disappointed, makes it difficult to reproduce the movements....I just payed for plenty empty pages!