... riveting ... An irresistible aspect of Exercised is Lieberman's firm stance that no shame or stigma be attached to those who find it challenging to sustain an exercise program ... Another exceptionally informative part of the book discusses the damage-and-repair cycle brought on by exercise. Lieberman explains more clearly than I've ever read what exercise does to the body and how the body then begins to repair itself afterwards ... written in a warm, sometimes dryly amusing tone that's highly appealing. Colorful personal stories enliven the book ... Lieberman makes a superb guide for anyone wishing to understand why it can be hard to commit to exercising and why we should do it anyway.
... sweeping, vigorous ... There’s a dry, didactic quality to Exercised; Lieberman’s a top-flight scientist and cogent writer, but the book lacks the stylistic spark of a Robert Sapolsky or David Eagleman. And yet Lieberman’s clarity never wavers. When the book shifts to prescriptive sections, he readily acknowledges the data is more suggestive than certain ... He’s particularly good at busting myths, organizing chapters around debunking assumptions about what constitutes fitness and health ... His answers to physiological questions dispel lazy platitudes...They also inspire ... If Exercised occasionally reads with the tone of your stern-voiced mother, wagging her finger and imploring you to eat your vegetables and jog around the block, then all to the good. Lieberman has accomplished his mission. But the science beneath his arguments is revelatory, with thrilling implications for evolutionary biology. Written in a brisk prose, with ample graphs, Exercised is an excellent compendium on the broad medical advantages of exercise and a roadmap out of our pandemic to better health.
Books about exercise are nothing new — especially not at this time of year. But Exercised is different from the usual scrum, in that its objective is not to sell a diet or fitness plan ... Lieberman’s inquisitiveness as both a researcher and a fitful fitness adherent allows him a distinct vantage on the subject, not just that of a curious layman or alarm sounder ... Instead, Lieberman, drawing on his expertise and knowledge of the way evolutionary forces work, takes ideas that have been spun and spun again, often based on shaky information, and cracks them open ... Sure, Lieberman pokes fun at the pomp and circumstance of a typical Iron Man competition, but he also explains why humans can be really good at exercising for long periods of time ... Lieberman mostly avoids getting too technical for nonscientists, and scatters the book with odd or fun details to keep the narrative moving along ... Lieberman also gives us permission to be kind to ourselves if we’d rather not bother ... Most important, Lieberman doesn’t judge those who find exercising difficult, even after knowing that they should be doing it, because exercise still isn’t all that fun — and I say that as someone who has run multiple ultramarathons without anyone demanding that I do so.
... makes important progress in the research topic for which Mr. Lieberman himself has become best known—the physiology of human running ... A few passages of Exercised suffer from excessive focus on the caloric bottom line. For living, breathing animals, the balance of energy intake and expenditure matters every bit as much as the financial balance sheet to a business. Still, reducing life’s rich pageant to metabolic inflows and outflows tends to make human existence sound as dry as an accountant’s ledger. In that vein, my favorite passage of the book concerns dancing ... For those hoping for a reason to hide in the closet during gym class, this is not your book. The science confirms many ways that physical activity is valuable to a healthy life. Nevertheless, I find Mr. Lieberman’s voice of moderation to be welcome in a world where barefoot running and paleo diets have become fads ... Instead of looking to a mythological view of our evolutionary past, we should be looking around us at a broader array of real humans, all of them moving—happily—through their lives. Getting Exercised is a start.
... brilliant ... wide-ranging ... As [Lieberman] demolishes common myths and exaggerations, his wit and wisdom are ever-present ... makes for captivating reading between workouts.
No exercise instructions or plans are provided in this natural history of exercise, but Lieberman’s explanations and a disease reference may help convince some non-exercisers to start moving ... Lieberman writes in a clear, approachable style, even when explaining complex research and concepts. Recommended for collections where either exercise science or human evolution are popular subjects.
... more of a thoughtfully organized natural history than a straightforward how-to guide. In appealing, accessible language, the author tells interesting stories and only seldom slips into the weeds—e.g., overly long discussions of the daily lives of hunter-gatherers. He also addresses relevant topics that regularly generate misinformation ... A good choice for those seeking a macro view of the history of movement. For what to do about it, hire a trainer.
... smart ... Lieberman takes a scientifically astute look at exercise. Alongside actionable workout tips, he proffers persuasive reasons for everyone to exercise in some way ... refreshingly realistic suggestions for 'mak[ing] the exercise less disagreeable' ... the recommendations for exercisers in general are helpfully straightforward and unfussy ... His illuminating and frequently humorous work will delight fitness mavens and make those pesky workout sessions more rewarding for everyone else.
