Book Review: Steady & Strong – Chair Exercises for Seniors

Steady & Strong – Chair Exercises for Seniors: A Physical Therapist’s 12-Week Program to Regain Balance, Strength, and Confidence in Just 10 Minutes a Day by M.T. Groom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Taking on a new exercise regime can be daunting and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Physical Therapist M.T. Groom has laid out this chair exercise program in a way that doesn’t feel like “too much”. Paragraphs are short and straightforward. Use of bolded words and bullet points helps break everything down into bite-sized concepts, which should help with focus and concentration.

The introduction is friendly and sympathetic. Plenty of tips, tricks, advice, and cautions are explained in advance, so the exerciser won’t feel lost or overwhelmed.

Once the actual exercising starts, the sympathy continues. For each exercise, there’s an “If this feels too hard” suggestion of an alternate way to complete the exercise. And as a gentle nudge to excel, there’s also “When this gets too easy” advice which should help build confidence.

It’s obvious throughout the book that M. T. Groom believes in the power of senior exercise, and really wants everyone to succeed at it. Think about your older friends and relatives, or maybe even your own situation. Who do you know that would benefit from becoming more mobile, strong, and confident?