I’m late getting to our Thursday task for Book Blogger Appreciation Week: “Pimp the book you think needs more recognition on this day.”

I want to talk about Play as if Your Life Depends on It by Frank Forencich a book I read before I started this blog, and have yet to see anyone else discuss. This book has apparently spoiled me for nearly all other fitness books. Hardly any books about exercise are as thoughtful or thought-provoking. Instant Recess came the closest that I’ve seen, but it’s more of a policy book (Book Review: Instant Recess by Toni Yancey).

The first thing to love about Play as if Your Life Depends on It is the obligatory warning to consult your doctor before beginning a fitness program. He says that humans are designed to move and that the warning should be if you’re not going to be active:

In fact, if you’re planning a lifetime of sustained sloth, you’d better get regular checkups and make sure your medical insurance is all paid up; you’re probably going to need it. p. 11.

Play as if Your Life Depends on It has the reader think about training our bodies in three ways:

Primal. Is it something we’re designed to do? Walking, running, and climbing all qualify. Bench pressing? Not so much.

Practical: Is it functional, effective, and not causing excessive fatigue or injury? This was the discussion that helped me think about ways to design my workouts to make me a better gardener (less prone to injury) and to make my gardening activities work better as exercise.

Playful: Is it fun?

Is your exercise primal, practical, and playful? Do you have a favorite exercise book to recommend?