Fit for Eternal Life

Kevin Vost's books are the best I have found on how to practically integrate the faith into our lives in ways that are meaningful, and "Fit for Eternal Life" is no exception.I had been lifting with  The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle  and after about 2 or 3 months was finding it a rough slog. The reason? My growing family.I work full time, I have a wife, and we have 3 kids under the age of 7 years old and we hope and pray to have more. We are very busy people. My wife homeschools and I work a ton and taking 3 nights a week to spend an hour or so at the gym was just not practical for my life style. I start work too early to work out in the AM. I knew I didn't want to quit, I knew I needed to keep going, but I needed practical advise on how to get there.I purchased this book and read it in 3 days. I was totally unfamiliar with High Intensity Training, and I had a bias against cardio because of some things I had read in "the new rules."What I learned in Dr. Vosts book was interesting, and very balanced for real life for a Catholic father. So for the last month and a half I have been using this book exclusively, combining it with knowledge of different exercises I gained from reading the "new rules."Results? I am still making progress! In fact, I made more progress the last 4 weeks than I did before. Why? I think it is the full week of rest between lifting sessions, and the incredible amount of testosterone released by a high intensity full body lifting session once a week. After training like an animal for an hour once a week (I do the WHOLE body, starting with the mother of all exercises, the squat, and/or variations on the squat) I feel like jelly but I also feel GOOD. I mean... really good. Optimistic, prayerful, ready to tackle any challenge. Its great!The other two or three days I run. Not a lot. Just 30 minutes or so. The cardio component is important for heart health. That's just a fact. That is another item I feel Dr. Vost gets: balance. There are no extremes in his book. No advise like "lift 5 days a week and never do an ounce of cardio." Just balance, and a balance that is achievable.By reading my review you may conclude that this book is for younger men only. There is a chapter on the female form as well, and there is also advise for people who are senior citizens. An important book by a very gifted man and writer.And it works. I know from my experience the past month it works, but I also know from checking out Dr. Vost's website. The guy is ripped.But more importantly all of his work is rooted in the larger truth of the faith, and therefore he avoids pitfalls other authors not rooted in the truth will fall into.Great book. Highly recommended.

this book is fantastic for those who are seeking a spiritual fit and body fit combination. I am 35, married with children. When I was younger appearance was very very important to me, as my children were growing up I still spent hours in the gym and looking in the mirror. My appearance got me confused and attracted to many temptations. God was not on my mind and I was vain. A life turning experience threw me for a loop and I was given an opportunity to look at my life through the eyes of the Lord and I was devastated how I was living my life. I was not living, I was dead! My children did not know me, I was dead to them! My husband did not know me, I was dead to him! I did not even know myself, dead! As I grew in my faith and made my priorities more about my family, I lost myself, intentionally of course. As I felt I was strong, I began to work out more, but I had a fear of how I use to be and I did not want to go back. This book has enable me to see it is okay to be fit, it is what we do with it. My body is my temple and even though much of my greatest sins were done with my body, I know I have been forgiven, receive my sacrament frequently and God has given me a tool to use to be what He calls me to be, not the world. My son is a fit fanatic and I remind him, is your soul fit? He is also reading the book, love it.

The author emphasizes the fact that humans are both physical and spiritual beings. As such, we need to attend to both parts of our nature. He also gives an accessible overview of principles of exercise and fitness. This would be a useful read for someone just getting into fitness or as a possible antidote for someone who sees fitness as a distraction or wholly opposed to a spiritual life.For anybody desiring use of strictly Christian resources, while there are many in the book, the author also borrows from Cicero, Homer, Seneca, among others.On the practical side of things, for fitness philosophy and workout design, the author focuses almost exclusively on the ideas of Mike Mentzer. For anybody who has a history with Mike Mentzer's ideas, that may or may not be knock against this book. He seems to be a divisive figure in the world of fitness from what I know. The sample workout requires a gym filled with machines. For someone looking for a book with ready to execute workouts, this is not your resource. For anybody wanting to better understand the role of physical fitness in the broader spectrum of human well-being, this is an accessible and enjoyable tool.

I'm almost 66. If I hadn't found Kevin Vost's book, my body, at least, would not have been fit for much of anything, leastwise eternal life, fast approaching. Since I had concentrated only on my mind and soul, my body suffered. Though I ignored my body for years, considering it the least important of God's gifts, Kevin's book with its sensible eating and workout plans convinced me that corporal health was not only worth a try, but that God demanded it!There is certainly something here for everyone who has the ability to move about. There are specific exercises that require a gym; some require only weights and room to use them; much of the aerobics and calisthenics require only perseverance and perspiration.The additional--or should I say, crowning--point is the inclusion of apt references to St. Thomas Aquinas, ancient philosophers, and even to saintly but not "over-muscly" Pope Pius XII, who proclaimed: "The human body is in its own right, God's masterpiece in the order of visible creation." (Allocution to Italian sporting associations, May 20, 1945.) 'Nuff said!Don't wait until you're a senior citizen to get started on building and beautifying God's most favored temple. But if you've already reached the golden years, not to worry: Kevin's on call.

Un libro unico, speciale. Mostra come la saggezza antica sia eternamente vera anche oggi. Mostra come per allenare il corpo sia necessario allenare il carattere (lo spirito umano, potremmo dire). Mostra che per essere campioni bisogna essere virtuosi (forti, temprati e giusti. E prudenti). E lo fa dipanando la sua doppia conoscenza: psicologica e da culturista professionista. Insomma: un libro di aiuto a tutti gli uomini che vogliono ispessire i propri muscoli, quelli fisici e quelli interiori. Stefano Parenti

I really liked the approach of this book to fitness and spirituality as a whole. Makes everything simpler, without disregard for cultivating virtue. Truly, awesome reading and practical guide.

If you are looking for "muscular Christianity", this is it, literally as well as metaphorically.In clear, easy to follow steps, Dr Vost leads you through the basic principles of H.I.T. (High Intensity Training) and makes it eminently clear just why there is no contradiction at all between true Christian spirituality and a high level of physical fitness and ability. If you are a beginner in weight training, this book gives you all the information you need to get off to a good start regardless of your age or sex. If you are an experienced trainer, you will find yourself trying new approaches and there is plenty here to modify to your own training style and needs. For me, the really inspiring message has been that I can greatly reduce my gym time, leaving more room in the week for prayer and study while still training in an intense, invigorating and rewarding way.God bless you, Dr Vost!

My training improved and my overall health is better following the information in this book.