๐๐คธ Built to Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully
Built to Move by Kelly and Juliet Starrett presents ten essential, easy-to-implement habits and corresponding tests that empower individuals to restore natural movement patterns, improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance overall physical and mental vitality for a healthier, more functional life at any age.
๐ Kelly & Juliet Starrettโs Movement & Longevity Strategy
๐ง Core Philosophy
- ๐โโ๏ธ Movement is foundational: Life is movement; reclaim natural function.
- โฑ๏ธ Proactive maintenance: Address physical well-being consistently, not just when injured.
- ๐ Simplicity and accessibility: Habits are achievable for all, regardless of fitness level, income, or schedule.
- ๐ป Counteract modern sedentism: Combat technology-dependence and prolonged sitting.
- โ๏ธ Holistic approach: Integrate movement with nutrition, ๐ด sleep, and ๐ฎโ๐จ breathing for complete well-being.
โ Essential Habits & Practices
- ๐ถ Walk More:
- ๐ฏ Target: 8,000-10,000 steps daily.
- โค๏ธ Benefits: Cardiovascular health, overall movement.
- ๐ Technique: Nose breathing, flat shoes/barefoot, align ankles/heels.
- ๐ช Sit Less:
- ๐คธ Action: Stand/move every 30 minutes.
- ๐ฏ Goal: Reduce prolonged sitting (e.g., <6 hours/day).
- ๐ง Strategy: Floor sitting, varied positions.
- ๐ง Maintain Strong Spine:
- ๐ง Focus: Good posture, core exercises.
- ๐ช Benefit: Back health, stability.
- ๐ฉน Daily Tissue Maintenance:
- ๐ Practice: Foam rolling, stretching, massage.
- ๐ช Goal: Keep muscles/tissues healthy.
- ๐ฎโ๐จ Proper Breathing:
- ๐ Method: Diaphragmatic (belly) breathing, slow nasal breaths.
- โ Benefits: Enhanced oxygen, stress reduction, pain management.
- ๐๏ธ Practice: Daily routine (e.g., 2 minutes, humming).
- ๐ Eat for Health:
- ๐ฝ๏ธ Focus: Balanced, nutritious meals.
- ๐ Key components: Protein (e.g., 1g/lb body weight), micronutrients (e.g., 800g fruits/veggies).
- ๐ด Prioritize Sleep:
- ๐ฏ Target: 7-9 quality hours nightly.
- โ Importance: Non-negotiable for recovery.
- ๐๏ธ Strategy: Physical activity during day for better sleep.
- ๐ช Strength Training:
- ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ Action: Lift weights regularly.
- ๐ช Benefits: Build muscle, support joint health.
- ๐คธ Move Fully (Full Range of Motion):
- ๐ง Practice: Stretch, move through full ranges.
- โ Importance: Flexibility, hip extension, neck/shoulder mobility.
- ๐ Self-assessment: Sit-and-Rise Test, Couch Test (hip extension).
- ๐ข Create Move-Rich Environment:
- ๐ ๏ธ Design: Standing desks, active breaks.
- ๐ฏ Goal: Encourage continuous movement.
๐ Assessments (Vital Signs)
- ๐คธ Sit-and-Rise Test
- ๐ฎโ๐จ Breath-Hold Test
- ๐๏ธ Couch Test (Hip Extension)
- ๐ฃ Steps-Per-Day Inventory
- ๐ง Neck and Shoulder Mobility
- ่นฒ Squatting ability
- โ๏ธ Balance (e.g., one leg, eyes closed)
- โฑ๏ธ Sitting time tracking
- ๐ Sleep duration/quality
โ๏ธ Evaluation
- โ Holistic Approach: The book integrates movement with diet, sleep, and breathing, which is widely supported by health experts for overall well-being.
- โ Accessibility: Focus on simple, actionable habits makes recommendations achievable for a broad audience, aligning with public health recommendations for increased daily activity.
- โ Emphasis on Mobility: Kelly and Juliet Starrett are recognized mobility pioneers, and their focus on maintaining range of motion and functional movement is consistent with preventing age-related decline.
- โ Evidence-Based (Cited): The bookโs protocols are stated to be based on โrigorous peer-reviewed scientific studiesโ alongside real-world experience.
- โ Counteracting Sedentary Lifestyles: The emphasis on reducing sitting and increasing incidental movement directly addresses a major modern health concern, supported by numerous studies on sedentary behavior.
- โ ๏ธ โGenericโ Content for Experts: Some reviewers familiar with health and fitness topics found the information well-presented but not necessarily new.
๐ Topics for Further Understanding
- ๐งช Biochemistry of sleep and its impact on recovery and cognition.
- ๐ซ Specific physiological benefits of diaphragmatic breathing (e.g., vagal tone, CO2 tolerance).
- ๐ Ergonomics and designing movement-rich workspaces.
- ๐คธ Advanced mobility drills for specific joint dysfunctions.
- ๐ฅ Nutritional timing and macronutrient ratios for athletic performance vs. general health.
- ๐ง The psychological aspects of habit formation and behavior change.
โ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
๐โโ๏ธ Q: What are the core habits recommended in Built to Move?
๐งโโ๏ธ A: The book outlines ten essential habits: walking more, sitting less, maintaining a strong spine, daily tissue maintenance, proper breathing, eating healthily, prioritizing sleep, strength training, moving through full ranges of motion, and creating a movement-rich environment.
๐คธโโ๏ธ Q: Is Built to Move suitable for beginners or only athletes?
๐ช A: Built to Move is designed for everyone, from beginners to professional athletes, offering foundational wisdom and accessible practices for all ages and fitness levels.
๐ Q: Does Built to Move offer specific diet plans?
๐ฅ A: While not a specific diet plan, the book emphasizes eating for health, focusing on balanced, nutritious meals, with a strong recommendation for adequate protein and micronutrient intake (fruits and vegetables).
๐ Q: How much sleep does Built to Move recommend?
๐ด A: The book prioritizes quality sleep, recommending 7-9 hours per night as non-negotiable for recovery and overall well-being.
โ๏ธ Q: How does Built to Move address sedentary living?
๐ถโโ๏ธ A: It directly combats sedentary habits by encouraging more daily movement, such as walking 8,000-10,000 steps, sitting less frequently (e.g., standing every 30 minutes), and designing environments that promote movement.
๐ Book Recommendations
๐ Similar Reads
- ๐คธ๐ค Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance by Kelly Starrett: A more in-depth, technical guide to movement and mobility.
- ๐ช Deskbound by Kelly Starrett: Focuses specifically on counteracting the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
- ๐๏ธ The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter: Explores the benefits of discomfort, including challenging physical experiences.
๐ Contrasting Reads
- ๐งช Body by Science by Doug McGuff and John Little: Advocates for high-intensity, minimal-dose strength training.
- ๐ด Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge: Focuses on structured exercise for anti-aging, with a different approach to daily movement.
๐ Creatively Related Reads
- ๐๐โณ Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari: Provides context on human evolution and how our bodies were designed to move.
- ๐ด๐ญ Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker: Deep dive into the science of sleep, a critical component highlighted in Built to Move.
- โก๐ง ๐ Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey: Explores the profound cognitive benefits of physical activity.
๐ฌ Gemini Prompt (gemini-2.5-flash)
Write a book report for Built to Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully with the following parts.
- A 1 sentence highly condensed summary of the book. If someone reads only this sentence, they should get a good idea of what the book is about.
- A concise, expert-level cheat sheet.
Extract and distill the core philosophy and most actionable, specific steps into a highly condensed format. Section headings and bulleted lists only - no paragraphs or standalone prose - organized appropriately into major thematic sections.
STRICT FORMATTING RULES:
- Use markdown only.
- Title: Use an H2 markdown header (##) for the main title (e.g., โ๐ [Author]โs [Topic] Strategyโ).
- Structure: Use H3 Markdown headers (###) for the major thematic sections. Use nested bullet points for all lists (no horizontal or comma-separated lists).
- Lines: DO NOT use horizontal rules (---) or tables.
- Brevity: Full sentences are NOT required. Adopt an ultra-concise, Strunk and White-style brevity (e.g., โProtein: 1.6 g/kg min. Muscle preservation.โ). Do not Use filler or unnecessary language. Edit your own work to achieve ultimate concision. Your goal is to convey maximum insight with as few words as possible.
- Completeness: PRIORITIZE COMPLETE LISTS. Only use โetc.โ or ellipses (โฆ) on their own bullet point when providing a complete list is genuinely impossible or impractical for the cheat sheetโs format.
โ๏ธ Evaluation
Compare the main points with high quality, objective sources. Use the same concise, bulleted list with prefix emojis format.
2. ๐ Topics for Further Understanding.
3. โ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Format of question and answers:emoji Q: โฆquestionโฆ?
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4. ๐ Book Recommendations
Provide similar, contrasting, and creatively related book recommendations, each in their own sub-heading section. Descriptions should be very concise. Never quote or italicize titles.