Living in the Santa Cruz area, I’ve long regarded Rocky Snyder (owner of local fitness center “Rocky’s) as a local treasure, knowing him as the owner of a local gym/fitness center that offers a variety of options/trainers for people interested in improving their health and fitness.
Rocky definitely has the credentials: he is a “Certifed Strength & Conditioning Specialist, an NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer, Certified in Applied Functional Science, NASM-Corrective Exercise Specialist, a licensed US Soccer Coach and a USA Weightlifting Coach.” He has a regular program on local radio stations, has also written books (“Fit to Surf,” “Fit to Paddle,” and “Fit to Ski and Snowboard”), and has a website (https://rockysfitnesscenter.com/) with a ton of great information, videos, link to his blog, etc. In his latest book, Return to Center, he takes a scientific approach to fixing problems that may have popped up, putting the body out of balance (literally “off center”). Thanks to Mascot Books and NetGalley, I had the opportunity to receive a copy in exchange for my honest review.
This isn’t just another “here’s how to have a body like mine” book. In addition to many stories about physical problems he has seen, and how they were addressed, there are detailed photos to assist in a self-evaluation. For example, do the knees point in the same direction as the feet? Is the pelvis tilted or rotated? What about the ribs? Spine? etc. In addition, he discusses proper gait, body shapes, and the selection of the proper exercises (rather than the approach at many gyms, where a person is shown a routine using machines, and they basically try to do it over and over…often giving up, which helps the gym owner have space for new dues-paying members. There are also charts to assist in designing your own exercise routine.
It’s informative, science-based, and entertaining. Reading Return To Center is not as good as having a trainer who is more about helping YOU than about how THEY look in the mirror, but definitely a great resource. Five stars.