This will undoubtedly be the most surprising and unusual book you have ever read on the subject of physical fitness. It will challenge your assumptions and turn your thinking upside down. The book begins with a concise review of humanity’s five thousand year quest for health, fitness, and longevity. With the benefit of this perspective, what have been our true best practices? (Hint: proper breathing, form, and range of motion are important; gallons of sweat are not). It ends by detailing an eminently practical and low-impact exercise routine for people of all ages and fitness levels. In between is an entertaining, often humorous, occasionally tragic “fitness fable” that readers will quickly identify with, particularly baby-boomers. Refreshingly absent are the mind numbing case histories, lame before-and-after photos, product line pitches, and self-promotion that fill so much of the genre. The dominant theme is that physical fitness is a mental challenge, not a physical challenge. The leveraging of the psychological aspect of life-long fitness is what especially sets Joe X apart from the rest of the field. Joe X is a fast, enjoyable read, packed with both timeless wisdom and poignant advice. Its content can be put to practice immediately. A gem of a book, you’ll want to share it with loved ones, friends, and colleagues.

I bought Joe X when it first came out in 2005 and started the workout shortly thereafter. I identified completely with the main characters (husband & wife) and was totally hooked. It's the best routine I've ever come across. I practiced the routine religiously for 18 months, the first time I'd ever been able to be so consistent after decades of sputtering starts, stops, even occasional injuries with other routines. The best thing: I felt great physically and mentally, and my middle age spread finally reversed course. But then I took a new job and due to extra long hours and high stress got out of the Joe X habit. I knew what was happening at the time (change can be hard!) but always believed when I was ready I could pick up the routine again quickly. I was wrong. I tried repeatedly to get back on the Joe X wagon, taking short-cuts, and kept failing. I really missed the feeling of being in control and "moving forward." I finally made it though, and have been doing the workout 5 days a week for over six months again. I highly recommend this book, but for the benefit of other readers, here's my lessons learned:

1. Though the Joe X story may come across as unusually quaint to some and the workout routine simplistic, don't be fooled. The messages and principles contained are profoundly on target and the details are more important than you think. (Like others have commented, I'm sick to death of the typical self-help fitness book. Yuck!)

2. Really take to heart this concept, the book's main idea: fitness is not a physical challenge, it's a MENTAL challenge. Not physical work, but mental work. The Joe X workout and its moving forward concept is based on this principle. It's so true. If you think you can simply decide to work hard, buff-up, and maintain that beautiful bod for the long haul, then 99% of you are going to be disappointed. As Joe says, just look around you! What do you see? That's the snake oil the fitness industry is selling.

3. When Joe says to figure out what weight you can lift comfortably, then start the program with HALF of that, believe him! (This is the key mistake I was making when I tried to get back on the wagon.) The principle of "moving forward" is 10 times more powerful than the weight lifted.

4. Make yourself a set of "cheater-weights" using the instructions in the book or buy some kind of eqivalent. The publisher used to sell a kit but I understand they're sold out. I've made a couple of sets. It's not hard. Without them you'll likely increase weight too fast.

5. The book stressed the importance of always performing the workout in exactly the same about of time. I didn't pay much attention to this in the beginning. Now I have a big round clock with a sweep second-hand on the wall in my workout area. I do my workout in 37 minutes flat. It would take me too long to explain way, but it's important. Focus attention on form and timing, not weight.

Hope this helps some of the new Joe X'ers out there.

I have been using the advice given in this book for over a year and have lost about 15 pounds of fat! What makes the Joe X workout so good is that you will be able to stay with it long term. Consistency is the secret!

BTW - another great book for people who enjoy jogging for fitness is "Running for Mortals."

Good luck to everyone on their quest for fitness!

The writing will make you cringe -- it sounds like a high school student wrote it -- and "your" is several times spelled "you're", but it purports to give one an approach to working out that you won't get sick of and quit. Anything is worth finding that, but I haven't tried it yet, so I can't testify to its efficacy.

This was one of the books recommended by critics of the book YOU ON A DIET. In comparison to YOU ON A DIET this book is poor indeed.

The book is a story about a man who survives an aircraft crash and is helped by a local fellow who is in need of several life changes. The person in the aircraft (Joe X) proceeds to help his savior through several life changes including how to lose weight. The process can be applied to numerous areas of life it seems, but the weight loss aspect is stressed.

What to do? Set up exercise routines that can't fail by establishing a routine of tiny but constant increases in the routine. You are ALWAYS making progress so you keep it up. Same for other problems encountered in life, business and marriage. Set up a program of making small but constant improvements and the net result is success. Because you see the progress every day and every week you do not give up.

Ok, but where are the facts about the problems with being fat in the first place? Where is the analysis of the psychological problems people face or personality problems that impact weight? Not everyone is the same and people face different problems at different times in their lives. One solution doesn't fit all people. The weight problem is viewed in a dreadfully simplistic paradigm. The book just doesn't address the multifaceted issue of weight in our individual lives or in our culture. In essence the book still relies on will power to see the person through; it just makes the will power easier to hold onto because the individual sees consistent progress.

Of course Joe X is successful in every area of life and loved by all around him. Why not? He is such a perfect person. Someone to emulate and extol in every aspect of life. Follow his benign example of perfection to glory. What about guys like me? Nothing to extol, a far cry from perfection and a fellow who struggles with things like getting up and putting on my socks correctly (not inside out). What about people with lives that are being crushed by society, their work, their lack of support from family and perhaps few or no friends? People do exist who are intimidated by a society that screams "thin or else", and the "or else" is rejection and outright discrimination by every joke teller and movie maker between here and Bollywood.

I think people need more than a "feel good" book about someone who changes everything by their very presence. People need facts not theories about small progressions making their lives perfect over a period of time. Please don't misunderstand this review. Perhaps this approach will work for some, but I think most people will benefit far more from a more comprehensive look at dieting and weight loss (and gain) by people who are qualified MDs who know the science and the research behind weight loss or gain and can explain those things in everyday terms.

Get YOU ON A DIET and arm yourself with medical facts about weight gain and investigate the psychological and physical facts about weight in our culture.

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This is a short novel rather like The Goal by Eli Goldratt which presented Goldratt's theory and practice of Synchronous Manufacturing in the form of a novel about a plant manager who saves his factory from closure by applying the principles presented in the novel. Joe X is about a mysterious man whose plane crashes in front of an "average guy" in his truck, at night, in a rural area. The guy takes Joe to the hospital, while becoming increasingly puzzled at the things Joe says on the way. At the hospital, in the bright light, he is surprised to see that Joe is much older than he had initially taken him for since Joe is so extremely fit and trim. Later visits to the hospital, bring our average guy to know Joe better, and Joe begins to explain his theory and practice of fitness. The specifics of the actual workout are included in an appendix at the end of the book with charts you can photocopy and use for yourself.
I have just finished the book and have not had a chance to try the workout, and will get my husband to walk me through it since each exercise has specific instructions for body alignment and breathing, also there is timing involved. I don't think I can work through it very well initially by always having to refer to the book. I will also try to get my husband to read the book for himself.
My motivation to exercise is pretty near zero, and my need for better fitness is very great. This book was written for people just like me. I am going to try the method and see how it works.
Very interesting book. I recommend it especially for people like me, lacking in motivation but high in need. I give the author a lot of credit for writing this book and getting it published once he developed his fitness method. I hope he makes some money through word-of-mouth sales. He deserves to.