How to Think About Exercise

Discover the profound connection between fitness and philosophy, and learn to exercise both your body and mind.

It can often seem as though existence is split in two: body and mind, flesh and spirit, moving and thinking. In the office or at study we are 'mind workers,' with seemingly superfluous bodies. Conversely, in the gym we stretch, run and lift, but our minds are idle. In How to Think About Exercise, author and philosopher Damon Young challenges this idea of separation, revealing how fitness can develop our bodies and minds as one.

Exploring exercises and sports with the help of ancient and modern philosophy, Young uncovers the pleasures, virtues and big ideas of fitness. Learn how bestselling author Haruki Murakami quit smoking and took up running, radically changing his outlook on life; why Schopenhauer thought swimming was sublime; how Darwin came up with some of his best ideas while exercising; and much more. By learning how to exercise intelligently, Young argues, we can enhance our full humanity and contribute to our overall enjoyment of life.

The School of Life is dedicated to exploring life's big questions through a variety of useful ideas—from philosophy to literature, psychology to the visual arts—that are guaranteed to stimulate, provoke, nourish, and console.