Stronger, Faster, Smarter

January 5, 2015
After being accused of murder and jailed at age 19, Ferguson took his father's advice and dedicated himself to becoming "stronger, faster, and smarter," in order to survive prison. As this warm, uplifting guide recounts, Ferguson entered prison in 2005 as a skinny kid and left, after his conviction was overturned in 2013, as a lean, muscular young man. Based on his own workout, he presents an approachable DIY exercise and diet plan that doesn't require special equipment or ingredients. Chapter topics include physical preparation; research; building lean muscle; cardio; a doable "forever" life diet; abs; and more. He also offers pertinent personal stories, such as, in the cardio chapter, the realization that he needed to turn the "unsculpted heap of muscle" he had initially focused on "into something more useful" than a physical deterrent to fellow inmates. He also covers exercises for different parts of the body and healthy food options (Greek yogurt or oatmeal with fresh fruit for breakfast and chicken or salmon with salads for lunch or dinner). Adding to the book's appealingly earnest tone, Ferguson includes a note to women clarifying that the lifestyle outlined here is intended for both genders, but with different results. Recently-liberated Ferguson will invigorate and inspire readers of all shapes and sizes with this accessible, interesting take on fitness.

January 1, 2015

Many people begin a fitness regimen to help them cope with the stresses of life, but few are as stressed as Ferguson, who served ten years in a maximum-security prison for a murder he did not commit. With no equipment and nothing but a compelling need to have control over some part of his life, the author developed a simple program of diet and exercise that worked both mind and body and gave him the emotional stamina to continue the fight to overturn his conviction. This is not a prison saga but an example of how, even with limited resources and food choices, physical and emotional health can be improved. Six basic weight-lifting moves interspersed with aerobic activities and an improved diet combined with persistence and discipline made Ferguson the best he could be. Now free, he has added protein supplements to his food pantry and has begun teaching how simple changes, consistently applied, can make anyone stronger, faster, and smarter. This will be popular with men, though it works for women, too. VERDICT Excellent and inspiring for anyone wishing to get in shape.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.