Catholic Review of: The Rosary Workout

Me?  Read a book about exercise?

Anyone who knows me is well aware that this is a laughable concept.  I'm not much for exercise--and my waistline shows it.  So I figured it was time to look into ways to make exercise more tolerable, or even better, something I'd look forward to.

The Rosary Workout encourages the reader to make the most of multitasking in a good way--by combining exercise such as walking with praying the Rosary.  Yes, it can be done--I've tried it.  But I hadn't even considered it before reading this book.

Where it works:  there's a good explanation of both healthy habits and the prayers of the Rosary.  Author Peggy Bowes encourages the reader to just get started, wherever they are in their fitness and/or spiritual journeys, and gives a reasonable timetable for progress.  There is plenty of information on how to enhance your prayer life through the Rosary and on incorporating the Rosary into different types of exercise routines.

Where it doesn't:  the whole 9-choirs-of-angels thing, in which Bowes tried to apply these levels to both expertise in prayer and physical fitness, fell flat for me.  I think there was too much going on in there.

Putting it into practice:  I can pray a Rosary on a 1-mile walk to the convenience store to buy my Sunday paper.  If only I could manage to do that without winding up with shin splints!  My personal hint:  use a finger rosary; it's much easier to manage when you're moving around, and you've got the other hand free for your water bottle (important in the summer, especially!)  Save the full set of Rosary beads for Adoration.

 

You can purchase this book here.