Prime for Life: Functional Fitness for Ageless Living

Each year, hundreds of people make the decision to leave the routines and restrictions of their daily lives and come to Canyon Ranch, the world-renowned wellness and health center in Tucson, Arizona, for a life-changing week. Within that short time, guests at the ranch reconnect with the natural world and their place in it as living, breathing, moving creatures. In his role as fitness director of the Life Enhancement Program at Canyon Ranch, physical therapist Randy Raugh helps guests of all ages—and with all ranges of fitness levels—understand how movement and activity will not only enrich their lives but will also protect them from disease, obesity, and the negative aspects of aging. As children, our bodies are primed to move—every ligament, tendon, and muscle is supple and receptive to even the most sudden movements. As we age, however, our movements become more careful due to pain or fear of injury. According to Randy Raugh, it doesn't have to be this way. The latest research suggests that it’s not our bodies that compel us to slow down or stop enjoying what we used to do, but it’s our conscious connection to our bodies that diminishes. And that’s a big part of what makes us "feel old"—when we don't have to at all. In Prime for Life, Randy Raugh offers the revolutionary approach he uses with his patients at Canyon Ranch to help them achieve long, active lives. By focusing on maintaining healthy joints and providing specific strategies for doing so, Raugh shows you how to: -Prevent injuries and heal physical damage accumulated over a lifetime -Achieve better results from exercise while eliminating joint and muscle pain -Learn how to talk to doctors about surgeries and detect common misdiagnoses-Discover how to create a simple fitness plan that fits into your daily routine -Find out the truth behind common myths, such as "surgery is your only option" Based on cutting-edge research, more than two decades of hands-on experience, and the stories of real people, Prime for Life provides the innovative exercise strategies, tips, and tools you need to build and maintain a strong, pain-free, youthful body.

RANDY RAUGH, MPT, fitness director of the Life Enhancement Center at Canyon Ranch, has spent 25 years teaching, learning, and performing exercise, body movement, rehabilitation strategies, stress management, and physical therapy. He also serves as an on-call therapist for rural hospitals and clinics in the Tucson area.