Heal painful joints, prevent injuries, and rebuild your body from the ground up.
(If mainstream fitness advice has left you broken down and beat up, it’s time for a new strategy.)
Most middle-aged fitness enthusiasts and athletes have been dragged down by joint pain, injuries, and other ailments commonly accepted as “part of getting older.”
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
In fact, anyone can conquer joint pain and rebuild their body.
It simply requires understanding the hidden causes and a road map (this book) that leads to the solution.
Built from Broken presents a paradigm shift in how to think about corrective exercise, sports nutrition, and joint health.
Once you see how the system works, you’ll never look at exercise or joint health the same way again.
Part 1 lays the foundation for understanding why your joints are breaking down.
You’ll learn:
- The 5 primary causes of joint pain.
- How to prevent the “Big 3” injuries that trap you in the Pain/Injury Cycle.
- Why conventional pain management merely masks symptoms (and 3 natural pain relief techniques that actually work).
- How to identify and fix muscle imbalances that lead to tension, pain, and injuries.
- Natural injury recovery strategies that improve healing time and tissue repair quality.
Part 2 gives you a step-by-step corrective exercise guide and list of action steps to rebuild your body from the ground up.
Including:
- The ideal training schedule to maximize muscle recovery and connective tissue repair (in as little as 2 days per week, at any age).
- Illustrated corrective exercise instructions (with several home workout options).
- How to strengthen joints with cutting-edge connective tissue training techniques.
- A step-by-step training program complete with workout routines.
Whether you have been training for a few years, a few decades, or have never stepped foot in a weight room, it’s not too late to overhaul your body.
If the conventional path of lifting and stretching has left you broken down, why not try a new strategy?
This book is your way out of the pain/injury cycle.
All you have to do is follow three simple steps.
- Read the book.
- Follow the action steps inside to resolve your pain.
- Implement the 4-week corrective training program outlined in the book.
Just imagine, in 4-8 weeks from now, you could be in a pain-free, mobile, strong, and functional body.
One that allows you to do the activities you love, push the limits of your capabilities, and achieve your true physical potential.
This process can start for you right now.
All you have to do is click the “buy” button and order your copy of Built from Broken.
Tight Hip, Twisted Core: The Key To Unresolved Pain
*From The Creator Of The Hip Hook*
The underlying cause of your pain could be a tight and unrecognized muscle in your hip.
Do you have pain in your back, tailbone, pelvis, hip, knee, or foot that won’t go away, no matter what you try? All of these issues can result from tightness in the iliacus and psoas, commonly called the “hip flexor” which can cause not just hip pain, but pain all over the body.
Most people don’t even know they have an iliacus, but this tight muscle can cause lower back pain while sitting, hip pain with driving & can even make you prone to hip osteoarthritis. The truth is that almost everyone has hip flexor tightness and this tension twists the core of the body. As a result of too much sitting, driving, running, biking, kicking, heavy lifting, yoga, dance, gymnastics, or stress, a tight hip could be the missing link to enjoying a pain-free life. Hip health is key to a pain free body.
In this book you will:
- Discover how these muscles impact your body from head to toe
- Determine if you are one of the millions of people with a tight iliacus or psoas muscle
- Release the tension in these stressed tissues for good
- Get your body aligned for pain-free performance & increased endurance lowering your risk of injuries
- Prevent iliacus and psoas muscle tightness from developing ever again
- Get detailed hip flexor exercises, tips to address trigger points, exercises for sciatica, tools to keep the hip flexible & solutions for pelvic pain.
- Maintain the health of the hip joint & keep the hip stretchable.
- Know the cause for tailbone pain & the effective techniques for iliacus and psoas releases.
Based on decades of physical therapy practice, this book outlines 3 simple steps to get your hip healthy and your core aligned, helping you resolve your pain and create hip mobility without expensive treatments, surgeries, and medications.
Of course, even before I finished Part I, I peeked into the exercises in Part II. They seem to be easy enough for me to start out, but an inevitable challenge of all exercise books is to coordinate descriptions of various programs with descriptions of individual exercises. There is no perfect solution for an author.
But there is a perfect solution for me. I've just ordered a second copy of the same book. I will break its spine, separate individual pages, and assemble them into sequences of exercises. The book is now selling for $15.29; two copies are just over $30 including tax. It's negligible in comparison with my daily expenses and especially with the cost of having physical limitations.
Before reading "Built From Broken" I couldn't understand why I can't stay in the gym for more than 6-8 weeks at a time before a sore knee, tennis elbow, bad back, bicep tendonitis, etc. etc. ad nauseum, puts me on the sidelines again, year after year, decade after decade. It's because I've been doing it wrong, and now it's obvious exactly WHAT I've been doing wrong.
Simply put, the most valuable book on training I've ever read, and I've consumed most of them.
The book is rich in detail and explains how bodies get "broken" and how to restore them. I am looking forward to applying the recommendations the author suggests for multiple sports and age-related dysfunction. The images, exercises and explanations are clear and helpful.
My only complaint is that the print quality in the last section is somewhat compromised - like the ink was low or something. Still, readable, and the book is worth 5 stars.
So, this book goes into how muscle and connective tissue is generated, inflammation after injury, nutrition recommendations for repairing injured connective tissue, what exercises you shouldn't do (i.e., remarkably benches, barbell squats, and other heavy exercises), etc., all for someone who is looking at just building strength over a longer term (not necessarily for 'muscle beach' type people. There's even a long-term plan for training. Are all the exercises given described correctly - no, world's greatest stretch is actually an advanced exercise for someone older like myself; and one should actually consult the Stuart McGill's back training book for how and why to do bird dog, cat-cow, bridges, etc. exercises for the back - especially if one is building back from a back injury.
But overall, this is probably the best training book of the over 15 books I've purchased. I wish I had read this before I started training after a slight layoff. I was already fit, but not trained properly - so this book would have helped me a lot - especially the advice not to listen to any 20-somthing trainer who doesn't read, and says the exercises are obvious.
Thanks Chic.
This is my initial review. I will update this as needed.
In summary - excellent book and highly recommended.
Will help me. Thanks.
I've told as many people in my age group as I can about the book. I've also iterated and reiterated to my children to get an exercise routine going now (they are 9 and 11) because it's easier to stay in shape than it is to get back in shape.
Again, this is the last fitness book I'll read because I felt broken before I read it, but now I know that I can use that brokenness to build a foundation for my best body ever.
Thanks again Scott!
This author managed to easily weave practical information about ALL of these, well divided into chapter that are easy length. And I was able to start putting bits of the info IMMEDIATELY to use. Good chapter about various types of available collagen supplements, what do they support, and it is all supported by the latest research.That chapter alone to me was worth purchasing the book. And I am a professional.
I found this book very useful in helping me start to solve my issues.
Easy to read , easy to understand and most importantly full of educational, concise information.
He’s not trying to sell anything, he is not trying to change your mind about anything.
Loved it , super helpful on so many levels regardless if you’re an elite athlete , fitness enthusiast or someone with a 9 to 5 desk job.
I found Ms. month's book informative, easy to understand, and useful.
The exercises are easy to follow and apply. As an ice hockey goaltender in me early 60s, it natural to feel some aches, pain, and stiffness in the hips and lower back. Understanding how our body is built, then why the pain occurs, naturally leads to curiosity for relief, and this book delivers. Applying the simple terms and using supporting diagrams for direction, has made my life after play, much better. Using this information has also assisted me in making changes in daily activities, so I move a lot more easily.
I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in having more mobility and less pain in all of your physical activities.
It took me a while to get through all of the chapters, and I have to admit I skipped over a lot of the parts with words and concepts that were out of my vocabulary. Otherwise it's informative reading that makes sense. Mostly easy to follow with a logical progression to the chapters. I'm ready to start the Beginner Program, and am hopeful that as I progress I will have built a better body that experiences less pain.
I only open with those caveats so I can say without hesitation that this book is excellent. Buy it, and keep it nearby. Go back to it again and again as you progress and learn. I have.
As the title makes clear, Scott is fully aware of the nagging injuries that hold so many of us back, and all the suggestions in the book keep that in mind. Unfortunately most young people will ignore its advice. I used to be one of them.
Don’t let movement become a burden.
While just going to a good hot yoga class 3-4 times a week will probably get you most of the way, this book provides an overview of lots of the most current info related to getting and staying fit - corrective exercises, recovery, training around smaller injuries, work-outs that are easy on the joints.
Really recommend this to anyone who wants to extend/keep playing their favorite sports!!
Best wishes to everyone! And thanks to the author for sharing all the great info!
I originally gave this book 4 stars, but have updated it to 5 stars. I decided to Email the author with some of my concerns and he actually emailed me back with suggestions to suit me! Scott has taken time to help a customer and I greatly appreciate that!
I happened to be reading this right at the same time I incurred a spinal injury and had to go under for emergency surgery, so I'm still on lift and exercise restrictions, but plan on utilizing the programs laid out in the book when I get back into it.
I saw this book and thought - I’ll give it a go. I bought all the supplements he recommended and started on the ‘advanced track’ of 4 days a week.
Immediately within week 1 I already saw results. I’m now at week 4 and am a convert. I’m able to stand and walk without pain. I can tell my posture is improving. I am amazed by how much more I can lift in just a few short weeks.
I am so so grateful to Scott and this incredible knowledge that has enabled me to self heal!
This is certainly one of, if not the single best researched and up-to-date text on this topic. It's all here in this one publication.
At the end of the book is a workout plan, and thorough explanations/pictures of each exercise. The way he's crafted everything made it so easy to get started, stay motivated, see progress, and advance. I've made my way through his entire set plan, and am on my second round of personalized custom workouts (which were really easy to set up fast, all the exercises are labeled to make it easy to find one that fits for a particular session). I have built a ton of strength in my legs, back and arms, and I have far fewer problems with my knees (patellar tendonitis) and hips (trochanteric bursitis) and shoulders. I actually look forward to working out 3-4 times a week now, it's become a habit I enjoy and benefit from.
What does that have to do with Built from Broken?
Everything I've learned and used can be found in this book!
When I started reading, I immediately saw how much of what Scott recommends is what I've been using for years. It works!
If you're dealing with joint pain (shoulders, back, knees, etc.), then do yourself a favor and pick up this book. The warm-up routines, exercises, and workout plans will HELP you get out of pain and back to training.
I highly recommend this book to everyone to help treat (and prevent) joint pain and mobility issues!
Does Scott recommend supplements he sells? Yes. Do they work? Yes. But you'll have to decide if you want to try them or not (you don't have to).
Given this program a chance, and within 4-6 weeks you will be feeling less pain and able to start pushing harder again.
It also really connected some dot for me between programs like 5/3/1, core performance, and power to the people. All of which have elements of this program, but they were never really explained for what they are. Thank YOU!
I started on this program, because I wanted to start training for LONGEVITY. Living a long, healthy, pain-free life.
And I'm telling you, I've had a marked reduction in injuries. The only minor injury I've had on this program was one day I decided to try the RDL dumbbell deadlifts and overdid it. Personally, I'd avoid those if you are lifting heavy like I was. That's because my grip was giving out and I was fatigued and making some jerky movements.
Instead of RDLs, I'd recommend doing weighted extensions or glute-ham raises for the lower posterior chain. The author's Swiss ball leg curls are also highly recommended.
I'm on my third or fourth cycle of this program. I love it. I do some of my own exercises though, still keeping the basic template the author outlines.
If you're a hard-core lifter like I am and sick of injuries, and you wanna start training for longevity and overall health and functionality, get and follow this book.
I was at a complete loss as to what muscles to work and how to work them when there are still joints and muscles that are damaged and weak.
This book greatly helped me find a way to exercise while injured and not increase my injuries or pain. In fact following this book's advice I no longer have Leg Days or Glute Days or Arm Days at the gym. Every time I workout I work my entire body. All muscle groups are worked when I'm at the gym.
Balancing working each muscle group in the safest way possible to achieve the best result without causing further damage. I feeling the difference in all my muscles and I'm not leaving the gym in pain or experiencing increased pain and soreness at home hours later.
I have shown the book to two of my physical therapists and let them read through it and see if they agree with Scott approach and reasoning behind working out and rehabbing injuries as well as avoiding developing new injuries from working out.
My main physical therapist actually bought the book too and is working to incorporate the training suggestions into his therapy plans.
My Orthopedic Surgeon approves of this books methodology so that seems great to me and my recovery.
This book has been a great help and its encouraging. Exercises that I couldn't do before reading the book I can now do with the books suggested modifications.
Definitely work the price and time.
I've been an athlete my whole life, starting ice hockey and soccer at age 5, playing through high school, getting immersed in endurance and outdoor sports during college, finding and falling deep into the CrossFit world in my early adult years, branching out into more focused gymnastics and mobility and movement-quality based paradigms and eventually transitioning from the hardcore dogma of "constantly varied functional movement at high intensity" to a more mellow, Daoist-like fitness philosophy. And, that philosophy cannot be better summarized than by the words of Lao Tzu himself:
"Men are born soft and supple; dead they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail."
Such words fly in the face of today's conventional fitness values that seem to always amount to an egotistical ambition to be 1) appealing to the opposite sex and 2) intimidating to one's own sex (assuming the athlete is heterosexual) and that the pursuit of these ambitions requires you to regularly endure PAIN, as in "no pain, no gain."
What I like about Scott Hogan and others like him (Jerzy Gregorek, Tim Anderson, Dr Eric Goodman, Ben Patrick) is that they take ego out of the fitness equation by waking people up to a fundamental truth: you are not meant to be in pain. Pain, unlike what the ego tells you, is a sign that you're doing fitness wrong, not right. Hogan's book indeed takes this big picture approach and challenges readers to zoom out and reevaluate why they're really training in the first place. For that alone, I'd say it's worth a read.
Another thing I really like about Hogan's work is his emphasis on joint health and range of motion as the non-negotiable foundation of all meaningful health and athleticism. Just stop to think for second: of what use is strength or muscle size if you're unable to simply occupy natural human positions? Any fitness paradigm that does not have mobility and movement quality as its foundation is a house of cards. Strength, power, and speed are all great, but when developed at the expense of natural range of motion, those "gains" eventually become "glitches." Kudos to Hogan for creating a program that will help exercisers of all stripes to repair and rebuild a solid foundation for pursuing their fitness goals. This is a great resource for anyone interested in staying supple and strong for life.
This book builds on what's out there AND includes super usable guides for how to repair and come back (safely) to your sport. I was sceptical about the beginner program but after 8 weeks of no running and very little walking due to a back injury I started doing the beginner routine and was surprised to have muscle soreness from it.
I've bought a lot of books about running and injuries. I'd say if you're going to buy one book, make it this one.
I cannot sing the books praises enough. The book brought attention to all of my complaints! lower back pain, Hip pain, groin tightness, leg ache and even foot pain with every step. I believe I had chronic tightness in my illiacus muscle exacerbated by chronic stress. The book and hip hook helped me to address this issue. I also started seeing a massage therapist who has been wonderful by helping me to relax, manage my stress andbuild up strength in my quads on the "good" leg and loosening up my hips with home exercises.
Each day without this pain is a blessing. I hope my review will help someone like me who has tried everything! I'm so thankful that I found the Tight Hip Twisted Core book by Christine Koth! Thank you so much!!!
There are 2 tools that are sold separately that I wish I had prior knowledge about.
Also, I think all health care professionals and certification holders should read this book!
So many orthopedic issues begin in lack of motion, and how our body accommodates our poor motion habits throughout our life. Ultimately, we will have SYMMETRY problems and all that entails. I don't fault Christine for selling the hook. I have one on order, and am really looking forward to using this specific-use tool. Nonetheless, the alternative she offers is a ball, which I have found works pretty well. Specifically a MobilityWOD 4" Supernova ball.
By incorporating Christines fundamental insight regarding internal rotation of the thigh due to a tight iliacus has altered my workout for the better. The result is I have far better symmetry and balance. My gait is much more even, my twisted shoulder is resolving. I believe my knee will last much longer as well. I sit (when I do) differently and stand differently. Yup, everything. The iliacus it appears is at the center of everything we do. This book is call to action! So get going...
Thank you Christine for releasing this great book! I'm looking forward to the release of your hip hook!
Christina Barnett
Owner/ Krav Maga Institute Colorado
hope the whole world soon learns about your work. It’s very much needed today. Not just to relieve pain but to prevent it.
From the time we go to school and throughout our life we sit too much. So much pain could be avoided if everyone practiced what your are teaching early in life.
With my very first session - after following your exercises - I got relief. I have a Joovv infrared light and a biomat but now know how to get better use from them. I’m about to start doing yoga and Pilates again and now know how to do them correctly.
Thanks very much Christine.
pain if it's caused by a tight iliacus muscle.
Fast forward a few years, and I had studied a number of rehab disciplines. Some had knowledge of the iliacus, many did not and simply grouped them under the big category of hip flexor. But also I learned a number of things about muscles and treating movement. It is wonderful that many of these concepts that took me years and many courses to learn are all summarized in this book.
Also, many current techniques and concepts are highlighted, which are unfortunately not covered in many other texts. They tend towards older techniques and concepts. Things like prolonged pressure, which is something I learned recently at a workshop, and lighter pressure than you would think. So not only do you get a lot of information about the iliacus, you will also get a lot about current thinking on techniques to treat muscles in general.
Nicely covered is a deep dive into the iliacus and its function and what happens when dysfunction occurs and other structures are affected. There is a great section on how the iliacus is involved with other conditions like hip arthritis. Many diagrams are provided which, through simple illustration, show the iliacus's action on the various structures of the body, and what happens to you when you have a tight iliacus.
As a bonus, the book also covers some other areas, like organs and blood vessel effects, nerve effects, as well as emotions and their role in muscle tightness.
I highly recommend this gem - you'll get all you'll want to know about the iliacus and a lot of other great material as well.
I've had ongoing lumbar, hip and shoulder pain for a few years and i'm only 40 so I was worried to see it progress. PT, massage, chiro and pain relievers helped in the short term but I knew I wasn't finding the cause. Finally a personal trainer led me to a myofacial release therapist. She inspected my posture at every visit and helped me troubleshoot my posture during sleep, standing and sitting and lent me a book about my psoas. I found *this* book on my own, and started to do the routine in the book. My posture was originally exactly like one of the bad posture pictures in this book. This explains everything about why my pain kept returning and the book gave me step by step ways to keep it from happening again. If you're dealing with pain, this is a small cost compared to repeated office visits or surgery. I love the tips about how to sit better, and exercises to avoid.
already feel a difference. I can’t wait to see if this resolves my issue and I’m looking forward to getting the hip hook. What she explains in the book makes SO much sense and it is written in a way that is easy to understand. I finished the bulk of the book in less than 2 hours. It’s a must read for any athlete, or anyone who sits or drives for long periods of time. Actually I think everyone would benefit. Highly recommend!