On Muscle Book Review – The Power of Movement + Shared Stories
By Marnie Kunz,
Certified trainer and run coach
As a trainer and someone who loves to move, I was instantly drawn to the book “On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters,” by Bonnie Tsui. This “On Muscle” review is based on my experience reading the book, which a running friend gave to me after reading it and loving it too. At first glance, you may assume it’s a completely scientific book about muscles and how they help us live longer and stronger lives. However, the book weaves in many personal stories, as well as scientific research and the author’s own relationship with her body and exercise. Whether you’re a senior who wants to live longer, an athlete in training, or healing from an injury, this book includes powerful insights, stories, and science that will reshape how you think about muscles and the capabilities of the human body and mind.
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“On Muscle” Book Review - Moving Meditations on Our Bodies
For my “On Muscle” book review, I have to admit that although I love fitness, I don’t enjoy reading lots of technical books on exercise. But “On Muscle” is unique in that it weaves in fascinating stories that hook you from the beginning. I loved the opening tale of the powerlifter Jan Todd and how her future husband was wooed by her strength. Todd went on to become the first female weightlifter to lift the Scottish Dinnie Stones in 1979.
The book delves into an exploration of what muscles mean in our culture and history, and how men’s muscles have long been praised while women were often not encouraged or even allowed to develop strong muscles.
If you’d like to check out the book, here’s where you can find “On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters,” by Bonnie Tsui:
The Power of Personal Stories
In the book, the author Bonnie Tsui weaves in her own experience growing up as an active girl who her father inspired to get stronger with his passion for weightlifting and exercise, and his belief in her. Tsui sprinkled her engaging story throughout the book, making it a more personal experience than reading a straight science book on muscles. As a girl who grew up being very active and running track and cross country in a household where women ruled, I could relate to her tale of being relatively unrestrained in the pursuit of sports and strength as a female.
Throughout the book, Tsui includes many other personal stories, sharing the tales of paralyzed yogis, the world’s strongest women, seniors who swim, and inspiring endurance athletes. She also delves into one of my favorite stories, the tale of Ku Stevens, an indigenous runner on a remarkable journey through the Nevada desert. I had learned about Ku and met him from watching the NYC premiere of “Remaining Native,” which I also reviewed - Remaining Native Movie Review and NYC Event Recap.
By interlacing personal stories and scientific facts and studies, “On Muscle” keeps the reader engaged and inspired. These narratives illustrate the diverse roles muscles play in our lives, from elite performance to overcoming adversity.
The Scientific and Engaging Side of Muscle
Photo from a Runstreet Art Run by Marques Jackson Photography.
No “On Muscle” book review would be complete without exploring the physical and scientific side of muscles. Although my fellow trainers and athletes may know about the importance of muscles for quality of life and longevity, many people do not, and this book delves into scientific research on how much muscles matter to our physical and mental health.
“The age-related loss of muscle is a major cause of frailty, increasing the risk of falling and fractures in older people,” Tsui says in the book.
Even as a trainer, I learned a lot from the research presented in the book. “New research also shows that women who do weight training just a couple of days a week reduce their risk of death from heart disease by a whopping 30 percent,” Tsui explains. “Strength training is the single most important thing you can do to slow or even reverse the normal muscular decline of aging.”
Tsui presents her research in an engaging and digestible way so anyone new to fitness will be able to understand her insight into the world of exercise science. From muscle tissue in the heart to the glutes, the book dives into fun facts on the different types of muscle that miraculously keep our bodies running efficiently. I came away from the book with a better understanding of the essential tissue that we casually call muscle and how it powers our lives.
More Than Just Physicality: The Deeper Meaning of Muscle
By exploring personal stories of people who lost, gained, or experienced alterations in their muscles’ performance, and interviewing scientists, “On Muscle” presents a strong case for staying active and moving to the best of our physical and mental abilities.
In one segment, Tsui talks with Harris Masket, a sports medicine doctor at UC Berkeley who works with athletes playing NCAA sports. Masket sees student athletes pivot to change sports after sustaining injuries or participating in contact sports. He explains how these athletes are able to develop and train different muscles and excel in other sports. “What he loves most is the tissue’s penchant to be flexible, no matter what happens to it. It’s in its character. ‘Why do we like muscle?’ he says. ‘Muscle is the ability to change.’
What I love about this book is how it weaves together science and stories to illustrate not just how and why muscles are important to our health, but also what this means for our lives and our relationships with ourselves and others. Muscles showcase our incredible resilience and adaptability.
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My Favorite Quotes from “On Muscle”
Photo from a Runstreet Art Run by Marques Jackson Photography.
The book has many “aha” moments and powerful quotes, and these are a just few that really jumped out at me:
On growing up: “The experience of childhood is suffused with a peculiar feeling of fragmentation, when you only get part of the picture, and you struggle to understand everything from the pieces you have. You’re afraid to ask. Truth be told, you don’t even know what to ask.”
On the brain-body connection: “Exercise further stimulates what scientists call ‘brain-muscle cross talk,’ and these myokine messengers help determine what specific beneficial responses result in the brain, including the formation of new neurons and increased synaptic plasticity, both of which boost learning and memory. Bulking up muscles literally bulks up your brain!”
On the cultural conception of muscle: “Even in modern times, without natural selection being the primary driver, the public showcase has historically skewed male when it comes to the human performance of strength. Across countless centuries and civilizations, our mythologies of manhood have been inextricably tied to it. What happens when a woman steps in?”
On camaraderie in sports: “Loneliness, we know, leads to deteriorating health. I listen to the way the people in this room rally around one another, through struggles that range from family discord and sleeping woes to cancer and chemo and the death of loved ones. Sometimes I swim with a buddy or train with the Masters team. Often I come alone. But always I find company in the locker room - a conversation to dip into or just listen to. And always there is the reassuring routine of simply discussing the water conditions in the pool that day or admiring the pattern on someone’s bathing suit.”
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Who Should Read This Book?
I recommend this book for runners and athletes of all levels, as well as anyone who is interested in the human body and its capabilities. If you’re seeking inspiring personal stories, you’ll find them in this book. On the other hand, if you want to learn more about the research on muscles, this book also includes many fascinating tidbits and in-depth explorations.
I also recommend this book for people who are aging (which is everyone, technically!), for people with different physical abilities, and for women. As a woman who studied and practices personal training, weightlifting, and running, I have seen many “women’s issues” ignored by traditional sports medicine, and this book fills in many gaps in that regard, highlighting female athletes and the author’s own experience with strength as a woman.
A Powerful Read for Mind and Body
To summarize my “On Muscle” book review, this book gives a fresh perspective and in-depth look at muscles in our culture and society, and highlights scientific research and personal stories that illustrate how powerful (no pun intended) a force muscles can be. The book is well-researched and includes the latest science of strength training as well as tales of extreme feats of athleticism and of everyday people dedicated to movement.
I encourage fellow coaches, trainers, athletes, and anyone interested in inspiration and general wellness to give this book a read.
If you’d like to check out the book, here’s where you can find “On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters,” by Bonnie Tsui:
The authors’ infectious enthusiasm for muscles and movement and the inspiring tales in the book, coupled with the latest research in the field, made me choose this book for our weekly Wellness Wednesday book recommendation. For more book recs, training tips, and insights delivered to your inbox weekly, sign up for our free Wellness Wednesday newsletter.
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Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.
