Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Running, Second Edition Review

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Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Running, Second Edition ReviewFirst, you must be aware of the fact that this book is part of a series of about 30 books called "Weight training for...", including diverse activities such as rugby, bowling and cheerleading, and which are very similar one another. The author had the wonderful idea of writing basically one book and selling 30. Genius.
The book is structured as follows:
- A running-specific introduction
- Generic advice about gym workouts: basic stuff like the necessity of warming up and cooling down and making sure you don't lift more weight than you can
- Tons of (generic) exercises
- Two pseudo-scientific articles (one about technique and another about nutrition). These were the only remotely useful bits of the book, and they were written by other specialists.
From the above, it doesn't sound so bad. You could even thing this book was worthwhile. This is why it is not:
- The only running-specific advice is contained in the introduction (and the two articles), which is just 9 pages long (with huge font and big tables!)). All the rest of the book is totally generic, addressed to runners, racquetball players and golfers alike. Seriously, there is no other running-specific advice anywhere else, meaning around 85% of the book.
- The explanations to the exercises are pretty basic, similar to what you'll find printed in most decent gym machines. No value added there.
- Even worse, not even the selection of the exercises seemed to be really thought for runners. Only 20% (12 out of 60) of the exercises are for legs. I'm totally for a balanced work-out and training the core muscles, but you'd think runners would want to focus just a little bit more that 20% on the legs, right?
- There is no distinction between sprinters, hurdlers, marathoners, ultramarathoners, etc., which you'd assume would require "slightly" different training routines. You are left wondering whether the author even knows that there are several kinds of runners.
- Most annoyingly, the text is full of ads inviting the reader to join the author's (paid) website. Which I will not.
I truly do not know what the other reviewers based their reviews on, but IMHO this book (and the whole series) is pretty much a waste of your hard-earned money.Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Running, Second Edition Overview

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Total Body Transformation: A 3-Month Personal Fitness Prescription For a Strong, Lean Body and a Calmer Mind Review

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Total Body Transformation: A 3-Month Personal Fitness Prescription For a Strong, Lean Body and a Calmer Mind ReviewMr. Ilg will get you in shape physically and mentally, guaranteed.
I approached his book from a reformed weightlifter/runner to now a yogi/runner's perspective.
First the yoga information:
Many modern and not-so modern yogis claim that yoga is all anyone needs as far as exercise, but I completely disagree. Despite their attention to bandhas, tai chi like connecting movements, and yoga breathing, I don't think yoga alone is a cardiovascular workout. Moreover, I don't feel that the combination of low plank, high plank, crow, and handstands is enough to develop upper body strength. If you look at most yogis (no offense, please) such as Steve Ross (Inhale on Oxygen 6 a.m. weekdays), Bikram Choudury, and others, they don't look very strong. The best in this area to me has been Baron Baptiste (he of the ubiquitous bandana) and his attention to "functional strength."
Fortunately, Mr. Ilg politely calls the yogi community out on this subject and carefully illustrates the need to "strength train" in addition to yoga.
His High Performance Yoga (trademarked I believe) still uses these poses, but as a complement to the work in the gym. Also, his yoga routine is functional not fancy, incorporating all the sun salutations and warrior poses, as well spinal twists, backbends, forward bends, and inversions. Maybe most importantly he introduced me to a pose not found in many yoga books and not on Yoga Journal's website pose section: the yoga squat (this should be called the Ilg squat). It's a fantastic pose.
As for Mr. Ilg's strength training advice: solid and proven. He limits between set rest to 30 seconds and does power movements such as squats, stiff-legged deadlifts, benches, military presses, etc. No high rep,"shaping movements" fluff here.
His cardio advice is also great. No "just gardening is cardio" or park your car in a farther spot blather, but rather a discussion on the necessity of hard training such as bicycling, running, and more.
Mr. Ilg gets very, very, very deep into the meditation and spiritual "stuff." He loses me here, but that is my weakness. Hopefully, you will be able to embrace this important area.
Another area Mr. Ilg recommends that I could not survive: media fasting. I'm sorry, but I have to read the Journal/Times daily or I feel lost. If you can do this, your journey will be more advanced than mine. He doesn't say you have to do it daily, of course.
Nutritionally, I can't personally see eliminating meat & dairy without some heavy protein supplementation. If I'm training two-three hours daily (Mr. Ilg's recommendation), I don't see how a diet high in fiber and natural foods other than meat and dairy can provide enough protein. He may be right; it's just not for me.
Please, if you are considering getting "fit" realize that cardio, strength training, or yoga alone will NOT be enough individually. You have to combine all three (throw in meditation if you can and of course nutrition). Based on those proven facts, please welcome Coach Ilg into your life. You will save a lot of money purchasing this one book, instead of several for strength training, cardio, and the often incomplete yoga books. You won't be disappointed.
Thanks for reading.
P.S. Attentive readers may note that I previously reviewed this tome. I used some unfortunate and inappropriate words at the time. I apologize to Mr. Ilg and the Amazon community for that. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa.
Updated 11.25.05. For some reason when you Yahoo, Google, A9 yoga squat this review comes up, so I want to add a little bit more information.
I still don't understand why more yoga tomes don't discuss the yoga squat, so I want reemphasize how much I appreciate Mr.Ilg's contribution. I do the yoga squat at least 10 times a day (always at least a minute). When I get two minutes during work I do it followed by a one minute forward bend. The yoga squat seems to put my whole body back into line and it unleashes an "energy flow". Also, during my reqularly scheduled two daily workouts, I do yoga squats holding a 25 or 35 pound plate for 2-3 minutes. It deepens the pose and feels fantastic. Everyone should do the yoga squat (knee pain sufferers excluded, although it may help actually).
Update 12.6.06. I just wanted to add another item to the Ilg Squat/yoga squat. The great Steve Ross on his fantastic yoga show Inhale(Oxygen M-F 6 a.m. EST) showed a version of the yoga squat designed to deepen the pose. He just set his feet very wide apart and squatted down. Turning your toes out may help some people. It felt awesome.
Again, big thanks to Mr. Ilg to paying attention to this incredibly important asana.Total Body Transformation: A 3-Month Personal Fitness Prescription For a Strong, Lean Body and a Calmer Mind Overview

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West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Era Review

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West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Era ReviewWow! I almost dropped a dumbbell on my toe in excitement when I discovered the publication of this book! I was indeed pleasantly surprised by this literal treasure-trove of original articles, anecdotes, and amusing characterizations of many of the most famous of the insiders in the golden age of bodybuilding in southern California in the 1950s and 1960s, all those amusing tales of the exploits and observations of all the most famous denizens from the golden age of bodybuilding back in the 'good old days", when few and far between such serious palaces of steel as the local Gold's Gym or World facility available for the faithful aspiring bodybuilders. Instead, most of us labored in valiant pursuit for bigger and stronger muscles either alone in our makeshift home gyms in our basements or garages, or just as often we worked out in the shabby but better equipped environs of the local YMCAs, where we were considered more muscle-headed curiosities than seekers after strength and fitness.
Indeed, all of those old memories and recollections are reincarnated by the recollections and observations in this wonderful book. Dick Tyler, a practicing Chiropractor (as is his good friend, former Mr. Olympia Franco Columbo), breathes fresh life into all the old legends, as does famed 60's sensation the Blond Bomber himself, Dave Draper, (who writes the preface for the book), throwing open the wide window allowing the reader to see these stars of the bodybuilding world as real breathing people, as individual personalities who just happened to comprise the inner elite of this special little world of the bodybuilding subculture. These recollections also serve as to provide a unique glimpse into an extremely short but quite special period of time within that bodybuilding world, at the very moment of its most amazing transformation from what had formerly been a small and curious little world of true believers comprised of dedicated bodybuilders who went about their lives chasing the "power of the pump", into all the other aspects of what they became at that moment that bodybuilding went "mainstream", as it became a national phenomenon in the wake of the rise of Arnold Schwarzenegger to prominence in the early 1970s.
As someone who spent his own formative years reading about that rarified world of the top bodybuilders living in the sun and surf along the backdrop of ocean and Santa Monica, I can finally say that a book exists that faithfully recreates the essence of that now long-gone world, a world more emblematic of a simpler, kinder, and less complicated existence, when one might just as easily catch Larry Scott or Steve Reeves working out in the free Muscle Beach gym as view newcomers like a young Dave Draper or the incredible Frank Zane walking along the street. This is a great book, and one that deserves a wide readership by all of us who might well find the golden age of bodybuilding as fascinating as those of us who grew up reading and dreaming about it still do. Enjoy!West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Era Overview

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101 Ways to Work Out with Weights: Effective Exercises to Sculpt Your Body and Burn Fat Review

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101 Ways to Work Out with Weights: Effective Exercises to Sculpt Your Body and Burn Fat ReviewI can't tell you how many books I have looked at for weight training with weights, just to open them up and they are all gym related exercises on gym equipment at the gym. I guess its good if you have a gym membership, but the point of me looking for a book using handweights was because that was all I had at home, just hand weights. This book delivers. In a few moves, she uses a weight bench for positioning, but you can also use a chair or your coffee table or a step. She also has a section for using a stability ball. I don't have one but I plan on buying one.
This is a great book for people who only have hand weights and nothing else. The pictures show the moves well. Over all, good book for those of us with limited equipment but still want a good workout.101 Ways to Work Out with Weights: Effective Exercises to Sculpt Your Body and Burn Fat Overview

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Death, Drugs, and Muscle Review

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Death, Drugs, and Muscle ReviewI've picked up some issues of Muscular Development and read Gregg's "ALL CAPS" columns. Additionally, I had seen the TLC feature on Gregg Valentino titled, "The Man Who's Arms Exploded." Ultimately, I expected something entirely different than I got when I cracked open this book. I expected some boisterous, self-praising nonsense intermingled with a few funny stories that, if I were lucky, would make the book worth its $12. Well, I was wrong.
This book is deep and well-written. You go on an emotional roller coaster with Valentino and after shaking your head at his wrong choices, you find yourself in a bit of amazement that he actually admits his mistakes. Further, you find yourself cheering for him because he seems to be proof you can rehabilitate. To see a guy go from underground drug dealer on the streets of New York, to sitting in a jail cell, and back out and onto movie screens and worldwide fame, and hear it in his voice... it's impressive.
I've never in my life read the same book twice, but I think I'm going to make an exception for this one.Death, Drugs, and Muscle Overview

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Bodybuilding a Realistic Approach: How You Can Have a Great Body Review

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Bodybuilding a Realistic Approach: How You Can Have a Great Body ReviewI am a complete beginner to lifting weights--just started a month or two ago to look more attractive to women. I was looking for a basic introduction to weight training that was easily understood, down-to-earth, no BS, and no gimmicks, just hard work and discipline. I found exactly that in this book! Mr. Melfa writes with clarity and precision describing different exercises, about how to achieve different goals, nutrition and eating habits, stretching, posing, contests and more. Aside from the clear description of different exercises, I think what I have found most helpful in this book is Mr. Melfa's knowledge and experience regarding which specific exercises one should perform to meet one's goals (such as muscle size), how often, how many sets and how many reps. I also appreciate his comments about which exercises are most effective for different muscle groups. I think this book is ideal for a novice like myself but it also seems like it would be helpful to an experienced body builder who wanted more guidance and advice about nutrition, food, posing and contests. One more thing: I had an important personal question about my own wieght training which my lifting-buddy wasn't sure about. I e-mailed Frank Melfa on his AOL address listed here and got a VERY helpful and warm reply THE NEXT DAY! His personal advice was very worthwhile and exactly what I needed to know. THANKS FRANK!Bodybuilding a Realistic Approach: How You Can Have a Great Body Overview

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American Hunks: The Muscular Male Body in Popular Culture, 1860-1970 Review

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American Hunks: The Muscular Male Body in Popular Culture, 1860-1970 Review"American Hunks" is a bonanaza of vintage muscleman photos. With his inimitable flair and mischevious sense of fun, Mark Chapman and Brett Josef Grubisic have gathered hundreds of the best images from the world of the hunk, muscleman, he-man or gymnast/wrestler. The book presents over 100 years of male muscle images from sources as disparate as cement bags, shoe polish tins, Coke ads, cigarette packs and underwear, not to mention a wide variety of studio photos. Each image has a welcome paragraph to describe it. There are introductions by both authors, as well. Though there are some familiar photographs (due to their iconic nature), I was happy suprised to see hundreds of images for the first time. This volume is a must have for all fans of the male form and physical culture, all presented in excellent quality prints and with panache and wit. This is a keeper!American Hunks: The Muscular Male Body in Popular Culture, 1860-1970 Overview

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Flex Ability: A Story of Strength and Survival Review

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Flex Ability: A Story of Strength and Survival ReviewI enjoyed reading this book, but as time has passed and I have reflected upon it further, I have become more and more disappointed with it. Flex now writes for Muscular Development, and his pieces in there vary a great deal in the persona he projects. In FlexAbility he portrays himself as the quasi-innocent, long-suffering victim. The suspicious "ninja attack" which supposedly occurred right before an Olympia, thus forcing him to withdraw, is not even mentioned here, though surely it ought to be discussed--if it were real, because that would be a major event in his career; if it were invented, because only by 'fessing up would he really be honest. I think that in this book Wheeler is working really hard to convince the reader that he, Flex, is a good guy. He might be, but methinks this book doth protest too much.Flex Ability: A Story of Strength and Survival Overview

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Max Contraction Training : The Scientifically Proven Program for Building Muscle Mass in Minimum Time Review

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Max Contraction Training : The Scientifically Proven Program for Building Muscle Mass in Minimum Time ReviewMax Contraction Training is John Little's follow up to the last book he wrote with Peter Sisco, 'Static Contraction Training'. Max Contraction Training contains some really good information and acts as a logical and worthy extension of the principles of high intensity training. However, the book is far from perfect and there are a number of problematic areas which Little does not satisfactorily address.
The early chapters of the book cover the underlying principles of strength training, and make it clear that the book is aimed at drug free people who want to follow an efficient and effective method of strength training founded on real scientific principles and research rather than the typical 'gym lore' and nonsense that gets published in the muscle magazines.
Little points out that he had been working on developing the 'Max Contraction' system before he teamed up with Peter Sisco to produce the 'Power Factor' and 'Static Contraction' systems and that he considers 'Max Contraction' to be the ultimate conclusion of the high intensity principles that underlie all the systems he has been involved with, which does kind of make you wonder why he didn't just publish this at the beginning and not bother with the other two.
He also goes in for a fair amount of repetition in getting the point about the position of full contraction being the only one in which all of a muscle's fibres can be forced to contract, and after a while this becomes a big of a drag. This is combined with a few mixed messages about safety which can become a bit confusing after a while. However, once you have figured out exactly what he is getting at you will find that the points he is raising are valid and contribute a great deal to your overall understanding of the science behind strength training.
The later chapters are concerned with the practicalities of training acoording to the scientific principles he has laid out. He gives a sound and well rounded basic routine to follow which is based around 'isolation' exercises (e.g. Leg Extensions and Leg Curls) which allow for the individual muscle or muscle group to enter a position of full ('Max') contraction and so activate all the muscle's fibres and utilise the full strength of the muscle. He then goes on to show you 'Bodypart Specialization' routines (e.g. Arms, Shoulders, Back, Legs) which clearly do not follow the principles he has laid out in the first part of the book as they entail doing more sets per bodypart rather than increasing the intensity of exercise.
Safety is also an issue, people who train on their own will be pretty much limited to using the weights that they can move into the position of full/'max' contraction on their own from full (or near full) extension for many of the exercises which, logically, reduces the effectiveness. What will really stick in the craw of many readers though, is that in selecting particular exercises he is clearly trying to get you to buy his 'Max Straps' which will only be available from his website, and will not be cheap either!
So, the book is deeply flawed, but also has some essential information that will do you a lot of good. I recommend that you first buy Little and Sisco's 'Static Contraction Training' and then use this to round out the picture. Where 'Static Contraction Training' focuses on compound exercises, this aims at isolation exercises. The two books and systems are complementary rather than competitive, and with some thought and common sense you can easily combine the best of the two books into a routine for yourself that makes the most of the equipment you have available to you.Max Contraction Training : The Scientifically Proven Program for Building Muscle Mass in Minimum Time Overview

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Iron Nation Review

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Iron Nation ReviewI thoroughly enjoyed this book as it validated all the hard training stories I heard my dad talk about. He wrote a chapter in the book about how it was possible to build muscle without shiny chrome and fancy equipment (Glenn Pieschke). I watched him cross train five days a week his entire life, for over forty years while the pro's have come and gone and died from steroid abuse. This book defines good solid principles, no hype or BS, or fast schemes that don't work. You get what you put into it and your workouts. I follow many of the principles outlined in the book including living a healthy lifestyle and diet. At 18, I'm just starting 'my exercise for life career' and am thankful for the honest info provided in a book like this. Thank goodness theres real information like this out there.Iron Nation Overview

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Training for Mass, Second Edition Review

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Training for Mass, Second Edition ReviewI'm a pretty big fan of the first book, so I was curious about what would be different with the 2nd edition. What I like is that there's more detail about the finer points of actual training. Beforehand I still had a few questions about reps, like how many are ideal, and about how things like rest-pause are supposed to work. This book spends a lot more time going over this. The first book was mostly about selling the idea of low volume, high intensity training. The second also gives a better description of the logic behind that, but the real changes are in training specifics. I also like that the book has a new part listing all the main points of how to train and why, followed by a section listing the opposite...training myths.
The chapter about injury seemed to be expanded a lot, and I have to say that it's a lot more powerful now that there's an actual list of famous bodybuilders who tore muscles. That's another change from the first that I like...that before the author would mention unnamed people in bodybuilding, regarding bad advice, etc. In this book he also mentions specifically who a couple of these people are and what they have to say. I think this is important, because there's a lot of terrible advice coming from bodybuilders. These people need to be called on it.
Like the first book, there's no pictures, which I like. The author in the intro complains that it's kind of an insult to your intelligence when a bodybuilding book is filled with pictures, with not a lot of info. I agree with this. I'd say this is definitely worth picking up, even if you have the original.Training for Mass, Second Edition Overview

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Men's Health Maximum Muscle Plan: The High-Efficiency Workout Program to Increase Your Strength and Muscle Size in Just 12 Weeks Review

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Men's Health Maximum Muscle Plan: The High-Efficiency Workout Program to Increase Your Strength and Muscle Size in Just 12 Weeks ReviewI bought this book over a year ago and have read and followed it ever since, and right now I'm in the best shape of my life so far. I believe I'm in a good position to write a review for it. What I like about the book is that:
- It describes a large number of exercises in great detail (along with "make it easier" and "- harder" versions)
- It included traditional as well as newer exercises
- Useful for beginners as well as advanced lifters
- Includes topics like nutrition, cardio-workouts, sports specific fitness etc. in reasonable details
- The book doesn't make any unrealistic promises. (The results you achieve depend on the efforts you put in; a book can only guide you along the path)
- Gives injury prevention tips
- Makes an excellent reference guide
- Although the title says "Men's health", it can be used by women too (My wife often looks up exercises from it)
- Offers advice based on science-backed wisdom
- Useful if you want to do strength/weight training (as opposed to ONLY bodybuilding)
- Doesn't promote any brand-named products
This book helped me a lot when I was a total beginner and I still look it up when I feel like changing my routine or to check if my form is correct. Although I have used other fitness books, this book remains the backbone of my lifting plan. Over all, I'll highly recommend this book if you are serious about fitness and weight-training, even if you are a beginner.Men's Health Maximum Muscle Plan: The High-Efficiency Workout Program to Increase Your Strength and Muscle Size in Just 12 Weeks Overview

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Fundamental Weight Training (Sports Fundamentals Series) Review

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Fundamental Weight Training (Sports Fundamentals Series) ReviewFundamental Weight Training is a wonderful book for those new or inexperienced with resistance training and who are looking for an introductory and basics book not filled with pictures of over-muscled gym monsters or picture-perfect models. With 102 exercises, each with photos and detailed explanations, this book demystifies any misconceptions the reader may have about lifting a little iron.
The first few chapters introduce some of the basics of weight training, including the types of resistance training, gym protocol, language, and beginning stretches. The bulk of the book then devotes a chapter to each of the general body parts, i.e., chest, back, legs, glutes, etc. etc. Finally, to round things out, the book offers up sample programs and routines and also encourages the student to develop their own program based on their personal fitness goals.
Overall, this book does a great job of removing any stigma or intimidation associated with weight training, debunks many of the misconceptions, and presents each point in a clear, easy to understand format that will serve as a perfect tool to assist the reader to better health and physical appearance.Fundamental Weight Training (Sports Fundamentals Series) Overview

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Built for Show: Four Body-Changing Workouts for Building Muscle, Losing Fat, andLooking Good Enough to Hook Up Review

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Built for Show: Four Body-Changing Workouts for Building Muscle, Losing Fat, andLooking Good Enough to Hook Up ReviewBought this book based on Nate Green's reputation, and was a bit skeptical due to the title...particularly the "hooking up" part. I understand the marketing angle though, so I went ahead and bought it for the training program alone. What I got was a lot more...
Training - The Cake
As expected, this book lays down "the fundamentals" that the athletes follow, but most common gym-goers ignore. The program is not anything groundbreaking, but that's the point -- simple therefore effective. More important than the "what" is the "how" and "why" which Nate explains thoroughly without getting too scientific. It's enough for you to explain to a buddy without a) looking like a dork and b) seem condescending. The most unique thing about the program for me was breaking it into Fall/Winter/Summer/Spring and programming accordingly. So your Fall/Winter are more hypertrophy/strength based -- while your spring/summer are more fat-loss based. Makes complete sense! Another unique find was the "garage variation" of each exercise in case you don't have access to a gym. Small but very practical detail that will help many.
Nutrition - Icing
Again Nate appeals to the target audience of single-guys well. The tips and info are all from the perspective of someone who may be budget-crunched but still health conscious. I wouldn't purchase this book for the nutrition tips alone, but it supplements the rest of the book well and Nate even recommends the Precision Nutrition system later in the book. Definitely worth reading the nutrition section for its unique perspective.
"Lifestyle" Tips - More GQ than Maxim.
Gotta admit, this was the biggest surprise to me of the entire book. This was the section I was very hesitant to read as I thought it'd be filled with "Maxim" type articles and tips. I was DEFINITELY surprised to find that it was much more GQ than Maxim. A thoughtful and interesting read regarding everything from dress (are your socks supposed to match your shoes or pants?) to self-confidence and approaching strangers (who happen to be attractive females?)
I'm beginning this program tomorrow and will update my review with some results as that is how this book will really be evaluated and measured. If you're aware of Nate Green already, this book is what you expected -- entertaining and informative. If you're unaware, I'd describe this book as a "GQ" type of twist on a great fitness book -- except you can actually afford everything.Built for Show: Four Body-Changing Workouts for Building Muscle, Losing Fat, andLooking Good Enough to Hook Up Overview

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The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer: The Art, Science and Philosophy of a Bodybuilding Legend Review

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The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer: The Art, Science and Philosophy of a Bodybuilding Legend ReviewBeing a fan of Mentzer, I was eager to read this. He does stand as someone I truly have admired in my life time. I have enjoyed his other books and always came away better for reading them. However, I was very disapointed in this book. I soon realised that the problem is it was not written by Mentzer. The first half of the book is honestly just a little too reverent in painting Mentzer as a hero. I admire him, but John Little makes him sound like a saint. It's just a little much. The second half improved as it delved into Mentzer's philosophy on training using many of his own quotes. But even here, John Little refers to his previous book so blatantly and repeatedly, he often sounds like a broken record. It was a shameless redundant self promotion that almost makes one question his sincerity.
My advice, this is just fluff and promotion. Go buy one of Mentzer's books such as Heavy Duty as it is eye opening. Mentzer was a prolific writer and had a such a keen sense of logic that made the other books such as pleasure to read. This feels like a somewhat goulish attempt by those that have survived him, to use his name and drain one last bit from his devout fans.The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer: The Art, Science and Philosophy of a Bodybuilding Legend Overview

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weight Training Review

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weight Training ReviewI have been lifting for a couple years on and off, predominantly by myself and with minimal instruction. After finishing the book, gaps in my weight lifting knowledge that I had not known existed had been filled in. The authors came across as humble, self-effacing, genuinely helpful, and very human. The expressed human element helped to convey that weight lifting can be beneficial for everyone. Looking through the table of contents, a prospective buyer might be surprised that the specific weight lifting exercises are covered in the last half of the book. However, the first half is well worth the price of the book by itself, in my opinion, as it explains the ins and outs of proper nutrition, stretching, gym and gym equipment selection, and gym culture. The authors goals of instilling good habits, good technique, and proper mindfulness in weight lifting is well served.The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weight Training Overview

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Muscle Bound Review

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Muscle Bound ReviewSloppy form in the gym leads to injuries. Sloppy form in a novel leads to this book. I really wanted to like "Muscle Bound." Judging by the author's photo, he knows his way around a gym, and he definitely gets (and, I think, portrays nicely) the mindset of someone with a muscle fetish. Marlow recognizes that, for a muscle worshiper, it's about the physique, not specific sexual acts. However, the book at times reads like bad erotica, and it was in need of a strong editor to direct the author to do re-writes (it was also in need of a good copy editor to correct the minor, but sloppy, errors throughout).
The structure is a little confusing, and the characters are often little more than caricatures, when they aren't being completely 180'd for the purposes of plot. I find the life Chase Hyde chooses to live a sad, ultimately lonely one. Marlow's disdain for romantic monogamous relationships (especially between gay men) is clear. There's not one happy couple in the book; at the moment of commitment, romance dies, to be replaced by contempt. That's a shame.
A bigger shame is that there *is* a good book buried here, but it's not the story of Chase and Hunter. It's the story of Christian, who dominates the middle of the book before disappearing, finally reappearing at the end. This is the one character who experiences some development (beyond muscle development). As hard as it would have been, Marlow should have discarded Chase & Hunter to focus on Christian's story; in the right hands, it could be fantastic. (Check out J.G. Hayes's excellent Map of the Harbor Islands for a wonderful story of two boys growing up.)
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Complete Home Fitness Handbook Review

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Complete Home Fitness Handbook ReviewThis book is a must own for every health/fitness enthusiast. It details all parts of an exercise program, explaining their importance, and how they correlate for a complete plan. Whether you are exercising for strength, muscle shaping and conditioning, or better overall health and well-being, this book will show you step-by-step how to get there. For people who active fitness buffs, this book will only enhance your current routine.
I know Ed Burke from my college days and there is not a better leading expert in health and fitness around that is as knowledgable and can instruct with real-world examples and advice. Buy this book and you won't be disappointed.Complete Home Fitness Handbook Overview

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Brother Iron, Sister Steel: A Bodybuilder's Book Review

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Brother Iron, Sister Steel: A Bodybuilder's Book ReviewFact is, Draper is the best writer on bodybuilding in print. I don't mean he sprays all kinds of technical (sometimes useful) prose around like more research based writers (though he seems to be current in lifting theory); what he does do is write for the soul of the lifter. Weights for weights sake. The simple, tender but direct, conversations one needs to hear to grow as a person on the gym floor, inside and out, are in this book.
He's funny, yes, and remarkably charming. But at their core the essays in this book are poetic. They clang with the passion of someone who holds belief in a religion or knows an unknown disease cure; they are deeply personal. There are no references to a study done last year on the T levels of ten football players at some college, just to the experiences of one guy who has lifted for 40 years without stopping, East Coast to Muscle Beach to Mr. A and Mr. U to a gym on the California coast; Draper lifts because he has to, he says so all the time; you know what, me too. And I just started.
If you're looking for everything you need to know to begin lifting, you may not find it in this book (Draper writes in more technical depth elsewhere). But you will find a friendly voice every lifter deserves to hear. You will find the heart of lifting, where instead of obsessing over which prohormone stack or what starch has the lowest g.i., you simply stroll your butt to the gym, warm up and find the squat rack and start blasting (or bombing); the sweat stark reality of the squat rack. That's Draper.
If anything, his weekly email posts (found via his web site) show his writing maturing. Skillful word choice, eloquent but casual phrasing, the rhythm in the langauge, even its sound... (yeah, I confess now, I teach English for a living). Dave, at his best, belongs in Best American Essays. He has a gift. I have no doubt. The steel community is lucky to have such a mentor/writer; all lifters will benefit from his tone and content.
As I've hinted, the book isn't perfect; as others have noted, I'd like to see pictures of the exercises (though it seems this was published locally by Dave et. al. and production cost may have been an issue). If he had instructive photos, he could spend less time writing intricate descriptions of the lifts, and do what he really does best: write sermons on iron for those who love it already and need to love it more. And tell his own story.
In some ways perhaps the book is more than one book, or one book trying to know what kind of book it wants to be when it grows up. But have no doubt, it's worthwhile to watch the journey. Those five stars I gave are well-earned.
I recommend the book to anyone interested in bodybuilding. You just have to hear Draper write. If nothing else, it's bound to get you into the gym.Brother Iron, Sister Steel: A Bodybuilder's Book Overview

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Kettlebells For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness)) Review

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Kettlebells For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness)) ReviewI have always loved baseball and played it until I was 35 when I retired from playing. For the next 25 years I enjoyed coaching my two sons who are now grown up. Last year I decided to go back to the sport I love and play senior softball...but I was a little out of shape. I had a good season but wasn't as strong as I knew I needed to be in order to hit the ball as hard as I used to. My power was gone. After researching Sarah Lurie's website, purchasing a kettlebell, viewing Sarah's DVD and working out, I felt there was something missing. Like I have done when playing baseball I needed to go back to the basic fundamentals. That's where KETTLEBELLS FOR DUMMIES comes in, it lays out the basic fundamentals completely! It has helped me enormously in my workout regimen to get the max out of my workout. I'm feeling my power coming back and last night smoked a shot down the left field line. At 62 I'm having the time of my life! To all you active "Baby Boomers", get yourselves a kettlebell and Sarah Lurie's book. Whether it's senior tennis, golf, softball, basketball, etc., you'll become stronger and feel much better. A must for any sports fanatic "Boomer!"Kettlebells For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness)) Overview

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