Editorial Review

Reviews

Lot's of good info, December 24, 2009
There are an incredible number of exercises in the book. The quality of the photography is great and represents how to do the different exercises. The exercises are presented with multiple variations and easy suggestions such as changing the type of grip to vary the exercises. The only thing I would have improved on would have been to add a brief explanation of what effect on the muscles being exercised the variations provide. However, that is only a minor flaw in my opinion considering the vast amount of useful information the book provides. The book is an excellent buy.

Effective Guide for the Self-Guided Weight Lifter, January 30, 2010
I have bought a lot of exercise books over the years. The Men's Health Big Book of Exercises is one of the best. This useful book has a fair amount of general information on diet, fitness, and training for specific sports, but what makes it stand out are its descriptions of individual exercises, photos, and versatility. The main part of the book is broken down by muscle group (chest, quads, hamstrings and glutes, upper and lower back, biceps and triceps, core). Each section has several exercises that use barbells, dumbbells, cables, or body weight, with good descriptions of how to do the exercise and good color photos. I don't always trust myself to do a lift without instruction from an expert, but every new exercise I have picked up from this book has felt right and targeted the right muscles. I have used the book to fine-tune an existing workout, adding or swapping out individual exercise, but the Big Book is also packed with suggested workouts, including a series of 15-minute workouts for people who are new to lifting or have no time for elaborate workouts. There is also a section devoted to exercises that work several muscle groups at once. I have liked every workout I have tried, and am impressed that the book targets both the gym (with a section on the best way to get a good workout in when the gym is crowded) and the home. I have a bunch of dumbbells, and have focused on the dumbbell and body-weight exercises, but if you have a barbell set or cable machine at home you should find the book helpful, too. I am a runner and cyclist and drift toward the low-weight, quicker workouts, but there seems to be plenty here for the more serious lifter too.

In a word: Outstanding!, December 23, 2009
Where to begin? First thing that jumps out right away is the quality of the photography. Absolutely incredible. Next, the number of variations of well-known exercises is unbelievable (just the push-up variations alone are worth the cost of this book). I have been scouring the web for over a year looking for new ways to challenge myself in the gym. There are variations detailed in this book I have not seen anywhere else. This book is so comprehensive, I know I will learn something new every time I pick it up. The sheer volume of exercises shown in this book will keep me busy for quite some time.

My only regret is that I didn't pre-order the women's version as well. That will be my next Amazon purchase. I am over the moon with this book and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for new ways to push themselves in the gym. I would give it 10 stars if I could.

I think this would make a great gift for a personal trainer. What a wonderful resource for them to be able to continue to challenge their clients in new ways.

Boost your gains with the help of this book., January 15, 2010
While the photography isn't the most important thing in a book, it is of keen value in a book of this type. I don't think you'll be disappointed with what you see in the way of photos that fully explain the exercises. They're most effective.

You'll also find a large variation of popular exercises that have been around forever and remain valuable. You'll even see the old push-up fully explained. And there's no better exercise than that. But, you'll also find some lesser-used exercises that can be very effective.

The author also discusses using the Swiss ball and the medicine ball for core exercises.

Actually, the number of exercises in this book is astounding. And knowing how to adjust your grip to hit different parts of a muscle is great knowledge.

In truth, most of this information is not new. But it is presented in a very effective way that can help you regain any losses you've had and to boost your gains.

Highly recommended.

- Susanna K. Hutcheson

One of the best fitness books ever., October 30, 2010
I've been into fitness and healthy lifestyle all my life. I've purchased countless books on the subject and I have to say that this book is in my top 5. Maybe even top 3.

The photos are outstanding. The exercises are excellent. The information in this book is simply awesome.

The diet section of this book is also great for a general "good health and weight loss" program. Follow this and you will see results. But, if you really want to "get ripped" and look awesome at the beach come summer time (awesome abs, wicked chest, swooping quads, bulging hamstrings, etc), most people will have to diet harder than this book suggests.

If you're on the fence on this book, get off of it and buy it. It will help you no matter what stage of fitness you are at.

Get your sexy on!, May 17, 2010
Good book loaded with lots of exercises and variations that i have never seen. Great plans for eating and workouts for every body type. I like this book because i can keep switching my moves after a month with the same core exercises but work them at different angles. I think the organization could be better since some of the plans list page numbers and they do not match up sometimes but all in all a great book. Every man who hits the gym should have this because if you buy the magazine for the workouts and meal plans, this will save you a good ton of money since its all you need.

Great book!, March 19, 2010
Nice color photos with minimal detail on exercises and repititions. There isnt very much detail on nutrition. This book is for someone who already knows what a set and repitition is. All in all a good book. A definite value for the price. You get more than what you'll pay for in this book.

Okay, March 12, 2010
I like some of the excersises in the book and there are numerous routines to choose from. Each chapter is titled with the muscle group such as tricep, chest, back ect... But the problem is that with all the variations to the basic exercise, it doesn't tell you how it hits the muscle differently. Like using a thumb grip as opposed to a pinky grip for a bicep curl, what's the difference?

Great!, September 20, 2010
In this book I found excellent description of exercises,so now before I go to the Gym I red and try exercise and in Gym I have awesome workout. This book I would recommend everyone especially to the beginners. Its great for beginners mainly but is directed to everyone, is very scientific but on the same way shows lots of good exercises and variations that one can perform. I think is a great source of knowledge but that the workouts are a little hard to follow so I'd say get info from here and integrate it to your routine. This is one of the best books on lifting. It gives you the basics and training schedules for the beginner to intermediate to the advanced.

Leroy Ford
Build Your Dream Body (Volume 1)

Good book, September 17, 2010
Well as described it is a big book of exercises. It shows you different angles so that you can keep form when doing exercises. I liked the random tips and stats that where given in each chapter. One thing that could be improved; and why i gave it four stars, that each exercises is shown and tips are given; but it doesn't tell you what it is working. for instance, a wider grip on a barbell bicep curl activates the short head of your bicep and a inside shoulder grip activates the long head. Things like that would have been great. ANDDDD it comes with exercise plans for whatever your fitness goal is which was definitely a big bonus ... Read more

Editorial Review

"I have lost 50 pounds over the last nine months by eating less, moving more, and changing the way I think. I am 62 and look better and feel better and have more energy than in the last 15 years."—Ron T.

" I read the wisdom put forth by Chris and Harry . . . [and] my next physical blew my doctor away. I am 74 and in better shape than when I was 50."—Jack S.

"Not a week goes by that I do not utter a silent prayer of thanks that Younger Next Year came into my life. You guys are saving the world one body at a time."—T. G.

Announcing the paperback edition of Younger Next Year, the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestseller, co-written by one of the country’s most prominent internists, Dr. Henry "Harry" Lodge, and his star patient, the 73-year-old Chris Crowley. These are the books that show us how to turn back our biological clocks—how to put off 70% of the normal problems of aging (weakness, sore joints, bad balance) and eliminate 50% of serious illness and injury. The key to the program is found in Harry's Rules: Exercise six days a week. Don't eat crap. Connect and commit to others. There are seven rules all together, based on the latest findings in cell physiology, evolutionary biology, anthropology, and experimental psychology. Dr. Lodge explains how and why they work—and Chris Crowley, who is living proof of their effectiveness (skiing better today, for example, than he did twenty years ago), gives the just-as-essential motivation.

Both men and women can become functionally younger every year for the next five to ten years, then continue to live with newfound vitality and pleasure deep into our 80s and beyond. ... Read more

Reviews

Younger Is as Younger Does, January 5, 2008
Of all the anti-aging books I've seen, this is one of most laid back and entertaining. It's written by two guys. Harry, the doctor, covers the science aspects of aging, while the other guy, Chris, talks about applying the info.

The book is centered around "Harry's Rules." These are seven rules for the reader to follow. They include such things as "Quit eating crap" or "Exercise six days a week for the rest of your life." While they might seem to be basic pieces of information, they are sound advice and have some science behind them.

All-in-all, I found this to be a very informative and amusing book and I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for a book on aging. The realistic key here is not to go into things thinking you're going to STOP the aging process, rather think of SLOWING DOWN the aging process. Aging readers may also find Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff helpful as 54% of people over the age of 60 get a torn rotator cuff.

What did you do with my husband?, May 14, 2007
I have been trying for years to get my husband interested in exercise and eating better. I gave him this book just before he went on a trip and he actually read it. He is now a changed person - he rides his bike regularly and purchased a heart monitor. This weekend he bought a set of weights and starting this week he is going to my personal trainer for three sessions to get a schedule he can follow at home. I saw him the other day rereading sections of the book. Nothing has worked to motivate him until he read this book! Thanks so much to the authors.

It's about time....in more ways than one!, May 7, 2005
Time is running out, but most of us aren't out running...or bicycling, or skiing, or lifting weights, or dozens of other things we can do to extend the quality years of our lives. Aging should be the same as with food...about getting better, not getting old and rotten. The authors provide a diagram (a blueprint can't be made to fit everybody) for improving the quality of your coming years, and for improving the possible quantity of those years as well. Written with men in mind, it is true for both men and women. As is sometimes said, "A must-read"!

Excellent primer for entering the last 3rd., January 16, 2005
First of all, this book is funny and well written. The thing that really stood out for me in this book was that it gives you an accurate idea on what to expect from age 50 on. Being in my late 50s, I can see from personal experience that these authors know what they are talking about. Living in Las Vegas I see men with what we call in Las Vegas "buffet bellys" (huge gut) I seen old people so overweight and out of shape that the only pleasure they have left is gorging themselves at buffets. The science in this book makes very good sense. This book should be a "must read" for anyone entering their 50s-60s who is intrested in staying alive, possibly missing some of the scairest of the diseases and being able to have a sex life in their later years. I cant recommend the book enough for that age group of men and women. I meant to give this book 5 stars, but I cant seem to change the ratings

Many scientific articles on-line, November 9, 2005
Several people have criticized this book because it doesn't list referances or medical reviews of the statements it makes about C-6 and C-10. I did a Google search and found hundreds of articles that support what they say in this book about exercise. Yes, they fail to list these studies, but they are on-line from top researchers. Do more reading, if you want more proof.
I was disappointed that they did not mention Jack LaLanne, who is now 91 and the Godfather of Fitness. He has taught since 1931 that exercise is the key to a long healthy life. He takes no medicine and has no heart disease or mental decline.
This book is worth reading just for what they explain is the cause of artery disease. They make it very easy to understand.

Just do it!, April 3, 2005
Maya Angelou said of Oprah's Book Club, 'I don't like all of the books she recommends (Winfrey) but at least she gets people out to read.'

Sage advice. If it takes the glibness and sarcasm of Chris to get you off the couch, feeling sorry for yourself, riddled with extra pounds while you wheeze your excuses for not exercising, out the door and on the track, Good Lord man, that's OK.

We don't all respond to the platitudes of wise Medical Practitioners citing stories of cholesterol and the C-6 C-10 Mambo. Hell. I'm still trying to figure out the good cholesterol and the baddies. But I do know this. If I do what they say (I've worked out all my life but have been doing it THEIR way for 3 months) I end up feeling awfully good.

Let me repeat that. I don't know if I'm holding back the tide, if I'm Horatio at the bridge or if I'm fooling my body into exchanging decay for more aerobic muscle. I just know that I feel good.

I also appreciate the effort they direct towards our relationships. It's not mush. For men, we forget the axiom of 'dancing with the girl that brought us.' Have fun. Work on your relationship while you work on yourself. Like Chris says. Be a guy. Suck it up. Do it.

I think it's a lifesaver. I bought two more copies for my brothers. Like Ms. Angelou says . . . well, you know what I mean. A great anthem to go into your 50's and 60's with. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury

Science or Anecdotal Junk?, February 26, 2005
This book repackages a number of well known recommendations - exercise - eat right - and don't drink too much, into a highly readable and pursuasive format. It also contains some newer information regarding the role of exercise and the production of Cytokine 6, the master chemical for inflammation and decay, which in turn triggers the production of Cytokine 10, the master chemical for repair and regrowth of the body. C-6 and C-10 are described by author Lodge as "just shorthand for chemical cascades involving hundreds of proteins in a dance of such complexity that we are just beginning to understand the details". (p.71).

The mechanism for the triggering of the production of C-10 leads the authors to recommend vigourous exercise for 45 minutes a day, six days a week, in order to overcome the biological decay that comes with the inactivity associated with aging. There is nothing wrong with this advice. In the healthy it can do no harm and such excercise will no doubt enhance feelings of well being and assist in getting a good night's sleep. But does it have the biological effect claimed by the authors?

Lodge states that the details in the book are drawn from hundereds of articles, papers and reference books (p312). However there are absolutely no references to peer reviewed scientific literature in support of any of his theories, so there is no means by which to verify whether he is on sound scientific ground or just another pop-culture health writer dabbling in common sense anecdotal evidence and junk science.

This is not a book for those who wish to be guided by scientific knowledge - additional research will be required. Having said that, since reading this book I have increased the frequency of my execise regime to that recommended by the authors. (just in case they have the science correct).

An excellent book for major lifestyle issues., May 19, 2007
As a practicing physician, I strongly agree with the main points made in this book, namely, the need for frequent, aerobic excercise and the importance of eating the right foods. The strong points of this book are its humorous, easy-to-read style, and the emphasis on the fact that exercise and what we eat will not just make us feel better and look younger, but will really help us to live longer. The authors provide ample factual material to bolster their case, and then outline in detail what you have to do to get on board, in terms of the types and amount of excercise, and details about the right foods. I have read several books on health and aging, and this one is probably the best. I don't agree with the underlying world view of the authors, which is decidedly evolutionary, but the basic tenets of the book are certainly valid. The book should inspire you to take better care of your body and to live a longer, healthier, and happier life. There is plently of helpful information in this book to help anyone who is serious about doing this. We only have one body, so why not take care of it?

A Great Book!, January 9, 2007
A "guy at the gym" told me that this book changed his life- and so I bought it to find out why. The authors recommend that men over 50 engage in serious exercise six days a week- but promise that doing so will stop and even reverse the physical deterioriation that starts to set in ever so gradually as men age. The authors base their recommendations on some recent scientific research and their own observation. The writing style is concise and encouraging- even inspirational- and their recommendations are very straight-forward and uncomplicated. I started following their program six months ago, and have to say that I think I look and feel better. I'm recommending it to other men my age, and I'm also recommending that personal trainers who work with older guys need to read it, too, to get a better understanding of their customer's concerns and needs.

Change Your Life, July 24, 2005
I read the book when it first came out. To put it simply, Younger Next Year has changed my life. I am a 43 year old male who considered himself "active" but certainly not fit. Boy was I wrong. I have modified my diet, exercise 6 days a week, and can run farther today than I could when I was 18.

My wife and 2 sons are also "Living Lodge." We love this book som much we have given away over 20 copies for Christmas and birthdays. If you want to feel great and improve the quality of your life, buy this book and take it to heart. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Over 1 million copies sold! With new exercises, additional stretches, and more of Frédéric Delavier’s signature illustrations, you’ll gain a whole new understanding of how muscles perform during strength exercises. This one-of-a-kind best-seller combines the visual detail of top anatomy texts with the best of strength training advice.

Many books explain what muscles are used during exercise, but no other resource brings the anatomy to life like Strength Training Anatomy. Over 600 full-color illustrations reveal the primary muscles worked along with all the relevant surrounding structures, including bones, ligaments, tendons, and connective tissue.

Like having an X-ray for each exercise, the anatomical depictions show both superficial and deep layers and detail how various setup positions affect muscle recruitment and emphasize underlying structures. New pages show common strength training injuries in a fascinating light and offer precautions to help you exercise safely.

Author and illustrator Frédéric Delavier is the former editor in chief of the French publication PowerMag. He is a journalist for Le Monde du Muscle and a contributor to Men’s Health Germany and several other strength training publications.

Reviews

==Lots of Strengths==, January 8, 2008
With over 450,000 copies sold, this book is arguably the best book of its kind. What's it useful for? Mainly to help the reader (from the weekend athlete to the athletic trainer to the professional bodybuilder) figure out what exercises work what muscles.

It's neatly divided up into sections (arms, shoulders, chest, back, etc.), so all you really have to do is flip to one of these sections and it will have detailed pictures of various exercises and exactly which muscles are involved.

A great reference to keep have around, I give it five stars easy. Readers who lift weights regularly might also be interested Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff to avoid shoulder problems a lot of lifters eventually get.

Execllent Anatomical Reference for Weight Training, July 18, 2002
This book is an excellent weight training reference for insight into the anatomy of the major muscle groups, and the exercises best suited to train specific muscles.

The book is broken down into seven major muscle groups: arms, shoulders, chest, back, legs, buttocks, and abdomen. Within each muscle group are multiple exercises, each comprised of detailed anotomical illustrations, instructions on performing the exercises, and key information such as variations (for specific focus on particular muscles) and warnings (to aviod injury).

Using this book, one could easily select a variety of exercises to build a total body workout program. The selection of exercises also allows for some routine variation to keep one's workout from getting stale.

The illustrations are of an exellent quality, as are the materials. The pages are of heavyweight paper, with a semi-glossy finish.

Although I rated this title highly, I did so with the understanding that it suits a very specific purpose, and is not a general purpose introduction or guide to weight training. This is an ANATOMY REFERENCE, specific to selected weight training exercises. It does not contain any other information concerning weight training, diet, exercise, etc. In fact, there is not even a brief introduction by the author, simply the reference material itself. But, in terms of its intended purpose, it is an excellent reference. If you already have some sort of "Bodybuilding Encyclopedia", you probably already posess much of the information contained in this title. Having no interest in the history, self-promotion, and general testosterone driven attitudes of many of those types of titles (as well as the phonebook sized package), I much prefer this concise book as an exercise reference.

very useful !!! excellent, February 5, 2004
Lots of good info. However, it is an anatomy book so the information is limited to anatomy. This book shows you what the involved muscle does during a specific exercise. This book will not teach you how to work out, and has no info on diet or nutrition. If you are a beginner you may want to start with a different exercise book. If you already work out and you need to know which exercise hits which muscle and how, this is the book to get.

New 3rd edition - with red cover - is even bigger and better!, March 26, 2010
Frederic Delavier's stunning Strength Training Anatomy (Sports Anatomy Series) is an essential resource for any strength training enthusiast. While others have tried to mimic Delavier's incredible illustrations of muscle performance during strength training, no one comes close to capturing Delavier's level of detail and style. The pretenders either deliver sterile computer models or come off as second rate approximations of Delavier's unparalleled artwork.

One look and you'll be sold. The cover touts selling over a million copies of Strength Training Anatomy and its been the best selling strength training title at Amazon year-in and year-out.

This newly released 3rd Edition packs even more information on strength training, sport injury and prevention, and now adds material on stretching/flexibility for the first time. At 192 pages, this edition is 50% longer than the original 2001 publication. It now contains over 600 full-color illustrations.

Believe the hype - this is a FANTASTIC resource! Highly recommended!

Excellent strength training resource from a company with top-notch customer service, March 24, 2010
I bought the 2nd edition of this book well over a year ago when I was on a working out kick. Unfortunately life got in the way and I stopped going to the gym for several months, and even when I started back I only dabbled with cardio workouts. About 4 months ago I started back on weights and dug out this book. Prior to that I hadn't opened it. The book as it turns out had serious printing issues, making much of it unusable. It was long past the time frame in which I could have returned it to Amazon so I contacted the publisher, Human Kinetics, instead. Their customer service was excellent! They were aware of a small number of mis-prints that fit my description and were more than happy to replace it. The CS person asked if it would be ok if the replacement was delayed a few weeks until the 3rd edition was available which greatly pleased me. I received the new book about a week ago and it was in perfect condition. Many thanks to the HK folks for their fine customer service!

For those that don't already know what's in this book let me explain in detail. Everyone has seen the anatomy posters on the gym walls. The individual caricatures on the posters display a cut-away model of the human body sans skin. It highlights a muscle or group of muscles and then shows you an exercise that you can use to work that specific muscle. There usually isn't much more detail than that. Text is minimal. This book is at it basics a book version of those posters. However this book goes much, much further. The caricatures for individual muscles and muscle groups in this book usually have multiple exercise options. Text in this book explains in detail how to properly perform the exercise. It also provides useful tips on how to slightly alter the exercise to accommodate common injuries (ie, turn your wrists this way to not engage a torn wrist flexor). There are several pages of guides and background information on how to avoid certain injuries such as not fully extending your arms when doing curls to avoid tendinitis down the road. As another example the book goes into detail on how and why crunches should ALWAYS be performed with an inward curving spine (ie, fetal curve). This is to minimize the usage of the Psoas Major & Minor hip flexors and avoid the back injury they can cause. There are several excellent section of pure information in this book. The caricatures in this book are truly excellent. The artist did a fantastic job positioning and drawing the body to emphasize exactly what the reader needs to see and understand. The 3rd Edition also adds text on proper stretching among other things.

I highly recommend this book to every single person lifting weights at all levels. I've shown the book to friends, coworkers and people at the gym. I've even sung its praises to complete strangers in checkout lines and restaurants. I can't say enough good things about it. The only negative thing I can think of (more of a wishful thinking thing) is that it's only available in paperback. I wish it was also available as a hardback. Taking this to the gym with you will wear it out eventually. Of course for its low price replacing it is inexpensive. It's an excellent resource.

A Must-Read if You Lift Weights, July 30, 2006
I'm very impressed with this useful book. I've lifted weights for a long time and I appreciate knowing how best to work certain muscles. I also like to do lifts that are easy on former injuries but still work the muscles. This is a perfect book for that.

Knowing what muscles your exercises use is critical to someone serious about gaining strength and building muscle. This book has those answers and is very easy to read and understand.

The book is the best one for both men and women. The author's book for women only deals with the lower part of a woman. News flash . . . we have an upper part too. And furthermore, we care about it just as much as our butts and thighs.

This books covers it all and also has drawings of women as well as men. It's really a great book and if you lift weights (and you should) this book is something you really should have.

It gives you instructions for all of the exercises you'll need and it shows exactly what muscle groups or muscle it works. It helps you avoid injury as well.

A great book. I highly recommend it to both men and women.

Great learning tool, July 6, 2002
I bought this book because it's hard to find a strength training book that isn't full of oversized bodybuilders talking strictly about building HUGE muscles. This book is perfect for the average person who just wants a scientific explanation of which muscles do what and the proper strength training technique to use for each. I found almost all common exercises included, and they are easily organized by body part.

Not very useful, January 28, 2003
Propably the first thing you notice when you open the book is quality. The paper is thick and glossy and the quality of printing is good. The pictures are beautiful, and it's easy to find exercises for a certain muscle group.

Then the bad news: While the pictures look great, on many occasions they are too detailed, to the point of being unclear. Every exercise is given a full page (two pages on some occasions). But the majority of a page is filled with large drawing of the exercise, with the stressed muscle groups shown. The performance of a given exercise is given far less detail, on some occasions only a few lines of text. I think it would be far more benefical to give more detailed explanation of correct performance and/or common mistakes, and print the picture a bit smaller.

The exercises in the book are divided on seven sections, based on which muscle group they mainly stress. This is OK, but the division of muscle groups is a bit odd. There is a separate section covering exercises for buttocs, but at the same time all other muscle groups in the leg are combined as "legs". It would be more reasonable to combine buttocs with quads, or thights, and give calves a separate section.

There are about 110 different exercises, and variations on some exercises. The selection of exercises is a bit odd in my opinion. For example, there is a page on seated calf raise (on a machine), and the author advises that as a variation you can do the exercise without a machine, using a barbell across your legs. Then, on the next page that very same exercise is presented as a separate exercise! And there are some basic exercises missing, like toe presses on leg press machine, for example.

Perhaps the main problem of the book is that it doesn't expalain the muslce mechanics at all. It would be great if the kinesiology of given muscle group would be explained at the beginning of each chapter, but there is no explanations at all about what a given muscle does, and how it affects the whole body. For example, the book says that seated calf raise targets the soleus, but there is no explanation what this means in practice. And there is no explanation which exercise I sould use if I wanted to emphasize the outer calf, for example.

As a conclusion, I would say that in certain circumstances this book can be a valuable asset, but you can't use it by itself. You need to have some books on kinesiology, and some books which describe the correct performance of each exercise in detail.

Indispensable!, December 12, 2002
I buy lots of fitness and strength training books, and this one is by far the best I've purchased. The book may look small, but it provides an extensive listing of exercises and includes tips about variations that will change how you work each muscle. This is important for a couple of reasons.

To maximize your gains in the gym, you have to constantly change your program so that your body doesn't hit a plateau. Regularly incorporating new exercises will also keep you from becoming bored with your workout. This book will show you how using a rope attachment with the pulley works a different part of the triceps as opposed to doing bench dips or doing a kickback. Also, the illustrations show you the auxiliary muscles that are recruited during compound movements like presses and deadlifts.

At first I was worried that the book might be too much for me to absorb, but it's not because the author does not get overly-technical with the explanations. The text is concise, yet thorough, and the pictures are highly detailed.

This is a wonderful reference book, and I highly recommend it.

Visually engaging and concise, February 19, 2005
This book has been very helpful to me in free weight training to validate if I am concentrating on the correct muscles in an exercise. The presentation is colorful, rich and engaging. This is the only exercise book I have seen that approaches the weightlifting body from the inside-out. In addition to the terrific musculature and skeletal diagrams on each page, the exercises are explained briefly but in sufficient detail with pointers for what to do and not do. The most popular exercises are presented here, organized by major and minor muscle groups.

This is not another encyclopedia full of exercises (though I find those helpful too). This book helps make you more aware of your muscles so you have another way of visualizing correct form in an exercise. The diagrams depict both men and women in a realistic way so both genders can benefit from the book. However, Delavier has another edition of this book showing other exercises popular with women.

I work out at home so without the benefit of trainers or other experienced lifters around me, I have found this kind of info invaluable. Make yourself a smarter lifter and get this book for education and reference into the future. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Like a fluffernutter sandwich - there's good stuff inside, but it's surrounded by fluff, April 23, 2008
It's hard to find a decent clean-eating cookbook. This one certainly is decent, but I wouldn't give it much more praise than that. There are some recipes that are pretty good and all of them are quite straightforward, but my major problem with the book is that some of the recipes are complete fluff that could have been all compiled onto a single page ("quick bites", or something like that). For instance, the "Fix and Eat Sardine Sandwich". Now, I'm going from memory here, but I'm pretty sure that the steps boiled down to these steps: Take two slices of bread, spread mustard on each slice, then put the sardines between the two pieces of bread and eat them. Sorry, Gregg, but I'm a healthy eater, not someone who's never been in a kitchen before. There are other recipes like this ("Slice up a head of lettuce and serve it with mustard as dipping sauce", for example) that are really wastes of space.

Also, it would have been good to see more explanation regarding carb-cycling (or carb-shifting as he describes it), along with macronutrient breakdowns for the different eating phases Gregg describes in the book.

There's some good stuff in here, that's for sure, but it's too much like a fluffernutter sandwich: lots of healthy potential surrounded, unfortunately, by too much fluff.

Absolutely fantastic!, May 15, 2008
OK. I know this is a guy book and I'm not a guy. Let's start with that. I was led to this book because I had read about it in one of my publications. I absolutely detest cooking and I have a panic attack just thinking about the kitchen. My mother taught me to drive and type. She didn't teach me to cook.

I've bought many cookbooks and hate them all. They're all too complicated for my maladjusted cooking genes. But this book --- well that's a different story! This is easy to follow and fun. Yes, fun.

I've found that I can eat foods that taste absolutely fantastic and it takes little effort, little fat and no junk that's bad for me. I've learned to use spices and things I had never known how to use before. I'm loving this.

Moreover, I'm losing weight. I log everything in my Palm Pilot on a program from CalorieKing. It's easy to know how many calories are in each dish. Now, as a woman, I may not eat a whole serving. So I simply adjust that in my log.

I must tell you that for the first time in my life I'm enjoying being in the kitchen. I fix foods ahead, which makes my life much easier.

All the recipes are easy to fix and don't take many ingredients. You'll find this type of eating gives you more energy and keeps you feeling full. At the same time, you can get really ripped. And losing weight is easy and fun.

And, if you guys will forgive me, I recommend this book to my sisters as well as to you.

The one thing I don't like about it is not the content. It's the book. I'd prefer a spiral book that I can lay out on my tiny kitchen counter. Also one that can be cleaned as I am a mess in the kitchen.

Update: After using the book for a month, I do have at least one issue with it. Take for example the Mixed-Berry Protein Mousse on page 237. This is a wonderful menu and the taste is indescribable. Wonderful. But it says is makes six servings. That's fine. But how much is one serving? I mean, out of the total made, is a serving 1 cup, one-half cup or what? I would like to know how much to take out of the bowl to make one serving. Otherwise, I'm unsure how many calories I'm actually getting.

Having said that, I've lost seven pounds in one month by following the foods and counting calories and I've yet to be really hungry. It's amazing!

But dear author, when and if you do an update (and I hope you do) please tell us what one serving is.

I did improve on one of the easy recipes. At least to me it's a major improvement. The recipe calls for mashing tofu and adding protein powder. Well, It's okay. But here's something better:

Tofu as called for in recipe
Protein as called for in recipe
Put in blender (preferable one with a milkshake blade)
Add coconut water (not much)
Add one pk. stevia

Blend until smooth. This makes a wonderful milkshake with a lovely texture. It's much better than what you get with the recipe in the book and just two or three added calories from the coconut water.

Highly recommended.

-Susanna K. Hutcheson

Simple. OMG Tasty. Easy recipes. Just the facts., January 12, 2008
In the spirit of full disclosure, I live in the same town as Gregg Avedon and have spoken with him about nutrition at the local gym. His knowledge rivals that of classically trained nutritionists. Though he's much more practical. A father and a husband, he lives a regular life and balances his nutritional recommendations for the real world. I can attest, Gregg walks the walk. That said, there is a key difference in his book you won't find anywhere else. It's simplicity! Period. For example, he simplifies and reduces the topic of supplements into just a few items. All in about one page. To some, the book could be worth it just for that page alone!

Most diet or nutrition books go on-and-on with their educational "mantra." Hey authors, we know most of this stuff already reading it in the papers almost every day. Gregg skips over the chemistry class and dives right into what to buy at the grocery store. I have many nutrition books, though few ever begin with the simple idea of shopping for my fridge, my pantry, the herbs and the tools I'll need. In those few pages, I've begun to feel confident that a regular guy could manage buying all these items.

Did I already mention the sheer simplicity of this book? Yeah, there are lots of recipe books out there, but Gregg's has some that go like this: ingredient 1, ingredient 2, step 1, step 2...eat it! I kid you not. Some of the recipes are quick yet healthy and in one pot or one pan, the average guy can make a meal. My 18-year-old son, who's so bad in the kitchen that he could probably burn water, turned to page 151 and commented that he could personally make his favorite Protein-Rich Quinoa Salad...everyday! Although Gregg states his book is "food for dudes," my Mom started marking off recipes as soon as she got her copy.

I particularly like the alternative late-night snacks, my own weakness. Plus a simple tip like what to eat at the restaurant -- "eat before you eat." Now, anytime before I go out, I drink a filling protein shake, and I'm all set. Thankfully, Gregg hides his emphasis on protein by sneaking it in...everywhere. He's buried protein in the Chocolate Mousse, in the Raspberry-Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookies -- for real! (page 233). Yeah, this ain't no diet book, its just smart food that includes the widest variety of food types from any of my diet or nutrition books. As Gregg says, "...this isn't brain surgery, it's learning how to eat more nutritionally dense foods as a way of life..."

I say, I could actually eat only what's in this book for the rest of my life...and never miss a thing.

Get some things straight..., July 31, 2009
Ok. I'll start with this: I am a firefighter, not a bodybuilder or extreme athlete. So, I do NOT make a lot of money. Your average parking meter makes more than I do, as a matter of fact. I also never cooked once before joining the fire service. Plus I come from a Mexican upbringing, so you can imagine the food I am used to eating.

I bought this book mainly because I wanted a good cookbook so I could learn some cooking skills along with some healthy dishes. I am a pretty avid reader of Men's Health, and after reading Greg's columns I finally caved in and bought the book. This book is very greatly organized and gives some great tips for anyone who IS looking to increase muscle mass, or things like that. (such as tips on creatine intake) Now, it is also organized so it can also be a great resource for someone who just wants to get leaner or just wants to eat cleaner. The book starts by telling you that this book is also a diet program, which works in three phases. This program basically works by starting your diet nice and easy and then restricting it more and more throughout the workout program. By the most restricted phase of the program, you can only eat foods labeled "Ripped" in the book. And as I thumbed through the book, I thought to myself, "The ripped phase is gonna suck. There doesn't seem to be many recipes that you can eat in this phase."

Well it turned it around on me when I really focused on the chapters. There are a great amount of options you can choose from for this phase and they all ROCK! Not too mention, the Ripped phase is only for 2 weeks! Now, let me clear this up even more: there are three phases to this program. They are:

Relaxed: 1 Week
Lean: 5 Weeks
Ripped: 2 Weeks.

In the fire station, we usually never eat earlier than 11 PM. And even for me, the program was VERY easy to handle! I never got bored, or aggravated with repetitive recipes. My personal favorite recipe was the avocado toast. It is fantastic! My commitment was there, and I was sick of making excuses. If you have the same, this plan is EASY! Granted, you have enough money of course, which brings me to my next point.

Greg gives you two shopping lists in the book: one for ingredients and another for tools and utensils. ANYBODY who has ever been in a grocery store will tell you: Eating healthy is EXPENSIVE! Some of these ingredients are actually not very expensive at places like a Wal-mart or Costco. But finding things like organic ingredients can be a pretty big chore. I am lucky enough to have a store that provides these close-by but it can get quite expensive. But honestly, the shopping lists save you quite a bit of money if you go into a grocery store blindly looking for healthy foods. I didn't see this until further down the road.

Now, for my last point. You're not a huge fitness enthusiast? Neither am I! I hate counting calories like bodybuilders do. Greg made it VERY easy to balance out your meals for max effectiveness. The beginning of the book gives some priceless tips on general health, supplements, meal timing, what to eat more of and what to eat less of, etc. So even if you do not plan on following the diet like I did, the tips and recipes are worth it alone. I passed the book on to a fellow fireman because of his high cholesterol. Withing something like two months, he was a cardio machine. He did not follow the diet like I did, so the results were not as dramatic, but they were still awesome. Now I have the entire firehouse stealing recipes for our dinner from the Muscle Chow book. Trust me, that says a lot!

In closing, what do you have to lose? The book is inexpensive and if you have trouble with affording the ingredients, just save for a while and you will see it was worth it in the long run with all the stuff you learn. Especially if you don't know the 1st thing about cooking. Try it and stick with it. You'll see what I saw.

Excellent Recipes, March 28, 2008
This is a great alternative to a typical "dieting" cookbook with recipes to build muscle while keeping nutritional requirements in balance. It isn't about mindless dieting and filling up on non-fat, no-calorie foods. Also beneficial to those who are looking for clean eating recipes. Bought this book on a whim and am extremely pleased with the purchase.

Definitely worth it!, August 7, 2008
This book is very cool. Gregg does a nice job of compiling recipes that are easy and taste good. Also, the three phases he recommends (Relaxed phase, lean phase, ripped phase) really helped me to strike a balance in my nutrition plan.

Bottom line: I am in much better shape than I was before I started using Gregg's nutrition guidelines. I consistently use this book 5-6 days out of the week--definitely worth the $13.

Best $14 I've spent in a long time, February 25, 2008
I am a 24 year old former college athlete, and this book is a must have for people trying to eat healthier and who want to see more results from the hard hours they put in the gym. The recipes are super easy to follow and taste great as well. Not only does this book provide you with great recipes, but gives a good overview on how to eat healthy / healthier. If you don't already follow the eating principles in this book (I would guess that 90% of the people out there don't), you will see and feel results within ten days. I highly HIGHLY recommend this book.

Your Roadmap to the Body of Your Dreams!!!, January 4, 2008
This cookbook is a must-have for fitness enthusiasts of all levels, as well as anyone with the desire to just eat healthy. In today's fast-paced world, good nutrition often "takes the back seat" to everything else, even by the most dedicated athletes. Who has the time to research the nutritional profile of foods, let alone put together a solid meal plan that really works; a meal plan that will not only help you achieve a body that looks great, but feels great as well? Well I've got good news; Gregg has taken the guesswork out of that meal planning. This book is packed with effortless, healthy and delicious recipes. Gregg covers the full spectrum, from breakfast to desserts to late night snacks. Every recipe in this book was designed to help you achieve the body of your dreams while still providing the full flavor you expect from the meals you eat. The book is also loaded with tips, tricks and facts to help make the already effortless recipes a breeze to prepare, as well as to educate the reader on some of the fundamentals of nutrition. I have several other "healthy" cookbooks, however they pale in comparison to Muscle Chow. They all seemed to be missing something, whether it be taste, or just that some of the ingredients in their recipes were questionable. Folks, Muscle Chow is the real deal...pick it up! Did I mention these healthy recipes are delicious?!

Health Food Meets Delicious, February 26, 2008
This is a great recipe and diet book. I was turned on to this book by a couple of sample recipes found in one of the last Men's Health issues. The sample recipes were awesome and the book is a bunch of just the same. I like how the chapters were broken down by the type of protein included in the recipe. This is exactly how I think when planning my meals for the day. Most of the diet concepts I was familiar with (i.e eat six small meals a day, eat lots of quality protein etc) but the portion focused on sodium intake was very helpful. Go look in your fridge right now, and you will find foods loaded with sodium that are otherwise healthy, like cottage cheese, most dairy, and whole grain bread for example. I will definitely be paying close attention when I go grocery shopping next time. Which reminds me; the book has a complete grocery list, helping you find all the ingredients needed for the delicious recipes.

was a godsend before, during and after chemotherapy, February 10, 2008
This book is not just for bodybuilders. I found the idea of six small protein and powerpacked meals to be just what my husband needed to help keep his musclemass during his cancer therapy. He was so weak and did not want to eat but the awesome recipes were delicious and I knew I was giving him something that was not just calories that were fatpacked to keep his weight up. And he felt better about himself because he had been worried about not being the virile man he was. Your book really helped save his body and attitute towards it. I'm buying more to pass around. who knew!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Exercise ain't easy. The body is a complicated machine, with 650 muscles and 250 million individual muscle fibers. Some would say taming those fibers and building strong, healthy muscles is not an act of labor. Some would say it's an art. Here's a book worthy of that art. The Men's Health Book of Muscle is the big, lavishly illustrated, full-color coffee table book that only Men's Health could produce-one that doubles as the ultimate guide to building a better body. The goal of The Book of Muscle is simple: create a beautiful, artistic guide to the body that also helps guys build great physiques by showing in detail how muscles work and how that knowledge can be put to use. Inside, you'll find lush anatomical illustrations and photographs of a quality that no other book on fitness can match. You'll also find complex biological information, boiled down to language any guy can understand, and three 6-month workout programs, one each for beginner, intermediate, and advanced lifters. It's big muscles, big benefit, and beautiful all at the same time. It's the book you've always wanted from the guys at Men's Health, the fitness experts you trust. ... Read more

Reviews

Great Workouts Make Great Gains, October 12, 2004
I have had this book for about 9 months now. I recently completed the intermediate program and made great gains. I followed the nutritional advice given in the book and gained 20 pounds. 20 Pounds may not sound like much, but it is a total body transformation when you go from 169 to 190...and it is all muscle.

The workouts are designed in such a way that you stress your muscles very hard and then have ample recovery time to get bigger and stronger.

I ran a marathon and a week after finishing it I started this book. So I basically started from scratch.

Starting I could bench press 40 pound dumbbells for a max 8 reps. After the six month intermediate workout I lifted 80s for 8 reps.
Shoulder press went from 65lbs barbell press for 5 reps to 120lbs for 5 reps.
Squat was the biggest improvement. Started at 65 for 10 reps. Finished at 185 for 10 reps.
The best exercise there is in my opinion I never knew about before this book. It is the DEADLIFT. The deadlift made me bigger and stronger overall than anyother exercise. And it focuses on a common weakness for most people, the LOWER BACK.
Deadlift start was 65 for 5 reps. Finish at 225 for 5 reps.

The key to this book is that it takes you through a cycling approach. By taking you through stages with varying sets, reps, and exercises, you muscles are always in a state of shock and always responsive to the workouts.

I am doing the intermediate workout again. After I complete it a second time I will advance to the advanced workout. You will never need another book for fitness. This is the best book I have EVER read and APPLIED for an extended period of time. The authors have done a wonderful job with writing. Again, the workouts are great and because of the cycling approach the author takes with the workouts, you can continure to do them and never have to switch to another program.

I got very good results from following this book exactly as the authors prescribed. I am continuing to make gains in strength and size by following this book. Ian King and Lou Schuler have put out what I consider the best book ever on the topic of getting strong and gaining size. The bottom line is that you WILL get injury-free results if you follow this book.

Too much of a good thing, September 25, 2007
On the plus side, this is probably the best book I've ever read on the subject of weight training. On the down side, boy, there is so much to each work out that it is overwhelming.

I've been weight training for over 5 years and have used Body for Life and a number of the Men's Health training books. This volume, far and away, has the greatest number of new exercises to be used each week. In the intermediate program, e.g., there are 3 separate workouts to be alternated. Perhaps if someone has a half an hour a day to review the exercises, another 40 minutes to do them (and to tote the handsome volume to the gym), these are reasonable....but for someone who has other responsibilities, kids, job, home, this is a fairly time and concentration intensive program.

That being said, I would certainly endorse this book for anyone who wants a genuinely serious, long term program. Too often, the Men's Health "Bibles" are limited programs, leaving the lifter who is committed with wondering "what next". This book provides enough variety and different routines to make it a great long term investment.

Excellent for any Level Ironhead, October 3, 2003
Finally, Men's Fitness has gotten it right - a book that does not promise immediate results...but instead one that helps you formulate a plan, that is equal part guide to the weightroom, solid nutritional advice, and key principals for involving the mind in your workout. This is without a doubt their best book yet on the value (and IMPORTANCE) of personal fitness.

Ian King may not be the best known name in the world of fitness, but among weightlifters, he is known for hard core, no-nonsense weight training, with functionality stressed over mere muscle mass. Along with Men's Health regular Lou Schuler, they have compiled the best muscle guide to come out of Rodale Press - and one of the best guides I have ever read.

Along with showcasing the various muscle groups, and giving well explained details of their importance, the book goes on to spotlight various exercises for each group. What is nice about the exercise pages is that they show great variation in order to allow for full definition of the particular muscle, and also give great explanation and illustration for the exercise, allowing the reader the chance to really learn more about proper form. It's great to read a book like that that uses pictures to explain and educate, rather than to have an excuse to photograph chiseled bodies in sweaty conditions.

This book has everything - whether you are a newcomer, or have been in the weightroom for years, you are bound to learn some new exercises, or some outstanding twists on some old favorites. And the sample programs written by King are well reasoned, and offer a creative mix of hypertrophic and endurance building routines. And they allow for customization to meet specific body part needs.

Great book guys - this has me thinking about subscribing to Men's Health again (if only they would stop running the cheesy "pump up your sex life" articles).

Book of Muscle Rocks, March 31, 2004
Book of Muscle is one of the best books of it's kind that I have read and I have seen them all. It takes you on a tour of your body and gives you a road map to keeping it in the best shape possible. The text by Lou Schuler is clear and concise with a no nonsense approach that is refreshing in this world of "flavor of the month" workout and fitness books. You learn about muscles and how to maintain them for life.

The workouts, by noneother than Ian King, provide over a year of quality, well planned routines that will keep you challenged and growing. And Ian definitely follows the less is more principle by keeping the workouts under an hour. I have been doing the Intermediate program for 12 weeks now and I am getting stronger and growing in body, mind and spirit. King also manages to keep things lively with changes in routines and innovative exercises and combinations that beat the hell out of those monotonous 3 sets, 10 reps workouts you find in the magazines.

Get Book of Muscle. It's the best bang for the buck for the novice and the seasoned lifter.

Excellent first book, May 25, 2004
In many respects this is the perfect first book for someone looking to get into regular exercise. More than most other books in the genre, this one seems to have more than a modicum of scientific understanding backing it. The first sections set the tone, going over the actual science of muscles, why they get bigger, and how. The authors know their audience, though, and don't overdo the science. However, if you are going to lift weights then you need some level of understanding of what things work and why. This first section gives you that. I personally would have liked to see more scientific detail and references but understand that that probably would alienate large chunks of their target audience.

After that primer you get introduced to the major muscles and the exercises that target them. There are also sections on diet, warming up, and stretching. While none of these sections are comprehensive, and many have been done better elsewhere, they are done well enough here that it makes the book a viable one stop shop for beginners.

Before you rush out and buy this, though, there are few caveats.

One, the book does not cater to the home exerciser. Depending on how well stocked your home gym is and how creative you are with coming up with replacement exercises this might not be a big deal, but the exercises DO assume access to barbells, dumbbells, and a machine.

Two, some of the exercise descriptions are lacking detail or, in a few cases, plain wrong. The upright row, for instance, shows a form -- bringing your elbows way above parallel -- that most trainers and researchers caution against because it causes shoulder injury in many people. I would expect the world's most authoritative guide to at least mention this.

Three, the routines provided sometimes leave me scratching my head. They give a cadence for things like the push up hold. The description of this exercise says to "hold the position for the specified period of time" yet the actual routines don't specify a period of time. Am I supposed to hold for 3 seconds or 30 or 90? Who knows?

Four, the routines -- at least early on -- take far too long and seem more like overtraining than training. In "Phase One" King prescribes circuit training and by week three you're supposed to be doing this circuit 2-3 times per day, three days a week. I found that doing the circuit twice took me over an hour. Doing it a third time would have pushed me well over 90 minutes of exercise. Throw in warm up and post-work out stretching and you're looking at a solid two hours. This is for "beginners" and they're supposed to do it three times a week.

Later on in "Phase One" King piles even more work on that. Not only are you supposed to do each circuit 2-3 times, you're supposed to do 2-3 reps of each exercise. In week 6, if you do the minimum number of reps, the minimum number of sets, the minimum number of circuits, all with the minimum recommended resting the whole thing will take you 93 minutes. Do that three times a week. This is for "beginners".

While I like the workouts I think this kind of time commitment is more likely to lead to overtraining rather than useful gains. Admittedly later on it looks like King scales back the time requirements but you have to persevere through 8 weeks of workouts that are easily 90 minutes in length.

A bible for beginners and intermediates !, June 15, 2005
I shopped for a few days before choosing this book. I finally bought this one for the following reasons :

- Great and nearly complete content for learning everything you need to know about physical training.

- I have good comments for all products from Men's Health editors. The writing style is friendly with a few jokes, but still serious with scientific content.

The book is well divided in several section. First, you will learn a bit of physiology, not too much, just a dozen of pages for you to understand the working principles drinving your muscles.

Then, you will read the truth about "why is he bigger than me ?" and "why can't I get good performances in jogging ?". Thus, you will learn everything you need about muscle growth and how to deal with your body. Also, there are good explanations about hormones and what makes muscles grow.

After this theorical chapters, you will get a few informations about what too eat while on a program. Advices are good, short and sweet. You will have the different pros and cons about proteins and everything else. However, I would have liked a bit more informations about nutrition. This is not a diet book, so beware if your an advanced athlete looking for food charts instead of programs. There still a few "shake" recepies and general comments on what and what not to eat.

Next, you will learn how to workout correctly, how often, how intense, etc. This is a great part, but again, it could have been longer. The essential is there, and even a bit more.

The most complete section is about different exercises (over 100), well explained with variations and GREAT GREAT ILLUSTRATIONS all along the book. Pictures are nice and they bring motivation for reading and then getting to workout.

Following the movements to choose from, you will find three complete programs with differents stages, well-builded by experts. It's a non conventional method, but it is known to work very well and you still get some availability to add some sets of your favorites to your training session. With three complete programs (beginner, intermediate, advance), you get at least a few years of variety for your workouts, and focus is made on good progress without getting crazy like gym rats.

If you're looking for great advices and to know the truth about a lot of elements in training your muscles while having good programs already made for you, this is the best book you can get.

Buy this one., May 20, 2006
I started working out 2.5 years ago. For the first 1.5 years, I followed advice of Lifetime Fitnesses' trainers (they're big, they're buff, they're beautiful) and got practically NO results. NONE! 1.5 years of strenuous working out and what did I have to show for it?!?? An inflated ego that had thought it gained something, but really gained next to nothing. Then I realized that I'd spent 1.5 years in the gym with nothing to show for it and decided I should dig for resources that would allow me to prove and verify myself. After all, working out is a science, and if the tests are performed correctly, should yield nearly consistent results each time (with various outcomes for specific genetic body-types, of course). I found this book to be the most systematic and thorough on the market. Instead of focusing too much on theory, it is almost entirely practical. Not only that, gives a system. It's systematic! And if any of you have pondered the nature of creation, you'll possibly have realized that a strong system never fails. Ask McDonald's, Target, the Creator, etc.

Anywho.. It's been 1 year and one month since I started the program. Since I'd been working out with little results for the previous 1.5 years, I started in the intermediate section. I copied the workouts into an excel spreadsheet with 3 extra column's for Date, Weight, and Reps... in order to keep track of what I was doing and when.
I became vegetarian halfway through the program with an emphasis on veganism (which cleared up my acne, woo!), which I thought would make it more difficult to build and retain muscle.
Since starting I've actually lost 10 lbs, but have gained a lot of muscle. VISIBLE muscle. In fact, my family members and friends ludicrously ejaculate fervent ego-boosting praise of my acheivements. I'm not a muscle head... ability to build muscle doesn't exactly run in my family. But each month I'm getting more and more of the Adonis like stature. I estimate in 6 more months, I'll have reached my ideal physique. Well muscled, nicely defined, but not grotesquely ripped. And all on a healthy vegan diet, with few soy protein supplements.

Ian King's workout and Lou Schuler's common man style..., March 31, 2004
Sections include Physiology (types of muscle fibers and technical stuff), Exercises (how to perform, cautions, variations, and what they work), Prep Work (flexibility and warmups, with routines), and the Workouts (Ian King is simply amazing). If that's not everything you need to know about muscle...

If you're new to lifting, read it twice. It'll put you ahead of many personal trainers with regard to your knowledge of muscle and training.

If you're an intermediate level, you'll enjoy learning even more from a pair of the best guys in lifting. You'll understand more and be able to gain more from the same time in the gym.

If you're advanced, you'll appreciate the layout (which is the best I've ever seen in a fitness book). If you know everything already, I'm Elmer Fudd. It'll be a great addition to your library.

If you're breathing, you'll reap huge rewards from Ian King's workouts. Be prepared to be awed, humiliated, and ripped. Ian has an uncanny ability to make a light weight impossible by the end of the day.

Finishing the Beginner program in one week and quite happy., May 1, 2010
This review is probably showing under my wife's name. Not that a female can't do these things..just wanted to clear that part up. After numerous attempts to start up weight training (the last being an all time long, 8-week stint in the fall of 2008 which ended due to injury), I got this book purely on the rave reviews plus a sampling of an Ian King routine I had found in one of the Men's Health magazines. Going through this book, the physiology of muscle building, the detailed pictures of the exercises and then finally the workout routines....I was impressed through and through. I've gotten friends to get this book as well and they're loving it.

What I liked about the Beginner program:
1 - It stresses form, form, form over trying to do impressive looking weights. Bad form will get you injured.
2 - It stresses tempo. You'll see a lot of people at the gym doing their reps as fast as they can. There are times where this is fine, but in general it's not. Too fastcan also lead to injury.
3 - At the time, I didn't understand why the first few phases were all single leg, dumbbells, and none of the more common exercises like the bench press, the squat, etc. I came to realize it spends the time developing a solid foundation for your body to build upon once the big, compound exercises come. Without focusing on ironing out weak links or strength imbalances, getting into the compound exercises will likely lead to injury sooner or later.
4 - Pictures and descriptions of the exercises. For the vast majority, it shows and explains the exercises in plenty of detail. There are a couple, where after I've tried it once, I was looking for more detail on, but a simple google search solved those problems.

What I didn't like about the Beginner program:
1 - the early phases took a long time if you did all the circuits it calls for. I was getting to 2 hrs for a workout. What I realized later was .. you do what you can do and they give you ranges to achieve. So, rather than follow it to the dot...adjust when necessary.
...yep ..only complaint I had.

What this book is not:
This book does not advertise itself to be anything more than a strength/muscle building book. In that aspect, it achieves its goal with flying colors. Note this book is not a book on nutrition nor is it a weight loss book. It touches on both topics a little bit, but just enough to point you in the right direction. In 5 months, I lost a net of 5 lbs. But my waist size got smaller (as the need for new jeans indicated) and overall slimmed down. Went from wearing XL shirts to M/L. During this last month, I started The Abs Diet ... just the nutrition/eating part... and stuck with The Book of Muscle for the workouts. I've lost 5lbs in this last month while continuing to gain strength. Next is to incorporate more cardio in the off days.

Conclusions:
I'm 32 years old...my longest weight training stint before was 8 weeks. I started into the compound moves too quickly before my body was ready and I ended up getting injured. During this beginner program, I've yet to get injured and the slower tempo helps you hear what your body is saying. In case anyone cared or was curious...here's kinda of my achievements...and we'll just go with the last 4 months since that's when the big compound exercises started. (these are weights for at least 6 reps)
Bench press - started at 115 ... doing 170 now
Military press - started at 55 ...doing 115 now
Squat - started at 95 ...doing 205 now
Deadlift - started at 135 ...doing 230 now.
Can't wait to see where I'm at after the intermediate program is done!

All star book!!, April 1, 2004
I have a collection of more than 200 fitness related books, mostly dealing with weightlifting. This one goes to the front of the pack. It is well written, full of detailed descriptions of a multitude of exercises, and designed for all levels of ability. The book could easily be adopted as a college text for exercise physiology classes as it goes into clear and concise descriptions of muscle function, nutrition, and physiology. Most lifters will greatly benefit from the variations that are also provided allowing them to take advantage of muscular adaptation. The photos are tremendous when I first got it (from Amazon) I thought it was too pretty to be a fitness book- it isn't! Lastly anyone wanting to learn more and gain muscle will benefit from these two authors- Ian King and Lous Schuler are recognized experts- not some juiced up gym monkeys with ghost writers. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Ten unique programs for fat loss, muscle gain, and strength improvement for beginners and elite lifters.

Want to get more out of your workout and spend less time in the gym? Many guys devote so many hours to lifting weight yet end up with so little to show for it. In many cases, the problem is simple: They aren’t doing exercises based on the movements their bodies were designed to do. Six basic movements—the squat, deadlift, lunge, push, pull, and twist—use all of the body’s major muscles. And, more important, they use those muscles in coordinated action, the way they were designed to work.

The New Rules of Lifting, now in paperback and with more than one hundred photographs, gives you more than a year’s worth of workouts based on these six basic movements. Whether you’re a beginner, an experienced lifter looking for new challenges, or anything in between, you can mix and match the workouts to help you get bigger, stronger, and leaner. In addition, the comprehensive nutritional information provided makes The New Rules of Lifting a complete guide to reaching all your goals.

If you aren’t using The New Rules of Lifting, you aren’t getting the best possible results. ... Read more

Reviews

Notes from a newbie, January 27, 2007
I'm a fifty year-old guy who's long been more into cardio workouts than weights. Sure, I might do a half-hearted circuit on machines after jumping off a treadmill, but like many folks, I thought cardio workouts were tantamount to "real" exercise. Then I happened upon this book. It struck a chord with me, and I decided that free-weight training was in my future.

One day, I bravely picked up an empty Olympic bar and embarked on the first exercise of Schuler and Cosgrove's "Break-in" program: the squat. "Fifteen reps with 45 pounds," I told myself, "I can do this." However, I stopped at twelve reps. I stopped at twelve reps because I really wanted to avoid forever being tagged as the guy who collapsed in the power cage with forty-five measly pounds atop his shoulders. I forgot all about the prescribed one-minute resting period between sets, and simply waited for my legs to quit shaking. This took significantly longer than one minute. A profound realization overtook me: I was a wimp--a six-four, two hundred and forty pound wimp. At that moment, I decided that I'd spent decades of my life ignorant of what constituted "real" exercise.

The upper-body exercises went better. The real challenge, at that point, was walking from station to station. If the gym had offered me a wheelchair to move between exercises, I would have humbly taken them up on it.

The next morning, I felt sore, although I told myself that it wasn't so bad. Then came the second morning. I got out of bed, and for a moment, I considered asking my wife to call 9-1-1. My upper legs felt as if someone had taken a meat tenderizer to them. For about the next week, my lower body reminded me that I might have bitten off more than I could chew.

It took me two weeks to gather the courage to embark upon the Break-in program again. (I felt torn between that and self-flagellation.) The second time around, things began on a little better note. I still couldn't get through a full two sets, but I was no longer moving between stations at tortoise speed.

I'm now finishing the four-week Break-in program. I'm still not using much weight for the squats, but I've graduated from the empty bar, and I'm completing all of the reps. Instead of staggering out of the gym trying not to vomit, I'm doing Cosgroves's "Afterburn" program on cardio machines to top off my workout. I'm glad I've stuck with it, especially when I run up hills and notice that my heart rate is lower than before I began the program. It never occurred to me that free-weight training would benefit my cardio activities.

Of course, as a newbie to free-weight training, I can't offer a valid comparison between the NROL programs and others. However, I like the idea that the Break-in program uses higher reps with lower weights. I think the chance of connective tissue injury is lessened compared to the "standard" three sets of eight to twelve reps, and I think it's a much safer way to learn what's involved in working your muscles to exhaustion.

My lack of experience notwithstanding, I think this is a great book for those who want to break into free-weight training, with a caveat or two. Looking back, I wish I'd started my program with a couple of weeks of body weight exercises. I had a nagging feeling that I was running before I could walk when I began the program, a feeling confirmed by an article I later found on Alwyn Cosgrove's website. He wrote, " . . . the only reason to ever use external load (i.e. weights) is because your bodyweight is not enough resistance. Yet most guys are making exercises harder by adding external load, when they aren't capable of handling their bodyweight in the same exercise. I'm constantly amazed by how many people I meet who can bench press whatever pounds of weight, but are unable to perform 10 correct push ups (typically due to a lack of core strength and synergistic muscle stability). As far as I'm concerned - unless you can do an easy twenty push ups, you have no business getting under a bar for bench pressing. In my training facility everyone begins with bodyweight exercises. You have to earn the right to lift weights in my facility." In another article, Cosgrove states that a lifter shouldn't consider doing squats with a barbell until he or she can do a set of single-leg squats with body weight. If I'd discovered that advice in time, it might have saved me from a week of moving around like a hobbled, worn-out old gelding.

Also, rank beginners such as I might consider using the services of a personal trainer when learning the squat and deadlift, or at least ask the advice of an experienced lifter. Although I'm new to this free-weight game, I'm convinced that the squat and deadlift are safe for most folks IF correct form is used. That's a big "if," however. In my case, I found the deadlift to be counterintuitive, and I had to use a mental checklist of sorts to avoid slipping into bad form.

So, I heartily recommend this book, given those qualifications. Schuler has a relaxed writing style I found effective and enjoyable, and Alwyn Cosgrove appears to be one of the most qualified and respected trainers out there. I've lost 11 pounds in the last month, with only minor changes in diet. That's quite heartening: at fifty, I've found cardio workouts are no longer the magic bullet for weight loss that they were in younger years.

And, that's only with the Break-in program. Next up is Cosgrove's Fat Loss program. Let me at `em!

Great Book - research-backed resource, January 5, 2006
This is a phenomenal book for anyone, from the personal trainer down to the weekend-warrior. As a physical therapist and certifeid strength & conditioning specialist, I appreciated all of the research references. Lou and Alwyn have done their homework to make this program. I'm looking forward to using their workouts and I'll report back in the future (for those that may find it helpful). Although, there are "only" 6 basic moves, there are many variations of the moves, so don't think for a minute that the routines will be boring.
BTW, this ties in real nicely with the works of Gray Cook, who has developed a Functional Movement screen around the 7 main movements of the body. Funny, how these tie in together. Its about time that someone has made this program simple for the masses. Lou, Alwyn, Mark Verstegen, Gray Cook, and Mike Boyle have got IT. Nice job to the authors!!!

Great Science, but Too Wordy, March 18, 2007
First of all, I'm a woman, and this book is clearly not geared towards women. I've been lifting for 15 years, on and off. I take it very seriously and I really enjoy the sport. I was previously using "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women" by James Villepigue and Hugo Rivera. It's a very good book for beginner/intermediate lifters. It's concisely written, the authors take fitness seriously and explain the proper form and execution of all the exercises they introduce in the book. The workouts offer a fantastic starting point for lifters, but after 3 months, you're going to have to start developing your own to keep making progress. (A side note: "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women" is almost word for word identical to "The Body Sculpting Bible for Men." The same is true for the "Abs" books written by these authors, which makes me think that the books are ultimately more about making money than promoting the science of lifting. If you were left confused by the explanations or lack thereof in New Rules, try the Body Sculpting Bible.

The New Rules of Lifting is based on some very cutting edge research in muscle cell recovery. Turns out, you make the most gains for the time you invest if you work to exhaustion and give your muscle cells several days to recover! I was hugely sceptical of this idea as essentially a life long lifter. I was born and raised on the 3 lifting days with cardio days in between for a total of six days a week with one day off. No more. Two intense lifting days a week, well separated with each other. I do aerobic fitness training between lifting days using an ironman heartrate monitor, specifically to widen my range of aerobic fat-burning capacity. This is a very different goal than endurance training, which New Rules says can conflict with a serious weight training program.

Here is what I am most impressed with. New Rules sites many, many scientific studies to back up the advice given and it has a bibliography at the back of the book that can allow you to find and read those scientific studies for yourself.

Here is what I am least impressed with. This book could be half as long if the author would just cut out the "witty banter" which is sometimes amusing, and sometimes offensive. I understand that the book is geared towards men, and crude language in and of itself isn't my problem. I bought the book for the science and the technical advice. All the anecdotes and humorous asides just get in my way. That said, if you have the patience to wade through the unimportant jabber, the program itself is challenging and highly effective. If you are not a highly self-motivated person who is willing to work to physical exhaustion and be very soar afterwards, this may not be the book for you.

stretch yourself and save time in the gym, March 18, 2006
Between Schuler's self-effacing humor and Cosgrove's heiny-kicking programs, you can't go wrong with this book. Schuler and Cosgrove helped me look at my lifting routine in a whole new way. I'm no longer stressed out that I'm "missing" a muscle or muscle group, I'm working to muscle fatigue every time I work out--and yet I'm spending less time in the gym per session. Another plus: I emailed Lou Schuler to ask if I needed to modify any of the programs because I'm a woman; he responded in about an hour. Very impressive. I highly recommend this book for beginner and intermediate weightlifters. Advanced lifters will no doubt be disappointed at the lack of "curl" exercises. See the book for Schuler's take on why all those myriad curls are unnecessary. I for one found it liberating--saves me so much time to cut out hammer curls, preacher curls, concentration curls, etc., etc.

Excellent approach to fitness, strength and health, January 5, 2006
The writing is very conversational and the information will probably surprise a lot of people that have been "lifting" for many years. But "New Rules" is an excellent book on what people really know about building complete, strong, functional bodies.

You'll find a lot of commonality, and some differences in approaches, with the methods in books like "Outside Fitness", "Core Performance", and "Muscle Logic". All of these are excellent as well and fundamentally get down to similar ideas of building strength and stability.

Like other reviewers I loved the routines and thinking behind them in New Rules. Outside Fitness uses a similar approach as do some other books but New Rules takes a different approach and the writing style if great. I am looking forward to many months of fun applying the routines and enjoying this book again and again.

Required reading!, December 30, 2005
Having been in this industry for a long time, I have read hundreds of forgettable books on weight lifting. Not the case with the New Rules.

As a personal trainer and club owner who has hired trainers for years, I have been disappointed with the basic knowledge of applicants. Now I have finally found a resource for my trainers to make sure that we are all philosophically on the same page. It is now required reading at my fitness center. It is the fastest way I know to get someone "up to my level" in one book.

It is very readable, even by a non-professional. Along with being informative, it is also funny at times, and very motivating. It's not just just recommended reading from me... It's required!

Strength Training and not Bodybuilding, June 6, 2007
The book is in fact not a book for traditional bodybuilders and it adresses rather the newbies than the experienced lifters. Yet I myself have been lifting weights for almost 16 years. And over those years I made many mistakes. The average bodybuilding routine and gulping down supplements was one of those big mistakes. After having "wasted" years with just pumping up and building hypertrophy I had jumped onto the bandwaggon of old school strength training. I definetly did not regret that, because the BB trining did simply build mass. But I lacked functional strength. Cosgrove and Schuler address this problem in this book and I would not agree that the book just covers some basics of lifting. It is just that their "shared wisdom" is nothing brandnew or complicated. Yet they were able to teach someone like me a few new things and the workout programs by Alwyn Cosgrove are definetly worth the price of the book.
Just don't expect to find the proverbial reinvention of the wheel in this book. It is about a few basic lifts based on natural human movements. That's it. What you will get from that is a strong and truly powerful body. As for pure slabs of muscle mass, this either depends on your genetics and effort, or otherwise stick to the old mass building routines.
Apart from that Alwyn Cosgrove's cynical and dry Scottish sense of humour makes this book a lot of fun to read. The man himself is an excellent srength coach and I recommend his programs and his expertise. However, if you are an experienced lifter or strength athlete, just do not expect to find anything in here that is totally brandnew. But which strength-training book delivers that these days anyway ?

Excellent programs and framework for weightlifting., May 3, 2006
Schuler and Cosgrove do a great job in this book of designing programs and more importantly they create a framwork for workout design that prevents stagnation for long-term lifting.

My criticisms are minor and not germane to the main subject matter of the book:

1) The tone, while occasionally amusing, can be offputting when the jokes fall flat, which they do often.

2) The author, Lou Schuler occasionally belabors a point for effect, but the result is that the reader skips ahead out of annoyance, missing an important idea.

3) The role of pure cardio work in resting days or off days isn't addressed adequately, in my opinion, although it is addressed to a degree.

None of that should take away from the fact that I highly recommend this book. I've been execising seriously for five years and this is the best book I've read on the subject.

No gimmick, just results, January 6, 2006
In a world filled with unrealistic training routines written by internet gurus who've never really trained anyone, it's great to see some legit, effective program design from a guy who's been there and done it at a high level like Alwyn. A year's worth of training programs by one of the top trainers in the country for about $20. No brainer.

Lou's conversational writing style takes the science and makes it understandable for any level of education. If you read this book, I'm certain you'd have a stronger grasp of the the science and methods of building muscle and losing fat than most personal trainers.

Buy this book.

"New Rules" revolutionized my workout - but took some time to sink in., September 22, 2008
I've been lifting weights in my local gym for about 2 years - doing circuits of the nautilus and cybex weight stack machines. I had been plateaued for a while and wanted a better understanding of which moves work which muscles, how to use the machines to best advantage, proper form etc... I bought "The New Rules of Lifting" looking for a basic guide and what I got was different from what I was expecting. The New Rules is an attempt to shake things up and it attacks a host of standard wisdoms - such as the importance of cardio exercise (your body will choose to adapt slow twitch muscles for cardio over fast twich for power - reducing your power gains) and stretching (stretching is necessary - but it's not about increasing flexibility beyond your usual range). The 'New Rules' also include an eye opening "no machines" rule. Lou Schuler writes the copy and Alwyn Cosgrove cooks up the exercises and the routines. In place of muscle isolating machine exercises, "New Rules" emphasizes free weight exercises that work whole groups of muscles while replicating commonly used movements in the six major movement categories: push, pull, bend, lunge, twist, and walk/run. There are relatively few major exercises listed - but a bunch of variations and supersets and combinations. The routines are mixed to form a whole year of constantly changing routines. I was looking for a guide to how to do standard gym sitting down machine based exercises Schuler/Cosgrove gave me an iconoclastic attack on that whole culture. I read it (and read a few other workout books - such as Schuler's other major book "Men's Health: The Book of Muscle" (with Ian King)) and let it sink in. I wasn't ready to abandon my routine. I also felt a bit leery of doing major free weight work without a lot of practice. I started trying out the moves at home, with minimal weight on the bar. Once I gained a little confidence I started doing it at the gym. Wow.

Starting any new routine gives you results, but this was something more. The classic exercises emphasized in "New Rules" (the squat, lunges, dead lift, good morning, lat row, Russian twist, bench press, military push, pullup (or lat pulldown) really do get whole groups of muscles worked at one time. Cosgrove has sweated the details with the routines - with some wonderful instructions on varying the timing, doing supersets, combo movements, and moving through periods of lower weight/higher reps; higher weight/lower reps; less weight and explosive movements. The rationale for each stage is well argued in the text.

Despite having a lot of old fashioned exercises, this isn't a traditional routine. There are no biceps isolating exercises (or almost none). You'll end up doing moves that few others in the gym are doing. I'm only a month into the first program so I can't say definitively that this is brilliance - but I there's no debating that my whole approach to weights has been transformed. For me the biggest revelations were:

1) balance work on each side of a joint (maybe obvious to some - but awareness of this was huge for me). For example - if you do work on the "push" side (like a bench press) you must do equal work on the "pull" side of the same joint (shoulder) (i.e. rows/lat pulls). I really notice this whole issue now and I feel much better for it.

2) emphasize the largest muscles groups. That means that squats, dead lifts, lunges, and good mornings are the bread and butter. I used to work the upper body more than the lower - now I achieve a much better balance. I really feel it - especially with climbing stairs and biking. It feels good.

3) put the twist motion on equal footing with the other major motions. In the past abdominal work meant crunches. Now I'm putting much more emphasis on twisting motions and my waist has tightened up and my back feels better (even with the low-back scary dead lifts).

I had been looking for a book on how to optimize the weight lifting regimen I already know and this book demanded I scrap almost everything I did. I didn't want to hear it at first. Now that I've given it a try it has revolutionized my understanding of how to work my body and how to use free weights. I feel I'm working out whole areas of my body more efficiently in a shorter time. I've also been able to grab a few ad-hoc workouts outside the gym (like the time early morning I had a half hour alone at the train platform and used my heavy knapsack to do squats, lunges, militaries, explosive pushups, and rows to get a near full body workout. This might not have occurred to me in my "machine" lifting phase. Highly recommended for weight lifting folks looking to take it to the next level and shake things up.

Two significant observations: 1) Lou Schuler writing is engaging - but he doesn't vary the story much among his various books. His chapters on basic wisdom and physiology are essentially identical in the 3 books of his that I've read (Men's Health: Home Workout Bible and Men's Health: The Book of Muscle). What's different in each of these books is that he's paired with a different trainer who emphasizes different exercises (or specifies that a given exercise be done in a slightly different way) and there's different plans. I like "Men's Health: Book of Muscle" a lot and wouldn't say that I'd necessarily recommend New Rules over it - but I've chosen to work "New Rules" first and I can vouch for it. "Book of Muscle" has a lot more exercises and a more conventional muscle isolating point of view (although it's mostly free weights too).

2) I got the Kindle version and this is one of those books you should buy on paper. The workout regimens are tables of data that are presented as small and difficult to read pictures on Kindle. You'll want to make photocopies of the workouts to take to the gym. With the Kindle version you can't do that - you must transpose the workouts yourself. You still get all the info - but you give yourself more work with the Kindle version if you're really going to work the plans. ... Read more

Editorial Review

With the huge popularity of the Eat-Clean Diet among North American women, the question kept arising: Is Eating Clean okay for men?It may seem a silly question--after all, a healthy diet should be appropriate for anyone, right?But the question is in no way silly.Most diets don't work for men because men don't eat the way women do.Men don't like to go hungry, they don't like to live on salads, they don't like excluding food groups and they don't like counting calories.The Eat-Clean Diet for Menallows men to lose weight and get healthy while freeing them from all those dieting evils! ... Read more

Reviews

Working for me!!! Lost 23 lbs so far!!, August 23, 2009
This book has worked wonders for me! Since beginning this "lifestyle change" (not really a diet), I have already lost 23 pounds so far and am losing about 2 pounds per week. Of course I exercise as well, but I had been exercising the same way before and was not losing weight. This lifestyle change has had a positive effect on my entire family. My wife, who was already petite, looks even better and my 14 year old daughter has lost 10 lbs! The whole family had bought in. We are enjoying coming up with new recipes and we spend more time cooking and eating together.

Another unintended consequence of this lifestyle change is that it has saved us money! We used to eat out quite a bit. We would spend nearly $700 per month eating at restaurants and fast foods!! Trust me, it's not hard to do if you eat out 2-3 times per week with an average ticket of $50-$60. So far this month (through August 23rd), we've spent just $32 on dining out! Last month, we spent $74! We are saving over $600 a month because we cook at home instead of eating out. Unbelievably, we are also spending less on groceries. I am very surprised by this because I, like most people, thought that clean (healthier) foods would cost a lot more. Well, that's not true! You would be surprised as to how much unclean foods in the grocery cart add up. Chips, soda, frozen pizza & beer = $$$$$. Now that we don't buy those foods and very little alcohol (only wine occasionally), we spend a lot less on groceries overall and have more to spend on lean meats, vegetables and fruit.

I highly recommend this book! It has changed out lives for the better!

100% great advice, could use more recipes..., June 6, 2009
I'm a newcomer to the whole "eat clean" movement, and was recently gifted with a copy of this book from a good friend.

With several years of solid workout/good eating behind me, I found the large front section to be largely a rehash of the current trends and suggestions for eating better.

However, if you're a guy who's 100% new to this idea and are about to embark on a weight loss program that includes clean/better eating, then by all means -- get this book. I doubt you could start off on a better food with better information than this title!

Once I got to the recipes, I was surprised by how simple and easy it was to make each dish, and was surprised by some of the more exotic ingredients. (Spelt flour and almond milk anyone?) I've made several, and can say that you'll be FULL and so long as you're open to new flavors and new takes on some of your old favorites, you'll enjoy the results.

Bible of healthy living., November 3, 2009
As a fitness professional, I see all kinds of gimmick diets and exercise plans. This book isn't one of them. What makes this book great is that it's easy to comprehend, simple to follow, and it's full of useful and actionable steps that will immediately change your life for the better if you follow the guidelines. I recommend this to all men who want a simple to follow yet effective plan to "clean" up their life. [...]

High expectations, May 18, 2009
I was eagerly awaiting the release of a book that would show us men how to eat clean, with recipes that would show us how to eat the meals we like but making them healthier.
Sadly this book was a disappointment as it was the same old stuff regurgitated, eat six small meals a day, drink lot of water, do exercise, take supplements etc, etc,
What the eat clean franchise was renowned for was showing us recipes that were healthy & clean but this book only had a few recipes and there was nothing different about them, so sadly I still do not know how to cook my favourite recipes in a clean way - I now wish I hadn't purchased this book

Decent, October 15, 2009
There is better information in the other Eat Clean books, it seems, but there are some good basics if you are new and approaching this, and some good recipes. I was expecting a little more, however, when I got this book for my husband (The Eat Clean Diet worked wonders for me... all the books are a little flashy and a little thick on the fluff feel, but when you get down to it, work wonders)

inconsistent, July 26, 2010
This book has some good tips- like the superfoods section but overall there isn't much new information so this book is probably best for beginners to healthy eating ideas. Still, I was surprised to see recipes for beef ribs and grilled sausage in the back of the book. There are directions for making a nice sauce but the main innovation is a tiny portion size. There is an error in explaining indirect grilling of turkey. The section of supplements is only 6 pages and covers 10 supplements which all seem to be more or less recommended although there is very little detail about safety and effectiveness. There are no footnotes to back up assertions. I think the Walter Willett book Eat Drink and be healthy is much better. The book does have great pictures of healthy and unhealthy men and women including before and after shots of Tosca Reno. Obviously she is doing something right. If you want a quick flashy introduction to healthy eating this book is for you. If you are looking for detailed explanations, scientific research, and information not already in many books skip this one.

Eat Clean, July 12, 2009
Food is your Body's Oil and Gasoline... upgrade your Oil-grade and Octane... and you will have a better performing engine (Body)... You want to live better... this book is a must!

Another incredible book, June 24, 2009
The recipes are simple and taste yummy. Another job well done by Tosca. I love the forward by Jack LaLanne. He is astounding and all by following the principles Tosca writes about. He is proof positive this way of living WORKS!! Thank you Tosca for re-introducing us to food. ... Read more

Editorial Review

EVERY MAN NEEDS THIS BOOK!


Each year, more than 200,00 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer.The good news is that more men are being cured of this disease than ever before.


Now in a revised second edition, this lifesaving guide by Dr. Patrick Walsh and ard-winning science writer Janet Farrar Worthington offers a message of hope to every man facing this illness.Prostate cancer is a different disease in every man--which means that the right treatment varies for each man.Giving you a second opinion from the world's top experts in surgery, pathology, urology, and radiation and medical oncology, this book helps you determine the best plan for you.Learn:

• What causes prostate cancer--your risk factors, including heredity, diet, and environment


• How some simple changes in your diet and lifestyle can help prevent or delay the disease


• Why the digital rectal exam and PSA test can save your life--and when to get these tests


• The latest treatment options: from Dr. Walsh's "nerve-sparing" radical prostatectomy to new radiation techniques, laparoscopic procedures, and new drugs that are revolutionizing treatment of advanced cancer


• The most effective methods for maintaining continence and potency after treatment.

Reviews

Read It BEFORE You Need To, December 15, 2007
If you've already gotten a PSA "score" of four-plus, the utility of this book will be to help you evaluate your treatment options pragmatically. There are no miracles being promised - no secret knowledge - beyond the miracle of modern scientific medicine. The tone of Dr. Walsh's writing, however, is fraternally supportive and optimistic without denying the gravity of your condition. My strenuous advice would be to read the book, at least to skim it, before your all-important visit to your urologist. You WILL have questions to ask, so they might as well be good ones.

If you are a lucky guy who doesn't NEED such a book just yet, you're the very person who should read it. Evolution has made a serious botch of the prostate gland (speaking metaphorically, of course) and most men are living long enough these days to experience the woes of UNdesigned body parts. It's not entertaining reading. But it should be sufficiently uncomfortable to make you take the PSA testing schedule earnestly, and to consider such changes in your diet and life style as MIGHT help forestall the need to evaluate treatments. Dr. Walsh is not a preacher, but he does present evidence that the meat-centered modern diet is a factor in the humongous rate of prostate cancer in Europe and North America.

If you are the spouse or partner of someone who suddenly needs this book, you WILL need to understand the 'situation' and this book will help you be helpful. You can get all the same data and all the same suggestions on-line, but Dr. Walsh's book winnows most of the chaff from the useful grain, plus it will save you and your Man from being the target of spam designed to make money from your dilemma or to persuade you of a point of view.

Lots of doctors and lots of 'survivors' recommend this book, which has been updated this year. I haven't found anything more appealing, and I've looked.

Gleason 8 gives 5 stars, July 17, 2007
This is not the book that I ever wanted to expected to be buying, but it's been an incredibly valuable resource as I make my way through Cancerworld, prostate division. Dr. Walsh is a legendary surgeon and a pioneer in nerve-sparing surgery who also proves to be a lucid and informative writer. He pulls no punches, but he also gives the plausible and practical reasons for being hopeful in the face of a prostate-cancer diagnosis. The book is indexed very well, which I found very helpful in trying to zero in on certain topics rather than reading sequentially, and each chapter starts out with a concise and effective synopsis.

The best book on a male cancer, July 4, 2007
This is an updated edition of what has been the best laymen's book on prostate cancer, something that one of three men will experience in their lifetimes. But prostate cancer is not a death sentence or anywhere close if it's diagnosed early, evenin aggressive cases.Survival ratesfor those caught in the early stages are nearly 100 percent i.e. no recurrence in five years. Walsh is from JOhns Hpkins, considered to be leader in prostate cancer and urlogy generally.

Don't wait until you get prostate cancer to find out something about it, because if you don't ever have it, someone you know will. It will hep if someone knows something about it who isn't in a panic. In the meantime, make sure you follow reasonable advice on being tested.

There are alternative treatments bt there's a number of variables.You'll find most of it here. And ou'll get some idea of what you should look for from your own doctor - including whether you need a second opinion or another physician.

The oter good news is that there are prostate cancerns where treatment can be delayed indefinitely. It's just that most of us aren't qualified to make that judgement. Buy it. Read it.

Best Resource Available for Prostate Cancer, July 28, 2007
A friend dropped off the first edition of this book the evening I got my diagnosis of Prostate Cancer. I found the book to be informative and balanced, with very good medical information to guide my decision making steps. After consulting with two surgeons (where their individual recomendations were in total alignment with Dr Walsh's comments) I chose to have a robotic Radical Prostetectomy. This book prepared me for the surgery and has been an invaluable guide for my recovery. I bought several copies of the revised edition and have already given two of them to other people recently diagnosed with Prostate cancer.

Amazingly helpful, January 17, 2008
I received "the call" from my urologist four days ago. He asked me to stop by the office and pick up this book. I was there first thing the next morning and despite its 500+ pages, had read it (and several chapters many times) by that afternoon. If you want to be well-informed about the options facing a person diagnosed with prostate cancer, I cannot imagine a better resource.

When I first saw the size of this book, I thought "how much is there to say about this?" I now know. Read this book to be prepared with the questions you will want to ask your doctor.

And if you are the partner of a prostate cancer patient, read this book to understand the very serious decisions that need to be made. Your understanding of the issues and support of the ultimate choice about treatment will be invaluable.

I can only say - thank you Ms. Worthington and Dr. Walsh. You have provided me with the kind of information I feel I need to begin this challenge.

Concise and Thorough...Up to date, September 9, 2007
Excellent overview of the entire spectrum of this disease. Very up to date info as of mid 2007 on most topics. As an MD afflicted with this problem I found Walsh's book more useful than medical review searches, texts, etc. Well organized and understandable to a reasonably educated lay person.

Facing the inevitable, May 14, 2008
By the time you are purchasing this book you probably are on your way to having a biopsy or, more likely, have received the report and its not good news....This book is the most comprehensive of all that I've looked at since my own biopsy, though one warning is to keep in mind that surgical techniques have still improved even further since the book went to press a couple years ago....The stress on incontinence after the radical prostatectomy may be overwrought -- or at least I became overwrought with anxiety until I actually spoke with several men who have had the procedure (robotic surgery) in recent months. Compared with those who shared their stories with me who had surgery four to seven years ago, it seems like night and day. So maybe talk to a few folks before reading this book, or else you are likely to despair more than you need to. Very well written, filled with all the detailed information you'll want to know.

Shines Light on the Dark, September 9, 2007
Having just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, I began searching for any information I could find. In early stage cancer, you have to make a decision on surgery or radiation therapy. The doctors can't make that decision for you. You need accurate and timely information to make an intelligent decision. You also need to understand the jargon associated with this cancer and its treatments such as BTH, IBRT, IGRT, Gleason Scale, PSA levels as well as complex and simple PSA. They all relate to survivability depending on the course you elect. If you, or someone you love, has been diagnosed, this book is an absolute MUST READ. With it I made my decision!!

The Complete PC Book, February 27, 2008
Well-written, easy to read, well organized. Everything you need or want to know about prostate cancer and your choices for dealing with it.

A Must-Have Book for Any Man Over Forty, November 28, 2007
Dr. Patrick Walsh and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins are widely recognized as the medical profession's leading experts on prostate cancer. The Second Edition of this classic guide is up-to-date, authoritative, and comprehensive. It contains everything you want to know about prostate cancer, from prevention through prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. All this information is remarkably well organized and accessible. The book contains twelve chapters with titles like, "Do I Have Prostate Cancer?" and "What Are My Options?". Each chapter begins with a short table of contents and a one or two-page summary (kind of like those "Cliffs Notes" you used in high school). The book also includes a full golssary and a detailed index.

If you have had a needle biopsy and have been diagnosed with prostate cancer the Partin Tables and Han Tables in Chapter Six will permit you to determine, within specified statistical limits, the extent of your cancer and the likelyhood of a cure. For the majority of men this information will be good news. The Partin and Han Tables alone are worth more than the modest price of the book.

Despite the technical nature of the subject matter, the book is easy to read. Dr. Walsh's co-author, Janet Farrar Worthington, is a gifted writer. The analogies she uses to put medical terminology into lay terms are absolutely delightful. There is nothing funny about prostate cancer--my Dad and my grandfather both died of the disease. However, I found myself chuckling more than once as I read this wonderful book. Thanks Dr. Walsh; thanks Janet.










... Read more

Editorial Review

I started out just like you. I knew the basics of sex, but I didn't know how to truly please my partner consistently. So, I researched and I tried different things through trial, error, and listening until I found out what worked.

I'm not a professional writer. I don't have a PhD in psychology or sexuality. I'm just a normal guy and I wrote a short guide on techniques that I know for a fact work time and time again (and one more time after that).

This guide will make you a better lover and raise your self confidence as you realize that being good in bed is more about how much knowledge you have and less about the size of your...ego.

Your time is valuable. This guide is just long enough to impart my knowledge to you and gets right to the information you want so you can put it to use.

BONUS: Includes a brief, illustrated history of cunnilingus through 6 classic works of art depicting the act. ... Read more

Reviews

Useful and to the point, August 2, 2010
Most of the other books on this subject want $10+

Sorry, I don't want to spend $10 and read about role playing, psychology, anatomy, etc. I want to know techniques. That's where this book shines. It actually covers techniques of the act itself.

I want to know how to get results and this short guide does just that. It's a quick read, but there's lots of good info in there and it will definitely raise your confidence level and your partner's satisfaction level. I'm happy with the purchase, but not as much so as my wife ;-)

The tone of the guide is the same as your friend giving you advice, not like someone writing a thesis on sex, which I like.

Money well spent in my opinion, especially for the price.

Happy with the results, November 17, 2010
I bought this book for my husband to read on our Kindle (OK, I made him read it).

And while I didn't read the book myself, I am pleased with the "results".

The husband said the book had some good info and was an easy read.

Ladies, pick this one up for the man in your life, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Informative and Entertaining, November 12, 2010
This books was informative, the author's tone was entertaining (and not stilted like most other sex writers I've read) and the book wasn't full of a bunch of a bunch of nonsense.

It presented the info I cared about quickly.

Recommended.

P.S. I just noticed some guy wrote a bad review on the book, but note that it wasn't an Amazon verified purchase. I hate it when people review books they obviously didn't even buy.

Disappointment, December 21, 2010
If you want a 10 page book that tells you not to go straight to the goods, by all means buy this book.

I am married and love going down on my wife, so I was hoping for some new techniques. All this book says is to insert one finger and lick the clit changing speeds and pressure as you go. If you are going to give this book to a 16 year old who has never gone down on a woman it gives him the basics. If you have some experience don't bother buying, you learned just as much reading this review.

DO NOT BUY, November 12, 2010
This guy threw this schlock together so fast that no one had time to even proof read it. There was nothing in this book that a moron couldn't figure out with trial and error. It's also really short. Don't waste your money. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Every year almost a quarter of a million confused and frightened American men are tossed into a prostate cancer cauldron stirred by salespeople representing a multibillion-dollar industry. In this flourishing business, the radical prostatectomy is still the most widely recommended treatment option. Yet a recent and definitive study in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that out of the fifty thousand prostate operations performed annually, more than forty thousand are unjustified. But this is no surprise given that 99 percent of all doctors treating this disease are surgeons or radiation therapists. The appalling fact is that men are still being rushed into a major operation that rarely prolongs life and more than half the time leaves them impotent.

Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers is a report on the latest thinking in prostate cancer therapy: close monitoring–active surveillance rather than surgery or radiation–should be the initial treatment approach for many men. There are three stages of prostate cancer and this book will provide accurate information about how to distinguish between them: Low-Risk, which requires no immediate treatment; Intermediate-Risk, which will benefit from surgery, radiation, and/or hormonal therapy; and High-Risk, a type that does require immediate treatment with a combination of therapies. In a unique collaboration, doctor and patient provide a wholly new perspective on managing this disease. Ralph Blum’s account of his personal struggle, together with Dr.Mark Scholz’s presentation of newscientific advances, provides convincing evidence that this noninvasive approach can be crucial in preventing tens of thousands of men from being overtreated every year. Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers serves as an indispensable map through the medical minefield of prostate cancer. ... Read more

Reviews

A thorough treatment to be used with caution, July 14, 2010

Good Advice? Or Not?, June 27, 2010

An Interesting, Helpful Study, June 27, 2010

honestly, my friend had already made up his mind, September 28, 2010

a must read book for low risk prostate cancer patients, September 21, 2010
Don't let the seemingly flip title of the book put you off. This is a serious examination of the treatment of prostate cancer. It is well written and loaded with information on alternatives to radical treatment of the disease. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in April of this year. A biopsy revealed stage 1 cancer with a Gleason score of 6 and a PSA of 5.1. My first reaction was "get it out of me" and both urologists I consulted agreed. I was all set to make arrangements for a radical prostatectomy. My wife and brother both called me to tell me to listen to a segment on NPR on prostate cancer. It was a short piece about this book. I purchased and read it and I am now consulting with my GP to undergo active surveillance or "watchful waiting". There is an extended bibliography with capsule reviews of the books for those who want to be better informed. I have been to one seminar and read three books on prostate cancer and spent countless hours on the internet. This book is without a doubt the best source of information on the subject I have encountered. If you are considering radical treatment and have been diagnosed as a low risk stage cancer patient READ THIS BOOK. It will change your life, literally.

Best Book for Men Newly Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, September 20, 2010
Prostate Snatchers is the best book for helping newly diagnosed men decide what to do about their prostate cancer (PCa). Co-written by one of the best medical oncologists specializing in PCa (MOSPC) in the USA, it contains many gems of cutting-edge, authoritative information. Below are some of these gems, which, unfortunately, only a small minority of PCa patients have seen:

There is not one but three basic categories of PCa--Low-Risk, Intermediate-Risk, and High-Risk.

High-Risk, also known as "aggressive," should be treated aggressively whereas Low-Risk often can be safely managed with no treatment.

A typical scenario after a primary care doctor refers a patient to a urologist because of an abnormal PSA test and/or digital rectal examination (DRE): The urologist biopsies the patient's prostate and finds PCa. The patient views this finding as a death sentence, panics, and feels pressured to get rid of his cancer immediately. He avoids taking time for second opinions and agrees quickly to have the urologist cut out his prostate (radical prostatectomy or RP)--an aggressive treatment.

Unfortunately, of the 50,000 RPs done in the USA every year, more than 40,000 were not necessary. That is, the vast majority of PCa patients would have lived as long without having their prostates removed.

RP is no longer the most effective treatment for PCa. Radiation therapy (RT), another aggressive treatment, has evolved into being at least as effective. If the patient consults a radiation therapist for help with making a treatment decision, the doctor is often, of course, biased in favor of recommending RT.

A third type of PCa doctor is a medical oncologist, who is trained to treat all types of cancer. Their training in PCa treatment only focuses on advanced disease. Early-stage disease is left to the urologists.

Medical oncologists treat some PCa patients with testosterone inactivating pharmaceuticals (TIP, also known as "hormone blockade" or "androgen deprivation therapy"). TIP has its own set of side effects but, unlike RP, RT, or cryotherapy, the side effects are often reversible when the medical oncologist discontinues the TIP. And he then, depending on the PCa's response to the discontinuation, may re-start the TIP a year or two or three later.

Only a minority of urologists are as skilled as MOSPCs in providing TIP.

Of the more than 10,000 medical oncologists in the USA, only less than 100 are MOSPCs.

MOSPCs often do a more comprehensive evaluation of PCa than some urologists. In addition to PSA tests, DREs, PSA velocity calculations, and PSA density calculations, they may use spectrographic endorectal MRI (S-MRI) scans, color doppler ultrasound scans, and PCA-3 urine tests to determine the risk-level of a patient. These tests also help monitor a patient's PCa (known as "active surveillance" [AS] or "watchful waiting").

The comprehensive evaluation also helps to determine whether the paient should have an immediate initial biopsy. If the patient has had a biopsy, the evaluation may reduce the number of repeat biopsies needed for AS.

Chapters by Ralph H. Blum, a patient of his co-author, vividly illustrate the struggles of and benefits received by a patient who educates himself about PCa, finds the right doctor, and avoids blindly following his and other PCa doctors' advice. Blum's knowledge and story of his 20-year PCa journey is likely to calm many patients, instill hope, and empower them to take charge of their journey.

Blum traveled from the USA to the Netherlands for a Combidex MRI because it was the only place that performed the scan. My guess is that no more than 10 percent of PCa patients are able to take the time off and/or pay for out-of-state/country trips for tests or second opinions. The book did not acknowledge this obstacle to obtaining state-of-the-art help.

Snatchers adds much to the meager literature on the role of the MOSPC in working with Low-Risk patients and helping patients decide on a treatment.

The preliminary international list of MOSPCs might help some patients find the right doctor. Also helpful are a glossary, annotated bibliography, and lists of acronyms and websites.

Snatchers replaces my former #1 choice, A Primer on Prostate Cancer: The Empowered Patient's Guide (2nd edition, 2005) by Stephen B. Strum, M.D. (a distinguished MOSPC) and Donna L. Pogliano. Snatchers is easier to read and understand; more up-to-date, of course; and destined to become a classic, which is the status of Primer.

If you read both books, you are likely to arrange more effective PCa consultations, monitoring, and treatment than without the books' authoritative knowledge.

My qualifications for this review are 10 years of reading authoritative PCa literature; participating in PCa internet forums; leading PCa support group discussions; seeing the MOSPC co-author of Snatchers every three months for nine years; consulting other PCa doctors; undergoing biopsies, S-MRIs, Color Dopplers; avoiding aggressive treatment (on light TIP--Avodart only for both my benign prostatic hyperplasia and PCa); writing my PCa story (prostate-cancer-story.net).

Lawrence J. Bookbinder, Ph.D.

Maybe the most important book you'll ever read, September 4, 2010

Good News for Men, June 15, 2010

Good perspective, food for thought, no silver bullet, August 20, 2010

Excellent men's resource, August 7, 2010

Editorial Review

You dont need to muscle your way in to the gym to get a great workout. While recent statistics show that strength training is one of the countrys fastest-growing exercise activities, there is a corresponding rise in dollars spent on home exercise equipment. If a home workout is your style, this encyclopedic volume shows you how to get the results you want no matter what gear you own or what your experience level. Each chapter focuses on different types of equipment (dumbbells, barbells, cable station, full multistation home-gym apparatus, or even no equipment at all) with workout advice appropriate to the beginning, intermediate, or advanced weight lifter. Learn how to create a customized workout program based on your goals, equipment, and experience. Those interested in creating or expanding their home gym will find valuable consumer tips for making the wisest choices and getting the best deals. ... Read more

Reviews

A must-have for home (or gym) weight training, November 10, 2002
This book has everything you need to know to develop a successful weightlifting program without spending $1,000-$3,000 on equipment.

I just got this book in the mail yesterday and even though I got home late, I couldn't put it down. I have been running, cycling and XC skiing for almost a year with the aid of the Covert Bailey books, and I recently brought out my old 80-lb. weight set from Christmas 1985. I was using the manual that came with the weights and a Bowflex training guide from the Internet to develop a workout that reached all of the muscles. I was sure going about it the wrong way.

The book first explains all of the muscles in-depth, even giving examples of motions that show their use. Then comes the equipment section beginning with items you already have in your house (milk jugs) up to thousand-dollar equipment. They help you identify your goals and discuss training plans to achieve them.

The next sections include exercises (beginner, intermediate, advanced) for ALL the muscle groups in your body sorted by equipment type: body-weight only, dumbbells, barbells, and multistation-machines. If you have a combination like me (body weight, dumbbells, barbells - investment of $250) there is a chapter on using them together. At the end there are actual charts of exercises for you to use. I am putting together a program for myself and am looking forward to increased effectiveness in my weight training.

Excellent with a few flaws, March 11, 2004
This book gets high marks for making explicit what its goal is -- home workouts -- and then delivering on that. While the focus is on home workouts, it offers enough information to be useful as your primary workout book, regardless of venue. The authors offer divide the exercises into major sections, depending on what kind of equipment you have at your disposal: no weights at all (i.e. use bodyweight only and makeshift weights from things found around the house), dumbbells, barbells, and exercise machine. This is great because it makes it easy to come up with a temporary workout plan for that week you're on vacation and don't have access to your normal equipment. They tell you how to create a workout plan, taking full advantage of periodization. They include tons of exercises for you to pick from when constructing your plan. If you don't feel up to creating your own plan they offer several pre-made ones with different focuses.

It isn't perfect, however, there is certainly room for improvement. When discussing individual exercises I wish they did a better job of showing how the variations affect what parts of the muscle are exercised. For instance, I think that hammer curls are supposed to work your biceps differently than standard curls but there is no mention of that kind of thing in most exercises. That inclusion would make constructing your own work out routines even easier.

The structure of the book leaves a little to be desired as well. It felt that some things -- like whether to work to failure -- aren't introduced as early as they should be. The result is you really should read (or at least skim) the book from cover to cover before setting out. A little bit tighter structure would make it easier to just skip to the section you care about.

There is also not much mention of supplements although given the somewhat controversial nature of their efficacy and the target of the book (I would guess that people who workout at home are somewhat less hard-core than those who go to a gym) it is understandable.

Overall, though, this is an excellent resource. It has both breadth and depth, making it a great single-volume resource on working out.

Solid, honest, results oriented information., September 25, 2005
I am not an exercise nut. I am a lawyer and a family person. I just don't have a lot of time to devote to working out, and if I am at my kid's school for lunch, I'll eat the birthday cake and ice cream. I was looking for a practical book that I could use to improve the weights workout I had been doing for several months, but would allow me to spend no more than an hour or so in the gym every day. This book delivered and revolutionized my routine.

When I first got the book 6 months ago, I read through the descriptions of muscle development and the comparative benefits of different types of exercise, ie: Dumbbells, barbells, cable machines and I found the basic information amazingly useful. My lifting routine became much different than the other regulars at the gym and I found that for the first time in a LONG time, I was beginning to notice results. Eventually, I began to notice other lifters drifting away from the machines and towards the dumbbells - they began to do routines similar to mine.

Although all of the above made me happy, it was not what prompted me to write this review. Recently, I began to do the exact routines for muscle development that the book recommends. I feel like I have had a shot in the arm. My workouts have suddenly become dramatically more effective. I felt sore in places I had not felt sore in almost a year. My core is intensely stronger and my shoulders, legs and arms are beginning to grow again - even at my age and with my busy work and family schedule.

If you are one of those guys who hangs out in the gym talking to your buddies and maybe doing a single set of bench press, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for an intense, full body, healthy workout that builds solid muscle, but is devoid of hype, this is the book for you.

Get ready to move up a shirt size.

Pretty good for men thinking about adding muscle and willing to pay the price, September 1, 2005
This is a traditional, intro pumping iron book for men. The only slight twist is, as the title says, it's for men looking to workout at home, not the club. My wife and I have both read it and this is our combined feedback ("See all my reviews" for additional feedback).

Our 3 star rating is actually an average. I give it 3.5 and she gives it 2.5.

To be blunt, in our oppinion the book is targetted at men with little or no weightlifting experience and are interested in doing a "body make-over" to become the chick-magnet they always knew they could be. To us, it's not a health and fitness book but an intro pumping iron book. If you are self-motivated, respond well to setting a goal and working hard to achieve it, this may be the perfect book for you and might rate it higher.

Positive: We like the honesty by the authors, especially regarding the costs involved in acquiring your own fitness equipment. They don't sugar coat it. The compendium of resistence exercises (half the book)is excellent, a good reference, particularly for men. The book is a good value- there is a lot of informative content, not like some books we've seen that are little more than fluff and pretty pictures between two covers. The book provides about 60 pages of various progress chart templates to get you started and progressing.

Negative: It's not really a "workout bible." Little attention is given to anything but pumping iron. Again, we're not talking long-haul health and fitness so much as building a beef-cake temple. It seems to be written with the assumption the reader has a fair amount of money and time to burn (some people do, most don't). It doesn't provide much help dealing with the real-world challenge of motivation beyond the first two weeks. We're afraid a lot of people will spend a bunch of money on equipment and then watch it collect dust after the first two weeks of euphoria passes. The misses quickly tired of the macho and sexist writing style. But it is from the people of MENS HEALTH magazine, after all! (She's right. They lay it on too thick for my taste as well). The attempts at humor could also be eliminated.

In summary, a useful book for a relatively narrow audience, or one to add to a fitness library for its compendium of resistence exercises.

Hope this feedback helps you in your buying decision!

Exquisite collection of exercises, risky exercise planning, March 19, 2005
Many exercises described in this book are unique in their efficacy of strengthening and their unfamiliarity to most fitness trainers in the western hemisphere. Examples of these exercises that make this book invaluable are:

1- Behind-the-knee deadlift (named as "hack squat").
2- Step-up with barbell on an elevated platform.
3- Overhead shoulder shrugging and overhead squat.
4- Jump squat, Good Morning. Power Clean, and Muscle Snatch.
5- Bulgarian split squat on a chair
6- One-legged squat without weights.
7- Exercising with household objects such as a galloon of water bottle and chairs.

Other positive features in the book are:

1- One of the authors demonstrates all the exercises in person, which proves his practical experience, with only few flaws such as rounded lower back during dumbbell-Clean and good morning bending. This guy carries the facial features of Al Gore, with his lack of smile and unwarranted seriousness.

2- The exercises are categorized in four major groups that simplify their applicability. These are exercises with own bodyweight, dumbbells' exercises, barbell exercises, and Plyometrics and stretches. Each group contains exercises that emphasize midsection, shoulders and back, arms, and legs.

3- The book text is simple and mostly accurate, except in few places such as the author's claim that wrist-wraps solve the wrist pain during front-squat. This is bogus. Also, the muscle anatomy chapter is accurate and simple, showing only the superficial muscles. It omits important muscles such as the Serratus anterior, coracobrachialis, Rhomboideus, and lavatory scapulae. The Serratus muscle in particular is very important to know in bodybuilding since it is often paralyzed with lifting heavy dumbbells without warming up through pinching of the long thoracic nerve.

The major drawbacks of the book are:

1- The exercise-sequence is flawed and could cause many physical injures. The author does not warn against indulging in extremely intense exercises without proper local warming up of the relevant muscles. Most of his plans start with abdominal exercises and end up with calve exercises. Abdominal stressing prior to lower back warming up could lead to spinal disc herniation. Also, you do not need to exercise your abdominal muscles in redundancy. If you run for example, then your abdominal muscles are already worked out and there is no need to double the work unless you have specific explanation.

2- Many exercises are improperly thrown in a sequence that does not sound practical or efficient. The shoulder Press for example is assigned to separate exercise from the Clean, while both should be combined in a single compound exercise.

3- Although the aggregation of the exercises is versatile and thoughtful, the author fails to prioritize them according to the frequency of their application. The Clean, Squat, and Shoulder Press, for example should be practiced on daily basis, while the side lunges are for individual needs and only should be inserted when the collateral ligaments of the knees need be stressed.

4- The high level of the author's fitness and occupation with exercise diversity may work against him. He could expose himself and others to injuries by such expansive scope of exercises. School students should not repeat such mistake of distractive exercising, but rather learn how to choose exercises with high yield and complex performance.

5- All exercises are described at the "Start" and "Finish" phases without any hints on the relevant anatomical function. For example, the author does not warn against caving in the chest while squatting, pressing the barbell off-vertical while performing overhead pressing, or tightening the lower back during lifting from the floor.

Changed my life!, August 5, 2004
I had gained 40 pounds in the last 3 years and decided I needed to make changes and start a fitness program; however, being a busy professional, I always had excuses for not going to the gym. Plus, I was a newbie at weight training and was plain inefficient. That's why I got this book; I had no idea how great it would be for me.

I have been using this book and a pair of 10 pounds dumbbells for the last six months 2-3 times a week and have lost 30 pounds, my waist went from a 39 to a 34, and I obviously gained muscles, especially at the chest and the shoulders. This book includes a lot of well described exercises (with good photos), for beginners and beyond, and with about any equipment you might have (actually for the first month, I had no dumbbells and used cans and softener bottles!). The variety of exercises also allows you to progress at your rhythm without getting bored.

I now intend to get some additional equipment and start building my home gym, and this book provides great advices on the subject.

If you want to start a fitness program and have no time to go to the gym, don't hesitate to get this book.

The Best Home Workout Book Available, September 20, 2003
It's about time someone came up with a book that caters to the person who wants to get in shape and build muscle in the comfort of their home. The author explains there's no difference if you workout at a gym or at home, if you put in the effort, you'll get results. In the first part of the book, the muscles of the upper bodyand lower body are explained to youin easy to understand language and often quite humorous. Then, they explain the free weight equipment,dumbells, barbells, plates, benches, squatracks, powerracks, etc. Basically, what you have to spend and your fitness goals will determine which equipment you purchase. I don't agree with their opinion when they say buy an olympic 300 weight set. A regular non olympic set will do just as well. In my workout patio, I have a bench with leg curl-extension, incline, dip attachment, butterfly,preacher, and cable attachment. Also, a combination chin-bar and dip station and 2 barbells, 2 pairsof adjustable dumbells, an easy curl bar, hooks for the dumbells, aswissball, and over 400 lbs of weightplates. This book has excellent pictures of the exercises for the various bodyparts. Everything is easy to understand and tell's it like it is. There are sample routines for the beginner as well as the advanced trainers out there. The author also recommends using the sample workout logs in the book that you can photocopy.Working out at home has many advantages, no waiting, no egos, workout whenever you want, etc. Ifyou workout home, this is the bok for you.

Do you like to DO IT... yourself?, November 10, 2005
This book is as comprehensive as a home-training book can be.

Various workout plans are provided, ranging from those using only household items (for those of us with no weight-training equipment) all the way through to a plan incorporating a sophisticated home gym setup.

There is some solid information and spelled-out instruction on how to do each excercise properly (with plenty of illustrations and photographs). The book is written with reliable information in mind, but also keeps a light sense of humor about the issue of home-training, making for an entertaining and worthwhile read.

This is definitely a book you can glean some very useful pointers from, whether or not you choose to follow any of the training plans provided. Another well put-together book from the editors of Men's Health magazine. If you're looking to begin training at home, I recommend this book over any other you will find.

A great guide to training at home, May 3, 2003
This is a very useful book to buy if you are looking to set up a home gym. Anyone from a beginner to a serious trainer could get something from this, just depends on how you want to spend your money and what equipment you can afford. The exercises are all well illustrated and whether you are using dumbells, barbells, or a multi-gym, there's workouts devised with all combinations.

I like the fact that it's been kept simple, yet the information is top class. You won't find much different advice even if you go to dedicated weight training sources. My programme is based primarily on dumbells and a bench, although on advice of this book I have added a chinning bar and will look to add a barbell as well later. Results are pretty good so far, and I feel I've got a really good starting platform with this book. Even using the fairly basic equipment I've got, I've seen a big improvement in general shape, muscle development and the energy boost that comes with it is a big plus.

Dedicated muscleheads may find it a bit basic but if you are looking to set up a home gym, which is what this book is about, then you really don't need to look anywhere else. I'll probably supplement this with Strength Training Anatomy and I reckon that should be pretty much all I'll need to get into a more than acceptable shape.

This is a decent book, but a little annoying, December 19, 2004
I enjoyed this book for excerising ideas, but was pretty annoyed at the fact that this book has variations on excersizes without really discussing how each variation will affect your work out. Does it work a different muscle group? Who knows. I am glad I bought it, but I am definately on the market for another book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Good advice with explanations, June 28, 2010
I am really enjoying this book; it has lots of good common sense advice in an accessible format.

This book is more than a bunch of exercises. In fact, if that is what you want, you can find better books out there. For me, this book supplements exercise books I already have (not to mention tons of exercise information available to anyone online).

It covers a lot of general health related topics for men over 40 including diet, nutrition, stress, health checks, etc. It is well-written, concise, and easy to read. I like how the author provides information from studies to support many of the suggestions (granted, this is not a textbook nor a peer-reviewed scientific publication, so don't expect anything real well-documented. It would be easy enough to follow up on anything that didn't seem right).

I was skeptical and picked up my copy at the library, but I think I will purchase a copy to keep.

Bottom line: working out and eating the same way I did in my 20s no longer works for me. I am tired of trying to do my old freeweight workouts only to get injuries and still have a gut. Things change as you get older, and the sooner you realize what those changes are, the sooner you can move forward.

All the angles covered, and easier to do than I thought, April 8, 2010
Very detailed coverage of all aspects of men's health, and exercises that the over 40 man can do without too much pain!! Who would of thought of adding recipes, but it helps tremendously. Plus the helpful facts on food, portion sizes, etc. really makes following this plan very do-able, and fun!

OK, not great, May 18, 2010
This book is the normal exercise diet book, nothing unusual. A couple of things that could be better - there are decent recipes, but a grocery list would have been nice so I wouldn't have to write things down and see how much of what I needed by doing calculations of combining ingredients. Also, the exercises are adequate, but some I will not do in a gym setting or I would look pretty silly (jumping on benches, jumping in place, etc.) All in all, the Belly Off diet had better diet plans and recipes, and a grocery list, and the Abs Diet has better exercises for busy people (circuits).

The best, May 30, 2010
This has something like 900 exercises that you can do at home alone with no equipment, with equipment, at a gym, with a ball, free weights, etc. etc. etc. This is the best. Only complaint is that it could give a better description of exactly what each exercise does, but it is definitely worth the money. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Have you ever watched as another man effortlessly picks up a woman? Maybe a woman you'd give your left arm to go out with?

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Editorial Review

Reviews

this book is changing my life, October 18, 2007
I'm 54 years old and have been lifting since I was 18. I've read countless weightlifting (mainly bodybuilding) books starting with Arnold's stuff in the 70's. I'm a physician. I've been exposed to very little of the material here, but as I understand it, much of it is used currently for athletic training such as football. This thing is packed with great material and I've been working at mastering some of the ideas for several months. The olympic lifts and compound (multiple sets together) exercises are just fantastic. I'm no longer interested in bodybuilding but being strong and healthy and not wasting a lot of time, and this program seems to have it all. Buy this book, I think it will change your life. Be careful with the weight you use, very careful; unless you are well conditioned already you can easily hurt yourself. I've never written one of these reviews before but this time I'm compelled.

Training with a program! Finally, October 25, 2007
I got this book from the library first but now it's on my Christmas list. This book is well worth the price!

I'm sick of getting workout books that just show you a lot of the same old exercises and don't really give you a program or instruction on how to use the workouts. I believe that is why so many people are gravitating toward workout programs like crossfit, because they actually tell you what to do. I believe the problem with crossfit is that you are constantly working out but there is really no gauge on how much progress you are making or no real goals to accomplish. This book is a very structured book with lots of really creative and difficult exercises, some of which I've never seen before. You may have to work your way up to some of the most difficult exercises.
My first experience going through the full body workout 3 days per week I came closer to puking than I ever had before! It took me about 30mins to calm down after that workout enough to keep my food down. It's a well rounded program that the author has designed so you can tailor it to your own schedule very easily (which is about the only easy thing about this workout).
Another thing I really like about this program is the emphasis on unilateral workouts. I tore my ACL a year ago, and had surgery about 10 months ago, and have had a hard time working out and not favoring my good leg. All the unilateral workouts really keep my body balanced and has really been good for my surgical knee as it recovers.
I can't talk about long term results yet because the book just came out but so far I've been really impressed.

sound practical advice..highly recommended, December 29, 2007
i really enjoy this book. in particular, the selection and variety of exercises is great. although beginners are encouraged to try, i would say it's best-suited toward people already in above-average shape or people at least 1-2 months into a regular workout program. many of the exercises suggested require a lot of proper technical form, balance, and maximal power, all of which could lead to serious injury without careful supervision or at least a foundational level of fitness. also many of the exercises require comfortable usage of your own body weight. this kind of training requires commitment; done properly, it is not easy.

the philosophy of the author's training is practical & efficient. most books neglect these areas and just offer workout recipes, which to me seems like a by-product of what the author despises: isolation.

my criticisms are small (& not necessarily within the author's control)
- the described total-body, hypertrophy, and strength phases do not seem all that different from each other. (maybe that's just how it is)
- i'd prefer if the more technical exercises were explained & shown in greater detail
- having access to olympic-style lifting equipment can be difficult. it's pretty hard to find gyms that carry the type of barbells & weights you can safely drop on the floor from an elevated height. (you can use regular barbells, just be more careful & quiet)
- i don't really like the nutrition section. it offers basic advice that neither targets losing body fat or adding muscle; just does a little of each. diet & rest are just as important as a workout plan in getting real results. since this is men's health, "the abs diet" is a much better guide to proper eating.

this book is not directed towards losing body fat, though that may happen coincidentally. it's for building practical & balanced strength, muscle, and coordination. ultimately, this kind of training will help keep you safe and functionally strong. i wish there were more books like this and i think it's sad more people don't train like this.

P.S. make sure you use really stable cross-training or tennis shoes with this workout. do not use running shoes.

A plan that works., February 6, 2008
Here is a book that destroys the illusions surrounding weight lifting and strength training. Many of us sit in the gym wasting massive amounts of time on isolation exercises and judging our strength by bench press alone. This book focuses on total body fitness, compound exercises, balance from front to back, top to bottom. It emphasizes developing a powerful core and pure athleticism. I have placed my faith in this book and followed its prescribed workout since I received the book. The result is that I feel stronger, faster, bigger, and healthier. I feel like an athlete. I have also found that following the book's suggested rest times between sets serves two purposes for these workouts: First, it allows the workout to be completed in far less time than I was previously spending in the gym, yet I am accomplishing twice as much. Second, I have found this mode of fast-paced lifting to be as effective as most cardio sessions. My main goal has been reducing my body fat percentage in a healthy manner. So once I finally adapted to the challenge of the workout's pace, I did as Coach Dos suggested and added 15 minutes of interval cardio to the tail end of as many sessions as possible. This has proved extremely effective in blasting away abdominal fat. Of course a proper diet is necessary to optimize fitness improvements. And although this book contains a chapter on basic nutritional guidelines, which are extremely helpful, I must recommend looking at the Abs Diet books for more detailed nutrition plans. These books are also Men's Health sponsored and very helpful. There are plenty of glowing reviews here that are very helpful for this book, but I truly feel that the importance of the work being done by Coach Dos outlined here in his book is extremely valuable to men AND women everywhere. Here is a plan for life-changing self-improvement, and it will work. Read carefully, work hard, and enjoy.

A book you should not be without!, April 21, 2008
There are three books in my workout library which I consider indispensable: Beyond Bodybuilding by Pavel Tsatsouline, Ultimate Flexibility by Sang H. Kim, and this book, Men's Health Power Training by Coach Dos. This book is outstanding in every way: explanations of power movements and why you should do them, illustrations, and examples of workouts for Hypertrophy, strength, and general fitness, as well as workouts you can create on your own. I've been using the principals in this book for 4 months now and have seen remarkable gains in strenth, size, and fat loss. I can't recommend this book highly enough!

Reach Your Goals In No Time!!, November 30, 2009
I am a bodybuilder and a personal trainer. After reading Power Training, I can honestly say I have finally found the bible of physical fitness. There are numerous scientific studies (and not just "bro science") that suggest compound, freeweight / bodyweight exercises are far superior and a heck more beneficial than your typical "beach muscle" isolation routine - i.e. dumbell curls, side laterals, etc... There are lots of evidence that clearly prove squats and deadlifts are "kings" of exercise. Yet, everytime I walk into a gym anywhere in the US, I see nothing but the curl crowd. This culture stems from the fact that juiced-up, roid freaks have dominated (and in many ways controlled) the information highway in the fitness industry. What I mean by this is that every time you read Flex, Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, or Musce Media 2000, you will see two things: A) The favorite routine of today's Mr. Olympia, or some other popular bodybuilding star who's basically a walking pharmacy; and, B) advertisements for supplements. Don't be fooled! Fitness magazines are run by the same supplement companies on the ads. And the routines you read on these rags will only work on roid users.

I have read countless books on the subject, written by popular, well-respected authors such as Rippetoe, Kilgore, Poliquin, Roberts, Starr, etc... I know that squats, deadlifts, and Olympic-style lifts are the most efficient and effective exercises. The problem I've always had, as a trainer, is that because of all the information out there, I always seem to struggle how to put the best routine for myself and for my clients - UNTIL AFTER I'VE READ THIS BOOK!

This book is all you need to reach your goals. This is by far the most comprehensive book on the subject. This book is based on solid science and not some IFBB vodoo crap trying to sell you worthless supplements. My only warning is that if you are a newbie novice lifter, you should consider buying Starting Strength by Rippetoe. It's available in both book and DVD format. The reason I say this is because you want to make sure you master the basic lifts - squats (50 pages long in Starting Strength), deadlifts, presses and power cleans. You could get hurt big time if you lift incorrectly. And if you are an intermediate or advanced lifter, you will benefit alot from Coach Dos' book.

The basic workflow that the book outlines is basically as follows: Explosive, Knee Dominant, Hip Dominant, Vertical Push / Pull, Horizontal Push / Pull, Rotational, and Bridge. The lifter is also advised to follow a bilateral / unilateral pattern. For example, you might do pull ups one day, and then one-arm pull down the next session. Simple, yet EFFECTIVE. The book also show tons of exercises I've never seen before.

Lastly, the nutrition section of the book. It works. Plain and simple. How do I know? Because I was morbidly obese over two years ago at over 33% bodyfat and over 42-inch waistline (I am 10% BF at 185 lbs, 5'8" tall, as of this review). And at 38 years of age, I can squat 275 lbs below parallel and deadlift 275 lbs, both for reps. The "pillars" are the same philosophy that I've been personally following and preaching to my clients with great success. Not gonna go into detail cuz space is limited. Would I recommend this book if you want to lose fat? Absolutely! What if you want to gain muscle? Yes, absolutely. Losing fat or gaining muscle is mostly about caloric intake. In fact, this program is great for fat loss because it will preserve your muscle (read "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" by Tom Venuto.)

In conclusion, you can do countless concentration curls, leg extensions, or dumbell flyes. I will guarantee that, using the knowledge I've learned from Coach Dos, my newbie skinny-a$$ (or morbidly obese) clients will surpass you in strength, size and athleticism in no time. It's sad how bodybuilding magazines have really brainwashed the masses. So don't be a stereo-typical meathead and buy this book. You will not be sorry!

THANKS, COACH!

PS. Do you know Coach Dos's designation CSCS? It stands for Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. It is by far the toughest certification a trainer can take. It is the Gold Standard in the sports training industry. Coach Dos really knows his stuff.

Not For the Novice Lifter!!!!, July 6, 2008
I read a lot of reviews on Amazon and thought I would give this book a try. Let me start my saying that that this program DOES work if you stick to it. Having worked as an Athletic Trainer at Division I college for over 10 years I have seen this type of program implemented to college athletes with great success. The problem I have with this program is a lot of these lifts are VERY COMPLEX!!!! If you have very little lifting experience and you attempt a single-leg good morning or a single-leg romanian deadlift you may very well injure yourself. A lot of these movements are taught to college athletes by a certified strength coach (which dos Remedios is) Athletes are closely supervised by this coach to make sure they are performing the movements correctly (as to avoid injuring themselves). Once these movements have been done correctly by the athlete they are given a little more freedom to exercise on their own. I think this program has great benefits for the experienced lifter who is looking to change his program up. And while Dos Remedios never says its a beginner book he also never states its for the advanced lifter.....which in my opinion it is. If you are a beginner or an overweight person looking to get started I would avoid this book. A couple of suggestions I have to make the book more beginner friendly.

1) Have a video showing proper form for some of the complex exercises
2) Classify exercises in the book as beginner, intermediate, advanced etc....

Coach Dos has really impressed me., April 17, 2008
I have purchased many books relating to strength training, including a few published under the "Men's Health" name, as this one is. This book is easily the finest out of the bunch. Other reviewers have compared it to the "Choose Your Own Adventure" children's book series and, to a certain extent, the basic premise is the same: Coach Dos gives you the tools and then lets you formulate your own workout. While 12 weeks worth of workouts are provided based on three different program designs (Total Fitness, Hypertrophy, and Strength Gain) the primary focus of this book is on allowing you to adapt the workouts to your own tastes and goals. You don't like doing power cleans? No problem - Coach Dos provides you with a dozen alternatives that will hit the same muscles. Bench presses hurt your wrists? Again, no problem - you can choose from several alternatives. Let's say you only have time to hit the weight room twice a week instead of three or four times. This book includes a template for you as well. It also includes extensive sections on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and less extensive sections on nutrition and the like.

The above alone would only make the book "good" as opposed to "great." I became aware of the final factor roughly a month after I started the plan. Like any book, "Power Training" raises a few questions that are left unanswered. "Men's Health" has set up a subforum devoted to "Power Training" on its online discussion forums. I had a question about rest days that wasn't explained in the book to my satisfaction and asked around on the subforum, hoping another user could point me in the right direction. Within a few hours I had an answer from Coach Dos himself. My follow-up question was answered the following day. I have seen fitness authors answer readers' questions in the past, generally in the form of a general update on Amazon. This is the first time I have actually had an author personally walk me through an answer, in his free time, several months after the book had been published. Most authors could be expected (not unreasonably) to move on relatively soon after publication. Not this one.

If you're looking to shake up your lifting routine or are merely curious about power lifting, this book is worth every penny. Between the solid information included between the covers and the willingness of the author to provide individualized follow-ups, you really can't go wrong with "Power Training."

Great Book!!, November 22, 2007
I have read all kinds of health and "get strong" books, but this one is by far the best and most practical. This book is not about doing the same old bench press and dumbell curls so you look good at the beach. The workouts in this book are about making you a better athlete on and off the field, while looking good at the beach is just the byproduct. Thanks for writing this book Coach Dos!!

Don't be afraid if you're starting from zero, June 16, 2009
I have been using this book for a half a year and have seen amazing results. I'm 35, and I started with no experience whatsoever. I could not do a pushup, a pullup, a dip, or anything. I could only bench press 75 pounds. Since then, I can now bench full sets at 145, deadlift 235, do 40 chinups from a full hang to touching my thumbs to my shoulders (good form-- most people do half chinups cause they're easier and they're more interested in the number they do!). The improvements list goes on. My bodyfat's gone from 28% to 14%, I've got lots of muscle to show for it, and the improvements still seem to be accelerating.

This book is excellent for the intermediate and advanced level lifters. But also, I feel that this book can be appropriate for a beginner if he or she follows a few guidelines:
First, be serious and read all the supporting material, twice, before starting. All the admonishments and caveats are there.
Second, Start off with a friend or partner who has also read the book. Help each other with form, and a spot is always nice when the weight starts to get heavy.
Third, do this at a gym with the proper racks, particularly for the leg exercises.
And fourth, when things get a little more balance-intensive, start off with light weights and learn the movements. With proper form, the exercises that require a little more balance will be successful in just a week in every case I've tried.

Buy this book if you intend to make health and fitness your new hobby. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

How to Shock a Meat Eater, February 1, 2010
My daughter read the Skinny Bitch Diet by the same authors and began to change her eating habits and behavior. Within a week of her reading the book, I ordered Skinny Bastard and read it with much interest and skepticism. Now my whole family is primarily Vegan and loving the results. I wish I could justify my prior faith in our government and the food supplies that are offered by farmers, distributors and grocers. Restaurants are no better. I can no longer trust that the normal food supply is healthy and not killing us! Great read with vital information.

Eat Simply and Reclaim Your Energy, March 3, 2010
Why I Read this Book: Health is a constant area of study for me. These women have done the research and have a simple lifestyle that works. I've experienced it.

Review:

I know what you're thinking..."What on earth is Reading For Your Success doing posting a review on a book with a title like this?" How could that possibly be related to true health or success? Well, as my mom taught me early on not to judge a book by it's cover, it took me a couple years but I finally got past this one. And I'm glad I did. The books written by Rory and Kim have turned out to be incredible wealths of information. Useful, empowering tools that can dramatically change the way you feel and look-as they have for me. Not to mention they're about as entertaining as a nutrition book (or any book) can be.

After some deliberation, I decided to post the review. I wrote this based on having just read Skinny Bastard but it fits just as well for this book's testy older sister, Skinny Bitch, too. They're equals, just one for the ladies in your life and one for the guys. The message is the same (which I'll get to in a minute). After reading them, I believe the Skinny books are one of the most useful and easy to digest books on health that I've seen. In Defense of Food takes the cake but these gals are a relatively close second.

They obviously chose these titles to ruffle some feathers-and you know what they say, it takes something out of the ordinary to really break a pattern. This book will likely disturb you, maybe even disgust you, but in an informative good way. It's a very in your face way of saying something pretty simple-eat your fruits and veggies and stay away from just about everything else. That's the skinny.

This approach to eating first hopped on my radar at a Tony Robbins Unleash The Power Within event. He spent one full 12-hour day dedicated to energy, health and vitality. After 30 years of research he found that the diet most consistent with high energy, low disease and longevity is one that involves nothing but whole grains, fruits and a lot of veggies, especially the leafy green type. After two more years of self study and a few personal experiments on my body, I must say the data is pretty compelling. And this is coming from a guy who didn't use to be able to have a meal without some form of meat on my plate. I will spare you all the details for now but there is plenty of science behind this stuff both in the 1,000+ sources these girls cite and the books listed below.

"But what about getting enough protein??"

This is the first thing 99.9% of people ask in response to someone who labels themselves as a vegetarian or a vegan (which I am neither). If I had a nickle for every time I heard that, I'd be laying on a hammok in Tahiti somewhere. This was my major limiting belief before switching to mostly plants and I believe it is the biggest roadblock to sustainable eating for most folks. Guys especially are convinced that they need a ton of protein to get through life and especially if they want to pack on a bunch of muscle.

I couldn't have agreed more. I was as skeptical as they come. So what did I do? I decided to test it. One of my goals last year was to put on a few pounds of muscle-5 to be exact. So I picked a pretty rigorous program, P90X. I did the full program-13 weeks straight (I highly recommend it by the way-perfect workout for at home too). But I decide that I wouldn't eat any meat and next to no dairy during the program just to see what was possible.

I set out to gain 5 pounds of muscle, and at the end of week 13 I had put on 9.8! I was sold. Society has brainwashed us on this whole protein myth. Try it for yourself if you don't believe it. And don't worry, even if you stop your protein shakes and 20 oz of white chicken breast a day, you will still get your fair share of protein from all the things no one pays attention to-legumes, veggies and fruit. What are you afraid of anyway-suffering from protein deficiency? Have you ever even heard of that problem in our country?

If you're stuggling with what "your plate after meat" will look like, take advantage of the dozens of delicious recipes in this book. You'll never know the animal is even missing.

And if my little anecdote wasn't enough, you would not believe the list of vegan olympians, pro athletes (including NFL players) and body builders that these girls list. There must be a full page. There is comfort in numbers-especially big, fit and strong ones.

Here are the main things to keep in mind:

1. Keep your food sources simple: Think about where most food and meat really comes from. It is scary if you ask yourself too many questions. If you can pull it from the ground, it's not too hard to figure out where it came from. The graphic descriptions of the sources of some of our foods and meats will make your stomach churn.

2. Trust no one: We spend our lives reliant on others for health advice-doctors, commecials, FDA, food industry. Every one of these either has a huge conflict of interest or has little to no nutritional training. The only one to trust is yourself. Do your own research and know exactly what you're putting in your body and where it come from. You'll find whatever program you choose much easier to stick to if you understand what's behind it.

3. Alkalinity=Health and Energy: The pH level in your body has a great deal to do with your health and energy levels. Your body thrives in an alkaline environment. Most fruits and veggies (especially leafy greens) are incredibly alkaline. Dairy and meats are very acidic. According to the studies, in an acid environment your cells retain fat to protect themselves from the acidity. Diseases and viruses also thrive in acidic environments. Why do you think most cancer patients are told to adopt a vegan diet?

4. Sugar is the devil: This shouldn't be much of a surprise. The stuff jacks your body up like crazy and leads to a ton of health problems, not the least of which is major weight gain. Avoid added sugar (especially high-fructose corn syrup) whenever possible, and stick to the natural stuff like stevia, molasses, honey or agave nectar when you need a fix.

5. Don't drown yourself in protein: I think this was covered plenty above. Ask yourself why you believe you need so much protein. Who taught you this? Have you ever tested whether or not it's true?

6. Moderation in moderation: This is my favorite. While these girls are hard asses about what to put into your body, they spend plenty of time letting you know that everything in moderation is crucial. Including moderation. Don't beat yourself up if you don't follow everything perfectly-no matter what you're tackling, life's just not that fun when you totally stick to the rules. When in doubt, just adopt Pareto's famous 80/20 rule. Do what you know is right for your body 80% of the time and the other 20% just go with the flow. Before you know it you'll be so accustomed to and enjoying that 80% lifestyle, that it will become the norm and flow of the rest of it.

So what do you say you take the time to explore your body a bit? It's our most magnificent and powerful tool. When nourished properly it can be unstoppable. Test some things out and let me know what you learn. And of course, moderate your moderation.

What have you learned while exploring a mostly-plant diet? What surprised you? How did you feel? Share a fun story (or recipe) with us.

~Reading for Your Success

Other books and articles you might enjoy:

In Defense of Food
Eating Our Way to Death, Literally
The pH Miracle for Weight Loss
Skinny Bitch
The China Study
Food Rules
Your Bodies Many Cries for Water
The Omnivore's Dilemma

This book changed my life!, July 14, 2009
I used to eat meat with every meal. I thought I was eating healthy and I worked out regularly but kept gaining weight. I picked up this book by chance while stuck in an airport 6 weeks ago and haven't eaten meat since. I now eat as much as I want (but choose the right kind of whole food plant based things to eat) and I continue to lose weight, 10 pounds so far. I also read one of the sources the authors of this book rely on (The China Study) to confirm that what they were saying was true. That is a book about the most comprehensive nutritional study ever done and is also an excellent read. Bottom line: you can substantially reduce your chances of cancer, heat disease, etc. merely by cutting meat, dairy, and eggs out of your diet. It is much easier than it sounds. There are many tasty substitutes for the things you cut out. Also, this book is very entertaining (lot of swear words) and a very quick read.

My wife, who was originally upset when I told her of my decision, is now a vegetarian too after reading my copy of this book. The weight loss for me is an added bonus.

Get this book. Change your life. Live longer. Be healthy. You won't regret it.

Entertaining intro to veganism, February 3, 2010
As someone new to reading about the benefits of a vegan diet, I thought it was educational and quite funny. I think the authors go a little overboard in their anti meat rants and I don't think the analysis of sperm odor is amusing. But I have been eating a better diet after reading the book and I find myself eating more raw fruits and vegetables and less dairy and meat and I have lost 25 lbs over the last several months. I don't attribure all of my healthier lifestyle to the autthors but they deserve credit for teaching an old dog some new information.

Get rid of that gut once for all!, April 27, 2009

I live these girls! They don't try to be nice when criticizing your bad habits. As they say, eating well is not some "girlie" thing and they will whip your bu tt into shape with their straight talk using their locker room language. Yes, the locker room language. You have to be a man enough to take it and do something about it. I find the language hilarious, but you need to be forewarned if you don't like too blunt expressions. On the other hand why would you expect anything else after reading the title of the book?

The book gives readers a tough-love guide on how to become healthier and skinnier. Things like:
-- stop shoving sweets into your mouth all day long; sugar is for candy as ses.
-- get up off your behind and exercise
-- stop drinking coffee each morning. If you cannot wake up without it then you are addicted to it, and "generally unhealthy sl ob"
-- you are what you eat
-- the government doesn't give a sh...t about what you eat.
-- don't be a pu..sy and use your big head!

The authors promote vegetarian lifestyle and although I am not a total vegetarian myself, I fully support that idea.

This is definitely a very helpful, eye-opening read. I really enjoyed the book and found it more valuable than I expected. I would recommend it to all adult readers - not only men. For more great reading about losing weight in a healthy way read "Can We L ive 150". Especially Chapter 3 of that book titled "Obesity your worst enemy" is not to be missed. It is all you need to look good and feel great about yourself.

A very mixed bag, March 8, 2010
This book is a very mixed bag with a lot of good information about the advantages of the vegan lifestyle and the evils of modern animal farms, but unfortunately it's marred by a lack of scientific rigor and some obvious misstatements of fact that just common sense will tell you have to be false. For example, the authors state that in the 50's the average dairy cow gave 2000 pounds of milk a year. Then they claim that today a typical dairy cow gives 50,000 pounds, for a 25-fold increase in the amount of milk, due to hormone treatments.

Just a simple calculation will show you that this is almost 1000 pounds of milk a week, from a cow that weighs at most about 1400 pounds. I quickly found a short web article on dairy cattle with stats on the five main breeds, and most of the breeds have cows that weigh considerably less than that, such as the Holsteins and the Jerseys which are only about 1100 pounds, which means a cow would have to produce almost its own weight in milk a week. This is obviously absurd and another quick search of the web showed what a more accurate figure would be, which is about 350 pounds, so this claim is off by 300%.

Unfortunately, when you encounter statements that are this far off you begin to wonder how accurate the whole book is. And when you're calling those you don't like various epithets (for example, they call the FDA a bunch of you know what morons) you'd better have your basic arithmetic and facts straight lest someone call you the same yourself. This book needed to be rewritten and then edited by a more objective third party or parties. As it is, it will be mainly well received by those already converted to their views. It's unlikely to convince anyone with the ability to read even a bit critically, which is too bad, because I sympathize overall with the book's basic message.

And despite the title, the book doesn't have very detailed information on how actually to lose weight (except to just go on a vegan diet, which, if you're already obese and eat beef every day, will probably work); but if you need more than such basic advice this book won't provide that. I note the author's degree is in holistic health, which is fine, but then nutrition is unlikely to be their strong suit since nutrition is a specialized area that you would be better served by looking at the many other excellent nutrition books and not here.

The Truth May Not be Welcome, But It's Still the Truth, July 26, 2009
I read Skinny Bitch near the end of 2007 and have been a vegetarian (non- meat eater) ever since. Now that I have read more than half of Skinny Bastard, I'm ready to ditch dairy products, eggs, and fish. These women do not mince words when it comes to their condemnation of the meat and dairy industries in America, and knowing the truth about how animals are treated cruelly and consumers are lied to makes me embarrassed to reside in what most of its residents call "the greatest nation on earth." We are a laughingstock in the eyes of Europeans and other industrialized nations, who do NOT permit the use of bovine growth hormones in their dairy products and for the most part reject American-raised meat. It's time to wake up and to stop supporting animal cruelty, false nutritional claims, environmental degradation, and "food" that is downright detrimental to human health, all in the name of making billions of dollars. The more you know and realize about "factory farms" and "fish farms," the more you will want to reject a way of feeding ourselves that does nothing but pick our pockets and increase our liklihood of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, kidney ailments, premature aging, and a host of other consequences. Don't give this book a low rating just because you can't imagine giving up your favorite fast foods and non-nutritious junk. A whole world of wholesome, satisfying, energizing, and slenderizing foods and beverages are out there waiting to take the place of what is making you fat and sick. The USDA, the EPA, and the FDA are not operating in your best interests, but are staffed by far too many corrupt people who can be bought for a price. Educate yourself and refuse to support a national disgrace.

life changing book, January 30, 2010
First, my daughter sent me the book "Skinny Bitch", and as a result I changed my vegetarian diet to a vegan diet; then I purchased the "Skinny Bastard" book and sent it to my son who tells me that he has changed his diet from a meat & animal product diet to a vegan diet.
The book is easy reading, interesting and informative. The language is a little coarse at times, but perhaps that kind of language will wake some readers from their apathy toward changing to a healthier diet. I recommend this book highly for those persons who need a little boost toward changing their lives for the better. You won't be disappointed in this book.

I liked it, March 23, 2010
I really enjoyed listening to the audio and it is straight forward and to the point. Only problem was the description says it's compatible for an MP3 format and I've been unable to download it apparently it has some type of protection. I wanted to be able to listen to it while working out or walking but have not been able to copy it to MP3.

This is not a FAD DIET, it is the TRUTH, June 29, 2009
THIS IS NOT A FAD DIET BOOK, IT IS A WAY OF LIFE.

In a short and simple term, being Vegan is the best way of life. I am not a Vegan myself, but I am on my way to it. I have successfully, over the last year, eliminated dairy from my life... and meat is next. Sure, this book can be rude towards men, but Skinny Bitch did the same thing to women. The big difference between the two books is that Skinny Bastard covers some more helpful information specific to men, like prostate or testicular issues.

The best thing about this book is that it sites the many different books and websites they use as information in the book. And they give you just enough information to open your eyes about what the meat and dairy industries are up to. So look them up yourself if you think the girls are "inflating" the truth or just outright lying.

AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, THIS IS NOT A FAD DIET BOOK. IT IS A WAY OF LIFE. It is informal and direct and worth the time. ... Read more

Editorial Review

It's not a new idea that men tend to express their angerdifferently than women do. Years of research have shown that men-formany different and complex reasons-are often more violent and lesswilling to confront and deal with their emotions than women.NowBeyond Anger shows the angry-and miserable-man how to changehis life and relationships for the better.

Dr. Thomas J. Harbin helps men understand their anger by explainingwhat the specific symptoms of chronic anger are and by showing angrymen how their actions negatively affect family, friends andco-workers. He offers simple exercises-developed especially formen-that will help men to control their violent feelings, identifywhen and why they get angry, and to form new habits to prevent angerbefore it starts. Women, too, will learn essential strategies forunderstanding and helping the angry men in their lives.

Beyond Anger is: * Honest. Thomas J. Harbin has had to come to terms with hisown anger problems, so he understands exactly what angry men are goingthrough.
* Tough. The book doesn't let anyone off the hook. It demandsthat angry men learn to take charge, stop making excuses, and gettheir anger under control.
* Real. The book includes the stories of angry men who havelearned to recognize their problems and use the book's techniquessuccessfully.

Free of fancy doctor talk and complicated theories, BeyondAnger talks to men in everyday language and provides a wealth ofimportant resources. It is an invaluable guide for the many menstruggling to come to terms with their inner battles and to takepositive action, and for everyone who has an angry man in their life. ... Read more

Reviews

If You Have An Ager Problem..., August 7, 2003
I never thought I had a real anger problem. Sure, I got mad, yelled, etc. on occasion. Who hasn't? Imagine my surprise that after waiting and planning for three years, my wife told me she was too afraid of my temper to start a family with me. That's when I decided I needed to try and change. I took the test at the beginning of the book and found that I was bordering on being an angry man. So many of the things he pointed out suddenly became very clear. After reading the book, I realized how much anger had hurt my wife, often without me knowing. I have never physically hurt her but my words did as much damage. It has been four months since I have read the book and I have not yelled or lost my temper, even once. I do not credit this book for all of this nor would I say it could work so well for everyone, but it really pointed me in the right direction. If you have been told you have an anger problem or if you think you might, I would highly recommend this book.

The best book, the worst book.........., January 1, 2003
This was the worst book in that it made me take a long, hard look at myself. I did not like what I saw.
It was the best book because the author gives you tips and techniques to manage your anger and, more importantly, why you feel anger all the time.
Sadly, for me, it took the loss of a seven year relationship to wake me up.
I highly recommend this book, don't wait till it is too late...

Enjoy your life more..., April 19, 2002
If you are considering buying this book, if you think you may have an anger problem then I highly recommend this book.
1. Understanding why I am angry was worth the cost alone.
2. Recognizing habits I have and things I do that are part of my anger was worth the time spent reading.
3. Finding ways to deal with my anger was worth buying and reading this book 100 times.

The book was helpful and intelligent and easy to read. I was thrilled to understand better what has been happening in my head and I am happier having read it.

Remember, angy men are not just the violent abusive men. My anger has never had a violent aspect but it has been a problem in other ways. This book was great and helped me immensely.

Thought Provoking Long Overdue, & Wonderful!, February 16, 2003
Since recognizing and admitting I had an anger issue and having been on a journey of anger control since 1997 and having read numerous books since that time,
Harbin has an uncanny grasp of portraying how we got there, how we live, and what it is going to take to get out of the rut. He ought too, he is one of us.
Since receiving his book I have read it twice within 3 weeks and will now implement some of his exercises. It is like he was walking behind me through my life taking
notes leaving nothing to the imagination. You can tell he would have liked to told you more had his editor allowed him.
Beyond Anger has become my Anger Bible. I take it everywhere. When anger emotions and other issues come up.....I dig its pages for answers. Some pages are
obviously more crinkled than others for obvious reasons.
In closing, when I learned that I had an anger issue and became accountable for it, I was ashamed and at times I would not admit it, hence I battled with correcting it.
It was a terrible vacuum to fill for several months. Today I'm thankful and continue to pray that I have admitted it and am doing something about it and have friends
supporting me in my journey. For I had a loving brother I miss dearly that died at 39 from anger related stress leaving two children and a wife. We were of the same
mold. Our life was bankrupt before we got started. Anger raped our family!
My gift to you is this testimonial. If you are an angry person and searching for answers read this book. It is #1! You will be as pleasantly shocked as I was. Courage
is Fear that has said its prayers. Good Luck!

My Anger: A Weapon and A Wall, June 30, 2000
I have waited for a book like this for a very, very, long time. Like the author, I also searched the bookshelves and I too only found the Dance of Anger - a book for women. I was upset that it was addressed to women only. Why couldn't she handle men's issues as well? So I waited. Unknown to me at the time, Mr.Harbin, the author was preparing his manuscript on this book. Like many men, I too am not willing to admit I have a problem that I could not handle on my own. For the most other problems, I dealt with successfully. But the problem of anger always had a way of surfacing and defeating me. I approached this book with the attitude that I didn't have such a 'bad' problem with anger. I said to myself that if it doesn't apply to me the worst I did for myself was waste $15.00 and four or five hours of reading time. And this was a very small price to pay for a risk. Maybe it was denial that was keeping me from reading this book. After reading the book I found it was denial. Is denial keeping you from reading this book? I was also afraid of losing a powerful asset- my anger power. After reading this book, I found a great and more effective power then anger. For me anger was "A WEAPON AND A WALL" which hurt innocent people and kept loving people away.

A great tool to reduce personal destruction, August 17, 2000
Too many men have lived their lives with the false notion that their anger is just part of life, and that nothing can or should be done to reduce it. If you are one of these men you should read this book. It will change your life for the better. Thomas Harbin has done a fine job of revealing the causes and the cures for destructive anger. I recommend this book.

Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D., author of "Stress Management for Over-Achievers" docwifford@msn.com

An excellent insight into personal behavior, December 27, 2000
This book is a fantastic resource for anyone who has ever wished their angry episodes didn't control their life. There are many insights into not just what you are doing wrong, but how you get there. This book provides helpful suggestions on how to recognize the things that force an angry man to action, as well as how to prevent these anger occurrances. I was so astonished by the accurate portrayals of my own attitude, that at times it made me uneasy. Reading this book will definitely make a difference in an angry man's life. :)

A helpful guide to effective anger control and management., April 10, 2000
Harbin honestly presents steps to improve an angry man's ability to control his temper and become less angry. The book effectively pulls no punches by forcing an individual to take an honest look at how he behaves towards others and realize how he is perceived by others. The book was crucial in my understanding of how my anger behaviors hurt my family and it allowed me the courage to become a happier person.

An eye opening look at myself, July 26, 2002
During my now second split with my wife of almost 13 years I have found myself looking at all the things about myself that I didn't really like. I have always known that I really didn't like myself mainly due to how mad and frustrated I could get over trivial items. To my amazement I have finally realized through much thought provoking reading that I am angry. I found so many examples of things about my life in this book. It helped me to open up my eyes to how much of a hold anger has had on me all my life. This book is definitely something all those overbearing fathers and husbands need to read. It is a great read for those sons that were made to feel inferior by angry fathers.
It is what I would call eye opening.
Take a chance and read this book.

Thought Provoking, Long Overdue & Wonderful!, February 16, 2003
Since recognizing and admitting I had an anger issue and having been on a journey of anger control since 1997 and having read numerous books since that time, Harbin has an uncanny grasp of portraying how we got there, how we live, and what it is going to take to get out of the rut. He ought too, he is one of us.
Since receiving his book I have read it twice within 3 weeks and will now implement some of his exercises. It is like he was walking behind me through my life taking notes leaving nothing to the imagination. You can tell he would have liked to told you more had his editor allowed him.
Beyond Anger has become my Anger Bible. I take it everywhere. When anger emotions and other issues come up.....I dig its pages for answers. Some pages are obviously more crinkled than others for obvious reasons.
In closing, when I learned that I had an anger issue and became accountable for it, I was ashamed and at times I would not admit it, hence I battled with correcting it. It was a terrible vacuum to fill for several months. Today I'm thankful and continue to pray that I have admitted it and am doing something about it and have friends supporting me in my journey. For I had a loving brother I miss dearly that died at 39 from anger related stress leaving two children and a wife. We were of the same mold. Our life was bankrupt before we got started. Anger has raped our family!
My gift to you is this testimonial. If you are an angry person and searching for answers read this book. It is #1! You will be as pleasantly shocked as I was. Courage is Fear that has said its prayers. Good Luck! ... Read more

Editorial Review

If a man's biceps get stronger and harder with exercise, why can't his penis? The answer: It can. Despite popular belief, more than 1.3 million men have already learned the truth: The penis, like other muscles, is shapeable through exercises. For the first time ever, this book shows how you can:

��� Increase your penis size. (In a survey of nearly 1000 men who exercised their penis for three or more months, the average size increase was 1 inch in length and 0.5 inches in girth-a volumetric increase of fifty percent.)

��� Yield harder, stronger, and longer-lasting erections. (In one study, penis exercises improved erection strength just as much as erection drugs.)

��� Overcome premature ejaculation and have multiple orgasms. (A strong pelvic region built through penis exercising gives men control of their ejaculations.)

��� Endure dozens of other benefits. (A healthier penis and penile vascular system can increase libido, create stronger orgasms, and more.) ... Read more

Reviews

Best Of Its Kind, February 6, 2008
If you are interested in this subject, Aaron Kemmer's book, "Exercising The Penis" will guide you, saving you much the time, expense and frustration that you might otherwise expend researching the various methods. The book explains why it is scientifically possible to enlarge the penis and, more importantly, the techniques to enlarge-both girth and length- the penis in a safe manner. Not only are the techniques safe as demonstrated, but they will actually lead to a healthier penis (that is to say, a penis that has more stamina, if you know what I mean ;)

This is no dry, removed academic tome. Aaron has tried the different techniques on himself, interviewed legions of people, bought the products himself, compared and contrasted the different methods suggested by others. He's done all the hard work, taken the Ockham Razor out and cut out the superfluous and presented us with the best techniques for penis enlargement (PE) there are. In addition to easy-to-follow text, he has included a large number of photos to illustrate the various technques. What's more, he even includes a link to his website where one can view on-line videos of the techniques...without having to pay additionally.

It's obvious to me that he's clocked many hours on this pursuit. I have been involved in the PE community for over a year now and have made gains but found myself at an impasse as to how to advance. As I previously described, the amount of information is enormous and confusing. Luckily, I happened upon Aaron's book which brought clarity to the subject. Now I am back on path!

Both the beginning and intermediate PEer will benefit from reading this book. I must add that you needn't buy any expensive gadgets to follow the routines that the book demonstrates.

What are the reasons you want a larger penis? That is for you decide. The author neither proslytizes, nor exploits men's fears. However, if you do decide that you are serious and willing to put in the effort (as the book explains, it doesn't happen overnight) then this book is your best source. I endorse it without qualification.

THE book to read about penis enlargement, May 7, 2008
A few weeks back, I purchased Exercising the Penis. And I'm glad I did. I've been interested in penis enlargement for a few years now. Did the exercises, quit, then began again. But Aaron Kemmer's superb book helped me to get a regular routine going to make the maximum gains I can achieve. Exercising the Penis has every thing you need to know about penis enlargement...what exercises you should do. The frequency of your workouts. Information about penis enlargement devices, which ones to use. Any...and I mean any...questions you may have about penis enlargement is in Exercising the Penis. What I like about Exercising the Penis is that penis health is stressed first and foremost...and for guys new at penis enlargement, that is extremely important. Plus, there are success stories at the end of the book. Anything you need to know about penis enlargement, harder, longer lasting erections, stopping premature ejaculations and having multiple orgasms...it's in Exercising the Penis. This book is a must have for penis enlargement. Period.

I can't thank you enough!, March 28, 2008
To everyone who doubts the power of penile exercising, all I can say is DON'T! I've used penis enlargement exercises for a little more than half a year. The results are as real as the light of day!

My measurements started out at an erect legth of 4.25" and erect girth of 4.5".

Now I'm at 6.25" erect length and 5.5" erect girth (at the largest point).

The best part? The regular-sized condoms used to be too loose on my penis! Now I have to wear Magnums - they fit snug and don't slip off! I love it! "PE" has increased my confidence 1,000%! I don't plan on stopping ever. It's fun and increases my erection strength.

A surprise, April 17, 2008
I bought this together with Rules of the Game when I broke up with my girlfriend last month. Both books were five stars. I was looking to improve myself in a few key areas after being out of the "game" for more than for years.

I have to be honest, I was very surprised with this book. After doing the exercises for nearly a month, I'm even more surprised that this stuff isn't well known. I've already gained .5" in length and a little bit in girth and started experiencing stronger erections.

Kemmer suggested some good plausible reasons in the book of why "penile exercise" isn't mainstream yet, such as no one has cared to do any studies (there was one study done with fairly good results back in the 70s, but the lead scientist didn't attempt to repeat the results). He also mentions that a lot of guys go overboard because they don't know what they're doing. In turn, they don't see results and they get temporary weak erections and spout to the world that this stuff doesn't work.

Either way, I'm not sure why the stuff is under wraps, but I do know that is has worked for me thus far. I don't think it will be kept hidden much longer.

Great Exercises, April 12, 2008
I've done PE for several years, and haven't seen a lot of results. As it turns out I was doing way too much, too intense, too fast, without enough rest, and without warming up. This book gives you a daily routine, and sets it up in a way that you can really follow and stick to it. It's great.

THE BEST SEX EVER!, May 31, 2009
My suggestion is to get this book. Follow it to the letter and make it your bible. Here's an example of why:

Just today, I had the BEST sex I have ever had. My girlfriend said she has never orgasmed so many times in her life - at least 8 times. We had sex for over two hour. She could barely even walk. I laugh for thinking that's great, but it's a huge confidence booster.

I am absolutely positive that I owe this sex to penile exercising. She has been commenting lately that my penis felt longer and thicker as I was hitting her spots more. But that's not the best part . . . Exercising my penis has given me such an amazing amount of staying power. After I come the first time, my penis doesn't fall asleep like it use to. I keep on going and going like the energizer bunny. . . and going.

The book we've been waiting for!, February 12, 2008
"This is not your average book," says Kemmer on page 1 of "Exercising The Penis." I couldn't agree more with his statement.

Whether you are a beginner that has just found out about natural penis enlargement or an experienced penis enlargement veteran like myself, you are sure to enjoy and learn something from "Exercising The Penis."

Most articles or reports on penis enlargement are often very dry and contain dubious, questionable content. "Exercising The Penis" provides a completely unique standpoint by combining inspirational messages and proven concepts based on trial and error with entertaining, informative dialog that makes it an easy read.

That's not to say you'll fly through the book in one night either. With over 200 pages of tips, exercises, and unmatched knowledge, you'll have plenty of information to improve your current routines and methods or learn new ones.

With "Exercising The Penis," the reader will be educated through jargon-free detailed explanations that cover all of the important parts of a well laid out enlargement strategy.

The book starts with the most common penis-related myths. Then it takes you through all the essentials of "penile exercising"--from the three most important principles, to the fundamental exercises, to over 50 different exercises and routines made for both beginning and advanced users and much more. The book also covers many common issues that any man doing penis enlargement will be sure to encounter -- from injuries and discoloration to plateaus and whether or not to use devices.

Even with my experience in penis enlargement-related matters, I was able to learn quite a few things from Kemmer's book.

If you're looking for penis enlargement information that's useful and backed by research, get "Exercising The Penis". I highly recommend it!

Essential to Confidence Building, June 26, 2010
Natural enlargement is a subject I've studied off/on for years now. Only recently though have books been published that are available to the masses from credible sources on the subject. Gone are the days of tacky late-night infomercials with porn stars removed from typical reality and gone are the days of wack-job surgeries and torturous devices that are far more risk than reward. We live in the Information Age and the Internet has been the most critical tool to unleashing the ability to increase the size of your tool. This book is essential to any man who feels he has something to gain in the confidence department. Let's face it, not only is this the information age but it's also the age of social media. Everyone talks. Especially women. Women want guys who feel in tune with themselves but it's no secret that many a relationship has ended prematurely from lack of sexual connection. Guys who tend to be less-equipped for these situations also tend to waver in/out of unhealthy relationships for years and constantly feel a need to seek out one who nurtures and controls the relationship when the guy generally should be in control or at least things should be a 50-50 split. I have never met a guy who felt that relationships should be the lady calling the shots who in turn was not happy with himself. A happy guy, a confident guy, is one who will have healthy relationships and one who will enjoy a more enriching love life in general.

In this book you will find a wealth of information, numerous photographs and other evidence that these techniques really do work. It may seem like some sort of tricky witchery but I assure you this is not the case. A simple Google search will prove that there are several extremely creditable online communities for spreading the knowledge of this vital subject matter and where there are countless testimonials to the fact this stuff works, pure and simple. But it takes time and dedication and there is no shortcut. Read this book and you will understand that. Join one of the communities and get involved in the discussions that are changing the lives of less fortunate (by birth) men forever!

Setting the Record Straight, February 27, 2009
Okay, I want to say that I generally don't write too many reviews unless I'm truly passionate about something ... But I wanted to help "set the record straight" regarding some of the crazy (not to mention ignorant) comments on here.

First, let me state that the book does not recommend anything crazy, such as spraying cologne on your penis (not sure if that one reviewer even read the book). There are 20,000+ men doing these exercises on the book's forum (which I actively participate in) ... and even more in other places, and most of us put penis health first.

Second, and probably the most important to men thinking about getting this book, is that these exercises work. In about four months I went from 5.5 inches to 6.5 inches in length, added girth, and now have the hardest erections of my life. And like I said before, I'm not the only one. I'm not unique here.

Third, I can say few books have changed my life like this one has. There is much to learn from this book. I've read it 3 times, pick it up constantly for a good tidbit, have highlighted all throughout it, and have tabs to keep it organized.

The bottom line: This book is most likely one of the best ones I've ever read! Recommended hands-down.

Real Review From a Real User, September 9, 2010
I was definitely a skeptic of this book, especially because of the price. I'm half Asian so I drew short straw (Haha get it) and have tried all the gimmicks. I've tried various types of pills (Enzyte and Magna Rx to be exact) and they were truly a waste of cash. This book makes up for all of that mis-spent money.

The author provides a great deal of scientific method to this and is quite adept to pointing out safety first and warning about all of the specific injuries that you can obtain if you don't follow his program as he instructs.

If you use this book the way the author instructs than you will see results in no time. I think I first started noticing results within two weeks. The author raises valid points such as the penis is a muscle, only a different kind of muscle. Being a muscle, though, you can work it out to make it bigger and have more endurance.

Withing one month my results were that I grew in length and girth (I didn't take measurements though), my erections were firmer and more frequent (I didn't have a problem with this before but now it's just crazy), and my endurance had improved. I obtained these results because I used the program the way the author suggests and I put myself on a "workout" schedule which consisted of 3-4 workouts per week for about a half hour each time. I say a half hour because you have to allot time for warming up and then the exercises.

I can not give feedback for use longer than a month only because my schedule has been extremely hectic and, much like my actual workouts, I have not had time to do the "workouts". I'm hoping to get back on track real soon though.

I tried the pills for years and saw no results. I used this workout for a month and I saw significant results! And yes, I am a real reviewer; and no, I am not contracted through the author or publishing company to help with sales. Buy this book, you won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Editorial Review

"Dr. Morgentaler, an internationally recognized expert in sexual medicine and male hormones, shares his secrets for a healthy life."
--Irwin Goldstein, M.D., Director of Sexual Medicine, Alvarado Hospital, San Diego, and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Sexual Medicine

"A highly valuable resource. Finally debunks many of the myths about testosterone's safety, which has been an impediment to its appropriate usage for far too long."
--David E. Greenberg, M.D., President, Canadian Society for the Study of the Aging Male

From a Harvard doctor and a leading expert on testosterone--the groundbreaking book that shows you how to raise your testosterone levels--and live your life to the fullest

Better sex. Increased vitality. More muscle. Improved health. Greater mental agility. These are just a few of the life-enhancing benefits that men with low levels of testosterone can experience when they increase their testosterone level. If you've noticed a decrease in your sex drive; experienced erectile dysfunction; or felt tired, depressed, and unmotivated, this authoritative, up-to-date guide from an expert at Harvard Medical School will help you determine if you have low testosterone--a surprisingly common but frequently undiagnosed condition among middle-aged men. Learn how to:

• Recognize the symptoms of low testosterone
• Diagnose the problem with simple tests
• Find the treatment that's right for you
• Explore options your doctor might not know about
• Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity

Reviews

Excellent, Plain Spoken Review on Testosterone Therapy, February 12, 2009
I think "Testosterone for Life" is the best book on this subject for laypeople seeking diagnosis and treatment. Clearly written and plain spoken, it's easy to overlook the fact that Dr. Morgenthaler is in fact a clinical professor involved in research as well as a practicing Urologist.

"Testosterone For Life" will give you succinct treatment advice and guidance that will help you get on the most optimal path of hormome therapy if you suffer from testosterone deficiency. If you only read one book on this subject - this is the one.

I've suffered from testosterone deficiency for four years, and have been through a variety of Physicians and treatments. Through trial and error, I was underdiagnosed and undertreated for the first two years of treatment. My current Physician's treatment plans and ongoing test assessments completely coincides with Dr. Morgenthaler recommendations. I feel pretty good now.

It took me two years to figure out how to understand my lab assessments, treatment plan options and how to discuss them with my Physician. You can figure it out in one day if you get this book!

What's important about this book for those seeking treatment, is the chapter on the measurement and assessment of testosterone levels. To summarize, many Physicians measure, diagnose and treat testosterone deficiency on the sole basis of one's "Total Testosterone" level. In practice, the measure of "Freely Available Testosterone" is also important in establishing an effective treatment plan and level of medication. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

The rest of the book is excellent as well. As mentioned by other reviewers, the chapters discussing hormone therapy and prostate cancer are thoughtful and present hormone therapy in a new light. Very interesting reading.

A past reference work for me was "The Testosterone Syndrome" by Eugene Shippen, MD. While still a fine book on this subject, it has not been updated in many years.

A better perspective on testosterone., November 30, 2008
Dr. Morgentaler will ease any fears you have about supplementing with testosterone under a doctor's care. He explodes the myth that testosterone causes prostate cancer and suggests that it might actually be low testosterone that causes prostate cancer. There are a few people who should not supplement with testosterone but then I'd have to recreate the entire book to tell you who they are. Rather than having me recreate the entire book I'd suggest you read it yourself. It's an easy read (not too technical for the layman)and very informative.

Useful - But omits key areas completely, January 22, 2010
Testosterone for Life is indeed useful as other reviewers have pointed out, but the author simply omits key areas such as testosterone - estrogen balance and how that effects testosterone treatment strategies. Shippen in his book, The Testosterone Solution, describes how a man's estrogen levels can effect his free testosterone levels and how some types of testosterone delivery systems can cause more conversion of testosterone to estrogen than others. More estrogen is not what you want.

If you check out Shippen's book or just do searches on the internet you will see how much discussion there is of the testosterone - estrogen balance and conversion issue. Does Morgentaler disagree with Shippen? Does he think estrogen does not matter? If so, why not say so and explain his position? That would be useful to me. As it is, there is a conversation in books, in articles, in blogs and in men's health forums indicating this is an important area to consider when deciding on testosterone strategies. The author simply ignores this conversation giving no input, acting as if it did not exist. This failure to discuss all the issues does not serve the reader well and it was a disappointment to me.

Absolutely Great Book, January 18, 2009
As a prostate cancer survivor, I have read more than my share of books, medical journals, research reports, etc. but this book was the most enlightening. The author did an excellent job explaining everything in terms that we laymen can understand. This is the most up to date information on what has been a very misunderstood, and much maligned treatment option that could benefit a lot of men.

It is indeed gratifying to find that there are still some physicians out there that have the courage to tell others that the "emperor has no clothes" so to speak. Especially when what he has to say is the opposite of what all too many urologists have been led to believe.

Many men have symptoms of low testosterone, but are seldom if ever properly diagnosed, much less treated for it. If you suspect you may be one of them, this book will tell you all you need to know about this topic.

Morgentaler does it again!!!, December 11, 2008
I've read Dr, Morgentaler's previous two books (The Male Body and The Viagra Myth)and enjoyed them both. So I had pretty high standards for his third, Testosterone For Life. I was not disappointed. Dr. Morgentaler's writing style is clear and unpretentious and his mastery of the subject matter is awesome. The book was not too technical and was really easy to read. I would highly recommend this book to all men. It helps take the fear out of aging and replaces anxiety and confusion with facts and examples that readers will be able to relate to and act on. Great stuff, doc.

Thorough and user-friendly, January 25, 2009
As a physician specializing in bioidentical hormones for women and men, I'm grateful that "Testosterone for Life" is now in print. Dr. Morgentaler does an exceptional job at creating a book the average man can use to learn about the important functions testosterone performs, symptoms of deficiency, and options for supplementation. I've been educating patients, physicians, and pharmacists for years about bioidentical testosterone and this book will be a great "nuts and bolts" primer for the lay person and healthcare professional.

A Must Read for Men and Women Over 50, even over 40, January 24, 2009

Not just for men. Though low testosterone directly affects men more often than it affects women - and this book is directed primarily at men who suffer or who think they may suffer from low testosterone - the women in men's lives also benefit from reading this book.


Young men (men under 40, especially men 30 and under), rarely have problems with low testosterone.

However, by the time a man reaches 40, some men will have low total testosterone or low bioavailable testosterone.

Between 40 and 49, nearly 10 percent of men will have low total testosterone or low bioavailable testosterone.

Between age 50 and 59, nearly 30 percent of men low total testosterone or low bioavailable testosterone.

Between ages 60 to 69, that percentage increases to more than 40 percent.

The percentage increases even more over the age of 70.


Low testosterone (Low T) can lead to both physical and sexual effects. Low T can contribute to prostate difficulties, increased risk of prostate cancer, Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which is a risk factor for heart disease, heart attacks and stroke); the weakening of bone and muscle mass in men, increased adipose (fat) tissue in men.

Men who are significantly overweight and who have fatty 'male breasts' often suffer from a lack of testosterone, as the increased weight caused some of their testosterone to the hormone estradiol, which causes an increase in breast size.


Men with Low T often have less interest in sex, even if they love their partner, and find their partner attractive. The author cites one patient whom his friends said was lucky because he had such an attractive wife, yet this patient did not want to do anything sexual with her, or with anyone.


Men with Low T are also likely to have difficulty with getting or maintaining an erection, which treatment with Viagra does not seem to cure. Men with Low T are likely to have difficulty reaching orgasm, sometimes known in the medical profession as 'retarded ejaculation.'


In Boston, we would call that "retahded ejaculation."

This, of course, is a huge issue with men - and with the women or woman in a man's life.

Medical conditions or medications can also contribute to sexual difficulties, most notably overweight, diabetes or taking the anti-depressants that are SSRIs - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - which includes many common anti-depressants.

The upside of this is that diagnosis and treatment for Low T is easily available, and it can restore confidence, happiness, and health for a man's life, and their partner.

Males have testosterone from the time they are in the womb, as testosterone imprints itself upon the brain of a male fetus, which accounts for the failed experiments of the 1970s when parents would refuse to give guns to young boys, thinking that the absence of guns would make a boy less likely to behave wild or boyish. Parents were often amazed that boys would pick up sticks or branches and then use them as guns or swords.

Men over the age of 40 who think they might have Low T should talk with their physician, because diagnosis is easily confirmed with some simple blood tests. Treatment is not difficult, either.

Worst is when a person ruminates over possibilities but does not take action.

Of course, not every sexual or marital difficulty is due to Low T or ED. Relationship difficulties can contribute, but if a man has no sexual interest - or low sexual interest in his partner - and little or no sexual interest, generally, Low T could be the cause, according to Morgentaler.

Men who have been successfully treated for Low T reported back to Morgentaler that they could not believe how often they now thought of sex and how much improved their life was, and that the men's wives 'complained that they were chasing after them like a teenager.'

Morgentaler distinguishes between the 'desire for sex' and the 'hunger for sex,' noting that one patient said that he wished to have sex with his wife, whom he very much loved - but that he did not have 'this primal hunger for sex', and clenched his fist.

Early on, it was believed that low desire was primarily a neurological function, and doctors would sometimes pinch the penis to determine the level of sensation in the penis. Doctors often discovered, as Morgentaler did, that their patients jumped across the room, howling in pain.


The chapters include:

Chapter 1: Recognizing the Symptoms

Chapter 2: Testosterone and Your Health: Understanding Testosterone
Chapter 3: Could You Have Low Testosterone?

Chapter 4: What You Should Know About Being Evaluated for Low Testosterone

Chapter 5: Benefits of Testosterone Therapy

Chapter 6: Treatments for Low Testosterone Levels

Chapter 7: Testosterone and Prostate Cancer

Chapter 8: Risks, Side Effects, and Medical Monitoring

Chapter 9: Treating Men Who Have a History of Prostate Cancer

Chapter 10: The Future of Testosterone


A must read.

The new top choice book for "regular guys", February 4, 2009
Hands down, this is the new top choice as a practical guide for testosterone for "regular men," not those looking to get pumped up. "The Testosterone Syndrome" used to fill that bill and is still informative, but this is the new top of the pile, being current (10 years newer), comprehensive, and readable.

Having also read this Harvard doctor's scientific publications (no, I'm not a friend of the author), it's clear he knows what he's talking about and is up on the new data that refutes old myths. Covers the newest FDA-approved form, steady-release pellets, along with gels. The Q&A sections are particularly helpful and true to life.

For more comparison of testosterone books, see my "Listmania" guide "Men's hormones for healthy aging, not bodybuilding or vanity." But as of February 2009, this is an obvious first choice.

For the love of life, July 9, 2009
Written by an expert in testosterone therapy, Testosterone for Life covers all aspects of testosterone & testosterone supplementation in a witty and accessible style. Drawing on 30 years' research, the author discusses the role of this hormone in the body, symptoms of its deficiency, safe supplementation and its benefits, plus the latest scientific breakthroughs. He uses anecdotes from his practice backed by established data and the latest research. The chapters conclude with case studies of men who have benefited by supplementation and a question & answer section. The book confirms Dr William Regelson's claims for testosterone in his groundbreaking book The Superhormone Promise but is more extensive and up to date.

The symptoms of deficiency include libidinal dysfunction in many men over 40 years, erectile dysfunction, loss of energy, lethargy, fatigue, low mood or clinical depression, muscle loss and fat gain. Low testosterone also increases the risk of osteoporosis and resultant fractures. Boosting testosterone levels may lead to improved overall health, increased vitality, sharper mental agility and an increase in lean muscle mass whilst reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Various ways of supplementation like the patch, gel, injection & pellet, possible side effects & medical monitoring are examined in detail.

Morgentaler's research revealed that the historical fear of higher testosterone levels increasing the risk of prostate cancer is baseless, lacking scientific support. In fact the latest research results indicate just the opposite; that prostate cancer risk may be greater among men with low levels of the hormone. In the last chapter, the author investigates preliminary evidence which suggests that testosterone supplementation may profoundly improve quality of life by means of a wide array of general health benefits. Testosterone for Life is an informative read and valuable reference guide. The text is enhanced by illustrations.

Of course testosterone is not the only natural hormone of which supplementation brings about improved health. The body's production of all of them declines with age. The benefits of DHEA, part of which is converted into testosterone in the body, are discussed by Stephen Cherniske and Ray Sahelian who has also written informative books on melatonin and pregnenolone. Ronald Klatz & Robert Goldman have long investigated anti-aging and age reversal techniques; testosterone is amongst the substances examined in their latest work The Official Anti-Aging Revolution.

Testosterone for Life: Recharge Your Vitality, Sex Drive, Muscle Mass, and Overall Health, July 4, 2009
This book opened my eyes to why men deteriorate so rapidly in old age. There is no reason why men can't live into old age with a much higher quality of life. I would recommend that all men read this, be tested and follow through with treatment. Free testosterone is the key to health in older men, those over the age of 50. At 62 I am an avid bodybuilder but have been frustrated trying to eliminate belly fat and build lean muscle mass even with heavy exercise and proper nutrition supplemented with high levels of protein. I had my blood tested for testosterone and found that my free testosterone is 11.5 which is under the author's recommended level of 15 and others recommendation of 20-25 which is that level of a man in his twenties. You will get resistance from traditional doctors to treat this. Find a urologist that understands this problem and will treat it. I even had questions and emailed the author of the book on a Sunday afternoon. He responded within hours. This book is a MUST READ for all aging men who have the symptoms explained in the book and from what I have seen, most men 50 and over exhibit the physical symptoms and, no doubt, have the sexual symptoms, as well. The important thing to remember is that, although testosterone is an anabolic steriod, the purpose of the treatment is to bring men back to the levels of their youth. I call this "leveling the playing field". ... Read more

Editorial Review

Transform Yourself from "Passion Victim" to Passionista!

In the smash hit She Comes First, Ian Kerner singlehandedly waged battle against male sexual "ill-cliteracy," and women everywhere benefited from his "viva la vulva" philosophy of female pleasure. Now, in Passionista, it's time to learn all about what turns men on—and makes them stay on. In this point-by-point, "blow-by-blow" guide, Kerner makes giving as much fun as receiving as he covers every angle of male sexuality, unlocks the secrets of satisfaction, and offers knowledgeable answers to the questions every woman wonders about. His advice is the closest you'll ever come to waking up in a guy's skin and knowing what truly makes him sexually tick.

Written in the same witty, insightful, and utterly readable voice that has made She Comes First and Be Honest—You're Not That Into Him Either so popular, Passionista is the empowered woman's guide to enjoying sex to the fullest—and ensuring that he does the same.

Reviews

Your friendly neighborhood sex therapist, February 5, 2006
That's what the author calls himself and his voice is really honest and friendly. I loved this book because it was focused on the male mind and had some really new things to say about the male body. Just when you think you've known everything there is to know about the penis, Kerner gives you some really new things to think about. Most of all he makes you feel really confident and I've already put some of the techniques into action. I also emailed him with a question and he emailed me right back!!!! I guess he really is my friendly neighborhood sex therapist, even though I live in Portlan and he lives in New York.

A surprise, January 20, 2006
This wasn't what I was expecting, but turned out to be so much more intense and interesting. If what you're looking for is a bunch of tips there are plenty of other books that will give you that like Lou Paget and the other sexperts. This is really a look inside the male mind and how they approach sex and where their fantasies and fears come from and that great sex is more than knowing how to perform oral sex. It's easy to think from She Comes First that that's what this book is going to be about, but really it's just a small piece of a bigger idea. The book is a little dense in places, but it's also really friendly and I think it's unique to hear a guy talk so openly about what's really going inside a guy's head when it comes to sex.

Very feminist and psychological, January 10, 2006
I think of myself as a thinking woman, so the title hooked me. The book is definitely long on male psychology and issues affecting male desire and less focused on techniques. It's nothing like a magazine article. But there's so much great stuff in here, and the thing I love most is that the book is really feminist and inspiring. It's not just focused on giving pleasure, but also on receiving. I would have liked some more techniques personally, but after She Comes First and He Comes NExt, maybe we can look forward to We Come Together.

Good for Basics, April 11, 2007
I got "she comes first" for my husband 3 weeks before I bought this book. She comes first is one of the best book purchases ever. Based on that, I bought this book. It has some good info on the psychological side of a man's sexual needs, and a few tips and techniques for women. It was a little dry, and I felt the focus kept coming back to me, the woman. It is a very nonjudgmental book, and is very reassuring. It does not expect some amazing bedroom act, rather it shows you how your own emotional tendencies are found in him, and how to satisfy them. It is a simple book with simple techniques that are extremely effective. I WOULD RECCOMEND THIS BOOK, AND IT'S EVEN BETTER IF YOU GET "SHE COMES FIRST" WITH IT. My husband has turned into a different person since this book, and I am loving it.

Hot and insightful, January 14, 2006
Definitely lots of great ideas in here about how to please a guy without making you feel like have to do it hanging from the chandeliers. The first part reads super well and is really stimulating, and there are lots of techniques in part 2. But I'm definitely a reader who had a hard time visualizing some of the routines and I wish there were more precise illustrations. Some things are better not left to the imagination.

Quality Book, Clean, Informative, Humorous, January 9, 2007
I bought this book because other reviews stated that it was well written. I mainly bought it for fun (fairly clean) reading. However, it was incredibly insightful. I honestly didn't think I would learn anything, and thought this might be similar to an article featured in Cosmo Magazine, etc. Much to my surprise, I actually did learn a few things about men, and why they are, the way they are. (Or why their body reacts in certain ways.)

Overall, very insightful, clean, well written. If you want a good laugh, an interesting read, and are willing to put down your guard and learn a few things about men you never realized you didn't know, then this is the book for you !!

Kudos for He Comes Next, January 10, 2006
When I saw that this book would be Ian's next piece I was almost positive that it would be just as good as his first masterpiece, "She Comes First". Lo and behold, I was right.

The book follows the same format as its predecessor and offers up lots of valuable information and lots of facts of which I was amazed to discover. There's talk about techniques but it does not go over board and it's written about in a very tasteful manor unlike many other books focusing on the same topics.

After being moved by "She Comes First" this book is anything short of being a must read for any woman. There's so much both females and males are inherently expected to know concerning relationships and this book helps move through some of the most common issues and questions one might be faced with in today's complex society.

In short this book is an informative and insightful piece of literature that's sure to be helpful in more ways than one.

The Real Thing, April 20, 2008
As a woman known to walk the aisles of bookstores, amused by the endless self-help sex books, I found this book to be utterly refreshing. In my humble opinion, great sex is not found in the pages of the Kama Sutra, in a hundred different sexual positions or in the guidance of former porn stars. But this remarkable book somehow captures the essence of being spectacularly sexual, inherently erotic and madly in love with your partner. I hope that women stop to realize just how important sexuality is to men (and should be to them). If you want to start researching the subject, this book is where you should start. Ian's wife is a LUCKY woman.
- Samantha, 43

WOW! This is an Amazing Book!, May 12, 2007
I picked this book up on a whim and read it cover to cover without putting it down. The author truly "has a handle" on how to please a man. He is straightforward and provides easy to understand instruction. I would recommend this book to anyone. I was amazed at what I learned and just applying a few of the techniques in this book will maximize your and your partner's experience.

A great big O, July 1, 2007
I'd give this book a big O for outstanding. This book goes beyond just serving as a how-to on having great sex, but first and foremost provides a how-to on having a great relationship. (And, believe it or not, the two really are connected.) Continually entertaining, informative, and insightful from cover to cover, this book will likely suck (ok, puns are hard to avoid in writing this review) you in from the start and keep your attention throughout. As the author conveys throughout the book, the secret to having an exciting relationship in the bedroom is to first have an exciting one outside of it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Absolutely amazing! Could not be better!, August 27, 2008
I can't believe this book has such a low price. Fitness and nutrition is an area where you can easily spend a lot of money (coachs, nutritionist, gyms, special diets, equipment).

On the other side of the coin you can also spend a lot of money if you don't have a healthy lifestyle (doctors to treat diabetes, hypertension, heart disease).

Well, here is a guide that might very well save you tons of money and change your life for the better.

Just the first chapter of the book is worth its price, by far. In that chapter the author gives a general description of what an average guy would eat through out a complete day. As she describes this hypotetic guy's diet she explains what happens to your body at each stage, she explains all the mistakes we commonly make when eating.

In the second part of the first chapter she tells you what you could do instead during a complete day, she explains what you should eat, at what time, in what amounts and why.

Her explanation of the glygemic index and its relation to glucose levels opened a new world for me. I finally have come to understand why I was having terrible lows of energy during the day.

I believe those explanations would be enough to get you on the right track and start seeing results. With results I mean, more energy, less fat, better feeling in general.

She builds from there and each chapter is devoted to understanding what you need to do to achieve specific results. The last chapter is as good as the first one. It has a lot of tips on what you can do to improve your diet and how it can become part of the life of a very busy guy.

The advice in this book is thorough and most of the time she is on the right track. The only aspects I did't like was how she promoted milk, eggs, and soy. But I really don't blame her for that, since there is much controversy around dairy and soy.

There are books like The China Study that constitute a serious analysis of why certain very common foods are actually the cause for many of the health problems in the western world. So, basically when it comes to dairy and soy you should read both sides of the debate and make up your mind as what you think might be good for you.

Other than that, the book is just amazing, and I did't really mind much about her mention of dairy since she really doesn't talk too much about it.

It is clear to me that the author knows a lot about the scientific aspect of food, and some of her explanations go in that direction, still you don't feel it like a heavy read. So, I believe the tone of the book is perfect for an average guy who just wants to know what he should really eat, when, how, and in what amount.

The best book on nutrition I have seen so far!

I think if you read this one and The China Study, you will have almost all information needed to make a sound decision when thinking about your diet and your goals!

By the way there are tons of menus you can use. I really really liked that, because the books on nutrition I have seen have very poor menus or ideas to get you started.

I have to make something clear. I liked the China Study more for what it promotes than for what it forbides. According to the study you should eat tons of plants, fruits, vegetables. And even though the author of the China study promotes the elimination of animal protein from diet, he actually compromises and says if you want to eat animal protein, do it but still try to focus on eating a lot more vegetables. So, before anyone start a long debate here, I have to say I do eat dairy! Just that not in the amounts I used to! Which is by the way the advice given by the author of The Powerfood Nutrition Plan to lactose intolerant, to eat yougrth in small amounts.

Awesome book!!!, April 22, 2008
This book is flawless. I'm a personal trainer and it has been an invaluable resource in dealing with my clients' nutrition needs. Sometimes they need a little convincing when it comes to breaking some of their bad habits and this book explains it all in plain english, and the meal plans are fantastic.

Men's Health, March 23, 2007
A good book with very useful and mostly new information. It's a massive book and well worth the price. There are a variety of week-long meal plans. Something to reference again and again.

fitness, May 14, 2007
Great book. I wanted information to help me know what kinds of food I should eat. I enjoyed reading this book and the diet plans were very helpful. I wish that the book had more information that was applicable for women so that my wife and I could both benefit.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, December 6, 2008
I wish women would write books for women like this. Very direct, to the point, in an easy relaxed style with no unecessary "fluff". Just the facts - told how it is. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book. ... Read more