Showing posts with label Bodybuilding and Weight Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bodybuilding and Weight Training. Show all posts

5/02/2010

Review of Championship Bodybuilding: Chris Aceto's Instruction Book For Bodybuilding (Plastic Comb)

Aceto is a smart guy and honestly tries to bring some scientific analysis to bodybuilding. So much of what is published on the topic is hype or unproven. Some bodybuilders may quibble with the fact that Aceto only mentions "known" facts about bodybuilding, but his presentation is better. No hype about building an "awesome physique" or "massive arms" or "ripped this" or "shredded that"...it's more about progressive resistance, good form, solid nutrition, and a very good description of muscle physiology. His key points to bodybuilding may be "known", but Aceto makes the case that they are the way to stimulate muscle growth...and that's the beauty of the book: It's 'Tips to Muscle Growth' vs. 'Awesome Muscle-Blasting Routines of the Pros'. You choose. There are two "cons" about the book that brought it from a 5-Star rating to a 4-Star rating in my estimation: 1) Aceto--as in some of his other books--needs a copy editor. There are some typos and grammatical inconsistencies. Not enough to throw you, but they're there. 2) The book does suffer from a superficiality, of sorts. He states a fact or opinion, gives a reason or two, then moves on. There is no real in-depth, drilling-down except in certain Aceto-mastered areas (e.g., muscle physiology, nutrition, etc.). However, this is not a real show-stopper...the information contained is reliable, and the book is a very good adjunct to other books you may have on the subject.

Product Description
This is a comprehensive, easy to understand, guide for the man or woman who wants to build a great body or for the competition type bodybuilder.The author divides the training section into 3 parts; training for the novice or very beginner, training for the intermediate or more experiencedtrainee and training for the advanced bodybuilder. Within each training section, Aceto covers training schedules, repitition ranges for building muscle strength, size and endurance, set selection, and exercise prescription. Each exercise is described with a 3 dimensional drawing allowing the reader to grasp the range of motion that best fits each exercise. He also covers muscle physiology, the comparison between2b fibers and 2a muscle fibers and the importance of developing specific training methods to maximize your gains.The delicate issue of aerobics is also covered withexact guidelines for the pre-contest bodybuilder as well asthe trainee simply trying to lose some body fat. Specifically, Aceto calls aerobics, "One of the biggest myths in bodyfat control. Getting lean is about building your metabolic rate by building lean body mass and manipulating your nutrition plan. For most, aerobics is a way to short circuit progress, not enhance it." The nutrition section sets down exact formulas to find precise amounts of calories, carbs, protein and fat one needs to build up or lean down-whatever his or her goal. Thelatest supplement are also covered from creatine toglutamine and contest bodybuilders will appreciate the sodium and carbo loading techniques.Championship Bodybuilding is all about instruction. A thorough plan that will help you transform your physique!--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Championship Bodybuilding: Chris Aceto's Instruction Book For Bodybuilding (Plastic Comb)

4/06/2010

Review of Essential Arms: An Intense 6-Week Program (Paperback)

I have read a few body-building books and think this one, along with the other books in the same series (chest, legs, abs, etc), are the best to date.
One reason for this is the insistence upon good form. Like a lot of people, I have in the past gotten carried away with adding more weight and not paying attention to
form. This is still a temptation but the message on good form presented in this book is finally starting to stick. I especially was impressed by his argument for paying
attention to the negative part of the exercise.
Another STRONG point of the book is that it provides you with lots of routines. After finishing the books 6 week course,
you are supplied with an additional 4 or 5 good routines for future use. As the author states, it is important to change routines often, so that your muscles do not get too
used to a given exercise (and you dont get bored). However,
I am very lazy about putting together routines and tend to stick to one. Thanks to this book this is no longer a problem, because it does it for me; I now have complete
sets of routines that I can follow and am beginning to see important gains as a result.
The book also does a good job of covering the basics of good nutrition, rest and, for all of you gym rats who would ignore it,
aerobics (ever see those pudgy cro-magnon loking guys in the gym who claim their bloated tummies are muscle)!!!! He doesn't cover supplements though and that is
understandable given the controversy and hype surrounding so many of them.

Product Description
Want rock-hard biceps? Start doing squats!

Think we're kidding? Think again. In easy-to-follow, step-by-step format, best-selling fitness author Kurt Brungardt unveils some surprising new ways to build bulging, world-class arms. Brungardt draws on the latest in biophysical and nutritional research to present you with a 6-week plan that targets your arms while still giving you a challenging total-body workout. Whether you're a beginner or already halfway to Schwarzenegger-dom, Brungardt will have you popping veins in no time.

YOU'LL LEARN:

* How to schedule your meals and workouts
* The secret to really isolating your arms in exercises
* Routines that result in bigger muscles, not tired ones
* How to put your own male hormones to work for you
* A stretching program that will always keep you limber


Click Here to see more reviews about: Essential Arms: An Intense 6-Week Program (Paperback)