Amazon.com

At a time when we know so much about choosing safe, effective exercises, reissuing Cindy Crawford’s 1992 best-selling disaster, Shape Your Body, is inexcusable. Swimsuit-clad Cindy puts herself through flings and gyrations that show off her body but aren’t any good for anyone else’s. She presents one after another of the exercises that fitness professionals threw out of their routines two decades ago because they’re ineffective and risky to back and joints. Her alignment is awful; her control nonexistent. She rounds her back and flings her leg into high kicks. She does squats letting her knees go way past her toes. Even when the exercises are decently chosen and performed, she does them much too quickly, relying on momentum instead of muscle power, such as two-second bent-over rows. Trainer Radu, who designed and coached this workout, should be sentenced to an eternity of fast donkey kicks, leg swings, and trunk circles. This “toning” video wo (more…)

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From Publishers Weekly

You don’t have to be a gym rat to appreciate what certified personal trainer and Men’s Health cover model Avedon has to say in this sensible, easily customizable approach to nutrition and fitness. Unsurprisingly, Avedon’s technique boils down to eating a series of small meals throughout the day, emphasizing lean meats, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Some recipes, most notably protein shakes, call for protein powder and/or other nutrients requiring a special trip to the health food store, but most other ingredients are easily sourced. The most jarring adjustment for those following Avedon’s program will likely be the absence of salt and refined white sugar in virtually all of his 150-plus recipes: sweet dishes like Raspberry Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peach Cobbler use stevia or a similar sugar substitute. Once readers get past that hurdle they’ll find plenty of easy-to-prepare recipes that taste as good as they sound. Avedon has (more…)

AMERICA’S FAVORITE PROTEIN DRINK!When MUSCLE MILK was first introduced, CytoSport scientists attempted to emulate one of nature’s most anabolic, complete, and balanced foods: human mother’s milk. MUSCLE MILK broke the mold, creating a new category of protein supplements while setting a new standard for both taste and performance. As a result, muscle milk has become America’s favorite protein drink. But the science of human metabolism is never static; our understanding of its complexity is expanding everyday. Recently the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) published a report that updated America’s Nutritional goals. Cytosport scientists have evaluated the report and have updated MUSCLE MILK to keep pace with these new developments.No matter what you ultimate goal may be building muscle mass or sculpting a toned, muscular physique-controlling caloric intake and specific physical activity go hand-in-hand with managing your total weight. When it comes to defining (more…)

Amazon.com

At a time when we know so much about choosing safe, effective exercises, reissuing Cindy Crawford’s 1992 best-selling disaster, Shape Your Body, is inexcusable. Swimsuit-clad Cindy puts herself through flings and gyrations that show off her body but aren’t any good for anyone else’s. She presents one after another of the exercises that fitness professionals threw out of their routines two decades ago because they’re ineffective and risky to back and joints. Her alignment is awful; her control nonexistent. She rounds her back and flings her leg into high kicks. She does squats letting her knees go way past her toes. Even when the exercises are decently chosen and performed, she does them much too quickly, relying on momentum instead of muscle power, such as two-second bent-over rows. Trainer Radu, who designed and coached this workout, should be sentenced to an eternity of fast donkey kicks, leg swings, and trunk circles. This “toning” video wo (more…)

From Publishers Weekly

Fussell, who took up bodybuilding after attending Oxford, tells his story and examines the diets, drugs and dedication that drive the bodybuilding world. Enjoyable reading. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA– Teenage boys who a generation ago would have answered Charles Atlas ads will be attracted to this book about Fussell’s own immersion program in bodybuilding. He is an Oxford honors graduate in English language and literature and writes engagingly about what drew him into the subculture of gym life. He includes the reaction of his bewildered parents and describes the assortment of gym habitues who befriended him. This is no George Plimpton inside glimpse–the author lived the bodybuilding life full-time for four years, and he shares with his readers that life of mind-numbing exercises, fistfuls of vitamins, and steroid injections. This is destined to be a cult book that will survive (more…)

Amazon.com Review

You might think that the subtitle, “The World’s Most Authoritative Guide to Building Your Body,” is hyperbole, but The Book of Muscle from Men’s Health delivers as promised. Australian strength coach and former powerlifting champion Ian King and Men’s Health fitness director Lou Schuler cover everything you want to know about your muscles and what makes them grow, complete with dietary recommendations, exercises for every muscle group, and exercise routines. Each muscle group is illustrated and discussed, with 149 pages of clearly described, well-photographed exercises using a variety of equipment. A section on workout routines helps you put together your own program, from beginner to advanced. Schuler’s guy-talk style makes the book enjoyable to read, even on days when you have no intention of going to the gym. The artistic drawings of muscle groups, full-color photographs of beginning and ending positions of every exercise, and stunning clo (more…)