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After reading this book I decided to start back on the routines in the first book and will probably seek out some Ian king books. Not working muscles in isolation has been a concept supported by more than a few strength coaches in the now not so distant past but this book seems to dummy down the approach. Many Weeks of the same routine with only variation in reps along with uninspired writing and ideas.
Now I think it should be mentioned that Lou Schuler is not a strength coach but a fitness writer. If anything you would hope that Lou is doing enough research to figure out who's lifting ideas he should be writing about. I bought the "Mens Health Book of Muscles" lame title but exeptional book by Lou Schuler and Ian King.
I was dissapointed instead. Only good I think for building a base. He obviously put Ian King concepts and routines into some cohesive book form but did not formulate any of the ideas.
I decided to buy "The new rules of lifting" hoping that as a successor it would be the next step and an improved approach to the earlier book.
You don't need to evaluate your physique and hit the lower, outer quadrant of your bicep. The fact is most people don't need to train at that level. You probably just want to pack on some lean muscle, this book helps you get there. This is a great primer in getting back to basics when it comes to lifting. Like most recreational lifters I was educated by Arnold and his Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding.
Key poits:-Simplifies many total body workouts in just six basic exercises (and their variations) that strengthen the muscles that play an important role in your daly life,-Gives you the rules of fitness nobody told you and that might explain a lot precisely about your lack of fitness,-It's great for beginers, good for advanced,-Helps to balance fat burning and muscle building routines without stating any golden promise,-Explains in detail how to do the "Big Six" without hurting yourself, may be with too much detail but is better that way,-States some "facts" that simplify the thousands of diets, programs and routines you may find all over so you can decide for yourself,-It's one of those books whose routines work at home or at the gym,-Has some good nutritional advice,-Requires a little bit of physical condition to get started,-You better take your time to read it (it's not boring, I promise) and underline the important parts.
Training progression is glossed over, as are concepts like core/spinal stability. The mechanics of a good squat are almost entirely glossed over. Some basic critique of common programs is offered, but unsubstantiated, other than with the typical Testosterone/T-Nation/T-Muscle.com chest-thumping, but utterly impotent, propaganda. Proper technique should have been documented with better pictures, as long with caveats.
This is about what I would expect from a program-huckster like Cosgrove and an industry shill like Schuler. Schuler periodically says that something is "bad" for you because he read it in McGill's "Low Back Disorders," but a thorough discussion of how to stabilize the spine for a lifetime of healthy weight training should have been provided.The content of the book could probably be boiled down to just a few pages, were all the chat and jokes excised. The advice given is plausible, but should have been buttressed better than simply sprinkling in some cherry-picked study highlights. Two percent of the book is good, common-sense training advice; the other 98% is Schuler glossing over training science and issues with chat and jokes.The focus on basic lifts is good, but the treatment of technique is superficial.
Read "Starting Strength" and work with a competent personal trainer before taking up squatting. Indeed, this follows the standard T-Macho template closely.Overall, it's a quick, but BS-laden and very superficial read. The squat is documented with a few pictures of someone squatting to 90', and a sidebar says that you should squat lower than that due to joint instability at 90'. The same goes for deads and lunges.
Recommended. Other than a list of foods that are 'great', 'okay', or 'avoid' eating, there wasn't much guidance if you are trying to lose weight.Other than that, great book. Excellent book. The only part that I was a bit disappointed in was the sections on nutrition.
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