Rating: 
Summary: Excellent place to begin.
Review: As a college student who had never really taken a whole lot of interest in his body, I decided that I needed to start working out so that I could improve my health. My health course got me started, so I began to look for a "guidebook" that would be of assistance as I'm not really familiar with all of the aspects of weight training.Although I was a little skeptical when I first got this book, I began to read it and realized that there is a LOT of helpful information packed into it. The illustrations are all very tasteful and well done, if not a little overabundant. If you're looking for a place to start for your overall health, this is where to turn. If you want something more advanced, I'd recommend a book tailored more to exercise alone, as this book attempts and succeeds at being "a guy's manual to his own body."
Rating: 
Summary: Fantasic overall book on health.
Review: Great book!!!
Not only in woorkout, but in all areas( Mind, Body and Soul)in our lives. I like the way that it reminds us to take care of not just one aspect in our lives , but all aspects when it comes to male health.
Rating: 
Summary: Average fitness advice with strong homoerotic overtones
Review: I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to make a positive change in their life. This is by far one of the best books you'll find on the market. The contents are written clearly and concisely and encourages the reader to reach their full potential. This is not the kind of book you read then place on the shelf until the next yard sale. You will refer to this book time and time again. It is beautifully illustrated from beginning to end. Your time is an important investment and this book is well worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning, inspirational black & white photography
Review: I'm not gay but if I WAS I would definitely like looking through this. I'm most impressed with the photography and selection of models chosen to represent the apex of physical masculinity, far from the hulked-up, 'roid-chompers found on convenience store magazine racks. The advice is pretty straightforward, nothing too technical. If you are mature and aren't threatened the sight of near-to-fully nude men you should get this. I also am impressed with the quality of the paper stock, very nice.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive work-out book
Review: Jon Giswold's Basic Training is a very comprehensive book with chapters concerning hygiene, diet, and meditation in addition to the parts on exercise, which covers weight-training and cardiovascular work-outs. I liked how it was structured. Giswold covers the various aspects of going to a gym, or working out at home, and other factors that affect the experience of working out. The exercises are clearly explained for the most part, and the programs he has are reasonable. Giswold is not condescending and he is not trying to fool the reader with irrelevant or misleading information. He attempts to sensibly define a good way to get in shape and look good, and I think he does so successfully. I suspect many men will run for cover when seeing the pictures; it is hard to deny their homoeroticism. But they're just pictures of half-naked (or naked) men, and to not read the useful text due to that would be unfortunate. The section on diet I think is not very useful, but the idea is that diet and exercise complement each other when your goal is becoming fit. The section on meditation may seem unnecessary to some readers, but it's just a small section. If you want to work out and get in shape, and you don't know where to start, or you want to enlarge your exercise library, then I recommend this book highly. Still, if you don't make the effort, you won't gain anything.
Rating:
Summary: speaks beyond the body and to the mind, spirit and soul
Review: Jon writes with a compassionate eloquence that teaches the reader the importance of integrating mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health. I recommend this book not only for the mature person seeking to discover the latent power of their being, but to the adolescent boy discovering and growing into their mature male body. Jon models a nurturing and confident language with which to speak to your body and soul that serves as a superb example of the inner voice one should adopt as they make the developmental transition from adolescence to manhood.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: OK I'll admit it. I bought this book primarily because of the photography. I only gave this book a 4 as opposed to a 5 because It would have been nice to see the faces on some of these specimens Being a woman I have more than a soft spot for well built men. And there are plenty is this book! I can sympathize with the distaste of some of the reviewers on this board. The book does seem to be aimed primarily at gays. But once you get over any aversion of looking at fully naked men. You can appreciate David Morgan's terrific photography simply for its aethetic component without seeing it as intrusive. Further the workouts are very useful and practical and with the rare exception the author didn't steer the reader to thousands of dollars worth of gym equipment. These excecises could be done at home. That being said the book is really written for the "everyman" (or woman) who just wants to get in shape not necessarily look like a model. The writing is simple (but not purile) it lacks the patronizing tone of many fitness magazines and books. I would recomend the book to everyone out there!
Rating:
Summary: Basically very soft-core
Review: The author and photographer here have a sense for the same kind of soft-core male anatomy shot that makes catalogs from major clothing firms sell so well. There are very stylish and polished black-and-white photographs throughout the pages, not necessarily demonstrating the particular exercises, but in those kinds of poses that range from the high art (a chiseled black man standing against a white background holding up a big gray globe, various angles of stretches and the kind, etc.) to the "we're just having fun" shots of men running across a field or other similar photographs. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with these, and there is nothing overtly pornographic about these photographs, just rather titillating and artistically edging toward to the sexual. This is not a book that is purchased for the exercises per se, as the workouts and nutrition information and other stuff, while basic and good, are not particularly inspired. The inspiring part is the layout, designs and photographs. There are workouts listed that probably make for decent programs, but they don't really have the promise of turning a mid-30s body like mine into the image of the Greek gods in grayscale that adorn these pages. Still, I do find that I am more "inspired" to work out in the hope, going ever more to the unreachable dream, that my physique might be more like theirs. Still, I like having this book, and hope to purchase their second book. Just for the articles, you know.
Rating:
Summary: Basically very soft-core
Review: The author and photographer here have a sense for the same kind of soft-core male anatomy shot that makes catalogs from major clothing firms sell so well. There are very stylish and polished black-and-white photographs throughout the pages, not necessarily demonstrating the particular exercises, but in those kinds of poses that range from the high art (a chiseled black man standing against a white background holding up a big gray globe, various angles of stretches and the kind, etc.) to the "we're just having fun" shots of men running across a field or other similar photographs. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with these, and there is nothing overtly pornographic about these photographs, just rather titillating and artistically edging toward to the sexual. This is not a book that is purchased for the exercises per se, as the workouts and nutrition information and other stuff, while basic and good, are not particularly inspired. The inspiring part is the layout, designs and photographs. There are workouts listed that probably make for decent programs, but they don't really have the promise of turning a mid-30s body like mine into the image of the Greek gods in grayscale that adorn these pages. Still, I do find that I am more "inspired" to work out in the hope, going ever more to the unreachable dream, that my physique might be more like theirs. Still, I like having this book, and hope to purchase their second book. Just for the articles, you know.
Rating:
Summary: Toward a Special Audience
Review: The author probably missed Writing 101 in school because he does not make it clear to whom he is writing. On the other hand, a quick look at the pictures and one could see who his intended audience is; the book is ornament over content. It is sad to see St. Martin's behind this one; they are usually concerned with the message.
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