Rating: 
Summary: Good Advice and Well Organized Presentation
Review: I recently moved into the middle ranks of my Tang Soo Do (a Korean Martial Art) school, and started noticing that I was asking my body to do things it wasn't ready to and I was becoming more injury prone. I decided to take a month off and begin a weight training regimen to increase my strength and build up some of the areas in which I felt deficient. This book has been my bible for the past 45 days. It is organized in such a way that you can quickly get to the information you need without dredging through too much non-useful material. Because what is useful will vary from reader to reader, the authors give a quick run down in the beginning on how to use the book for different things, such as understanding basics, trying to ramp up an on-going routine, or looking to work a particular area. I was looking for basics, and got a good understanding of the principals and practices of a solid weight lifting routine. I followed a couple of the sample work-outs, just to get started, and that helped me ease into understanding how different exercises work together. There was just enough science with the well drawn anatomical sketches to show me what was going on under the skin, which was a nice touch. Additionally, I leared which exercises and/or weight machines I didn't like and was able to modify the routines to fit my body and my abilities based on the book's recommendations. The authors do a good job of giving variations of each exercise to accomodate people who are recovering from injury, have back problems, or are looking to add weight training in order to enhance performance in another sport such as running or cycling. Unfortunately, there was no section on weight training for martial artists. Perhaps in the next revision?? The book does seem to have some fluff, such as sections on supplements and how to pick a gym, but for somebody COMPLETELY new to the idea of going to a gym these sections could be of use. I did like the section which gives some examples of minimum fitness requirements for various military schools and police/fire academies. And the regular mention of good gym etiquette was refreshing. I enjoyed the anecdotes and the enthusiastic writing style, which is part of what the Dummies books are all about. While I will probably outgrow this book after a few years of weight training, it will always be on my reference shelf and I'm sure I'll grab it down regularly.
Rating:
Summary: Good Start For The First Timer
Review: I recommend this book for the begining weightlifter and i mean BEGINNING. Dont even think of buying this book if youve been at it for a while. It contains very simplistic and elementary information designed to help the BEGINNER.
Rating: 
Summary: Great advice
Review: I think that a lot of people reviewing this book forget that it is intended primarily for beginners, and not the experts. Therefore criticising it for "simplicity" is a bit like criticising Shakespeare for being "complicated". I have been a gym member at various times over the past 20 years, but I don't seem to have ever learned the real basics, so the straightforward advice in this book is really exactly what I need. There is a LOT of information - anatomy, equipment, do's and dont's, exercises .. I used it to set up my home workout with dumbbells and it was invaluable for helping me to do that safely. It was also a good source of reference, in that the authors suggest other books and websites that are helpful in moving on with using weights, and that is, I feel, a very unselfish attitude on their part.
I liked very much that all of the exercises are very fully explained, together with easier versions and harder versions, so that it's possible to build on a workout and make it better and harder as one grows in strength and ability.
If you are an expert weight lifter, and don't need advice, then don't buy this book! But if you are struggling to know which exercise works shoulders, which one works abs, which one works glutes or hamstrings, then it's a great investment.
Rating:
Summary: great book!
Review: I used this when I started weight training 1 year ago and found it to be extremely useful in getting me going (which is always the toughest part) I am now a regular 3 times a week lifter and am grateful that this book was available...I still refer back to it.
Rating: 
Summary: Not worth the money
Review: I was disappointed after reading this book. I think it lacked many essential features that I require from a weight traning book, such as many moves and their exact execution with barbells and dumbbells. There was also much nonsense and exaggerations in this book. I have nothing against women writers (really !) but I think this book would have benefited from a male co-writer.
Rating: 
Summary: May be beneficial for dummies and beginners
Review: I'm not sure why I bought this book because the title is rather demeaning. Being somewhat of a novice weight lifter (6 months now) I thought that I might learn something from this book, however, after previously reading Muscle Mechanics, Target Bodybuilding, and Serious Strenght Training, it was very elementary and not at all informative for me, but, maybe for someone that has never seen a barbell, a dumbell or a universal gym, this book might be beneficial.
Rating:
Summary: Really, REALLY helpful.
Review: I've been working out for about three months, and ordered thisbook last week. I'm kicking myself for not reading it earlier. Ifyou're anything like me, and the thought of lifting weights is totally intimidating (let alone in the public forum of a gym), then this is probably the book you want. Everything is outlined in the most basic terms: how to build strength and muscle tone with minimal risk of injury, how to design a program specific to your needs, and, most importantly, how to keep from looking like an idiot in front of everyone at the gym. Great book, seriously.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book...missing stuff though
Review: If you are starting out, this book will give you the basics (as the name implies); the excercises are very well explained and the fundamental facts of weight training are here. However, if your goal is to obtain body mass and really define your body, and I'm NOT talking about going overboard or looking to win a body building contest or anything of that sort but simply looking good, then I would look elsewhere. This book is for the VERY beginners or for people who want to excercise without really "building", and just want to be fit and have a light but useful workout.
Rating:
Summary: Horrrible Book
Review: If you're a dummy, you might like this book. If you are interested in weighttraining, buy another one. The conservative approach to supplements is the stupidest part of this book. Thumbs down!
Rating:
Summary: Good first book for getting started
Review: If you're looking for that single book that explains everything you need to get started in weightlifting, this is a good choice. Explains the basic exercises, some theory, and gives example routines for all levels. I have looked at many bodybuilding books and like this one best.
| 
