Rating: 
Summary: Some Truth & Some Junk
Review: As someone certified in fitness for years I will give my analysis of this book. I hope it helps.
I do feel that this book is definately a combination of some
good pointers into fitness and alot of bunk!
First the good then the bunk:
Good:
-The authors do a nice job of pointing out that weight training offers us all some great benefits that have been overlooked for years.
-The authors do point out that it is important to put good focus on weight training and how many popular forms of exercise while yes, fun and enjoyable can cause a lot of harm on joints etc. Too many people (especially women)just say. "oh, I hate weight training that's not for me" and instead only take some kind of cardio class or yoga. That is not an EDUCATED decision since while I am 100% for those classes, it does not mean one should shun weights just because initially you're intimidated or have an aversion to it. With time, that goes away.
-The Low-Carb thing is still very controversial. While I'm not promoting it completely, it does seem that it is a more effective way to lose weight. There are studies showing quicker and easier weight loss this way. I think the jury still isn't out on Low-Carb, but it does have some validity.
-With a good combo of proper weight training and proper diet. We can get good results with efficient training time in less time that we thought.
BAD:
-Their anti cardio suggestions are irresponsible! While I agree completely that running shows to have many drawbacks a good 2+ hrs a week on elliptical equiptment does no harm at all! Not to mention that you burn more calories, release good endorphins and science shows that cardio creates an urge to eat healthtier automatically. Some Cardio is a must!
-30 minutes a week is a joke! This is obviosly ... marketing ... on their part. If you go down that low, you'll lose that positive momentum that most people love about exercising. Not to mention that TONS and of evidence shows that people need a min. of at least 3 hours a week of exercise. It takes at least that long to create a caloric deficit that allows you to burn adequate calories for weight loss, not to mention what the body needs for maintenance. Anyone who says otherwise is trying to con you.
-The Slow Burn system while decent is exaggerated and has no sceince at all to prove their claims. It's nice variety. That's ALL.
-What they say on stretching is so ridiculous I laughed while reading it. Stretching does offer benefits. We don't need to get hung up on it. Just a few minutes here and there is great.
Conclusion: Results are possible on this system. How? Primarily to the diet and secondarily to added muscle mass. If you do a strict low-carb diet, and it agrees with you, you can drop weight, even without any exercise. Thousands of people are doing it every day on Atkin's type diets.
This system is valid for someone who honestly spends over 13 hours a day commuting/working a day and has no time. But, only as a temporary beginners phase, not a long term thing. Anyone serious about weight loss/health needs to work out at least 3 hours a week with at least 25% of it dedicated to cardio.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book!
Review: My first thought when I started following the slow burn program shortly after starting to read the book was "I can't believe how many years I wasted not doing the right exercise!" This is the smartest concept around and I'm thrilled that it's finally in a book so that anyone can do it. I've actually known about this kind of exercise protocol for years, I'd even heard of Mr. Hahn from someone who trained with him in New York, but I didn't know how to go about doing it on my own. This book takes you every step of the way- it's articulate, well-written, very easy to follow, and takes the time to explain the concepts. So not only does it do your body good, it explains how and why.
Although Mr. Hahn credits many others for the evolution of slow strength training, he's truly revolutionized it by making it available to the masses. I give this book my strongest recommendation
Rating:
Summary: Get the tapes too!
Review: I ordered the Slow Burn video tapes (they are kind of expensive) but they have been a great addition to my Slow Burn plan. Fred Hahn takes you through each exercise on Tape 2; Tape 3 offers ways to make each exercise easier or more difficult; Tape 1 provides theory. You can exercise along with Fred, like he is your personal trainer; everything is timed right too. I love this exercise! I'm 56, female, and I am convinced that knees and hips were never designed to run or jog for miles on hard surfaces. Those great runners in Africa don't keep going; they are village elders at about age 40 and they turn over the running to the young. Anyway, I made a dash for my car this week...ran 3/4 mile without even coming close to being winded. Slow Burn works! My whole body is stronger, including my heart and lungs...I ordered directly from Fred in NYC; Amazon probably can get it too? Finally, the models doing the exercises look like real people; the woman is not some scrawny waif; she is a healthy young woman with curves and muscle tone; the man looks like that great gym teacher we had in junior high; healthy human not a steroid mess.
Rating: 
Summary: slow burn/low carb
Review: I'm relatively new to the slow burn workout program, but can say that so far, it's working well. I enjoy the workouts--amazing!--and I already see results from the workouts in myself and in my husband. It's obviously not a quick fix. You HAVE to be committed to doing the exercises correctly and regularly. But it does work. In this book and in The Power of 10 by Alan Zickerman, the authors make it clear that this is not a 'too good to be true' exercise program--I'm not sure why some of the one-star reviewers say the authors imply otherwise. The authors are very forthcoming with the fact that this is a lifestyle change rather than a quick-fix miracle cure. Additionally, I've read Protein Power and been a low-carber for about 3 years now. Low-carbing, too, is not a quick fix, but a lifestyle change. I also wonder if critics of low carb eating realize that this is the same method of eating that is recommended to avoid and treat diabetes. When my mother and young cousin were both diagnosed borderline diabetic, the diet advocated by their nutritionists were low carb diets. Because this diabetes runs in my family and in my ethnic group (I'm African American) I find that it only makes sense to hedge my bets by adopting this healthy way of eating. All in all, both the low-carb way of eating and the slow burn method of working out are excellent for me and my family. We have more energy, more strength and we look good! :-)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book!
Review: My first thought when I started following the slow burn program shortly after starting to read the book was "I can't believe how many years I wasted not doing the right exercise!" This is the smartest concept around and I'm thrilled that it's finally in a book so that anyone can do it. I've actually known about this kind of exercise protocol for years, I'd even heard of Mr. Hahn from someone who trained with him in New York, but I didn't know how to go about doing it on my own. This book takes you every step of the way- it's articulate, well-written, very easy to follow, and takes the time to explain the concepts. So not only does it do your body good, it explains how and why.
Although Mr. Hahn credits many others for the evolution of slow strength training, he's truly revolutionized it by making it available to the masses. I give this book my strongest recommendation
Rating:
Summary: some 'ifs' and 'buts':
Review: Under ideal conditions, slow training has to be done with: 1/special equipment, because when lifting slowly, the weight that is correct at the beginning of the movement will require more speed to move later . This is the point behind the original Nautilus and MedX machines:asymetrical pulleys,(cams), change the leverage advantage to keep the resistance appropriate throughout the exercise, allowing slow productive exercise in the full range. (Also , the machine must be designed with very low friction, a costly production procedure, as friction can add unaccounted for and arbitrary resistance during slow movment.) This cannot be done nearly as well with free weights, and 2/Expert coaching,(ie "Superslow",tm). Properly executed slow training is SO HARD that without someone monitoring your technique and effort, and giving you encouragement, a full effort is unlikely, and sustained effort over the necessary months impossible. Even with all of the proper equipment and help, slow training can be _very_ discouraging at plateaus, and is quite expensive.
Rating:
Summary: Valuable Information - Doomed to be Forgotten
Review: Like many other "scientific" books written for the layman, this book is doomed due to political reasons. Before I comment on Slow Burn, may I first say that it is a horribly written book that is otherwise very logical in content. If you can withstand the book's repetitiveness, you might discover some real truths about being fit, building muscle, and burning fat. Quite frankly, it puts Arnold's Encyclopedia to shame. In fact, it dispels so many myths that it infringes on every other commercially laden product or philosophy. Thus, Slow Burn will be trashed by every single other fitness expert - till it loses its appeal and vanishes. BUT - WARNING the exercises presented at the end of the book are inappropriate and perhaps even dangerous. For example, imagine doing deep knee bends to the point of muscular failure, and then having little or no strength to save yourself from gravity's harsh pull.
Apart from the exercises, this book is either dead right or at least on the right track. Read it or get a copy now before the so called "know-it-alls" find their way to erasing it from existence. Thank you for your time.
Rating:
Summary: Slow motion works but hard to stick with
Review: Read the Nov 18 review "Some Truth and Some Junk" -- that's a good summary. I'd add one point and correct one: The correction is that the review says the routine doesn't create the calorie deficit needed for weight loss. That's right. But immediate calorie deficit isn't the basis for weight loss associated with strength training. The idea is that over time, strength training increases lean body mass (muscle) which the body uses more calories to maintain, even at rest. Strength training increases baseline metabolism. CV exercise by contrast burns calories at the time, and that's it. Strength training doesn't do much at the time of the exercise (relative to cv) but gives you an ongoing burn rate instead. The addition is that even though these routines are demonstrated to be effective, they are very hard to stick with. It is hard for most people to subject themselves to that feeling of muscle burn on a slow lift to failure. Even though it's less time efficient, most people are better served by a more traditional workout that they stick with long term, than a more perfect routine they can't stick with.
Rating:
Summary: Agreed!
Review: I too loved the book and this way of training. It really worked for me. But I agree that I wish there were slow burn gyms or at the very least gyms that have people trained in slow burn so I can work with someone to make sure I am optimizing my workouts. But, even on my own I have been seeing great results in a short period of time and not wasting HOURS at the gym the way I use to!
Rating:
Summary: Great Program
Review: I think the book and the methodology are solid, but I can't seem to get into the mindset that twice a week is all you need. I go three times a week for approx. 45 min of strength training, but I still supplement with some additional cardio (about 45 min on the bike) when I am at the gym. I know the book says that you don't need much additional cardio then what you are getting from the strength training, but I actually enjoy it so I have continued to do it at the gym but not at home. I do have to say that it is a great program and I have gotten stronger and leaner from it.
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