Rating: 
Summary: For all those who doubt.. read ahead..
Review: I find this book, written by a follower of the late great Mike Mentzer to be the best method for producing the most muscle in the least amount of workout time. The partial rep method also prevents injuries associated with full-rep joint-stressing movements. For maximum muscle size it makes sense that you must incorporate all fibers (Fast twitch, slow twitch, med twitch), and all fibers are not recruited until the last few inches of the rep. I also think that it is counter productive to tear down a muscle before it is fully recovered, so the longer "rest" periods between workouts is most productive. You can build one heck of a Bruce Lee "2 inch punch" with this training! It is indeed scientific, as you can measure it accurately from workout to workout, and you can find your individual "sweet spot" by simply varying reps/frequency and then looking at the numbers. If you want endurance marathon training, then look elsewhere, but if you want super results, with less time in the gym, this is a great read! :)
Rating: 
Summary: some good info and some bad info
Review: The reason why I say that is because you WILL need expensive equipment that the book asks you to use. For instance, you need a... Smith Machine for the bench press, equipment for handling very heavy poundages, stopwatch.....and, most importantly, patience. I realized I was gaining the same amount of muscle mass in my original FULL rep workouts, whereas this approach convinces you to do more reps that are PARTIAL for more intensity. Thus, I was wasting valuable time because I was doing more reps that were PARTIAL but not FULL. And, the fact that you have to use lots of mathematics and configuring in finding out the amount of weight per min, Power Factor, Power Index....this took me about a half hour! Just one workout! And yet, I was getting the same results concerning muscle mass without the Power Factor "approach". I'm all for Power Factor's philosophy on nutrition, which is well-thought out and I agree highly on it. They say that you should not take in 350grams of protein because over half of it is wasted, excreted, or turned into fat. I followed that and I noticed that I was starting to lose saturated fat by not eating excessive amounts of protein and more definition. All in all this book does contain good information on nutrition, but in the Power Factor "approach"--just doesn't make it because you're wasting valuable time by doing easier, partial reps instead of you're original weightlifting routine--full reps/less time...and you gain the same amount of muscle mass and definition--either way. So stick with what makes you gain mass effectively.
Rating: 
Summary: Two variations on strength training
Review: Weight training is discipline in which just about anyone who conscientiously follows just about any program will make progress. But if constancy generally brings results there are numerous theories expressed in a multitude of books on how to do it faster, easier, or to develop a particular quality such as bodybuilding or faster running speed. The promises tend to the grandiose but it wouldn't be the iron game if the dust jacket didn't promise to cure everything from constipation to memory lost all while making one stronger, larger, and more attractive to the opposite sex. These two books (Power Factor Training by Peter Sisco and John Little and Power to the People - Russian Strength Secrets for every American by Pavel Tsatsouline ) are at the fringes. On the fringes, one frequently finds exaggeration and unsubstantiated claims.One can also find superior insight and wisdom, particularly if one knows what to look for. Thus, as one who is interested in new theories the advertising in Amazon seemed to warrant the modest risk of purchasing copies. Both books contribute by laying out for the reader easy to follow systems of weight training. Each of those systems is rather at odds with the conventional wisdom in the field. The Power Factor book emphasizes lifting of much heavier loads through limited ranges of motions and doing so quickly. One measures both the total load and the time needed to lift it. The author also emphasizes the need for long rest periods between sessions to ensure complete recovery of not only muscles but also internal organs. In my short experience with this system it works. My strength is up both through limited and full ranges of motion. Also, as an older athlete (age 62) with knees that creak as they approach 90 degrees under load the limited range of motion protocol is of genuine benefit. I suspect others with similar infirmities will find comparable benefits. I am less certain that a baseball pitcher hoping to add 5mph to his fastball will achieve the results he seeks. The Tsatsouline system is similar in its emphasis on heavier loads but recommends limiting the number of reps substantially. The author also believes two exercises and two sets per sessions is sufficient. The number of sessions can reach five in a week.
The book provides excellent descriptions of how to do the dead lift and the one armed press. Equally beneficial is his outline of three easy to follow training cycle systems. Less helpful is the lack of explanations of what causes the benefits. For example, if one is to eschew warming up, a recommendation of the author, one probably wants to know the basis for the recommendation. In most cases, the author advises his next book will provide the explanation. Good economics perhaps but not useful to the reader. The Power Factor is the better book and will be of interest to experienced weight trainers. One puts up with more breathless prose and flamboyant claims in the Power to the People book but it too may be of benefit. Particularly if one has an experimental inclination. To those just getting started in lifting there are a number of superior volumes on the market such as A Practical Approach to Strength Training by Matt Brzycki.
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