Strength Training Anatomy

Rating:
Summary: A GRAY'S ANATOMY FOR STRENGTH TRAINING
Review: I saw this book on the shelf the other day and just had to add it to my library. It is a wonderful collection of full color anatomical illustrations showing strength training exercises (with variations) that targets each of the major muscle groups. The guide is broken down into the following chapters with the number of exercises in each listed in parenthesis : Arms (21), Shoulders (16), Chest (14), Back (18), Legs (18), Buttocks (9), and Abdomen (15). While each illustration focuses mainly on the muscle group involved in the exercise, it does highlight exactly which of these muscles are deriving the benefit of the action (with supplemental pictures augmenting the main drawing). This is an excellent visual reference no matter what your exercise regimen or level of fitness. A welcome addition to my copy of Arnold's Encyclopedia Of Modern Bodybuilding.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent illustrated guide to muscles.
Review: Strength Training Anatomy is an excellent guide to your body's muscles. The book is in full color and is divided into the following sections: arms, shoulders, chest, back, legs, buttocks, and abs. Within each section there are at least 15 exercise demonstrations targeting the various muscle groups. What makes this book good? Apart from doing chest exercises, for example, this book educates the user on different types of exercises along with proper technique and its impact on the muscle. So the end result is that you are able to design your routine to give you not only mass, but importantly the "cut" look. I recommend this book along with The Workout Log, which Amazon also carries, to keep track of your progress.

Rating:
Summary: Great for workout development
Review: I found the book most useful for determining if my workouts covered all muscle groups and specific muscles within each group. Highly recommended for experienced weightlifters. Beginning weightlifters would probably need additional assistance from another book and/or personal trainer to develop workouts. Book details movements of over 100 exercises showing many alternatives. Also details in text and pictures the exact muscles involved in each exercise. Color coding of muscle groups helpful though I found some errors.

Rating:
Summary: Execllent Anatomical Reference for Weight Training
Review: This book is an excellent weight training reference for insight into the anatomy of the major muscle groups, and the exercises best suited to train specific muscles.

The book is broken down into seven major muscle groups: arms, shoulders, chest, back, legs, buttocks, and abdomen. Within each muscle group are multiple exercises, each comprised of detailed anotomical illustrations, instructions on performing the exercises, and key information such as variations (for specific focus on particular muscles) and warnings (to aviod injury).

Using this book, one could easily select a variety of exercises to build a total body workout program. The selection of exercises also allows for some routine variation to keep one's workout from getting stale.

The illustrations are of an exellent quality, as are the materials. The pages are of heavyweight paper, with a semi-glossy finish.

Although I rated this title highly, I did so with the understanding that it suits a very specific purpose, and is not a general purpose introduction or guide to weight training. This is an ANATOMY REFERENCE, specific to selected weight training exercises. It does not contain any other information concerning weight training, diet, exercise, etc. In fact, there is not even a brief introduction by the author, simply the reference material itself. But, in terms of its intended purpose, it is an excellent reference. If you already have some sort of "Bodybuilding Encyclopedia", you probably already posess much of the information contained in this title. Having no interest in the history, self-promotion, and general testosterone driven attitudes of many of those types of titles (as well as the phonebook sized package), I much prefer this concise book as an exercise reference.

Rating:
Summary: A must have book
Review: No matter what level you do your resistance/strength training this is a must have. If you could only afford to buy one book on the subject, this is it. Execellent diagams accompanied by clear, concise and accurate text. Can't say enough good about this book. Suits both sexes.

Rating:
Summary: Informative, Inspiring
Review: Using a simple color-coded schema, Delavier combines sound anatomy with bodybuilding exercises to give a unique perspective that will improve your workouts and expand your mind as well as your muscle size. Even though the models for the illustrations have the bulky, engorged muscles that accompany chronic steroid supplementation, and are sometimes depicted in the ludicrous pin-striped, post-Flashdance thongwear popular in California gyms in the early 90s, the illustrations are amazing. The selective use of color makes anatomically relevant highlights leap out. For example, the reverse wrist curl comes to life as the humerus and extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor digitorum, extensor digiti minimi, extensor ulnaris, ane extensor indicus all are labeled in the context of the lift, so you know exactly what muscles are working while you're doing the movement.

If you are using weights to increase your strength, muscle size, or change your body, this book is one you should own, in conjunction with another book that tells you how to lift weights such as these three, which I recommend wholeheartedly: Arnold's Encylopedia of Bodybuilding (the quintessential 70s bodybuilding book), Frederick Hatfield's Bodybuilding: A Scientific Approach (the best 80s bodybuilding book), and Bob Paris's Natural Bodybuilding (the great 90s and 00s bodybuilding book).

Rating:
Summary: This book delivers what it promises
Review: "Strength Training Anatomy" covers all the exercises for every significant muscle group in the body with color illustrations showing proper form and which muscles are used with each exercise. It also covers free weights and most of the more popular Nautilus/Hammer machines. For many exercises, it also includes the subtle variations that can be done with certain exercises (for example, using a wide/narrow grip or stance) and tells how the muscles being worked are differently impacted by these variations.

Note that this book does not provide a workout or diet plan. It's main purpose is to serve as an illustrated reference guide so you can map out which muscle groups you'd like to target with which exercises. If you actually need a roadmap to setting up a routine, I'd personally recommend "Weight Training Workouts that Work" by Orvis or some other lifting guide in addition to this book. But the Delavier book is a great reference and can give some ideas of different lifts to try if you find yourself growing bored with your current routine.

Rating:
Summary: Great regional anatomy, poor on training strategy
Review: The artwork in this book is very impressive. It attests to the incredible patience and dedication of its author. The book shows almost all working muscles and helps you (if you are familiar with muscle anatomy) to figure ways to discern your points of weakness and strength. Thus, it is most beneficial to people who studied anatomy yet need a reminder to evaluate their exercise selection.

I saw the book in the gym once, which surprised me because it is not a training book. It does not tell you how to choose a sequence of exercises on a particular day or for a particular goal. You would not need to carry the book to the gym to remember the steps of execution of an exercise. The best usage for the book is enhancing you guessing of hitting a particular muscle with a specific exercise.

The exercise list in this book in not inclusive or perfect and only depicts what the author perceives as common. For example, the book does not tell you whether to choose machines or freestyle exercises, nor does it tell you how to perform a compound exercise that eliminates many unnecessary separate and partial exercises.

Rating:
Summary: Enough to make anyone a humanist.
Review: I've had this book for a while now, and time after time, even when I'm not looking for workout information, I just like to look at the amazingly drawn pictures that Mr. Delavier's book is filled with, simply because, I think it's a marvel. I can't begin to say how it has helped me concentrate on muscles during workouts, and retain perfect (or near perfect) form. That's quite important, and this book does deliver that.

I've had friends come over only to pick this book up and sit there, gazing like cows at an oncoming train. It's that good. I believe it's a must for someone who is strongly into weight training/ bodybuilding, or any of the names you prefer to use.

Rating:
Summary: Great for symetry
Review: This book is great for anyone who wants to work out intelligently and maintain symmetry that is as close to perfect as possible.