Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining and Effective!
Review: A wonderful book. I'm about 3 weeks into the plan and have lost 4 lbs, gained an appreciable amount of muscle, all while eating more than I ever have. I'm no longer religiously counting fat grams because their approach to diet is pretty damn easy to follow. I've been into bodybuilding and fitness for a long time (12 years) and I was very surprised at their dietary guidelines... nevertheless, I tried it out and it's very effective! I'm getting a lot of comments from people, including my very pleased girlfriend :-)I disagree with a previous poster about the "all or nothing" approach being bad. Making a couple of small changes to one's lifestyle isn't going to do anything for the typical male. Men are motivated by visible results and results are gained through consistent hard work and that's what this book advocates. This might not be the typical female mindset, but this book wasn't written for women. "Men's" Health ... get it?
Rating:
Summary: A good book
Review: As an uninitiated wieght-training novice, I found this book gave me ropes to latch on to get started with wieght-training on my own by paying $... as oppossed to getting expensive personal trainers. Thanks largely to this book, I have managed to build my own home-gym. The book is nicely structured for anybody to follow the exercise regimen. As far as results, I have been following their regimen for over 4 weeks and definately I can see my body toning nicely. I suspect if I stick to their novice->intermediate->advanced routine, I will probably look like the guy on the cover of the book ;-) --Naren
Rating:
Summary: Good program, GREAT technique illustration
Review: First of all, a word for beginners - this book, NOR any other book, is going to give you a "Hard Body" in 12 weeks. It will give you the foundation.
The Hard Body Plan comes straight from the pages of Men's Health, so if you are a subcriber/regular reader, you're not going to find a whole lot new (in terms of programs) by purchasing this book. Likewise, if you have experience in the gym (lifting for an extended period), the programs set forth in this book won't be particularly challenging (I was a little disappointed that all of the Hard Body Plan programs were 3 day/week, since I work out 4 days - I had to do some rearranging and adding in order to create a 12 week program out of this book).
Having said all that, I keep this book near the top of my weightlifting reference pile. I have found it very valuable for studying proper form and technique, and for learning some variations on lifts that I regularly perform. The written description of exercises contained in this book were very well thought out, and provide an excellent means to review proper form. And the more time I spend working out, and the more I see examples of horrible form by others in the gym, I am very glad that I have a trainer, and resources such as this book, to remind me the value of "perfect form/perfect execution" with each and every lift. That is the single most important step to significant strength and mass gain, and it is point emphasized over and over again in the "Hard Body Plan". There is diet information in this book as well. It is a nice, though rather general introduction to proper nutrition, but shouldn't be relied on as your only source.
If you buy this book for guidance, you may find that you outgrow it rather quickly. If you buy it as a reference, you will appreciate the investment.
Rating:
Summary: Good program, GREAT technique illustration
Review: First of all, a word for beginners - this book, NOR any other book, is going to give you a "Hard Body" in 12 weeks. It will give you the foundation.
The Hard Body Plan comes straight from the pages of Men's Health, so if you are a subcriber/regular reader, you're not going to find a whole lot new (in terms of programs) by purchasing this book. Likewise, if you have experience in the gym (lifting for an extended period), the programs set forth in this book won't be particularly challenging (I was a little disappointed that all of the Hard Body Plan programs were 3 day/week, since I work out 4 days - I had to do some rearranging and adding in order to create a 12 week program out of this book).
Having said all that, I keep this book near the top of my weightlifting reference pile. I have found it very valuable for studying proper form and technique, and for learning some variations on lifts that I regularly perform. The written description of exercises contained in this book were very well thought out, and provide an excellent means to review proper form. And the more time I spend working out, and the more I see examples of horrible form by others in the gym, I am very glad that I have a trainer, and resources such as this book, to remind me the value of "perfect form/perfect execution" with each and every lift. That is the single most important step to significant strength and mass gain, and it is point emphasized over and over again in the "Hard Body Plan". There is diet information in this book as well. It is a nice, though rather general introduction to proper nutrition, but shouldn't be relied on as your only source.
If you buy this book for guidance, you may find that you outgrow it rather quickly. If you buy it as a reference, you will appreciate the investment.
Rating: 
Summary: Tons of choices!
Review: I get bored with my routine often and am always looking for variety. But i never seem to be able to think of a new workout. With this guide handy i can sit down and easily see a list of workouts for each muscle group and choice of work out arena, either free weights, machines or no weights. It's a must have!
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I have been lifting weights for years and was always looking for a book with pictures and descriptions of exercises for individual muscle groups. Out of all the books I have seen this book is the best. It has helped me to improve my workout routines by lifting more effectively and getting faster results. I would suggest it to any weight lifter!
Rating:
Summary: Well written, full of information, easy to implement - GREAT
Review: I JUST bought this book this weekend - however, the info is very well written and laid out. MH did a great job of presenting not only an easy to follow program, but also of laying out the science behind what they preach. I am just starting to work out after years of being a couch potato. I felt like an idiot in the gym next to all those muscle bound guys, and didn't want to shell out hundreds of dollars to have a trainer sit there and hold my hand. This book presents a great workout, that is easily modified for any fitness level, and can take you into advanced training as well. The diet plan is also easy and makes sense, and should not leave anyone hungry at all. Adding muscle will help you lose weight, look and feel better, and succeed in life. You can't ask for much more for your $... If you are new to body building, I would highly reccomend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Awsome Book!
Review: I lift weights for about a 1.5 years. I am getting realy big and this book helped me to build a solid schedule. Plus it has a nice diet plan to it. It shows different exercises and muscles.
This book shows and tells you everthing you will ever need to know about weight lifting. [...]
I think this is the best book that i bought so far.
Rating:
Summary: I love it
Review: I love this book since it did not go so technical. It was simple and easy to understand
Rating: 
Summary: Decent entry level fitness book. But ............
Review: I recently bought this book in hopes of supplementing it with another Mens Health book, 'The Testosterone Advantage'. First off, the book is nicely written and laid out. I agree ,though, with other reviewers who thought the book was nothing new and right from the pages of Mens Health. There are a lot of different exercises and a diet plan. The workout choices are great but I have yet to try the diet.
One reason I have not completely bought into the book is because many factors in this book completely contradict the previous book I have been using (The Testosterone Advantage). For instance this book advocates aerobic activity for fat loss. It also has a high carb to protein diet. The Previous book condemns aerobic work all through it and has a high protein, low carb diet. This and many other factors have left me in a world of confusion. You would think that two books endorsed by the same company with the same affiliations ( Lou Schuler) would have some sort of continuity. Wrong!!!Come on Lou, men wanting to get in shape need references they can count on.
This book will work and so will the other for the beginner or someone who is out of shape.
I have found both from personal experience and from friends that almost any diet and exercise routine will work in the early stages if they are adhered to. It is when you get past the the beginner stage that a regimine proves itself. Until Mens Health writers get on the same page, they will never truly advance past entry levels.
I have used the previous book and have lost a lot of weight. Twenty five plus pounds to date. If I had bought this book first I would say the results would have been similar. As I said almost anything will work in the early stages.
If you are a beginner buy it. Intermediate or advanced, forget it.
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