I had been weight training for about two and a half years before purchasing this book. I've tried numerous routines over that time - some I've found online, some I pulled from magazines and books - and I usually get bored after a couple months, so I wanted to try Orvis' technique. First off, be aware that this book is designed for the entry-level lifter. It assumes you either (a.) seldom/never lift free weights or (b.) have been out of lifting for a while. This book is perfect for that gym-goer who is afraid of leaving the Nautilus/cardio areas of the gym.It starts you off relatively slow with total body workouts and by the second month has you working a more typical bodybuilding schedule grouped by muscle area. The schedule has you working out three days a week, and most workouts can be completed in about 30-45 minutes assuming you don't have to wait for any machines/benches.Orvis doesn't cover cardio or nutrition. While that would be a nice addition, the book never makes the pretense of being a comprehensive fitness book - it solely delivers weight training workouts.What I enjoyed most about Orvis' plan was the all-inclusive workout style. When so many programs tout one or two methods of lifting (pyramid, inverted pyramid, super sets, drop sets, etc.), he covers every one of these, rotating through different training styles every couple of weeks. The lifting variety will keep the program interesting and will also prevent your muscles from growing accustomed to a single routine and plateauing. Having worked out for some time, I was impressed when my muscles were sore after starting the super set training week.The main problem I found was that Orvis' program sometimes overlooks certain muscle groups for an entire week. Often I found myself adding a bicep curl, French curl or calf lift to the week's schedule because the book overlooked it. I can see overlooking secondary muscles for a week, but not biceps or triceps. Doing bench presses or lat pulldowns won't give my arms a sufficient workout for an entire week.Overall, I found the book to be great. It's very portable and I've recommended it to a few folks I've met at the gym who are stuck in "Nautilus Land." I would recommend sitting down at the beginning of the week, looking over the schedule, taking a mental inventory of which muscles you will be working on and compensating if any certain group is overlooked. His workouts tend to be a little more oriented toward lower body development, so you may find yourself adding some upper body sets on occasion.Orvis' workouts are limited to just the major (common) lifts. If you're more than just a beginning weight lifter, I would strongly recommend purchasing "Strength Training Anatomy" or "The Encylopedia of Modern Bodybuilding" in addition to this book so you can get a better idea of what alternate lifts you can do to better work certain muscle groups or add more variety to your time at the gym. When paired together, I actually found this program to be great once I got past the first month. The super set/drop set/pyramid weeks are a blast.I would love to see Orvis publish a book oriented toward bodybuilders who have more time to devote to lifting and require more comprehensive muscle training. Weight Training Workouts that Work
I am a 40 year old woman, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthrtis in February of this year, and put on steroids to avoid deformity in my hands. The doctors had mentioned that exercise was no longer an option, but a "must do". Being a novice to the gym, and knowing absolutely nothing about weight training, I felt very intimidated just watching everyone. I would try to copy what people were doing, but I soon found out that with arthritis you have some "bad days", and you are limited to certain exercises. When I approached a trainer to ask questions, they told me to sign up for 10 sessions for $650.00. Well not everyone can do that these days. I became depressed, I went online in search of the perfect video, or book, anything that would help. I stumbled on a review of this book, and the price was not going to break the bank!! I ordered it and 10 days into my work out, I am no longer uncomfortable at the gym, I know what to do! I don't have to ask around. I take the book to the gym with me, it is user friendly, I understand the terminology, and James Orvis writes it so there is no guessing involved!! Like the Nike commercial saids, "JUST DO IT!!" It gives you such a confidence high!!I still have rheumathoid arthritis, but I have a stronger body now, and on thoes bad days, I mentally feel good! Order this book you will not regret it!! I emailed James, and he took the time out to respond, and he gave me the inspiration to keep up the good work, I do feel like I have a personal trainer!
Thank you James Orvis for writing this book. This is a great companion for anyone with an interest in weight training, and once you read what he has to say, you will realize you must weight train. I had been stuck in a circuit rut at my gym, always too intimidated to figure out how the other machines worked. I got this book and it changed everything. He's got twelve weeks of workouts planned, three days a week. Every exercise is explained thoroughly, complete with pictures and pointers on common mistakes. The workouts are also great. They will keep you interested in your program and feeling great afterwards. The book is a paperback spiral, so it is perfect to bring to the gym and refer to during your workout. I highly recommend this book for everyone with an interest in weight training. It makes working out simple, yet challenging.
I have been using this book for 4 weeks, and have indeed seen a difference in my muscle tone. My friends have even said that they have noticed a difference in my appearance. What I found remarkable, and did not previously know, is that I could lift more and more weight with each passing workout. This really helped to encourage me, because I could literally see my strength improving. The reason that I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that I feel it is almost necessary to have access to a gym to really do all of these workouts effectively. Also, the section that has "Supersets" is potentially difficult to do because of the fact that you have to go back and forth between 2 pieces of equipment in each excercise. In a public setting, this is very hard to complete without interruption, because the piece of equipment not being used may become occupied by someone else. I can say, however, that there are a lot of excercises that can be done at home with free weights, and I have even been using the Total Gym that I bought some months ago and has been collecting dust in my closet to complete some of the excercises. All in all, this book is a very useful guide to anyone who is interested in adding weight lifting to their fitness routine. - Training - Awesome Book - Rippletoad - Bjj'
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