Customer Reviews

The Body Sculpting Bible For Abs: Women's Edition

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been doing the Body Sculpting Bible for Women for awhile now and I was looking for a way to improve my abs as well. Now I alternate between days when I do this ab workout and days when I do the original Body Sculpting Bible for Women workout. Both are excellent books!

Equipment Needed:

A lot of people have been complaining about various equipment that you need. 1. You do need a balance ball, I got one off of amazon.com for $14, they're also available at stores like Walmart and Target, fairly cheaply. 2. You'll probably also want to get either a Weighted Ball or Medicine Ball, although you can replace many of the weighted ball activities with a free weight. I got a 10lb weighed ball off of amazon for $10. 3. There is some gym equipment that the book suggests you use, in many cases you can do simple substitutions. For example, in the case of a barbell, I use free weights. There's also something used called an "ab original", it's a sort of sling attached to a pull up bar that you can dangle from while doing leg lifts. In this case, I simply hung from a pull up bar with my hands and did the leg lifts.

Whenever there are moves that you can't do because either it is too difficult or you don't have the proper equipment you can simply browse through the many listings of exercise and choose a substitute.

Keep in mind this book is for people who are serious about exercise and about their abs. If all you're willing to do is a handfull of sit ups, then you probably shouldn't buy this book and should just get down on the floor and go ahead with those sit ups.

All in all I felt that this book has an excellent and thorough collection of ab and back exercises.

For people who have the equipment and the physique necessary to complete these exercises as prescribed, they might work. Here are the obstacles that arose for me (age 56, abdominal muscles injured during pregnancies, overweight, former gymnast):

In the VERY FIRST workout grouping, called the "break-in" workout, there were two problems:

First, you're supposed to do a "slow sit-up." I just plain am not able to do this. The authors state in their instructions for the "slow sit-up" that "having to use momentum to get your body going is an indication of an abdominal weakness that needs to be corrected." Huh? Corrected how? Surgically? If the "slow sit-up" is nearly the first exercise in the regimen, how are we supposed to correct the weakness?

Second, you need a Swiss ball. That isn't SO bad, but could be a barrier for some people.

Then, in the second "break-in" workout, you are supposed to do an exercise while dangling from gym equipment. Well, I belong to a gym, and it DOESN'T HAVE that type of equipment! I can't get to the gym very often, because it is not nearby and so forth, but even so -- the equipment is not available! What if I lived in rural Montana or somewhere? No gyms in the vast mountainlands. . .

The main model used in this book looks as though she just walked in from a Scandianavian brothel. This is a weird book, and is not for everyone. It seems not to be for me, and despite my physical challenges described above, I do lap swimming and other weight workouts.

This is a really great book. The exercises are killer and there's a whole section on fitness balls (they call them Swiss balls in the book), which are really fun to use. I also liked the fact that they give you lower back exercises, too. Also, it's not too stupidly expensive, like some of the other workout books out there. I give it thumbs up.

I have been in search of a complete ab program for women and I discovered this book.

It contains detailed workout plans and dozens of great exercises for both at home and the gym make it really helpful.

The pictures are clear and easy follow. The exercise descriptions are concise and filled with "trainer tips".

Great book. Recommended for my gal pals who want a trim tummy!

The instructions in this book are so easy to understand. The exercises are varied- from basic to complex, there is something in it for everyone, regardless of your physical condition. I have a home gym and have been able to use my own equiptment (weights, ball, etc.) If ever an exercise calls for something I don't have, I just choose another exercise to do instead. There are also LOTS of mat exercises too. I have the other book by these authors- the Body Sculpting Bible and I love it! I use it everytday. This ab book has been a nice complement to my regular exercise routine.

There are some good exercises in this book. However, if you have not done ab exercises regularly and you are looking for a program to get you started (especially if you are working out at home!), this book is not for you. Although the writer does address readers with weak abs, he does not provide an adequate beginner's program, which would prepare you for the more difficult moves. Furthermore, you need some serious equipment if you want to follow this "14-day ab sculpting workout" (which is, in fact, a 14-WEEK workout, broken into 2-week-sections").

If you already have pretty strong and toned abdominals and are getting bored with your routine, AND have access to an 'ab high chair' and a cable station, along with the obligatory Swiss ball, you might find some challenging exercises in the "Body Bible for Abs".

Otherwise, keep browsing for a better book.

I can actually say this book taught me several workout routines and abdominal exercises that up until now I did not know existed. There are warm up exercises for the abs, medicine ball exercises for the abs, bench exercises for the abs, etc. The book is a very comprehensive manual, it has everything for all fitness level. If you are serious about getting your abs in shape this is a must have book

This is a great book for anyone wanting to get their abs in shape. Different exercises are described in detail with proper technique and form. There are also different workouts routines depending on where you want to be and if you are a beginner or someone who has been exercising regularly.

Exercises vary and are not limited to the standard crunches and sit-ups. Your core is worked to give you a complete workout of your entire abdominal area.

I highly recommend this book along with "the Body Sculpting Bible for Women" for any woman who wishes to get her body in shape.

Such a great workout book that I need to buy it again. My 20 year old daughter stole it from me and took it back to college with her. A great book to bring to the health club with you as well.

This book is well-organized and has great pictures of the exercises (even though two of the models do look angry), but it does not specify muscles or muscle groups affected in each move, like many other ab books do. This makes it less useful as a resource when designing your ab workouts. It is very reader-friendly, however, and has lots of other options besides floor exercises for working your abs. If you have a Swiss Ball or Medicine Ball, or access to a gym, you'll probably use more of the moves described.