Brawn: Bodybuilding for the Drug-free and Genetically Typical [Import] [Paperback]

Stuart McRobert (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 231 pages
• Publisher: CS Publishing; Rev Ed edition (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9963783805
• ISBN-13: 978-9963783809
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,847,350 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crammed with information, April 21, 2004

By 

Seppo Vesala (Helsinki, - Finland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brawn: Bodybuilding for the Drug-Free and Genetically Typical (Paperback)

This book is aimed for a bodybuilder who has typical genetics, does not use anabolic steroids, and has a life outside the gym. The author does not advocate two-hour long workouts with 15 sets for each bodypart, as seems to be the case with some more conventional books. Still, this is not high intensity training, per se.

The author advocates the basic lifts and training style from the golden era of bodybuilding, when Reg Park and John Grimeg were dominant figures in the field. The emphasis is on squat, deadlift, stiff-legged deadlift, chins, dips and the like. Interestingly, McRobert even uses somewhat archaic names for the excercises, like overhead press for military press, and he advocates paying attention to grip and neck work. These issues are not handled routinely in most modern bodybuilding books.

I was surprised to find out that the author advises to train two, or even three total body workouts every week. I have been used to train each bodypart directly once in ten days, so that was almost a shock to me, especially considering that the author is otherwise against the modern trend of frequent and extensive workouts. However, as I read along, I discovered that actually, the author now advocates dividing the body to two or three parts, and doing the rotation once a week, of even less frequently. The confusion developed because the text from the first edition has not been edited at all, even if the author has changed his opinion towards a given matter. Rather, there is a boxed, "important note for the second edition" to note that now the author has different opinion on the matter. This can be very confusing, as in some matters, the authors' opinion has changed considerably, and the boxed note for second edition sometimes is not located right after the outdated information.

There is not a single picture of graph in the book. At first, that made the book appear to be heavy to read, but actually the text is very easy to read. Perhaps on some occasions a picture or two would have made it easier to understand what the author is saying, but as he can explain the things very well, I believe that I have not missed anything.

And speaking of pictures, there has been some criticism that as the author does not pose in his books, the training system is not believable. I have read dozens of training books, and I believe that there has not been a single picture of the author posing in any of the books, unless the book has been authored (or co-authored) by a professional bodybuilder or the like. Therefore, I don't understand this kind of critic.

This kind of training worked well for all great bodybuilders of the golden era, in a time before steroids, and when even the stars had to work for a living. Therefore, as man has not evolved considerably in past 50 years or so, the same principles work today, for a person who does not use steroids, and works for a living. Even without its' flaws, as the book is crammed with information that relates to typical, drug-free bodybuilder, it is highly recommended.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a weight training book for us average guys!, August 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Brawn: Bodybuilding for the Drug-free and Genetically Typical (Paperback)

Brawn is the book most "average" people who weight train have been waiting for for years.Instead of wasting your valuable time,money and most of all EFFORT on following the books and routines by the "champions", buy this book and begin to realize your true potential.Crammed with the most useful information I have read in years, and I have been involved in weight training for 20+ years and have a degree in Physical Education and let me tell you, you'll never do better than this book!Thank you Stuart McRobert, you've done the weight training world a great service, I'm now a huge fan!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best training book out there, April 20, 2000

By 

Ben Mercer (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brawn by McRobert, Stuart (Paperback)

This is hands down the most usefull book on weight training there is. Forget all the B.S. in the magazines, this is it. Everyone who wants to get big and strong needs this book. The concepts completely changed the way I train, and man do they work. Do only the big lifts, lift brief and heavy, never train on a set schedule, only train every 4 or 5 days, or even less, whatever it takes to recovery, these concepts will make you big and muscular, gauranteed. Plus, this book has minimal redundant or worthless information, like you may find in most training books.