Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Working Out at Home

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Ms. Zayles adds this book to several others like it (Fitness for Dummies and Complete Idiot's Guide to Fitness). I would recommend Fitness for Dummies to someone trying to understand the fitness world and start a fitness program (even one completely at home). There's just too much left out of Ms. Zayles book for it to really start someone out. There are some useful exercises and charts in this book, but their benefit is balanced by the strange product endorsements found throughout. As only one example, Ms. Zayles puts an obscure, "passive" product called "Burke Spencer's Leg and Butt Buster" right next to stationary bikes and aerobic dancing as an option for cardio workouts. This tactic certainly made me lose faith in the honesty and accuracy of her assessments.

I read the book from cover to cover before starting any program. I liked the pictures and discriptions of what muscles are being worked in the exercises. I purchased the Burke Spencer Personal Trainer (now call the Fitness Partner) and I enjoy using it with my leg routines. (I also happen to use it for my kickboxing routine since I don't have a punching bag.) It does take awhile to get use to. In the two months I've been on it I've lost 5 inches, 7 lbs and built muscles I didn't even know I had. I like the yoga and kickboxing sections because whether I'm on her outlined program or creating one of my own I have all the tools I need currently to get started. I would recommend a second book for reference because no one book has everything you want/need.