Core Performance Essentials: The Revolutionary Nutrition and Exercise Plan Adapted for Everyday Use [Hardcover]

Mark Verstegen (Author), Pete Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 13, 2005

Most people today are familiar with the importance of core fitness, and Mark Verstegen played a large role in bringing it to the forefront of workout programs everywhere. Drawing upon the success of his first title, Core Performance, but recognizing that many readers want a more streamlined workout, Verstegen has created a simpler yet highly effective program to create a lean, agile, powerful physique that's resistant to injury and the ravages of age.

Core Performance Essentials boils down fitness essentials into a quick, easy-to-follow routine that requires minimal equipment and can be done in a hotel room, family room-even an office. It offers the benefits of yoga-with exercises designed to improve flexibility, joint stability, and balance-yet it also demonstrates easy, necessary strength moves using just body weight.

Featuring nutrition and lifestyle tips, this book will help readers have more energy and more time to thrive in their different roles all day, every day. This accessible exercise and diet program-perfect for those who haven't exercised in years as well as for anyone who wants a more streamlined workout-takes the same principles Verstegen uses to train elite athletes to thrive in sports, to help readers succeed in what he calls "the game of life."

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Do this routine three times a week . . . and consider your New Year's resolution accomplished."--Health magazine

 

"There is no doubt that my body has undergone drastic change working with Mark, but just as important is the mental change in me and in my life."--Curt Schilling

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

MARK VERSTEGEN, who has designed workout programs for people from all walks of life, is the owner of Athletes' Performance in Tempe, Arizona, a training facility that hosts world-class athletes in virtually every major sport.

PETE WILLIAMS writes frequently about sports, business, and fitness and is a contributing writer to Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal and USA Today Sports Weekly. He currently resides in Safety Harbor, Florida.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (December 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594863504
• ISBN-13: 978-1594863509
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #355,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All you need to live longer, March 8, 2007

By 

R. Sebok (Plainfield, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Core Performance Essentials: The Revolutionary Nutrition and Exercise Plan Adapted for Everyday Use (Paperback)

Regardless of age/gender, you should buy this book. I just turned 40, have 3 kids and live a very busy lifestyle. The principles in this book are simple to understand and incorporate everyday.

This book was recommended to me by a business associate of the author. It was specifically recommended because it is the 'easiest book the author has written for incorporating fitness into the normal person's lifestyle' (i.e. for those who do NOT have the time to spend an hour or more at the gym each night). For me, the book is really two books; (1) nutrition 101 and (2) exercise for life.

For nutrition, the author makes it easy to understand the theory of nutrition (i.e. eating). He starts with theory, then grocery shopping, and then the eating schedule. This book does recommend more frequent mini-meals, rather than big dinners. Anyways, some very sound basics to answer the question of what you should put in body for maximum performance and health.

For exercise, the author asks you to commit 30 minutes a day to a core performance workout (ok, with a shower its 45 minutes). For novices, the Core is essentially your mid section (abs, stomach, butt, thigh, shoulder, back, etc.), but the program really hits every muscle group. As for the program, you can do all the exercises at home, without investing in costly equipment. The exercises focus on flexibility, endurance and strength and really do work. I started the program a little over 3 weeks ago and can already "feel" and see the difference. For the record, I've had lower back issues for 6+ years and since using the Core Performance it's never felt better. Not once have I have to 'roll out' of bed in the morning.

Live longer, feel healthier, and look better. Some motivation, 30 minutes per day, and this book are all you really need.

Thanks Mark for making professional athletic training programs applicable to the regular guy!

74 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Core Performance Essentials, January 14, 2007

By 

Janice Webster (Leesburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Core Performance Essentials: The Revolutionary Nutrition and Exercise Plan Adapted for Everyday Use (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my husband, because he has loved the first book written by Mark Verstegen, Core Performance (which earns 5 stars). I had hopes that this book would pick up where the other one left off and continue with updated and new stuff. It didn't really do that, Instead, it seemed to be a rehash of the first book without much new. Just a different presentation. If you haven't read the first book, then this one is excellent. However, if you have the first book already, you don't need this one because it doesn't have very much new info to share.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Movements not muscles, April 6, 2007

By 

P. McCall "Pete" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Core Performance Essentials: The Revolutionary Nutrition and Exercise Plan Adapted for Everyday Use (Paperback)

As an educator who trains personal trainers my critique on most fitness books for the consumer is that they focus on training individual muscles; for example doing chest press just for the 'pecs'

Mark does an excellent job of introducing the concept of training movement patterns, not individual muscles--this is the secret to top conditioning coaches and Mark does an excellent job of presenting the info in consumer friendly language.

As a personal trainer I will buy this book for clients and teach them exercises out of this book so they can progress or regress the exercises on their own. My goal for clients is to teach them how to be independent when working out and Verstegen's book is a great resource for that goal.