Customer Reviews

Essential Abs: An Intense 6-Week Program (Men's Health Peak Conditioning Guides)

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4 star:		(2)
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2 star:		(1)
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I purchased about 10 books from Amazon on abs in order to compare them. This one is a rather simplistic book. It's like an enlarged Men's Health magazine article. If all you want is a book that tells you exactly what to do for a specific time period, you'll be better off with The Body Sculpting Bible for Abs, which has more information as well as a DVD. Here's my conclusion from comparing books...

If You Want to Trim Your Waistline: You can't trim your waistline without losing fat, and you can't lose fat around your waist without losing it everywhere (focusing on a muscle group like the abdominal muscles doesn't burn fat in that location, just a little bit of fat from everywhere on the body). So, if you want to trim your waistline, skip the ab workout books and go with a good, proven overall weight loss and fitness book like Bill Phillips' Body for Life. The Abs Diet is a similar program, but like all the Men's Health publications, it advertises a 6-week transformation, which is just a little unrealistic. Plan on more like 12-24 weeks to see really noticeable changes if you are fat.

If You Want Sculpted Six-Pack Abs: If you are overweight at all, see above--you can't get a six pack while you're overweight, and you can't lose abdominal fat by doing an ab workout, so go for overall fitness. However, if you are already lean, see below.

If You Want to Strengthen or Build Your Ab Muscles: If you're trying to improve for work, play, or rehab, you might consider the following books: The Body Sculpting Bible for Abs Deluxe DVD Edition contains decently up-to-date information and tells you exactly what to do and when to do it, based on a six-week fitness course. If you're looking for a similar book with more information, you can choose from The Complete Book of Abs or The Complete Book of Core Training. The Complete Book of Abs (1998) is a little out of date in terms of its dietary/nutritional recommendations, but it focuses more on exercises that develop the external abdominal muscles (the ones you see in a six-pack), including lots of variations on leg lifts, bicycle motion, and sit-ups. It will also give you more resources for creating your own program, and, if that's what you want to do, go with this one instead of The Body Sculpting Bible. The Complete Book of Core Training (2006) focuses more on the functional body core, including internal abdominal muscles, legs, etc., and includes more trendy exercises using medicine balls, exercise balls, yoga, etc. A different sort of book is Stronger Abs and Back (1997), which was written before the current fad of selling "core training," but contains the elements of core training because it gives good functional sports-focused advice. Its dietary recommendations are out of date, but it recommends a 24-week workout plan, which is much more realistic than the 6-week plans advocated by many of the other books.

If You Have Back Pain: See your doctor, and if he prescribes abdominal/core strengthening, see above.

My one-book recommendation: Body for Life.
My two-book recommendation: Body for Life + Stronger Abs and Back.
My three-book recommendation: Body for Life + Stronger Abs and Back + The Complete Book of Abs.
My four-book recommendation: Body for Life + Stronger Abs and Back + The Complete Book of Abs + The Abs Diet.

Hope this helps!!

Although a tad overpriced, this book is an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to develop their mid-section. If you're serious about the exercises, you will see results. There's additional information on a basic weight-training routine, diet, and cardiovascular workouts. The layout is simple and the language is straightforward, nothing intimidating here.

If you already have pretty good abdominal shape, go straight for Kurt Brungardt's The Complete Books of Abs.

I am 5'9" 200, not a thin guy. Used a low carb diet to lose 10 pounds along with this program and in 2 weeks could see real results. My waist is smaller and I see definition in my abdominal area for the first time since my military college days, 35 years ago. The exercises are very well-described, not unusually difficult, and can be done on a living room floor with no equipment. You feel and see the results immediately. I usually complete the third level in 15 minutes. I have never written an online review before but was so pleased with this book and the results I felt that I should. For me it was money well-spent.

The book delivers what it promises: An Intense Six-week program to train your Abs from every angle. But this book is more than just an Abs workout, it is a small, handy and complete reference with useful information that includes: essential physiology, flexibility stretches, and essential techniques.

Probably you wont get ripped in just six weeks, but from my experience I can tell you that the program really works, so in six weeks you will increase your abdominal strength and resistance, and of course you will certainly loss belly fat and get a better definition.

If you are interested in a more comprehensive coverage of ABS exercises and workouts, you may want to check "The Complete ABS" by the same author.

I was a Teaching Fellow in Physiology in graduate school, did additional graduate study in biochemistry and at one time worked as a personal trainer. I am also someone who has had my share of injuries, including a herniated disk. When I reviewed this book, I did so through this lens and as one who has some direct knowledge of the area being explored.

In my opinion, this book is a REAL jewel. It is short, but it covers a progressive, logical and safe routine for building outstanding abs. In addition, it includes good information about combining abdominal training with aerobics, weight lifting and reasonable diet tips.

In addition to the above, the book is written in an easy to follow, upbeat manner. It is encouraging and provides enough detail on how to do exercises properly. This is probably the only abs book you will ever need.

Two other books that may be of interest are: Back Care Basics: A Doctor's Gentle Yoga Program for Back and Neck Pain Relief and Build Muscle Lose Fat Look Great: Everything You Need to Know to Transform Your Body. I recommend the former for people with back issues and the latter for people who want more in-depth coverage of weight training.

Overall... this book is a GREAT place to start a fitness program that is easy to impliment, stick to and get good results. In my opinion, it's all you need to get started and it will take you fairly far by itself. There isn't any hype here, just good information packed into a small package.

Having already achieved the first four chapters of the book may make my opinion biased. That written, it's a great guide, with lots of photos, a well-directed course toward progressively more advanced workouts, and tips on whether you are doing the exercises correctly and how to make adjustments if you are missing the mark. Having been through a serious back injury and a very seriously fractured foot (AND NEITHER WERE FUN!), I read LOTS of rehab and exercise materials. Essential Abs is definitely the best excercise pub I've read. And, as a lanky female, it's been a stitch to read a book written for men. A gentleman at my health club recommended it to me -- and, he definitely looks in great shape. So, you just received a book review and a woman's view on whether Essential Abs is worth putting your money where your stomach is!

This is an amazing book. Don't listen to any of the bad reviews on it, because obviously those people didn't challenge their abs with enough reps. It's definately worth $10.47. It comes with so much information on how to achieve a healthy body, and is really quite interesting. Definately my favorite Ab book and I would suggest it to anyone.

Ah, I remember when my ab routine consisted of three rep sit ups tacked onto the end of a workout and my aerobics consisted of running across the gym parking lot get to the donut shop. I had a 28" waist and standout abs for years until I begrudginly entered my 30s. It was like I could literally see my abs dissappearing but yet I remained optimistic, "Oh, they'll be back...it's okay...it's all under control..." And then by the time I got to 35 years old, they were gone.

Boo-hoo.

The sad thing about was I kept eating like I was 22 years old. Sure, I think I can eat another barbecued pork and potato chip sandwich with a chocolate shake and onion ring cream pie for desert...hey, don't knock it till you try it...I was in this delusional state of mind that I was still the hot, buffed dude that chicks were staring at...they were staring at me cuz they were wondering why I was cramming my fat butt into 28" jeans...give it up grampa...

Boo hoo hoo.

After I incurred a major injury to my lower back I realized I had to try and stay in shape. Everything else was in pretty good shape, but my ab area looked like I was smuggling kittens to a picnic. So I got this book.

Great advice. Great routines. No stunning six pack...yet...but at least I can see a shadow...an outline of what appears to be a set of abdominals...so yeah, get it...really..because the only reason why they call it middle age is because somewhere around 35-40, everything starts migrating to the middle.

So get it and know that within every fat, lumpy, ugly caterpillar, there's uhhh...there's something that doesn't have to be so lumpy...I was goin' to say 'butterfly' but that didn't sound macho...hey, macho rhymes with nacho...put down the nachos Mr. Macho and let go of your jelly belly and get a yummy tummy...

wow...

That wasn't even manly...

the workouts are good, but i feel this book is good for someone between 12% 0r 10% bodyfat