Customer Reviews

Exercise Testing & Program Design: A Fitness Professional's Handbook

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

 

 

perhaps a novice exerciser will not fully appreciate the real value of this book; that is because it is intended for people with training in the field, and as such is indispensable.

Having a educational and professional background in sport and exercise science, I found this book to be an excellent overview and refresher covering testing and programming for general and special populations. The information presented, while appropriately in-depth for those with a background in the field, is an easy read. However, the book may not be the best choice for someone who is simply interested in beginning an exercise program, or is otherwise unfamiliar with the field, as much of the information will not help one become more familiar or comfortable with a gym or exercise program. The chapter recommended readings are a great resource, with the majority coming from well-regarded journals and publications, and it is no suprise that this book has been endorsed by some of the top sport and exercise organizations in the United States. Certainly a great reference book for any fitness professional to have in their library.

I was recently sentenced by my doctors (with my wife as unindicted co-conspirator) to frequent exercise at a fitness club. Since at first I couldn't find any doctors or serious medical literature who could tell me about the specific benefits I was supposed to gain from this, the evidence for them, or the process by which they were supposed to produce these benefits,(...), I decided to buy this book.

It is hard to find absolute purity in this world, but this book is close to being a pure waste of time. It presents no evidence for its claims, or even meaningful footnotes with references to evidence. The skimpy chapter bibliographies consist of references to publications by organizations of gym teachers with which the authors seem to be affiliated. The book is full of sentences like "While these psychological benefits are difficult to quantify, they are well-supported anecdotally, and represent important benefits." Anecdotal evidence is not evidence, and I've never seen a serious researcher on any subject claim that it is.

Or how about, "Exercise has also been shown to increase the brain's emission of alpha-waves...." Despite what it says in some of the less successful science fiction stories, the brain does not "emit" alpha waves, escept in the sense that the power cord of an egg beater "emits" 60Hz custard waves. "Alpha waves" is a name given to a certain rhythmic pattern of grossly measured electrical potentials in the brain.

I highly recommend this book for exercise bureaucrats who desparately need to finish off the year's library budget in a hurry. Anyone looking for facts or information should look elsewhere.