Customer Reviews

Lou Ferrigno's Guide to Personal Power, Bodybuilding, and Fitness

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have been a fan of Lou Ferrigno and bodybuilding from a young age. I have found many bodybuilding books to be disappointing for the price I pay (as I have to order them). For a very reasonable price I was surprised at the wealth of information in his book. I was very interested to read about his life and how he became a bodybuilder, more importantly how he overcame obstacles. It also had a lot of great photos. I thoroughly recommend this book to any bodybuilding or Lou Ferrigno fan.

I met "The Hulk" too, several years ago. That was a dream come true. Unfortunately, I met Lou during a tough competition -- his return to the Olympia for the Masters category. And I think this book is consistent with how he deals with loss and/or difficult challenges: he spends a lot of time complaining about life, IMO. Although some people would find it inspirational, I could not relate to the book at all. This book is interesting if you are a Lou Ferrigno fan.

This book gives good analysis about Ferrigno's life andbodybuilding.Also has good information about weighttraining,diet,mental preparation and rest.

I just want to say that I Purchased this particular book from Lou Ferrigno himself on March 6 , 2000 at the Chicago Comicfest. He autographed it for me and my lifetime dream of meeting my childhood hero was finally a reality! He also autographed a Hulk picture for my son Nino Angelo and posed for many pictures with me! I read this book and not only is Lou Ferrigno very eloquent but, he also is an inspiration. Not to mention a great motivator. Physically and mentally. It's all here in this book, his childhood, his rise to athletic glory, his break in television ,hollywood, his marriage and his family life. Not to mention a great work out book to boot! His sad childhood and his father's lack of support was very moving. Also moving is the fact that he overcame his disability to become a champion and a star and an inspiration to millions. The pictures in this book are superb! His awesome physique is unbelieveable! I went on an immediate diet after reading this book and I am still on it. Every time I feel like getting off my diet, I just pick up this book and it gives me the willpower I need. This book is easy reading and it never gets boring. From start to finish it keeps you entertained and you really get some insight on the man , the athelete , the star . Lou Ferrigno not only is an inspiration to millions of wieghtlifters around the world, and a hero to millions of Hulk fans, he's also an inspiration to the hearing impaired. He's always been underated and has always had to take back seat to Arnold but this book certainly does him justice. I recommend that you buy this book if you are trying to lose weight, are trying to be motivated, are serious about acting , or if your just really a big fan . You will not be disappointed. Thank you very much. And thank you very much Lou , Wherever you are. Jose' Roberto Mesarina. Chicago Illinois.

I thought this was one book really worth my time. I found it to be very motivational, informative, and emotional as well. It really boggled my mind how such a handicaped poor boy from Brooklyn over came those adversities to make it big not only in the bodybuilding world but also in show bussiness. Furthermore, I as a fan think that Lou Ferrigno deserves alot more repect and credits than he is given, in the bodybuilding world.

i am a big fan of of lou ferrigno and this book was very informative.

What a great athlete and what a great book! It's packed with information on Big Lou, who gives excellent training advice. I know it will inspire you to train harder and overcome adversity. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever dreamed of change.

The overall intent of this book far outweighs the little bits of "My childhood was terrible" and "My Dad was nothing but an inconsiderate bully, 90% of the time" statements sprinkeled throughout. Most of which is in the first half of the book which tells of his hardships, heroes that have inspired him, his triumphs, and the mental motivation that got him through it all. The second half of the book is good basic sound weight-training bodybuilding and nutritional advice. Lou practically takes you by the hand leading you step by step the different ways, depending on your body type, to achieve a much better physique than what you may have now. Loaded with lots of pictures to inspire and instruct (all in black & white) you can't go wrong with this book.

Following the footsteps of Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1977 best selling book Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder, bodybuilding superstar Lou Ferrigno begins his book with a very open biography. He had to overcome a handicap from birth, as well as his perception of his controlling, sometimes tyrannical father, to become a multi-Mr Universe winner, TV and movie actor, motivational speaker and successful personal trainer.

Akin to the format of Arnold's book, Lou Ferrigno then follows up his biography with a complete bodybuilding program. In this 'chapter', Lou's book shines over Arnold's in that he breaks down a beginner's workout routine week by week. Then Ferrigno delves into specific bodypart training, but I personally recognized it's writings published in muscle magazines.

Overall, I give this book a B+ rating and a recommendation that if you follow his principles and workout routines, you likely will be bigger and more muscular than you are now.

Ferrigno was a tremendous athlete--heck, the guy is still in shape--and his training advice is solid, if not revolutionary. But poor Lou spends too much time complaining about life and what might have been. He pens ridiculous statements such as, "I could have won the Olympia if I hadn't retired." That's kind of like me saying I could have been the world's greatest concert pianist, had I ever taken up the piano.

Lou ultimately never had what it took to make it to the top, competitively. He never reached the summit at his peak in the 1970s, or when he returned to the sport in the Masters division. Instead of accepting his limitations and turning them into something motivational, he tends to blame others for his failures. Thus, instead of being an inspiring book, his "Guide..." winds up being irritating.

It didn't help that when I met him for the first time--a lifelong dream--he stuck his hand in front of my camera and said, "No pictures," then wanted to charge me $20 for a picture of him taken with my own camera! He's been referred to as "the Incredible Jerk," and my own experiences with the man certainly validate that title.