Customer Reviews

The German body comp program: Burn fat and build muscle on the only program that uses weight training for weight loss

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I feel this program was specifically designed for men. It added muscle to my frame and I lost 4 inches from my waist and actually have a visible "four pack!" It is tough and not for a beginner, but the workouts incorporate "supersets" and are all excellent. Starts off with 3 day per week programs and ease into advanced four-day-per-week programs. No cardio is recommended! Weight training exclusively which helped me as I loath the treadmill!

I got a real chuckle after seeing the prices on Amazon for used copies of this book. Why anyone would pay more than $10 for this out-dated book of 112 pages is unbelievable.

In short you are to lose weight and gain muscle, i.e. change your "body composition" by eating wholesome foods like vegetables, poultry, meat, fish, etc. (yes, amazing information!) and working out four days/week on a mixed variety of exercises with decreasing reps and rest periods as the weeks progress.

These topics fill up all of the 1st 50 pages. The exercises Poloquin recommends are fairly basic with a few quirky ones like Duck Leg Press (yeah, right I'll get right on that one) and Split Squat Rear Foot Elevated w/Dumbbells..??? Anyway, I guess this is the author's attempt to show that he is trying to introduce something original that hasn't been yet seen in the 1000's of weight training books available today - wonderful, but hardly worth $79.

The remainder of the book, all 60 pages contain the requisite exercise instructions and photos, many of them showing incorrect form such as the chin-up which shows the subject pulling his legs into his chest, and the deadlift starting position resembling that of the squat - incorrect!

And this gem "I have found that squeezing in that 7th meal a day versus only 6 meals makes a world of difference in gaining mass. Never go hungy!"

Unfortunately Poloquin endorses the mainstream myth that one must eat more than 3 meals/day to "gain mass". This is absolutely false and what's more, dangerous for one's health. If you doubt me, do the research and you will find that in controlled experiments, subjects did not gain any more muscle mass on 6 meals/day versus 3 meals/day.

Here is an example of a "Tip" from Mr. Poloquin: Tip 11 Add Flavonols To Your Thermogenic Stack - gosh, that actually sounds kind of dangerous - where is my thermogenic stack and how do I add a flavonol to it? What a crock!

Or this produndity: Tip 20 - Eat Like a Caveman. In this section of all of 3 paragraphs Poloquin explains the latest (at least in 1997) "pop science" about how cavemen didn't eat carbohydrates - probably because McDonalds wasn't yet invented? Okay that last part is my own contribution but just goes to show the absurdity of advice from trainers who have read the latest snippet on "nutrition" on the internet and take is as truth.

And finally, a question and answer section for those who didn't get it all the amazingly complex information the first time.

Good on Mr. Poloquin for his standing and reputation to command the big bucks for his books and (probably) his training services - however, the average trainee can easily find programs as good or better than German Body Comp Program for free.