Customer Reviews

Hard Bodies

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4 star:		(2)
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I looked into the mirror and realised that my latest diet was again a failure. Arrgh! Although I had lost the weight that I wanted to, I was looking more like a pyramid than the hour glass I imagined. I finally realised that it wasn't how heavy we were, but how the weight was distributed inside and outside of us that mattered. "Hard Bodies" is the answer. This book, written by Gladys Portugues and Joyce Vedral, PhD., is a path to a healthier, better looking body. Working with free weights at home is inexpensive and takes very little space. However, it does require careful attention to technique. The book's photos are instructive rather than just showing off the author's success at body building, although Gladys is beautiful, definitely someone to emulate. The text provides clear and safe instructions. This is great stuff for working out with free weights at home or for augmenting a weight training program at your gym. And, it works! Copyright 1997 by Barbara Grant Ashton

This book has done wonders for me. I started out not knowing anything about different exercises for weight training and how to start a program. Now I am working out at least 4-5 times a week and loving every minute of it. I saw results quickly and the pictures helped me understand how to do the exercises correctly. This is a must!!! I would love to see more books from the two lady authors.

I got this book ten years ago, and have been weight training/bodybuilding ever since. With assistance from this book, I found it was easier to change my body (from size 18 pants to size 8) than my mind. The pep talk at the beginning of the book really changed my life. I feel much better about myself now. When people ask me how I keep at it, I recommend this book, and am buying yet another copy for a friend who's gotten a new gym membership, to keep her motivated!

I have implemented all these workouts into my total gym workout..Well actually I use these on my total gym, they work fantastic, it has only been 3 day's, and I'm already seeing results. I haven't implemented the diet into my lifestyle change yet. I can feel the difference in my clothes. Yes, an hour and a half does take up sometime, I had to readjust my whole schedule, but it has been so worth it. I was a gymnast for years, but I did not want to bulk up again like that. Being that I'm now 40 and over weight I was afraid my muscle memory would take me in that direction, But that is far from what has happened , I can see the definition, and leaning out in such a short period of time, has just made me want to keep going. I bought this book at a thrift shop about 2 years ago, my motivation was that I could no longer fit into my jeans, and some of my clothes. It made me so upset. I found this packed away in a box in my basement a few weeks ago ( not sure when I packed it away), right at the time I decided I needed a life style change. I have never done anything like weight lifting before so this has been an experience. It has been a great experience so far.Hard Bodies A definite recommend for anyone wishing to get Healthy and Fit!

...I think I'll try the "HardBodies Express Workout".

Reason being is, ok -

The good about this book? The clear, concise directions; the very inspiring pictures; the very motivating introduction. The pictures that go with the instructions so there's no guesswork as to how to do the exercises.

The bad:
Some of the nutrition information is a little outdated. But, you can find up to date info on nutrition anywhere nowadays.

The routine: each muscle is worked (except for inner and outer thighs, unless you work out of the 'fine tuning' chapter as well). Instructions are simple and clear. You start out gradually, but - is it really necessary to do 4 - 5 exercises PER muscle AND stack sets on top of it? You'd be at the gym for hours! No one has that kind of time! Not to mention you'd be completely exhausted by the time you were done!

Don't get me wrong - I understand to get a good hard body, you need to work - but unless you're training for fitness competitions, it isn't necessary to do THAT much. You should be able to do just one or two exercises per muscle group 2 or 3 times per week and see results. Or just have a schedule where you work one muscle group once per week THEN you could do this type of routine. But we are all different, to each their own.

Also - the exact same exercises are in Joyce Vedral's "Now or Never." Same program as well.

This book is basic and clear, but extremely informative. I purchased it when it was released 20 years ago and somehow lost it over the years. Now back in the gym I thought it would be nice to have on my bookshelf again so I went to Amazon to re-purchase.

This is a great book to learn different weight lifting exercises. The pictures show alot. The book could use more instruction on nutrition.