Customer Reviews

Hard Core Fitness: Training Developed in Some of America's Toughest Prisons

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

 

 

This would make the 3rd book on "prison workouts" I've read thus far(the other 2 being Solitary Fitness and Convict Conditioning.)

This is not so much a book with a workout routine as it is an encyclopedia of bodyweight exercises that can be done with minimal equipment. It also covers a number of techniques for adding intensity to the various moves. It does offer some sample circuit training routines, but is mostly a compendium of exercises.

If you are a beginner this book will probably confuse you, but if you are more advanced and looking for some new moves to add to your repertoire, this is a good book for the price.

Must agree with previous poster. Book has mostly descriptions of calistenics movements, methods,and some picture examples of individuals performing them in what looks to be a cell. Descriptions of conditiong exercises, and methods you probably haven't seen before. No real set or rep guidelines. Book is hardcore and looks badass.

I have participated in a wide variety of athletics my entire life. I also enjoy studying and applying various training techniques and methods to my workourts. I bought this book looking for different body weight exercises. First you should know this is a self published book. The author is a former inmate, who was in a facility with limited equipment so he trained using many different variations of basic callisthenics. I'll give him credit for writing the book, getting certified in personal training, and getting his life on track.

However, the book lacks good photos or even in-depth descriptions of exercises. The descriptions are basic, offer no tips or instruction on form. If you are looking for a good book on body weight exercises, this isn't it. Anybody who's gone through public school phys ed knows the exercises in this book.

Better to get Fit Deck for $10 or "Body Weight Exercises for Extrodinary Strength" by Brad Johnson for some really hard and unique body weight exercises.

Bottom Line: dissapointing waste of money.

This book is one of many books available that focus on using your body as your gym. The concepts of books like this are great however this one was lacking something. The book is written rather poorly by a con turned personal trainer who, appearing by the way the book was written, is still doing time. There are many exercises listed but most have very basic explanations that can appear confusing to someone who has never really exercised. Also the author claims to give routines but they are truly lacking substance. The theories of doing body weight routines according to the author, is that they are mainly for conditioning (which is false). Body weight only routines can be used for gaining lean muscle, burning fat, endurance and overall well being. For someone looking for a great book on body weight exercises and routines I personally would pick up "You Are Your Own Gym" by Mark Lauren any day over this book.

To expand on what others have already stated...the book contains a good collection of bodyweight exercises. However, I found two main faults. 1) Most of the exercises are are described through text only, they don't have pictures. This isn't a big issue for someone that understands bodyweight exercises but represents a huge issue for a newbie. 2) There are not real routines. There is a small section that includes some circuit routines and then a section on "hardcore" routines that the author tells the reader not to use because they are too hard. Why include routines then tell the reader not to try them? Again, this is a huge issue for a newbie that doesn't understand how to design routines.

So, in a nutshell, if the author would go back and add photos for all of the exercises and then include a number of beginner and intermediate routines to get readers started this could actually be a real good book.

This book has tons of variations on bodyweight exercise. The type is good size and the pics are big and clear in black and white.

It would be a 5 star plus book if the book contained pics for every exercise vs. many that are just described in detail.

This for me was the first book that was able to break down the technical descriptions of exercise and conditioning concepts in laymans terms for someone like myself that has a hard time reading text book jargon.

This was a huge plus for myself!

very helpful book. learned alot. says it was supposed to come with a DVD but it did not. i'm sure it wasn't the sellers fault thought. good product and very helpful.

It is a good book for someone in prison. But the ARYAN NATION writing books!? Ha! ha! ha! This book is probly good for a new inmate but still lacks the neeeded information to be great. Since we live in the free world consider another book.