Harvey Walden's No Excuses! Fitness Workout [Hardcover]

Harvey Walden (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 18, 2007 | ISBN-10: 1594867461 | ISBN-13: 978-1594867460 | Edition: First Edition

Get into the fight—the fight against fat!

     The U.S. Marine drill instructor who has inspired millions through the massively popular TV show, Celebrity Fit Club, reveals his star-studded formula for lifelong health and fitness.

     Countless marines have trained with Drill Instructor Walden—and now you can too.

     Harvey offers a workout so simple, you can do it watching your favorite TV show, and so effective, it will change your life. In Harvey Walden's NO EXCUSES! Fitness Workout, he becomes your personal drill instructor for a platoon of one—YOU!

     All he asks is that you give him half an hour a day, four days a week, to develop a new body, a new attitude—and a new you.

     The tough marine from Chicago’s South Side tells of his own personal challenges and the lessons he’s learned. He will teach you how to get beyond your excuses and meet the challenge of getting fit. Harvey knows all about excuses—from rookie marines to Hollywood celebrities, he’s seen every trick in the book. He knows just how hard people will try to AVOID getting fit.

     But he also knows that if you get off your butt, leave behind that sugary, salty, snacky food you’ve been chewing on, and follow his recipe for exercise success, you’ll turn your life around.

     He knows because he’s done it. And you can do it too!

     In this book, he sets out a complete three-stage fitness plan for YOU:

     Stage One: Get OFF Your Butt.

     Stage Two: Now You Are in the Fight.

     Stage Three: OOH RAH! You’re a Stud (or Studette)!

     With thirty-minute workouts for each level of fitness that keep you in motion while taking you through warm-up, cardio, strength training, and cool-down, each stage will hone and tone your body, introducing new challenges as you get fitter.

     A bonus gym section can take you further still. And Harvey gives his very own personal advice at every stage.

     So—No Excuses! It’s time to get in the fight.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I wish everyone had a Harvey in their lives. Harvey represents dedication, honesty, motivation, and strength. Harvey taught me to not give up. He taught me how to push myself to places I didn't think I could go. The day he came to my house to work me ou in my gym, I thought I was going to pass out. I didn't get upset with him...It only motivated me to work out harder the next time and know that I could DO IT. He's a cool guy and I am grateful we met. I am lucky."

-Carnie Wilson

About the Author

HARVEY WALDEN IV, who joined the U.S. Marines at age 17, is an expert marksman, weapons authority, martial arts expert, and health and fitness guru. He is best known in the U.K. and U.S. for his role as the fitness instructor on VH1's and ITV's prime-time shows Fat Club and Celebrity Fit Club.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books; First Edition edition (September 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594867461
• ISBN-13: 978-1594867460
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 1.1 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,262,398 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It is what it says it is October 12, 2007

By TheCafeWriter VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The title says "fitness workout" and that's exactly what you get in this book. You get a big serving of motivation, a little bit of bio, followed by a boot-camp style workout. There's only a small number of pages devoted to diet or offer recipes, but Harvey readily acknowledges he's not a nutritionist or dietitian. Fitness is his expertise. A fitness workout is what the book offers and you get a very effective one.

What makes this fitness book different is:
1. No equipment needed (except a stopwatch or watch with a second hand).
2. Can do anywhere. Enough floor space to do push-ups and leg lifts is all you need.
3. No 'reps.' Everything is timed by stopwatch, so you might do scissor jacks for one minute, push-ups for one minute, jog in place 3 minutes, etc.
4. It's a total-body workout that combines cardio and strength training, so there's no separate days for cardio or for a split routine.

The workout is presented in 3 stages, depending on your fitness level, and he recommends working out for 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week. I remember some of these exercises from USMC boot camp and they were tough then. And Harvey uses a lot of them: mountain climbers, variations of push-ups, variations of jumping jacks, squats, variations on leg lifts, and so on. These aren't easy, but they get results. The workout includes stretches and mixes in bursts of cardio. Harvey also offers up a gym workout for those gym rats who want to focus on specific muscle groups.

When Marines and SEALS write fitness books, it's often a mixed bag. Some of them seem to think that standard suburban patio furniture includes a full obstacle course. And then there was the Marine workout book where the author called the reader "cupcake" - put me off the book completely.... Harvey's style in this book is realistic, straighforward, open, and less confrontational than he appears on "Celebrity Fit Club," so if you've been put off by that on the show, check this book out anyway.

Even if a boot camp style experience isn't for you, at the very least, you may find this workout useful as a backup plan. It works well for when the gym is closed, when you're on the road, or when you're at home and just feel like burning some excess energy and calories. Read more ›

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Workout Book January 6, 2008

By Binko Barnes VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This excellent workout book returns to the basics.

You don't need any fancy equipment in order to work out, you just need motivation. And Harvey does his best to motivate!

I own a really fancy elliptical running machine and a large home-gym type weight machine. But I'm selling both of them. Why? Because when you use machines to work out it puts you in an assisted groove. Your muscles are not working completely because the machine holds you on a mechanically preset course.

Much better to just use your body, the floor and maybe a few dumbbells. Return to the basics and make progress. Depend on trips to the gym and expensive machines and likely you will bog down.

Excellent book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good variety of exercises, could use a wall chart March 19, 2008

By ReadNReVu

Format:Hardcover

This is a good, no-nonsense book with clear explanations and pictures of each exercise. Also contains a few healthy recipes in the back, and a brief description of what a low GI diet is.

My only quibble with this book is that there is no accompanying wall chart, or cheat sheets with smaller pictures/lists of the exercises for cues when you're learning the exercises (Minna Lessig's Tank Top Arms, Bikini Belly and Boy Shorts Bottom book has these in the back). It would be great to have cheat sheets to take with you while traveling, so you can leave the book at home.

Hopefully the next edition will correct this oversight, and then it will definitely be a 5-star book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is awesome. April 10, 2008

By Robin R. Cripps

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love Harvey! Not only does he provide various exercises but he motivates. I wish I was in the Corp.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars There is MUCH better out there! November 3, 2010

By Farhana

Format:Hardcover

This book was a gift to me.. I don't think I would have read it otherwise.

The book is targeted to people who have never worked out before. He motivates 'obese' people - and tells them they can even do the workout while watching t.v.

The exercises themselves are very good, however I don't see obese people starting with push-ups - they is no point in doing them at that stage, and are very likely to injure themselves.

I liked the descriptions of the exercises, and they all have pictures which is great.

For a book on training I really didn't care to hear about his life story or how he's a good parent, blah, blah.. and "I taught my kids to sort out laundry".. *yaay*.

I have issues with some of his nutritional advice, for example he never ever cleans his plate.. anyone who wastes food is a looser, why take so much if you're not going to eat it (portion control and wasting are two different things).

Five recipes are included, all sound nice.

Design-wise: The layout looks nice, but there is absolutely no color (b&w pics) apart from the cover.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. If you're serious about working out and eating healthy, get your info from a qualified trainer/nutritionist. Getting obese people to do pushups infront of the t.v. and throw away all their egg yolks is nonsense.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars HARVEY'S NO EXCUSES WILL GET YOU LEAN. April 21, 2008

By Margo Y. Fuents

Format:Hardcover

THIS IS A VERY GOOD READ. HE'S GOT GREAT MOTIVATION. ITS BASIC COMMON SENSE AND IT WORKS. NO EXCUSES. DO IT. CAN BE DONE AT HOME. I USE TO DO THESE EXCERCISES YEARS AGO. I'M GLAD I WAS ON THE RIGHT TRACK THANKS TO GOD. I'VE READ IT TWICE. HE'S A VERY LIKABLE GENTLEMEN AND HE'S GOOD AT HIS JOB.

5.0 out of 5 stars Workout March 21, 2013

By alberto l valentin

Format:Hardcover

Very good beg honest book to start working out it provided alot of tips on health and working out follow the regime provided and you'll see results