Customer Reviews

Maran Illustrated Weight Training

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
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2 star:		(1)
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Over the years I have read a number of books on weight training. Most give you a routine, tell you how buff you are gonna look and toss in a picture or too. And they assume you know alot including proper form and what the heck the exercise is doing for your body.

Maran's Illustrated Weight Training is different. This book will give you a firm grounding in weight training. It covers everything so you will have a solid foundation to train for best results.

The book begins with something that is often missed in others - a picture of the human body with the muscles labeled. It is hard to work your "latissimus dorsi" or your "gluteu minimus" terms I have heard video instructors shout out, when you don't have a clue what they are. Marans gives you a clearly labeled front and rear view human body illustration.

Next the book makes the case for working out at home or at the gym. If you opt to set up a home gym you will learn what to look for in barbells, a bench, rack etc. If you opt to go to a gym you will learn what to look for before signing on the dotted line.

The book also covers gym etiquette (something you wish that sweaty man next to you who never wipes down the bench would read), proper clothing, and more.

Next comes the meat of the book. In great detail Marans describes how to work each part of your body. For your triceps for example Maran describes the bench dip, tricep kickback, triceps pushdown, barbell triceps press, dumbbell overhead extension, lying barbell extension and triceps extension machine. For each exercise you will learn what it does for your body, what muscles it works, and the do's and don'ts of performing it. Each excerise also includes lots of full color photographs.

Tons of exercises are covered for upper and lower body - from chest to back to buttocks to calves. There is also a section on using an exercise ball and using tubing.

I know a girl (ok it was me) who did ab work for several months with no results because she was doing the exercises wrong..too bad I didn't have this book then.

The book also includes information on how to design a weight routine, stretching (crucial for best results and to prevent injury), cardiovascular training and nutrition.

The softcover, oversized 300+ page book is beautifully laid out and designed. Full color photographs and easy to read text.

Super book for those starting out, on their way or the seasoned pro seeking that extra information. Maran scores a winner with this book!

Lee Mellott

I'm really getting addicted to these Maran Illustrated titles. I received a copy of Maran Illustrated Weight Training, and this is one of those fitness books that speaks to the "normal" person...

Contents:

Section 1 - Weight Training Basics: Weight Training Basics

Section 2 - Work Your Upper Body: Work Your Chest; Work Your Shoulders; Work Your Back; Work Your Triceps; Work Your Biceps and Wrists; Work Your Abdominals

Section 3 - Work Your Lower Body: Work Your Legs; Work Your Buttocks; Work Your Calves

Section 4 - Using An Exercise Ball And Tubing; Using an Exercise Ball; Using Exercise Tubing

Section 5 - Design A Weight Routine: Design a Weight Routine

Section 6 - Stretching: Stretching

Section 7 - Cardiovascular Training And Nutrition: Cardiovascular Training; Nutrition; Index

Although my current fitness and weight level wouldn't necessarily show it, I've spent a lot of time in the gym doing weight training. I even considered competitive bodybuilding for awhile, and I was familiar with that entire scene and lifestyle. So while I'm fine with a weight training book by a current Mr. Olympia, the person trying to get started for the first time can easily be intimidated by that. Hyper-muscular individuals enhanced by various "substances" aren't realistic for 99% of the population, and it sets some pretty false expectations. Fortunately, there are alternatives, and this book is one of them.

The Maran Illustrated approach to a book involves a graphically appealing format with an abundance of photos to illustrate points. No endless pages of "text only" here. Each exercise that's illustrated follows pretty much the same format. A photo of the starting/ending position, a photo of the middle position, a picture of the muscles targeted by the exercise, and most importantly, a photo of what you *don't* do when performing the exercise. I can't tell you how many times I've had to bite my tongue when watching others in the gym, knowing that their particular motion on a given exercise makes it either useless or dangerous. This emphasis on what to do and what *not* to do isn't normally covered in other books. In fact, I don't think I've seen any other book show that level of responsibility. I'd commend it for that alone.

But we're not done yet. The material in the first section is stuff that I'd like to get all gym attendees to memorize. They cover the basics on equipment, how to choose a gym, why weight training is good for you, etc. But they also devote some time to etiquette. Etiquette! That's another hot button for me. I don't want to listen to you scream while you crank out that last rep. I don't want to use the bench that's still covered in your sweat. And I *really* don't want to wait to work in while you're reading the paper between sets. If I could staple this section to the forehead of a few individuals, I'd be a happy man.

Do I like this book? Yeah, I like it a lot. The models illustrating the exercises are normal-looking, fit individuals. The information is technically sound, and effort is made to make sure you're doing things right. They even cover fitness balls and exercise tubing, which I normally dismiss in my mind as gimmicks. But I had to rethink those attitudes after covering that area.

Bottom line: This would be the first book I'd recommend in nearly all cases if someone was getting ready to take up weight training. Great job!

I bought this book when I decided to start weight training. I had never done any weight training before so I needed a book that covered the basics. Maran Illustrated has proven a great choice.

The range of exercises is from easy to advanced so that you do not need to buy another book after you have learned the basics and are ready for something more challenging.

The photographs and explanations of each exercise are very clear and easy to follow. As the previous reveiwer has mentioned, there are also photographs of what NOT to do, which is important for everybody and for beginners - essential.

The book is suitable for those who go to a gym and for those who prefer to exercise at home. It also explains the advantages of both, home and gym.

It offers a range of exercises one can do while travelling.

I recommend this book to anybody who would like to start weight training; the book will also be useful for those who know the basics already.

I purchased this book for my 13 year old grandson because he is involved in sports and wants to lift weights. One of the most valuable parts of the book is illustrations of how NOT to do it. The book includes all that he needs to know and, with the help of his parents, I think it will aid him in learning properly how to lift.

I had a shoulder injury and toward the end of physical therapy, we moved to strengthening exercises/weight lifting. I am a person that likes pictures (as opposed to words) and this book provides good pictures of how each exercise should be done. It also shows you how NOT to do them. It shows what muscles are affected by each exercise, plus a section on stretching. My PT was very impressed by it and started thumbing through it and said he was going to buy it to show patients in the future.

I picked this book randomly and it turned out to be a great book to start out with. I tried going to the gym before I got this book and the weights scared me. The next day I bought the book and took 2-3 days to read through the entire thing and everything made sense. I also saw the correct way to do each routine. One of the best things it did was lay out all the different types of routines you can do, whether it be full body, or focusing on one or two muscles per workout. I highly recommend this book!

In my opinion, this is one of the best exercise books for beginners, I love how honest and true their information and tips they provide in the book. Very important information presented in a very simple yet powerful way. All you need to know about weight training if you're a beginner is here. I highly recommend the book.

This book really makes putting together a cohesive workout for a complete novice MUCH easier. I like how this book includes so much variety in equipment used for all target muscle groups. If you are just limited to resistance bands and an exercise ball, there is something in this book for you. If you are in a fully equipped gym with weights and cables you will find something in this book. Definitely a keeper!

The pictures are wonderful. I found the pictures that illustrate the "wrong" postures while training to be especially helpful, as well as all the step by step instructions and tips. Being new to weight traning, I really found this book to be useful.

I'm a woman in my 40s and trying to lose weight. I wanted to add strength training to my aerobic exercises, but I didn't really know where to begin. I'm actually lucky enough to have a Bowflex in my house, but I was hoping for something that would help me figure out how to begin. Instead of finding a good book on using the Bowflex, I found this.

I love the photos of every exercise - the start point, the mid point, and also a clear description of the muscles that will be worked. I love the "don't do this" photo, which clearly shows you bad form and how to avoid injuring yourself. I also enjoy the sidebar suggestions that offer ways to make the exercise both easier and more difficult.

The exercises are about 1/2 on exercise equipment (as you would find in a gym) and the other 1/2 are either free weights or using an exercise ball. I've been able to adapt all of them for use with my Bowflex, and I find I'm using many of the free weight exercises. The book has made it especially easy for me to swap out an exercise that wasn't working for me for another one that works the same muscle group but that is better suited for me.

I can't speak for anyone who knows a lot about weight lifting, but if you were just starting out in strength training, I think you'd want to own a copy of this book.