Customer Reviews

Men's Health Better Body Blueprint: The Start-Right, Stick-to-It Strength Training Plan

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If you are used to following or reading about bodybuilding style weight training programs then this book will be a breath of fresh air. I wish I had come across this book years ago and given my experiences with unnecessary sports injuries over the years I was keen to follow this book to the letter. At the time of writing I am currently in the "Muscle Building" section of the book and I have to say that so far things are going pretty good.

What I particularly like about the book is the emphasis it gives to correction of bodily alignment and posture. This is the most important aspect of weight training and of any exercise activity bar none. After all if a sport or exercise activity is not done correctly with correct muscle activation patterns then it is best not to proceed at all.

There is a major criticism with this section however. The tests provided are sufficient to identify any aspects of posture and muscle activation that need correction. If you can afford it however or know of someone experienced in the area then it is probably best to get an external opinion when performing these tests. We tend to fool ourselves when it comes to judging our abilities.

If corrective action needs to be taken then the exercises prescribed, while useful and relevant, are not sufficient. It is probably best to get the advice of a good physio, physical therapist, chiropractor, podiatrist or rolfer. Corrective action takes a long time to have an effect and should be continued when you move on to the other sections of the book.

I don't really know why diagrams of exercises are repeated in the book in each section. It would be better to save paper and have an appendix at the back.

Very commercial approach to exercising by virtue of glamorizing machines and muscle isolation. The chapter on corrective exercises is infuriating. The author suggests corrective measures for kyphosis, lordosis, front head, and pronation of feet, winging and elevation of scapulas. That is totally unfounded and should be stricken out of the book. Though exercise alleviates living with deformities, it does not correct them since deformities entail genetic elements, bone and cartilage elements, ligaments and muscle elements, and finally, habitual factors, their correction is formidable. Corrective measures (better be called rehabilitating measures) should be a long term aim rather than a snap shot remedial solution.

The author's common sense strategy is demonstrated in the discussion of periodization, progressive incremental strengthening, and balancing aerobics with anaerobic modes of training. The author is very motivational in instructing beginners on how to get started, stick to a plan, and avoid unrealistic expectations (other than correcting deformities).

The strongest aspect of the author's expertise lies in his stretching, flexibility, and isolation exercises, his weakest being compound exercises with floor to overhead range. In an ugly photo of overhead shoulder press, the lifter is caving his chest, standing unevenly, holding the bar far in front of the vertical plan through the heels, and without adequate lumbar arching. That is similar to the cover photo where the elbows are bent and the shoulders are lowered when the barbell is overhead. The right posture should portray well-thrust chest, elevated shoulders, straight arms, and bar positioned in a plane behind the head and vertically over the low back and heels.

The tests on flexibility, strength, and endurance are reasonable except that on the overhead squat where the author is unfamiliar of the mechanics of performing such highly technical move. It could cause injuries if people hold a bar overhead and start squatting without realizing the need for warming up the shoulder and lumbar regions adequately before tackling such move. Some of the inconvenient injuries of overhead squat by unwary persons are rotator cuff tears, and low back, neck, and elbow injuries.

The repetitive description of exercises in multiple sections of the book makes it dizzying. The same exercises are viewed over and over, yet there is no consistent plan to link them together. The book leaves me with a nagging question: Why everyone in the book is an old man (over 21)? Why young people are neglected so long? For those, running, push ups, chin ups, and jumping suffice for a blueprint of a great body.

"Burn Baby Burn" could be done easier than the book suggests. Just eliminate bread and simple carbohydrates from food (processed carbohydrates). That would deplete the fat pool effectively and do away with intestinal distension that hinders the individual's cardiopulmonary function. Losing weight is easier than the fad portrays it to be.


Mohamed F. El-Hewie
Author of
Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training

If you want a variety of workouts for different muscle groupings this is the book for you.

I have thumbed through it and used a few things but have yet to design a workout, and from what I can tell there are no real prescribed workouts. But the book if full of information. Not bad.

there are plenty of good exercises and programs in this book so you'll never be bored at the gym or get complacent.

I thought this book was great. It's very helpful for the absolute beginner and it's a great refresher for experienced health enthusiasts. There's a lot of information in here to help motivate you, get you started, and keep you going.

I found this book to be quite complete in material compared to others which I've looked at. The style of the book is not too intimidating for those just starting to workout. I especailly like the fact that they emphasis proper flezability and form alond with stretching... something I wish I could have read before I sarted working out for the first time.