58 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great way to get started and motivated, June 17, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: The Men's Health Cover Model Workout (Paperback)
I used to lift weights and swim throughout college regularly, but once college was over, I often would exercise for a month and then quit for two months, etc. to the point where I gained some weight and inches. On top of which, since I knew how to lift weights from years of doing so, my expectations were always too high when I got back into it and always ended up ummotivated (or hurting myself).
Anyway, a while back I finally had a good reason to get back into shape: I was getting married within 6 months. The first couple of months I tried what I had done before and was able to regain some aerobic fitness through jogging, cycling, etc, but I wanted to build more muscle and burn more fat more quickly to look extra fine for the big day. I downloaded Owen McKibbin's workout from the Men's Health website (it's not up there anymore since they published it in this book and reproduced the whole regime along with more material) and while I was dubious of the fact that the title seemed corny ("Cover Model Workout"???) was instantly hooked.
Owen starts off the first month by just trying to get you fit. So, he gives you a short weight-lifting workout three times a week (by the end of the month, it took my 15 minutes tops) along with 20-minute aerobic interval training workouts. So, I was spending a total of 2 hours max per week. The first month he really focuses on strengthening the back/chest/shoulders and legs (larger muscles), avoiding the mistake of many workouts where people try to build their arms right away and you don't notice results in your normal workday (who curls stuff during the day anyway? But you will notice increased strength within two weeks if you help someone lift a heavy box with your legs and back.). I honestly lost five pounds the first month and tacked on lots of muscle, so who knows how much fat weight I lost. But, I felt tighter.
As the workouts progress, they get longer, but by that point you're mentally hooked, and you start seeing the physical changes by the end of the second month as Owen adds smaller muscles to your workout. The focus continues to be on adding muscle and getting rid of fat, but as you add more muscle, the muscle helps burn fat anyway. His diets tips are also sensible and helpful
By the end of four months, I had lost around 15 pounds and felt stronger than I had in years - I could hit a baseball harder, throw a frisbee farther, jog longer and fit into clothes I hadn't worn in a while. One big problem: I had to get my tuxedo realtered at the last second because I looked like a circus clown since the pants were too big and the jacket ahd too much space around the middle.
I honestly think this is th best 4-month workout I've ever seen. Owen doesn't promise any tricks or pills or any such crud - just the promise that if you stick with it for 4 months, you'll be a changed man (or woman). Plus, since he starts slow, it's hard to burn out and get frustrated with his workout.
Some drawbacks - at the end of 4 months, I wasn't sure what to do next. I tried designing my own, but they aren't as effective, so I just keep starting this one over, and Owen doesn't provide too much help on where to go next (unless you want to be a cover model I guess). The discussions can be spotty from a grammatical sense, but who cares - it's a workout book! I'd give it 4.5/5 stars for those small points along with the fact that the corny title almost dissuaded me from trying the workout.
Today, I look at my wedding photos and have to thank Owen's workout for looking so good (my wife did an altered version of it that was more lower-body and upper-back intensive and she looked great too - Owen needs to come out with a version for women). Plus, I still feel strong yet limber and unrestricted by larger muscles, which is also a big point since Owen's workouts are designed to hepl keep you injury-free by focusing on building a good stabile frame.
Anyway, I ramble on, but I hopefully I have shown how helpful at least one person found this workout. If Owen sees this - keep it up!
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good starting point for all-around fitness, August 17, 2004
This review is from: The Men's Health Cover Model Workout (Paperback)
This book is a great first workout program. The exercises are clearly demonstrated and each section comes with a chart to monitor your progress. That said, here are some things that don't make this book a best-seller: 1) way too many cheesy modelling shots, it looks dumb and almost embarassing if anyone sees you with it (I hide my copy from my friends); 2) They tried to market Owen as a guy who had it rough when he didn't, Owen tries to sound like his life was in the toilet before his workout routine but it wasn't - many of his claims (i.e. his bad back, his party-harty days, etc.) are just minor stuff that everyone's dealt with - find me a cripple with his body and then I'll buy HIS book; 3) the diet plan is elusive, he tries to claim there's a diet plan but there's not - he only lists three meal items for B-fast, lunch and dinner - in short, a strong diet plan is needed to follow your new program.
A really good strong point about the book that I do like is that he emphasizes all-around fitness. A cardio-program is the backbone of all fitness routines. I never noticed how many guys go to the gym and lift weights but don't bike or run after. In fact, I saw this one really bulked-up guy climb the stairs at my gym and he was panting by the end! I'm no genius but I know that you should do some cardio to follow your body. That is what Owen's program does; it gets you fit while emphasizing the elements that will benefit you all-around. This book is a great startout program but I think that any advanced lifters/athletic people will already know a program advanced beyond this.
PS-what's with the "Owen Crunch" in this book? It's just a normal crunch so stop trying to pawn it off as something miraculous; it's not like I go around turning doorknobs and trying to get people to call it the "Ty turn". Don't be stupid with terminology.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Workout Program With Long Lasting Effects, August 24, 2003
This review is from: The Men's Health Cover Model Workout (Paperback)
This is probably one of the most rewarding fitness book available. McKibben's Cover Model Workout outlines excersises and a vague but easy to follow diet in order to acheiving a great feeling and healthy looking body. The Workout he outlines won't give you Brad Pitt's cuts or Priest's extreeme mass. This is definitaley not a quick fix (the program takes a minimum of 16 weeks), but the look you can achieve using his methods (a healthy more natural look) is becoming much more popular in today's world of fitness and bodybuilding. Another great thing about his method is that it helps you to achieve long lasting stable fitness and it is extreemley cheap to follow (no expensive supplements), natural, healthy. Kudos to McKibben for a motivating, honest essential to anyone who wants to get into shape the right way.
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