308 of 310 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great book- the system really works, April 7, 2003
By A Customer
I picked up this book in late December and started the program in January. My main motivation was to spend less time at the gym so I could pursue martial arts. I just didn't have the time for karate with doing weight training 3 times a week and cardio 3-4 times a week. Well, I was a tight size 8 before I started and now I am a size 4. I really didn't expect to lose weight or inches just to maintain my fitness level. I also read the "Slow Burn Fitness " book which is very informative. I feel Slow Burn does go into the science of why it works better than "power of 10" but on a practical level it is a bit harder to follow. It also does not discuss the nutrition aspect as well as power of 10. From the Power of 10 I realized that I was actually working TOO HARD and neglecting rest, which is highly underrated in my opinion. I always thought I was not seeing progress because I was not doing enough but in reality I was not giving my body a chance to build the muscle. People have asked me how I lost the weight and I tell them " I stopped trying so hard. " The nutrition plan is very easy to take, similar to "Body for Life " but better because it doesn't push alot of supplements and shakes. It is very simple and balanced. Eat protein with every meal. Don't eliminate carbs- just the low quality white carbs. Don't deprive yourself totally- eat what you want one day a week. Honestly, I am not even that strict about keeping to the nutrition program and I am still losing inches! I don't agree about the book's claim that cardio is totally unnecessary but I agree that cardio has been overrated. Now my weight training is a priority and if I have time for the cardio ( which I love for stress relief anyway ) I do it. I do feel less pressure to do the strenous cardio however so if I want to take a brisk walk rather than an intense spin class I don't feel guilty. If I feel like it I do intense cardio like spin classes for 30 minutes rather than a full hour class. If you are getting frustrated with your progress in your usual routine or want to start working out and don't have much time, do yourself a favor and start this program. It really works. A note to women: When explaining my new regime to trainers at my gym and others involved in fitness, they responded by saying that this sort of program will build too much bulk in women. This was not my experience at all and I tend to bulk up. I think that the nutrition and exercise program helped me lose some of the surface layers of fat that were laying on top of the muscle I had. I am definitely trimmer than I was before. (...)
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
214 of 228 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This works, what do people not understand??, September 7, 2003
By A Customer
Having been familiar with an exercise protocol that emphasizes very slow movement, Zickerman's book as well as that of Frederick Hahn's, to me anyway, revealed nothing new. Rest assured, this stuff works and works well!
I get a kick out of the negative reviews, the one and two star types. The reader from Atlanta, Georgia ("Gruelling") makes me chuckle. Claims to have tried it for 3 months and gave up! What, you were looking for a quick fix?? The changes evidently were not "dramatic" enough for them. Also, their absurd statement that they have seen people at their gym doing super slow for "years" (unlikely as so few people really know about the pioneering work that Ken Hutchins did in this field), and that "while not overweight, not exactly super toned either". Please, did it ever occur to you that they might have less than optimal eating habits??!! This person appears to be happy living in the gym, and good luck to you in the future when your overuse injuries from aerobics start to act up! How about the reader from Texas ("Not even close"), who claims that this is only for couch potatoes (huh??) and that the science is flat out wrong. Thanks for the laugh! Thankfully, there was a 5 star review from a personal trainer, as I would be inclined to think that the negative stuff comes from trainers and/or gym owners who have a vested interes in people setting records for gym attendance.
My background? OK, years of lifting, and I mean serious squatting and deadlifting that made me big (5'7", 220 and 18% BF)and "strong" (how functional was that strength is what I always wondered). Enough was enough, all the little aches and pains and for what? Quit lifting two and a half years ago, started hiking, swimming(an exercise which I have become good at and love), and playing some recreational hockey. My only strength training was good old-fashioned bodyweight exercises in the privacy of my home. Yup, multiple variations of pushups, chin/pull-ups with a bar over the doorway, etc. Maintained all my size and just felt better. Who cares whether I could still squat 365 for reps or deadlift close to 500 for a single. Not I at that point.
6 months ago, headed back to the gym for once a week workouts using this book as a guide. Brutally tough, but oh so satisfying. I perform 6 exercises, one set each, on Hammer machines. Actually, only every other Saturday am I in the gym. I alternate with a bodyweight workout at home. Try 10 second up/10 second down pullups, an experience you will not soon forget. Along with cleaning up my eating habits (the nutritional advice in this book is worth the price alone as it is so practical and doable and does not smack of extremism), I am down to a muscular 197 (11% BF). I am now asked if I compete as a bodybuilder. Whatever. All I know is that I am functionally strong, have a physique which causes people to do double takes, and enjoy a balanced life. All this with 25 minutes a week of resistance work.
With all due respect to Frederick Hahn, I prefer Zickerman's treatise, as it is less "extreme", and he sees nothing wrong with aerobics in moderation, as well as some stetching. His humor makes for an easier read as well.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
106 of 111 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best book on the topic, July 10, 2003
By A Customer
I've also read The Slow Burn by Hahn, Eades and Eades, and work by Ken Hutchins, but I found Power of 10 to be the most readable work available on this exercise technique. I also prefer Mr. Zickerman's "middle of the road" approach to nutrition and aerobic exercise over that of other authors. There probably is something to low carbohydrate diets, and there may be something to the superiority of strength training over aerobic exercise, but authors who are too fanatical on these issues alienate readers that may not have entirely abandoned the "conventional wisdom". Mr Zickerman makes his case without coming across as a fanatic, and leaves some leaway for readers to come along (or not) at their own pace. This is a good, useful book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
