Super Slow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol [Paperback]

Ken Hutchins (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 195 pages
• Publisher: Media Support; 2nd edition (May 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963319906
• ISBN-13: 978-0963319906
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,359,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five stars for content, 1 star for style, May 15, 2000

By 

Lewis Gainor - See all my reviews

This review is from: Super Slow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol (Paperback)

Let's be blunt: Reading this book is not fun, nor is it easy. Like most exercise philosophy books, it is filled with psuedo-intellectual jargon. BUT, if you can stomach reading it, you can do something that will really change your body. SuperSlow has worked wonders for me, but only because I let go of my prior understandings of what it means to exercise. For SuperSlow to work for you, you must do the same: follow all the instructions given in the book. Don't lie to yourself-if you change the program, customizing it to what you think is the "optimal" workout routine, it WILL NOT work for you. If you consider the author's argument open-mindedly, you just might come to agree with him (as I do) and admit that you never knew what you were doing during exercise beforehand. I am not being paid for this, but I am writing because of the contempt I have for the meatheads in the gym who want your money. SAVE YOURSELF! SuperSlow works because it is hard and painful, but that is the only exercise that gets results. There are no 8 minute solutions to fitness, and SuperSlow will help you to understand why. Moreover, you will gain a real appreciation of safety in the gym (I am a limber 23 years old, and I will never touch free weights again-I don't need to). Again, don't lie to yourself-if you don't do SuperSlow right, it won't work for you. Follow the program. Rest as much as possible. Inroad as far as you can tolerate. Don't lie to yourself.

225 of 242 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars It's practically a scam., August 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Super Slow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol (Paperback)

OK, I love HIT. I love HIT and especially hardgainer. I think they're the best two ways to train, and I get the best results from these approaches. I've had Superslow (HIT) for a while, tried it, and suprise suprise, it worked.

But I still won't recommend it.

Here's why:

-There's very little training information. How could there be when the whole protocol can be summed up in two pages?

-Ken Hutchkins isn't all too honest. He makes up things to support his beliefs at times. (In other words he bases his claims on assumptions that are, well, WRONG!) For example, his section on aerobics is just hot air. He comes with a laughable theory (The heart must go to failure to get stronger. Therefore, to strengthen the heart, have heart attacks.) Then he denies the contrary evidence (Aerobics have been proven to affect the heart.) by saying it doesn't exist.

-The guy's a salesman, not a lifter. He spends 190 pages selling you his theory (or book), 10 pages teaching you how to train. If you want a book that's mostly theory, very little action, or all show, no go, this book is for you.

-If you're unfamiliar with HIT or hardgainer, this isn't the book to get if you want to build a solid foundation. How could it be, when it's specifically about a derivation of HIT?

Because SS's about a derivation of training and not about training itself, there's no section on diet, nutrition, sleep, goal setting or other PRACTICAL concerns. Just a lot of theory...

OK, with that said, the routines and training inside this book work. The advantages of going this slow are 1) no warmups, 2) increased recovery and safety while training to total failure. It'll work as good as anything else, but it's not the only way. But since Super Slow's usable information is so limited, I don't see any point in getting this book. Just get something that'll give you an overall view on weighttraining like _Beyond Brawn_ and do those routines with the basic superslow guidelines if you're interested in this stuff. If you don't know what they are, you could find them on some webpage. Heck, I could sum them up in a paragraph. But if you're interested in learning how to TRAIN, don't get Superslow.

I can only recommend this book to people that are more interested in learning why SS works than working out. (Usually not big guys.) And even then, Ken Hutchkins is so full of it most of the time that those people aren't going to get a lot out of it either. Plus, the guy is so freaking arrogant.

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Objective, Truthful, and Logical Path to Exercise, March 1, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Chicagoland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Super Slow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol (Paperback)

This book is incredible. If you are looking for a better way to exercise, and have been searching beyond the gym rats and club owners viewpoint, this book will give you the knowledge that you so earnestly have sought out. When I "stumbled" upon the SuperSlow principles, and their website I was quickly drawn to this book. Upon obtaining this book I read it in one weekend, and couldn't wait to get back in the "gym" (and out in 30 minutes) with the "best" workout I ever experienced. Ken Hutchins efforts and persistence to detail may not be appreciated by most, but those that really care about themselves, and value their time and well-being will look upon this body of work with much appreciation and relevance. To me the cost of $25 and the time spent reading it has paid off 10,000-fold in time and health. What great satisfaction to understand one's body, and be proud of not wasting one's time. This is the book that has advanced the curretn mainstream of High Intensity Strength Training to a level of acceptance that is nothing short of a revolution evolving beyond Zander, Jones, Darden, and Mentzer, and developing more detailed insights by "newcomers" such as Ryan, Hahn, McGuff, and Baye.