Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Body Shaping Bible: Get in the Best Shape of Your Life with Targeted Workouts That Tone and Tighten Everything

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a personal trainer who is big into weight training (for women and men). I am always happy to see new books that open the door to women, making the workout scene more approachable. This book is GREAT for newcomers to working out, giving lots of beginner pointers and direction. I like how it is laid out with the different levels, although I'd hardly limit your workout to the things listed in this book.
If you are new, or just getting back into it, then this is a great start--very easy to read, very easy to follow directions. It is broken down into various body parts (I like that) and then into the author's idea of beginner-advanced workouts. (I personally think you can go much farther and get much more from your workout if you don't stop at "advanced" and introduce different routines.)
There were some things in this book that I hadn't seen before and will integrate into my client's workouts, (as well as my own).
Easy to follow, easy to read, easy to learn...Great beginner book.

I'm not an exercise 'guru' at all, I'm just a typically overweight, thirtysomething, stay at home mom looking for some help. I am very pleased with this book. The pictures are clear, large, and in full color. The directions couldn't be any easier to understand. I love how not only is it divided by the body part that we want to work on, but also each exercise is marked with a difficulty level. Not a lot of expensive equipment is needed. You will want hand weights, ankle weights, and a stretch band. Some other exercises require a ball and a step. There's so many other exercises in the book that I don't plan on going out and buying a ball and step until I've worked my way through more of the book. I was not offended by her use of the terms 'muffin top' or 'living dimple free'. I suppose this is because I know going into this that I can only be the best ME that I can be. This book can help me do that and chances are that the best me might still have a dimple here or there--but I'll be healthier overall. There is not a lot of focus on diet on the book. She mentions in passing that we can easily reduce our portions of most things we eat and not feel like life is over. She also mentions keeping cardio in your life. All in all, I'm impressed with the book.

"The Ultimate Body Shaping Bible" features exercises to tone and tighten your entire body. The workouts range from Beginner to Super Advanced and each exercise is about 20 minutes in length. Within those twenty minutes you'll do three exercises that target a specific area (for example your outer thighs). You do three sets of reps and author Karen Karter suggests you do the workouts every other day. Karter also provides eating tips and suggestions for cardio workouts. There are three sections in the book: Abs Fab-You-Lous (a wicked flat tummy; de-wiggle your middle; fab abs); the Best Lower Body Workouts (bodacious booty; slimtastic outer thighs; slimtastic inner thighs; cankles begone); and the Best Upper Body Workouts (posture perfect; the deep plunge; sculpted sexy shoulders; amazing arms). Some of the exercises need no equipment - others require equipment such as hand or ankle weights, resistance bands, stability ball, a step, or bench.

Although I prefer exercise DVDs where I can see what the instructor is doing, I found "The Ultimate Body Shaping Bible" to be very useful. It has detailed instructions and very useful pictures. Each section has an introduction that explains about the body area you are targeting, including the various muscles. Each chapter has a chart showing the various workouts in that chapter; the payoff for doing the exercise; total time the workout should take; how many times a week you should do the exercise; the number of sets and reps; and equipment needed (if any) for the workout. Each exercise has plenty of pictures, detailed instructions, and fabulous form tips. For the most part Karter targets the appropriate exercise for each level although I do question her having beginners using 10 - 15 pound dumbbells. There is a wide variety of exercises including exercises like biceps curl; chest press; cobra; dip your toes; front plank, oblique twist; plie squat with calf raise; shoulder press; reverse curl; triceps kickback; and so much more. The twenty minutes allotted are perfect for targeted toning and combined with cardio workouts are very effective.

"The Ultimate Body Shaping Bible" is a very useful guide to toning and shaping your body.

I'm not sure that this is the ultimate body shaping bible, but it definitely is a good illustrated book on the wide range of exercises to target and tone different muscles and body parts. The only reason I say that it's not the ultimate bible is that it totally leaves out the healthy diet part of the equation to getting a shapely body. There are little snippets in the book that gives you tips on what to eat (or not eat), eg. avoid bread and eat small meals, etc, but it isn't cohesive and organized.

The tone of the book is fun and very light-hearted. The instructions to the exercises are concise and clear. The large illustrations are very helpful. In particular, I like that the author started by illustrating the correct posture to follow and the wrong ones to avoid. The book is divided into chapters of exercises that target the different body parts to shape up: abs, arms, legs, back, etc.

Although the exercises are clear, the author failed to take it one step further to organize the different exercises into a plan that anyone can follow. She mentions that you would need to to cardio 3 times a week and the toning exercises 3 times a week also, but doesn't put it all together. It is nice to have the flexibility to pick and choose the different exercises for ourselves, but it's not something that novices are able to do well. Moreover, even though the exercises in the book can all be found on the internet or other books/charts, this book collects them all in one book.

Overall, a nice reference book for the different exercises one can do to tone the different body parts. Some improvements could be made about including a typical exercise program/plan and more diet tips.

The Ultimate Body Shaping Bible by Kareon Karter has a lot of great ideas. Her plan is for you to eat right, do cardio, and follow up with some basic toning/strengthening and conditioning exercises. She provides clear pictures that show a demonstration of each targeted exercise. Her ideas are well-presented and written. My one, major critique of this book is that it's overwhelming! You are supposed to find a 'target area' to concentrate on, go to that chapter of the book, and do the presribed exercises for 20 minutes. This is a 288 page book! I feel like the ideas are good, but will I ever get through all of these exercises?

It goes back to the notion that I can either get busy and do what is needed this month, or I can continue and do what isn't working... no matter what, next month, I can be in better shape or I can be where I am now! I believe that if I follow her ideas in this book, I can be in a much better place in one short month. So, I will stick with this comprehensive, overwhelming book... It's just what I need.

Karon Karter won me right over when she said in the introduction that "Skinny Starts in the Kitchen". That is oh so true. All these exercise will come to naught if you stuff your face with fast and fatty foods.

Chapter 1 of this book is definitely where I need to and have been spending my time. It's called "Abs-Fab-You-Less and it's your guide to getting a wickedly flat tummy and what girl doesn't want that.

Chapter 2 tells you how to "De-Wiggle Your Middle" an area I needed a little help on. Yes, I eat right, but you know how it goes, as the years go by so does your figure. Now I've got to work at it and this book has been a boon. I've worked through all the exercises and I'm doing them regularly, along with walking, jogging, swimming and eating right. You do all that and you'll be a happy camper, figure and fitness wise.

This is a beautiful book, with terrific production quality, you'll want to just sit and flip through it from time to time. It could also serve as a coffee table book. What about the content? The book is simply organized into three sections, abs, upper body and lower body. Each section has an introduction that has a graphic of the major muscles involved and simply lays out the general approach to working that part of the body. Further, each section lays out four workouts targeting that section of the body: beginner, intermediate, advanced and then super advanced. Depending on the exercise, dumbells, ankle weights, stability ball, or no equipment may be used. For the most part, I would agree with the author's assessment of the workouts, but in a handful of cases, I think they are mislabeled (one of the intermediate workouts seems more appropriate for advanced, or an advanced seems a bit easier than that, etc). However, the real value of this book is in the photos and the descriptions of the actual exercises and moves. The proper form is clearly described, and the photos really capture the form to be used, and when weight training, form is everything! Even if one does not follow the specific workouts as laid out in the book, the descriptions and photos will be useful to anyone trying to ensure they are using the proper form (proper form equals better results and fewer injuries.) The "fabulous form tips" clearly listed in a box for each exercise, are just that... fabulous.

This is a pretty book that would make a fine gift for a fitness buff, or just for yourself. However, if you are really an advanced resistance trainer (maybe you do Cathe or Jari Love tapes), then I would suggest another "bible", the Body Sculpting Bible for Women by James Villepigue and Hugo Rivera, its much more hard core!

It really is an encyclopedia. The exercises are well thought out, listed logically, and not murder on you if you've been out of exercise mode for awhile (which is me, pretty much.)

I needed something to target specific areas that aren't getting better with age (!), and I found some good, useful info and regimens that didn't make me want to die with pain. Stuff I could actually do that produced results.

I'm still recovering from surgery, so this book is still a little over my physical ability. But I have noticed that the more I do it, the easier it is to engage in reps, and my form just gets better.

I can imagine this being sold out when the New Year's resolutions come in! It's a great all-in-one compendium for the woman who wants to get into shape without dying in the process.

As someone who has dieted my whole life (name it, I've tried it - and probably have the book). I'm now just trying to do better - eat better, exercise, move more. The problem comes when you've been out of it so long you can't remember what to do. This book is perfect - gives me a place to start and add upon. I REALLY like how clear it is - the descriptions and pictures are great. I can add tabs where I want and flip through the book for my own routine. Much easier than trying to look the exercises up online and remember the tutorials. I can just glance at the book to make sure I'm doing it correctly. EXCELLENT.

If you are looking for a "how to" book to tone and shape your body, especially your trouble spots, you will enjoy this book. The photos are clear, the instructions are good, and most of the exercises can be done on a mat or standing without equipment. This is a very "do-able" program.