Weight Training for Life [Spiral-bound]

James L. Hesson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0495012750 | ISBN-13: 978-0495012757 | Publication Date: February 6, 2006 | Edition: 8

WEIGHT TRAINING FOR LIFE, Eighth Edition is ideal for anyone interested in learning about weight training. It focuses on helping students learn to plan their own weight training programs for a lifetime of fitness. Whether used for group lessons or as a reference for anyone wanting to get back into a routine, this text is designed to help men and women of all ages and skill level build a solid foundation of current knowledge and practice in weight training, as well as learn the most effective ways to develop the body shape one desires. The text contains hundreds of full-color photos demonstrating exercises and proper techniques. It also contains forms for writing goals, for planning a personal weight-training program, and for recording circumference measurements, strength measurements, and muscle endurance measurements. Readers will learn how to design and maintain a safe, personalized, effective, and enjoyable weight-training program. They will learn that weight training, done properly, can be a fun and beneficial activity. Whether as a required or recommended text, WEIGHT TRAINING FOR LIFE continues to be the best-selling, most visually oriented weight training text in the higher education market.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. James Hesson has been weight training continuously since 1960 and had been teaching weight training since 1964. He has taught men and women of all ages, from beginners to elite athletes. His passion and purpose is motivating and inspiring others to achieve personal success in life.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 176 pages
• Publisher: Brooks Cole; 8 edition (February 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0495012750
• ISBN-13: 978-0495012757
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #411,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Dud or . . . Does Hesson ever get out of the weight room?, April 17, 2009

By 

iHaveParrrots (lurking around the DC beltway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Weight Training for Life (Spiral-bound)

Hesson was assigned reading for a weight lifting class at a Community College. I've had a continual dialog with the instructor about the flaws in the text.

I found this text lacking in several areas. First, Hesson draws on a very narrow knowlege base. Recommended stretches are static and not dymanic. Less flexible individuals might find some of streches difficult or even dangerous. Has Hesson never heard of yoga, Pilates, or Excercise Kinesiology? Second, I disagree with Hesson's blanket assertion that dietary supplements are useless at best and dangerous at worse. It's outdated thinking and not supported by recent literature, especially from Europe. I guess Big Pharma rules in the USA. It's bad thinking to encourage in young minds.

Third, the USDA MyPyramid website, as promoted in the text, does not make logical sense and might even endanger the health and well-being of the users. I think the site needs to be revised. It should be excised from the text and taught as a theme in the instructor's manual, flashy graphics not withstanding. As of this date, I've been contacted twice in the same day by the USDA about problems with the website applet and the results it returns.

Fourth, I think the price is outragous. Its flimsy, spiral bound and costs $40 to $56. Barf! I paid $20 for it and regular book buyers are aghast that I even spent that much.

As an introductory text, its OK, but there are many others that are better. Weight Training for Dummies or Weight Training for Beginners by Gallagher comes to mind. As assigned reading for a class, its a waste of color printing and should be flushed.

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice picture book of weight training exercises, November 11, 2011

By 

T. Johnston "Alchymyst" (Iowa, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Weight Training for Life (Spiral-bound)

Let's face it, if you are buying this, it is probably for a class and you don't need a review as it is required. I was skeptical about getting a "textbook" for weight training (what's there to study? lift weight. repeat.) but learned quite a lot about how muscle development works. Some of the instructions are pretty obvious - don't overtrain, be careful, etc. but the book provides many useful illustrations of correct form for virtually every exercise you would want to do in a weight trainging program, including many variations for each. Also helpful is the descripton of exactly which muscles are developed by each exercise. I was going to trade this in, but decided to keep it because I may want to add different exercises to my routine as time goes on. As usual, Amazon shipping was prompt and trouble-free.

3.0 out of 5 stars basic, written for kids (..?), February 7, 2011

By 

Monroe E. (california) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Weight Training for Life (Spiral-bound)

This book is a requirement for a weight training class I am taking in college (for fun). I was first shocked that there was a required text for the class, but second because of the simplicity of it--most of the information would be clear to a first grader that learned English as a second language. Not that this is a bad thing, but for a college text, I was surprised to read "Bodily odor in the gym is offensive" as an important lesson..