Frank Zane: Mind, Body, Spirit (Paperback)

~ (Author) "40 years of my life's typical days lay emblazened in these pages..." (more)
Key Phrases: reps seated twist, preacher cable curl, side cable raise, Leg Blaster, Palm Springs, Santa Monica (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Frank Zane: Mind, Body, Spirit is a kind of "Zen in the Art of Bodybuilding." It is both a practical training guide and an inspirational reader by a man who has won all of bodybuilding top titles (even winning over Schwarzenegger) in his 40 plus years of training. Hundreds of exercise programs, nutrition, psychology, dreams, meditation, motivation are distilled into a 365 day-by-day progressive format you can use to guide your training.

From the Publisher

In his 5th book, Zane presents a pioneering blend of workout information and personal growth psychology. It is so many things in one book--from Frank's meticulously kept diaries dating back to the beginning of his 40 year training career. It is difficult to describe in a single sentence except to say it takes bodybuilding to new heights. Frank Zane: Mind, Body, Spirit is essential reading for beginners as well as advanced bodybuilders of all ages.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Press (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560251123
• ISBN-13: 978-1560251125
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #193,055 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Ode to Frank Zane, March 31, 2007

By	John P. Morgan "Light Coach" (Beautiful San Dimas, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

There once was a bodybuilder named Zane,
Who was not only well muscled but also had a brain,
He studied meditation, Eastern Philosophy,and transformative psychology
But as much as he wanted to
His poetry was about as good as doggie poo...

Yes, folks, in this rather informative book by Frank Zane, you will not only get a glimpse into his soul, you'll also get a glimpse of what an absolutely horrible poet Frank Zane is.

I like Frank, I do. In fact, when I was really into bodybuilding, he was my hero. I liked him even more than Arnold because he wasn't just a big glob of muscle. He posessed an intelligence as well as an elegance and in my opinion, really raised the bar of modern bodybuilding. Unfortunately, ever since Zane retired in the mid 80s, the sport has, in my opinion, regressed to where mass is king and everything else, like symmetry, definition, and muscle shape are thrown by the wayside.

I also like Zane because he isn't afraid to express his intelligence. He is deeply into meditation and visualization. Some bodybuilders will never learn that it's not the body, but the mind that creates the most lasting gains. I have had to learn to leave my ego outside the gym, because if I'm just pushing huge poundages around, I'm inviting injury and I've already had surgery on my knee as well as my back and I kind of would like to stay out of the operating room for the rest of my stint here on this planet.

This book gives a full year of training routines that actually work and do not lead to burnout. Of course, you may like spending two hours a day in the gym, but I don't. Been there, done that. I'm 42 years old. I have a life. I know that I'm never going to be in the kind of shape I was when I was 23-25, but that's okay. So, what if my waist is now 34" instead of 28"? If I'm doing less weight than ever on my lifts? I feel good, I feel strong and I feel happy.

And isn't that the main thing?

Frank Zane beat Schwarzenegger once and made him cry,
Even though Zane's body weighed as much as Arnold's thigh.
He's now 63 and still looks awesome,
But Frank, please, no more poetry! Your poems are dumb!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Holistic- Long Term Bodybuilders, August 6, 2004

By	George Teer (Gig Harbor, WA) - See all my reviews

If you're the type of bodybuilder who wears clown pants and pirate hats in the gym, then perhaps this book isn't for you. But as a fellow builder for over 20 years and still going strong and an orthopedic physical therapist, I believe this book is both unique and helpful. I think this book blends nicely with the detailed workout diaries and meals FZ used throughout his career. I also thought it was cool to get insight through poetries and writings on what a leading professional bodybuilder experiences both on and off season. For those (drug free) bodybuilders who want good guidance, I suggest FZ's quarterly publication. It has great info on training, specific nutrition for specific body weight, and other great material.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing insight to the master himself., July 30, 1999

By A Customer

This book is "one of a kind". No where else have I found a book that goes into the day to day routine of a professional body builder. You can see his workout day by day. Furthermore, I found it to be very motivating and energizing. I highly suggest that any one how works out, buy this book!