Scrawny to Brawny: The Complete Guide to Building Muscle the Natural Way (Paperback)

~ Michael Mejia C.S.C.S. (Author), John Berardi Ph.D. C.S.C.S. (Author)
Key Phrases: milk protein blend, second lunch meal, grams plain yogurt, Swiss Ball, Growth Phase, Anabolic Phase (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A state-of-the-art weight-lifting and nutritional blueprint for "skinny" guys who want to pack on muscle

Let's face it, naturally skinny guys are at a distinct genetic disadvantage when it comes to building muscle mass. But with the proper advice, these "hardgainers" definitely can realize their fitness goals. In Scrawny to Brawny, the authors draw on their years of practical experience as private strength and nutrition coaches to provide hardgainers with:

o A progressive, state-of-the-art program that optimizes results with shorter, less frequent workouts that maximize compound exercises
o A unique, action-based perspective on nutrition that shows how to prepare quick muscle-building meals and snacks-and how to take advantage of several critical times in the day when muscle growth can be stimulated by food intake
o Vital information on how to identify and fix any weak links in their physiques that may be precursors to injury

Designed not only for frustrated adult hardgainers but also-with its strong anti-steroid message-a terrific book for the large teen market, Scrawny to Brawny fills a significant gap in the weight-lifting arsenal.

About the Author

MICHAEL MEJIA, exercise advisor and contributing editor to Men's Health magazine, is a strength and conditioning coach who owns and operates his own training facility in Long Island, New York. Coauthor of The Home Workout Bible, he designed the workouts for the popular Testosterone Advantage Plan.

JOHN BERARDI is a strength and nutrition specialist whose company specializes in designing strength and nutrition plans for elite athletes and recreational fitness buffs. He currently resides in Toronto, Canada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594860882
• ISBN-13: 978-1594860881
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (140 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,541 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Skinny bodies are a thing of the past!, May 8, 2005

By	Golden Pharaoh "goldenpharaoh50" (Calgary, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews

Absolutely fantastic! The frustration over being an ectomorph is something that only the truely skinny can understand. I had just healed after two sessions at the gym that took me a week to recover. During that time, I reevaluated my weightlifting; what was I doing wrong? I had eaten good foods and trained at least 3 time a week with only a little definition to show for it. Then, I heard about this book. I ordered it not expecting much but, boy, was I wrong. The information in this book specifically directs its focus towards us skinny guys. The emphasis is on compound lifts in the body of the training program but they also use the first four weeks to level out your muscle groups to prevent injury and so you look more balanced (this cured my weak back muscles!).
A nice thing too is that the book devotes half of itself to nutrition. Other books will only give you exercises and have you go on your way which always leads you to thinking what you're doing wrong. They list out how you should eat and when; let it be known that this portion is a major lifestyle change.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their body. So what are you waiting for "skinny"? Get to work!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Solid and clear advice, except for meal plan, August 5, 2006

By	Jackster - See all my reviews

I learned a lot from this book. It is quite scientific, but rather disorganized. The meal plan is very vague, however. Don't get me wrong, the book tells you exactly how to calculate energy/nutrition/timing requirements, but to apply the calculations to months-worth of meals -- finding real recipes to meet those requirements -- is a huge amount of work. The book does not help at all with this significant task.

I bought the accompanying online "basic" coaching package hoping to fill in the details. Its advertisement encouraged me: "You'll get a complete training program ... You'll get detailed guidelines on what to eat and when ... No guesswork involved, no loose ends."

I got a few vague PDF files woefully lacking in any meal specifics, other than a raw list of incompatible ingredients. How would you suppose one is to combine plain yogurt, peanut butter, and some nuts (among other things) to make a breakfast? I am in the process of negotiating a refund.

The book covers other topics well. Not perfectly organized, but well enough.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic book, April 7, 2005

By	Favian Garcia (Guttenberg, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased this book a few days before its release. This book answers every single question i've ever had about gaining muscle mass not only thorough a workout regimen, but also a proper diet. The book contains everything you need to get bigger, and its very easily explains everything in simple layman's terms. I'm beginning my workout now according to the book and i never would have figured out what to do without the aid of an expensive trainer. Most people have given me shoddy and unfounded training advice, or advice that is much more suited for their body type. Not so with this book, its very straight forward, and fun to read, and fully illustrated with photos, diet plans, grocery lists, etcetera. I usually return books i dont like, i'm keeping this one.