Men’s Health Home Workout Bible

N. Coult on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 4:11 am 



Excellent!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve never been able to stick with weight training for more than a week or two, but thanks to this book I’ve been at it for three months now, with very noticeable improvement to my strength and appearance. The book offers a great variety of exercise to keep your body from getting ‘bored’. The prepackaged programs at the back are great examples to get you started, and offer a nice base from which to modify and adapt your own program.

David C. Peters on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 6:10 am 



This is a decent book, but a little annoying
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book for excerising ideas, but was pretty annoyed at the fact that this book has variations on excersizes without really discussing how each variation will affect your work out. Does it work a different muscle group? Who knows. I am glad I bought it, but I am definately on the market for another book.

Wayne E. Walmsley on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 6:20 am 



Buy it now!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
THis is a must have for anyone getting tired of paying a gym every month when they would rather just stay home and get the same workout. Ware is it writen that we have to go to some high class gym to get in shape? This book will cover every workout you can ever think of. ANd some will make you think "Dah!" "Why didnt I think of that?" hehehhe I just got my copy in the mail and I may be buying a second copy. Just so I can keep it in good condition.

Nahal Khalifah on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 8:28 am 



Almost Complete
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
It is a must for anyone wants to start training at home!!

It was easy to read and very clear. However, the only disadvantage is that it doesn’t include a section about nutrition and dieting.

Anonymous on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 9:10 am 



Just a phenomenal resource
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great resource for those looking to maximize their home workout routines. It covers all of the major exercises, and goes into detail about different variations that can be used to get the most for your own level of fitness. Really a great one.

Chris Salzer on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 9:35 am 



Solid, yet somewhat impractical
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
There’s only so much you can do at home working out. This book has no doubt exhausted every possible exercise one could even imagine doing at home. For example..ones I had never even thought of include the Swiss-Ball Preacher Curl, Neider Press, Bulgarian Split Squat, and Towel Curl to name a few.

Just how practical these are, however, for actually engendering substantial muscle gains is questionable. The book also makes extensive reference to a plethora of cable exercises when, let’s face it, most people do not have cable weights in their home gym. Overall, a solid reference, but not overly practical.

Peretto on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 10:20 am 



Not what I wanted
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Do you want a book on exercises to do at home with minimal equipment- Than this book is for you!

In all other respects, I was disappointed. First, the author’s failed attempt at humor is just that- failed. There is lacking information on using home gyms & equipment and actually a clear prejudice against them. The author also has a very skewed idea of what equipment actually costs.

I was also hoping for some more information on cardio as well as anything to do with nutrition or diet. There was absolutely no mention of the latter.

There is little information on how to create a training plan- just a few sample plans at the back of the book. This book is about 400 pages, and I think only 20 are useful and informative to me (and I’m not experienced at all with fitness)

At least the book was cheap, but I’m sure better guides are out there.


Marbely Urbina on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 10:21 am 



ummmmm….
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
boring book to read…… not interesting at all. I read a few chpters and then bought the lean & hard book.

Humayun A. Khan on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 10:55 am 



Excellent Overall
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Provides basic understanding of exercise physiology and diet.

Provides basic understanding of muscles and their functions.

Provides the nuts and bolts of dos and donts with respect to form, routines ( when to and how to change routines ).

One of the only few books out there which would tell you what exercise equipment to use and what to expect from that equipment.

Also one of the only books which has divided ALL exercises ( dumbell, free weights and cable ) into beginner , intermmediate and advance level.

If you are new to weight training this is a must have and probably the first one to have.

My only complain is that the author has strongly discouraged the use of SMITH MACHINE. I understand the rational but if you are like me i.e. exercising at home without the spotter and do not want to get injured then you got to have this machine.

After doing weight training for one and a half year my last comment about the ultimate machine “the dream machine” is

Get a SMITH MACHINE with Free weight capability and integrated cable system. Get a cheao 40 lbs each two adjustable dumbells from Walmart and you are set to be at the next level. Good Luck!

Mario Cachia on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 11:37 am 



Missing on some important aspects!
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This book, though quite comprehensive, disappointed me in one thing – and that is that it completely ignores supplements! It covers a lot of things at just the right level for a home-work out but surely any writer who goes to the depth of including example workouts even for different items of equipment you might have at your home, and workouts from beginner to Advanced level, should clearly write something about supplements, at least the world wide basic standard of protein! The book does not even mention that protein is the main supplement which enables the body to build muscle!

In having no discussion of supplements and how they work, then how can a person achieve advanced level workouts? This is the greatest defect of this book.

A bit more structure would have helped too – I actually had to use highlighter pen and bookmarkers to mark out some very crucial do’s and don’ts of weight training, because they were all over the place in the book. Had I not done this it would have been very difficult for me to find some important facts which I wanted to remind myself when planning my workouts.

However, in saying all this, it does not mean that this book is totally worthless.

Scott Miles on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 12:38 pm 



Exactly What I Was Looking For
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I can’t add much to the other positive reviews here, but I liked this book so much that I thought I needed to add a few more stars to it’s rating.

I bought this book at the same time that I purchased a barbell set for working out at home. Since that time I’ve worked through the “beginner” barbell program (4 weeks in the book – took me 6) and have moved to the “intermediate”. In that time I’ve seen considerable progress in strength and have really enjoyed working out.

The book is a fun read and yet still has a lot of great details and background information. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for tips on how to make the most of your home workouts.

Jonathan A Feist on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 12:44 pm 



Good enough
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This book is useful, and overall I like it. There are many options for exercises different muscles, depending on how much gear you have/want.

Here’s what I recommend for the next time they revise it.

Clean up the charts in the end. For the suggested workouts, there are charts in the back, but it’s like the editors/graphics designers got tired and stopped trying when they got to this most critical part of the book. Page numbers for each exercise would help enormously. It took me a lot of time to find the exercise descriptions that they listed, and simple page numbers would help a lot. Also, they reused the same charts without checking to see if they actually made sense, so there are things like “Weight” columns to let you track how much weight is involved in exercises that actually don’t require using weights, such as pushups. Or, they tell you to do just one rep for the beginning workout, but then have a “Reps” column for you to track how many reps you did. They don’t have an obvious way to track how many pushups you did, just how many reps of 10-15. So, this needs some logical revision.

Also, it would be helpful to have an easy way to make exercise substituttions. For example, if you have dumbells but mostly want to do body weight workouts, you might want to substitute a dumbell curl for a self-resisted bicep curl. There isn’t an easy way to make such substitutions, but doing so would be an obvious way to use the book, in accordance with the authors’ approach.

Some of the exercises listed in these charts aren’t actually listed in the book with the same name. For example, the unilateral calf raise. In the exercise descriptions it’s called one-leg calf raise. So, a consistency check needs to be done.

There should be a paragraph somewhere in the book telling you to figure out what an appropriate amount of weight to use is. I have tried starting exercise regimens many times in my 40 years, but have had a recurring problem: two days afterwards, my back goes out and I’m in enormous pain for two weeks, which ends my attempt. I believe the reason is that in my exuberance to change my life, I push myself too hard at the very beginning, and wind up trying too many reps or too much weight. It doesn’t hurt at the time, but long run it does. So, some way to help gauge what makes for a sensible effort would be helpful. I’m actually cutting some exercises in their recommended beginner workout in half at first in hopes of avoiding injury. I imagine that’s a good strategy….

Also, I’d like just a little more info about cardio, which these authors clearly don’t like much. But a description about how to monitor heart rate and how to incorporate cardio into a regular routine would be helpful. Half a page is all I’m asking for.

Generally, I like the author’s organized approach and informal, readable style. A few tweaks would inspire a fifth star, and I think these guys have it in them.

Erik R. Carlson on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 1:24 pm 



Home Workout Bible.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Very nice condition, arrived quickly. Good information for anybody from beginners to advanced!

Ashok Jarmon on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 2:40 pm 



A great guide to training at home
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a very useful book to buy if you are looking to set up a home gym. Anyone from a beginner to a serious trainer could get something from this, just depends on how you want to spend your money and what equipment you can afford. The exercises are all well illustrated and whether you are using dumbells, barbells, or a multi-gym, there’s workouts devised with all combinations.

I like the fact that it’s been kept simple, yet the information is top class. You won’t find much different advice even if you go to dedicated weight training sources. My programme is based primarily on dumbells and a bench, although on advice of this book I have added a chinning bar and will look to add a barbell as well later. Results are pretty good so far, and I feel I’ve got a really good starting platform with this book. Even using the fairly basic equipment I’ve got, I’ve seen a big improvement in general shape, muscle development and the energy boost that comes with it is a big plus.

Dedicated muscleheads may find it a bit basic but if you are looking to set up a home gym, which is what this book is about, then you really don’t need to look anywhere else. I’ll probably supplement this with Strength Training Anatomy and I reckon that should be pretty much all I’ll need to get into a more than acceptable shape.

Anonymous on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 2:59 pm 



A must-have for home (or gym) weight training
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book has everything you need to know to develop a successful weightlifting program without spending $1,000-$3,000 on equipment.

I just got this book in the mail yesterday and even though I got home late, I couldn’t put it down. I have been running, cycling and XC skiing for almost a year with the aid of the Covert Bailey books, and I recently brought out my old 80-lb. weight set from Christmas 1985. I was using the manual that came with the weights and a Bowflex training guide from the Internet to develop a workout that reached all of the muscles. I was sure going about it the wrong way.

The book first explains all of the muscles in-depth, even giving examples of motions that show their use. Then comes the equipment section beginning with items you already have in your house (milk jugs) up to thousand-dollar equipment. They help you identify your goals and discuss training plans to achieve them.

The next sections include exercises (beginner, intermediate, advanced) for ALL the muscle groups in your body sorted by equipment type: body-weight only, dumbbells, barbells, and multistation-machines. If you have a combination like me (body weight, dumbbells, barbells – investment of $250) there is a chapter on using them together. At the end there are actual charts of exercises for you to use. I am putting together a program for myself and am looking forward to increased effectiveness in my weight training.

M. Theriault on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 3:15 pm 



SO SO
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
great book, but not if you already have the gym bible. Not really practicable because many of the exercises require equipment that is more gym oriented. It does include some great exercises that I do use, but at the Gym. Probably my fault for thinking this book was for a typical home gym.

R. Beltran on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 3:55 pm 



The Best Home Workout Book Available
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s about time someone came up with a book that caters to the person who wants to get in shape and build muscle in the comfort of their home. The author explains there’s no difference if you workout at a gym or at home, if you put in the effort, you’ll get results. In the first part of the book, the muscles of the upper bodyand lower body are explained to youin easy to understand language and often quite humorous. Then, they explain the free weight equipment,dumbells, barbells, plates, benches, squatracks, powerracks, etc. Basically, what you have to spend and your fitness goals will determine which equipment you purchase. I don’t agree with their opinion when they say buy an olympic 300 weight set. A regular non olympic set will do just as well. In my workout patio, I have a bench with leg curl-extension, incline, dip attachment, butterfly,preacher, and cable attachment. Also, a combination chin-bar and dip station and 2 barbells, 2 pairsof adjustable dumbells, an easy curl bar, hooks for the dumbells, aswissball, and over 400 lbs of weightplates. This book has excellent pictures of the exercises for the various bodyparts. Everything is easy to understand and tell’s it like it is. There are sample routines for the beginner as well as the advanced trainers out there. The author also recommends using the sample workout logs in the book that you can photocopy.Working out at home has many advantages, no waiting, no egos, workout whenever you want, etc. Ifyou workout home, this is the bok for you.

Andrew Wong on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 3:57 pm 



Informative
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This book has a lot of technical expertise in it for sure. However, the format of the book and they way it delivers the routines can be kind of confusing for someone who is just starting out. Otherwise, a great read and definitely helped me make some gains.

Taylor on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 4:28 pm 



For the beginner
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Schuler has turned out a fair rudimentary book for the home gym user. It is a good “starter” book for kids and beginners.

Music Fan on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 6:24 pm 



Great except for one thing well maybe two.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This book is a great resourse. It has so many exercise and four different types of resistance each in its own section: no equipment, dumbbells, barbells, and crossover. It also list exercises based on experience, in the catogory of beginner, intermediate, and expert. My biggest complaint about this book is that it doesn’t specifically tell what muscles are being worked for each exercise. The exercises are put into catogies and are not narrowed down any further than “knee dominant” or “hip dominant”. Which is fine I guess, but how are you going to know which exercise works which specific muscles? There are some sample routines in the book which are okay, but if you don’t have the equipment there aren’t alternatives sugguested. Which leads back to complaint number one. Tell what muscles are worked and I can find an alternative exercise with what I have to work with. All and all a great book! It is a great companion book to The Body You Want in the Time You Have by Matt Murphy which is 2/3 of the 350+ pages are rountines based on the how many days and how much time. That book does tell you exactly which muscles you working, but only includes 48 exercises and not all the great alternatives and of the Homework Bible.

Gregory W. Borowiak on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 9:21 pm 



Great book
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book was great. It starts you off from the basics and trains you to be an expert. Finding a routine was always hard for me, now I know which exercises to do, and how they will benefit me. It’s great, it really got my home gym going.

Wayne E. Walmsley on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 10:08 pm 



Better then the gym
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If there is anyone out there like me who ever felt that to get a good workout or a full workout was to get a membership at a gym and pay $40/mo. This book has it all. I never knew how to get a full body workout with just a bench, barbell and dumbbell. This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone that likes to workout. I plan on buying all my friends this book.

Lots of pictures for each workout and lots of info to help put it all together.

GuitarPlayer on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 12:04 am 



So Far So Good
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Well, this is one of the best all around workout books out there. Starts out explaining muscles, muscle groups and what they do. Shows a ton of work outs for every body muscle in a clear format and has workout schedules you can use to keep going and stay motivated. This book along with LL Cool J’s Platinum Workout book and your all set.

Umesh Bansal on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 12:22 am 



Good for beginers but with flaws
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Well I have some experience with working out and seeing that this book is aimed at beginners , it does not do justice in many ways.

Cons :

1.It does not explain clearly what exercise trains what muscle group

clearly.

2. There is no information on Exhale/Inhale(Very important for exercise).

3. It take for granted that people will know certain postures etc and does not explain in detail as to what Barbells to use.(Ez,Straight,etc)

Pros:

1. Lot of exercises.

2. Good routine to follow.

3. Decent information for beginners.

Well this book has its flaws but it is a lot better than many books out there.

William Tweedy on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 12:32 am 



Worth the money.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book is really the Bible of workouts. After applying the exercise with my dumbbells and bench at home, I decided I did not need to pay all that money to the Gym anymore. The text is very descriptive on all exercises. Highly recommend.

Cal Dougherty on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 12:34 am 



Pretty good for men thinking about adding muscle and willing to pay the price
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This is a traditional, intro pumping iron book for men. The only slight twist is, as the title says, it’s for men looking to workout at home, not the club. My wife and I have both read it and this is our combined feedback (“See all my reviews” for additional feedback).

Our 3 star rating is actually an average. I give it 3.5 and she gives it 2.5.

To be blunt, in our oppinion the book is targetted at men with little or no weightlifting experience and are interested in doing a “body make-over” to become the chick-magnet they always knew they could be. To us, it’s not a health and fitness book but an intro pumping iron book. If you are self-motivated, respond well to setting a goal and working hard to achieve it, this may be the perfect book for you and might rate it higher.

Positive: We like the honesty by the authors, especially regarding the costs involved in acquiring your own fitness equipment. They don’t sugar coat it. The compendium of resistence exercises (half the book)is excellent, a good reference, particularly for men. The book is a good value- there is a lot of informative content, not like some books we’ve seen that are little more than fluff and pretty pictures between two covers. The book provides about 60 pages of various progress chart templates to get you started and progressing.

Negative: It’s not really a “workout bible.” Little attention is given to anything but pumping iron. Again, we’re not talking long-haul health and fitness so much as building a beef-cake temple. It seems to be written with the assumption the reader has a fair amount of money and time to burn (some people do, most don’t). It doesn’t provide much help dealing with the real-world challenge of motivation beyond the first two weeks. We’re afraid a lot of people will spend a bunch of money on equipment and then watch it collect dust after the first two weeks of euphoria passes. The misses quickly tired of the macho and sexist writing style. But it is from the people of MENS HEALTH magazine, after all! (She’s right. They lay it on too thick for my taste as well). The attempts at humor could also be eliminated.

In summary, a useful book for a relatively narrow audience, or one to add to a fitness library for its compendium of resistence exercises.

Hope this feedback helps you in your buying decision!

Tyrone Turner on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 12:50 am 



Wow!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
What a great piece of work! This book is well laid out and very easy to follow. The authors go over anatomy and explain what various muscles do and the best way to develop them. The authors use speak a layman’s terms so that everything is easily understood.

I highly recommend this book. It is a God-send for someone like me — a busy corporate professional who is married with a toddler-aged child. When you can work out a home, there are no excuses. Just get off your butt and get busy.

C. Partrich on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 2:33 am 



Great for both Home and Gym, Needs more Workouts
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Great for begineers & more advanced users alike. Lots of exercises and plenty of variations of these exercises, plus ways to do similar exercises on different equipment. Simple, straightforward approach is refreshing. Easy to reference when looking to change up your routine. A good variety of ab exercises.

Only a few negatives that kept this from getting 5*. Limited number of actual workouts included, and not all of the workouts listed in the book give page numbers to reference each exercise (some do & some don’t), plus would’ve liked for workout charts to show alternatives/substitutes for each exercise. Lastly would’ve liked a chapter dealing with common weight lifting injuries (such as rotator cuff).

Overall well worth the money IMO.

Matt on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 3:46 am 



Do you like to DO IT… yourself?
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This book is as comprehensive as a home-training book can be.

Various workout plans are provided, ranging from those using only household items (for those of us with no weight-training equipment) all the way through to a plan incorporating a sophisticated home gym setup.

There is some solid information and spelled-out instruction on how to do each excercise properly (with plenty of illustrations and photographs). The book is written with reliable information in mind, but also keeps a light sense of humor about the issue of home-training, making for an entertaining and worthwhile read.

This is definitely a book you can glean some very useful pointers from, whether or not you choose to follow any of the training plans provided. Another well put-together book from the editors of Men’s Health magazine. If you’re looking to begin training at home, I recommend this book over any other you will find.

frankfromnj on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 6:00 am 



Great book when starting to workout
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book is great for someone that has never worked out or is just getting ready to start working out again. It is especially helpful if you haven’t purchased any equipment yet. It will show you how to get the most out of different types of equipment and how to do most exercises no matter what type you have (dumbbells, barbell, machine, a chair, etc.) Having said that, if you do have a particular type of equipment this book will show you how to get more exercises out of it than you ever thought possible. It also tells you the benefits of different exercise and gives you sample workout routines. Finally, it differentiates between beginner, intermediate, and advanced form for almost every exercise.

Marina Kushner on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 6:05 am 



Maximize Your Home Work Outs
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Whether you have exercise equipment at home, or not, this book will teach you how to get the most out of your work outs.

Randy Nelson on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 6:42 am 



This is for anyone who likes to work out.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am not a walking muscle. I am an average guy who enjoys working out. I am not in any body building competition or anything of hte sort. I like to stay in shape and abe active. This book has helped me gain muscle mass through workouts I have never heard of or scene. Whether you have dumbbells, barbbells, cables, or nothing, this book has the right workout combination for you. Good visuals and sectional break down make this manuel easy to follow and a great tool for designing a workout plan for you. If I spent more time and was into deeper training this book could facilitate my needs to be a body builder. A big five stars.

Warren Bruhl on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 8:11 am 



SIMPLE AND EFFECIVE HOME WORKOUT BIBLE
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I orginially purchased this book for my 16 year old son to help him learn how to work out in our home gym and at his school gym. He regularly opens the book, takes it into the gym, and follows the exercises described. The exercises are described well and the pictures make the book easy to follow. I have also given the book to a number of my patients so they too can benefit from the descriptive exercise detail.

We all have to take care of our body, the temple of God, and this book will help you in your pursuits.

BE WELL

DR. WARREN BRUHL

PEDIATRIC AND FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN

GLENCOE, IL

Michael D. Foster on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 8:19 am 



Excellent Book!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book should be in all exercise libraries. It offers a structured workout plan for home gyms that consist of no equipment, free weights all the way to a multi station gym, commonly found in apartment complexes, so there really is no excuse to not get a workout in.These well thought out routines can help you realize all your potential. Excellent and informative pictures also.

J. Lyons on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 8:52 am 



Good overall workout book
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a good book for any home gym. As long as you have a good bench and some weights you can utilize the exercises in this book in a very efficient way. I have been lifting weights for fifteen years and still find this book to be pretty helpful in changing up my routines.

Anonymous on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 8:53 am 



Great and honest advice for home workouts
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This home workout book exceeded my expectations. The photographs are OUTSTANDING because every exercise is shot in a position that makes it easy to figure out to do the exercise properly without hurting yourself. Also, there are tons of close-up, detailed photos of the equipment itself which really helps in the purchasing process.

The text is humorous and informative and the author does not pull any punches- He really seems to be speaking from the everyman point of view and not from a fitness guru point of view which i found very refreshing.

The product review chapters and sample training logs are a nice bonus.

Overall, this book is top notch and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to begin a workout regimen from home.

Douglas C. Smith on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 9:00 am 



Great book for any fitness level
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have been lifting in gyms for the past 4 years. This year, while home from college, I decided to try working out at home. I love how the book breaks weight training down into topic like muscle groups, equipment I can use at home, and step by step instructions of just about every home exercise imaginable. All of the exercises are grouped in chapters depending on what kind of equipment you already have and then broken down into beginner, intermediate, and advanced exercises. I especially enjoyed the chapters on goal setting and sample lift programs that give you charts to fill in your progress. The book also reads like a personal trainer is talking to you by throwing in puns and jokes to lighten the reading. I would highly recommend this book to anyone trying to lift at home and for any skill level. I couldn’t put this book down.

Mohamed F. El-Hewie on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 9:03 am 



Exquisite collection of exercises, risky exercise planning
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Many exercises described in this book are unique in their efficacy of strengthening and their unfamiliarity to most fitness trainers in the western hemisphere. Examples of these exercises that make this book invaluable are:

1- Behind-the-knee deadlift (named as “hack squat”).

2- Step-up with barbell on an elevated platform.

3- Overhead shoulder shrugging and overhead squat.

4- Jump squat, Good Morning. Power Clean, and Muscle Snatch.

5- Bulgarian split squat on a chair

6- One-legged squat without weights.

7- Exercising with household objects such as a galloon of water bottle and chairs.

Other positive features in the book are:

1- One of the authors demonstrates all the exercises in person, which proves his practical experience, with only few flaws such as rounded lower back during dumbbell-Clean and good morning bending. This guy carries the facial features of Al Gore, with his lack of smile and unwarranted seriousness.

2- The exercises are categorized in four major groups that simplify their applicability. These are exercises with own bodyweight, dumbbells’ exercises, barbell exercises, and Plyometrics and stretches. Each group contains exercises that emphasize midsection, shoulders and back, arms, and legs.

3- The book text is simple and mostly accurate, except in few places such as the author’s claim that wrist-wraps solve the wrist pain during front-squat. This is bogus. Also, the muscle anatomy chapter is accurate and simple, showing only the superficial muscles. It omits important muscles such as the Serratus anterior, coracobrachialis, Rhomboideus, and lavatory scapulae. The Serratus muscle in particular is very important to know in bodybuilding since it is often paralyzed with lifting heavy dumbbells without warming up through pinching of the long thoracic nerve.

The major drawbacks of the book are:

1- The exercise-sequence is flawed and could cause many physical injures. The author does not warn against indulging in extremely intense exercises without proper local warming up of the relevant muscles. Most of his plans start with abdominal exercises and end up with calve exercises. Abdominal stressing prior to lower back warming up could lead to spinal disc herniation. Also, you do not need to exercise your abdominal muscles in redundancy. If you run for example, then your abdominal muscles are already worked out and there is no need to double the work unless you have specific explanation.

2- Many exercises are improperly thrown in a sequence that does not sound practical or efficient. The shoulder Press for example is assigned to separate exercise from the Clean, while both should be combined in a single compound exercise.

3- Although the aggregation of the exercises is versatile and thoughtful, the author fails to prioritize them according to the frequency of their application. The Clean, Squat, and Shoulder Press, for example should be practiced on daily basis, while the side lunges are for individual needs and only should be inserted when the collateral ligaments of the knees need be stressed.

4- The high level of the author’s fitness and occupation with exercise diversity may work against him. He could expose himself and others to injuries by such expansive scope of exercises. School students should not repeat such mistake of distractive exercising, but rather learn how to choose exercises with high yield and complex performance.

5- All exercises are described at the “Start” and “Finish” phases without any hints on the relevant anatomical function. For example, the author does not warn against caving in the chest while squatting, pressing the barbell off-vertical while performing overhead pressing, or tightening the lower back during lifting from the floor.

Pat on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 10:43 am 



Changed my life!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I had gained 40 pounds in the last 3 years and decided I needed to make changes and start a fitness program; however, being a busy professional, I always had excuses for not going to the gym. Plus, I was a newbie at weight training and was plain inefficient. That’s why I got this book; I had no idea how great it would be for me.

I have been using this book and a pair of 10 pounds dumbbells for the last six months 2-3 times a week and have lost 30 pounds, my waist went from a 39 to a 34, and I obviously gained muscles, especially at the chest and the shoulders. This book includes a lot of well described exercises (with good photos), for beginners and beyond, and with about any equipment you might have (actually for the first month, I had no dumbbells and used cans and softener bottles!). The variety of exercises also allows you to progress at your rhythm without getting bored.

I now intend to get some additional equipment and start building my home gym, and this book provides great advices on the subject.

If you want to start a fitness program and have no time to go to the gym, don’t hesitate to get this book.

Eric O. Odera on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 10:54 am 



Wonderful home tool
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Being a busy busy trainer, its difficult for me to get a full workout while I’m at the gym, so I was really surprised when I found myself buying this book.This was a humbling experience because I was frustrated by the way my workouts were becoming ineffective due to time limits.So I ended up buying this book to help me with setting up my home gym, I had to purchase some new stuff….this is where the book become very handy.Now who thought a trainer wouldn’t seek help!?

Jeremy N. Eveleth on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 1:34 pm 



A must for exercise ideas
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R301XN0LM0RYCF Men’s Health Home Workout Bible:

David De Sousa on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 3:18 pm 



A Great Training Reference to Workout at Home
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
You will find a good collection of exercises (over 400), photographed and fully described to put together a flexible workout program.

The book have beginner, intermediate, and advanced full-body workouts for each type of equipment. You can build a workout program adapted to the equipment that you have available at home.

M. Williams on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 3:56 pm 



Workout Bible is a Must Have
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
If you’re new to strength training this book is a must have. It’s loaded with good explanations and advice for the beginner. Everyone tells you to consult with your doctor before starting an exercise program; well, I’d add this book to the list of things you need before starting a strength training program. The book has good illustrations that show you how to do exercises properly, using good form, which is important in preventing injuries.

atroman on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 4:22 pm 



Great for beginners on up
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I had no idea of the many options available to someone wanting to get into strength training. I had only vague notions about things ranging from barbells to $5,000 home gyms. This book helped put all the different choices in detailed perspective. It uses a very plain spoken, humorous, but highly informative approach. As a result, I think I made the right choice for me, thereby saving a ton of trial and error and expense. In terms of the range and breadth of exercises and discussions of many related areas such as diet, I don’t think I’ll outgrow this book for a long, long time.

Cassandra on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 6:10 pm 



I bought this book for my husband
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought him this book and another one for me, but when it arrived, I was way more into it than he was. We had purchased a multi-station gym and this book has so many helpful excersizes that expanded on those that came with the manual. I wish we would have purchased this book before we bought anything. The language contains a little bit of machismo but other than that, this is a great books for ladies as well as the gents.

John Neal on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 7:48 pm 



OMG It WORKS!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I went from 220 lbs. to 130 in 4 months thanks to this book and a balanced diet. I live in a little apartment and it told me how to use, basically nothing, to turn my room into a gym. With a bed, some stairs, a bar stool, some soup cans, and a gym bag I was able to cut so much weight I had to buy an entirely new wardobe because I can’t fit ANYTHING I use to wear. If you want to lose weight, get this book. It really IS a Bible!

Busy Reader: Get To The Point on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 7:49 pm 



You don’t need another book on this subject.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve used this book for several years, and I can say it’s excellent for its purpose.

What I did: set up a miniature gym in my small house, focusing on dumbbells. I have a Body Solid bench and rack for the weights and a Swiss Ball, that’s it. My whole set-up ran me $800, which is what I spent each year on gym membership. I love all the time I save; no travel, no gym bag, lock, checking in, waiting in line, avoiding the sight of other naked men in the showers, etc.

Results: I am a typical white guy, aged 48. I will never compete for Mr. Universe, but I remain trim [6'2" / 175lbs] and strong enough to get up at 5:30 each morning for a full, challenging day. I have no heart disease, despite the fact that every other man in my family has had it by this age. Rock on.

The book tells you all you need to know to make an effective workout. You will need to test different techniques and see what works for you; everyone is different.

I find the criticisms of the book rather funny. Some guys think they need more specific techniques or one exercise to work one muscle, by name. I had no idea so many elite body builders lived in America. Where are these guys? When I look around me at the airport or the shopping mall, it’s hard to find a man over 40 with a trim waist. Many of these old hogs look like they are pregnant. Don’t let it happen to you! Follow the Home Workout Bible plan, and you’ll stand out like a giraffe in the pig pen.

Colin Benson on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 8:06 pm 



Solid, honest, results oriented information.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am not an exercise nut. I am a lawyer and a family person. I just don’t have a lot of time to devote to working out, and if I am at my kid’s school for lunch, I’ll eat the birthday cake and ice cream. I was looking for a practical book that I could use to improve the weights workout I had been doing for several months, but would allow me to spend no more than an hour or so in the gym every day. This book delivered and revolutionized my routine.

When I first got the book 6 months ago, I read through the descriptions of muscle development and the comparative benefits of different types of exercise, ie: Dumbbells, barbells, cable machines and I found the basic information amazingly useful. My lifting routine became much different than the other regulars at the gym and I found that for the first time in a LONG time, I was beginning to notice results. Eventually, I began to notice other lifters drifting away from the machines and towards the dumbbells – they began to do routines similar to mine.

Although all of the above made me happy, it was not what prompted me to write this review. Recently, I began to do the exact routines for muscle development that the book recommends. I feel like I have had a shot in the arm. My workouts have suddenly become dramatically more effective. I felt sore in places I had not felt sore in almost a year. My core is intensely stronger and my shoulders, legs and arms are beginning to grow again – even at my age and with my busy work and family schedule.

If you are one of those guys who hangs out in the gym talking to your buddies and maybe doing a single set of bench press, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for an intense, full body, healthy workout that builds solid muscle, but is devoid of hype, this is the book for you.

Get ready to move up a shirt size.

S. Holmes on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 8:48 pm 



good book for beginners and intermediate lifters alike
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
great descriptions and pictures. could have slightly better descriptions of the movements involved in getting from start to finish. I use this in conjunction with another book, Scrawny to Brawny, to supplement the descriptions of correct form so I get things right.

The Scrawny to Brawny book gives the FIRST AND ONLY good description of what a person like me, who is not very limber, should do before starting to lift. Get flexible first and then start lifting.

Gamberro Salvador on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 10:44 pm 



Opened my eyes AND abilities
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Ever since back when I was 12, when my dad had triple-bypass heart surgery, I’ve had more and more of a fitness mentality. When I was 12, luckily, there was a college gym nearby that I had a free membership to. One thing is, I worked out only at machines. I just liked them more, simple as that. And I was in amazing shape for the time.

As emphasized in this book, however, free weights are MUCH better than machines. After buying this book, I started by doing home exercises which required no equipment, mostly abdominal, but over this past Christmas my dad got me a barbell and pair of dumbbells, all the old-school black iron stuff. And let me tell you, I had to put more into it, but I’m lookin fitter than ever before, and my muscle mass is inSANE!

Machines only exercise certain basic muscle groups, and there’s no balancing. Your muscles get a lot out of doing an exercise while adjusting to balance, especially your core muscles, and Men’s Health Home Workout Bible definitely emphasizes that. There’s a large number of usefull Swiss-ball workouts.

Also, if you don’t know what kind of equipment to buy, there’s a whole guide in there, which some people may find very useful.

One final thing. I took one star off this guide for the simple fact that in a given exercise they may say to use light dumbbells or heavy dumbbells. However, they never really specify, and lots of them should have specific comparative weights designated, for safety reasons. I say this because I really screwed my self up doing rotating dumbbell press.

Other than that, I think it earns a 5/5, and $30 or what ever it was- it’s definitely worth the money.

Justus Pendleton on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 11:27 pm 



Excellent with a few flaws
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This book gets high marks for making explicit what its goal is — home workouts — and then delivering on that. While the focus is on home workouts, it offers enough information to be useful as your primary workout book, regardless of venue. The authors offer divide the exercises into major sections, depending on what kind of equipment you have at your disposal: no weights at all (i.e. use bodyweight only and makeshift weights from things found around the house), dumbbells, barbells, and exercise machine. This is great because it makes it easy to come up with a temporary workout plan for that week you’re on vacation and don’t have access to your normal equipment. They tell you how to create a workout plan, taking full advantage of periodization. They include tons of exercises for you to pick from when constructing your plan. If you don’t feel up to creating your own plan they offer several pre-made ones with different focuses.

It isn’t perfect, however, there is certainly room for improvement. When discussing individual exercises I wish they did a better job of showing how the variations affect what parts of the muscle are exercised. For instance, I think that hammer curls are supposed to work your biceps differently than standard curls but there is no mention of that kind of thing in most exercises. That inclusion would make constructing your own work out routines even easier.

The structure of the book leaves a little to be desired as well. It felt that some things — like whether to work to failure — aren’t introduced as early as they should be. The result is you really should read (or at least skim) the book from cover to cover before setting out. A little bit tighter structure would make it easier to just skip to the section you care about.

There is also not much mention of supplements although given the somewhat controversial nature of their efficacy and the target of the book (I would guess that people who workout at home are somewhat less hard-core than those who go to a gym) it is understandable.

Overall, though, this is an excellent resource. It has both breadth and depth, making it a great single-volume resource on working out.

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