Getting in Shape: Workout Programs for Men and Women

by Bob Anderson

Book Overview

Introduces a workout program involving stretching exercises to improve flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, and strength-building activities. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679756094
• ISBN13: 9780679756095
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Shelter Publications
• Length: 223 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.5" x 10.9"

Customer Reviews

Good Book

I really like this book - perfect for beginners and almost beginners who want to develop and maintain their own fitness programs without the use of a personal trainer. There are many different programs to choose from, ranging from very easy up to fairly challenging. They all seem very realistic and require modest committment of time (30 to 60 minutes daily). Each program has a stretching, strength and cardio component. One program requires no special strength training equipment and there are a couple of programs suitable for a fully equipped gym. The rest fall in between - perfect for those of us with a very modest home gym. The programs focus is on fitness, not body building, and is really geared for the average person. There are clear illustrations of how to do the stretches and lifts and lots of good ideas on a variety of cardio fitness activities. I also like the ideas on hotel room workouts for us business travelers.I have two criticisms of this book. First, I felt that many of the ab excercises were not realistic for a beginning level of fitness. I felt that some of them were too stressful on the lower back so I made substitutions. The second is that although Burke is a former cycling team coach, he really didn't give much information on cycling. I choose that as my form of exercise and I would have appreciated a specific progressive program for cycling. He does have a 10 week progressive walking program for beginners though.

A great book for those of us who aren't naturally athletic

Getting in Shape does a wonderful job of taking you gently from doing no exercise through a complete and well-explained path to being in shape. There are eight different levels of workouts, arranged in order from easiest to hardest, plus special workouts for focusing on particular areas of your body or dealing with special challenges (like traveling or having no time to work out). The easiest workouts are designed so that even people with significant health or weight problems can start exercising at a level appropriate to their current abilities. Each workout has recommended stretches, strength training exercises, and aerobic exercises (with a number of different options presented, depending on what you enjoy doing). The instructions are clear, and the increases in difficulty gradual enough that I actually began to enjoy working out, rather than dreading it. Everything is designed so that a minimum of equipment is required even at the most advanced levels: a weight bench, a few basic weights, and decent shoes for your aerobic workout of choice are about all it takes. This is the best book of its kind, in my opinion: it is a practical and reasonable guide to getting in shape for those of us who have lives that otherwise don't include exercise.

Well Written and Illistrated

I found this book to be well written and illustrated for both the first time user and for anyone just wanting to bush up on technic. I would recommend this book to anyone

Excellent book!

This book has it all. If you could only have one book to get into shape with, this would be it. It has many excellent basic programs for all around fitness which include lifting (weight training), moving (aerobics), and stretching. In addition to the basic fitness programs, it has "fine tuning" programs which are total programs that focus on specific body areas, and it also has programs for people with special medical conditions, i.e., arthritis, pregnancy. You can also find programs for people with busy schedules, and a program to do when you're traveling. It also has information about diet, health issues, and tips for staying fit and healthy. The illustrations are great. This book is perfect for the average Joe (or Jane) who doesn't want something too overwhelming but wants to be fit and healthy. It's written in a very straightforward manner, is enjoyable to read, and is jam-packed full of totally useful information. EVERYONE could get something out of this book!