Weight Training

by Ruth Maran

Produced by the award-winning maranGraphics Group, Maran Illustrated Guide to Weight Training is a valuable resource for all readers, regardless of age or fitness level. Clear, step-by-step... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592008666
• ISBN13: 9781592008667
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: maranGraphics
• Length: 303 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 8.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Great!

The pictures are wonderful. I found the pictures that illustrate the "wrong" postures while training to be especially helpful, as well as all the step by step instructions and tips. Being new to weight traning, I really found this book to be useful.

Great Starter book!

I picked this book randomly and it turned out to be a great book to start out with. I tried going to the gym before I got this book and the weights scared me. The next day I bought the book and took 2-3 days to read through the entire thing and everything made sense. I also saw the correct way to do each routine. One of the best things it did was lay out all the different types of routines you can do, whether it be full body, or focusing on one or two muscles per workout. I highly recommend this book!

great book for beginners

I bought this book when I decided to start weight training. I had never done any weight training before so I needed a book that covered the basics. Maran Illustrated has proven a great choice. The range of exercises is from easy to advanced so that you do not need to buy another book after you have learned the basics and are ready for something more challenging. The photographs and explanations of each exercise are very clear and easy to follow. As the previous reveiwer has mentioned, there are also photographs of what NOT to do, which is important for everybody and for beginners - essential. The book is suitable for those who go to a gym and for those who prefer to exercise at home. It also explains the advantages of both, home and gym. It offers a range of exercises one can do while travelling. I recommend this book to anybody who would like to start weight training; the book will also be useful for those who know the basics already.

Finally! Weight training for the *real* person...

I'm really getting addicted to these Maran Illustrated titles. I received a copy of Maran Illustrated Weight Training, and this is one of those fitness books that speaks to the "normal" person... Contents: Section 1 - Weight Training Basics: Weight Training Basics Section 2 - Work Your Upper Body: Work Your Chest; Work Your Shoulders; Work Your Back; Work Your Triceps; Work Your Biceps and Wrists; Work Your Abdominals Section 3 - Work Your Lower Body: Work Your Legs; Work Your Buttocks; Work Your Calves Section 4 - Using An Exercise Ball And Tubing; Using an Exercise Ball; Using Exercise Tubing Section 5 - Design A Weight Routine: Design a Weight Routine Section 6 - Stretching: Stretching Section 7 - Cardiovascular Training And Nutrition: Cardiovascular Training; Nutrition; Index Although my current fitness and weight level wouldn't necessarily show it, I've spent a lot of time in the gym doing weight training. I even considered competitive bodybuilding for awhile, and I was familiar with that entire scene and lifestyle. So while I'm fine with a weight training book by a current Mr. Olympia, the person trying to get started for the first time can easily be intimidated by that. Hyper-muscular individuals enhanced by various "substances" aren't realistic for 99% of the population, and it sets some pretty false expectations. Fortunately, there are alternatives, and this book is one of them. The Maran Illustrated approach to a book involves a graphically appealing format with an abundance of photos to illustrate points. No endless pages of "text only" here. Each exercise that's illustrated follows pretty much the same format. A photo of the starting/ending position, a photo of the middle position, a picture of the muscles targeted by the exercise, and most importantly, a photo of what you *don't* do when performing the exercise. I can't tell you how many times I've had to bite my tongue when watching others in the gym, knowing that their particular motion on a given exercise makes it either useless or dangerous. This emphasis on what to do and what *not* to do isn't normally covered in other books. In fact, I don't think I've seen any other book show that level of responsibility. I'd commend it for that alone. But we're not done yet. The material in the first section is stuff that I'd like to get all gym attendees to memorize. They cover the basics on equipment, how to choose a gym, why weight training is good for you, etc. But they also devote some time to etiquette. Etiquette! That's another hot button for me. I don't want to listen to you scream while you crank out that last rep. I don't want to use the bench that's still covered in your sweat. And I *really* don't want to wait to work in while you're reading the paper between sets. If I could staple this section to the forehead of a few individuals, I'd be a happy man. Do I like this book? Yeah, I like it a lot. The models illustrating the exercises are normal-looking,

Maran's Illustrated Weight Training Pumps Out Good Info!

Over the years I have read a number of books on weight training. Most give you a routine, tell you how buff you are gonna look and toss in a picture or too. And they assume you know alot including proper form and what the heck the exercise is doing for your body. Maran's Illustrated Weight Training is different. This book will give you a firm grounding in weight training. It covers everything so you will have a solid foundation to train for best results. The book begins with something that is often missed in others - a picture of the human body with the muscles labeled. It is hard to work your "latissimus dorsi" or your "gluteu minimus" terms I have heard video instructors shout out, when you don't have a clue what they are. Marans gives you a clearly labeled front and rear view human body illustration. Next the book makes the case for working out at home or at the gym. If you opt to set up a home gym you will learn what to look for in barbells, a bench, rack etc. If you opt to go to a gym you will learn what to look for before signing on the dotted line. The book also covers gym etiquette (something you wish that sweaty man next to you who never wipes down the bench would read), proper clothing, and more. Next comes the meat of the book. In great detail Marans describes how to work each part of your body. For your triceps for example Maran describes the bench dip, tricep kickback, triceps pushdown, barbell triceps press, dumbbell overhead extension, lying barbell extension and triceps extension machine. For each exercise you will learn what it does for your body, what muscles it works, and the do's and don'ts of performing it. Each excerise also includes lots of full color photographs. Tons of exercises are covered for upper and lower body - from chest to back to buttocks to calves. There is also a section on using an exercise ball and using tubing. I know a girl (ok it was me) who did ab work for several months with no results because she was doing the exercises wrong..too bad I didn't have this book then. The book also includes information on how to design a weight routine, stretching (crucial for best results and to prevent injury), cardiovascular training and nutrition. The softcover, oversized 300+ page book is beautifully laid out and designed. Full color photographs and easy to read text. Super book for those starting out, on their way or the seasoned pro seeking that extra information. Maran scores a winner with this book! Lee Mellott