Editorial Review:

The World's Most AUTHORITATIVE Guide to Building Your Body You probably know a lot about building muscle. You know which curl is the best for your biceps, you do every possible exercise for your abdominals, and your 20-set bench-press routine is the envy of everyone in the gym. So why haven't you gotten the results you want? This book has the answer. In fact, it probably answers every question you've ever asked about how your muscles work: What makes them grow? What makes them show? Why didn't that champion bodybuilder's routine work for you? But The Book of Muscle does more than just explain how your muscles work. It also gives you comprehensive muscle-building programs from a world-class trainer. Ian King has spent 2 decades as strength coach to world-champion and Olympic athletes. He is in wide demand as a lecturer on athletic preparation and physique development, and he is a popular contributor to Men's Health magazine and T-mag.com, the most popular bodybuilding Web site on the planet. Now, for the first time, he brings his extraordinary knowledge and unique muscle-building systems to a book meant for regular guys who like to work out and want to see better results than they've gotten from conventional programs. Here's what you get from The Book of Muscle that you can't get from any other book: Three complete 6-month, progressive workout programs created by Ian King to optimize muscle growth by juxtaposing opposing muscle actions Ian King's revolutionary training-age system to help you determine which program is right for you Complete abdominal training that ensures you'll not only get that coveted six-pack but also develop the muscles that prevent injuries and produce better performance on the field--any field Vital advice on warming up, stretching, and recovering between workouts The latest and best information on how you need to eat to make your muscles grow s20If you've never before bought a workout book, this should be your first. And if you've tried all the others, this is the one that finally delivers everything you have ever wanted to know but couldn't find in one place.

You might think that the subtitle, "The World's Most Authoritative Guide to Building Your Body," is hyperbole, but The Book of Muscle from Men's Health delivers as promised. Australian strength coach and former powerlifting champion Ian King and Men's Health fitness director Lou Schuler cover everything you want to know about your muscles and what makes them grow, complete with dietary recommendations, exercises for every muscle group, and exercise routines. Each muscle group is illustrated and discussed, with 149 pages of clearly described, well-photographed exercises using a variety of equipment. A section on workout routines helps you put together your own program, from beginner to advanced.

Schuler's guy-talk style makes the book enjoyable to read, even on days when you have no intention of going to the gym. The artistic drawings of muscle groups, full-color photographs of beginning and ending positions of every exercise, and stunning close-ups of buffed body parts make The Book of Muscle is as beautiful as it is practical and motivating, an exceptional gift for the fitness guy in your life, and well worth the price. Highly recommended for men wanting to get in shape or stay there. --Joan Price

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

NOT for the beginner:

I'm an avid reader of Men's Health but this book is by no means for the "average guy." This book is filled with lots of great tips for those who want to be professional weight lifters but I would never recommend this to a beginner. A workout book should inspire you...this book was so complicated and intimidating I was discouraged before even hitting the gym.

Good Book:

Great book, got this for a friend for his BDay. Once I got it I kept it for my self and got him some drinks at the bar.

Authoritative indeed!:

Out of all the work out books/magazines I've read, I must say, I was quite impressed with how detailed this book was. Not only does it give you a well thought out work out plan that caters to different types of people, it also explains the science behind working out and the body which is crucial to becoming successful and muscular. The only thing I disliked was the rather anemic section on what to eat. I wish there were more sample meal plans. Other then that, the book is perfect.

Good Advice; Solid Results:

This is the first strength training book that I've purchased, and made the decision to get this book based on Ian King's reputation and other customers' feedback. I have had this book for a few months now, and found it surprisingly readable and effective. Not only is there detailed pictures of each exercise in the workouts, but the text at the beginning explains why you do what you do, and why you can expect to see different results in each stage (e.g., neural adaptation vs. muscle hypertrophy). I am just... more info

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