Publication Date:December 11, 2008 Shipping:Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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ISBN13: 9780071597173
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Building muscle has never been faster or easier than with this revolutionary once-a-week training program
In Body By Science, bodybuilding powerhouse John Little teams up with fitness medicine expert Dr. Doug McGuff to present a scientifically proven formula for maximizing muscle development in just 12 minutes a week. Backed by rigorous research, the authors prescribe a weekly high-intensity program for increasing strength, revving metabolism, and building muscle for a total fitness experience.
A different lifting experienceJanuary 29, 2010 Buba(Florida MI USA) 20 out of 20 found this review helpful
I have been lifting weights for about 2 years on a multiple times per week basis. I have a home gym with both a Vectra machine and bench and free weights. I am a victim of Dr. Kenneth Cooper's aerobic revolution of the 70's and 80's, now with bad knees and bad ankles and chronic tendinitis and 2 herniated disks and spinal arthritis, which is what brought me to weight training in the first place. Over the years I have tried my own program, and I have purchased several programs from the "Guru's" and I pretty much always wound up either injured or I would make progress for a while and then it would seem I would start going backward. My most recent program was the New Rules of Lifting program which I have found to be a very good program. I've done that for a year and have made progress and remained injury free. That program is basically a two or three times per week program and I noticed that I needed the rest between sessions to keep improving. Sometimes I would go down to one session per 5 or 6 days and I found when I lifted next it was easier to make an advance. That couple extra days allowed a more complete recuperation. The exercises in the new rules program are basically the big 5 that is described in the Body by Science program, so over the course of the year I have developed good form with each exercise and a good knowledge of how my body feels during the lift and post lifting.
When I read this program it seemed to fit well with what I had been doing. I was of course skeptical of the 12 minute claim as the New Rules program is a timed set of reps across the exercises of about 45 minutes per session. In the New Rules program if you were anal about the timed aspect you would be forced into an anaerobic state of metabolism which I think is desirable in a workout. You can tell you've gone anaerobic when you quit lifting and ten minutes later your respiratory rate is still elevated. Your body at that point is working off the metabolic acid load it accrued during the anaerobic activity and converting it to CO2 and that extra CO2 load is being expelled by your increased resp rate. I could tell the by the way I felt that was the hormonal changes and increased metabolism associated with micro damage. I decided to give slo mo pumping as described in Body by Science a whirl. What it claims is true. I do 6 exercises bench press, reverse grip pull down, overhead press, seated row, squats and dead lifts, using the time under load method of accounting and trying to maintain 10-15 seconds during reps and it kicks my hind end. I go deep into anaerobic metabolism as I start huffing like a choo choo. I can also tell I am going deep into anaerobic metabolism because I get hot and start to sweat, signs of big sympathetic outflow and my heart starts beating like a trip hammer. I can tell the muscle micro damage and metabolic changes are greater with this slo mo methodology and I find I NEED a week to recover. I could probably compress that to 5 full days but the difference between 5 full days of rest and a week is not enough to push it. I'm still getting into the method trying to keep my form perfect during the time under load.
I am a physician, so I read with interest the physiology described in the book, and what is described in general is correct. I'm not sure I would hang my hat on the "fact" that we grow big muscles so we can run away from tigers, in fact to me that is an unlikely reason. If you have to run away from a tiger once a week in order to build big muscles its unlikely you are going to escape from being dinner. I think it is probably more steeped in a protective adaptation to inflammation response that lifting causes, than running away from tigers. The cardiovascular information is absolutely true in terms of this kind of training being better than the typical "cardio" kind of exercise. Your heart responds to the demand of your muscles. The whole reason you have a heart and lungs is to deliver 2mm of Oxygen tension to the mitochondria in your cells to provide for aerobic metabolism and to wisk away CO2 and metabolic byproducts. When your energy utilization overwhelms your aerobic potential that is when your muscles need more oxygen than your heart and lungs can deliver that is when you get a cardiovascular adaptation. Aerobic exercise by definition NEVER gets you there precisely because it is aerobic. If you ain't huffing like a choo choo (the sure sign of anaerobic metabolism) you may as well be sipping a drink by the pool in my opinion. I also believe every single beneficial claim proposed in terms of anti-hypertension and anti-diabetes improved flexibility and relief from back pain etc etc to be true. I have a pain management practice and I encourage my patients to do weight training to the extent they can, especially those who have managed to escape surgery.
So I think this plan is a worth while plan. I think if you are not well trained in weights you absolutely MUST have someone who truly knows about weight training train you. If you go off half cocked in this kind of program eventually you will hurt yourself. If you have a home gym like I do then I think you should spend 6 months learning how to lift with perfect form using something like the New Rules program before you venture into the Body by Science program. If you have a trainer he can adjust you during an exercise, but if you don't then you need to take a good while getting to know your own body and lifting with not other expectation than developing perfect form until it become second nature. Once you get into lifting it will become a long term part of your life so there is no reason to be in a hurry and not learn to do it right.
I think the exercises proposed are the exact correct exercises. I am a big fan of multi-muscle complex exercises like the dead lift as opposed to doing a billion of hammer curls with a dumbbell trying to increase the size of the third head of the triceps (total waste of time) I have also come to believe based on my experience over the past 2 years you won't see results quickly if you over train. In other words you need the time for the biochemistry to work and to let the damage you are producing heal. If you sprain an ankle (a big injury, not a micro injury) it doesn't get better in 2 days in gets better in 3 to 6 weeks. In other words you need to give your body the real time it takes to heal and that is based on its own physiology, not on some artificial schedule of lifts per week. If you are an old pro at lifting then before each exercise run over in your mind what perfect form means. I like to take 5 seconds to read a card I have prepared that forces me to think about the few things that define perfect form for each exercise. It takes me out of remote control mode and brings my focus back to the task at hand. Finally for this exercise regimen I have a big clock with a second had sitting right in front of each station, and I keep records so I can watch my progress.
As to the diet, I'm less involved. I like the idea of eating non processed food, but I think a ration of about 1:1:1 of fats, carbs and protein on a calorie adjusted basis is probably easier to maintain. I think the problem with processed foods is they tend to really concentrate the calories
Required reading for personal trainers and those serious about getting the best possible results, safely and efficientlyDecember 30, 2008 Andrew Baye 48 out of 57 found this review helpful
If you buy only one book on exercise this year, get this one. If you buy only two books, get a second copy of it because you're going to want to share it with friends, and if you're a trainer you're going to want to keep one at work to show clients.
Body by Science explains the how and why of high intensity training, balancing enough scientific background to convey key principles and concepts without overwhelming the lay reader, and practical in-the-gym how-to. It is well organized, well researched, and well written, and an enjoyable and informative read. Every one of its eleven chapters contains a wealth of information, clearly explained with the assistance of numerous graphs and diagrams.
The chapters include:
1. Defining Health, Fitness, and Exercise
2. Global Metabolic Conditioning
3. The Dose-Response Relationship of Exercise
4. The Big-Five Workout
5. The Benefits of the Big-Five Workout
6. Enhancing the Body's Response to Exercise
7. Tweaking the Exercise Stimulus
8. The Genetic Factor
9. The Science of Fat Loss
10. The Ideal Training Programs for Athletes
11. The Ideal Training Program for Seniors
The book thoroughly and conclusively debunks the belief that aerobics or "cardio" is necessary for cardiovascular fitness or fat loss, and provides scientific explanations for why high intensity strength training is the most effective way to accomplish both of these. For those of you still harboring doubts about this, Body by Science will put them to rest. McGuff and Little also explain why high intensity strength training is the safest and most effective exercise protocol for improving:
* resting metabolic rate
* glucose metabolism
* insulin sensitivity
* body composition
* cholesterol levels
* blood pressure
* bone mineral density
* symptoms of arthritis
* lower-back pain
* and enhancing flexibility
All of this is backed up by properly performed studies published in reputable, peer-reviewed scientific journals, comprising nearly 30 pages of references contained at the end of the book.
Body by Science goes into great detail on the dose-response relationship of exercise and proves just how little high intensity exercise is actually required for best results - far less than many people believe - also backed up by scientific research and the results of a combined 30 years of supervising and tracking the progress of thousands of trainees through tens of thousands of workouts.
While the book is not heavy on routines - and once you'll read it you'll understand why it doesn't need to be - it offers a solid starting point along with recommendations for variations using different equipment and for more advanced trainees. It also covers the appropriate use of advanced high intensity training methods such as forced reps, partials, static holds, rest-pause, negative-only, SuperSlow and Max Contraction.
Body by Science also explains the numerous genetic factors determining individual muscular potential and response to exercise, and how this information can be used to fine tune your workouts to get the best results possible. The chapter on genetics also contains an interesting discussion of epigenetics - how high intensity strength training influences the expression of your genes.
Chapter 9, The Science of Fat Loss, destroys numerous myths while explaining how training, diet and other factors combined to produce discriminated fat loss. It further debunks the popular misconception that aerobics or "cardio" are effective or even necessary for fat loss.
Chapters 10 and 11 address the training requirements of athletes and seniors and how the concepts and principles explained in the book should be adapted for those populations, including specific routines for football, hockey, baseball and golf. Chapter 10, The Ideal Training Programs for Athletes, also addresses numerous popular misconceptions about skill training, conditioning, stretching, warming up, and cross-training. Chapter 11, The Ideal Training Programs for Seniors, explains the numerous benefits high intensity strength training has for seniors, including how strength training reverses the effects of aging on the expression of numerous genes.
All in all, Body by Science is one of the best HIT books I've read in a long time, and I highly recommend it.
Excellent book for a noviceJuly 1, 2009 Gretchen P. Johnston(Georgetown, Texas) 16 out of 17 found this review helpful
I had read "Power of 10" by Zickerman and was intrigued by the prospect of a once-a-week workout but wanted some more meaty information. I ordered "Body by Science" after reading the very thorough reviews posted here, and found it hard to put down. I have done a small amount of weight training in the past and find that my body usually responds well to it. Knee pain has made it difficult for me to exercise in my usual ways (walking or running) and time and energy constraints have made it difficult to get into any kind of a routine. (I own my own business painting houses, which is very physically tiring work)
Everything about "Body by Science" resonated with me. I'd actually been doing a workout adapted from "Power of 10" for about 4 weeks but after reading about the "big five" I switched to rows, lat pulldowns (with my palms facing up), squats, bench and shoulder presses. The first day I tried these I worked so hard that I had to lie down for awhile. . .my muscles were too shaky for me even to drive my car. I was glad I'd read that sometimes it even takes longer than a week to recover, because the next week I could only do a couple of reps each of 2 sets. But by the third week, I was eager to lift again. I've been following the protocol as closely as I can. (By the way, I do have a Marcy Smith weight cage and full complement of free weights in my dining room! : )
The bottom line for me is this: over the past 6-8 weeks of doing "Power of 10" and "Body by Science", this middle-aged, overweight woman is feeling muscles everywhere, even at rest. The best part for me is that for a few years now I haven't been able to stand up from a low seat without pushing off with my arms. About a week ago I noticed that I can now stand up without using my arms. . .and without the huge "groan" that used to accompany that procedure.
Best of all. . .a 20 minute once-a-week workout is something that I can and will actually do. My body feels good and strong. Now I just have to start following the nutritional advice (sigh.)
Rev up your fitness by doing more in less time, less often.July 2, 2009 Susanna Hutcheson(Midwest U.S.A.) 12 out of 12 found this review helpful
This is a dynamic, very unique fitness book. It strips away the mythes of fitness and weight loss and replaces it with true science. Turns out all the running and lifting we've done over the years has only injured us, made us unhealthy --- not built us up, made us fit or made us healthy as we had hoped.
Now we know that in just a few minutes a week, anyone, at any age and in any condition, can grow strong, can function a their peak and actually enjoy good health as a result. Moreover, you can lose body fat doing high intensity training in a few minutes a week. Spending hours on machines, lifting and running are not only unnecessary, but bad for you.
I didn't like the fact the author pushed the Natalus machines. Turns out, he owns a Natalus center. Moreover, he assumed everyone went to a gym to workout or had someone with them when they worked out. It didn't adequately address the person who works out alone in his home. He also didn't address other forms of resistance, such as rubber tubing. After all, the body doesn't know if you're lifting a bath tub, weights or rubber tubing.
A word of caution: Doctors being who they are can't resist writing in a manner that's hard for the average human to understand. Yes, this is a book based on science. So it can be excused. But be prepared for some dry gunk and do as I did in many cases --- just drive on by. Unless, of course, you enjoy that sort of thing.
Highly recommended.
- Susanna K. Hutcheson
UPDATE: After using this method exclusively for several months, I've noticed an astounding difference in my strength. I can lift much more than when I was working out at least three times a week, often more. I discovered it almost by accident. I was seeing I could lift heavy items without even noticing how heavy they were. Moreover, I lifted weights that heretofore I was almost unable to lift. So I can now tell you from practical experience that this method does work.
The Most Advanced Weight Training Book.EVER.July 19, 2009 John E. Davidson(El Paso, Mexico) 11 out of 12 found this review helpful
I will admit it. I HATE John Little. He has made a decent living as an author by basically regurgitating whatever was said or written by Mike Mentzer. That being said, I absolutely LOVE this book. Without going into a long diatribe this is the most scientifically sound book ever written on weight training. The authors make an analogy of their recommended programs to investing in the market. They state that their programs are similiar to an S$P 500 index fund for investors in that in their simplicity 85% to 95% percent of investors will yield better returns that people who try to time the market. 85%-95% of people who blindly follow these routines without question will yield better results with these routines than any other program. They also include routines for specific sports as well as routines for the elderly. All of this is backed by the latest in scientific research and testing. But of even greater importance is the fact that it is logical and simple. A must read.
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