Here Come the Fitness Books
Photo:© 2009 Jupiterimages Corporation
O sifts through a crop of fitness manuals and finds some winners.
The Body Fat Solution by Tom Venuto
The 90-Second Fitness Solution by Pete Cerqua
Beth Shaw's Yogafit by Beth Shaw
Running Well by Sam Murphy
The Body Fat Solution by Tom Venuto
The 90-Second Fitness Solution by Pete Cerqua
Beth Shaw's Yogafit by Beth Shaw
Running Well by Sam Murphy
By Tom Venuto
Author
Tom Venuto is a competitive bodybuilder, a personal trainer, and a motivational coach.
The Appeal
Offering the opposite of a quick fix, Venuto is honest about the effort it takes to drop a significant number of pounds. This is the book for women ready to tackle long-term weight loss.
Standout Section
Chapter 5—"Mental Training Solution"—makes a case for changing your mental habits before you tackle the physical ones. There's good advice about getting your brain on your side.
Eye Opener
Venuto says you can still eat out at restaurants two times per week—if you take care when ordering.
Caveat
The book contains more motivation than concrete information.
Fitness Plan
Offers five warm-up moves and two alternating plans made up of strengthening exercises broken into "supersets"—two moves that you do in a row, without taking a break, to increase intensity.
Author
Tom Venuto is a competitive bodybuilder, a personal trainer, and a motivational coach.
The Appeal
Offering the opposite of a quick fix, Venuto is honest about the effort it takes to drop a significant number of pounds. This is the book for women ready to tackle long-term weight loss.
Standout Section
Chapter 5—"Mental Training Solution"—makes a case for changing your mental habits before you tackle the physical ones. There's good advice about getting your brain on your side.
Eye Opener
Venuto says you can still eat out at restaurants two times per week—if you take care when ordering.
Caveat
The book contains more motivation than concrete information.
Fitness Plan
Offers five warm-up moves and two alternating plans made up of strengthening exercises broken into "supersets"—two moves that you do in a row, without taking a break, to increase intensity.
By Pete Cerqua
Author
Pete Cerqua is a personal trainer in the New York City area, where he owns four gyms.
The Appeal
Don't have time for a long workout? Cerqua's plans range from three to 12 minutes; his premise is that holding a position, or slowing a rep so it takes 90 seconds, intensifies the challenge.
Standout Section
Cerqua provides a synopsis for the text-heavy chapters so you can get the main points in a snap.
Eye Opener
Unlike many trainers, Cerqua includes quick and easy recipes for healthy eating, such as spicy shrimp tacos and avocado soup.
Caveat
Cerqua stresses tracking your fitness progress in writing. If you don't have time for the gym, do you have time for the paperwork?
Fitness Plan
There are four workout plans ranging from beginner to superstar, and only the most advanced requires gym equipment.
Author
Pete Cerqua is a personal trainer in the New York City area, where he owns four gyms.
The Appeal
Don't have time for a long workout? Cerqua's plans range from three to 12 minutes; his premise is that holding a position, or slowing a rep so it takes 90 seconds, intensifies the challenge.
Standout Section
Cerqua provides a synopsis for the text-heavy chapters so you can get the main points in a snap.
Eye Opener
Unlike many trainers, Cerqua includes quick and easy recipes for healthy eating, such as spicy shrimp tacos and avocado soup.
Caveat
Cerqua stresses tracking your fitness progress in writing. If you don't have time for the gym, do you have time for the paperwork?
Fitness Plan
There are four workout plans ranging from beginner to superstar, and only the most advanced requires gym equipment.
By Beth Shaw
Author
Beth Shaw's company, YogaFit, has trained more than 75,000 yoga instructors on six continents.
The Appeal
This guide can help everyone from beginner to expert. The simple illustrations and instructions ensure correct form and explain which muscles you're stretching—minus the bells and chanting.
Standout Section
Her workouts include 11 yoga plans to prevent injury and boost performance in your favorite fitness pursuit, from swimming to snowboarding.
Eye Opener
Almost every pose comes with an easier modification; if you think you're not flexible enough for yoga, think again...
Caveat
Shaw leaves out the Sanskrit names of yoga poses that many instructors use in their classes.
Fitness Plan
Includes four general workout plans plus a warm-up, from a 45-minute beginner series to a 75-minute advanced power-fit routine.
Author
Beth Shaw's company, YogaFit, has trained more than 75,000 yoga instructors on six continents.
The Appeal
This guide can help everyone from beginner to expert. The simple illustrations and instructions ensure correct form and explain which muscles you're stretching—minus the bells and chanting.
Standout Section
Her workouts include 11 yoga plans to prevent injury and boost performance in your favorite fitness pursuit, from swimming to snowboarding.
Eye Opener
Almost every pose comes with an easier modification; if you think you're not flexible enough for yoga, think again...
Caveat
Shaw leaves out the Sanskrit names of yoga poses that many instructors use in their classes.
Fitness Plan
Includes four general workout plans plus a warm-up, from a 45-minute beginner series to a 75-minute advanced power-fit routine.
By Sam Murphy
Author
Sam Murphy is a leading fitness expert in the UK and a training consultant for the London Marathon, Nike, and Adidas. Sarah Connors is a physical therapist who specializes in running injuries.
The Appeal
A runner at any level—from a walker who wants to speed things up to a seasoned marathoner—can find solid advice on subjects from running stance to stretching to choosing the right socks.
Standout Section
In Chapter 10, "Injury Time," the authors give detailed descriptions of common trouble spots for runners; symptom maps help you figure out the reason you feel pain and how to rehabilitate that area.
Eye Opener
The high sugar content in sports drinks can cause side cramps—make sure yours has only 6 to 8 percent carbohydrate content.
Caveat
The authors are British, and sometimes the weights and distances are metric. Keep your conversion chart handy.
Fitness Plan
While primarily about running technique, the book does include core strength workouts and cross-training plans.
Author
Sam Murphy is a leading fitness expert in the UK and a training consultant for the London Marathon, Nike, and Adidas. Sarah Connors is a physical therapist who specializes in running injuries.
The Appeal
A runner at any level—from a walker who wants to speed things up to a seasoned marathoner—can find solid advice on subjects from running stance to stretching to choosing the right socks.
Standout Section
In Chapter 10, "Injury Time," the authors give detailed descriptions of common trouble spots for runners; symptom maps help you figure out the reason you feel pain and how to rehabilitate that area.
Eye Opener
The high sugar content in sports drinks can cause side cramps—make sure yours has only 6 to 8 percent carbohydrate content.
Caveat
The authors are British, and sometimes the weights and distances are metric. Keep your conversion chart handy.
Fitness Plan
While primarily about running technique, the book does include core strength workouts and cross-training plans.
NEXT STORY
