The Body By Science Question and Answer Book

I just finished my second reading of Body by Science and found even more to like and appreciate about it and seemed to gain more from it the second time. You can read my review if you like.Here's what's in this new book . . .IntroductionPart One: Health and FitnessPart Two: BodybuildingPart Three: Special NeedsPart Four: TrainingPart Five: NutritionPart Six: AthleticsPart Seven: SafetyI was disappointed to discover there was no index. This is something of real value in a book of this type. It helps the reader quickly find what he wants.I also would have liked the book published for the Kindle. I won't take any stars away because of either of those things but I do find both regrettable omissions.There are lots of great questions and very complete answers. For example:QUESTION: What is wrong with supplementing our diet with large amounts of protein? After all, when you workout with weights your goal is to build muscle and protein is part of muscle.ANSWER: Excessive protein intake will cause one's urine to change color (the nitrogen makes urine a darker shade of yellow) and also increase urination frequency. This results in a rate of fluid loss that can induce a state of dehydration, which has the capacity to significantly impede performance, as well as place an inordinate strain on one's kidneys. According to a report in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition:'There can be a four to fivefold increase in urine volume in some individuals consuming excessive protein intakes (greater than 2.0 g per 2.2 lb body weight)"There is another full page backing up this data. I found this quite interesting. There has been a lot of discussion on bodybuilding and fitness boards about protein powders. In fact, they've become a staple in the fitness community.I assume it's up to the reader to determine for himself if he believes the authors or not. But the fact is, they have data to back up what they say.The authors are not at all in favor of supplements and they seem to frown on the magazines that appear to exist to sell supplements. Whether or not we agree with this, they're to be admired for their stand. Many authors of fitness books, such as  Pace: The 12-Minute Fitness Revolution (Exercise Workout Books) , have a vested interest in pushing supplements and we have to wonder about their advice.One of the Q&As I found interesting was about the author's ideas on nutrition. I'll quote a bit of it.QUESTION: Why is your nutritional paradigm not generally embraced by the bodybuilding and fitness industries?ANSWER: Largely because the nutritional paradigm that has been put forth by the fitness and bodybuilding industry is heavily predicated on the sale of supplements, which has very little basis in reality." There is much more to the answer in the book.I find this only slightly disingenuous in that the authors insist that the Natalus machines are the only way to effectively do their workout program. Author John Little owns Nautilus North Strength & Fitness Centre and McGuff owns Ultimate Exercise, which uses Med-X and Super Slow machines, also recommended in the Body by Science book.No doubt the authors believe in their equipment but they also have a vested interest in it. I happen to know you can do this program with free weights or strength bands. See my review on their other book for more details on that if you're interested.One thing I've always wondered about the Body By Science program was why it didn't include an ab workout. It actually does address it. It says that the pull down works the abdominal muscles. And it does. There is more on that in the new book.I find this an excellent companion to Body By Science. If you've not read that great book recently, I suggest you reread it as I did. You'll be surprised how much you'll get from a second reading.And you'll garner a good deal more from this new book. It will help you to either get going on your own program or improve on it. And it will certainly answer lots of questions that the main book unfortunately left unanswered.Highly recommended.-- Susanna K. Hutcheson

Reading "Body By Science" was an eye opener for me. For the first time I was offered an explanation how building stronger muscles actually works - and it made perfect sense! I had not realized that I had to fatigue the "slow twitch" and the "fast twitch" muscle fibers at the same time in order to make them stronger. And the practical program is so simple that It is easy to stick to.Of course, there are always questions about details of the program, and that's where this book shines. It is a book to browse, really, whenever a question about (for example) food arises.

This question and answer book is impressively chuck full of fascinating medical and fitness advice for exercising with or without body building equipment, breathing, nutrition and a variety of multiple other concerns or questions you may have never thought of before.

I was reluctant to buy this book at first. Many Q&A books just reiterate what the main book stated. I am glad that I purchased it but there are a few topics that I believe are very important that were barely touched upon. These may be the stumbling blocks that prevent many trainees from experimenting with High Intensity Training as espoused by Dr. Doug McGuff.In both Body by Science and this volume, the subject of free weights is glossed over but the advice is not practical. Arthur Jones covered free weight training extensively in his "Nautilus Training Principles - Bulletins 1 and 2". Most of the routines in the Nautilus Bulletins deal mainly with free weights. The free weight exercises presented in "Body by Science" are dangerous and not a very good alternative to Machines. The bent over row and squat as depicted in BBS are two examples. More information is given in the current book but it seems that there is no middle ground. It's either machines like Hammer Strength or a clumsy Barbell.There are some medium tech options which form a "middle way". A few pieces of equipment have allowed me to discontinue my gym membership as it was hard to concentrate with the loud music, posers and multi-set hogs that stake their claim on the leg press while simultaneously texting.A high quality dip and chin station is not expensive and provides intense inroad to both pushing and pulling muscles of the upper body. Both of these movements have been labeled "The Upper Body Squat". I would stay away from the cheap models as they are usually not stable. It is hard to concentrate while your equipment is swaying.The next accessory would be the Hip Belt for Hip Belt Squats, Calf Raises and for adding weight on dips and chins. The Hip Belt Squat feels better than any leg press machine and much safer than the squat. There is no pressure on the low back and it has many advantages over the barbell squat. You can easily perform these at any cadence (10/10, 10/5 5/5, 3/3, 2/4 etc) and you can go to failure and beyond. At the point where motion becomes impossible you may assist by pressing your hands to your thighs. You can stay in the static position and then safely lower to floor.The effectiveness of the time honored 20 rep squat routines are mentioned in BBS Q&A at least 2 times. I do a controlled rep hi-rep squat at about 3/4 speed on first reps and then push as hard as possible when the weight really feels heavy, it comes out to about 2/5. Very easy to emphasize the negative while using the hip belt. I ordered my Hip Belt from Ironmind and it is a great investment.The other piece of equipment is the Trap Bar. I had been using an imitation model but recently purchased the original Gerard Trap Bar and you definitely get what you pay for. I use this for Dead Lifts which I alternate with the Hip Belt Squats on an A/B split. I also use this for overhead presses which beat both "press behind the neck" and overhead press with barbells or dumbbells. The hands are in parallel position, in line with spine at a perfect width. I feel this movement is more productive than the overhead press on any machine. Safe, aligned and perfectly balanced.The other moves that can be done with the Trap Bar are upright rows, stiff-leg deadlifts and shrugs. All are superior to the barbell variety as strength rather than technique can be concentrated on. These pieces of equipment give the best of both worlds and are relatively inexpensive when compared to yearly memberships at health clubs where only about 1/10th of the equipment is practical.Dr. McGuff mentions the use of exercise bands for rehabilitation and I agree with his prognosis. There is however, a time proven piece of equipment that gets very little attention these days as rubber bands and training balls seem to be the rage in many "core training" classes. I am speaking about the chest expander otherwise known as strands or cables. There are not many sets that I would consider as they are mass produced in China and are time consuming when changing the resistance.Lifeline produces a good line and it is worth buying all 9 of their different strength sets. These hit muscles that no other machine or free weight can touch. The resistance is increased as the muscle contracts and one high intensity set will prove their effectiveness. Recently I stumbled upon a company called Sierra Exercise that IMO produces the highest quality, safest and best priced chest expander on the market. It is called "The Hook" and the cables are simply attached to the hooks. Two arm curls, lateral raises, upright rows and presses can be done as well as the standard strand pulling moves. There is also a high quality hook attachment for a door that will hold almost any weight. I use this along with their "Bodyweight/Isometric Strap" to do bodyweight rowing (which I alternate with chins) and a bodyweight bench press (alternated with dips). Sierra Exercise has high quality, hand made strength equipment at a lower price than the mass produced stuff. Dr. McGuff mentions a diet of "Skittles"® candy a few times in BBS Q&A. This quote is obviously tongue in cheek but I remembered seeing a video interview that Dr. McGuff had with Ken Hutchins for "Super Slow Zone", a company that was to popularize Ken's Super Slow Training. I wish that Ken would have allowed Doug to answer the questions as he was touching upon some important information but as his explanations got deeper, Ken Hutchins would cut him off and change the subject. Ken Hutchins was pushing some type of diet, possibly based on Glycemic Index and Doug responded that he "once believed that anyone can gain strength on a diet of Skittles® but had changed his view after learning the dietary recommendations of "Super Slow Zone".It appears that Dr. McGuff is back to his original hypothesis which is in line with Arthur Jones, the originator of Nautilus. The dietary information in BBS Q&A is simple, common sense. It does not require one to refer to charts or use a calculator before eating a meal. There is no hype about supplements and no advertising for bodybuilding "snake oils" like "Nitric Oxide", "Pump Enhancers" or "Natural Steroids". I highly recommend this followup book to "Body by Science". The combination of the old "20 rep squat routines" (one set at controlled speed) and Body by Science/Ultimate Exercise "abbreviated" HIT routines produce super results and bridge the "free weight vs. machines" battle with a scientific Middle Way.

This book is full of valuable information for people who are into strength training using the principles provided in the book Body by Science. This book is in a question and answer format and organised in seven sections including health and fitness; bodybuilding; special needs; training; nutrition; athletics; and safety. It provides more in-depth information to common questions for devotees.

Body by Scienceの本編の内容に関する様々な補足説明は非常に有益。ただ医学・生物学に関する専門用語が多く、細部についてのこちらの理解は「アバウト」と言わざるを得ません。当然、これは当方の読解力の問題です。また、日本では手に入れにくく、それ故かなり高くついたということもあって星４つにしました。

I found the answers to be very detailed; almost too in depth for the average reader. I found the answers to be interesting and helpful, although I was hoping for answers to some more basic questions, such as how best to work without a trainer and possible alternate equipment one can use to do the Big 5 workout.Overall, very good and a helpful addition after reading the original Body by Science book.

A slightly deeper look at some of the principles in 'Body by Science' that raised questions.These books, coupled with John Little's Max Contraction, have redefined training for me, and allowed me to see through the fitness industry. If you are going to the gym three or four times a week and wondering why you don't seem to be getting the results you expected, here's why.Also, all the advice is given in the context of real nutrition and realistic expectations, designed to fit into your life without devoting half your time to training - and leaving behind all those miracle, expensive supplements.

An sich nicht schlecht, aber irgendwie sehr einfach gemacht. Keine Bilder, keine Tabellen, einfach nur Fragen und dazu die Antworten. Informationsgehalt gut, Aufmachung irgendwie billig!