Ayurvedic Beauty Care: Ageless Techniques to Invoke Natural Beauty

An amazing, wonderful book, one of the most informative I have ever read on beauty care or ayurveda, it's packed full of information from cover to cover. Very extensive, talks about all the different aspects of health and beauty care. Lots and lots of recipes to make at home and which do work. Never again will I need to throw away good money on useless, expensive face creams that don't do the job and put me at risk for cancer. Only drawback, perhaps, is that some of the recipes have too many ingredients for modest pocketbooks. Otherwise a great buy and a great book, if you don't like creepy, strange-sounding unreliable chemicals in the products you put on your skin or in your hair, this is the book for you. It's better than just a simple make-your-own-cosmetics type of book because the recipes are tailored precisely to YOUR particular skin type.

I found this book in one of the South India's bookstores. It got my attention because of the cover an ancient drawing depicted the woman's beauty from the times long gone.

When I read a few of the pages whilst deciding to buy the book or not, I was surprised by the straightforwardness and usefulness of the information about beauty, so I bought the book. And I wasn't disappointed for doing so.

The book is a bit thick my edition has 281 pages. However it's very easy to read, you may not even notice how you will get to the very end of it.

This book may be slightly more suitable for women, but it would also suit those men who want to look after their skin, hair and health in general, in a natural way.

Ayurvedic Beauty Care book focuses a lot on the skin and hair betterment, but it also mentions quite extensively how to fully cleanse your internal body and nourish it naturally.

What dosha type are you?

The first part of the book deals with three doshas. A dosha, as the author explains, is a life-giving force. There are three doshas in total, each one having different quality. For examle, Kapha can be described as wet; Vata as wind or breath; Pitta as heat or energy.

Each person has one particular dosha dominating, but sometimes it happens that all three doshas are of completely equal amount in one person.

In this section there is a comprehensive test to assess which is your dominant dosha, and then the author gives advice about the best natural ingredients to use for various beauty regimes for each of the three doshas.

Bringing these three doshas in balance within a person, as well as other elements such as agni (transformative power responsible for digestion and similar processes), is the fundamental principle of Ayurveda, as the author herself points out.

Daily routines for enhancing beauty

After listing some initial information necessary to understand in order to grasp what Ayurveda is about, the author goes on to teach some daily routines to enhance the beauty.

In Ayurveda the perfect functioning of the body consists of good digestion and assimilation of the food together with a regular and efficient waste evacuation. If these processes work well, then the beauty and radiance comes naturally. Therefore ayurvedic cleansing processes focus a great deal on perfecting these workings of the body.

Ayurvedic Beauty Care book mentions some good advice about how to help digestion as well as how to select your food wisely. It also has a section about how to eat according to your dosha and even suggests a sample menu for a day.

How to balance your agni

The concept of agni is unique to ayurveda. The author describes agni as simply being the digestive fire. And that not only applies to the process of food digestion, but also the digestion of your thoughts, emotions, feelings and information.

Agni cleans our toxins and keeps the digestive tract clean. This brings radiance to the outer body. When agni is not balanced, it may be too active or too slow. The signs that your agni is slow are these:

* Gas

* Burping

* Slow digestion

* Tired mind

* Difficulty walking

* Scanty or no perspiration

* Constipation

* Dull complexion

The author in this section provides many effective tips about how to balance both low and too active agni.

Vitamins and minerals

In this section of the Ayurvedic Beauty Care book Melanie Sachs lists vitamins and minerals, the signs of their deficiency and in which foods particular vitamins and minerals can be found. Straight after this chapter she also discusses fasting when it's good to fast and when it's not recommended.

Beauty and work

All aspects of your life contribute to your beauty or the lack of it. And because employment is a significant part of most people's lives, it's important to choose your job wisely. Here the author suggests how to select the work that suits your inner self. She notes that for each type of person there exists work that is natural and satisfying.

Each dosha has a certain inclination towards a particular career. However it's also possible to choose work which is not your type, but then re-balance your energy by doing an additional activity which agrees with your dosha.

Massage

Everyone needs to receive massage regularly, especially the Vata-type people. Massage nourishes and relaxes the body. Different types of people (Pitta, Vata and Kapha types) need to get massages in different ways to get most benefits. Also different massage oils should be used for different dosha types. The author in this book lists the practices and the oils that should be used for each type of dosha.

Some advice on bath, meditation and sleep is also given in the Ayurvedic Beauty Care book. An especially good chapter is on herbal baths; for example, an author gives a good herbal bath recipe for sound sleep.

Colors, aromas, gems and sounds

Melanie Sachs acknowledges that everything in this world is energy, and that colors, aromas, gems and sounds have certain energetic qualities that could better or harm us. Thus we can use certain qualities of these mentioned objects to increase our health and enhance our beauty.

She goes on to explain how essential oils, colors and sounds can significantly improve our bodies and minds. Melanie especially focuses on essential oils, noting how many great benefits a person could get from using them.

She lists the oils for each dosha type and she even provides an essential oil chart. I found this chart extremely useful, because it has checkmarks on the qualities of each essential oil.

For example if I look at the essential lemon oil row, I see these qualities checked:

"Oily, mature, acne, inflamed, itchy, wrinkles, congested, tired/flabby, varicose/thread veins (skin conditions), antiseptic, astringent, antibiotic, relaxing, dandruff, nail care (oil uses and qualities)."

So such chart is of great use to me. When I find out about a particular essential oil, I find it in the chart and check if it would suit my skin.

Special care of the regions of the body

In this chapter the author lists specific beauty treatments for nails, feet, hair, hands and so on. I found the hair treatment section a very useful one. The author here suggests completely natural shampoo recipes (dry and wet shampoo recipes) as well as the causes for common hair problems and their effective treatments.

Ayurvedic skin care

Skin has different qualities and experiences different problems under the influence of each dosha. Therefore each dosha type should look after their skin in a different way. However no matter which dosha you represent, the full ayurvedic facial treatment consists of eight steps:

1. Cleansing

2. Oleation massage

3. Herbal steam or compress

4. Gentle scrub

5. Cleansing or nutrifying mask or facial pack

6. Toning/rejuvenating

7. Moisturizing

8. Hydrating

Each of these steps are thoroughly described in the Ayurvedic Beauty Care book, together with natural recipes for each treatment. For example, for initial cleansing, the author suggests a few herbal cleansing powder recipes for different types of skin (normal, dry, oily or blemished and mature).

Further on the author mentions a specific massage technique for the face, together with specific oils you should select according to your skin condition. She also mentions various natural scrubs, face packs, toners, moisturizers and mists to improve the quality of your skin.

As for make up, the author doesn't give much attention to it. She claims that if you follow the advice she gave in the Ayurvedic Beauty Care book, your natural beauty will increase to the extent that you will use little to no make up. The most important thing is to improve your natural beauty, so that you would need less "cover ups".

Rejuvenation therapy

Purva karma and pancha karma are very important ayurvedic cleansing treatments. The goal of these treatments is to remove all the impurities of the body, so that the body would be gotten rid of the illnesses it had or were about to manifest. Also, when the body is completely clean inside and outside, it can get the full benefit from nourishing.

The nourishing treatments are also described in detail. Different types of oils and herbal supplements are listed in this chapter.

Another massage section

The Ayurvedic Beauty Care book offers various massage techniques for different parts of the body, together with the relevant oils. There are pictures and clear drawings provided to make it easy for you to do your own massage, or massage someone else in an effective way.

Unusual treatments

In the final chapter of the Ayurvedic Beauty Care book some unusual treatments are described. They are unusual in the West, but these treatments are widely known in the East.

For example in Netra Basti treatment, a warmed butter is poured over an open eye. This is claimed to improve the eyesight and the general condition of the eyes (e.g. it makes the eyes brighter).

Another interesting treatment is called "Shiro Dhara", which is running a stream of warm sesame oil onto the third eye area. This is supposed to affect certain brain centers to give you a feeling of pleasure and relaxation. It removes pain and stress particularly in the neck and head areas.

There are other interesting treatments described in this last section.

My opinion about the Ayurvedic Beauty Care book

I should admit that I loved the book. Rarely do I keep the books for reference, but this book is still with me because of the essential oils chart, great natural shampoo recipes as well as the tips for facial care.

I recommend the Ayurvedic Beauty Care book for anyone who wants to improve their inner and outer beauty. It's written in an easy to understand manner and many tips in the book are extremely effective.

Buy Ayurvedic Beauty Care: Ageless Techniques to Invoke Natural Beauty Now

This book is interesting but you would have to spend a fortune trying to buy everything just make a face wash.

Read Best Reviews of Ayurvedic Beauty Care: Ageless Techniques to Invoke Natural Beauty Here

To all who are interested in Ayurvedic medicine and who want to find out where true beauty comes from....read this book. It contains very important information as far as health and how it relates to beauty. A masterpiece!!!!

JFE

Want Ayurvedic Beauty Care: Ageless Techniques to Invoke Natural Beauty Discount?

I liked the overview on Ayurveda and natural beauty, but what I found lacking was the specific remedies for certain conditions. You will need to do further research to find these.

Save 31% Off

Read More >>

Nasty, Brutish, and Long: Adventures in Eldercare

How old are you? Do you ever think about what life will be like if you reach seventy, eighty, or ninety? In "Nasty, Brutish, and Long," psychologist Ira Rosofsky offers his personal and professional perspective about "old age and the world of eldercare." Rosofsky is an outside contractor who is paid to treat clients in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. For confidentiality reasons, the men and women he describes are not actual patients. However, it is a fair assumption that the doctor bases his characters on people he has met during his long experience in the trenches.

Rosofsky introduces us to Sam Rosen, who is one hundred and two. Sam's wife, who died at one hundred and one, "was buried in the cemetery" last year, while Sam is now "buried in the nursing home." Sam cannot believe that his seventy-seven year old marriage is over, his house has been sold, and his kids never visit. His universe has become a constricted space with a few possessions he can call his own. Although the residents of eldercare facilities vary widely in age and in their ability to function mentally and physically, many of them deteriorate rapidly as a result of a lack of stimulation and "benign" neglect on the part of relatives and staff.

Nursing homes are a $115 billion a year business. This exorbitant amount of money pays for a highly regimented bureaucracy in which "all the routines are scrupulously documented" and "every procedure is by the book." The goal is "to keep a body alive to pass on to the next shift...." The government pays for a huge number of pills dispensed and a wide array of therapies, but many patients have little face time with concerned caregivers. When Dr. Rosofsky speaks to his clients, he makes eye contact and listens to their heartrending and repetitious stories about their memories, relationships, dreams, and nightmares. They are often delusional or in denial about their circumstances. Although some of them insist that they would never kill themselves, they admit that they wouldn't mind "waking up dead."

Rosofsky makes his book even more poignant when he muses about his own fear of aging. He recounts the death of his father, who suffered from dementia before passing away in a hospice just shy of his ninetieth birthday. The author has seen the system from both sides of the fence and for the most part, he is not thrilled with what he sees. If the baby boomers are lucky enough to stick around for another two or three decades, their chances of seeing the inside of a nursing home or assisted living facility greatly increase. They will need to spend down their money (unless they have long-term care insurance), resign themselves to an almost total lack of privacy ("living in a nursing home is life interrupted"), and be willing to accept the fact that unless their children are attentive and live close by, they won't receive many visitors. If they are fortunate, they won't suffer from cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, or any of the other dread diseases that can make the golden years a living hell. What do we have to look forward to? We have no way of knowing the answer to this frightening question. However, after giving the matter a great deal of thought, Ira Rosofsky assures us that "trading a life of independence for institutional confinement" generally "does not make for happy campers."

"Nasty, Brutish, and Long" is a bitterly ironic and scathing indictment of the way that we marginalize our sick and elderly population. It is a fast-paced, darkly humorous, and eloquently written work in which Rosofsky shows how tough it can be for those who are dependent on the kindness of strangers. Once the sick and elderly cease to be productive and instead become a burden, we take care of the problem by handing it over to someone else. When our turn comes, we might not be so content to "go gently into that good night."

I had enjoyed excerpts from this book on the author's website, but what really works when reading the entire thing is the flow from chapter to chapter. I really like how he integrates his professional and personal experience, and unlike a reporter who's simply done a lot of research, this guy draws upon a wealth of experience.

His knowledge of nursing home practices combined with his own thoughts about his oncoming old age and mortality really make this book come alive. I had orginally thought this would be a dry examination of the state of nursing homes. But it's really a fun book to read, if you can laugh at what might be in store for you. And reading about his own parents made me feel as if I knew them.

This is a good one.

Buy Nasty, Brutish, and Long: Adventures in Eldercare Now

Since finishing this book I find myself recommending it over and over to people with aging parents. If you are middle aged, you are like to be one of these or know many of these so I recommend it to you as well. The book provides invaluable insight into the (nasty and brutish) process and system of aging that few of us are likely to escape (if we are lucky). Dr Rosofsky addresses this irony in a thought provoking and humorous way -by openly sharing his own professional and personal experiences. Also, as a teacher who is always preaching about good writing, I give Dr. Rosofky high marks. His writing is clear, descriptive, fast moving and accessible. You will enjoy reading this book inspite of the subject matter.

Read Best Reviews of Nasty, Brutish, and Long: Adventures in Eldercare Here

This is a well-written, informative and humorous portrayal of every aspect of nursing homes in the U.S. today. It's also grim, depressing, morbid and horrific but that's because nursing homes are like that. I'm considering the necessity of my 92-year-old mother going to a nursing home, and I'm glad I read this because now I'll do everything I can to keep her out of there. Read this if you want the real story and not the sugar-glazed version.

Want Nasty, Brutish, and Long: Adventures in Eldercare Discount?

When my granduncle went into a care center

I needed a "go to" source on eldercare.

This book was it.

Save 60% Off

Read More >>

Gardening for Health and Nutrition

I found this book at the bottom of my book shelf. I picked it up for nothing at a library sale. Flipping through the book I was suprised to find myself completely hooked.

I've been an avid suburban gardener for a while, but this book opened my eyes to what natural gardening is all about. After this book, I'm dedicated to learning more on real gardening.

Besides the arcane (Read Organic) Gardening knowledge, I loved the California-Granola message. Peace, love, and Mother Earth baby. Not to mention strong Conservative Christian overtones...but I like that.

I recommend this book to anyone who owns a rectangle of dirt with greenery growing out of it. It will change the way you think about plants, and life. Some of the concepts are a little out of date, but still lots of fun.

Read More >>

The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Honey and 1,001 Other Home Remedies

This book is not what I expected. I thought I would be getting advice on what natural ingredient to use for a specific malady. It is not like that at all. It is a common sense guide on to get/stay healthy. I gave it 3 stars cause it is well-written, it just isn't what I wanted.

This is an interesting compilation of herb lore and common remedies that were routinely used to treat a plethora of symptoms and ailments before the advent of patent medicines. The book gives listings for common ailments, the herbal and natural remedies used to treat them and interesting information about the different ingredients used. Even if you don't try any of the remedies, it's entertaining to read about what our ancestors used to treat the maladies with which mankind is afflicted.

Buy The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Honey and 1,001 Other Home Remedies Now

I like this book a lot, not only for the remedy tips, but also for the bits of trivia and other information. Easy to read. i like the fact that other health-related websites are also offered for additional information.

Read Best Reviews of The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Honey and 1,001 Other Home Remedies Here

This was a gift for my mother. She uses the book daily for helpful tips for the entire family. I recommend this book to anyone that believes in old folk remedies.

Want The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Honey and 1,001 Other Home Remedies Discount?

Read More >>

Max O2: The Complete Guide to Synergistic Aerobic Training (HFL synergistic training series)

As usual, Health for Life provides an extensive write up of the theory. But besides educating you on what is "VO2 Max" and your "Lactate Threshold", it provides very specific running programs from beginner to advanced and for different purposes(bodybuilding, martail artist, losing weight, developing endurance). The second hand price here definitely makes the book a bargain.

Read More >>

Honey, Garlic and Vinegar: Home Remedies and Recipes

I was very disappointed in this book. The instructions for the remedies were vague to say the least i.e. mix vinegar with liquid soap...IN WHAT AMOUNTS? And some sounded downright dangerous...i.e. put crushed garlic up your rectum. Much space was devoted to anecdotal, unsubstantiated tales and very little to even scientific-sounding advice. I will not be able to use this book for much.

Suffice it to say i had high hopes for this book but the author didn't even come close to meeting them. Anyone interested in these three foods already knows the basics of their good qualities and probably purchase this book to learn more. The author isn't very scientific and just offers a dumb-downed read. If you are looking for a basic book on these three foods, with some recipes, this book is for you. If you are looking for a deeper scientific read, look elsewhere.

Buy Honey, Garlic and Vinegar: Home Remedies and Recipes Now

This book is tremendous as it give the wholesome greatness of these three ingredients all that have been available for centuries. I used several of the recipes included in this book for our social hour at our church. They all enjoyed sampling foods that were available during Bible times. There are many healthful suggestions given in all three ingredients and great book.

Read Best Reviews of Honey, Garlic and Vinegar: Home Remedies and Recipes Here

This book alows the reader to get "back to basics" with information to go "green" and not harm anything in the earth or aid. Easy to read with loads of information for everyone.

Want Honey, Garlic and Vinegar: Home Remedies and Recipes Discount?

I liked the book but it wasnt quite what I thought it would be. I thought it would have a better layout of the rememdies.

Read More >>

Health Informatics: Practical Guide For Healthcare And Information Technology Professionals (Fifth E

As a nurse in a leadership role, the mandated changes in health records are a challenge to navigate an organization through. In order to best position not only yourself, but also your organization, to be successful an accurate understanding of not only the legal requirements but also the technological advances and limitations is important. I had the opportunity to utilize this book working through my Medical Informatics program. This book is current, up to date, and incorporates the necessary technical information without being overwhelming to clinical individuals.

I actually had the pleasure of studying bioinformatics under Dr. Hoyt at the University of West Florida (UWF). There is a wealth of information packed into this book! It is current, incorporates the technical information needed for comprehensive knowledge of the field, and is understandable even to those on the periphery of the medical field (industrial hygienist). It's got me hooked...now I want to learn more. Who doesn't love a textbook under a $100 too?

Buy Health Informatics: Practical Guide For Healthcare And Information Technology Professionals (Fifth E Now

This book is easy to read, up to date, and very useful!

I learned a lot from this book.

You learn about many systems such as EHR, LIMS, PACS...etc

Read Best Reviews of Health Informatics: Practical Guide For Healthcare And Information Technology Professionals (Fifth E Here

just a wealth of information to bring anyone up to speed on the current state of healthcare informatics. Highly recommend it.

Want Health Informatics: Practical Guide For Healthcare And Information Technology Professionals (Fifth E Discount?

Product was shipped in the noted timeframe. The contents are well organized and comprehensive. Does provide insight into the field of health informatics.

Read More >>

The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle

I'm a fifty year-old guy who's long been more into cardio workouts than weights. Sure, I might do a half-hearted circuit on machines after jumping off a treadmill, but like many folks, I thought cardio workouts were tantamount to "real" exercise. Then I happened upon this book. It struck a chord with me, and I decided that free-weight training was in my future.

One day, I bravely picked up an empty Olympic bar and embarked on the first exercise of Schuler and Cosgrove's "Break-in" program: the squat. "Fifteen reps with 45 pounds," I told myself, "I can do this." However, I stopped at twelve reps. I stopped at twelve reps because I really wanted to avoid forever being tagged as the guy who collapsed in the power cage with forty-five measly pounds atop his shoulders. I forgot all about the prescribed one-minute resting period between sets, and simply waited for my legs to quit shaking. This took significantly longer than one minute. A profound realization overtook me: I was a wimp--a six-four, two hundred and forty pound wimp. At that moment, I decided that I'd spent decades of my life ignorant of what constituted "real" exercise.

The upper-body exercises went better. The real challenge, at that point, was walking from station to station. If the gym had offered me a wheelchair to move between exercises, I would have humbly taken them up on it.

The next morning, I felt sore, although I told myself that it wasn't so bad. Then came the second morning. I got out of bed, and for a moment, I considered asking my wife to call 9-1-1. My upper legs felt as if someone had taken a meat tenderizer to them. For about the next week, my lower body reminded me that I might have bitten off more than I could chew.

It took me two weeks to gather the courage to embark upon the Break-in program again. (I felt torn between that and self-flagellation.) The second time around, things began on a little better note. I still couldn't get through a full two sets, but I was no longer moving between stations at tortoise speed.

I'm now finishing the four-week Break-in program. I'm still not using much weight for the squats, but I've graduated from the empty bar, and I'm completing all of the reps. Instead of staggering out of the gym trying not to vomit, I'm doing Cosgroves's "Afterburn" program on cardio machines to top off my workout. I'm glad I've stuck with it, especially when I run up hills and notice that my heart rate is lower than before I began the program. It never occurred to me that free-weight training would benefit my cardio activities.

Of course, as a newbie to free-weight training, I can't offer a valid comparison between the NROL programs and others. However, I like the idea that the Break-in program uses higher reps with lower weights. I think the chance of connective tissue injury is lessened compared to the "standard" three sets of eight to twelve reps, and I think it's a much safer way to learn what's involved in working your muscles to exhaustion.

My lack of experience notwithstanding, I think this is a great book for those who want to break into free-weight training, with a caveat or two. Looking back, I wish I'd started my program with a couple of weeks of body weight exercises. I had a nagging feeling that I was running before I could walk when I began the program, a feeling confirmed by an article I later found on Alwyn Cosgrove's website. He wrote, " . . . the only reason to ever use external load (i.e. weights) is because your bodyweight is not enough resistance. Yet most guys are making exercises harder by adding external load, when they aren't capable of handling their bodyweight in the same exercise. I'm constantly amazed by how many people I meet who can bench press whatever pounds of weight, but are unable to perform 10 correct push ups (typically due to a lack of core strength and synergistic muscle stability). As far as I'm concerned unless you can do an easy twenty push ups, you have no business getting under a bar for bench pressing. In my training facility everyone begins with bodyweight exercises. You have to earn the right to lift weights in my facility." In another article, Cosgrove states that a lifter shouldn't consider doing squats with a barbell until he or she can do a set of single-leg squats with body weight. If I'd discovered that advice in time, it might have saved me from a week of moving around like a hobbled, worn-out old gelding.

Also, rank beginners such as I might consider using the services of a personal trainer when learning the squat and deadlift, or at least ask the advice of an experienced lifter. Although I'm new to this free-weight game, I'm convinced that the squat and deadlift are safe for most folks IF correct form is used. That's a big "if," however. In my case, I found the deadlift to be counterintuitive, and I had to use a mental checklist of sorts to avoid slipping into bad form.

So, I heartily recommend this book, given those qualifications. Schuler has a relaxed writing style I found effective and enjoyable, and Alwyn Cosgrove appears to be one of the most qualified and respected trainers out there. I've lost 11 pounds in the last month, with only minor changes in diet. That's quite heartening: at fifty, I've found cardio workouts are no longer the magic bullet for weight loss that they were in younger years.

And, that's only with the Break-in program. Next up is Cosgrove's Fat Loss program. Let me at `em!

This is a phenomenal book for anyone, from the personal trainer down to the weekend-warrior. As a physical therapist and certifeid strength & conditioning specialist, I appreciated all of the research references. Lou and Alwyn have done their homework to make this program. I'm looking forward to using their workouts and I'll report back in the future (for those that may find it helpful). Although, there are "only" 6 basic moves, there are many variations of the moves, so don't think for a minute that the routines will be boring.

BTW, this ties in real nicely with the works of Gray Cook, who has developed a Functional Movement screen around the 7 main movements of the body. Funny, how these tie in together. Its about time that someone has made this program simple for the masses. Lou, Alwyn, Mark Verstegen, Gray Cook, and Mike Boyle have got IT. Nice job to the authors!!!

Buy The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle Now

First of all, I'm a woman, and this book is clearly not geared towards women. I've been lifting for 15 years, on and off. I take it very seriously and I really enjoy the sport. I was previously using "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women" by James Villepigue and Hugo Rivera. It's a very good book for beginner/intermediate lifters. It's concisely written, the authors take fitness seriously and explain the proper form and execution of all the exercises they introduce in the book. The workouts offer a fantastic starting point for lifters, but after 3 months, you're going to have to start developing your own to keep making progress. (A side note: "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women" is almost word for word identical to "The Body Sculpting Bible for Men." The same is true for the "Abs" books written by these authors, which makes me think that the books are ultimately more about making money than promoting the science of lifting. If you were left confused by the explanations or lack thereof in New Rules, try the Body Sculpting Bible.

The New Rules of Lifting is based on some very cutting edge research in muscle cell recovery. Turns out, you make the most gains for the time you invest if you work to exhaustion and give your muscle cells several days to recover! I was hugely sceptical of this idea as essentially a life long lifter. I was born and raised on the 3 lifting days with cardio days in between for a total of six days a week with one day off. No more. Two intense lifting days a week, well separated with each other. I do aerobic fitness training between lifting days using an ironman heartrate monitor, specifically to widen my range of aerobic fat-burning capacity. This is a very different goal than endurance training, which New Rules says can conflict with a serious weight training program.

Here is what I am most impressed with. New Rules sites many, many scientific studies to back up the advice given and it has a bibliography at the back of the book that can allow you to find and read those scientific studies for yourself.

Here is what I am least impressed with. This book could be half as long if the author would just cut out the "witty banter" which is sometimes amusing, and sometimes offensive. I understand that the book is geared towards men, and crude language in and of itself isn't my problem. I bought the book for the science and the technical advice. All the anecdotes and humorous asides just get in my way. That said, if you have the patience to wade through the unimportant jabber, the program itself is challenging and highly effective. If you are not a highly self-motivated person who is willing to work to physical exhaustion and be very soar afterwards, this may not be the book for you.

Read Best Reviews of The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle Here

Between Schuler's self-effacing humor and Cosgrove's heiny-kicking programs, you can't go wrong with this book. Schuler and Cosgrove helped me look at my lifting routine in a whole new way. I'm no longer stressed out that I'm "missing" a muscle or muscle group, I'm working to muscle fatigue every time I work out--and yet I'm spending less time in the gym per session. Another plus: I emailed Lou Schuler to ask if I needed to modify any of the programs because I'm a woman; he responded in about an hour. Very impressive. I highly recommend this book for beginner and intermediate weightlifters. Advanced lifters will no doubt be disappointed at the lack of "curl" exercises. See the book for Schuler's take on why all those myriad curls are unnecessary. I for one found it liberating--saves me so much time to cut out hammer curls, preacher curls, concentration curls, etc., etc.

Want The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle Discount?

My background: I started using this book shortly after turning 29. At 5'10, I dropped from 215 pounds to 170 pounds through smarter eating and exercise 2-3 times per week (P90x, treadmill, light lifting). After getting as small as I wanted, I decided to start getting bigger. That meant lifting. As a high school athlete, I lifted often and got very strong. Since then I have been off and on in the weight room with far, far more days off than on. Over a decade of obesity and ineptitude in the gym made me feel like a far cry from my high school days. Fortunately, this book provided me with exactly what I needed: a concrete weight lifting regimen that kept me interested and motivated.

My results:

In rougly 6 months I...

Gained 20-25 lbs of mostly muscle

Gained >1.5 inches in my arms

Gained 60-70 lbs in bench press

Gained ~125 lbs in squat

Gained ability to eat vastly more food, including those of dubious distinction (i.e. Deep-dish pizza), without putting on fat

Gained first-hand knowledge of amazing lifts I never would have tried otherwise

Maintained flexibility

Maintained waist size

Maintained social life (a max of ~8 hrs/wk in my initial over-zealousness, 2 or 3 60-90 minute workouts per week is enough for the book)

Decreased level of self-consciousness at the gym

Decreased reliance on cardio to maintain weight (rarely ran a whole mile, never more than 2)

Decreased number of annoying fat folds under my butt cheeks from 2 to 0.

I recommend this book to guys who:

have lost all the weight they want to lose and want to gain muscle

have always been skinny and want to gain size

are tired of going to the gym 3 times a week and never seeing the results they

want despite consistency

can't give a definitive answer with concrete details when asked what they do at

the gym

are overweight, enjoy the weight room and would rather slit their wrists than

run on a treadmill all day

follow a weight lifting program but are looking for a new one to change things

up

don't want to "get too big" (trust me, huge muscles won't sneak up on you,

you'll get defined on this program, too)

I don't recommend this book to guys who:

are unwilling to do squats, dead lifts, or high weight, low rep sets.

cannot follow directions and will try to alter the program

are extremely overweight (consult a physician if unsure)

have never stepped foot in a weight room...unless you have someone to watch

your form the first few times

are afraid of being sore

Last words:

It's hard for me to say enough about how crucial this book has been in my ascent to great fitness. I'm now 5'10, 190, bench over 300, squat roughly 400, have noticeably bigger arms, great definition throughout whole body, absolutely no joint pain (less than when I was doing P90x and running), and increased attention from men and women alike. Are there better books/programs?...maybe. This one works, though, and my two friends and I all are true believers. As a testament to this book, my friends and I constantly text each other about our love for this program and our successes. One friend texted me after a workout to tell me that he literally skipped between two sets because he was so pumped and felt so good. The other friend was hesitant to do squats and dead lifts and almost never started the program. Recently he went into the gym on a day the book recommended he take off and did dead lifts because, according to him, he couldn't stand to be away from dead lifts for over a week. Your body will start to fiend for the post-workout feelings you get from these lifts.

When I turn 30 this summer, I'll be stronger and healthier than I've ever been in my life with no doubt in my mind that I'll continue to improve and evolve as long as my body and time will allow me.

In conclusion, this book works. If you follow it, you'll get bigger, stronger, and feel better than you have in a long time.

*Update* I recently turned 30 and am as in love with this program as I ever was. At just under a year into the program, I'm about 10 workouts behind the suggestion of the book, yet I'm still in incredible shape and always improving. Since writing this review I convinced my cousin to try the program and 3 months in I can't get him to shut up about how his legs "are like rocks!" His weight is about the same, 215 on a 6'1 frame, but his shape is changing. His shoulders are bigger, his waist smaller (his pants went from very tight to very lose), and all his lifts have gotten considerably stronger. Yesterday I gave my book to another friend along with my clipboard and some spreadsheets. He will make five people I know on this book's program. I'm confident he'll enjoy the same success as the other four have so far.

Save 21% Off

Read More >>