5 comments about The Nia Technique: The High-Powered Energizing Workout that Gives You a New Body and a New Life.

1. I started NIA 4 months ago. This book is an excellent supplement to the two classes a week that I take. NIA is an incredible fitness and spiritual experience and this book supports my participation.



2. Find a Nia class ([...]), take a Nia class, buy the book to deepen your practice. You'll never experience life the same again. I use this book in conjunction with regular weekly Nia classes to explore pleasure in my Body. How much pleasure can you stand?



3. I've had the pleasure of attending Nia classes at my health club, and at a local spa, but have had difficulty following the routines. This book breaks down the individual movements, making it easy for me to understand and remember them. I'm eager to take this new knowledge into the Nia classroom, and relax in the knowing. If you haven't tried Nia, and have the opportunity to attend a class, by all means -- don't hesitate!



4. Through The Nia Technique, I learn to life joyfully. Stories of personal healing from Nia fill my heart with love. Through movement I find health, joy and so much more. This is the book to begin a journey and connect you to Nia classes in your area. [...] to find your path.



5. Start with this book if you are thinking of taking a Nia class. The history and theory behind the technique are clearly and compellingly explained. Photos of the basic movements let you practice at home to get an idea of the Nia benefits possible.

5 comments about Aerobics of the Mind Cards: 100 Exercises for a Healthy Brain.

1. I've been usingthese cards with one on one conversations with the elderly people in my church and it's opened up avenues of good conversation. I've used them in a couple of small groups I lead and you can almost hear their brains working as they reflect on the questions, work the puzzles. In fact they have "aha" experiences as they solve the puzzles and cry out "Amazing, I did it!" with great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Several in one group want to get the cards for themselves.



2. I work with seniors and used these cards with one who had stayed sharp and wanted to continue that way. Was able to pick out the ones she could handle more easily re declining sight and arthritic hands, and we had plenty to work with. She found them both fun and challenging, as did I -- despite the fact that I'm in my early 50's and she's in her late 90's!!



3. I had brain surgery two years ago and have had slight memory problems since then. I ordered these cards after seeing a PBS show on brain plasticity and thinking that I might improve my memory with exercise (not just doing the same type of brain game over and over). These cards give you all kinds of ideas to work different parts of your brain, in groups or by yourself. I not only have improved my memory, but also my focus and mental alertness. I have receommended them to many other friends and and we're just in our fifties!



4. I bought these cards because my mom was recently diagnosed with "age-related memory loss" and I thought these would be great for her. They are. Turns out she (who is 76) and my dad (who is 86) do one card every night after dinner - instead of watching TV - and are absolutely loving it. It stimulates their brains, they have fun and they find out things about each other that they never knew! I'm very happy with my purchase and recommend this product to anyone with memory issues. I may even buy a set for myself as preventative medicine!



5. I highly recommend these cards for someone who has a loved one with slight dementia. They are plastic coated, so they are very durable and they help a loved one work their mind doing different tasks every day. Each card has things listed for that person to do or work on that day. Its a great product.

5 comments about The Maffetone Method: The Holistic, Low-Stress, No-Pain Way to Exceptional Fitness.

1. An excellent, educational read for anyone who wants to maximise performance, or just get healthy.



2. I have done a lot of research on exercise and the concepts presented here are boiled down from extensive research. This works! It is really not much different than Friel, just explained in a different way.



3. I don't agree with him at all about the diet that he is recommending. If you ever have read "The China Study", then you know what impact this kind of diet has on your health.
   But what he writes about training is really really good. Combine this two books and your life will improve.



4. I love this guide! I think that Maffetone has a great way to train & have been doing heart rate training recently. The book has so much useful information about being a healthy, fit person completely--not just focusing on 'times' for races, etc. I used to train & my heart rate was so high all the time that I feel so much more fit training by my heart rate. Great information!



5. If you are a beginner to exercise, this is a great book. If you have been training for marathons or Ironmans for years, you can still get a couple of nuggets. If you think it is going to make you faster you are wrong.
   
   I like this book. I have read it many times. But, the method worked for athletes like Mark Allen and Mike Pigg. These guys were already freaky fast. They used this method to change the percentage of fuel to fat compared to carbs.
   
   This method will get you to running the same pace at a lower heart rate. Eventually though, if you want to be faster, you have to go faster.

4 comments about Balance Training: Stability Workouts for Core Strength and a Sculpted Body.

1. This is an excellent tool for both professional and amateur fitness buffs. There are several different workouts for different skill levels, and it's also fun to mix and match, using different balance tools. I particularly like the foam roller exercises.



2. it has the information you need to help with balance and statbility. It is put very simply and is easy to understand.



3. THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC! THERE ARE NUMEROUS PICTURES ON EACH PAGE AND ONE TO TWO PICTURES AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH CHAPTER. THIS BOOK STARTS WITH BASIC BALANCE EXCERCISES YOU CAN DO W/O USING THE BOSU BALL. IT THEN GOES ON TO INSTRUCT (WITH FEW , BUT SPECIFIC WORDS) YOU ON HOW TO USE THE BOSU AND/OR A FOAM ROLLER (A VERY LOW COST PIECE OF EQUIPMENT). THE FOAM ROLLER IS NOT NEEDED IN ORDER TO USE THE BOSU BALL. THE TABLE OF CONTENTS CONSISTS OF:
   *PART ONE, AN OVERVIEW (PAGES 1-16),
   *PART TWO, THE WORKOUTS (19-32),
   - FOOT STRENGTHENER (35-47),
   - FOAM ROLLER (48-65),
   - BALANCE BALL (66-86),
   - BOSU, BALANCE BOARD, BALANCE CUSHION (87-104),
   - INDEX (106-109
   
   THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK ARE 'CHARTS' (WITH PICTURES) WHICH HELP YOU WITH ROUTINES:
   *PAGES (NO REPETITIONS GIVEN...THAT IS LEFT UP TO YOU, GO AT YOUR OWN
   PACE):
   - ONE-LEGGED WORKOUT-23,
   - ROLLER WORKOUT-25,
   - BALL WORKOUT-27,
   - MULT-PROP WORKOUT-29,
   - QUICK TOTAL BODY WORKOUT-31 TO 33
   
   I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK. THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY. THIS BOOK IS A GREAT ASSET WHEN YOU ARE LEARNING TO USE THE BOSU BALL. THE EXAMPLES ARE MANY AND VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND. YOU CAN NOT GO WROMG WITH THIS BOOK, AND YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH 'CHANGING UP' YOUR EXERCISES.
   
   GOOD LUCK, AND HAVE FUN WITH YOUR NEW BOSU BALL AND THIS BOOK!



4. For beginners outside the fitness industry. I bought this book based on previous reviews so, hope this will set the record straight... To be honest, yes, there is a lot of pictures in this book... But many of them show improper form or misalignment. Note to the author: Scapulae retraction and protraction are inverted throughout the book which shows, poor knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology. I gave it one star because I like the variety of foam roller exercises. The rest is just same old and bad. I wish I could have browsed this book before buying it. It would have saved me time and money.

5 comments about Precision Heart Rate Training.

1. Given some of the less-than-favourable reviews here I thought I was going to find an average, if not hum-drum book. I was very pleasantly surprised! This is a great book, very detailed with good descriptions of the Karvonon method of calculating HRR (Heart Rate Reserve) and its correlation to VO2 Max and Net VO2 and how to use this information to determine appropriate training zones. It had some good sections on various other fitness activities (such as cycling, swimming and walking) and serves as a good resource for anyone wanting to get fit faster while lowering your chances of injury or overtrainig.

   I think if you combined this book with "Heart Rate Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot" you'd posses all the information you'd ever need to train to maximum effectiveness with your heart rate monitor.




2. I had bought the book to help me with Mtn. bike training and my son with running. The book didn't provide information for mtn. biking though it did have a section on road biking. The running chapter seemed incomplete. The major table that was supposed to explain the heart rate targets was not explained fully. Also, oddly, there is a quote in there that is identical in two chapters but attritubted to two different people!

   In summary, I was disappointed with the book but it may be helpful to someone else.




3. I do inline skating, skiing, and weight training, but every time I tried to take up running, I would hit a wall. I just couldn't run for long sessions, and after a few I would hurt something and give up. Then I read about Ed Burke in Outside. This book, along with Burke's "Optimal Muscle Recovery" (I tore an Achilles tendon and developed plantar fascitis from skating and skiing) and "Stretching" finally got me to understand that I wasn't building the base I needed in order to run better. By following the training programs in this book, I've greatly increased my capacity without injury, and am slowly seeing my speed increase. Also liked this book because it took a different approach for each covered sport, and it treated inline skating with the respect it deserves as an endurance activity.



4. I have been interested in improving my performance for years, and finally decided to take the plunge and look into heart-rate monitoring. This book does not really support a specific philosophy and who knows if the so called "science" is supportable. I also read "Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot" by John L. Parker and recommend it. It appears much more scientific and emphasizes recovery over training in a zone. Don't buy this book. Rory Donaldson roryd@brainsarefun.com



5. The book is as much a collection of articles as it is a book, and there were a couple of inconsistencies that would have been caught by one more editorial pass. That said...the book very much informed/improved my running training, and for that reason alone, it's worth the purchase price.

5 comments about Fitness: Theory and Practice : The Comprehensive Resource for Fitness Instruction.

1. Hey aerobic instructors!!! This is the book for you. The text covers everything you need to know to be a quality fitness instructor.



2. I was pleased to get this book for an inexpensive price. It saved me a lot of money! I needed it to take an exam so it was great to have! Thank you!



3. The book was a fraction of the cost of a new one. I received it within a week. The book was in great condition and I saved a tree!



4. What can I say, its a book. It came as described and I am using it to study for the AFAA exam.



5. Quick shipping! Quick to respond to my questions and very helpful. I will use again in the future.I recommend to others.Book was in great condition. I saved 50% compared to others who bought this book from the AFAA website.Also, saved money on shipping & recieved it in less time.

5 comments about The Ultimate Fit or Fat.

1. It's nothing but an exercise book. I don't need a book to know that exercise is good for me. I'm not sure what I expected but this book wasn't it.



2. Covert Bailey is the smartest man in America. How easy it all is when someone finally tells the truth. Through out the diet books and make room on the shelf for The Ultimate Fit or Fat! There are no quick fixes or majic pill, there is only commom sense. Follow what he says, it will change your live in ways you never imagined.
   Thank you Covert Bailey.



3. I'm a "normal" 68 year old woman, and I've been doing various kinds of exercise in fits and starts for years.
   
   The thing that has got me exercising regularly now, for past few months, is the new knowledge about how exercise prevents Alzheimer's (my mother had it) and Parkinson's -- How serious exercise actually takes advantage of the brain's plasticity (and I have been feeling smarter -- memory much better).
   
   I bought this Ultimate Fit or Fat because I heard somewhere that it was a superior and really informative and user friendly book about exercise. All true. I've been reading this stuff for ages and I've never seen it explained so carefully and clearly and in such a FRIENDLY tone. This guy is a genius explainer, a genius motivator. I now can understand pulse rates, body fat percentages, etc. etc. Okay, sorry, I've gotta go get on my elliptical trainer, now.



4. Sensible, logical, motivational. Packs a good punch and gets one going. Should be prescribed reading for anyone over 10.



5. Amazing that this 10 year old book purports to "put an end to the diet mania." At least the author concludes the introductory interview with this statement. He is right, it should have. But still there are bestsellers year after year that tell people what to eat. Clearly, by now, everyone in the US knows what to eat.
   
   This book explains how to exercise so that eating is just one part of your overall fitness plan.
   
   The sad thing is that there is still no social penalty for being fat in the US. As the book suggests, health care insurance MIGHT become more expensive in the US if you are fat, but that has not happened yet.
   
   In any case, this is an excellent book that gives you a metric, body fat, and along with eating healthy, if you exercise as per Bailey's plan, leaves you zero excuses for being unhealthy. This book plus a single diet book should allow anyone to become healthy. But still there is a steady stream of books on diet and fitness which do NOT have new information. Irrational? Yes (welcome to the US circa 2009)
   
   Don't look beyond this book, its information is not going to become dated. Maybe the explanations of why this program works will be expanded but it has the correct tools to help you.

5 comments about Marathon: You Can Do It!.

1. I'm training for my frist full marathon and this book has been very helpful! I am a huge fan of walk breaks and the motivational stuff has even been helpful. It is the perfect way to start if you've never run long distances before.



2. I ran my first marathon in Jan using this book and the training methods. I was a beginner runner and trained over the course of 6 months without injury thanks to Jeff. I would recommend and do recommend this book to everyone because I enjoyed my training.



3. I have this book and recently bought it for a friend who will running in her first race. Although I don't ever plan to run a marathon, I found the book to be full of useful information for me, the average runner. The book is so much fun to look through!



4. I buy this for all my running friends. It gives great advice in a well organized, simple to follow format. Even more important - his technique really works.



5. Jeff G. books are the best for training for you long distance run. His methods work, they are easy & you will have success! If you every want to do it, get this book.

5 comments about Guitar Aerobics: A 52-Week, One-lick-per-day Workout Program for Developing, Improving and Maintaining Guitar Technique.

1. This is a fun book and can be used in my opinion by anybody who has a little time playing guitar under their belt basically an understanding and ability of notes values and other beginning technical stuff that other books provide.
   This book is fun and very quick daily licks to learn.The two Cd's are also nice one with the actuall examples of each exercise and the second is a drum metronome with many different tempos for different examples and according to each listed daily lick.
   One thing I have discovered their are some days where you may put down the lick very quickly and some days examples you may hit a block showing you where you may have a weakness compared to the other days examples.(Each day of the week is targeted on a specific technique ie sweep picking).Its nice to learn something and to actually have something melodic to show for it.



2. I really love this book. It's fits so nicely into my guitar playing. Every day I can spend perhaps 10 minutes on the daily exercise, and really learn something from it. There are many different genres of music covered, so I am learning things that really broaden my knowledge.
   
   Great concept and execution!
   
   I fit this into my routine of first performing technical exercises for things I'm trying to learn, then the daily exercise from this book, then the music I am playing or learning to play.
   
   I look forward to every day's lesson. I just tick them off as I do them, and put a bookmark on the page I'm at. If I miss a day, I just pick up where I left off.



3. Under normal circumstances I am not one to take the time to write book reviews. This is going to be short and to the point. Disregard the reviews that do not give this book a high rating. I am a beginner and dearly wish that I had purchased this book before spending hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars on worthless instruction books and lessons from mediocre guitar teachers.
   
   The critics are correct in their statements that the book does not contain thorough instruction on each and every aspect, i.e. holding the pick, building speed, how to hold your mouth, etc., of playing the guitar. But, look at the price of it...... There are pages and pages of free material on the internet regarding the actual mechanics of playing. This book provides exactly what is advertised; useful exercises for "Developing, Improving, and Maintaining Guitar Technique"
   
   If you are fortunate enough to have stumbled across this book before spending countless dollars on other worthless material and instruction, consider yourself blessed and buy this book.



4. Others ahead of me have given sufficient details of content, so I will limit my review to the method. An exercise for every day of the year. A truly remarkable method for developing skill, variety and technique. I am early into the program and already it has broadened my abilities and taken me out of my 'caged' rutt of riffs and phrases. It would be impossible for a non formally trained individual (ie university), to come up with a similar learning set and program. This, plus a set of Danny Gill Guitar Music Theory DVDs is transforming my musicianship and doing in months what was not being accomplished in several years! These two items are the keys unlocking my hands and the guitar! Highly recommended.



5. I have a problem with this book. I'm not a rank beginner but I've never taken the guitar seriously or been able to make progress until recently, so I'm perhaps in a different place than most. Anyway, I like the idea of the book, it seems like a smart and natural way to improve your technique. After trying a few of the exercises I noticed improvement right away, particularly with the string-skipping exercises. The problem I have is with the incremental progression of the "daily" structure. The author seems to be saying that one, even a beginner, should be able to do 8 speed-incremental sets of 10 reps of, say, Monday's exercise in that one day, thereby mastering it and being able to leave it behind and move on to Tuesday's 8 sets of 10 session the next day. Are we really expected to go from slow to fast within 80 reps all in one day?

5 comments about Zumba®: Ditch the Workout, Join the Party! The Zumba Weight Loss Program.

1. Diet is great way to eat healthier, but the 60 minute DVD is no workout at all. I would warn those purchasing the book that this is solely for the diet. Buy the DVDs if you want the workout, because the sample they give with this book is, well to be frank, a joke. I have heard great things about the DVDs though and would recommend them from that, but this book again is only a guide for eating.



2. The book have very good ideas of diet and the book provide good recipes and who to lose weight. The book have a DVD and the DVD provide the basic step of Zumba class, if you want to learn more about Zumba class I will recomend to get the Cardio DVD zumba class. The book is a complement of the DVD workout. Now if you want live class you can find Zumba class near to your house. I went to [...] and there I found live class near to my house and I got the DVD workout+the book and I'm really losing weight. ZUMBA, 2 DVD Set (Beginners & Advanced) with ZUMBA Toning Band



3. Zumba is the latest rage, and I can appreciate Beto's enthusiasm. However, I was very disappointed with the DVD. It was too basic so I'm donating it to the local Senior Center.



4. I am a big fan of Zumba but expected a follow along video of the 60 minutes music. The music is a gray screen with music and timer. Hard to follow and boring. If I knew this before, as the description was vague, I would not have purchased it.



5. I thought I was buying a DVD not a book. You need to make it known better when it is a book and not a DVD.