Alright kids, here’s a mainstream fitness book I’m more than happy to sign off on.
For those who are just getting into the whole “fitness” thing, this book is a great place to start. The exercises are great, the nutrition stuff is simple and pretty solid (including updates of previous editions of the New Rules series), and most magically, this is the first mainstream book that explains in detail why the most progressive trainers in the industry have moved away from programming traditional crunches and sit-ups.
Lou Schuler, a former editor for Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness, has a warm and personable writing style that makes this material completely digestible. And as far as programming for fat loss, you can’t do better than his co-author Alwyn Cosgrove.
The only small complaint is… the photos. Throughout the book, the exercises descriptions are accompanied by fitness models kiiiiind of doing the exercises. I say “kiiiiiind of” because their form is… not the best. With all due respect to all the smart people involved, my jaw literally dropped on several occasions. If you do pick this book up, please know that although the exercises are great, the pictures in the book do not reflect the technically accurate way of executing said exercises.
All in all, a mild complaint. New Rules of Lifting for Abs is a great book for people just starting their fitness journey, or even intermediate folks stuck in a rut looking for something new. Yes, I always prefer individualized programs to generic book programs. That said, if you don’t have access to a good trainer and you’re self motivated and willing to take the time to figure out how to do these exercises, this is a very cost friendly way of increasing your overall fitness IQ and accessing some fun and effective training programs. Good job authors!!!