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11th out of 44 books
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22 voters
The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess
by
Lou Schuler (Goodreads Author),
Cassandra Forsythe, Alwyn Cosgrove
If you believe what most women's magazines tell you, muscles can be "shaped," "toned," and "sculpted" with nothing more than a little dumbbell that weighs less than a can of peas. But muscles aren't modeling clay, and the only way to transform them is to strengthen them. The New Rules of Lifting for Women is for the woman who's ready to throw down the "Barbie" weights and...more
Hardcover, 258 pages
Published
December 27th 2007
by Avery
(first published December 27th 2005)
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Love it! Love it! Love it! I do have the tendency of being one of those "did you know" people after I read a good book. This book makes me want to march over to every woman holding 2.5 pound weights and shake them silly. I'm two weeks into the program and am sold. I felt a good soreness that I hadn't felt since I started lifting. I also had the confidence to walk into a male dominated gym, rack up the squat bar, and do what I needed to do. The author's tone is perfect. He's light without being s...more
I'm a bit on the fence about this book. Without a doubt, I think the diet plan is garbage. It's another take on the low carb, high protein diets that fall in and out of favor with the public. I just don't buy that the vast majority of people can commit planning out 4-6 meals a day, every day, indefinitely and ensure they are getting X% of this and Y% of that. Perhaps sticking to it for a few weeks, for some people, will help them develop a sense for the types of foods and amounts they might want...more
My review is based on just reading the book (although I merely skimmed the exercise descriptions), since I haven't started the program yet. I may come back and change my rating later. The program is six months long, and promises to be difficult, so we'll see!
I really appreciate Schuler's approach. He tells it like it is, isn't a rabid cheerleader, doesn't sugarcoat anything and doesn't make unrealistic promises. His laugh chapter even had me chuckling out loud. Plus, it seems he's done his resea...more
I really appreciate Schuler's approach. He tells it like it is, isn't a rabid cheerleader, doesn't sugarcoat anything and doesn't make unrealistic promises. His laugh chapter even had me chuckling out loud. Plus, it seems he's done his resea...more
This is a great book and I cannot thanks the authors enough for writing it in such an approachable way. I bought it having never lifted free weights & having not worked out regularly for about 10 years, and dived into this book to balance a new daily cardio habit that was getting old fast. It's changed both my body & my self-confidence in ways I never imagined possible. I'm in stage 6 of 7 now, and the workouts are tough, but I love them. I leave the gym feeling like a badass every time...more
This is the best book on lifting I've ever read. The "new rules" of lifting for women are essentially that there are no "rules of lifting for women"--having read the book cover to cover, I'm guessing the title was invented by an intrepid young public relations intern skimming the manuscript on an airplane four hours before deadline--women can and should lift the way men do. Use lots of weight, with fewer reps. Eat protein. Etc. What I loved about this book is the author's painstaking, pleasantly...more
If I can get away with it, I'd choose not to do any kind of sports except lounging on a La-Z-boy reading Oprah's pick-of-the-month. Seriously, I never would've imagined that lifting weights would be as fun as lifting a size-12 Zara LBD out of a discounted rack. I was in a no-size zone (Zara carries no size-18+) prior to lifting weights, but last September just out of boredom and invited by a friend, I joined a big-name gym next to where I worked. They offered a couple of free sessions w/ a train...more
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Don't get me wrong, I'm sold on the whole 'heavy lifting' argument, but I found this book poorly written. Firstly, it's written by a guy who's made a living out of giving health and fitness advice out to people in various media forums over the years, and clearly he's been either heavily influenced by either editors or money (or both) which leaves me questioning his credibility. I felt most of the book focussed on refuting previously conflicting advice he's given over the years, and justifying wh...more
I've heard a lot about this book over the years so I decided to check out a copy from the library. I'm not a novice to strength training and so I'm not really the target audience. That being said, I think that if you are new to strength training this would be the perfect book.
It's all info that is available on the internet for free. However, there is a lot of nonsense/junk on the internet as well. The authors of this book actually rely on credible science and provide you with facts rather than...more
It's all info that is available on the internet for free. However, there is a lot of nonsense/junk on the internet as well. The authors of this book actually rely on credible science and provide you with facts rather than...more
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I was not totally blown away by this book. I had just finished Mark Riptoe's "Starting Strength," and had found its equally straight-forward tone and detailed descriptions of key exercises to be immensely helpful.
That having been said, I was starting to struggle with that programme, particularly because as I grew stronger, I could feel that the limited routines were costing me flexibility and range of movement.
Even though I think some of the exercises here are a little bizarre, I have to say tha...more
That having been said, I was starting to struggle with that programme, particularly because as I grew stronger, I could feel that the limited routines were costing me flexibility and range of movement.
Even though I think some of the exercises here are a little bizarre, I have to say tha...more
I'm really on the fence about this book.
Things I liked:
+ The author is funny! The book is entertaining.
+ I learned things! (Although with a caveat (see below).) I now know why building muscle helps build strong bones, and that there are different types of muscles - strength and endurance.
Things I didn't like:
- Author says you HAVE to have a post workout shake, either whey or soy. What if you can't have either? And the author also says to eat less processed foods. What do they do to this stuff...more
Things I liked:
+ The author is funny! The book is entertaining.
+ I learned things! (Although with a caveat (see below).) I now know why building muscle helps build strong bones, and that there are different types of muscles - strength and endurance.
Things I didn't like:
- Author says you HAVE to have a post workout shake, either whey or soy. What if you can't have either? And the author also says to eat less processed foods. What do they do to this stuff...more
Fun read. Schuler is a funny guy and a plain talker. I had read reviews that bristled at his tone which was seen by some to be insulting to women. I'd like to dispel that notion right now but I'm too busy throwing myself on the bed and crying. Grow up, Kitten. Not all men are your daddy.
So, the lifting. I'm a big fan of doing cardio until I'm so hobbled by my injuries that it hurts to even open my eyes so the idea that it could be a bad idea is something with which I have a tough time arguing....more
So, the lifting. I'm a big fan of doing cardio until I'm so hobbled by my injuries that it hurts to even open my eyes so the idea that it could be a bad idea is something with which I have a tough time arguing....more
Excellent book! Well written, well laid out, excellent instruction. No fluff, no pep talks, no advertising. Written for those serious about weight training and willing to work at it. Results - to be determined... Workouts are broken down into seven phases with increasing complexity. Each phase is further broken down into parts A & B. Each workout hits all the major muscle groups, as a good workout should. So far this book has confirmed and further explained all that I have previously learned...more
Even though weight lifting is one of my favourite activities, I find most fitness books off-putting, either because of the tone or because of the promise of ridiculously impossible to achieve results. I not only like Shuler's voice, but I like how humble he is about both the research and the results one can achieve with weight lifting (hint: there's no way you can promise everyone will achieve amazing results with a single generic program). The workouts in this book are solid, and though a lot o...more
I picked up this book to learn more about strength training and I was able to accomplish that goal. Here are a few of the things I learned:
1. No Barbie weights ever
2. To follow this workout plan, essentially I would need to create a home gym or join a gym
3. Significantly ease up on cardio (not sure I agree with that but the author made this point several times)
4. Our bodies are not meant for endurance activities other than walking (hmmmm)
5. Calorie cutting is not encouraged instead eat wisely t...more
1. No Barbie weights ever
2. To follow this workout plan, essentially I would need to create a home gym or join a gym
3. Significantly ease up on cardio (not sure I agree with that but the author made this point several times)
4. Our bodies are not meant for endurance activities other than walking (hmmmm)
5. Calorie cutting is not encouraged instead eat wisely t...more
I really can't decide if I like this book or not. I don't hate it, but I wasn't blown away into happy bookland bliss with amazement. There is information that I don't agree with the author presenting the way he does that was a bit of a roadblock for me in enjoying the reading, the main one being his "get off the treadmill because we weren't meant to run long distances". That not only clashes with other research I've read, it also presents the idea that people should only be interested in fitness...more
At first I thought the author didn't know anything, and was covering up his lack of knowledge with witticisms and ignorant banter. ... Then I did my first workout, and it was hard, challenging, and one of the best weights workouts I had done - and this was with five exercises! I practiced the exercises before-hand, did a warm-up and warm-up exercises and tried to do the form as correct as I could, all upon the advice of Schuler, and all which (I feel) improved my workout completely. I'm really l...more
Don't worry, my guns are registered. ::pew pew::
Interesting. I don't think I could stick to the exact work-outs they give in the book, but I found the general ideas worthwhile
-more protein after workouts
-eating more on workout days in general (only about 200-300 cal. more)
-full-body lifting
I am just not a regimented person so for me personally, I'm never going to count calories or have a strict work-out schedule, but I would look into making sure to get more protein in my diet and I most definit...more
Interesting. I don't think I could stick to the exact work-outs they give in the book, but I found the general ideas worthwhile
-more protein after workouts
-eating more on workout days in general (only about 200-300 cal. more)
-full-body lifting
I am just not a regimented person so for me personally, I'm never going to count calories or have a strict work-out schedule, but I would look into making sure to get more protein in my diet and I most definit...more
This is a wonderful work out guide. I recently started going to the gym and was doing all of the stereotypical women moves which Schuler goes out of his way to debunk. I was isolating muscles, working out everything on the same day, not understanding the principles of nutrition and the way muscles work. Schuler taught me so much about the anatomy of the body and how physiologically we are not different than men, in terms of our ability to lift. That is where the title comes from. At times his to...more
I've heard a lot about this book lately and decided I'd give it a look.
It's well written, with a friendly yet professional tone and touches of humour. The author backs up the theories with science and studies, some of which went a little over my head on the first read (but I'll be re-reading this book). The majority, though, made a great deal of sense to me.
I can't yet comment on how well the diet & lifting work. It's a six month programme that requires either a gym membership or a well-equi...more
It's well written, with a friendly yet professional tone and touches of humour. The author backs up the theories with science and studies, some of which went a little over my head on the first read (but I'll be re-reading this book). The majority, though, made a great deal of sense to me.
I can't yet comment on how well the diet & lifting work. It's a six month programme that requires either a gym membership or a well-equi...more
When I started getting interested in strength training, I swiped my husband's copy of The New Rules of Lifting. Note that it wasn't called The New Rules of Lifting for Men - there's only a small amount of information in that book that's particularly male-specific, but one of the authors is a former editor of Men's Health magazine, all the pictures illustrating the exercises are of men, and the whole thing does have a kind of dudely vibe. Still, when I learned that there was a New Rules of Liftin...more
I feel a bit odd about reviewing a book that I *only* read. I haven't actually gone through his six month training plan, but I did read the rest of the book, and did find myself wanting to hate strength training slightly less than I normally do. Schuler was aware of the fact that he is a man trying to prescribe a set of activities to women, and I felt like he was doing his best to stick to useful, well documented advice and not veer off into mansplaining. I think he mostly succeeded though I tak...more
Mens' and womens' bodies aren't *that* different, but understanding what differences there are was a big reason I picked up this book, and I wasn't disappointed. I really like the pragmatic, whole-body approach to building practical strength, rather than the stereotypical approach of isolating specific muscles with machines and doing millions of crunches. This is a good place for a first-timer at picking up heavy things to start.
The section on food argues well against cutting calories, which is...more
The section on food argues well against cutting calories, which is...more
I had already started weight-lifting with the guidance of a trainer before I picked up this book, cardio has never worked for me and I have given up on being "skinny," but I at least wanted to look fit. Against my resistant attitude, my trainer already had me make the changes suggested in the book such as protein shakes, full-body exercises, taking it easy on the cardio, etc. and I was surprised that it works! Reading this book was helped me to understand WHY it works. As a nurse, I appreciated...more
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I loved this book. Given that it is my first exercise book that I've ever read so I don't have much to compare it to, but that being said I thought it was brilliant. First off, it started out being real. It didn't make any false promises (LOSE 25 POUNDS IN TWO DAYS YAYZ). It talked bluntly about what each individual should expect. I appreciated the candidness. Number two, it was hilarious. I did not expect to find myself chuckling while reading it. Number three, I learned SO MUCH. There are so m...more
If you are a woman, you are at risk of osteoporosis. One of the greatest preventions is to take care of your muscles and you better start forming those healthy habits sooner than later. This book concentrates on creating better muscles by lifting heavy and eating good food in the process.
The good stuff:
1. Easy read, I was not bored at any time.
2. Positive stance - it does not treat women as children, lots of explanations why lifting is possible, recommended and healthy. All of those are backed b...more
The good stuff:
1. Easy read, I was not bored at any time.
2. Positive stance - it does not treat women as children, lots of explanations why lifting is possible, recommended and healthy. All of those are backed b...more
There's a lot of misinformation floating around about women and strength training. This book goes a long way to correct that, and I applaud it.
I didn't like this quite as well as New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle, primarily because it was clogged up with a lot of recipes. I don't read weightlifting books for the recipes. I read 'em for the routines. But again, solid science, interesting workouts, and a pleasant amount of scorn for "pink Barbie weights" that do nothing for...more
I didn't like this quite as well as New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle, primarily because it was clogged up with a lot of recipes. I don't read weightlifting books for the recipes. I read 'em for the routines. But again, solid science, interesting workouts, and a pleasant amount of scorn for "pink Barbie weights" that do nothing for...more
Similar to the New Rules of Lifting, emphasizing compound movements and providing weight-lifting programs, but for women. Though I'm a woman, I don't think that I am part of the target audience for this book. It addresses "female concerns" such getting too bulky, working out in a male-dominated area of the gym, more detailed info on diet, etc. As a (somewhat out of practice) martial artist and engineer, I did a lot of eye-rolling while reading this. Women who are intimidated by the free weights...more
This book is a great introduction to free weights and strength training. All of the advice is spot-on, and I really like that the exercises in the book focus on developing strength through useful ranges of motion, so you'll get useful functional strength out of the program. Another bonus is that the workouts are super-short, so they can easily be fit into most schedules.
The nutritional advice is also really good - the book encourages you to eat a sufficient amount of well-balanced meals, and eve...more
The nutritional advice is also really good - the book encourages you to eat a sufficient amount of well-balanced meals, and eve...more
This is a weightlifting book written by a man but specifically designed for women. Why should women have a different workout book? Why can't they just use the same one a man does? Lou Schuler argues that a woman builds muscle differently than a man does hence the reason why he wrote this book. Also it's because he got a lot of requests from women who wanted a version of his The New Rules of Lifting for them.
This book provides a whole different way of looking at weight loss and exercise. Schuler'...more
This book provides a whole different way of looking at weight loss and exercise. Schuler'...more
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“...if you use a standard called "biological value" to rate protein sources... soy finishes far below eggs, milk, fish, beef and chicken. The food with the highest biological value ever measured is whey protein...”
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Jul 07, 2010 08:13am