Sculpting Her Body Perfect

by Brad Schoenfeld

A fitness program that can be followed in the convenience of their own homes helps women achieve total-body conditioning, as well as toning of specific muscle groups.

Genres: Fitness, Health

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2000

About the author

Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, CSCS, CSPS, FNSCA, is a professor of exercise science at Lehman College in the Bronx, New York, where he serves as the graduate director of the Human Performance and Fitness program. Dr. Schoenfeld has published more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific papers on various exercise- and sports nutrition-related topics, and authored the seminal textbook, "Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy" and the consumer-oriented training manual, "MAX Muscle Plan." His research has been cited in over 20,000 peer-reviewed papers and he is currently ranked as the world’s top researcher on the topic of resistance training by ExpertScape, an independent site that grades researchers based on their scholarly activity. He was the recipient of the 2016 Dwight D. Eisenhower Fitness Award, presented by the United States Sports Academy for outstanding achievement in fitness and contributions to the growth and development of sport fitness through outstanding leadership activity, as well as earning the 2018 National Strength and Conditioning Association Young Investigator of the Year Award. In addition to his academic efforts, he has consulted with numerous professional sports teams and formerly served as Sports Nutritionist for the New Jersey Devils hockey organization.

Reviews

[Fiona]

I should start by saying I'm probably not the target market for this book. All the real life stories seemed to be women who entered competitions where what their body looks like mattered. I'm more your working mother with not much time but I do enjoy using weights and hoped to pick up some new ideas and exercises.

I'm at the level 2 stage, not terribly experienced but not a beginner either. I was already familiar with most of the exercises. The thing that struck me was being advised to pick two exercises for each session and then do three sets of 15-20 reps. Honestly, who has the time to do 45 -60 repetitions and I think if you can do that many you aren't lifting enough weight in the first place. As I've read elsewhere, aim for 8-12 repetitions per set. There is a definite advantage to doing two sets instead of one, but no statistically significant difference in results between two sets and three. Plus, reducing the time spent on one exercise allows more variety and staves off boredom. Just my two cents:)

[JoDell]

I love this approach to weight lifting! I've tried several different weight lifting approaches and this is, by far, the best I've come across. I love that its tailored to women. I have used this approach and been happy with the results. By following this approach to strength training, you will add tone but not bulk. And its tailored to women of all fitness abilities and goals--from those who just want a little more tone and strength to those who want to compete in fitness competitions. The only negative comment I will make is that I do not agree with his focus on looks as a means to gain confidence. I believe that true confidence can't come from how your body looks. It is definitley a factor in feeling good about your self overall, but not the only factor and definitley not the most important.

[Marty]

Good advice on resistance training exercises that backed up what my trainer already taught me. I was a little disappointed with the photos.

[Lauralea]

I think anyone doing the weight training program prescribed by this book will have outstanding results. The timelines, reps, and sets prescriptions are some of the more sensible I've seen. If your goal is to find a great program and don't really care about the science behind it, this is the book for you.

On the other hand, as a personal trainer (ACE certified), I was disappointed that the philosophy wasn't more scientifically sophisticated. There are some good pointers for what types of exercises utilize what sections of a muscle group but the scientific foundation for the success of the program is largely lacking. In addition, some of the warm-up and stretching exercises are outdated.

[Roxanne]

Very well done - I would have liked to see some example workout programs (not for individual body groups, but for overall body sculpting - at the end of the book as a sort of template), but this certainly gives some great guidance and good workout schedules per body part that will make it easy to incorporate into an overall body plan.

[Supachick]

I loved this book - it is what sold me on weight training with free weights, and gave me the confidence to set up my own programs. To me, its the basic bible of weight training - everything else is an add-on.

[Bear]

Decent exercises included but it thrives on the fact that you either have a gym membership or home gym equipment. Not a go-to guide for me.

[Amanda]

Good book, but doesn't cover how to modify your workout schedule when you've sustained an injury.

[Catherine]

This was a really good book. The information was presented clearly and concisely. Diagrams and pictures were very helpful too.

[Pamela Gordon]

I love Schoenfeld's books and have used them for years. This was one of my first strength training books and it was my workout bible for a long time. I learned a lot from it.

[Ruth]

Reck ou pg 1