Keys to the INNER Universe

This is quite likely the single best compendium of bodybuilding information ever released, written by a man who single-handedly conquered all the worlds of bodybuilding, and did so repeatedly over a thirty year period. From the early 1950s until the mid-1970s, Bill Pearl was never defeated in bodybuilding competition, and although he and Arnold Schwarzenegger never met in competition, Arnold considered Pearl (along with Reg Park of South Africa) one of the best bodybuilders of all time. For some of the younger bodybuilding enthusiasts, this book may seem a bit dated, but when one recognizes that Pearl built mass and incredible definition primarily through hard exercise and natural nutrition, without ever resorting to steroid use, one can appreciate what a giant he has been in the field. To date, no one else has even come close to his natural achievement. Everything one needs to know to get huge and cut is here, from the basics to the nitty-gritty about what kind of gym atmosphere to be in search of, from the most sage advice going regarding the role of nutrition and vitamins in building a muscular and powerful physique. Since nothing is so important to the aspiring bodybuilder than information, it is important to know that everyone from the neophyte to more experienced muscle bomber will find everything he or she needs to cultivate the kind of body they dream of in this superb compendium and life story wrapped into a single volume. Culled from a life time of experience and filled with personal anecdotes, this treasure trove of relevant information and wise advice will serve up all you need to know, from the best way to flare your quadriceps to the best way to widen your shoulders by bombing the lateral heads of the deltoids. Given all this, the book is both highly informative and quite inspirational, showcasing a number of favorite Pearl routines and using both photographs and drawings to illustrate correct exercise performance, useful training techniques, and the best way to both trim down or bulk up en route to the body of your dreams. Take a trip with Bill Pearl, one of the all time great of the game; you won't regret it! Enjoy!

This is a tremendous book on weightlifting. If after reading his "junior" edition, Getting Stronger, the reader requires an in-depth encyclopedia to design his/her own weight lifting program, this tome is defintely it. It's well worth the price. The only drawback is that it is replete with grammatical and spelling errors, and it appears that Mr. Pearl didn't take the time to hire an editor prior to publication...but to be fair, I suppose that a fine literary read is not really the object here.

What a great bodybuilding book. Bill Pearl created the "bible" of bodybuilding excercises. No one will admit it of course, but it seems nearly all other bodybuilding "how-to" books have borrowed from the master. Here's what he created: Over 640 pages of bodybuilding knowledge; mostly on excercise mechanics, with free-weights predominant (although machines WELL represented). Being a professional illustrator myself (bodybuilding is only my avocation), I can only praise the illustrator, Joan C. Pledger, for her OUTSTANDING line art illustrations of the incredibly numerous excercises. That job must have taken her forever. But it was worth it! Pearl has broken the book down into body-part sections (e.g., Shoulders, Back, Triceps, etc.) and given us every conceivable excercise possible. There are all the variations (i.e., similar excercise with barbell and then dumbbell). Excercises you never even knew existed. Trust me. If you had, YOU would have written this book. I've heard all the arguments ("Pearl was just bulking up the book with every excercise he could think of..."), but brother, that just misses the point. Here you have the one, the only source you'll ever need if you plan to bodybuild for any length of time at all. It's up to YOU to figure out which excercises to use. Don't have dumbbells? Not to worry...Pearl has a barbell excercise that will do just fine. Tired of the old Triceps Pushdown? No problem. Pick one of the MANY other triceps excercises, and get back to work. Pearl has succinct, cogent textual explanations of all the excercises, and he's even rated them by degree of difficulty. What more could anyone want? How can anyone complain about this masterpiece? I don't know...it's beyond me. I've owned it twice. Once in paperback when I was young (sniff), and now, again, in hardcover because I love it so much. Don't listen to the uninformed nincompoops who only recommend "their" excercises as being the "only" ones that produce results. Liberate yourself; listen to your own body; USE THE BOOK, and get results. If you're a bodybuilder and you haven't at least borrowed this book, you're really missing out.

I have to take issue with the first reviewer, who apparently knows about as much about the book business as he does bodybuilding. Pearl set out to draft the definitive text on bodybuilding exercises, hence the remarkable depth and breadth and volume of illustrations. The comprehensive scope of the book is in no sense aimed at selling more books. (The absurdity of the previous reviewer's comment should be obvious -- since when does sheer size and a high price improve sales?) In fact, demand for this type of book was virtually nonexistent at the time Pearl wrote it, and as such he was obliged to finance the book (including the extensive and expensive illustrations) and publish it himself (which also accounts in part for the cost). The informed reader who makes an investment in this book gets a text that is far and away the most comprehensive in the field. It is rare for top physique men to publish books that depart from the traditional "here's how I did it" approach, but Pearl succeeds admirably in presenting a book that is of value to weight trainers of all levels. Admittedly, this is not the first book I'd recommend to a beginner -- Pearl's "Getting Stronger" is a much more manageable (and less expensive) book. But for anyone with more than a passing interest in strength training, especially those who appreciate the history of bodybuilding and/or books of exemplary quality regardless of the subject matter, it's a winner.

I did not buy this book online but have owned it for approx. 2 yrs and find that it has become my most used resource. Whether your a trainer or just training I can recommend this book with enthusiasm. With Bill Pearl's book "Getting Stronger" you have a perfectly matched set of texts that will get almost anyone out of a rut. It is easy reading,easily understood, and offers a simple and easy to understand drawing to accompany each exercise. This book is as close to a 'HOW TO' book as your likely to find on the core of the weight training subject. Well worth the money!!