Core Performance: The Revolutionary Workout Program to Transform Your Body and Your Life

I've enjoyed starting this program. I think we all tend to get into a rut with a workouts and need a fresh perspective to motivate us again. I got seriously into Body for Life by Bill Phillips and completed three 12 week sessions. I was truely in the best shape of my life, but then it got stale and I needed help with a bad back. Every expert recommends "core strengthening" to improve back pain, so this program was a natural fit. It starts with a great stretching routine. It then incorporates an exercise ball routine, pilates, plyometrics, and weight training. The conclusion is a massage and stretching routine. Verstegen has created a complex program which is not for beginners (try Body for Life first). His workout routine work sheets are hard to follow. I did think the exercises can be learned from the pictures shown without the CD-ROM. Pros: 1. Fun intense workout program with a fresh outlook 2. Good way to learn Pilates and core strengthening if you hate Denise Austin 3. Definitely will strengthen weaknesses you didn't know you had 4. It gives this white boy hope he can run fast and jump high again and get buff in the process Cons: 1. A lot to learn for a newbie 2. Lots of exercise equipment you might not own (foam roll, exercise ball, resistance bands, hurdles, step, yoga strap, pull up bar, more if you really get into it) 3. May take more time to learn the exercises and workout than you have 4. Strange terminology and abbreviations create confusion (e.g. cardio is called ESD, energy system development, stretching is AIS, active-isolated stretching, and more) I don't know what personal issues made Verstegen rename normal stuff, but it becomes intimidating and weird. Good luck. Despite the cons I do think it's a well developed program. I hope you enjoy the program like I do.

Core Performance contains great workouts for overall conditioning. Being in my mid-forties I've tried a little of everything to keep fit and active. I lifted weights for a number of years but had to slow down as I got older due to tendonitis in my knees and a torn calf muscle, mainly due to not being flexible enough. I then tried power yoga which got rid of the tendonitis and tightness but I didn't feel quite as strong. I then tried this program which combines the resistance training and flexibility that I was looking for with a little cardio thrown in to boot. Following this program my body just seems more active and alive plus I've toned up quite a bit too. Part of it is the commitment to working out 5+ days a week but it is also due to the combination of workouts presented in the book.The Core Performance workouts consist of 4 separate phases which start off relatively easy but get progressively harder. The early phases aren't that difficult although they seem awkward because you are forced to work muscles you don't normally work. These phases also lay the groundwork to prepare you for the later phases which are more difficult. The later phases will get your attention but if you stick with it you will not be disappointed. If you commit yourself to following the workouts presented in Core Performance, the benefits you gain in overall conditioning will more than make up for the price of this book.

After only ONE week of following Mark's training program I noticed a major difference in how I felt. I'm 3 weeks into his program now and continue to see improvements. He has shown me how to improve flexibility and increase core strength which has reaped benefits on the basketball court. After only one week I noticed I had much better footwork (from stability exercises) and increased endurance (body-weight leg exercises). Also, I used to have occasional lower back pain...that has all but disappeared thanks to the physioball and foam roll exercises.I have preached this book like it's a new religion and several of my friends have begun to use his program. One individual has had nagging back problems for years, and just after a few days of using the Movement Prep exercises he's seen vast improvement.For $20 you can't go wrong....there is so much useful information in this book! It's very well written, the illustrations are excellent, and I found the nutrition section to be very educational.As an aside, I just purchased Mike Boyle's "Functional Training for Sports". It's not as polished but follows the same principles and offers even more exercises, although it utilizes an extensive array of equipment most people won't own. Not coincidentally, Mike Boyle now works for Mark at Athlete's Performance.

I have worked out for years, and despite seeing good increases in my strength and muscle mass, I could never attain the 'athletic body' I wanted. I was also frustrated because my sports performance was diminishing as I got older. I have read books on stretching, plyometrics, pilates, etc., and have tried to add aspects of them into my workout. This book was the first I have found to incorporate all aspects of fitness - aerobics, strength, balance, flexibility, and power - into one comprehensive workout that doesn't overemphasize one thing over another. Don't let yourself be fooled when you browse through the pages of this book. This is a demanding workout that will definitely get your blood pumping. In only a few weeks I can see a tangible difference, especially around my midsection, and have lost five pounds. I'm not even to the really hard part yet!The program starts with basic flexibility, balance, and strength routines, and then progresses into more advanced circuit training and power training while keeping the fundamentals of flexibility and balance. The early sections of the program are structured so that they can be suited to beginners or advanced. Only in the later stages of the program when advanced plyometrics are introduced does it become more demanding than a beginner could handle (i.e., bench presses followed by plyometric pushups).The best result, though, has been the reaction of others. At a recent meeting, someone asked me if I was a triathlete, because 'I looked like one'. The person who asked was an avid triathlete himself. I also notice women checking me out A LOT, which is great for my ego.

This book is absolutely fantastic. Mark Verstegen has brought new light to the training world. With all respect to the previous reviewer, this book has more than enough exercises to make this worthwhile to any reader. Plus, if you don't have the time for a full workout, Mark offers shorter ones (including ones to do in a hotel room while you travel). There is a reason he is the top trainer in the world; he has redesigned training and taken it to the next level. I cannot wait to dive in to this program with the hopes of finally getting rid of my back and knee pain. If all you want are some dumbbell and barbell exercises, then this book is not for you. But, if you want a great resource that can take your training to the next level, then this is your book. Thanks Mark for sharing your ideas. This book is years ahead of its time. Get this book!!!!