Weight Training for Women

This book has just about all that you can ask of a book on basic weight training; programs, techniques, principles, cautions, etc. It's also well-organized, printed on acid-free, recycled paper, and has several useful appendices, as well as a glossary and a comprehensive index after the text section. If you can buy just one weight training guide, this is a very good choice.

In his 3rd edition of this book, exercise physiologist Tom Fahey , continues to present the basics of weight training and offers the latest information from some sports medicine and exercise physiology research. The book is simple and concise. It is recommended for the person who has limited or even no weight training experience or knowledge but who is interested in starting a weight lifting routine.Chapters include information on muscle development, exercise mechanics and specfic chapters that will help you develop different areas of the body such as chest & shoulders, arms, abdominals, neck and back,and lower body. In addition to exercises with free weights, Fahey also includes routines using Universal Gym and Nautilus type equipment. A chapter on nutrition includes information on diet and performance, steroids and eating disorders.This is a good primer for developing a beginner's weight training program.

I recently boought this book and read it in one sitting on a flight. It is the best I've seen yet. Not only does it have great weight training guidance with various kinds of equipment (barbell, dumbell, & various machines) but it gives variations and clear cautions. In addition it has the best nutrition & lifestyle discussion and getting started section I've ever seen. It also discusses the difference between strength, power and ensdurance and how to achieve them. Simply trhe best yet.

Please note that I have seen only the 2nd ed 1994, 1989, of Fahey's book and I really liked it. Why? He explains how your muscles work and provides a background and a solid foundation, which to design your on workout routine based solely on your personal goals. I think it was written to be a "basic weight training" book hence the title. He does not take an extreme view ...body building or aerobics, which I believe many body builders would not care for it ...IT'S A BASIC book for beginners. He does explain from the viewpoint of a professional explaining the basic's which MOST people fall into. I was exposed to this book in the University's library and out of the 10-15 books on the shelf I liked this one the best. -Good illustrations that show the muscle being used -Facts based on exercise physiology -Information given to design your own workout routine...he does not think for you -Chapters broken-down into neat units, though I would have put the nutrition chapter before the weight training section.Fahey hits the basic target audience rather well if you ask me.Joseph Brown

I have examined a number of books on this topic, and found them wanting; in this small volume I found precisely the information I needed. The Fahey/Hutchinson book shows exercises for Nautilus and Universal Machines, and free weights as well. It is organized by regions of the body; for each exercise, the muscle group to be focussed upon is depicted by a line drawing, helping the trainee to visualize the region. The final chapter relates the important topics of diet and exercise in rather summary fashion, but as in every chapter, references are given for periodical articles and books on the subject. I would have liked a chapter on stretching, and how weight training might fit into an overall exercise program, and how exercise and aging interact. But those are minor quibbles; this book gives clear and safe instruction for the woman who wants weight training to be a part of her life for reasons of health and appearance