Weight Training Workouts that Work [Paperback] Review

I had been weight training for about two and a half years before purchasing this book. I've tried numerous routines over that time - some I've found online, some I pulled from magazines and books - and I usually get bored after a couple months, so I wanted to try Orvis' technique.
First off, be aware that this book is designed for the entry-level lifter. It assumes you either (a.) seldom/never lift free weights or (b.) have been out of lifting for a while. This book is perfect for that gym-goer who is afraid of leaving the Nautilus/cardio areas of the gym.
It starts you off relatively slow with total body workouts and by the second month has you working a more typical bodybuilding schedule grouped by muscle area. The schedule has you working out three days a week, and most workouts can be completed in about 30-45 minutes assuming you don't have to wait for any machines/benches.
Orvis doesn't cover cardio or nutrition. While that would be a nice addition, the book never makes the pretense of being a comprehensive fitness book - it solely delivers weight training workouts.
What I enjoyed most about Orvis' plan was the all-inclusive workout style. When so many programs tout one or two methods of lifting (pyramid, inverted pyramid, super sets, drop sets, etc.), he covers every one of these, rotating through different training styles every couple of weeks. The lifting variety will keep the program interesting and will also prevent your muscles from growing accustomed to a single routine and plateauing. Having worked out for some time, I was impressed when my muscles were sore after starting the super set training week.
The main problem I found was that Orvis' program sometimes overlooks certain muscle groups for an entire week. Often I found myself adding a bicep curl, French curl or calf lift to the week's schedule because the book overlooked it. I can see overlooking secondary muscles for a week, but not biceps or triceps. Doing bench presses or lat pulldowns won't give my arms a sufficient workout for an entire week.
Overall, I found the book to be great. It's very portable and I've recommended it to a few folks I've met at the gym who are stuck in "Nautilus Land." I would recommend sitting down at the beginning of the week, looking over the schedule, taking a mental inventory of which muscles you will be working on and compensating if any certain group is overlooked. His workouts tend to be a little more oriented toward lower body development, so you may find yourself adding some upper body sets on occasion.
Orvis' workouts are limited to just the major (common) lifts. If you're more than just a beginning weight lifter, I would strongly recommend purchasing "Strength Training Anatomy" or "The Encylopedia of Modern Bodybuilding" in addition to this book so you can get a better idea of what alternate lifts you can do to better work certain muscle groups or add more variety to your time at the gym. When paired together, I actually found this program to be great once I got past the first month. The super set/drop set/pyramid weeks are a blast.
I would love to see Orvis publish a book oriented toward bodybuilders who have more time to devote to lifting and require more comprehensive muscle training.

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Product Description:
Did you know your muscles burn 90% of your calories everyday. IT'S YOUR METABOLISM!! And your losing those fat-burning muscles unless you learn a little weight training.
It's that simple - or is it? Weight Training Workouts that Work takes all the guesswork out of weight training. Using easy-to-follow proven workouts and three detailed photos of the best exercises, learn the right way to lift weights in less than 30 minutes. Then just take this handbook to your workouts and follow the simple workouts and exercises to burn away unwanted fat and reshape your body! Weight Training Workouts that Work shows you the most productive exercises and proper form, how many sets and repetitons to do, what days to workout and of course how much weight to use. It's very easy and it works for anybody, any age!

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