The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding : The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised

I have this book in both paper and electronic form. The paper one I got more than a decade ago and its size is just unwieldy for bringing to the gym, plus finding just what you need quickly can be challenging. The Kindle version is perfect for that since it allows easy bookmarking and highlighting, and it is my gym companion these days. The book is very well written, easy to read, and very comprehensive. Arnold leaves no stone unturned when it comes to bodybuilding. Weight lifting exercises, nutrition, programs for beginners, intermediates and competition-grade experts. There are also plenty of photos of his glory days and interesting and funny anecdotes. The tone is very approachable and conversational. After trying a couple of exercise fads lately, I am back to basics, and who could be a better teacher than Arnold? He covers a lot of ground and the exercises are illustrated and explained well. The book is not without shortcomings: Arnold assumes that you would spend hours in the gym 6 days a week. Even the beginner series can easily take 2 hours a day (in my experience, at least, especially since I am new to some of these routines). After consulting other books, I decided to stick to his 6 days program and prune out some of the exercises which did not cover major muscle groups or were somewhat redundant to bring the duration of each workout down while still building strength. Lastly, this is not a general fitness or even weightlifting book: it is a bodybuilding book; Arnold assumes that your goal is to look like him and that photos of top bodybuilders would be motivating. While my goals are different, this book is still one of the best resources on strength training and associated nutrition. Highly recommended in electronic format.

This is my 2nd copy of this book. I lost the first one a while back when I moved. Thought it was a useful book and decided it was worth a 2nd purchase!

No better way to get knowledge about body building other than a book by the man himself!!!

What an amazing book! The foundation of bodybuilding from the GOAT himself!

Great workout tips

I read all the one star reviews before purchasing this book as a gift for my brother and one for myself. Anybody that thinks that you need to take steroids to do the workouts included in this is CRAZY!!!!!! Obviously if you weigh 100lbs soaking wet and couldn't put on muscle if you worked out for 1000000000 years no book will ever help you. Granted if you are not into body building that much working out six days a week is to much for most people, including me. Saying this the book is pretty good, I have lifted weights on and off since high school and I had already done most of these exercises at one time or another during my workouts. This book reconfirmed many things I had learned on my own. Great info on the exercises and how they will shape your body! This is why I wanted this book mainly and it was exactly what I wanted in an easy format to look up. If you have ever been to a gym and seen people who look ridiculous they need this book. If you know what your doing but just want a good read and some new ideas its great. I never got into bodybuilding but if I do, I would use this book as a template to my training. The other book suggestions that people say are 'better' on the 1 star posts are meant for people just trying to get into shape not bodybuilders. DUH!!!!! All the steroid comments, COME ON!!!! He took them and we all know it. To everybody saying you need to be juiced for this book to work: Get real people even with steroids you wouldn't be able to do these workouts. Don't fool yourselves. Any comments let me know!

Good

I had purchased 1 or 2 workout books previously. They were somewhat adequate , but each author had differing opinions as to technique of weight lifting and omitted a lot of detail. I had my doubts that there could be any published book on fitness that would detail all aspects of weightlifting until I found Arnolds' "Encyclopedia". It could be compared to the bible, but for weightlifting. 800 plus!! pages of Arnolds' decades with lifting in one massive book. There is no detail left out. Every facet . Every learned movement on lifting has been noted and included. I found the format and layout of each chapter simple and easy to follow. Starting with the very early history of body builders in the early 19th century and ending with details for dieting and training for competition, Arnolds' book is a very interesting read. I found the chapters on "Body Types" and how genetics control muscle development extremely informative. The chapters on working out each part of the body and the exercise to stimulate muscle growth included dozens of movements for each. Accompanying all chapters are photo's for each instruction and movement. Arnold is a firm believer in not allowing the body to become complacent. This happens when the muscle group is conditioned for a repetitive routine from doing the same exercise all the time. Arnold states that the muscles must be confused and "shocked" with alternating routines. I found several of his routines new and interesting. I'm enjoying this book immensely. If you would like more information on how to exercise I whole-heartedly recommend this book. It is more than worth the present cost of $12 for a new book here on Amazon.