The New Rules of Lifting for Women is subtitled: “Lift like a man, look like a goddess”. However, beneath the cover-page hyperbole is a book that is sensible, useful, and very much needed.Lifting for Women essentially takes the very latest research into strength, conditioning, fitness, and weight loss and combines it into a direct and usable training manual for women.
Author Lou Schuler wastes no time in attacking the traditional diet mentality of today: “eat less, and keep eating less”. Instead he argues for a sensible view of food; eat more of the right foods to power the workouts that you will be doing (a little like BFFM).
This book is aimed specifically at women (I guess the title gives that away) and carefully tackles all of the myths and misunderstandings surrounding women and weight-lifting. As for “bulking up” – Schuler concedes that it is very difficult for men to put on visible muscle – let alone women who have far less amounts of testosterone.
Schuler calls in Alwyn Cosgrove to create an entire workout schedule. This isn’t about hours on the treadmill. It’s about split-squats, stiff-legged deadlifts, and all those other incredibly useful weight-bearing exercises – all done with 60 seconds break between sets. As for straight-out cardio – Cosgrove offers a series of interval training plans.
What I liked about this book is the level of detail given to the workouts. Many times we are given an outline of the ideas, and the exercises – but left wondering exactly how to draw up a plan. This book has months and months of carefully scheduled workouts. There is also a section detailing basic nutrition plans (including recipes).
If you’re a woman looking to get into some weight training but have a lot of questions – then this book will answer most, if not all of them.
I started this book in march, just finished phase 7! love my new body, not bulky at all.. still have more work so going to start over on phase 1 with more weight. Has anyone else done that?
Finished all sets twice since I got the book – lost as what to do next – suggestions – thanks
I’m very big boned as well, and noticed that my arm muscles were getting significantly bigger two weeks after I started lifting. I realize that the solid parts of my arms are twice as big as the average girl’s arms already
I know I should strive for health, but I still want to look feminine and am at a loss for what to do to get there.
Hi KAREN,
Can you explain something to me? I got the book and I dont quiet get what I am suppose to do when it says step one, workout A page 157 workout 1, 2
how do i know what 1 and 2 are?
any help would be great help!
thanks
There are some women who do bulk up with dry muscle. There are some women who think they bulk up, but its actually just the fat over the muscle & water retention. It’s hard to say over the internet who is which, so there’s really no use in arguing the point (to me anyway). Unless you can look at them & go poke around their bodies.
I think its a very good book, I’m on Stage 3. Although my triceps are not as defined as before, but I’ve definitely filled in muscle in all the little places (i.e. the area between my armpit & tricep, so its less jiggly). It’s not really a fatloss program, as Alwyn has said himself, but many have found great body recomposition. Fatloss is mostly about diet, if your diet isn’t spot on then…
One of the only ways to really tell, is to do this program (or any program) for a couple of months (make a commitment & do it correctly) to see if it works for you or not.
It’s interesting that women tend to take 1 of 3 workout routes. Lift like a man, tons of cardio, or yoga and pilates.
Obviously they all have advantages and disadvantages, yet they can all help people to get in shape.
Thanks for the great introduction on a book about weight training for women! I’m working on a exercise ‘diet’ for myself, with a short term goal to lose 7 kg of body fat in 3 months. I think I will check out this book at Amazon. Looks like it will come in handy as a guideline.