Lean, Long & Strong: The 6-Week Strength-Training, Fat-Burning Program for Women 
asked by ctj on November 14, 2006 6:10 AM
Lean Long & Strong is a tailored strength training program created just forwomen. Each workout, designed to be completed in just 12 minutes a day,incorporates synergy sets, a combination of precision strength trainingexercises with specially chosen stretches.Now top personal trainer Wini Linguvic tailors her precisionbody-sculpting methods just for women in workouts that integrate the "flow"and stretching of yoga to produce the even more impressive real results ofstrength training. Finally, an expert women can turn to for a programdesigned to create the fabulously fit, lean, long, strong body that today'swoman yearns to achieve.o Features beautiful, large full-color photographsof the author doing each exercise, accompanied by detailed instructions forcompleting each moveo All exercises can be done at home with hand weights and an exercise ballo Specific workouts focus on firming key trouble spots such as abs and core,butt and thighs, or upper body
Reviews
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"No one dies from weak biceps" is my favorite sentence in the entire book. Also, the foreword is very eloquent and concise. The book photos and printing style are superb as well.
As a 20-year personal trainer, the author's experience has evolved along the normal path many athletes follow. First, she discovered the great potential of strength training and how it empowers women to lead healthy lifestyle. She has gone through the various phases of repulsion, attraction, and finally obsession with a sport long viewed as men's territory. Now, she appreciates the value of being long, lean, and strong. That helped her have great and effortless everyday living. Second, she realized that she must rev her heart in order to endure long and monotonous activities. That took her to aerobics. She realizes right away that although aerobics is vital to the health of the lung and heart, aerobics does not build up muscle mass. Third, she discovered yoga and ventured into flexibility training.
The three phases of evolution of personal trainers and athletes took 20 years of her life in order to experience their rational significance. Yet, the author claims that you could change your life with only 12 minutes of strength training, four days per week, in addition to 20 minutes of aerobics, three days per week. That is an unrealistic proposal. Furthermore, she suggests that if you do the aerobics and the strength training in the same day then you should split them into two sessions. That is also impractical, since all the exercises in the book are very low on load-volume. The last promise of achieving apparent body change in 21 days is equally bogus.
The common belief that unmotivated people would be stimulated to engage in exercise if promised short and easy routine is simplistic. Change in health and fitness requires commitment to consistent exercising and discreet eating, drinking, and sleeping mannerism. It is not worth it that professional trainers or educators attempt to delude people with false hopes. Reasoning with others in realistic fashion strengthens the mutual trust and supports them in coping with the tortuous challenges of learning to exercise wisely. It is much wiser to exercise three days a week than seven days as the book suggests. Training 4 days with weights and 3 days of aerobics would leave very little time for relaxation, even if the exercise load is sub-minimal.
The major shortcomings in the book are:
1- It starts with crunches on an exercise ball, followed by back extension. No sane person should start exercising from the core. People should be advised to perform total warm up, toe to head, before exercising the abdominal or lower back. Otherwise, serious neck or spinal injury could ensue due to contracting major and strong muscles on cold start.
2- There is only one deep squat pose on page 154, the rest of squat and deadlift exercises are partial and extremely low on resistance. The lack of heavy and deep squat and deadlift results in the characteristic flat butts and loss of lumbar curvature. That is attributed to unduly weak glutei, hamstrings, and spinal erectors. The flat lumbar curve and wasted buttocks and quadriceps are early signs of osteoporosis. Bone density at the lumbar spines is the primary index for gauging osteoporosis.
3- There is no single barbell exercise in the book. No dips. No chin ups. No running or jumping exercises. Those are the golden standards of strength training.
4- The photo of the author on the book cover is more feminine and pleasant than the inside photos due to change in hairstyle and posing in side profiles. That shows gloomy facial expressions. In addition, many of the ball exercises are repeated redundantly for no good reason.
5- The book's theme revolves about the regional anatomy of legs, core, and arms. Those regions are exercised on four levels of difficulty: basic, intermediate, challenge, and express. That renders exercise a quite challenging activity. The book is missing a single focus that links all the pieces of the puzzle along one goal.
Mohamed F. El-Hewie
Author of
Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training
As a 20-year personal trainer, the author's experience has evolved along the normal path many athletes follow. First, she discovered the great potential of strength training and how it empowers women to lead healthy lifestyle. She has gone through the various phases of repulsion, attraction, and finally obsession with a sport long viewed as men's territory. Now, she appreciates the value of being long, lean, and strong. That helped her have great and effortless everyday living. Second, she realized that she must rev her heart in order to endure long and monotonous activities. That took her to aerobics. She realizes right away that although aerobics is vital to the health of the lung and heart, aerobics does not build up muscle mass. Third, she discovered yoga and ventured into flexibility training.
The three phases of evolution of personal trainers and athletes took 20 years of her life in order to experience their rational significance. Yet, the author claims that you could change your life with only 12 minutes of strength training, four days per week, in addition to 20 minutes of aerobics, three days per week. That is an unrealistic proposal. Furthermore, she suggests that if you do the aerobics and the strength training in the same day then you should split them into two sessions. That is also impractical, since all the exercises in the book are very low on load-volume. The last promise of achieving apparent body change in 21 days is equally bogus.
The common belief that unmotivated people would be stimulated to engage in exercise if promised short and easy routine is simplistic. Change in health and fitness requires commitment to consistent exercising and discreet eating, drinking, and sleeping mannerism. It is not worth it that professional trainers or educators attempt to delude people with false hopes. Reasoning with others in realistic fashion strengthens the mutual trust and supports them in coping with the tortuous challenges of learning to exercise wisely. It is much wiser to exercise three days a week than seven days as the book suggests. Training 4 days with weights and 3 days of aerobics would leave very little time for relaxation, even if the exercise load is sub-minimal.
The major shortcomings in the book are:
1- It starts with crunches on an exercise ball, followed by back extension. No sane person should start exercising from the core. People should be advised to perform total warm up, toe to head, before exercising the abdominal or lower back. Otherwise, serious neck or spinal injury could ensue due to contracting major and strong muscles on cold start.
2- There is only one deep squat pose on page 154, the rest of squat and deadlift exercises are partial and extremely low on resistance. The lack of heavy and deep squat and deadlift results in the characteristic flat butts and loss of lumbar curvature. That is attributed to unduly weak glutei, hamstrings, and spinal erectors. The flat lumbar curve and wasted buttocks and quadriceps are early signs of osteoporosis. Bone density at the lumbar spines is the primary index for gauging osteoporosis.
3- There is no single barbell exercise in the book. No dips. No chin ups. No running or jumping exercises. Those are the golden standards of strength training.
4- The photo of the author on the book cover is more feminine and pleasant than the inside photos due to change in hairstyle and posing in side profiles. That shows gloomy facial expressions. In addition, many of the ball exercises are repeated redundantly for no good reason.
5- The book's theme revolves about the regional anatomy of legs, core, and arms. Those regions are exercised on four levels of difficulty: basic, intermediate, challenge, and express. That renders exercise a quite challenging activity. The book is missing a single focus that links all the pieces of the puzzle along one goal.
Mohamed F. El-Hewie
Author of
Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training
reviewed by bigben on November 26, 2006 9:17 AM
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I think this book is wonderfully well written and well thought out. I do have one suggestion which is to take the book to your local Kinkos and have the binding cut off and three hole punched. This allows for moving the six week programs around to suit your needs at the time. I did this for $1.50 which added greatly to the user friendly aspect of the book.
reviewed by dannyboy on November 29, 2006 2:01 AM
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I bought this book thinking it would be just like all the rest of the strength training books out there. I am glad that I was wrong! This is one of the best books for women especially those who do not have time or want to go to the gym for strength training! I recommend this highly!!!
reviewed by fazer on November 29, 2006 8:29 AM