Women's Strength Training Anatomy Reviews

• What about women's UPPER BODIES?

  
  By on 2003-04-14
  I give this book 2 stars because half of it is missing. Don't expect to be able to use this book to get the nicely toned arms, chests and shoulders so beautifully illustrated here because there are NO upper body exercises included at all. The half of the book there is, IS very good, with beautiful and clear illustrations and easy to undertand. (I do wish that the sketched woman working on her "adductors at a machine", on page 69, had been drawn wearing an exercise bra.) I should have read the other reviews here. Now I'm going to buy Strength Training Anatomy to find out what's been left out. *Sigh* it seems like another chapter of the same old story: women are always having to wait longer for women's versions of products and then paying extra for them. And just like clothing--less material, lower quality and higher prices. Hey! Maybe these guys don't want us to have strong upper bodies! That way we could punch them out for pulling stunts like these.
  
  

• Good, as far as it goes

  
  By A3MNX3CCP7KGOP on 2003-11-02
  If this book included the upper body (and more back exercises--deadlifts and back extensions are at the very end as an afterthought) I'd have given it at least 4 stars, if not 5.

  I liked the idea of a strength training book for women that addressed our physiological differences, had great illustrations of which muscles are involved in each exercise, and showed women doing real exercises like deep squats, good mornings, etc.

  Unfortunately, I didn't look at the small bit of the title which tells you it addresses lower body only. Where are the chest, shoulders, arms and the rest of the back?

  Have to agree with the reviewer who mentioned the hip adduction illustration. Bare chest and, of course, nothing on the lower torso since the illustration is showing us the muscles involved. Given the legs wide position of the hip adduction machine, this picture seemed more sexual.

  Maybe the author is planning Part 2 that will include the upper body.

  Again, I feel the back was sorely overlooked here.
  
  

• insulting and demeaning

  
  By A175N14D9AWC6A on 2004-01-04
  I wanted to write a quick review for this book. While the information is valuable and accurate, this type of information can easily be found in any checkout counter "beauty magazine". The reason I am taking the time to write this is bacause any woman who wants to know about her anatomy and how it works in relation to work and exercise in a gym is definately going to raise her eyebrows at the way the women in this book are posed and drawn. Albeit some nudity is necessary to demonstrate the use of certain muscles, (strip away some skin as well), but in some of the examples it is ludicrous for me to believe that the artist isn't using a slight pornographic eye. For instance,on page 69 (is that an accident?) the woman is doing adductors at a machine and she is completely nude! This is a difficult machine for alot of people to use because of the obvious position it puts you in, then the "artist" draws only this woman completely nude. You can be rest assured you will see at least one nude breast on every other page. It was very funny to look at, but as far as a book to walk around with at the gym, I will pass thank you. If a man even picked up this book at the gym he would be called a pervert! In conclusion, I want to reinforce my statement to pass on this degrading book supposedly for women to help us with our workouts. Well, I wasn't fooled. This book gets two thumbs down and line the kitty litter with its pages.
  
  

• Where's the Rest?

  
  By A36O1FBB0YB4HD on 2003-04-01
  Yes, sorry, yet another woman dissatisfied with only abs back legs and buttocks illustrations. I am a Personal Trainer and was thrilled to see a version of "Strength Training Anatomy" for the female body...and then immediately disappointed that Mr Delavier didn't finish the book. I just can't imagine what he was thinking of! Oh well back to the male version (brilliant) and drawings unrepresentative of the muscle mass of half my clients! We wait with baited breath for your sequel Mr Delavier - Chest, Shoulders & Arms!
  
  

• Short changed

  
  By on 2003-01-24
  I preordered this book based on the excellent book by Frederic Delavier "Strength Training Anatomy" I feel a little short changed because, although the quality of the content is good, there is not section for shoulders or chest in the womens version. Last time I looked they still qualified as body parts for women!
  
  
• A Good Reference Book
  By on 2003-02-23
  The biggest benefit to this book is that Delavier shows you, with precisely drawn line illustrations, exactly which muscles are worked for each of the roughly 100 exercises that are described in this book. The book is also blissfully empty of philosophy, that is, you won't find any exhortations to eliminate carbs from your diet or aerobics from your routine. In fact, you won't find any "how to" information at all, except how to perform the exercises and an occasional comment about the efficacy of one version of an exercise over another.

  The big negative is that Delavier seems to have forgotten that women also have upper bodies! Women's Strength Training Analatomy is divided into 4 sections: Legs, Buttocks, Abdominals and Back. There is no mention of chest or arms, body parts that every woman I know possesses! Some people may also find it a drawback that Delavier offers no suggested routines or information about how to apply the exercises he illustrates.

  Overall, this is an excellent reference book that would have gotten 5 stars had it covered a woman's entire body.
  
  

• An incredible reference manual!
  By AK7CAW3N1XZV6 on 2006-10-03
  I work out regularly, and when doing strength training, I frequently have questions about which muscles I am working, whether I am performing the moves with correct form, etc. This book, designed specifically for women, is an excellent strength training reference manual. It focuses specifically on the areas which tend to give women the most difficulties, the abs, back, legs, and buttocks (including the hips).
  
  If you check Amazon's "Look inside this book!" feature, you will see that the illustrations are incredible--clear and superbly detailed (although, like another reviewer mentioned, I do think that the female models should have been more appropriately clothed at times). The use of color helps the reader to easily see which muscles are being worked, and the use of labels provides quick identification of each individual muscle. In particular, I appreciated the close-up shots, as these served to highlight exactly how certain parts of the muscular/skeletal system perform; I also especially liked the female versus male anatomy comparisons. The text which accompanies the drawings is concise as well as easily understandable.
  
  Although I sought out this book for the purpose of better understanding my body's movements during exercise, for those wanting to use this book to build their own lower body strength program, it would be excellent. The author provides full-page descriptions of each exercise, often offering several different versions of the exercise on subsequent pages as well as variation insets on the same page. Other within page insets offer form tips, including some illustrating what NOT to do. The exercises are mainly gym-style, using various machines and other equipment which you would find in a typical fitness center, but some of the exercises require no equipment, and alternate methods for working each muscle are always given.
  
  I agree that this book would have been even better with the inclusion of upper body, yet I found it to be more complete than the author's companion work which does address full body (Strength Training Anatomy). Highly recommended as an extremely valuable addition to any woman's fitness library.
  
  
• Why Just for Women?
  By on 2003-02-28
  I compared the two books by Delavier and chose the basic Strength Training one because it was more comprehensive. As a woman I don't like to feel limited in my choice of content or to have an edited version of anatomy for strength training.
  
  
• What happened to the Upper Body chapters??
  By AZVBSJBFSOFYV on 2004-08-10
  After my friends (male) and I stopped giggling over the overly sexual illustrations, I realized that exercises for half of the body were missing! Huh?! I don't know if I should be merely insulted or just pissed off because I got half a book.
  
  
• Agree with first review!!!
  By on 2003-02-20
  I own & love Frederic Delavier's "Strength Training Anatomy", so when I saw this one at a local bookstore, I anxiously leafed through it, hoping it would be of a similar caliber. I was very disappointed to see that apparently, women do not have shoulder, chest & arm muscles (see table of contents)! Guess they are marketing this book to women who are trying to spot-reduce thighs, butt, & abs. I don't buy into that myth and thus did not buy the book. BOO, HISS!!!
  
  
• Very good reference and teaching aid for personal trainers
  By on 2003-11-12
  I'm a personal trainer and found this book to be a great learning aid for my personal trainer national certification exam. The pictures are just great. They are transparent in the way they show you the muscles. For example, when doing a lat pull, it shows you the muscles that are being contracted. Also, the pictures are quite detailed and very descriptive. In this way, not only it helped me to be a good personal trainer but it was a great reference for my national certification exam. I also used the following which cut my study time in half for my national certification fitness exam: Key Facts for Anatomy and Physiology by Patrick Leonardi
  This book made anatomy and physiology much easier to understand and helped me to get passing grades. I give both books 10 stars
  
  
• Marketing lies
  By on 2004-06-21
  This book is actually a partial reprint of Delavier's complete book, "Strength Training Anatomy," which includes both upper and lower body workout illustrations. But in that book, almost all of the upper body illustrations are of men working out -- so I'm guessing they just took the second half of that book and repackaged it "for women" (though I haven't actually read this book).

  The complete book is a good collection of exercises. I would definitely recommend it, even with its sometimes unnecessarily sexually graphic illustrations.
  
  

• Totally 'armless
  By A3RK67IWN7ASA5 on 2005-11-25
  It is the most beautifully presented book, with excellent diagrams and a great deal of detail for the content that is presented. Bewilderingly, it does not address exercise anatomy for the arms, shoulders or chest.
  
  If it was a complete book, presenting information for the whole body, it would get 5 stars easily. As it stands, I am amazed that it got published with such glaring omissions.
  
  
• Excellent book!
  By on 2004-03-13
  This book is a great help for training trouble spots. It covers training the lower body (back, abs, legs and butt). It gives many exercises for each body area (27 butt, 37 legs, 34 abs and 6 for back) each with a perfectly drawn illustration showing the muscles effected by the exercise and clear explanation on how to correctly perform the exercise. Most of the exercises can be done with minimal equiptment (free weights and bands) at home, only a few cover gym machines. This book does not give routines or diet plans. After 10 years of gym training I am now training at home. This no nonsense book has been an invaluable source of exercises and information for training (especially trouble spots) without the use of gym equiptment. Highly recommended!
  
  
• Buy the other book
  By A25P4EDQUEN5J9 on 2004-09-12
  Maybe it is just me, but last time I checked the anatomy of musculature between women and men is quite similar, and when it comes to strength training anatomy I do not see a reason that the different sexes need a completely different book. The book is decently illustrated with one glaring exception: WOMEN'S PECORTALUS MUCSLES DONOT LOOK LIKE BREASTS!
  
  
• Excellent Core Book
  By A3OOUGU9GWP001 on 2006-01-29
  Although the book lacks a specific section on the arms and chest, it is an excellent book. It illustrates in great detail strength training of the main core muscles for women...the back and abdominals. The bonus benefit of a great leg and buttock section. Very useful in targeting the female trouble spots. The other book by this author could be used to fill in the blanks of the arms and chest with ease or a simple anatomy illustration. I would give it a 5 star if the arms and chest section was there.
  
  
• BUYING SIGHT UNSEEN.
  By ACDHTGM6Y8X6Z on 2006-01-20
  I had seen the "male" version of this book and was very impressed. It did have both male and female illustrations in it. However, it really was primarily a male orientated book. So I bought this book. I find it wonderful but, sadly incomplete. No arms, chest or shoulder scenes. I know I can find it in his other book. But I feel cheated since I bought this book sight unseen. I wanted it as a gym resource book. Now I need to get another one. DONT BUY IT SIGHT UNSEEN.
  
  
• Incomplete in itself...
  By A2QYSOFTGAUT2O on 2005-01-29
  A good book for what it offers, but incomplete because it only covers anatomy that differs from the male. This is a follow up book to Strength Training Anatomy, which only deals with the male anatomy. To get the complete picture for women requires both books. The Women's version leaves out chest and arms altogether. So, like the title says, it is incomplete in itself. Look elsewhere if you only want to buy one book.
  
  
• The best lower body strength training book for women!
  By on 2003-10-17
  This book is the masterpiece for women's lower body strength training. The excellent diagrams allow you to see exactly what muscles you'll be working and the instructions for doing the movements are very clear and user friendly. I have learned so much about my body from this book and I have also seen great results in my workouts. My sincere hope is that Delavier quickly comes out with a companion book for women's upper body strength training. I'll be first in line to buy it!
  
  
• Excellent book for Students of Body Science
  By A2HXMV0QUUDTU8 on 2006-01-28
  We've added this book to our growing list of texts related to our studies in movement, dance and ideokinesis at the SUNY college where I am a professor. Excellent scientific discussion, through chapters and sidebars, of physical gender differences, and female specific sport and exercise issues, plus very sound and clear explanations of posture, alignment and movement issues. This is an essential text for any phys ed teacher, sports coach, physical trainer or dance instructor. Clear layered anatomical drawings and movement sequences make all points accessible to everyone from the general reader to the specialist.
  
  
• Serious info for serious folks who want to know more
  By A3BUIZ2MJLTGLP on 2005-06-09
  Definitely not a book for exercise "dummies" or the overly dependent who need an exact program spelled out. This book has a different purpose and it will please those looking to really understand how the body should be working and what muscles are affected in each exercise. I haven't found this done well in any other book--but it is something the good trainers and pros know. The illustrations show exactly what muscles each exercise targets, beautifully illustrated and unmistakeably. Those that are not active are also clear, which I found helpful to avoid "recruitment." As for those who want the "other half of the book," gee, the cover tells you that it's about exercises for the abs, butt and legs. I don't see how it could be much clearer or why anyone who read the title should be complaining that there are no exercises for the pecs or triceps here!
  
  The best part about this book is that it discusses the key points and variations for each exercise.... how changing stance or angle or using dumbells instead of a bar, for instance, would give a different result. Most books do not even give all the general tips they should, let alone this kind of exact fine-tuning. I have a great personal trainer, and that's how I discovered that a small thing such as how you grasp a bar can make a huge difference in results and which muscles get the most work. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is serious about learning more about how to train their body.
  
  Shortfalls--these are not really problems, because they are not in the intended scope of the book. However, if you do need an exercise routine, you will have to get it elsewhere. But there are zillions of books and websites with that info. Second, safety is not fully covered since the weights to use are not given and mistakes to avoid are not always mentioned. But the illustrations are so clear that if you have some experience, you will appreciate what you find here.
  
  As for those who giggled or found some illustrations "sexual," huh? I didn't see it myself. Just a body doing exercise. But as the checkoff box below says, I am over the age of 13.
  
  
• Excellent, but incomplete without other book.
  By A1SIRACBJFJ5A1 on 2005-10-04
  I am a personal trainer at a local gym. Whenever I take my copy of this in, everyone wants to look at it and not give it back. So many of them have bought it, I think the publisher should give me a cut. Accurate, informative, and readable.
  
  You have to get the regular Strength Training Anatomy book to get enough upper body information. I recommend both. It would have been nice for this one to be able to stand alone, though.
  
  
• Best Ever!!!
  By AZ42XYJF6DT5S on 2006-03-27
  I enjoy this book best female book, even my trainer has it and has the male book from same writer. It is good to have both books for the women one doesnt cover the other parts of the body which really u can use the men for that part. I would recommend this book to beginners and trainers its pic are great help, you understand female parts that need working on and how are body is made amazing.I also use amazon for all my new and used books for yrs never disapointed,great site .Debra
  
  
• The best strength training book for women ever !
  By on 2003-10-24
  Fantastic book for strength training anatomy.
  Each movement is perfectly adapted for women.
  Not only the drawings are anatomicaly exact but the author is also an artist.
  
  
• Wait....what happened to the rest........?
  By A2O5AVO9RIDXIN on 2003-11-14
  Ah...I see. I suppose women aren't generally interested in working out the upper-half of their body. Must be that myth out there that we will develop 'bulky' muscles from working out our arms, shoulders and pecs. Too bad that this book will only perpetuate this myth.
  
  
• Excellent Book
  By A3KDZHVTBIIW10 on 2005-09-26
  This book is an excellent source for information on strength training exercises for women. I had originally borrowed the title from the library and liked it so much that I decided to purchase it. The illustrations are extremely clear and very well executed. I was interested in specific information about muscles and how certian strength eercises effected them - this book hits the mark perfectly. I am using it to study for a group fitness instruction certification and it has helped me understand much better than the texts we were given. Anyone seriously interested in excellent information about body building and stregnth training would do well by owning this book.
  
  
• A BRILLIANT BOOK for WOMEN who use WEIGHTS
  By A1US77AB7JW28K on 2008-06-05
  I LOVE this book!! Hiss Boo Sucks to all those who whine about it not including the woman's upper body. When I discovered this, after having already been totally impressed by the quality and thoroughness of the medical knowledge, anatomical detail, terminology and artwork in this book, I immediately ordered Delavier's STRENGTH TRAINING ANATOMY, the original volume, which does include both men and women, and which gives a full description of the arms, neck, shoulders and chest. The first volume of course also deals with the back, legs, buttocks and abs (as the Women's volume does), but the Women's Strength Training Anatomy covers these areas in much more detail.
  Reason: because women have such different physical characteristics from men, particularly in their lower skeleton. This requires a somewhat different approach to weight training, as the muscles are attached at different angles in women than in men. I can only applaud M. Delavier for pointing this out, and for filling the gap by writing this EXTRA volume particularly for the use of women.
  I was so impressed that I happily paid 3 times the price for each volume, here in Australia, as you pay in America. I bought both volumes - and then purchased more for my son and his wife.
  I'm a radiographer by profession, so I see through people on a daily basis - unfortunately only the bones, however. The realistic anatomical illustrations in this volume are exactly what is required to depict the muscles used in each exercise, and to pinpoint the optimum exercises to build up whichever body part requires work. Thanks to the use of these books for just 6 weeks, I can now see and feel hard, shapely muscle developing all over my 52-year-old body. When I see an area that needs building up, I can flip right to the appropriate pages for the most effective exercises for that part. I work out my whole body every 3 or 4 days, and can feel a marked difference in muscle strength and shape by the time each training session comes due.
  I have a barbell, selection of plates, adjustable dumbbells, a fit ball, and a very inexpensive weight bench with quad extension attachment. I pack this up and take it in the car with me on my mobile job assignments. I can do almost every exercise in these books with this simple equipment, and could not be happier with this book.
  Women's Strength Training Anatomy is not the whole deal in itself - it is the companion book to Strength Training Anatomy; an EXTRA volume with much more detailed info written especially for women. I'm always delighted to buy 2 excellent books instead of just one!
  As for the complaints that the illustrations are "sexual" and should include more clothes - well, to the pure, all things are pure. I don't see anything remotely sexy in the human body being drawn, pared down to layers of skin, fascia, muscle, tendon and bone. But it is very helpful for educational purposes.
  
  
• This book is good for people who like gym classes
  By A321NWSBVLFIN5 on 2003-04-14
  I agree with everyone else that Strength Training Anatomy is a better book for strength training, being more comprehensive and including all major muscle groups. I really do not understand why he omitted arms, chest and shoulders for women and he is a bit skimpy on back exercises in this book as well. However, this book gives some useful information regarding injury prevention for women. It is also a very good book for someone who likes those gym classes as a lot of body weight bearing exercises are included explaining which muscles are being targeted exactly. Overall, nice edition to my Strength Training Anatomy, but not quite as good.
  
  
• Excellent source of information
  By A1F2IE92GK35WR on 2007-05-25
  The book is a great tool. It is very concise and easy to understand. Very helpful for any woman trying to target areas.
  
  
• Not Quite As Advertised
  By A2360QQWTF969A on 2008-03-28
  Like many other reviewers, I found this to be a beautifully illustrated exercise guide that provides step-by-step instructions for proper execution, variations to emphasize different muscle groups, and safety tips to avoid injury. I, too, feel that the book is incomplete, not just because there is nothing for the upper body, but also because the back section is inadequate. The upper back musculature, which is so important for maintaining good posture and stabilizing the shoulder blades, is not addressed at all. So, you won't find any kind of rowing or pulldown motions.
  
  However, my biggest complaint with this book is in how it is being advertised. Amazon's editorial review and the book's own back cover promote this as a manual that focuses on women's unique anatomy and "exclusively caters to the mechanics and musculature of the female form." I took this to mean that the book would recommend certain exercises and variations based on structural features such as our wider pelvises, which tend to set us up for more patellofemoral problems than men. So I was immensely disappoionted to find that the exercises and variations are all uni-sex. Every movement applies equally to women and men. These are not exercises that are especially designed for or "better" for women; they are simply exercises that women tend to favor, such as the floor work and movements that target the legs, buttocks, hips, and abs.
  
  For what it offers, this book is an excellent resource for women who want to know more about how to target certain muscles and work them effectively. Just be aware that the exercises are not female versions of what men do.
  
  

• Strength Training Anatomy
• Stretching Anatomy
• Yoga Anatomy
• The Anatomy of Stretching
• The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess