Customer Reviews
good book per my son 
2008-08-23
I bought this for my son and he says he has used it many times, and that it is a good book for DB weight lifting.
It's a great book 
2008-07-23
I have to laugh at some of the reviews, like the one that gave one star and says "don't waste your money". It's 10 bucks! Makes one wonder what axe they have to grind. Not surprisingly, the reviewer promotes a competing book.
I find that many of the reviews are misleading. For one thing, this isn't a beginner's book. It describes 50 different exercises in good depth, with instructions and photos, and it contains around 30 different workouts.
The photos are not too small or too blurry to see. My eyesight isn't great but I had no trouble at all. By keeping them on the small side, the book could be much more compact, which is helpful during my workouts.
The background information runs from basic to advanced. I am no novice, yet I picked up quite a few new things I hadn't known previously.
For $10, it's hard to go wrong with this book. I researched quite a few and this is the one I like best.
Don't wast your money 
2008-05-18
I bought this book and Men's Health Ultimate Dumbbell Guide. This book is not worth the money. The pictures are small. The book from men's health is the only book to own on dumbell training.
Author got lazy 
2008-03-25
I was disappointed with this book. The author is not specific with the muscles worked. He says an exercise works the triceps instead of which of the 3 heads it focuses on or the exercise works the abs and not if it is upper, mid or lower abs. Same thing with shoulders. The author doesn't state if the exercise works the middle delt or the rear or front delt. The descriptions of the exercises are also re-hashed. Every explanation of particular muscle groups exercises are basically the same with a few words changed out. It just seems like the author wanted to churn out this book wihout being fresh or specific.
Great guide on safe, productive, and efficient training with dumbbells 2008-03-25
Fred Fornicola and Matt Brzycki (rhymes with "whiskey") have written a very accessible and informative guide to dumbbell training. In addition to explaining key strength training concepts and principles and considerations specific to the use of dumbbells they provide a huge variety of routines including routines contributed by several other professional strength coaches and trainers. I have used routines in the book with my own personal training clients with excellent results. I highly recommend Dumbbell Training for Strength and Fitness for anyone who trains with dumbbells.
A Quick Way For An Upper Body Workout 2008-01-12
If you are in a hurry than dumbbells are an excellent way to work the upper body and this book is very easy to understand. It's not a big book but is is plenty big enough with good illustrations.
Great book! 2008-01-04
There are a couple of "cons" to this book: I agree with previous comments that the photos are too small and not always at the best angle for showing the proper positions. Also, some of the models are wearing oversized T-shirts and sweatshirts that make it hard to see how they are holding their arms, positioning the back, etc. I also agree with the previous reviewer who said the squat in this book is a Bulgarian Squat, not what people would normally do for a regular squat. And the lunge does look like a split squat, not a regular lunge. When a routine in the book calls for a squat, I do a regular squat, not the Bulgarian Squat from the book.
But overall this is a great book, with many great upper body routines, split routines, and specialization routines to choose from. Each routine was sumbitted by a different professional, and I'm enjoying sampling all the different training styles! The routines are short too, which makes it easy to stick with and find time to fit in a workout.
Got Me Back On Track 2007-12-16
I haven't really lifted weights since the early 90's. I had taken up running and left the gym behind. Oh, I did pushups and situps and a little yoga but no strength training.
Recently, I hurt my knee running sprints and I was sidelined from running for three months. I started researching high intensity training and came across Matt Brzycki's name and bought a couple of books. It has changed my life.
The dumbbell workouts in this book and the principal's of the 2/4 count have transformed my body. With ridiculously low weights and time spent in the gym I have made huge gains in muscle and in my max rep in the bench and deadlift.
I hate to admit this but I was starting to feel old until I starting implementing HIT and the 2/4 count. I am loving lifting weights again. I admit that I have started incorporating some barbells but that is all part of growing bigger and stronger.
I recommend this book to any and all. The only problem I have experienced is weight game. I have allowed myself to pack on some fat along with my new muscles. I got to cut back on the eating.
Let me say this twice. I highly recommend this book, HIT, and the 2/4 count!
A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT! 2007-12-14
After reading some favorable comments on this book. I ordered it. IT WAS A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT!!! The other negative review stated that he found "small, low resolution blurry black and white photas" to learn how to do the exercises. The book describes how to do a particular exercise, and reinforces on how to do it by showing you either one or two photos - except the author uses a photo the actual size of a postage stamp!!
It is literally impossible to learn the finer points of a particular exercise by looking at the photo. The resolution is poor and cloudy, and it is the size of an actual postage stamp. This book could have been an ideal instruction book, but the author deleted and curtailed the ability to teach the reader by only showing only a mini size photo on how to do the various exercises, It is almost impossible to see how an exercise is perform if you are looking at a cloudy black and white photo the size of a postage stamp.
Abdominals are important. This author uses a mere six (6) small pages to explain the instructions on how to do three (3) exercises. He does this by showing you a mere seven photos the size of a postage stamp, and they are cloudy at that. Further on, he uses a mere four (4) pages to teach you how to overhaul your upper back, and again shows just three exercises on how to do it.
The book was of little or no use to this particular reader.
A must-have for iron athletes 2007-11-14
The expertise of Brzycki and Fornicola culminates into one great little book. Serious iron athletes who wish to add spice to their workouts, or those who are at-home trainers with limited equipment, will find a routine (of many) they can benefit from.
And the price is unbeatable.
