Customer Reviews
Great Book 
2008-06-24
I love this book.
I know that some people have stated that this book is just like the manual that comes with the Bowflex. That is only true if you just skim this book.
This book gives better pictures of the 23 exercises that he recommends. The exercises are for the Bowflex Ultimate. However, you can use these on the Power Pro with the right attachments.
He provides multiple routines plus an awesome chapter on breakdowns, double pre-exhaustion, and negatives. When you really look at this chapter you realize that there are more than 23 exercises because of the way you perform these routines.
The only negative about this book is the extra fluff. I believe it is there in order to convert you to the HIT philosophy. Since HIT goes against the grain of what most people have been told about weight lifting I get the feeling DR. Darden feels that he needs to convince you with all the extra pages that it works.
Once you are sold on HIT those extra pages just get in the way of the meat of this book.
If you follow the leanness program in the Bowflex manual to the letter and you have no intentions to work on sculpting your body then this book is probably not for you.
However, if you want to sculpt your body, work on strength training, and target your problem areas (arms,chest,abs) then this book is a must.
Severely Outdated 
2008-05-07
This book contains much useful information but is severely outdated. Bowflex no longer makes the equipment featured in this book. If you have the manuals and DVD that came with your Bowflex, you probably don't need this book.
Almost like the user manual 2008-02-23
This pretty much has what is in the user manual you get with the machine. There are a few other exercises in it and more backgroung info. It's good to get if you've lost your manual or if you want a sturdier, hardback copy.
Very Motivating and Easy Read 2008-02-18
I am almost finished with this book and I must say that I expected to drift away page after page. I was suprised that it kept me motivated and it makes me a believer that it really is not that difficult to get the results I want if I stick to a very simple routine!
Thanks Bowflex Body Plan 2008-02-09
We bought a Bowflex used and didn't know where to start. This book gave us a plan to use. Starts off with only a few exercises to master the form and get used to. Then after two weeks adds two more, etc. etc. Gives different routines for people in good shape looking to work on certain areas. It also offers dieting advice!!! Before and after stories with pictures!!! Nice book!!!
A great guide for the new Bowflex owner 2007-12-31
This officially-endorsed book from the makers of Bowflex® will help you maximize your workout time and get the most out of your investment in just 6 weeks. Merge the recommended Bowflex® routines with Dr. Ellington Darden's guidelines on eating, hydrating, and resting, and you'll be well on your way to getting the results you've always wanted.
A good book, a bad book 2007-09-18
First the good: If you're an exercise novice who recently acquired a Bowflex and got brain-lock while looking at the huge list of potential exercises that came with it, this book -- which is officially sanctioned by Bowflex's manufacturer -- is a Godsend. Darden picks only the most relevant exercises, describes them in great detail with good photos showing correct form, and organizes them into a series of plans (for novices, for intermediates, for advanced bodybuilder types, for people looking to build or slim specific areas of the body) that couldn't be easier to follow -- and that work.
For that alone, the book is worthwhile. Armed with these plans, the new Bowflex owner is much more likely to actually use his or her machine on an ongoing basis, and that's very good. The plans make it very easy to get going, and tangible gains start to come within the first few sessions. Good stuff.
But there's some not-so-good, too. Throughout the book (and indeed, throughout the officially-sanctioned Bowflex literature) there is case study after case study showing folks who made incredible gains -- losing 30 lb in a month, that sort of thing -- following "The Bowflex Plan". What becomes clear after reading is that those gains have less to do with the Bowflex than they do with the rather extreme (1500 cal/day) diet that's part of the "Plan". And, of course, the official Bowflex literature doesn't address the mounds of research showing that weight lost via extreme calorie restriction doesn't tend to stay off long-term. Take these case studies with the appropriate grains of salt.
There's another not-so-good factor in this book, at least from my perspective. Darden is a bodybuilder. His assumptions and recommendations -- ranging from exercise frequency to diet to supplements to appropriate levels of bodyfat -- come from the world of competitive bodybuilding. They aren't geared toward, and aren't always appropriate for, more mainstream athletes interested in improving sports performance or endurance. The Bowflex itself (and to a large extent, Darden's Bowflex workout plans) is certainly very useful for such people, but Darden's beyond-the-Bowflex recommendations may not be. Caveat.
Boflex Body Plan 2007-09-12
This book was excellent. The book explains the theory behind the exercise and diet programs so you know WHY you are doing certain things. It is written in simplistic form so that anyone can understand the information. I would recommend this book to anyone with a bowflex.
Pleasantly impressed 2007-08-31
Being someone who is NOT an exercise fanatic, I approached this book with some trepidation, but am considering investing in a Bowflex machine, hence the willingness to venture into this direction. Dr. Darden writes clearly and compellingly, and explains not just what to do, but also why. He is readable, concise and obviously extremely knowledgable in his subject. I found this book to be unexpectedly interesting, and I left it much more enthusiastic to work on bettering my health, both through exercise and diet - good sense and reasonable expectations were stressed.
Good review of Boflex workouts and workout science 2007-06-14
This book does a good job explaining the science behind diet and exercise in a easy to understand format. It also gives some good workouts for all levels of weightlifters. If you have a boflex, this is a good investment.
