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 enlarge | Authors: Mark Verstegen, Pete Williams
Publisher: Rodale Books
Category: Book
List Price: $18.95
Buy New: $14.45
You Save: $4.50 (24%)
New (8) Used (7) from $12.68
Avg. Customer Rating:  65 reviews
Sales Rank: 332638
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9 x 7.4 x 0.5
Dewey Decimal Number: 613.71
ASIN: B0013L4D1M
Publication Date: May 6, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 A Personal Trainer's Review December 11, 2005
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Mark lays out a very balanced program that will hit all areas. I would get this book either if you are a beginner or a veteran. I'm sure that one can learn some component to add to your program. The pictures make the exercises easy to follow and the step by step descriptions are very helpful. With weeks of programs, one can get a lot out of this book. What some people may incorrectly complain about is that there is no hype, or secret techniques to this book. What people should realize is that the basics performed consistently will take you much further than the "gimmicks" you find with other authors. Nice work Mark.
Stephen Cooper, Certified Personal Trainer
 Liked the book, love the CD December 4, 2005
29 out of 30 found this review helpful
The only reason I didnt give the book 5 stars is that the CD is much more effective. If you are already sold on core training and looking for a comprehensive exercise plan, just buy the CD. The extra money the CD costs will save you many hours trying to understand. Getting all the exercises right from a few photos is difficult. And the CD has pdf files for the exercise logs, just print and your exercise logs are ready. A big time saver because there are about 50 exercises in each phase of 3 phases. Buying the CD will save you time and ensure more effective exercising.
The CD videos give you a clear visualization of the movements and the timing needed to perform correctly. They are short clips, with both front and side views. From using the book some two months I was confident that I was close to doing most things right. I wasn't. Even my trainer guessed wrong on the one exercise I asked him about. It was a pylometric exercise, and figuring pylos out from a few photos is not going to happen - unless you are a Michelangelo of physical training. Even the exercises that were similar to what my trainer had shown me were not completely like my assumptions. For example, exercises that I assumed were isometric, were not. Many of the exercises were more powerful and graceful than I had imagined.
The plan depends on 7 different kinds of exercise. They are:
1. Movement Prep 2. Prehab 3. Phsyioball 4. Elasticity 5. Strength 6. Energy Systems Development, and 7. Regeneration.
One reviewer complained about the nomenclature of the exercises. The renaming was necessary so that the objective of the exercises is clear. For example, "movement Prep" is stretching, but it is stretching with the purpose of developing the flexibility to move. "Prehab" is exercises to strengthen shoulders, hips, and spine to make them injury resistant and its a great concept - do your "prehab" exercises and avoid doing ""rehab" exercises.. "Elasticity" is not called "pylometrics" because "Elasticity" emphasizes the objective of elastic muscle to achieve speed and strength. And "Energy Systems Development" is a plan to develop capabilities to challenge your lactate threshold(3 mins) of high intensity), your alactate threshold, 12 seconds of high intensity, and your aerobic threshold, intensity beyond three minutes. Renaming was necessary to make the theme of this exercise program clear.
Nice second step for getting fit October 11, 2005
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
I've enjoyed starting this program. I think we all tend to get into a rut with a workouts and need a fresh perspective to motivate us again. I got seriously into Body for Life by Bill Phillips and completed three 12 week sessions. I was truely in the best shape of my life, but then it got stale and I needed help with a bad back. Every expert recommends "core strengthening" to improve back pain, so this program was a natural fit. It starts with a great stretching routine. It then incorporates an exercise ball routine, pilates, plyometrics, and weight training. The conclusion is a massage and stretching routine. Verstegen has created a complex program which is not for beginners (try Body for Life first). His workout routine work sheets are hard to follow. I did think the exercises can be learned from the pictures shown without the CD-ROM.
Pros:
1. Fun intense workout program with a fresh outlook
2. Good way to learn Pilates and core strengthening if you hate Denise Austin
3. Definitely will strengthen weaknesses you didn't know you had
4. It gives this white boy hope he can run fast and jump high again and get buff in the process
Cons:
1. A lot to learn for a newbie
2. Lots of exercise equipment you might not own (foam roll, exercise ball, resistance bands, hurdles, step, yoga strap, pull up bar, more if you really get into it)
3. May take more time to learn the exercises and workout than you have
4. Strange terminology and abbreviations create confusion (e.g. cardio is called ESD, energy system development, stretching is AIS, active-isolated stretching, and more) I don't know what personal issues made Verstegen rename normal stuff, but it becomes intimidating and weird.
Good luck. Despite the cons I do think it's a well developed program. I hope you enjoy the program like I do.
A good Start September 30, 2005
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I liked the Core Performance, it takes you to a different level of training when your workouts become stale.If you have been training for a while you will enjoy using some of the exercises in this book like the spider pushup or the bending over at the waist and holding your hands under your toes stretch.These exercises are a step up from other froms of body weight exercises. The other exercises in the book are basic and easy to follow. The author really focus on advance exercisers who have been training for a while.
 Take a closer look August 19, 2005
3 out of 22 found this review helpful
I've read through Mark's book and agree with the fundamentals of training, but I think everyone reading this book should evaluate two things: (1) Mark has courted Nomar since his years at Georgia Tech... riding any kind of success as his own (shame on you), (2) Exactly how well has Verstegen's training proved beneficial to a consistently injured Nomar. There is a fine line between peak performance and injury... Verstegen is riding that line a little too closely don't you think. P.S. Are all of these principles "new" or "recycled" from leading experts in the field? Give credit where credit is due Verstegen.
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