Photo Credit: Curt Fuehr ………………………….. Model: Jen Turnbull
To begin, this is my review on a popular fitness book: The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler with Cassandra Forsythe and workouts provided by Alwyn Cosgrove. I am a fan of Lou Schuler and really love his writing in general whether or not if its about fitness. The book is chock full of good information, and I cannot recommend it enough. I picked it up as a reference for helping women who are interested in strength training and I wanted to have a source I could point them to for further study. I have always believed that women should train like their counterparts so I believe this book is a must read for all women interested in the fitness and strength training lifestyle.
The book is comprised of three parts, here are my thoughts.
Part 1 – Behind The Cover Lines
In the beginning, god created barbells and people. He said lift them and you will grow to be strong and beautiful. So why do I only see the guys lifting heavy stuff while the girls zip away for hours on the treadmill? Lou opens up to talk about just why a woman should lift like a man. I covered this same topic in an article I wrote a few weeks ago titled You Don’t Need To Be An Oxygen Model To Have a Body Like One.
In the second chapter, The Truth About Your Muscles, Lou explains that men and women share the same exact muscle and fiber types. Anatomically, we are identical when looking at musculoskeletal make up but vastly different regarding hormonal profiles. The difference in hormone levels is exactly why a woman can train properly for as long as a male and never make the same amount of muscle mass gains. The testosterone that would make them huge and jacked just isn’t floating around in their bloodstream. Females can still build a beautiful physique with nothing but strength training – just look at the lovely ladies in Oxygen Mag. They are surely doing something right and I am positive that a sound strength program makes up a large part of their routine.
By the time I hit the third chapter, I knew this was going to be a really good and practical read.. I am glad Lou got this pertinent issue out of the way early on. Step away from the damn treadmill! He goes on to explain how lots of cardio is just not a necessity when it comes to losing fat. Of course cardio does play a role in creating a deficit sometimes but it’s definitely not the one and only way to do it. I also like the idea of cutting cardio to a minimum because it allows for optimal recovery between training sessions. It’s all a matter of your goals anyhow. I could keep going, but then you wouldn’t have a reason to buy the book.
Part 2 – You Aren’t What You Don’t Eat
The fourth, and fifth chapters cover the common dilemmas most women face when trying to build their ideal physique. The two main points Lou touches on are low calorie diets and the twisted fear of carbohydrates many in the fitness community have adopted. Many women believe that in order to keep the body fat off they must train a lot and eat very little. This will work and it will work very well for keeping the fat gain at bay, but it will not serve them one bit in their quest to resemble a goddess.
Also worth noting, Lou and Cassandra emphasize the importance of having a balanced diet; balance meaning macro nutrient structure. Too many nowadays are missing the forest for the trees. We all tend to get caught up in the latest and greatest diet. One day it’s no carbs, the next day it’s no fat, the next week its a bananas only diet. I was pleased to see they are not spouting off some of the boring old dogmas that have a 3 day shelf life. Follow the guidelines in the book, keep your diet balanced in terms of macros and the rest will fall into place.
The fifth and sixth chapters touch on keeping things simple whilst following the nutritional guidelines. There are also some meal plans as well which is always nice for variety. While I do not agree with some of the ideas about meal frequency, I feel that the information presented is very good nonetheless. I really like the way she explains the difference in macros and why they are important. Cassandra presents the importance of fish oil, mono/polyunsaturated and saturated fat, unprocessed carbs, protein and lastly, alcohol. You gotta love the Guinness and Oatmeal Stout, so drink and be merry! Seriously, the chapters on nutrition are easy to understand and more importantly, easy to apply to your busy lifestyle.
Part 3 – Resistance is Vital
Of course this is my favorite part. Take a lady, get her doing squats, deads, presses and rows and you create a walking Mona Lisa. The eighth chapter explains in brief that women have been doing some really silly things in the weight room and then suggests what they should be doing(training like a man). The rest of the book focuses on the programming, routines and different workout stages as one progresses. I was pleased to read that full body workouts were being advocated with a full days rest in between each bout of training. The exercise selection and pictorial examples are awesome to say the least and it’s always useful to have a reference of what a movement is supposed to look like.
So What Do I Think?
I think the book is a must read for any female wanting to get into strength training. The book is also very good for learning the basics of what works and what doesn’t considering all of the bad information floating around these days. For more information, check out Lou’s blog.
How many of you have read the book? Anyone on the NROL4W programs right now?
FREE copy of my No-BS Approach
to Looking Great Naked.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
You are right. Women tend to be a bit more modest than men when it comes to adding weight. You have to remember that for 90% of women this strength training stuff is going against everything they have ever heard about training to be sexy. Most are still stuck in the old dogma that floats around. This is why I love working with newbs(who listen). It’s always such a pleasure watching them progress so rapidly AND enjoying the journey to becoming a bigger, better self.
My girlfriend bought the book some months ago and is now at stage 4. It’s the first time she is actually lifting weights. I’m always a little jealous of her really good form and flexibility, but putting on more weight each time still feels weird for her. For me it’s the opposite way around. I never had a problem with lifting more weight than i could take with good form. Seems pretty common for men. As Lou says: If you were a guy, I’d say this: “Pick the weight you think you can use for the number of repititions the workout requires and then deduct 25% – for women I’m tempted to say that opposite”.
@Megan: Thanks for the comment. I know what you mean. You just have to find a way to peak interest.
Hey JC,
I just wanted to add, that I too think this is an excellent book. I really wish I knew of a tactful way to approach the woman I see time and time again using 5 pounds for every silly exercise, and of course still look the same year after year.
Oh, and nice blog.
Megan
yes, I have been lurking in your training log… I love how you mention the confidence boost it has given you.
I am frugal so I got NR at the library. But after reading it, had to buy it, and couldn’t even wait for the paperback version.
As you know I’m in the middle of Stage 6. Been doing the program since late October. What it’s done for my strength is amazing. Not to mention my confidence. I’m doing things at 42 that I couldn’t do 20 years ago. Like real push-ups. Working on a chin-up now. Improved balance and core strength too.
And it’s worth noting that I was a novice to the free weight room.
Thanks David. At least you can get some reading done at 2mph!
Aragon’s Girth Control is on the reading list currently.
Hey JC
Love your blog, a lot of good truths…scattered all over.
Still you have a “Resistance Is Vital” heading, and she is curling an 8 lber, come on!
Even if you’re Tiny Tim, how are you going to grow at all using that? It’s like people who walk 2mph on the treadmill for a half hour and say, well it is better than nothing… The only thing I guess you can’t do is muck up the form with something that light.
I look forward to you next post. Have you read Aragon’s book? I’m thinking about getting his or one of Lyles…why don’t you review the latter?
Nice gift, now just make sure she uses it.
I have just bought this book for my (girl) friend’s birthday.
Leslie: good for you. I have followed a few logs on some forums and the women following the program seem to be pleased with the workouts and the results.
I just started this workout this past week actually! I’ve owned the book for about 6 months but just never got around to starting it. I am enjoying it so far and am feeling empowered and comfortable in the weight room.
Although I read a lot, I am pretty selective about what I will recommend. This happened to be a book I thought would be very beneficial to all women interested in fitness. Lots of girls I see in the gym are doing a lot silly exercises that are not doing too much for their physique. Hopefully this review will point those who are spinning their wheels in the right direction.
I’ve never been interested in buying a book for fitness advice, but this looks like a must read. I can appreciate the “out of the box” thinking both you and the book present. Thanks.