American College of Sports MedicineRecensioni

The American College of Sports Medicine Complete Guide to Fitness & Health is indeed a very complete guide given the constraints of writing for a layman audience. The emphasis is on the whole of the body, digestion, exercise, rest, hydration, stress. When it comes to actual exercises they are varied with explanations for flexibility, aerobics, resistance. There are plenty of illustrations and examples of how to live healthily. If nothing else, it could displace practically any other get fit quick epistles so popular near the magazine racks.

I got this book by mistake but was happy I got it. I have fibromyalgia and this book really made me look at things differently. It is a complete guide. It gives so much information and is very helpful. It has a variety of information that you will not really need any other book.½

I was surprised when I received this book in the mail. It was not the type of book I was expecting to review. The description given of this book seemed as though it was going to be a book of what to expect if you were going into a field with exercise as your goal. It was however a very useful resource for if you want to know the inner workings of all aspects of exercise and fitness. It also has a nutrition section that I found to be helpful in knowing your body and feeding your body a healthy diet.

I believe this book would make a useful tool for someone who wants to go into the field of a nutritionist, physical therapist or similar field.

The title says it all: "Complete Guide". This is one of the most well written and accessible books on fitness and health that I've had the privilege of reading. It is concisely written and geared toward a larger audience, with something for everyone. The pictures, illustrations, and charts are clear and comprehensible, and I felt motivated to 'get on board' just be reading it. No coercing, no shaming, just a simple underlying message: "this is what a healthy lifestyle looks like. It's easy. Why don't you give it a try?"

I've read a lot of books on health, and this one easily surpasses them all. Easily worth the money spent. A worthwhile investment in your health that will bring continued and very real dividends.

The ACSM Complete Guide to Fitness and Health does a surprisingly good job of living up to its name. A series of chapters on range of topics including fitness assessment, different types of exercise, nutrition and specific health conditions are written by a number of different specialists but come together in a cohesive whole.

Although this work is from the American College of Sports Medicine, the emphasis is not only on exercise as one might expect, but truly on whole body health for individuals of all ages. The first part of the book addresses general health and fitness, including understanding accepted fitness guidelines and chapters on nutrition and developing healthier habits; the stress here is that small changes can make a big difference in overall health. The second section focuses on exercise, with individual chapters on Aerobic Activity, Resistance Training and Flexibility and Balance. Actual exercises are presented with a variety of options; in Resistance Training, exercises are shown on weight machines, with resistance bands and with free weights. In Flexibility and Balance, a series of stretches are shown along with a chart of common stretched to avoid. The third section addresses health and fitness concerns specific to different age groups and the last section highlights coping with a number of common health concerns.

The book is beautifully presented, with many excellent photographs, illustrations, charts and sidebars, making the text easier to understand. Sprinkled throughout the chapters are sidebars titles “A Closer Look,” which are examples using a real person to explicate concepts from the text. While the ACSM Complete Guide to Fitness and Health is an excellent reference for any individual, I would also be very effective as a textbook for a Health and Fitness class, probably at the high school or college level.

This is an amazing, totally comprehensive book about starting or continuing an exercise program. It covers nutrition, starting fitness level, motivation, exercise plans, contraindications, flexibility, strength training and more. I think this book would be very valuable to anybody interested in starting or modifying their exercise program.

Ironically for a book about exercising, I think this book is great in content but is just uncomfortably heavy with all of the thick, glossy pages. It's hard to hold open. So I would suggest checking the index or table of contents first to find a few sections to read, instead of reading the entire thing cover-to-cover.½

Complete guide to fitness & health is more than an exercise guide for the physical fitness buff. It also covers basic nutrition and healthy lifestyles for children through seniors as well as persons with various physical challenges and pregnant women. The book begins by assessing your fitness and then how to get to your fitness goals from where you are at the moment. The next section discusses the differing types of exercise (aerobic, resistance, and flexibility & balance) and why it is important to have each in your exercise routine. The next section gives suggestions based on age and the final section deals with the differing conditions that may require modifications in either diet or exercise such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure and more.

The book is easy to use, printed on glossy paper with many color illustrations, tables and photographs. To make it easy to find facts, there are sidebars with important information and a closer look at the problems of various individuals and how they met their goals. There is an extensive bibliography divided by chapter in the back of the book along with bibliographical references throughout the text. Although the editor warns that the websites are only current through February of 2011, she cites quality educational and government sites which are usually stable. She is also careful to note that the advice of a doctor should be followed, especially in the chapters for persons who are ill, pregnant or older.

I was impressed with the simplicity of the directions for exercises given in the book and the excellent photographs. Since I do a physical therapy program at home and at a gym when able, I picked up many hints for proper procedures and alternatives when needed. Another important point to note is that the book need not be read from cover to cover. If someone aged 45 and suffering from high cholesterol would like to start exercising, reading the chapters of interest will give enough information to get started. Important facts are noted in pertinent chapters so they will not be missed.

This work is sponsored by the prestigious American College of Sports Medicine, a professional group dedicated to promoting health through the training of its members and including the sponsorship of books such as this. Barbara Bushman, the editor, has done an amazing job in making the book read as if written by one person. There were no glaring inconsistencies between chapters that mar many other edited works. All the contributors are experts in their fields. This is an important and needed reference book for lay persons and for professionals who want to be able to help their clients.

As someone who is approaching 50 and who would like to get a better grip on both nutrition and physical activity levels, I was delighted to read ACSM's Complete Guide to Fitness and Health. The breakout by age group is excellent, although I'd like to see some subgroups in the 18-64 range. I also liked that the exercise section was divided into aerobic, resistance, and flexibility, and that the nutrition section addressed some of the more common conditions Americans face. My biggest issue was the reference to body mass index as an accurate measure of physical fitness, as it does not take differing body types into consideration. Otherwise, I found this to be a solid, thorough guide.

The American College of Sports Medicines Guide to Fitness and Health is a great overall summary book that has value to both the new person interested in beginning a diet and exercise program and the experienced heath enthusist. With literally thousands of books written on health and fitness it's hard to find sumething that can bring together the most important elements of good health, exercise and related health issues to a broad range of people from children to seniors. This book is extremely high quality with great charts, graphs, diagrams, lots of pictures and all in full color. It also has lots of real life examples from regular people. A broad range of subjects include, resistence training, flexability, aerobics and more. Each chapter has sections on how to reach your goals. There are chapters touching on heart health, diabetes, high blood pressure, bone health, and weight management. This book would make a wonderful addition and a good read for someone looking to focus more on their personal health.

What a great reference for fitness and health. I love this book for many reasons. The American College of Sports Medicine is a credible and reputable source. The book has a lot of detailed information including charts, color illustrations, and case studies. It includes information on nutrition, exercise, medical conditions, and age-specific issues. It seems easy to use as a reference book. I don't have the technical expertise to assess the information provided, but I am going to rely on the credible source from which it comes.

I am so glad I got this through the early reviewer group. I know I will use it over time. Thank you LibraryThing!