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Body by Science: A Research Based Program for Strength Training, Body building, and Complete Fitness in 12 Minutes a Week Paperback – December 11, 2008

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,944 ratings

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Building muscle has never been faster oreasier than with this revolutionary once-a-weektraining program

In Body By Science, bodybuilding powerhouse John Little teams up with fitness medicine expert Dr. Doug McGuff to present a scientifically proven formula for maximizing muscle development in just 12 minutes a week. Backed by rigorous research, the authors prescribe a weekly high-intensity program for increasing strength, revving metabolism, and building muscle for a total fitness experience.

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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Doug McGuff, M.D., owns the state-of-the-art personal training facility Ultimate-Exercise. He lectures on exercise science all over the world.

John Little is a columnist for Ironman magazine and the innovator of three revolutionary training protocols, including Max Contraction Training. He and his wife, Teri, own Nautilus North Strength & Fitness Centre and have supervised more than 60,000 workouts.

Learn more at www.bodybyscience.net

About the Author

Doug McGuff, M.D., owns the state-of-the-art personal training facility Ultimate-Exercise. He lectures on exercise science all over the world.

John Little is a columnist for Ironman magazine and the innovator of three revolutionary training protocols, including Max Contraction Training. He and his wife, Teri, own Nautilus North Strength & Fitness Centre and have supervised more than 60,000 workouts.

Learn more at www.bodybyscience.net

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ McGraw Hill; 1st edition (December 11, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0071597174
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0071597173
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.38 x 0.71 x 9.13 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,944 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,944 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides a clear discussion of fitness and health. It explains exercise and diet protocols that most people can follow. They find it easy to read and useful for fitness hobbyists. The exercises and techniques described in the book are effective and produce positive results. Readers mention it takes minimal time to exercise, saving them time and preventing injury. They consider the book a worthwhile purchase and say it's worth the cover price. Customers also mention that the exercises help them feel better and look better with less wear and tear. They mention losing weight and feeling more youthful.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

366 customers mention "Information quality"342 positive24 negative

Customers find the book helpful for understanding the difference between fitness and health. They appreciate the explanation of exercises and techniques, as well as the detailed descriptions of exercise and diet protocols that most people can follow. The physiology presented in this book is more extensive than what they've seen in traditional weight-lifting. The book provides an excellent source of scientific and medical information on the science of building your body to your genetics. It does an amazing job of elucidating the science to solidly make the case for committing.

"...The chapter on biochemistry was fenomenal...." Read more

"...This book has been very helpful to me as I realized when I first started working out that I was overtraining...." Read more

"...weight enthusiast trains... Plus, all of the health benefits of weight training in general, as laid out so well in this book, argue that weights,..." Read more

"...The improvements in strength and muscle tone are dramatic. I have not been injured at the gym even once in two years...." Read more

266 customers mention "Readability"246 positive20 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, with clear explanations of basic concepts. They say it's a useful resource for fitness hobbyists and a great companion to other books. The book provides hard science in an understandable format for most people.

"...This books is a great companion to the other books I mentioned but also to Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint and Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad..." Read more

"...made everything (standing, walking, doing chores around the house) easier and effortless. Many of the weird aches and pains I had went away...." Read more

"...amazed by our blood and micronutrient tests, bone scans, mental clarity...." Read more

"...Despite the criticisms, I think this is a useful book for fitness hobbyists to read...." Read more

59 customers mention "Effectiveness"55 positive4 negative

Customers find the book's exercises effective. They say it provides a foundation and proof that the exercises work. The book gives them an idea of how and why the most efficient exercise works. It seems to work great for about a year, with non-speculative results you can measure. Customers appreciate the improved efficiency in results for a lower time investment. They mention working out once a week or less, and don't have joint pain.

"...Using the protocol in this book I have seen much better results in a few weeks than what I was doing for the past two years...." Read more

"...The workouts, if done correctly, are hard, but because there is so little impact, the recovery is also very swift...." Read more

"...But in my opinion the improved efficiency in results for a lower time investment is worth the short-term pain...." Read more

"...exercise story of slow, smooth reps, smooth turnarounds, and working to muscle failure...." Read more

34 customers mention "Time efficiency"34 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's workouts effective and time-saving. They say it provides maximum results with minimal effort, using a careful pace and minimal time between sets. The exercises are described as simple and efficient, leaving them more time to read and do other activities.

"...And best of all, it takes MUCH LESS time to exercise. Just make sure you don't quit ahead of time, push it to the inroad as stated in the book...." Read more

"...Slowing down the eccentric portion, specifically, is valuable in producing optimal microtrauma, which means more lean muscle during the rebuilding..." Read more

"...The great thing about this is it's as efficient as you can get if you want to stay healthy while spending minimal time working out...." Read more

"...This is a slower program, but the progress seems to slowly accumulate. It is a bit like meditating...." Read more

26 customers mention "Value for money"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book offers good value for money. They find the arguments convincing, and the references worth the cover price. Readers mention that a small investment of time and energy can yield great benefits. However, some find it very taxing and not suitable for sleepless nights.

"...Now I learned that it is more efficient and economic to let your new muscle do the fat burning for you instead of the long chronic cardio hours...." Read more

"...It was well worth the price. P.S. Another request for the next edition...Where does the protocol stop?..." Read more

"...need I even say, promoting healthy aging, this small investment of time and energy pays enormous and disproportionately positive dividends." Read more

"...It was well worth the money...." Read more

21 customers mention "Pain level"16 positive5 negative

Customers find the exercises in the book effective for improving their appearance and feeling better without excessive wear and tear. They report hardly ever feeling sore, and are not afraid to truly experience pain. The book provides evidence for the positive effects of jogging and running, which results in more lean muscle.

"...Slowing down the eccentric portion, specifically, is valuable in producing optimal microtrauma, which means more lean muscle during the rebuilding..." Read more

"...experience, that I have eliminated tendonitis completely, and lessened joint aches to the point they're hardly noticeable, simply by plateauing..." Read more

"...They have all been very happy with these methods. They are stronger, happier, healthier and injury free." Read more

"...If you do this correctly, your muscles are literally exhausted...." Read more

15 customers mention "Weight loss"15 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the weight loss. They report losing fat, gaining muscle, and getting stronger. The exercises help them build lean body mass, allowing them to carry heavier weights without claustrophobia.

"...Yes, weights are important, especially for that last component...." Read more

"...I have hit a point now where I am adding muscle and losing a little weight. I am 56 years old, male, 5 foot three inches...." Read more

"...What I mean is if you are 20 or 30 years old and have a great body fat percentage and incredible strength and endurance and can run three marathons..." Read more

"...I've lost fat, put on some muscle and have gotten stronger...my log book shows a perfect progression...." Read more

24 customers mention "Exercise intensity"12 positive12 negative

Customers have different views on the exercise intensity. Some find it useful for those with limited time to exercise and improve strength, athletic performance, and general well-being. Others dislike the workout routines, finding them ridiculous and slow. While the exercises are short and infrequent, they still require a lot of effort. The book only starts showing exercise routines on page 71.

"...This does not mean taking time off, but means just holding steady in my training so my muscle's supporting tissues can catch up...." Read more

"...that the physiology is presented in a manner that deconstructs traditional concepts of exercise...." Read more

"...For people in Group 2, this program greatly reduces the amount of time spent in the gym while still producing the primary goal of increasing..." Read more

"...The workout is brief (15-30 minutes) and only consists of a few exercises (The Big Five)...." Read more

It won't work for everyone... and you may get hurt...
2 out of 5 stars
It won't work for everyone... and you may get hurt...
I don't usually review these sorts of publications, but in this case more needs said.This program will work for some people, but it won't work for everyone.You need to know why and what to do about it.There is a relationship between results and frequency of training. Studies of frequency, volume and intensity show (e.g. Wernbom et al) that novice lifters in general get best results training about 4 days a week, more experienced lifters get better results with 2 to 3 days.That's the tip of the iceberg. One intense session a week works for some part of the genetic pool, but others require more frequent stimulation (up to 5-6 times a week) for hypertrophy to occur. If you search the subject of "exercise non-responders" you will find that a fat percentage of the general population (pun not intended, but accepted) simply does not get enough stimulation to have real results from one, two, or even in some cases three sessions a week.The more times a person exercises per week, the more likely they are to get results.When study populations exercised 4-5x a week, there were NO non-responders.This is a fancy way of saying one short hard hit at the gym, per week, will do it for some folks, but won't do a darn thing for others.You might have recovery and growth potential like Wolverine, and a hormone profile like the Hulk (natural or injected), and once a week is all it takes for you to grow like a weed. Lucky you! - and of course, you'd post a 5 star review....but...If you're Joe or Jane Average - you need more growth stimulus than a few minutes of total pain once a week, and the more stressed your lifestyle, the older you get, the worse you sleep, the harder it is to recover and grow from an all-out abuse fest.If that's you, then you need to spread your training out into small bite size chunks at a reduced intensity, and find out how many hits it takes per week to get you growing. A few minutes once a week is wishful thinking if you lost the genetic lottery...So, some folks will grow on this program, others will have to put in more sessions a week to move the dial.Lastly - even for those who do grow on this program - strength of muscle will tend to increase faster than tendons and cartilage, which need the higher volume of training. That is one reason several posters mention injury.So, to sum it up, it's a long winded presentation of an idea that sounds too good to be true.Recommended reading for the scientifically inclined (I have no financial ties to any of these):Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy, SchoenfeldThe Poliquin Principles, Charles PoliquinScience and Practice of Strenght Training, Vladimir M. Zatsiorsky
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2012
    This books was recommended by a friend on who I have seen notable changes in the past two years. Since I am an engineer and I tend to look on the scientific explanation on why things work, I gave this a try. This is the first fitness book that I've read that really explains why your movements and your diet are working to create muscle and strength. Not only why but how to perform the movements and what NOT to eat to achieve the results. I was tired of reading books that tell you just how many reps and sets to perform without any scientific backup. I was always suspicious on how they came to those numbers and why it would work for everybody given each one is different. The chapter on biochemistry was fenomenal. Everything I learned on highschool's biology class came to mind immediately and made so much sense.

    Since I don't have access to the Nautilus machine and I hate paying gym fees, I follow the HIT Super Slow protocol on plain body weight. I use other books as reference, like Convict Conditioning and You Are Your Own Gym. This way I can perform the exercises increasing the difficulty depending on my results. Of course it would be easier just to add weight on the machine but I much rather use my own weight which seems more natural. The only pieces of equipment I use are a medicine ball, a pair of small dumbbells and a door bar, all easily available for less than 60 bucks.

    Using the protocol in this book I have seen much better results in a few weeks than what I was doing for the past two years. And best of all, it takes MUCH LESS time to exercise. Just make sure you don't quit ahead of time, push it to the inroad as stated in the book. Now I learned that it is more efficient and economic to let your new muscle do the fat burning for you instead of the long chronic cardio hours.

    I have to be honest and tell you that this is not the only thing I am doing for my health. This books is a great companion to the other books I mentioned but also to Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint and Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories. I am on a low carb diet, more like a Paleo diet and I am also doing HIIT once a week. I try to vary my HIIT as on sprints, elliptical and rowing. It takes another 12 minutes of HIIT once a week. 3 minutes warmup, then 8 intervals of 30 seconds intensity and 30 rest, and cool down.

    So my whole fitness regime is HIT Super Slow (as in Body by Science) bodyweight strength training, 12 minutes every 5 days and I insert a HIIT (sprint, elliptical or row) in between those 5 days, giving a rest day in between HIT and HIIT. Also following a Paleo diet, and it is working much better than the chronic cardio and my strength routines I used to do for over the past two years.

    Forget the grains, forget the sugar, forget the long training hours of chronic cardio. Do your HIT Super Slow, your HIIT sprints, and have more active fun the rest of your free time.
    32 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2017
    This book is truly amazing. I have been doing Spinning HIIT training for years until I had a baby and got out of shape. This book has been very helpful to me as I realized when I first started working out that I was overtraining. I knew I was overtraining because I had no energy after a workout and I wasn't building muscle after weeks of hard work. I followed the book's recommendations and I saw improvement in both strength and muscle tone in one week. It's important to remember that building muscle and getting into shape will take months, not weeks, and sometimes less truly is more. The workouts, if done correctly, are hard, but because there is so little impact, the recovery is also very swift. I'm so happy I found this book :)

    Update: I have been following the protocol for a little less than two months and I have increased my pulldown strength by a whopping 20 pounds! I hit a plateau after a few weeks so I let more time pass between workouts (10 days instead of 7) and I have continued to improve. I have been able to do this while caring for a very active toddler full-time. My main objective for joining the local gym was to quickly gain strength and muscle, and this book has helped me achieve my goal. Thank You Dr. McGuff :)

    One major lifestyle difference that I noticed after the first few months was that my posture had improved dramatically. This made everything (standing, walking, doing chores around the house) easier and effortless. Many of the weird aches and pains I had went away. Standing up straight with my shoulders back was effortless; my clothes looked better too.

    2nd Update: I have been following the McGuff protocol for the past seven months (6 exercises until failure, every 1-3 weeks). Here are my results:

    My first workout (that I have data from) was on 7/22/2017. The percentage differences below are based on the weight differences between my first workout and my workout on 2/17/2018.

    Seated Row: Increased strength by 50%
    Chest Press: Increased strength by 40%
    Pulldown: Increased strength by 44%
    Overhead Press: Increased strength by 50%
    Leg Press: Increased strength by 67%

    This works and I will continue to follow the protocol and post my results :)

    Update: After about a six month break from my strength training routine, I have started back up again. I became very ill for a few months (from severe morning sickness) and I'm currently five months pregnant.
    I'm curious to see how my numbers change and how frequently they change, given that I took a break and am now coming back. The book indicates that people that take breaks and come back tend to get back to their prior strength pretty quickly. I plan to strength train as long as I'm allowed (per my OB). I did my first workout back on 9/21/2018, and I started with my baseline numbers, but I maxed out in 3/5 categories (failure was after 90 seconds for each exercise). I did not max out with these weights during my first ever strength training workout, so I am stronger now than I was at baseline, but not by much. I will not increase the weights for a week, to let my body adjust to weight lifting again, but I will post results as time goes on.
    132 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Hugh Janus
    5.0 out of 5 stars Probably THE best book ever written on building strength and losing fat.
    Reviewed in Canada on October 10, 2018
    I'm a big fan of strength training books. I have many. This is probably the best out there and in fact numerous books that I have all point back to this book when they want to explain the science. If you want to argue with your friends about the science behind strength training and fat loss then this is the book to get. I always wondered why Personal Trainers and Fitness mags would tell you one thing when basic science pointed in another direction. Get a BioChemistry book from any University Library and compare it to any book from any of the big Personal Training organisations and you'll see that the non university books seem to dismiss the science - and in fact get it wrong so many times. THIS book is one of the few in my library that follows the actual science. The book is awesome and the training regimen works. No fluff. If you want to get strong and lose fat and also want to know the science of why what you are doing works then get this book.
  • george kozma
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great for serious training
    Reviewed in France on January 2, 2020
    Great book if you want to become efficient in your training wether your a beginner or advanced athlete, young or old
  • Amit Gupta
    5.0 out of 5 stars Read it for a good health not for strength
    Reviewed in India on July 14, 2019
    Not for strength but for diabetes and cv issues
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    Amit Gupta
    5.0 out of 5 stars Read it for a good health not for strength
    Reviewed in India on July 14, 2019
    Not for strength but for diabetes and cv issues
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  • haginodai sensei
    5.0 out of 5 stars 20 minutes oncea week? What's not to like?
    Reviewed in Japan on November 5, 2017
    A well put together book. Rather technical in places, but the non-scientifically minded can skip over those bits, tho the descriptions of cell activity are amazing and a reminder of just how wonderfully complex and beautifully made the human body is.

    There are 5 core exercises and if you do them to failure as recommended, you get a good cardio workout as well (tho be sure to read the bit where the author explains that there's no such thing as cardio!). It's best to use machines for these exercises, as that is safer (do overhead presses to failure with dumbells and you could brain yourself!) and also you can easily increase or decrease the weights to suit. I've been doing this HIT for nearly 2 months now, once a week. So far, it takes me 7 days to recover. I'm slowly increasing the weights until I find my limit. I'm 60 years old, so I'm looking to slow down muscle loss and if at all possible reverse it, rather than building a body-builder's physique.
  • Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely fascinating.
    Reviewed in Australia on March 21, 2018
    Details the science behind gaining muscle and losing weight in a very readable fashion. Helps you understand why a lot of commonly recommended ideas don't work and how to tweak them so they do. Also explains why your body reacts the way it does from an evolutionary standpoint. If you care about your long term health, you need to read this book.