Anyone tried Racheal Gosgrove's Book

TennVolsGal

Hey guys I just ordered this book and I was wondering if anyone else has followed the plan in the book:
The Female Body Breakthrough: The Revolutionary Strength-Training Plan for Losing Fat and Getting the Body You Want

I would love to hear your opinions and how things went! Thanks!!

Azdak

Overall, I think you will like this. Cosgrove is several levels above someone like Jilian Michaels and most of the other "faux" celebrity "trainers" out there.

My biggest problem with Cosgrove is her over reliance on high intensity training. It may be that in this book she provides a more graduated program for getting yourself in shape to do the harder workouts, but in general the programs I have seen her describe in the past have been, IMO, a little unbalanced.

But I think she will give you a lot of good, common sense advice and she is focused on "performance" not just showing off.

TennVolsGal

Thanks will keep that in mind as I read it....her information about cardio workouts not being all that great for fat loss is what I'm really focusing on. I find her ideas about this interesting.

TennVolsGal

Bump

backinthenines

Don't have this one but have a copy of the "New Rules of Lifting for Women" which I rate.

RunHardBeStrong

Sorry I have not read the new book but I love the original Female Body Breakthrough and have learned to not be afraid of lifting weights, once I started lifting weights is when I really noticed major changes in my fat loss. It was easy to follow and full of great info. I would assume her new book should exceed the first! Good Luck!!!

TennVolsGal

Sorry I have not read the new book but I love the original Female Body Breakthrough and have learned to not be afraid of lifting weights, once I started lifting weights is when I really noticed major changes in my fat loss. It was easy to follow and full of great info. I would assume her new book should exceed the first! Good Luck!!!

Awesome thats what I'm looking for a boost in fat loss....so excited to get it Thanks!

Azdak

Thanks will keep that in mind as I read it....her information about cardio workouts not being all that great for fat loss is what I'm really focusing on. I find her ideas about this interesting.

and IMO, that 's the area where she unfortunately becomes a little myopic and ideological--which is not always to your benefit.

The biggest trap for anyone giving fitness advice is that you think that the style of training you enjoy is automatically best for everyone. And I think she falls into that trap. I think she reacts to a stereotyped view of cardio workouts that leads her to overgeneralize. And I think that, in a attempt to be "revolutionary" she relies a little too much on "trendy" fitness ideas that may not be the best choice for everyone.

Certainly if all one is doing is steady-state cardio, then, yeah, this book will jump start your program. But that is not "proof" that cardio is not great for fat loss.

backinthenines

Certainly if all one is doing is steady-state cardio, then, yeah, this book will jump start your program. But that is not "proof" that cardio is not great for fat loss.

I agree.

Judging by my gym a lot of people only ever do steady state cardio. It's so rare to see someone doing intervals or really push themselves for any real length of time. I'm talking about cardio machines not things like spin classes. You often see more effort there. But in terms of the average elliptical user I hardly see anyone outside their comfort zone and I think there is a real obsession (and misinterpretation) of the "fat burning zone" some people never want to get out of.

TLW77

bump

TennVolsGal

Certainly if all one is doing is steady-state cardio, then, yeah, this book will jump start your program. But that is not "proof" that cardio is not great for fat loss.

I agree.

Judging by my gym a lot of people only ever do steady state cardio. It's so rare to see someone doing intervals or really push themselves for any real length of time. I'm talking about cardio machines not things like spin classes. You often see more effort there. But in terms of the average elliptical user I hardly see anyone outside their comfort zone and I think there is a real obsession (and misinterpretation) of the "fat burning zone" some people never want to get out of.

Noticed this too....I do several classes, Zumba and Cardio Kickboxing....what do you guys think about these classes in terms of following the book?

TennVolsGal

Bump

jturnerx

Thanks will keep that in mind as I read it....her information about cardio workouts not being all that great for fat loss is what I'm really focusing on. I find her ideas about this interesting.

and IMO, that 's the area where she unfortunately becomes a little myopic and ideological--which is not always to your benefit.

^^This.

I'm an endurance athlete (making the leap to ultra distances with my first 50 miler in April) wanting to incorporate strength training into my program. Reading her views of steady state cardio makes me want to stick my head through a wall. I look at the work outs to give me ideas that I can apply to myself and ignore anything she has to say about cardio. I'd rather get my fat loss information from someone like Lyle McDonald.

Azdak

Thanks will keep that in mind as I read it....her information about cardio workouts not being all that great for fat loss is what I'm really focusing on. I find her ideas about this interesting.

and IMO, that 's the area where she unfortunately becomes a little myopic and ideological--which is not always to your benefit.

^^This.

I'm an endurance athlete (making the leap to ultra distances with my first 50 miler in April) wanting to incorporate strength training into my program. Reading her views of steady state cardio makes me want to stick my head through a wall. I look at the work outs to give me ideas that I can apply to myself and ignore anything she has to say about cardio. I'd rather get my fat loss information from someone like Lyle McDonald.

Lyle does a good job of sorting things out and cutting through the BS. I don't know if he was specifically referring to the Cosgroves when he made a comment about the "rabid and myopic" proponents of HIIT, but I certainly thought it was apt.

RunHardBeStrong

Certainly if all one is doing is steady-state cardio, then, yeah, this book will jump start your program. But that is not "proof" that cardio is not great for fat loss.

I agree.

Judging by my gym a lot of people only ever do steady state cardio. It's so rare to see someone doing intervals or really push themselves for any real length of time. I'm talking about cardio machines not things like spin classes. You often see more effort there. But in terms of the average elliptical user I hardly see anyone outside their comfort zone and I think there is a real obsession (and misinterpretation) of the "fat burning zone" some people never want to get out of.

Noticed this too....I do several classes, Zumba and Cardio Kickboxing....what do you guys think about these classes in terms of following the book?

That's funny those are the same classes I do in conjunction with the book!! And it's working for me!!! I do add in some HIIT thru my Turbo Fire but only once or twice a week.