www.snewsnet.com November 2008

The Great Kettlebell Handbook http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/13363

Kettlebells are not only the hot thing in fitness equipment, they’re also the latest subject in a series of “Great Handbooks” – concise booklets that focus on the basics of an activity or piece of equipment with illustrated exercises.

For the uninitiated, a kettlebell is basically a round lump of iron slightly flattened on the bottom so it can sit on the ground. Plus, it has a curved handle for gripping and lifting. Dating back decades to Soviet bodybuilding and training, kettlebells have been downsized in the modern age to accommodate a wider variety of body sizes and fitness levels.

With only 64 pages, this book is concise, but also crammed with so much how-to information, advice about body alignment, safety precautions, modifications, exercises and illustrations that it’s a goldmine for any kettlebell user. Even those considering a kettlebell routine can benefit since a few short pages at the front offer advice about how to choose kettlebells and different types available.

The models are fit without being intimidating and, best of all, they have superior body alignment. The book emphasizes safe use throughout and deciphers the lingo used with the routines, referring you back to the definitions and the pages they are on when they come up in the exercises. The authors also avoid the use of technical mumbo-jumbo that would be foreign to most people and useful to only trained users or instructors. That deserves a round of applause.

Shape Magazine, October 2004

tomes to get you toned (pg. 151)

Who says bookworms don't have great bodies? These new page-turners will show you how to sculpt and strengthen in no time flat.

The Great Body Ball Handbook (2004) and The Great Stretch Tubing Handbook (Productive Fitness Products, 2003; $9.00 each; 800-994-9097, productivefitness.com)

Why we love them  Both offer a no-nonsense approach to exercise, and you won't have to wade through several chapters on general fitness to get to the good stuff.

What you'll get  Each book starts with stretches and then goes right into the exercises. Complete, easy-to-understand captions, photos and tips to progress with sections color-coded by body part make these handbooks easy to navigate.

-LL

Homemakers Magazine

Good things come in small packages (pg. 82)

The following portable fitness handbooks are a wonderful addition to your exercise library. The Great Home Gym Handbook, The Great Medicine Ball Handbook, The Great Body Ball Handbook, The Great Dumbbell Handbook, and The Great Stretch Tubing Handbook (Productive Fitness Products Inc.) all have 64 pages of exercises using popular pieces of fitness equipment.

The books, sold separately, have photos, explanations for exercises, advice on stretching and safety, and sample routines. Edited by experts, they sell for $10.95 each. (Cdn.)

Call 1-888-221-8833 or visit www.productivefitness.com

-Jill Barker

by the book (pg. 155)

The Ultimate Weight Training Journal ($14.95)
(Productive Fitness Products, 1997)

Exercise and stretching descriptions and techniques, sample routines, along with nutrition advice lead off the full-year journal. Fill out the training logs to immortalize your workouts. Use nutrition optimizer pages to scrutinize your diet. This journal has it all, including a food list at the back with nutritional breakdowns.

To order call
1-888-221-8833.

Total Body Dumbbell Workout for Muscle Growth
by Mike Jespersen (pages 90-95)

"Sometimes men think that the most advanced, state-of-the-art application of exercise technology is the best application. In other words, if it isn't computerized or selectorized, it isn't worth using. When it comes to building muscle, however, this is actually quite far from the truth. For beginners and advanced lifters alike, there are precious few exercise tools that match  the simplicity and usefulness of the age-old dumbbell."