Video Fitness

Workouts for Dummies

by Tamilee Webb

I scanned through this book without reading it in depth because it contains a lot of basic information that I already knew. This is a great book for someone new to working out; someone who is lookin for ideas on how and why to work out. I'll merely summarize the contents of the book here:

  • Getting motivated to work out.
  • Balancing your life: family, work, exercise.
  • Choosing workout clothes, shoes, etc.
  • Warming up, cooling down, stretching. Lots of diagrams of stretches for various muscles.
  • Preventing injuries; knowing when to quit.
  • Body Types and workouts for different body types. Cardio vs. strength for different body types.
  • Personalizing a workout program. Resting heart rate; target HR zone; body fat measurement techniques; measuring your strength and cardiovascular fitness.
  • Lots of exercises shown; how to pick some for each muscle group and put together a routine. Sets vs. reps; choosing a weight.
  • Cardiovascular exercise. Benefits. Low vs. high impact. Muscles used in various cardio activities. Calories burned.
  • Suggested programs for walking, jogging, biking and swimming.
  • Deconditioned vs. conditioned exercisers. Recommended sets, reps, weights.
  • Upper body and lower body muscle diagrams and explanations. Lots of exercises demonstrated by Tamilee.
  • Rubber Band Workout. You should mix this variable resistance-type workout with dumbbell workouts.
  • Hotel and travel workouts. SPRI ExerBar used. Strength training exercises. What to do for cardio if hotel has no gym.
  • Exercising at Work using bands and stretching to beat stress.
  • Gym workouts. How to choose a gym; machines vs. free weights; types of classes; personal trainers.
  • Workouts for Pregnancy, Seniors, Kids
  • Tamilee's 10 Favorite exercises and why (lunges, squats, tricep dips, push-ups, crunches, side leg lifts with rubber band, plies, double upper-arm curls with ExerBar, upright rows with ExerBar).
  • Tamilee's Videos
  • Tamilee's Other Video and Fitness Book Recommendations
  • Web Links

Joni O
12/29/98

This is the best exercise book I've seen so far. I've seen Firm, Kathy Smith, Buns of Steel and so forth. This workouts for Dummies is an excellent book explaining everything you need to know to get in shape. From just motivating you or giving personal tips, Tamilee is there to get you on your way. This is not just for beginners either.

Tamilee talks about body types and goes in greater detail then any book I've seen. She has meso, ecto and endo in-depth chapters talking about each body type with drawn pictures. She even has workouts for each body type as well as what sports would be good for you and also the good things about your body type. I thoroughly enjoyed these chapters because I found out a little more about myself that I wouldn't have known if I didn't read this book.

Tamilee also has a chapter of what to wear for workouts and also a chapter just on warmups and cooldowns. She shows you a stretch routine too with diagrams. She goes into detail in one chapter about Cardiovascular exercise and talks about all sorts of activities you can do. She even has a funny picture of her doing vaccuming in a section of Quick calorie burners. She has quite a sense of humor.

She then has a full Upper body workout with weights that is 2 chapters. One being Arm and Chest and one being Back and shoulders. Then the lower body chapters are divided into 4 chapters, Abs, Legs, Inner and Outer Thighs and of course those Buns! Each chapter goes in depth by giving you diagrams of the muscle your working and pictures of Tamilee doing the exercise.

Throughout the book, there are what's called, "Tamilee Says" which is personal stories or tips by Tamilee. I loved those parts! Then she has a chapter on home workouts using an exercise band. This is very informative with pictures and tips. She also has a chapter about workout at work! No excuses for no time! From Dipping at your Desk to Chair Squats to Leg Lifting at lunch, Tamilee has over 2 dozen exercises you can do at your desk using a band ect. The stretches you can do look wonderful.

She also has a chapter on working out at the gym. This talks about tips on workout machines, Free weights, fitness classes to personal trainers.

This book also has a Special workouts for Special Needs: Pregnancy, Seniors, and Kids. This was SO GREAT! She goes into detail about pregnancy and the benefits of working out. She even talks about a Super Mom named, "Mindy". Could it be Mindy Mylrea? From the Sara City video workouts? Sounds like it could be. She devotes a whole chapter to pregnancy and gives exercises that you can do while pregnant. Then she talks about Seniors and has a Senior Band workout that you can do. Then she talks about kids and workout guidelines for kids. She doesn't exclude anybody!

The next chapter is her ten favorite exercises and why you should do them. One of them is Jumping on the bed if you can believe it! She even has a chapter on her top ten workout videos and though all of them are her own video's, she doesn't exclude to have you check out other videos and lists over a dozen other videos from beginner to advanced. Finally, she shows her ten favorite fitness book and has a fitness program chart to keep you consitant.

This book is just so great! I don't think she left anything out! Each chapter has funny cartoon at the beginning which gives you a good laugh. This is a soft cover book with over 300 pages of exercise wisdom!

Instructor comments: Tamilee does an excellent job explaining each exercise as well as showing the exercise with pictures of herself doing each one. She also has diagrams of each muscle group and talks about herself throughout the workout which is neat for any Tamilee fan. Also her humor is sprinkled throughout the book.

Mandy Lee
GJamesLee@email.msn.com
2/9/00



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