The Body Sculpting Bible For Abs: Men's Edition (ISBN 1578261341)

Not completely worthless:
Many people in the reviews have pointed out how many exercises are too advanced but lack to point out many are also too simplistic. My problems with the book is it seems to be lacking and could have included more exercises. Also theres only one intensity for most of the exercises, after you master the "harder" ones it doesnt get any harder. I find it hard to believe that someone like Jay Cutler could use this book and not lose mass to his abs.

By comparing over 10 abs books, I concluded...:
I purchased about 10 books from Amazon on abs in order to compare them. This one has fairly large print and large photos, although it does come with a DVD. For how it compares with the other books, here are my conclusions... If You Want to Trim Your Waistline: You can't trim your waistline without losing fat, and you can't lose fat around your waist without losing it everywhere (focusing on a muscle group like the abdominal muscles doesn't burn fat in that location, just a little bit of fat from everywhere on the body). So, if you want to trim your waistline, skip the ab workout books and go with a good, proven overall weight loss and fitness book like Bill Phillips' Body for Life. The Abs Diet is a similar program, but like all the Men's Health publications, it advertises a 6-week transformation, which is just a little unrealistic. Plan on more like 12-24 weeks to see really noticeable changes if you are fat. If You Want Sculpted Six-Pack Abs: If you are overweight at all, see above--you can't get a six pack while you're overweight, and you can't lose abdominal fat by doing an ab workout, so go for overall fitness. However, if you are already lean, see below. If You Want to Strengthen or Build Your Ab Muscles: If you're trying to improve for work, play, or rehab, you might consider the following books: The Body Sculpting Bible for Abs Deluxe DVD Edition contains decently up-to-date information and tells you exactly what to do and when to do it, based on a six-week fitness course. If you're looking for a similar book with more information, you can choose from The Complete Book of Abs or The Complete Book of Core Training. The Complete Book of Abs (1998) is a little out of date in terms of its dietary/nutritional recommendations, but it focuses more on exercises that develop the external abdominal muscles (the ones you see in a six-pack), including lots of variations on leg lifts, bicycle motion, and sit-ups. It will also give you more resources for creating your own program, and, if that's what you want to do, go with this one instead of The Body Sculpting Bible. The Complete Book of Core Training (2006) focuses more on the functional body core, including internal abdominal muscles, legs, etc., and includes more trendy exercises using medicine balls, exercise balls, yoga, etc. A different sort of book is Stronger Abs and Back (1997), which was written before the current fad of selling "core training," but contains the elements of core training because it gives good functional sports-focused advice. Its dietary recommendations are out of date, but it recommends a 24-week workout plan, which is much more realistic than the 6-week plans advocated by many of the other books. If You Have Back Pain: See your doctor, and if he prescribes abdominal/core strengthening, see above. My one-book recommendation: Body for Life. My two-book recommendation: Body for Life + Stronger Abs and Back. My three-book recommendation: Body for Life + Stronger Abs and Back + The Complete Book of Abs. My four-book recommendation: Body for Life + Stronger Abs and Back + The Complete Book of Abs + The Abs Diet. Hope this helps!!

Useful for everyone:
Despite the title, you don't have to be a fitness freak in order to use this book. Back pain and back disorders are very common with office workers these days, and this book offers some excellent exercises that deal with it. The book itself is about sculpting your ABS, but it acknowledges that the back is an integral part of this process. By following the exercises in this book (first the warmups and then the more strenuous ones), you can strenghten the whole of your waist area, and your back will benefit. The author stresses that the whole body must be exercised, in addition to the ABS exercises; they cannot be performed alone. This holistic approach is a valuable foundation, and continues throughout the book. It is good to have well-reasoned explanations of the theory behind the activities, along with some well-structured 14-day plans. This review is written from the point of view of someone trying to sort out his back, rather than going for a washboard figure. I have found the exercises to be very effective, even when performed lightly. Whatever your goals and physical condition, however, this book offers excellent exercises and exercise plans, which can be adopted to your needs.

the norm:
It explains a few extra things about the abs,but nothing on nutrition and the same ol,same ol on excercises,nothing special.

Don't buy it:
Do not buy this book. Its most likely you've learnt the exercises at PE class in High School. It dedicates one page on nutrition so good luck getting the abs displayed on the cover.