What's Inside Front Cover Acknowledgments Introduction: Your New Body Starts Here Chapter 1: The Genius of Weights Chapter 2: All Your Lifting Questions... Answered Chapter 3: The World's Greatest 4-Week Diet and Exercise Plan Chapter 4: Chest Chapter 5: Back Chapter 6: Shoulders Chapter 7: Arms Chapter 8: Quadriceps & Calves Chapter 9: Glutes & Hamstrings Chapter 10: Core Chapter 11: Total Body Chapter 12: Warmup Exercises Chapter 13: The Best Workouts For Everything Chapter 14: The Best Cardio Workouts Chapter 15: The Big Chapter of Nutrition Secrets Copyright & Credits Index Back Cover Acknowledgments I could never properly thank all of the people who have contributed in some way to The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises. But I'm particularly grateful to Steve Murphy and the Rodale family, to whom I extend my deepest appreciation for this great opportunity. David Zinczenko: Thank you for your guidance, encouragement, and support. But most of all, thank you for the idea itself. Michele Promaulayko and the Women's Health staff: I'm honored to contribute to such a great brand. The talented and tireless George Karabotsos, who instantly shared my vision and enthusiasm for what this book should look like. Stephen Perrine and the entire Women's Health Books team, with a special nod to designers John Seeger Gilman, Laura White, Elizabeth Neal, Holland Utley, and Mark Michaelson. Your efforts were heroic. Joe Heroun: The cover is outstanding. Karen Rinaldi, Chris Krogermeier, Marilyn Hauptly, Brooke Myers, and Jennifer Giandomenico, along with everyone else in Rodale Books who worked so hard to make this project happen. Beth Bischoff, Michael Tedesco, and Danelle Manthey. The photography is terrific, from front to back. Mark Haddad and Debbie McHugh: You went above and beyond. Peter Moore, Bill Phillips, Matt Marion, Bill Stieg, Matt Goulding, Jeff Csatari, Lou Schuler, and Tom McGrath: You have influenced and inspired me beyond measure. Bill Hartman: Your knowledge of training and anatomy is unsurpassed. I can't thank you enough for lending me your expertise. Rachel Cosgrove: Thanks for all the coaching on exercise technique. This book is far better because of you. Alwyn Cosgrove: I become smarter every time I talk to you. Here's hoping you never stop taking my calls. To everyone on the Men's Health editorial team: I'm lucky to work with such a talented and hard-working group of people. My friends and mentors: Craig Ballantyne, Michael Mejia, Robert dos Remedios, Joe Dowdell, Valerie Waters, Mike Boyle, Galya Talkington, Mike Wunsch, Craig Rasmussen, Alan Aragon, Stuart McGill, Ph.D., and Jeff Volek, Ph.D. Thanks for all the advice—I'm indebted to each of you. Special thanks to Jen Ator, Adam Bornstein, Maria Masters, Kyle Western, Carolyn Kylstra, Allison Falkenberry, Charlene Lutz, Mary Rinfret, Alice Mudge, Roy Levenson, and Jaclyn Colletti. There wouldn't be a book without your behind-the-scenes work. And, of course, to my wife, Jess: You are still my favorite. —A.C. Introduction: Your New Body Starts Here This book isn't about exercises. It's about results. Fast results. The kind you want on New Year's Day. And before your wedding. And when summer is just 2 weeks away. Of course, everyone knows you can’t transform your body overnight. But if you commit to the principles and plans in these pages, you can transform it for the rest of your life. Only it won’t take you a lifetime to start seeing results. It won’t even take months. No, you’ll notice the difference in just 14 days. And everything you need is in this book—from the workout that best fits your goals to the simple nutrition plan that you can start today. You see, the results you want are yours for the taking. For instance, say you want to lose your gut. Using The World’s Greatest 4-Week Diet and Exercise Plan, you can expect to lose 2 to 3 pounds of pure fat a week. That’s an inch of belly blubber every 14 days. Those size-8 jeans? You’re just a month away from a pair of 6s. Now, these numbers aren’t just made up. They’re based on new scientific research from the University of Connecticut that shows you can lose up to 10 pounds of fat per month, without feeling hungry or deprived. In the study, the scientists discovered what’s truly possible when you combine the right kind of diet with the right kind of exercise. The very same principles, in fact, that all the nutrition and exercise plans in this book are based on. The benefits don’t end with fat loss, though. The researchers found that people following the program reduced their risk for heart disease and diabetes, too. Results vary, of course, but the upshot is that the diet and workout plans in this book are powerful tools. Together, they make every second of every exercise you do count a little more than it ever has before. The cumulative effect of which is the fastest results of your life. Perhaps it’s not convincing you need, though; maybe you’re just short on time. After all, the busy lives most of us lead leave little room for long workouts. Well, that’s covered, too. You can do each of the workouts in this book in under an hour, and most take just 30 to 40 minutes. You’ll also find 10 routines that can each be completed in just 15 minutes a day, 3 days a week. These aren’t the kind of 15-minute workouts that are half as good as a 30-minute session. They’re scientifically designed to be as effective as they are efficient. So you’ll achieve the best results possible in the least amount of time. Instead of working out longer, you’ll simply be working out smarter. You’ll probably be surprised at what you can accomplish in 15 minutes. University of Kansas researchers found that these short routines can double a beginner’s strength. And they may be just as beneficial for your psyche: Unlike the average person, who quits a weight-training program within a month, 96 percent of the subjects stuck with the plan for the entire 6-month study. What’s more, the approach also boosted participants’ flab-fighting efforts beyond their workout. That’s because their bodies burned more fat for the other 23 hours and 45 minutes a day—even while they were sleeping. But these 15-minute workouts are just the start. To make this book even more useful, the world’s top trainers have provided dozens of cutting-edge plans, for just about every goal, lifestyle, and experience level. All of them promise the fast results you want. For example, if you’ve never even picked up a weight, you’ll want to try The Get-Your-Body-Back Workout from Joe Dowdell, CSCS. Joe makes his living training models, athletes, and celebrities, and has worked with such names as Anne Hathaway, Claire Danes, Molly Sims, and Kate Hudson, as well as Victoria’s Secret and Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. And the strategies he uses when designing workouts for his high-profile clientele are the same ones he employs to help you quickly burn fat, firm up, and improve your overall fitness. If your goal is to look great on the beach (or naked!), The Bikini-Ready Workout will help you flatten your stomach and tighten your butt. It’s designed by celebrity trainer Valerie Waters, who’s perfected the body-shaping workouts you’ll find here on dozens of Hollywood stars, including Jennifer Garner, Rachel Nichols, Kate Beckinsale, and Jessica Biel. Add your name to Valerie’s client list to tone your total body and feel more confident than ever. And when you’re ready to switch things up, you can Create Your Own Fat-Loss Workout, following the guidelines offered by Santa Clarita, California, performance coach Craig Rasmussen, CSCS. His plan allows you to choose your own flab-busting exercises for a personalized workout. Want to look sexier in a pair of 7s? Try The Skinny Jeans Workout from Rachel Cosgrove, CSCS, author of The Female Body Breakthrough. In a pilot study at Rachel’s gym, clients who tried the plan dropped two jeans sizes in just 8 weeks. The best part: It’s perfect for any woman, whether you’re a beginner or a long-time gym veteran. In The Hard-Body Workout, fitness model and trainer Jen Heath shows you how to tone your hips, legs, and abs, and take your fitness levels to an all-time high. But wait, there’s more! You’ll also find The Lose-the-Last-10-Pounds Workout, The Prenatal Workout, The Wedding Workout, The Time-Saving Couples Workout, The Best Three Exercise Workouts, and The Best Body- Weight Workouts—so you can burn fat and tone your body anywhere, anytime. You might call The Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises the book that keeps on giving. Giving results, that is. The fast kind.