A terrific companion to Gretchen Reynolds's New York Times bestseller THE FIRST 20 MINUTES, this Penguin Special features new material and a wealth of perscriptive insight for those looking to get in shape, stay in shape, or push themselves even farther. The First 20 Minutes Personal Trainer offers detailed advice and instruction on how to exercise, how not to exercise, and what to do in order to get the most from your workout.

The New York Times bestseller that explains how groundbreaking scientific discoveries can help each of us achieve our personal best Every week, Gretchen Reynolds single-handedly influences how millions of Americans work out. In her popular New York Times column, she debunks myths, spurs conversation, and stirs controversy by questioning widely held beliefs about exercise. Here, Reynolds consults experts in a range of fields to share paradigm-shifting findings that were previously only available in academic and medical journals, including: · 20 minutes of cardio is all you need (and sometimes six minutes is enough) · Stretching before a workout is counterproductive · Chocolate milk is better than Gatorade for recovery Whether you’re running ultramarathons or just want to climb the stairs without losing your breath, The First 20 Minutes will show you how to be healthy today and perform better tomorrow.

The former Biggest Loser star and celebrity trainer presents a high intensity workout and eating plan that delivers big results in just 20 minutes a day. From his days as a trainer on The Biggest Loser, Bret Hoebel knows that when people log hours on a treadmill, they’ll lose weight. But he also knows that most of his clients don’t have the schedule or the desire to spend that much time at the gym. And the truth is—the number of minutes you spend working out isn’t the key to weight loss: intensity is. Time and again, Brett meets clients who’ve been making the same mistakes—not only are they focused on the clock, but they’re also concentrating on fat burn and pounds lost as markers of success. And with a fat-first focus on losing weight, plateaus come quickly and often. But it’s not about fat, it’s about muscle. In The 20-Minute Body, Brett explains why the key to long-term weight loss is building muscle. The more lean muscle your body has, the more calories your body will burn at rest. Metabolic muscle is the secret to fast metabolism. And all you need is 20 minutes a day to create it. Additionally, when you focus on inches, not pounds, you’ll find that you fit into your clothes better and love the shape of your body. Weight is misleading—muscle weighs more than fat, but it takes up far less room. So throw away the scale and invest in a tape measure to track your success. The 20-Minute Body will help you lose 20 inches—from around your stomach, hips, thighs, and arms—in just 20 days. All it takes is 20 minutes of exercise, paired with 20-minute meals that are focused on nutrient quality, not calorie counts. Brett offers readers sample meal plans and recipes for meals, snacks, and desserts the whole family will love—all of which can be thrown together in 20 minutes or less.

Finally, the solution to the #1 reason we don’t exercise: time. Everyone has one minute. A decade ago, Martin Gibala was a young researcher in the field of exercise physiology—with little time to exercise. That critical point in his career launched a passion for high-intensity interval training (HIIT), allowing him to stay in shape with just a few minutes of hard effort. It also prompted Gibala to conduct experiments that helped launch the exploding science of ultralow-volume exercise. Now that he’s the worldwide guru of the science of time-efficient workouts, Gibala’s first book answers the ultimate question: How low can you go? Gibala’s fascinating quest for the answer makes exercise experts of us all. His work demonstrates that very short, intense bursts of exercise may be the most potent form of workout available. Gibala busts myths (“it’s only for really fit people”), explains astonishing science (“intensity trumps duration”), lays out time-saving life hacks (“exercise snacking”), and describes the fascinating health-promoting value of HIIT (for preventing and reversing disease). Gibala’s latest study found that sedentary people derived the fitness benefits of 150 minutes of traditional endurance training with an interval protocol that involved 80 percent less time and just three minutes of hard exercise per week. Including the eight best basic interval workouts as well as four microworkouts customized for individual needs and preferences (you may not quite want to go all out every time), The One-Minute Workout solves the number-one reason we don’t exercise: lack of time. Because everyone has one minute.

Building muscle has never been faster oreasier than with this revolutionary once-a-weektraining program In Body By Science, bodybuilding powerhouse John Little teams up with fitness medicine expert Dr. Doug McGuff to present a scientifically proven formula for maximizing muscle development in just 12 minutes a week. Backed by rigorous research, the authors prescribe a weekly high-intensity program for increasing strength, revving metabolism, and building muscle for a total fitness experience.

Ditch the gym! It’s not about how long you exercise—or where—but about the type of moves you do. Bowflex Fitness Advisor Tom Holland introduces micro-workouts for optimal health that will help you achieve the body you want. Does the prospect of spending long hours at the gym deter you from exercising? Tom Holland has a much better approach: “excessive moderation” utilizing manageable micro-workouts that provide maximum, long-term results by engaging your full body, elevating your heart rate, accelerating physical conditioning, and increasing circulation and energy. They’re perfect for the busy people who don’t have time for the gym and want to exercise when, where, and for however long they want. In The Micro-Workout Plan, Tom shares the knowledge he’s gained from 30 years in the fitness industry, debunks myths, explains why micro-workouts succeed, and offers a motivating, manageable method for fitness well-being. He provides actionable steps with 30 5-minute mix-and-match micro-workout routines: just two to four 5-minute micro-workouts a day done whenever and wherever you want will target your whole body and help you achieve the daily activity required for optimal health. Plus, there’s a step-by-step photographic section of 80 exercises teaching proper form. With this book in hand, you can ditch the gym and get the same experience at home.

Unlock your athletic potential and get into the best shape of your life with Krista Stryker’s HIIT and bodyweight workouts—all of which can be done in just minutes a day! If you’ve ever thought you couldn’t get results without spending hours in the gym, that you’d never be able to do a pull-up, or that it’s too late to get in your best shape ever, The 12-Minute Athlete will change your mind, your body, and your life. Get serious results with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts that can be done in just minutes a day. Give up the excuses and learn to use your own bodyweight and a few basic pieces of portable equipment for short, incredibly effective workouts. Reset your mindset, bust through mental blocks, and set meaningful goals you’ll actually accomplish. You can finally ditch the dieting and enjoy food as fuel with simple eating guidelines to the 80/20 rule. In The 12-Minute Athlete you’ll also find: –A guide to basic calisthenics and bodyweight exercises for any fitness level –Progressive exercises to achieve seemingly “impossible” feats like pistol squats, one-arm push-ups, pull-ups, and handstands –More than a dozen simple and healthy recipes that will fuel your workouts –Two 8-week workout plans for getting fitter, faster, and stronger –Bonus Tabata workouts –And so much more! The 12-Minute Athlete is for men and women, ex-athletes and new athletes, experienced athletes and “non-athletes”—for anyone who has a body and wants to get stronger and start living their healthiest life.

"The New York Times "Phys Ed" columnist counsels casual and serious exercisers on the latest understandings about the mental and physical aspects of a fitness program, sharing recommendations for current "best practices" for a range of goals."

This books is "the most comprephensive and authoritative resource for you as a personal trainer, whether you are a newcomer to the field or have a well-established business. The book is truly a complete resource - it's full of information about working with clients and designing programs, and it's a practical guide to all aspects of the personal training business. .... [It] will help you in all aspects of your profession: learn applicable information on fitness testing and assessment ; identify your clients' goals and create fitness tests specifically for them ; learn how to develop cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training programs ; properly train and help special populations ; understand the business side of personal training, including marketing yourself as a trainer, getting and retaining clients, and learning time management ; learn how to expand your business." - back cover.