The Physique 57(R) Solution: The Groundbreaking 2-Week Plan for a Lean, Beautiful Body

I bought this because I have been really digging barre classes and videos, but I needed something more "portable." So, when I saw that this basically describes the program, the moves, and actually gives two full-length sample workouts, I jumped at the opportunity.I consider myself very fit. I'm in the military and am one of the people who runs our command fitness because I can regularly get the maximum score on the fitness test; I've completed two half-marathons, a few Warrior Dashes, and a Tough Mudder where another military guy and I ran the whole thing. I've done P90X, I've been through Insanity, and I take boot camp classes weekly.This workout kicked my booty because it does exactly the opposite of my boot camp classes. The moves are primarily isometric and require attention to form. The authors explain the rationale behind this, and I was surprised to see how effective it was. I actually had to leave out a set of the ab work because I couldn't contract my muscles any more. The instructions for each move are very clear, but you must read through all the moves before you attempt a workout. Also, in my Kindle version, the pictures show models in black against a white background, which for the most part made the form of the move very clear.I only give it four stars because I'm not sold on the nutrition section. What they say sounds like a lot of food sounds like too little food, although I can't say I actually tried to count up the total calories. For anyone new to dieting, the meal plan definitely looks like a diet. The recipes are helpful, but not super-inspiring. They do have tips for eating out, but overall, I would rather focus on eating clean and get myself a good cookbook than eat some less-than-delicious meals. And at least for me, with as hard as this made my body work, I would need more food to build the muscle instead of just tearing down my body. But that's me.Overall, I would say buy this book for the workouts and the in-depth explanation of exercises. The bet part is that these exercises are hard but not impossible to master. I walked away from this thinking that hey, with a few weeks, I could really be beasting these exercises!

I decided to try this because I was bored with my usual routine and was looking for something more fun. I'm already pretty fit, but this was incredibly challenging - and weirdly addictive. I look forward to this workout every day, despite the fact it's a killer and definitely not for the beginner. The book gives pretty good written instructions, but the photos are hard to understand alone - I wish they had color photographs or at least, the person demonstrating the move did not wear black pants (impossible to see what is going on). The bonus DVD is terrific - a really great 30 minute workout that is tough, and it gives some good variations on moves in the book. Considering the cost of the full DVD set, this book and the bonus DVD is a real bargain and a great way to try Physique 57 without shelling out the big bucks.I've ignored the diet stuff -nothing special there. Calories in, calories out is what it is.I have to say, after 5 days on the program, I could feel the change in my body - my muscles felt different, even my posture was different. I've been at this for 2 months now, and my lower body is much more trim and toned- something years of running and rowing never achieved for me. I do not think this program is enough on its own though if you are looking to lose/maintain weight - it's really only for strength training/toning. I still do an hour of cardio and the half hour DVD on even days and a half hour of cardio and the 57 minute Physique routine on odd days, 6 days a week. It's a lot of time to exercise, but it works. I'm in my 40's but I feel fantastic these days - all my aches and pains are gone, I sleep better at night, and I've even dropped several few dress sizes. Best of all: just a few weeks of these killer thigh exercises and my bad knee is great again - after 10 years of pain. My back is great again too. I truly feel amazing.Some people have commented they hate listening to Tanya - but she sounds more like a girlfriend trying to help you cope with the incredible burn in your muscles as you try to survive whatever set you're doing. I don't mind her at all. The other instructors chatter too, I think it's just the Physique 57 way.

Overall great book and what I was looking for.I’ve been taking barre classes for about 6 months and wanted a book as a reference to remind myself how to do the exercises at home. Despite being a runner, barre workouts are still very intense exercise and I’ve found it to be the best cross training to work out the gluteus medius and minimus. This book is a nearly perfect reference for barre exercises.The studio photographs are very clear and show the different steps of the exercises. Each exercise has a dedicated page(s) with the following: muscles targeted, what props you’ll need, how to get into the pose, variations and modifications.After the section outlining the exercises in detail, there is another chapter which provides the sequencing for two full barre sessions.The authors lose a star for unfair comparisons and unrealistic diet suggestions. They tell us how superior barre workouts are to other forms of exercise because running will only burn 100 calories per mile, and a Physique 57 program can burn up to 650 in an hour (p. 8). Well, sure, but I can run 7 miles in an hour, so the comparison falls apart. Who runs just one mile and says, “OK, did my exercise for the day.”? In the diet section, they write,  “Soon it’s incredibly easy to stay within an ideal range of fourteen hundred to sixteen hundred calories a day.” (p. 194) This is far too oversimplified (nothing about calculating ideal caloric intake based on height and current weight), and completely incorrect for athletes.

Great book I love all the exercises in this book very different from the usual gym stuff I find this harder and a lot more interesting its a mix of pilates and callanetics the DVDs are brilliant thank you for a great not boring but fun routine

Very interesting book. I prefer to exercise to the dvd rather than exercises in the book. Didnt like the diet in book though.

I've taken several classes at Physique 57 in New York and bought this book to help me breakdown the poses now that I can no longer go into the studios. Great purchase as well as I really enjoy the diet plan. Looking forward to fully committing to it as my New Year's Resolution.

Top Übungen, überall ohne Hilfsmittel durchzuführen. Danach hat man richtig übel Muskelkater an ungeahnten Stellen. DIe Übungen sehen so leicht aus, haben es aber gewaltig in sich. Mir gefällt auch die amerikanische bzw.New Yorker Haltung im Text, dieses Leisten wollen und schön sein wollen, auch wenn ich das Kritische daran ebenfalls sehen kann.Leider kam das Buch aus den USA etwas zerdellt an, es muss mindestens einmal geworfen und runtergefallen sein. Zu den Übungen legt man es aber ohnehin vor sich hin und muss auch etwas auf die Seiten legen, sonst klappen sie zu, von daher macht das nichts. Das Englisch geht auch, ein paar Vokabeln für Körperbezeichnungen (zB. Palm - Innenhand) musste ich nachschauen, aber kein Problem.Auf Youtube kann man auch einige Übungen sehen, beides zusammen führt jetzt zu "Speck weg" und "schöne Muskeln her". Mir war wichtig, nicht wie ein Bodybuilder auszusehen, sondern schöne feine Muskeln zu entwickeln. Besonders die Arm und Beinübungen sind beachtlich, man kann sie überall machen, den ganzen Tag.

My partner wanted this book for the exercises. She has exercised every day for the last ten years or so and wanted a fresh approach to them. On this basis I can only say that this book is rubbish. She found the exercises too complicated and difficult to follow.However at the back of the book, almost as an afterthought, there is a diet plan which she decided to follow and which I supported her by joining in. Now I have in the past followed some of her diet plans ranging from only eating if there is an r in the day to eating exclusively roasted cabbage on a bed of camel dung.Needless to say I have a slightly cynical approach to diets.Surprisingly the diet plan in this book is surprisingly easy to follow, tasty recipes and a wide variety of foods without any silly or faddish requirements, and more importantly it works. It works so well that be both have lost those few extra pounds and have carried on with the spirit of the meal plans as they are satisfying and easy to maintain.I have been so impressed that I have bought further copies to give away to others.So forget the exercises and pursue the diet plan at the back of the book which is marvellous.