Hardcore Bodybuilding: A Scientific Approach [Paperback]

Fred Hatfield is indeed one of the clearest thinking writers in the iron game and I think that intermediate level weight lifters in particular will appreciate the information in this book. However, I will say that his website contains even more information than this book provides. From reading his website, he frequently strikes a condescending attitude toward bodybuilders, so I thought it somewhat curious that he would write a book on bodybuilding. Although overall it's a good book, I found myself wanting some parts fleshed out more. For example, how to cycle intensity isn't addressed adequately, nor is how long to rest between workouts. These are questions that intermediate weightlifters grapple with much more frequently than some problems that Mr. Hatfield discusses at length such as how to maintain a proper diet and I wished that he would've discussed those concerns in greater detail. I recommend this book, but I recommend Mr. Hatfield's website more.

I got good results with this book. Carefully following his diet and workout plans, I increased my upper arms measurement by half an inch in just 2 months. I'm not promising it will work that well for everybody, but I am one satisfied customer.

Maybe you could find all this information on the web, but because of the nature of the web, information tends to be in small articles or discussion groups and mixed in with a fair amount of misinformation, conflicting opinions, and advertising. So, I think it is best to read a few books like this one and then supplement with the internet information.

This book is not just an encyclopedia of every conceivable exercise and variation (if you want that, there are other books out there), it's not just a bunch of unrelated magazine articles shoved into a book format (there are plenty of those kinds of books too), it's not just a bunch of fluff with a picture of a grunting bodybuilder on every page (although it is adequately illustrated), and it's not just the expression of one person's bodybuilding philosophy based purely on anecdotal experiences (Hatfield has tremendous experience, but also makes every effort to modify his methods based on the latest available scientific information).

Hardcore Bodybuilding shows you how to cycle intensity, how often to work out, recovery time for different body parts, recommended exercises for different body parts, how to do the exercises, what to eat, how often to eat, how to cycle your diet to lose fat and gain muscle, how long it will take, how to estimate percentage body fat, what supplements to take, etc. You are expected to develop your own plan of attack to fit your schedule and goals, but all the concepts are there with examples to get you started.

Hatfield's honesty may scare off some people. He makes no bones about how hard it is to be successful at bodybuilding with no drugs and does not promise over-night success. If you are not willing to put in a significant amount of time and effort, you may not be satisfied with his approach. On the other hand, he does present work out plans for beginner-to-intermediate bodybuilders too, so you can grow into it. However, that is not the focus of this book.

The book could stand some updating. For example, the author promotes the use of aspirin during training, but recent studies suggest aspirin (and other similar pain killers) may inhibit protein synthesis. Also, Hatfield recommends not eating immediately before or after a workout since this supposedly inhibits growth hormone. However, more recent scientific studies seem to suggest that a post-workout meal actually has the opposite affect. (This still seems to be a controversial subject on discussion forums.)

Also, I have noticed that for some reason, the book doesn't discuss neck specific exercises. I am talking about exercises using a neck harness, wrestler's bridges, or other exercises specific to the neck. I'm not talking about traps. (I think it is interesting that Hatfield includes trap exercises in his shoulder section and another famous author, Bill Pearl, puts these into the back category. Many people seems to think of them as neck muscles.) Maybe some of these neck exercises can even be dangerous and Hatfield just considers them unnecessary. However, it seems to me that a book on hardcore bodybuilding should not ignore this body part.

Don Ross's book, Muscleblasting!, refers to a technique he calls "Breakdowns", saying it was a "...variation of step-bombing... devised by Dr. Fred Hatfield and Mike Quinn..." This is essentially what Hatfield says to do for "C" workouts in his ABC system. You can read about the ABC system on Hatfield's web site, but I think it would be difficult to fully understand the system without reading this book.

Anyway, this is still an excellent book (I think one of the best on the topic). So, buy and read the book, then check the website (and/or other books) for additional guidance. Just keep in mind that science does not stand still, so even a scientific approach cannot be written in stone.

I bought this book with some reluctance because there are so many titles one the subject. However, I have read a lot of Fred Hatfield's columns in the magazine's and figured he knows his stuff to be around for as long as he has.

The book has been WONDERFUL! Dr. Hatfield makes a great case for his approach so I tried it. I have gained 16 pound of muscle in 8 months! I have been thrilled with the range of information presented in the book and thrilled with the results! I have used the information and found it to be right on, no nonsense and straight forward.

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