The potential usefulness of this book has in my view been spoilt by poor quality, badly labelled photos and illustrations.
Having just started a YMCA Fit Gym Instructor course, I was delighted to find a fitness instructor book aimed at the UK market and specifically at the fitness industry level 2(my course) and level 3 qualifications.
The author, Morc Coulson, clearly knows his stuff as a senior lecturer and programme leader for sport and exercise science at the University of Sunderland, but, assuming he left production of the photos and illustrations to the publisher, he has been badly let down by them.
It was disappointing to find almost all the photos in my copy (and these are black and white only) were very dark with little contrast. It was virtually impossible to see the subjects carrying out the exercises against the often equally dark equipment and backgrounds.
On looking closer at the book, there are more glaring and worrying errors, for example:-
There are 2 sets of 3 photos, labelled a to c, to illustrate the correct postures for standing and sitting. In every one of the 6 descriptions, the letter given identifies the wrong photo (the "back too straight" description may refer you to the "too curved" photo, and "too flat" to the "correct posture" photo, and so on). I for one would not want my posture assessed by someone who had learnt from this book!
The diagram of the full skeleton shows the clavicle (collar bone) as an unbroken loop curving around the shoulder, over the top of the scapula (shoulder blade) and joining seamlessly with its inner edge (the one nearest to the spine) - (!!!) - At least there is a correct diagram on the facing page showing a joint between the two bones on the tip of the shoulder - but the student should not have to read the text to find out which is correct!
A diagram of the spine indicates that there are 7 thoracic vertebrae when there should be 12. OK - so it's a technicality - you could count them, but it makes you wonder what else is incorrect in the book.
The list of errors, unfortunately, goes on.
The book should have been properly proof-read to ensure it can be relied upon by the student. This is after all intended as a reference work for level 2 and level 3 fitness training qualifications.
Either the publisher was slap-dash, or the author was . . .
. . . In either case, I cannot recommend this book.