The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises: Four Weeks to a Leaner, Sexier, Healthier YOU! [Paperback]

This large amply illustrated book is sure to attract attention and provides a useful visual guide to over 600 exercises, if you include all the variations of single exercises. The 'call-outs' and side notes are especially interesting and informative.
However, this text is almost an exact copy of the version written a year earlier for men (The Men's Health Big Book of Exercises). In fact with the exception of changing the pictures to a woman and a few lines of text modified, the books are identical, to the page.
To my thinking, it's sort of like cheating as the text and the included exercises are not specifically for women. One thing that involvement in the fitness field for over 45 years has taught me is that although there are many similarities, there are also many differences in how women move and exercise as compared to men.
For example, most men in average condition can do a simple parallel squat and maintain some semblance of balance. Women on the other hand, tend to have great difficulty with squats, likely related at least in part, to the differences in hip shape. On the other hand, many exercises which require significant flexibility, tend to often be easier for women. In a similar fashion, exercises such as dips and chin-ups are an extra challenge for the average female.
These differences should be taken into consideration and alternate exercises suggested until the balance, strength, and familiarity can be sufficiently developed to realistically include such exercises in a routine. Actually, some women many never be able to do some of the exercises with proper form.
More attention to providing a number of simple starting routines and greater detail as to how to progress to increasingly strenuous movements, would prove extremely useful.
It's also noteworthy, that it's very unlikely that the average enthusiast will have access to the equipment required without joining a commercial gym.
In summary, this is a reasonable reference book but it's greatest potential has been diminished by taking the 'short cut' of copying a men's exercise manual and claiming it to be for women. Oh, and don't expect too much to occur in only four weeks.

There is a lot of information in the book and can be overwhelming at first but once you get an idea of what kind of workout you want it is very helpful. It gives you many variations on some of the exercises and if you want a specific kind of workout you can pick one that is pre made or one that you make up yourself.

I purchased this book after overhearing two girls at my gym talk about how great it is and then noticing how many others had it. It is exactly what I was looking for to add variety to my workouts. It is split into sections based on muscle groups, and it contains big glossy pictures showing exercises with free weights, body bar, balance ball, etc. It was the cure to my weight room boredom.