The Truth
When it comes to physical fitness and nutrition, it’s all so confusing. Which “experts” should you believe? What programs should you follow? What and when should you eat? Is weight training really necessary for getting in shape? The exhausting information overload in this area has never been more contradictory, confusing, and even dangerous.
Well, this is the book that can clear up all that confusion and conflicting information! The training tips and philosophy presented her by world-renowned bodybuilder Frank Sepe will reveal everything you’ve ever needed to maximize your body’s full potential.
Stating the truth is harder to deliver than it may seem at first. Imagine the answers the truth will unlock: The truth about training techniques. The truth about nutritional information. The truth about women and training. The truth about cardio’s effects. The truth’s real power—indeed, its very effectiveness—lies in its sheer simplicity.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Sepe stands for “genius” in another language
Frank Sepe bills this book as the only fitness book you’ll ever need. While I doubt that the book is that good…it’s certainly more complete than any other single book I’ve read. And believe me, I’ve read tons. Almost everything by Gunnar Peterson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stalone, Charles Staley, Pavel Tsatsouline, Mike Mahler, Weider, etc., etc., etc. In total the number is probably close to 50 or 60 books. This is by far the most complete, accurate, and information dense book I have read in the past decade.
Mr. Sepe covers everything from fitness myths, why one should exercise, muscular conditioning, cardio, and nutritional advice. He gives you step-by-step plans which, and this is the great thing, are completely modular. These plans take you from step 1, a complete beginner, to step 5 or professional bodybuilder. The nutritional information is in-depth, the workout routines, while being standard, are exceptionally modular and adptable to each individual, and his desire not to pull any punches has created a phenomenal book that anyone interested in improving their health should have on their night-stand. The only other book that comes close is Scrawny to Brawny by Berardi and Mejia, but that book is limited because it focuses only on those who wish to bulk up. Sepe manages to show you a plan that can work no matter what your goal (obviously you have to tweak it, but he also shows you how).
5 Stars AWESOME BOOK! Two Thumbs Up!
I have read a ton of books on bodybuilding and have learned alot, but after I read this book by Frank Sepe, “The Truth” I said to my wife that this was the best book I have ever read on bodybuilding. After reading all the previous bodybuilding books all I ever got was just a tidbit of information or was not explained well enough to understand.
Frank’s book had it all, strenth training, cardio, and nutrition and was explained very well. If I had of read this book years ago I would be so much farther ahead in my fitness goals. I was so impressed that I even bought two additionial copies and sent to my brother and mother in Seattle, Washington.
Kevin
5 Stars A must read; really brings you back to core issues!
When you read this book your not going to see emphases on meal recipes or very specific workout routines. Instead, Frank Sepe gives you a lot of flexibility based on your fitness level and personal differences.
First, you will learn about cardio and he has 5 progressive phases to follow depending on your fitness level. As the phases increase, he introduces you to different strategies like High Intensity Interval Training. He also doesnt prescribe specific exercises, instead he allows you to select them from a list and helps you decide when to alternate them etc.
Next you will learn weight training and again he has 5 progressive phases which each phase adding new strategies like pre-exhaustion, supersets etc. Beginner phase is a fullbody workout, advanced phase ends up being a 3 day split routine. But, the progression is smooth and gradual! Half the book includes pictures of weight training exercises, showing you everything you need to succeed. You also get a choice of exercises, pick 1 from this column, 1 from that column. as you get into the advanced stages you pick more from each column.
You will learn about nutrition and eating with another 5 progressive phases. First phase involves healthy substitutes, eating 4 times a day, introducing some new healthy foods, cutting back on some unhealthy choices. GRadually you move toward eating 5-6 times a day with cheat meals and keeping track of food intake and eating more veggies and fruits.
Overall, this was a great book and i have gone from phase 1 to phase 3 with little difficulty, it was very gradual and smooth. What i liked most is that it didnt focus on recipes or doing specific routines. It allows me to choose what i want to do.
4 Stars Weak on Nutrition; Strong on Workout How To
This is the most comprehensive workout/fitness trainer the I have seen. Complete with color pictures accompanied by written step by step instruction then catagorized by muscle group, this book is perfect for all levels of training ability. Frank’s explanation is thorough and even the beginner will be able to preform the exercises. The only thing that is truly lacking is the chapter on nutrition. If a 200 pound woman tried to eat all of the protien, carbs and fat that this book recommends, she would never lose weight. All in all this is great book for training…find another book for nutrition.
3 Stars Great price, full of hype, poor on ideas
Frank’s obsession of his physical attraction dominates the book. The arching of his upper back must be due to his lack of understanding of esthetics. He deadlifts and squats in 40 pounds barbell, which is ironic for a man of his size. Furthermore, his deadlift form is totally flawed by arching the spines and stiffening the knees. Then he front squats with crossed arms, which hints to stiff shoulder structures. His front seated press descends below the upper tip of the sternum (the manubrium). Those four technical flaws show that young and motivated lifters with little experience could do more harm than good due to poor understanding of the basic laws of mechanics.
The good price of having colored book with clear and neat pictures is undermined by the extreme poverty of ideas. Each exercise is described on the right hand page in one or two meager paragraphs that depict superficial understanding of anatomy or physiology of exercise. For example, an advanced tip given in the bench presses advises the reader to keep his back in constant contact with the bench. That does not explain the purpose of such action. A tip on wide-grip bench-press explains that such grip hits the outer parts of the chest. That is also untrue. The wide grip emphasizes tension on different combination of the rotator cuff and the external muscles of the shoulders.
The fundamental question that this and other books raise is: for how long the fitness industry will be commandeered with uneducated, unprofessional, and self-proclaimed experts whose total ignorance with world trends in fitness and sports is blatantly obvious?
Weightlifting has made great strides in understanding the proper load of resistance and the proper volume of training that promote strength in pogressive incremental workout. Major muscles around the spines should be the focus of everyday training. Three exercises could do it all when planned strategically.
Here are the major hazardous outcomes of following the model of those self-proclaimed experts:
1- Imbalance: strengthening without constant testing of balance of muscles and bones during motion leads to insidious imbalance. The hunch back of the author and his stiff shoulder during front squat are vivid example of imbalance. Imbalance leads to injury and early quitting of exercise altogether. The author’s naivety led him to believe that achieving a status of commercial model qualifies him to instruct the public about exercise. The complexity of health issues involved in exercising requires more than personal bodybuilding achievements.
2- Injury: developing huge peripheral muscles (upper arms) without proportionate spinal strength (deadlift and squat loads as measures) could lead to frequent and life long spinal injury due to unstable spines and strong hooks (arms). The spines must be the center of focus of all exercises in order for vertebrate animals to safely adapt to motion and resistance.
3- Waste: talented and motivated people such as the author waste their life’s work and energy in unscientific and poorly structured training. The author improvises the routine of 4 sets of 20, 15, 12, and 10 repetitions in exercises such as the squat. That is absurd. Modern trends have benefited from the century long experience of progressive incremental resistance with few exercises of complex nature rather than the endless repetitions of light resistance.
Mohamed F. El-Hewie
Author of
Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training
Filed under: Bodybuilding Books
