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 Low on content and poorly written Mar 29, 2010
This book is so poorly written it is irritating. It is overloaded with motivational platitudes (the first chapter begins with "today is the first day of the rest of your life"!), and sadly low on useful information.
Most of the second chapter is spent repeating that exercise in more than heart zone is good, but it never gets down to practical rules for deciding which ones. Instead, the author abuses the device of "personas", fictional characters who are meant to represent typical scenarios: the person who is already fit, the older woman who never exercised, and so on. And the author starts referring to these people by name, as if we cared to rememeber to whom she has assigned the "Sally" and "Bobby" monickers.
There seems to be a kernel of useful knowledge at the core of this book, and I am sure it could all fit into one or two reference tables. Instead, the author chose to spread it over 200 pages. Rightly, the back cover bio notices that the author has started a number of "sport-related businesses". Sure, why not hire a hack to rehash some knowledge that is freely downloadable from the internet, and try to get a few bucks for it?
Luckily I borrowed the book from the library and did not waste any money on it. I recommend you go one step further and skip this book altogether.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 For beginners only... May 26, 2008
I first learned of Sally Edwards when I bought my Timex Ironman T5F001 Unisex 100-Lap Target Trainer Heart Rate Monitor Watch and Timex Bodylink Ultimate Package 3rd Generation - GPS Speed and Distance, Heart Rate and PC Link (inc.Software). There was a short pamphlet in there on Heart Zone Training. I thought that it was an interesting concept, assigning "training points" to exercise so that you can achieve certain goals. I was curious so I decided to buy this book.
Here were the goals that I was hoping the book would help me achieve:
1) weight loss and maintenance
2) increased fitness
While I thought the concept of training points was helpful, I found that in the book Edwards over-complicated things with her Training Tree. Also, since my primary goal is weight loss, Edwards doesn't provided any type of training point system for that. Granted, everyone's body is different, but even providing a rough range, like 400 - 800 points would have been ideal, but there's nothing like that to be found in this book.
The Training Point System stands on its own, but with the addition of the Training Tree, I thought the book got even more confusing. I think she could have spent more time discussing the Point System and addressing other goals besides just training for a race.
If you're brand new to heart zone training, I would consider this book to be more of a "starter pamphlet", because it describes what heart zone training is, but beyond that, it doesn't really give more detailed information. In fact, you can find the same amount of detail on the internet. For anyone who needs more than a basic overview of heart zone training, I'd highly recommend John Parker's Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot over this book. Parker's book is the best I've ever read.
25 of 26 found the following review helpful:
Ok book for beginners, raises lots of unanswered questions Sep 09, 2004
This book is ideal for beginners. If only she had put the word beginner in the title I would have known and chosen another book. The book is very basic, and more than half of it consists of experiences of her friends. She goes into too many details about them, and the quotes sound made-up.
I'm a beginner to heart rate training but not a beginner to exercise. I ended up with lots of questions that her book doesn't answer. She says many things that I'm questioning. Maybe they're true for beginners who are out of shape but for me? According to her book, I'm running anaerobically (86% of HR max) yet I'm not even out of breath. Later she says that the threshold is different for everyone. so these percentages she gives (60%, 70%, 80%, etc.) are not accurate.
Overall I got some good ideas from this book, like the importance of cross-training and keeping a log of what I do. But at the same time I think at least half of it wasn't helpful. If you haven't exercises in a while and are out of shape, and are willing to buy a heart rate monitor (I suggest Polar) then this book is for you. If you already exercise I would search for a more advanced book or website.
19 of 20 found the following review helpful:
 Informative and Inspirational! Oct 01, 2003
I have exercised regularly for years, and am well-acquainted with the benefits of aerobic conditioning. Although I have been aware of the importance of proper heart rate, I've always just guessed at it. On my last visit to my physician, he suggested that I exercise using a heart rate monitor. Sally Edwards' book was the one I chose to inform me on heart rate training.This book presents the basics of heart zone training, which are exactly what I need as a beginner. A more experienced heart rate trainer might find the volume too simplistic, but for a novice it is ideal. Edwards' work is easy-to-read, and the training stories of friends and acquaintances personalize the presentation. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is considering a heart rate training program. It's basic, it's believable, and it's built upon solid medical and athletic experience. Once you've read this title, you'll want to buy a heart rate monitor immediately. Take your time, learn about features and prices, and then purchase accordingly. The appendix at the back of the book gives some good advice on how to select a monitor that is right for you.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Better for beginners May 03, 2003
Sally Edwards book is ideally suited for the novice non-runner. I found the information in this book to be very basic and with the primary emphasis to be targeted at individuals beginning a fitness program. The book is writen in a very friendly manner and definately not "textbookish". I recommend this book for those people interested in beginning a fitness program.
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