Michael Mejia - The Men’s Health Gym Bible

Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement by the author or publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they endorse this book, its author, or the publisher.

Portions of this book were previously published as The Mens Health Gym Bibleby Rodale Inc. in October 2006.

Copyright 2006, 2017 Michael Mejia and Myatt Murphy

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

Book design by Christina Gaugler

Photographs by .
All other photographs by Mitch Mandel/Rodale Images.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.

ISBN: 9781623368111 paperback
ISBN: 9781623368128 e-book

We inspire health, healing, happiness, and love in the world.
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RodaleWellness.com

When I was asked to cowrite the sequel to The Mens Health Home Workout Bibleback in 2005, it was truly an honor. Michael and I felt the pressure to truly raise the barpardon the gymspeakand the fact that it has remained an important informational tool so many years later tells me that we managed to do exactly that. Which is why bringing this mainstay book up to speed through this updated second edition has been just as much of a privilege.

For us, that means we managed to create the perfect tool for guiding you through every gym, every piece of fitness equipment you might experience within a gym, every possible health club scenariobut most importantevery fitness goal you have today, tomorrow, and for the rest of your life.

I want to thank every editor who hasin one way or anotherallowed me to deliver my take on exercise and fitness to millions of readers worldwide for so many years. Ive been blessed to write more than 1,000+ pieces for 50+ international magazines now and work with some of the best health, fitness, and nutrition editors in the magazine business. Hopefully, I havent left anyone off this listbut here goes: Rochelle Udell, Lucy Danziger, Gabrielle Studenmund, Stephen George, Bobby Lee, Mike Carlson, Carol Brooks, Pamela Miller, Jennifer Fields, Kimberly Papa, Laura Gilbert, Jeff Csatari, Rosie Amodio, Duane Swierczynski, Lara McGlashan, Ed Dwyer, Liz OBrian, Jennifer Walters, Trevor Thieme, Nicole Dorsey, Albert Baime, Alex Strauss, Beth Bischoff, Gordon Bass, Diane Hart, Stephanie Young, Lorie Parch, Meaghan Buchan, Rachel Crocker, Scott Quill, Phillip Rhodes, Steve Perrine, Nichele Hoskins, Mary Christ, Su Reid, Gail OConnor, Abigail Walch, Dana Points, Lisa Delany, David Kalmansohn, Jerry Kindela, Nina Willdorf, and Alison Ashton.

And, to the hundreds of personal trainers, exercise physiologists, nutritionists and sports psychologists Ive studied under, interviewed, trained withand ghostwritten forI want to say thank you as well. Its been a pleasure to work with nearly every top fitness professional in the business, and as I say in each and every book I writetheres no greater education than that.

I also want to thank everyone at Rodale who took our words and turned them into the book youre about to use for a lifetime, including Mark Weinstein, Franny Vignola, Christina Gaugler, Nancy Bailey, Sean Sabo, Mitch Mandel, Troy Schnyder, and Andy Speer.

Finally, thanks, Dad, for teaching me about exercise when I was young. If you hadnt shared everything that you knew about fitness with me, I never would have been able to share everything I know about fitness with the readers in this book.

Myatt

There sure are a lot of different expressions for the places were willing to pay to sweat, lift, and stretch in, arent there? All in the desperate pursuit to build up and chisel out the perfect physique. With so many names for some silly building we essentially shell out membership dues to use for exercise, its no wonder the whole process of choosingand usingany of the above is so difficult for so many people.