E-book review by Tom Venuto

Abs! Abdominals! Your Six Pack! The Core muscles! No matter what you call them, everybody wants them! Whether you're training for sports, bodybuilding or just to look good on the beach; whether you are male or female, young or old, it doesn't matter. There's not a single person who doesn't want a lean, tight, fat-free, set of abs.

The trouble is, getting great abs is not easy. Most people will waste years of effort and hundreds or even thousands of dollars on all the latest infomercial gadgets and diet gimmicks, trying in vain to obtain that ever-elusive lean, muscular six pack stomach, with nothing to show for their efforts.

If you want to save time and money, separate hype from truth, and bypass years of trial and error, then you must educate yourself in two critical areas: (1) abdominal exercise, and (2) fat burning nutrition. You can't get great abs without both! That's where the new ebook, Firm And Flatten Your Abs, (2nd edition), comes in.

Firm and Flatten Your Abs goes beyond conventional crunch routines and there's not a single sit up in the entire book. Much of the program is based on developing a strong, powerful, injury-proof core.

The "core" refers not just to the abdominal muscles, but your entire trunk musculature, including deep muscles you can't see (like the Transversus Abdominis, or TVA)."

Why should you care about muscles you can't even see? That's a question I would have asked many years ago in my early competitive bodybuilding days when all I cared about was looking good onstage and having ripped six pack abs, but now I've learned better. The answer is, among many other reasons, to stabilize the spine and eliminate low back pain, which 80% of us will suffer from at some time in our lives.

If you're an athlete - recreational or competitive - core strength means better performance on the playing field. If you're a non-athlete, greater core strength means more efficient and safer performance of regular, day to day activities. If you know anyone who blew out their back lifting boxes or simply doing work around the house, you know what I'm talking about.

I've had a copy of the 1st edition of Firm And Flatten Your Abs for a long time and was impressed with the variety and uniqueness of the exercises. However, this second edition really blew me away. The 2nd edition has been completely revised, edited and tripled in size from 60 to 180 pages. In fact, when I told David how much I enjoyed the new edition of his ebook, he asked me if I would write the forward and I gladly agreed!

The exercise descriptions and ab workout routines are definitely the strong point of the book and they have not changed at all from the first edition with the exception of new exercises being added into the mix (why change something that already works so well?)

You may be wondering exactly what's in the book, so here's a sneak preview

The foreword, written by me (Tom Venuto), explains the difference between training for "form" (looks) and training for "function" (strength and performance) and how it's possible to train for both - a revelation of extreme importance for the bodybuilder, the athlete and weekend warrior alike. This sets the stage nicely for the rest of the book.

The first chapter is a short introduction and welcome message from the author, David Grisaffi

The second chapter is called 15 abdominal myths. On David's website, www.flattenyourabs.net he says, "This problem (misinformation) is so bad today, that my job of educating people has become like digging a trench in the sand with a sewing needle. Before I can even begin to teach the TRUTH about getting muscular abs and losing fat, I have to UN-TEACH all the LIES, MYTHS and RUMORS." That is exactly what David does in chapter two.

The third chapter is anatomy and physiology of the core. This chapter might seem a little dry to some people, but if you've never heard of tranvsversus abdominis, multifidus, or psoas muscles, then this is essential reading.

The fourth chapter explains how to set up the perfect abdominal and core conditioning routine. Sets, reps, tempo, rest intervals and everything else you need to know to put together a workout program that works is all there.

The fifth chapter is the real heart of the program - The 7 levels of core and ab workout routines. It.s not just the fact that you're given 7 routines instead of just one that makes this chapter so valuable, it's the fact that each routine increases in difficulty step by step to accommodate increasing levels of fitness.

The sixth chapter continues in the heart of the program with descriptions and photographs of more than 50 abdominal and core conditioning exercises. I can guarantee you, that unless you are a veteran exerciser or fitness professional, you have never seen the majority of these exercises before. If you are bored with crunches, sit ups and leg raises, you are going to LOVE this!

The seventh chapter is called, "Top 15 nutrition secrets to flatten your abs." People who already have my Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle e-book will no doubt be familiar with most of the principles in chapter 7. However, a brief tutorial on fat burning nutrition is an absolute must in any good book about getting six pack abs. Because, as the saying goes, "abs are made in the kitchen, not just in the gym."

The eighth chapter, "Ask David Q & A," is a real gem. This is the part of the book that has been expanded the most since the first edition. David gets thousands of questions by email every month and he has take the most frequently asked questions and compiled them right here in chapter eight.

The ninth and final chapter is a brief resource directory of recommended products and services. This includes online personal training, e-books, audio CD's and equipment.

So now you know what's in the ebook, but you also maybe wondering about the exercises and whether you need any special equipment to do them. Good question, since not everyone wants to train in a health club. Many of David's exercises can be done with just your body weight. Others require a stability ball (swiss ball), and a handful can be done with a cable apparatus you'd find in any gym. This means you can train at home or in a gym, whichever you prefer.

So who will benefit from this ebook? Well, just about anybody. The information applies to you if you are overweight, if you suffer from low back pain, if you are recovering from c-section, hernia or abdominal surgery, if you're pregnant or post-pregnancy, if you're an athlete, or even if you're a bodybuilder like me.

The principles in David's ebook are scientifically tested and proven. A graduate of the prestigious Chek Institute with a total of six certifications, David has the credentials and has done the research to back up his claims. He spends every day in the trenches practicing what he preaches as a personal trainer and strength coach for clients as diverse as housewives to professional boxers and golfers.

In summary, Firm And Flatten Your Abs is a groundbreaking e-book because it is about form and function, not just form. Stated differently, David's program will help you develop abs that are every bit as strong and functional as they look. Why settle for a lean, attractive and sexy waistline when you can have that as well as the strength, stamina and injury-proof stability of a professional boxer, Greco-Roman wrestler or a world class gymnast? That is what separates David's program from the hundreds of other abdominal and core training books, DVD's and classes that clutter the fitness marketplace today.

To order or get more information, visit: www.flattenyourabs.net

About The Author

David Grisaffi majored in physical education and is a certified high performance exercise kinesiologist with the prestigious CHEK institute. David holds a total of 6 certifications, he is a high school wrestling and baseball coach as well as an independent trainer and strength coach, known especially for his work with professional boxers and golfers. David is the author of Firm And Flatten Your Abs an online best seller which teaches you how to lose body fat and develop "six pack abs' while improving strength, function and athletic power at the same time. You can contact David or learn more about his programs at www.FlattenYourAbs.net

About Tom Venuto:

Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written more than 200 articles and has been featured in print magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Tom's Fat Loss program, visit: www.burnthefat.com