When it comes to getting fitness advice, it seems that there are a plethora of experts out there that have THE best system. Of course, what they want more than anything is a piece of your wallet. There are a lot of different fitness books floating around on the internet but which is best? Where should you spend your money that you've worked hard to earn? Clearly in THIS economy you cannot afford to make a bad choice.

So with some extra spare change, I have taken the liberty to purchase & review 3 fitness books. In the end, I found that most of them were decently useful but one clearly come out above the rest, both in terms of value and solid advice that WORKED REALLY WELL. And the funniest part? It made the least "hot air" claims, and was the only one where I could get in touch with the author (who responded within 24 hours!)

A few things to keep in mind. I reviewed the CORE content and product because that's what I'm paying my money for, not the "bonuses". Each of these products came with a few bonuses to "sweeten" the deal but I kept to my guns and tried to look past them, however, I have listed the bonuses for those that might be interested.

So let's get on with the reviews...

BOOK #1: Combat Conditioning -- Matt Furey (www.mattfurey.com)
Price: $29.95 + S&H
Bonuses: The Secret to Instant Self-Confidence CD, How to Eat More and Weigh Less special report, One Month test-drive of the Furey Faithful Gold Membership Program (that you may cancel at any time) How to Eliminate Season Allergies Within Days...Without Shots or Medication and the Matt Furey Exercise Bible
Guarantee: NONE?!

First let's talk about the medium. I liked the fact that this book was a "hardcover" and not an instant .pdf download like the other two (but in the defense of the second book, a hardcopy IS available through special request). The only downside is that you have to wait for the shipping, so I guess it relies on personal preference. Though for 30 freakin bucks I'd expect it to be color, but its not. It's fully black and white. Oh well...

What it claims: You will get in shape so fast that it will seem to others that you've turned all your fat into muscle. Apparently he used to weight train and then he met this "76 year old guy named Karl" and his life changed. Here are some of the bullets from his site:

"Stubborn, unwanted pounds fly off their bodies."
"Lower back, neck and shoulder pain goes away."
"Fatigue, stress and angst become a thing of the past."
"Lack of mental clarity is replaced with focus and concentration."
"And fear and self-doubt are transformed into confidence and courage."

Review: The jist of this book is that you don't need to use weights, so instead it gives you 48 body weight exercises along with some plans to follow. Matt also talks about his "royal court" of exercises like the hindu squat and pushups (pretty much like the dive bomber). Although I love body weight exercises... This book does a TERRIBLE job of explaining them. And for a fitness book, it hardly gets into details at all.

Don't get me wrong, the exercises in the book are definitely effective, but you can find them for FREE on the internet! And his plans are useless. In his little Q&A section of the book he talks about how many reps & sets you should do and when you should do them. We let summarize his response: Do as many as you can when ever you feel like it. - Solid advice there Matt.

Also, this book is full of adverts heavily promoting his other crap. Comes across as a snake oil sales man than a fitness expert (surprise-surprise). Is this what I paid $30 for?! On another note, I am HUGE on practicing what you preach, and this guy is definitely NOT in shape. He looks like a big softy, not a dude who is conditioned for combat. I think that is a CLEAR indication of how effective his little program is.

And finally, the one thing that worries me the MOST is that I cannot get my 30 dollars back, because Matt does NOT offer any warranties of any kind what so ever. I tried emailing him and I didn't even get a "no". I just got NO RESPONSE. Lame.

So is there anything positive about this book? Well it CAN work, and it can maybe get the average Joe in average shape... but that fact that there are other, BETTER products out there that cost less... Why would you waste your time with this one?

VERDICT: RIP-OFF (1/5)

BOOK #2: Flawless Fitness Book -- FitJerk (www.flawlessfitnessbook.com)
Price: $24.95 (Instant DL with Hardcover Option Available)
Bonuses:
-- How To Combat The Common Cold - Eliminate Your Colds In 2 Days Flat, All Naturally And Without Any Drugs!
--PC&A Support - Stands for Personal Coaching & Assistance Package. The author vows to answer your questions within 24 hours or less for up to 6 months after your purchase!
--Lifetime Upgrade Package
Guarantee: 60 Days!

If there is a book on this list that is probably the most complete, it's Flawless Fitness by Fit Jerk (FJ). FJ is new to the scene, but I am excited to see what this under-dog brings to the table. Let's start with the bad: The author goes by the name FitJerk, and rightfully so. Apparently, he got his name from one of his satisfied customers because she thought he was very blunt, straight up and to the point without really caring what you think. (Personally... I think he's actually kinda funny, and I like it. It's refreshing and entertaining to read!)

Now, the book itself is huge. Its just a hair over 200 pages. Granted, there are over 70 different exercises in this book - all with sufficient pictures along with instructions written in good detail. There is a good mix between body weight exercises and ones you can perform with weights since FJ is a certified gymnastics coach and athlete. (Hey Matt... This is how its done!) But this doesn't count as "reading material".

What It Claims: I found this interesting because Flawless Fitness seems to address a wide audience. It claims to have effective fat loss tips, as well as addressing building muscle for those that want it and proper nutrition techniques. It's focus is on helping you achieve a LIFESTYLE rather than encouraging another "DIET"... Which I think is a good thing, in fact, FJ refuses to use the word "diet" at all. He says "eating habits" is a more productive term. I think I agree. Here are some bullet points from his site:

"WHEN to workout. Just by working out at specific times, you will learn how to increase the effectiveness of your workouts by 120%!"

"How to workout. Just lifting weights or doing push ups will only get you so far... you need to understand how to apply the proper amount of stress at the right areas so that you will see results... FAST!"

"When to REST... You will learn the OPTIMAL rest period for muscle growth and proper energy recovery so you will never feel "burnt out"

"How to eat according to your BODY'S CYCLE. Believe it or not, this little technique has been responsible for my massive energy boosts during the day WITHOUT coffee or energy drinks!"

"How to NEVER hit another plateau ever again! Hitting a plateau is one of the biggest reasons people QUIT, but you will learn how to blast past them and see results"

"How to AVOID over-training. This is one of BIGGEST mistakes people make. Over-training can actually work AGAINST you, but you will learn how to avoid this and workout in LESS time with GREATER results!"

Review: OK! So this felt more like a fitness book. Every topic is covered in detail... But not so much that you feel overwhelmed. There are a few aspects where FJ goes all technical on you, but its safe to know that he is only an email away. By the way, when you buy his book you get a special email address that's meant just for book holders. Suffice to say, after I asked him a question, he responded well under 24 hours.

He did respond with his usual FJ charm... And verbally busted my balls a bit. But, I was at total fault here, I asked a dumb question just to see if this "PC&A" support is for real or some sorta scam, and I can assure you it's not.

The book starts with a great motivating article that makes you want to get up & go! Then it follows up with some basics such as small equipment (such as resistance bands or yoga mats), but these are optional FJ says. Then it gets into supplementation. I learnt ALOT from this section. Did you know that most North Americans are deficient in Magnesium? Me neither.

He gives great protein shake recipes as well. After that he goes on to cover his 5 "keys". These are FJ's principals... Or "rules of thumb" if you will, that you should follow. If you do, almost any workout plan that you make will be effective according to him. He goes on to give you 3 solid plans to demonstrate how easy it is... Each addressing a different area of need: There is the Fat Burner Plan, The Mighty One (for strength) and Rock Solid (for muscle gains).

I tried the Rock Solid plan and boy, was I sore the next day, and the day after that! His workout techniques are truly something new that I haven't tried before. There is great emphasis on tempo and sets here. There is a table that you follow which helps you select your desired reps and sets according to your goals. It's quite easy to use and very effective I might add.

He also devotes a whole chapter to nutrition, and I think its great! Some of the advice given here is totally new to me. His protein & carb portioning in meals along with following a natural body cycle is truly something you need to try. It takes some getting used to, but I do feel a lot better, and I don't feel as tired as I used to after huge meals. Something's working!

There is also a chapter devoted for meat heads like me that want to add on size and a whole chapter on flexibility. I did manage to gain 1.5lbs by the end of the first week, which is substantial. Oh and did I mention there's over 70 different exercises you can choose from? Its crazy... Some are very exotic, like the capoera push ups. FJ does all his own modeling and although this guy isn't "huge", he is clearly RIPPED. FJ claims 6% body fat and I don't doubt it one bit. His fat loss advice seems very sound because he focuses on nutrition as well as proper training so I have no doubt that people will see clear results. This author clearly practices what he preaches - a far cry from Mr. Combat Conditioning.

Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable read and the fact that my triceps are STILL sore means that it's got some sound techniques. There is a lot of good stuff in the book, and with this review I've only scratched the surface from what I remember. I'll definitely be making some further changes to my workouts after reading this book over again. I would be VERY surprised if you didn't get some serious use out of FJ's book, even if you're an expert, you'll learn something new.

It's also assuring to know that you have a full 60 days to try everything out, and if you don't like it, you can return it. Though, I doubt I'll be returning my purchase. I do wish that for $24.95 it came with a hard cover version but hey... You can't have everything right?

VERDICT: Highly Recommended. Best Value (4/5)

BOOK #3: Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle - Tom Venuto (www.burnthefat.com)
Price: $39.95 (Instant DL)
Bonuses: Foods that burn fat, foods that turn to fat, The A Food B Food lecture, Measure Your Body Fat
Guarantee: 60 Days

Ok, so this was THE most expensive book out of the bunch. $40 for an eBook? Ouch! I almost didn't buy it, but the fact that there is so much hype surrounding it, I figured that I might as well. But with all this hype and hefty price tag, come high expectations, did Tom meet these expectations? Hmm... Almost. Personally I think this book would be VERY attractive at a $19.99 price point but that's just me.

What It Claims:
That you will lose fat PERMANANTLY.
That you will lose fat without "wrecking your metabolism"
That you will lose fat without drugs or supplements.

Review: Seems pretty straight forward, right? Unlike Flawless Fitness, this book makes no apologies for what it's meant to do. Help you lose FAT. Tom was apparently a body builder and on his website he has a picture of his FORMER self at 3.9% body fat. I'm not sure what he looks like TODAY so keep that in mind. FJ's claims his pictures are very recent so at least we know that's what he looks like right now.

But regardless, if Tom got to 3.9% body fat, I want in! If you thought Flawless Fitness was big, this thing is a juggernaut at 340 pages long. It was a good read, but it read more like a text book, so I had to pause/resume it every now and then. FJ's book was definitely more entertaining. Is this a big deal? No, its more of a personal choice.

Because this thing is so massive, I'll go over the jist of things again. Tom starts off with the usual myth busting and how fat loss is about being healthy and fit not just looking good from the outside. (Makes sense).

Then he talks about goal setting, a few different strategies and how to get motivated. As a side note, because I read this book AFTER Flawless Fitness... I skimmed through the motivation section since FJ already did that for me. However, its a good read and you should spend some time on it if you decide to get it. His goal setting strategies wont work for everyone but they may come in handy for you.

Next up is your body type. He helps you understand what type of body type you are and how this will help you make smarter choices when it comes to your fat loss success. This is true, since everyone's body will react differently to certain types of training. All good stuff, nothing to complain about. I'm a mesomorph! YES!

Next up is foods, meal plans and supplements. He spends quite a few pages explaining the importance of meal plans, meal replacements and "liquid foods". He also tells you what to eat and what to avoid which I thought was pretty useful. In contrast, FJ just gives you a massive list that you can print out and take to the grocery store. If something's not on the list, you don't buy it... This has personally been very effective for me, but Tom's suggestions aren't bad either.

I think I'll come up with a hybrid solution here. As for supplements, he talks about how they are mostly fads and its all about advertising that are luring us in. FJ and Tom share quite a lot of parallels when it comes to supplements. That's good to know when two experts agree or have similar views on a topic. I now have a clear understanding.

Tom does include some supplements that DO work and they are relatively inexpensive. However, if you remember in his claims he said you can follow his plan WITHOUT supplements and that's what I did. His training methods didn't shock my body as hard as the plans in Flawless Fitness but the principals behind them are sound. I don't see why you wouldn't see at least SOME level of results.

Like FJ, Tom recommends cardio AND weight training as an effective way to burn fat. Good stuff! Again, I'm just going over the whole book and trying to give you an idea of what it's all about. A deep review will take 10 pages to do.

Because Tom was a competitive body builder he goes into great detail about weight training. He shares some parallels with FJ's techniques but others are totally different. It's clear that both these guys have ultra-successful bodies and following either one of their advice when it comes to weight lifting will prove to be effective. Personally I just prefer FJ's easy to read tables over blocks of text, but something tells me there are a few people out there who will want to do the reading where as most others will just use the tables to extract the info they need. Either way works, your call.

In the end, I followed Tom's advice for a week and managed to drop a pound. Not too shabby, but not great either. I presume that even though Tom says that you can follow his advice without the aid of supplements, I have no doubts that incorporating supplements will improve your results. I've lost weight faster than this before, but you need to remember, its about losing fat, not "weight". Muscle has weight to it.

I presume FJ was smart on this topic and helps you utilize every tool available to have a synergistic effect that will help you get the one thing he says he focuses on: results. His nutrition strategies are also very unique and fair far better than Tom's because they not only focus on fat loss, but on overall optimal digestion and energy boosting.

VERDICT: Average Buy (3/5) - This book isn't bad, but just mad overpriced.

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CONCLUSION: So there you have it, 3 books that you can choose from. Truth be told, there are only 2 options to consider here. Because I can't return Furey's book, I have to keep it and deal with the loss of 30 bucks, but if I were to choose between Burn The Fat & Flawless Fitness... I'd go with FF hands down. Here's why:

1. It's cheaper!
2. It's advice is just as solid if not more effective than Tom's techniques!
3. It doesn't have as many bonuses, but to me, the fact that you have round the clock support is a huge deal-maker. Tom is too popular to respond to your requests and therefore you get automated emails.
4. Personally, I found it to be more effective.
5. This is kind of a "bonus"... But FJ has one KILLER blog that augments the techniques in his book. His blog is a great read and the articles are of very high quality... Why not read some of his stuff? FitJerk's Blog

I do have to say that if Tom's book went for $19.99... Id have a MUCH harder time picking between the two, but as it stands, the Flawless Fitness Book is my overall fitness book of choice. I doubt you'll be disappointed with your purchase.