This is not your run-of-the-mill fitness book. Developed by world-renowned gluteal expert Bret Contreras, Strong Curves offers an extensive fitness and nutrition guide for women seeking to improve their physique, function, strength, and mobility.
Contreras spent the last eighteen years researching and field-testing the best methods for building better butts and shapelier bodies. In Strong Curves, he offers the programs that have proven effective time and time again with his clients, allowing you to develop lean muscle, rounded glutes, and greater confidence. Each page is packed with information decoding the female anatomy, providing a better understanding as to why most fitness programs fail to help women reach their goals.
With a comprehensive nutritional guide and over 200 strength exercises, this book gets women off the treadmill and furnishes their drive to achieve strength, power, and sexy curves from head to toe.
Although the glutes are the largest and most powerful muscle group in the human body, they often go dormant due to lifestyle choices, leading to a flat, saggy bum. Strong Curves is the cure.
I’m not sure if I look different. But I definitely feel different! And I’m convinced that in a few more weeks I’ll look different as well!
I find the templates for the workouts well balanced and with an aim to gradually build strength, and it IS working for me! Flabby glutes are giving way to toned and useful glutes!
I am 63 years old and have a degenerative neurological brain disease. Mr. Contreras's books have been a tremendous assist in reestablishing bilateral balance and unbelievable improvements in mobility and strength from the ground up. Know this book is the real deal as advertised!
Let me tell you. As a busy, single mother, this is feasible and the weight lifting is challenging and purposeful. This gives me my fire for fitness again and I havent even been doing it with 100% fidelity and I’m seeing results that no other program has given me before. I can tell now that I will adopt this program for life!!!!! Best purchase!!!!
I wanted to add that as an older weight-training female (54), it is an ABSOLUTE MUST for women to maintain their core and glute strength! I've seen so many women my age, older and younger, who are literally wasting away their muscles with poor nutrition and too much cardio. Both can set you up for hip fractures and injuries. To stay strong and flexible, you have to lift, and this book can be a key to that journey.
This book is more than just the workout. The first 1/3 of the book breaks down different aspects of general health and exercise - the value of this exercise plan, what it does for women, how to set up a productive diet, how to treat your body, etc. This was really positive, realistic information that I think can benefit any and every woman, whether or not they do this workout.
There are 4 different 12-week workout plans detailed in the book - beginner, advanced, bodyweight (at-home), and lower-body-only. The middle section of the book lays out each program, which is compromised of 3 workouts (A, B, C), and broken up into 3 segments (weeks 1-4, weeks 5-8, weeks 9-12). The suggestion is that you would do 4 workouts a week - Day 1-A, Day 2-B, Day 3-active rest day, Day 4-A, Day 5-C, Day 6-active rest day, Day 7-full rest day. The moves in this section give you a picture of each move, and each 4-week portion advances to a more challenging version of each exercise if you are able to make the change.
The back 1/3 of the book gives a MUCH more detailed explanation on each and every move, like an index referenced from the middle section of the book. It walks you through each move, with multiple pictures to show the motions. It tells you which muscles to focus on as you move, which is SUPER important, because you may otherwise go through the motion but be using different muscles to compensate, and thus not be getting the full benefit and strength.
I carried this book with me throughout my workout for the first week, and then had it down on my own (using my phone to track the order of the moves and the weights I use) after that.
I think that this program, and book, has so much value. It can be used and adapted for any fitness level, whether you are a beginner or a gym regular. For the previous year, I had been following the Strong Lifts 5x5 (Ice Cream Fitness) program, and had been doing relatively heavy weights. However, I suffered from continual lower back pain, especially after doing heavy squats, and I couldn't take it any more. Shifting to the beginner level of Strong Curves felt like a step or two backwards, but it has incredibly been helping me to build up strength in my lower back and lower body, particularly my glutes, which I think had not been functioning/firing, and so other muscles had compensated, which left my lower back struggling. I am happy to be doing any necessary body weight exercises just to build up all of my strength in a quality and whole body-focused approach.
I highly recommend this program, and the high quality book, to any and every woman.
When I am done with this round of the program, I look forward to repeating the beginner program with some modifications to make is more challenging to match my increased strength. I am excited to be able to do this with the help of the index, which is organized by type of movement in order of easiest to most difficult.
I particularly suggest getting the print copy and not kindle(or printing the exercise list) because there is a very useful index of exercises in the back that explains with pictures and text instructions how to do exercises for each body part. It's useful to skim if you are unsure of how to do a certain exercise with good form, or if you need to find a replacement for an exercise that you don't have the equipment for.
I've been doing the program for the past 7 weeks and have been seeing great results! The program doesn't just focus on your glutes it includes full body workouts that tones your upper body as well. The workout is very flexible for busy moms like myself. I try to go to the gym four times a week, but if something comes up and I miss a day, I can still get complete full body workout at 3 times a week.
It's a great program, and the book is written in a way that makes even the most unfit of women feel like they can succeed! While I can't tell from measurements if my bum has gotten larger since I'm cutting/losing weight, my SO has noticed that it's firmer, rounder, and higher. I can tell from the before/after pictures I've taken that my entire body is smoothing out and becoming firmer, and my hips are more centered (before they were tilting towards the back). I can flex my but like nobody's business now. I can flex one cheek at a time, can flex while sitting, standing, kneeling, and walking.
This is the first workout routine in my adult life that gives me that "high" people speak of. For a few hours after the workout, I'm on cloud nine. Anything is possible, and I feel such excitement for what my body will look like! Get this book, you won't regret it. Read it and start with the activation exercises.
THIS PROGRAM IS NOT FOR STRENGTH!! It is lower body hypertrophy focused.
I love this book and I love that Bret will talk to those who contact him on Facebook and Instagram. Can't wait to see how I look in another month!!
What I also love is that this book gives you the formula to create your own balanced workouts for LIFE. They give you the keys to the kingdom. I was simply blown away by that.
One small quibble is that I would have appreciated a hyperlink from the exercise they describe in the templated workouts to an explanation of how to do the exercise in the reference section. That would make the book much more user friendly.
But all-in-all, this book is a absolute MUST for any woman interested in taking control of her workouts and having a resource for life when it comes to creating your own workouts that get results and creating the body you'll be proud of for the rest of your days. This book is the perfect complement to any mind/body practice you may be doing right now.
I have been lifting for a year, come November. I was looking for a book that would describe how to do my lifts properly. This book as it all. It even groups the exercises in the index according to their primary muscle group. Cannot wait to see some results in 12 weeks and more importantly expand on all I learn. This book will last me a lifetime! Thank you Bret Contreras. ~ Sarah Hamelinck
This book is the real deal. You need it. If you're hesitating because of the price, get it on kindle. Ten bucks is nothing compared to the wealth of LEGITIMATE information found in this book.
The workouts are so varied, and there is something in here for everyone, at every fitness level. --Yes, that includes the "experienced lifters."
I look forward to starting this program. And yeah, I just had to review it right away because I loved it that much. Great, great book.
A year later I completed the Lift Like a Goddess programme and looked for something new. I dragged out this book and decided to give level 1 a go. Yes, the amount of exercises were shorter than I was used to, and I didn't come home from the gym feeling smashed. I left each time feeling I could give more.
However, don't be fooled by the shorter workouts! I found I could not do more than 6 bodyweight bridges without getting a cramp. To attempt even 1 holding a weight on my stomach was sheer impossibility. So I gladly stayed at level 1 and worked through it consistently. The day after each workout, was I ever sore.
Within 3 weeks I found myself getting stronger. Then, so surprisingly, I managed a proper squat. I have severe scoliosis and a damaged Achilles' tendon due to surgery on my leg for the scoliosis and I have never been able to squat without falling over. Lunging - fine. Squatting, No. However, building the glutes muscles meant I was now stable enough to squat. And my knees no longer caved in. Now I can squat with a 35 kg barbell no problem at all. Next, I found that after 2 years of attempting chin ups, I finally managed one and now can do 12, with a brief break between every 2 or 3. I think the back strengthening work in this programme finally made it all come together for me, even though arm work is not big. The programme I was on was arm heavy (as most programmes are) but, as Brett has realised, most girls struggle with their butts, and arms will naturally improve as you use those bigger muscles more. It makes sense, but I was a bit worried stopping all that arm work. Until I finally managed chin ups which are out of reach of most girls, even those doing arm work daily.
I have now done 3 of the programmes in this book, and in a few weeks, will finally begin the advanced programme. It said not to try it till you could glute lift about 60 kg. That's a joke, I thought at the time as I couldn't glute lift my own bodyweight more than 6 times. Well, I've passed the 60 kg goal weeks ago and now glute lift 75 kg. My jeans are smaller, my butt is no longer saggy, I have abundant energy, I spend less than 2 hrs in the gym a week, my legs are tight all over, I've changed shape all over and, wait for it - I'm 49 years old!!!
Thanks Brett for the best programme out there!
The programming in this book has yielded incredible results in the 8 weeks I have implemented same. Keep in mind that you get out of it what you put into it, so don't half-ass your efforts and you won't get half an ass. Unfortunately, I bought into the notion a while back that everyone will get a great butt if they squat and deadlift heavy, so I spent one year doing those squats and deadlifts in hopes of building a great behind. The results were "meh" and so-so, to say the least. Enter Bret Contreras (The Glute Guy) and his amazing book Strong Curves. I'm regretting not jumping right in and purchasing this book and implementing his programming straight away. I waited a month or so before making the purchase and then another month to get started on the full-body program, so now I wonder how much more fit and muscular I would be had I not waited so long. The early bird catches the worm, and the chick with Bret's Strong Curves book and programming gets the muscular and perky booty.
To be honest I haven't started the program strictly yet, but am looking forward to it.
Big pluses:
- The "mapping" of a good glute program (ie- need one push/pull with a quad dominant...etc) with an index in the back so you can literally develop your own problem
- debunking myths in training
- Kellie's real life tips are great to illustrate certain points as well as other stories
Cons:
-written in a way that's a little tough to keep your attention
- a little bit too conversational, have to pay attention to pick out the gems of information
- would like there to be an online website with a printout of the charts/exercises since you have to type them up/write them out unless you photocopy the book
The "glute guy" has built his reputation and livelihood on glute training. Strong Curves is an amazing reference for females (or males) that want to build a better back side. This book is filled with many exercises. After two days of training I could see how the exercises outlined made a huge difference in my glutes. I've always been consistent with weight training for about 4 years now but the "glute guy" has finally catapulted me into figure I've always wanted.
I have done several of the workouts. I love the photos and the explanations.
The exercises are great and get right to the muscles.
I have a long way to go to get those curves but I look forward to them. I can feel muscle growth in my glutes though.
I was prepared to get a set of weights and bench when I bought this book. I don't have all the equipment as I work out at home but I just substitute how I can.
One thing as I've read in other reviews, it would have been super helpful to have and index of the exercises, and have the page number beside each exercise in the workout. Really helpful. When I moved onto the next level I had to search out the exercises and write them next to the pictures so I could reference them if needed while working out. This has taken more time before starting to workout.
So any other books coming out should do this.
I do love everything else about it though. Lots of levels, lots of choices, good pictures and explanations.
Plus I throw in stuff from Brets fb page and stuff, like his 30 day glute challenge. Super awesome.
So thanks for a great book just for women.
Not only does this book focus on the glutes, but it gives full body workouts to strengthen upper body as well. Bret Contreras is a great author, and some of his writing even made me giggle. This is a must-have for anyone, beginner or advanced. I love it.
Two things could make this book better. A great index and page numbers next to the program exercises so you can check your form or reread an explanation. I can fix that last one myself, but the index would have been very helpful.
You won't regret this buy, and neither will your glutes!
I've been following Bret Contreras for a while now. This guy lives up to his reputation. When I originally started my research about developing sexy curves for women, this guy kept coming up from other trainers and websites. He's put all his knowledge and experience into this masterpiece.
The book I am glad to say did not dissapoint. Its laid out in a very user friendly way and is so easy to understand.
There are several workouts laid out for you ranging from beginners to advanced and also a list of exercises with photos starting with the basic through to the more complex.
I would highly recommend this book to anybody that is wanting to change their physique or help others change theirs.
Full marks....thanks Brett and Kellie.
I've been 6 weeks on this program- and I can already see improvement in my waistline looking more feminine, and thanks to my bulky muscles the booty is already noticeably firmer and rounder. Their is less upper body so I'm hoping my shoulders and biceps will shrink a bit. And I love the record keeping pages- I photocopied them.
But next edition def needs an index and a clear outline of substitute exercises.
Otherwise it's awesome- and I love Brett's writing style- he is frank in a way only a dude who works with tons of ladies can be, and Kelly's tips are helpful.
I'm using this book in conjunction with Foundation Training and having excellent excellent results.
I bought this book initially out of loyalty for Kellie, but also knowing that it would be of great quality and provide me with good workout ideas. I have not been disappointed! The book breaks down the approach to health and fitness in a logical way, introducing the reader to the different ideas in stages so that by the end it all comes together naturally. I have not had a lot of exposure to Bret Contreras but I would certainly read more about him as I feel he comes across very well in the text and the fact that Kellie endorses him, well that's a bonus for me.
I would recommend this book to any woman who:
- Has never been into fitness or is a relative beginner
- Has been into fitness and felt that it was an unsustainable lifestyle
- Is returning to fitness following a period of absence (e.g. pregnancy)
- Wants a straight forward approach based on common sense
- Wants to redress the balance from obsessing over food and exercise to treating food as fuel and exercise as lifestyle
- Wants to feel better about themselves: emotionally, physically and mentally
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have! <3
I was an office worker for 15 years so my glutes were in serious hibernation.
Buying this book is a no brainer. Seriously. It's the best investment in your fitness. So much work has gone into it and the presentation/information is flawless and easy to follow. It answers alot of the questions I had about my training and has empowered me to no end. I will be doing the Advanced program and following Bret's advice closely. The holiday routine (and advice) will come in handy when going away with the family. It is a reference text that rarely leaves my side!
Congratulations Bret and Kellie! When's the next book coming out?
I was choosing btw. the paper version and Kindle version, but finally choose the paper version, and glad I did, this can be used as a
reference material for almost any exercise you can think of. Loads of training programs, from beginner to advanced, and endless info
about the right way to train, what to avoid, error correcting etc... for beginners this is so much value, and if you are already training
it still has page after page of detailed and expert information.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn about training.
I've just started the advanced workout - and I can't wait to see what the results will be!
The exercise index includes everything, along with some new exercises I've never done before. I really appreciate that this guide isn't a temporary "12 week transformation". These are programs that can be modified and used for as long as you want.
So far this is THE best resource I've ever read. Definitely worth the money!! I have a hard copy, as well as the kindle version. Worth every penny.
Now my entire body seems more feminine and tight. Bret is the real deal.
Love this book. It takes your workouts to a new level. The book is easy to understand and give detailed instructions.
Purchased both in pb and kindle.
This book is the most comprehensive of it's kind. The scientific approach Bret and Kellie present is unique. By that I mean most books gloss over why their methods work and present very superficial information. If you are serious about improving yourself why would you want superficial information? Everything is presented in a clear, common sense manner that anyone can understand, make thorough use of, and have great success with.
There is a complete glossary of all the terms you should know if you are serious about your health and the workouts presented offer something for all levels. Another unique feature you don't normally find in other books is the detail. Roughly 2/3 of the book is dedicated to detailed written and photographic explanations of every exercise showing very clearly how to achieve proper form, which muscles you should be using (feeling) and why you would want to do it in the first placee. Every exercise, from beginner to advanced.
This book is a must have if you are serious about your body and your health.
UPDATE************
I have been doing this program for 2 and a half weeks and have already lost 10 pounds!!! I have been doing the glutes only plan (4 workouts per week) been slacking on my active rest days and I have only been counting my calories and trying to eat healthier foods but have not completely changed my diet. I'm going to put in harder work and change my diet completely and will update again. My boooooty is also looking better from what my husband tells me. I can feel myslef getting stronger and I highly recommend at least trying this program ! I always start programs and then quit after 2 days but I actually enjoy the workouts and am so happy to see results(:
You will not be disappointed and you will get an education in the wonderful world of glutes and fitness in general. Great book, Great pics, and Great Info...
I've worked for YEARS trying to slim down and firm up my pair shape but until I started using Bret's and Kellie's techniques I never saw results; I understand what needs to be done, how to do it, and why, which is half the battle.
My back is stronger, my glutes are stronger, my results have been great, and in my 40s I look better and healthier now than I ever have in my life!
I love how the book has several workouts to choose from as well as the various reference sections dedicated to various topics - some examples are a section for exercise dominance (hip, glute, quad, etc.), a section for each workout program, a Log/progress/notes section for each training workout, an upper body section, etc. Also, the pages in the sections have color-coded edges which is very nice because it's easier to see where each workout section starts. The exercises are also in color which is extremely helpful.
Definitely a great read through and through; there are many inspirations and stories in the book. I also like that the Nourishment chapter is every thorough.
Thank you for this fantastic book!
2. If you're like me and are serious about training, it's sooo nice to have a book that isn't designed primarily for men insofar as the authors are interested in providing programs for glute development. A lot of books out there, when they include isolation work, it's isolation work for muscles that I'm not all that interested in isolating (neck, forearms, pecs, etc).
3. This book benefits from a neat approach to strength training, namely that there is some place for isolation work at all. In recent years a lot of trainers have been focused on full body and no isolation work at all it seems. (As a matter of fact, a lot of books out there seem to denigrate the use of isolation work.) Not so, in this book. There's a whole section in the end describing isolation exercises that I think primarily of interest to women.
4. There are a lot of pictures demonstrating exercises in this book. Some exercises are common and some not so common. Either way, in this respect the book is a great resource.
5. Finally, I think it's awesome when any training book gives you a broad blueprint for building your own workout, and this book does so.
Bret Contreras' scientific knowledge and coaching experience, together with Kellie Davis' skills (and great writing abilities), have created a unique masterpiece that any fitness lover - whether professional or amateur - should read.
I gave up crash dieting and a body building program to try out Strong Curves. There is light at the end of the tunnel and it begins only a few pages in to Bret's new book Strong Curves.
I highly recommend this to all females that are looking to build Strong Curves and I want to recommend it even more so to new mothers. Bret lays down some simple, yet effective, exercises to increase pelvic floor strength that you won't want to miss.
Stop reading the reviews and buy this book, you won't regret it!
This book is fantastic for the beginner lifter, as it explains not only how to lift and why, but how to eat, recover, and improve your mindset for best results. It has a glossery of terms at the end, which will really help the lifting newbie understand all the jargon you see thrown around. There are tons of pictures and examples of common problems to help with form.
The more experienced lifter will also benefit from this book. Even though I'm no stranger to the gym, I gleaned a few nuggets of knowledge from this book and also got some great info that I can share with my personal training clients to make their sessions even better. I also like that I can used this program at home and at the gym. The bodyweight program will come in handy when I travel.
This book lived up to my high expectations, and I look forward to getting a nice round booty!
Its exhaustive in its explanation of fitness and nutrition myths. It gives wonderful break downs of each and every exercise in the book. But the most important part that this book provides is REAL PROGRAMMING!!! It has charts of exercises and timelines and weight suggestions! If you can start with one book, start with this one.
I started incorporating Bret's ideas into my workouts this winter. I stayed the same weight but lost inches everywhere and gained perk and size on my butt. The man knows how to shape women's bodies. Its filled with detailed pictures of exercises, real programming charts, great anecdotes from women clients, and a refreshing perspective of exercise and women. From the newest noob to the weathered gym rat everyone can learn something from this wonderfully written book.
So if you want to get the body you want and you have the will to do so and need the knowledge to do so: get this book.
I knew based on the PDF that this book is well-written and does a masterful job of combining clear, easy to follow instructions with just enough technical information to really help you to understand why they recommend the type of training they do, and also how to fine-tune it for your specific needs. I love the technical/ scientific aspect, and there's enough of it in the book to make me happy, but it's presented in small enough chunks and clear enough language that I think non-techies will also get the full benefit.
I kind of skimmed the nutrition chapter because I am very happy with my diet right now, so I can't really comment on that.
The real reason I personally bought the book though, as I mentioned already, was for the workouts, and I was not disappointed. I haven't actually done the workouts yet (obviously, since the book only came out 3 days ago) but it's easy to see that they are very carefully thought out and well-designed. For example, each workout in the "Gluteal Goddess" workout for the advanced lifter, which is the one I plan to start on Monday, includes one lower body exercise from each of the 3 big movement patterns, an upper body push, an upper body pull, a hip exercise and two core exercises. From day to day, the exact movements and the number of reps varies so that you get a good cross-section of intensity and volume in all movements. As you progress through the phases, more difficult variations are introduced while the basic program structure stays the same. I haven't analysed the other workouts as closely, but they seem to be based around similarly well-balanced templates. Also, in addition to the color photos showing each exercise, if you search for the exercise name on YouTube, there are videos of either Bret or Kellie (or both of them) to really show you the correct form. The programs alone are easily worth the price of the book.
I'll try to remember to update this review once I've got a few weeks of the program under my belt as well.
One question/suggestion. In Schuler's book, he gives a link to a site to print out blank workout sheets. Since I may plan on going through your program a few times, I'd like to keep my progress sheets on a clipboard for easier tracking in the gym. While I know that I can manipulate the binding on the book and copy them at home, it's easier to print them out from a link. Could you design one for those people, like me, who prefer this method of tracking?
With that one complaint/suggestion aside, I love the information this book provides. Especially in regards to nutrition and macro/micro numbers. It will make it easier to track my true progress and tweak my diet with the information given.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and not "hoarding" it like so many other trainers are apt to do..