French journalist and anatomical illustrator Frédéric Delavier has
    changed the way millions of people view strength exercises with Strength
    Training Anatomy
    (Human
    Kinetics, March 2010), and now, in a new third edition, he adds stretches for
    each of the major muscle groups.


    "These stretching exercises are primarily for aiding
    function and for avoiding injury, not for acquiring exceptional
    flexibility," explains Delavier. "I have also added new
    muscle-development exercises and have supplemented the old exercises with new
    drawings and annotations." Twelve new strength exercises comprise some of
    the 48 additional pages in the new edition.


    "In
    this edition injuries are discussed, such as the problems of acromioclavicular
    joint separation and neuralgia from bad positioning of the neck," he
    continues. "But above all, what is unique about this new edition is the
    treatment of adaptation according to various morphologies, which have never
    been discussed in other bodybuilding texts. This edition features innovations
    in the practice of weight training and powerlifting with the aid of diagrams.
    The premise is that the exerciser is not the one who should adapt to the
    exercise; rather, the exercise needs to be adapted to the exerciser."


    With more
    than 600 illustrations, Strength
    Training Anatomy, 3E
    is
    widely considered the most compelling artwork ever applied to a strength
    training resource. While the illustrations showcase muscles, they also
    delineate how the muscles react with surrounding joints, bones and connective
    tissues. The book features 127 exercises for arms, shoulders, chest,
    back, legs, buttocks and abdominals.


    Readers
    from athletic trainers and professional bodybuilders to casual athletes have
    found Delavier's precise depictions helpful in understanding the muscles worked
    in particular exercises. "This book helps make you more aware of your
    muscles so you have another way of visualizing correct form in an
    exercise," summarizes one reviewer.


    Delavier's
    signature illustration style allows readers to see the exercises from the
    inside out. "My drawing is built from the interior; this is what makes it
    realistic," explains Delavier, who studied morphology and dissection
    extensively. "There is nothing better than drawing, by means of a pencil
    with help from computers, to explain a complicated thing simply."


    The
    author hopes his drawings help readers better understand and care for their
    bodies. "I would simply wish that people would be a little more conscious
    of their body and the way in which it functions, which can help them in many
    fields, because we live with our bodies all our life, and as elders say, 'Know
    yourself.' It is the beginning of wisdom."


    For more information on
    Strength Training Anatomy, 3E, and other training resources, visitwww.HumanKinetics.com.