Ted Lochwyn

I like this book, though I cannot give its style a rave review. Way too much profanity and way too much self-glorification for a motivational book. Arnold talks about how he'd like to "pay forward" the inspiration he got as a teenager from bodybuilders like Reg Park. So Arnold apparently would like the readers of _Be Useful_ to include teenagers. Why then use language that most parents would not like their children to emulate? I can kind of give Arnold a pass on that point, given his status as a speaker of English as a second language. If I can put on my linguist hat for a moment, I acknowledge that a second language speaker with a high level of communicative competence (eg, Arnold) may not possess a commensurate grasp of socio-linguistic nuance. Yet the point holds. Not that I'm a purist about profanity myself (far from it), but salty language is pervasive enough in _Be Useful_ to distract from content. The same can be said for the amount of text devoted to Arnold's Olympian successes in life, much as he does deserve copious congratulations for each of those successes across an amazing range of fields. Those caveats aside, I give Arnold a _lot_ of credit for the motivation I've personally garnered from his books. I loved his _Arnold's Bodybuilding for Men_ (1984), which I mainlined immediately and that still remains central to the way I structure my workouts. The most charming aspect of _Arnold's Bodybuilding for Men_ is he way he puts you (the reader) in control of your own routine. Example -- re chin-ups -- Arnold explains that putting your hands farther apart will make the exercise harder, putting them closer together will make it easier -- in other words, customize your workout as you please. Unfortunately, Arnold departs from that approach in _Be Useful_, implying that someone who doesn't follow strict form in lat pull-downs is likely a slacker in every aspect of life. A bit too Draconian a judgement I would say. And yet, again, I give _Be Useful_ credit for inspiring me to work out more vigorously and to face other challenges with greater focus. The changes are significant, even in the short term, and could be life changing over time. In conclusion, DO read _Be Useful_. It has miles of encouragement to offer. I hope you find as much motivation in it as I do.