BOOK REVIEWS been the standard in the field for three cialties but many others are relatively

cialties but many others are relatively un-

ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise
Testing and Prescription, 7th
Edition
Editor: Whaley, Mitchell H., PhD,
FACSM Bibliographic Data: (ISBN:
0-7817-4506-3, Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, 2006, $32.95) 366 pages, spi-
ral bound cover. Subjects: Sports
Medicine.
DESCRIPTION:This is the seventh edi-
tion of a resource for professionals who
advocate physical activity and contains the
current recommendations on health ap-
praisals, exercise testing, and exercise pre-
scription. The previous edition was pub-
lished in 2000. PURPOSE: This book is
intended to provide the most current infor-
mation in a usable form for professionals
who are involved in the assessment of
physical fitness and the promotion of phys-
ical activity. This is certainly a worthy ob-
jective because of the varied training re-
ceived by those involved in the clinical
aspects of fitness and the fitness industry.
Much of this information is covered in
many other sources, but this is the one
definitive source of information on exercise
testing and prescription. AUDIENCE: The
book is targeted at health/fitness and clin-
ical exercise professionals, physicians,
nurses, physician assistants, physical and
occupational therapists, dietitians, and
healthcare administrators. All of the con-
tributing authors are well known experts in
their fields and a number of them were
involved in the previous edition. FEA-
TURES: This is the most comprehensive
and authoritative guide to exercise testing
and prescription. The most important con-
tribution of this book is to have all this
information, selected by experts, in one
book that is easy to reference. This has
decades. ASSESSMENT: The team of dis-
tinguished authors, led by Senior Editor
Mitchell H. Whaley, PhD, has continued
the huge success of ACSM’s Guidelines for
Exercise Testing and Prescription. This
edition has been updated to include the
most current information and several new
sections. This is a must-have resource for
anyone in fields related to exercise testing
and prescription. SCORE: Weighted Nu-
merical Score: 93
Reviewed by: Edward H. Heath, Ph.D.
(Utah State University College of Education)
ACSM’s Resource Manual for
Guidelines for Exercise Testing and
Prescription, 5th Edition
Editor: Kaminsky, Leonard A., PhD,
FACSM. Bibliographic Data: (ISBN:
0-7817-4591-8, Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, 2006, $51.95) 749 pages, soft
cover.
DESCRIPTION: Although this resource
manual complements the seventh edition of
the ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing
and Prescription and serves as a study
guide for ACSM certifications, it should
also be considered a stand-alone reference
for health and fitness professionals. This
fifth edition updates the 2001 text. PUR-
POSE: The book may not be “necessary”
to pass ACSM certification exams, but it
does add depth to the ACSM Guidelines
and is a useful resource. AUDIENCE: This
book is rather in-depth and comprehensive
for just a study guide; it is a reference text.
The language, terminology, and level of
understanding in some of the chapters that
might be most useful for clinicians and
practitioners might be a bit too advanced
for some students seeking only one of the
introductory health/fitness certifications.
Of the numerous chapter authors, some are
well-known leaders in their respective spe-
known. However, nearly all of the chapter
authors hold terminal degrees and are as-
sociated with highly respected institutions.
FEATURES: The bulk of the book focuses
on assessments/exercise testing, exercise
training, and expected physiological adap-
tations with exercise training for both
healthy and diseased populations. Addi-
tional content includes behavioral modifi-
cation and administration of exercise pro-
grams. The greatest asset of this book may
be its comprehensiveness as nearly every
topic imaginable relative to exercise testing
and programming for both healthy and dis-
eased populations is addressed. A unique
and useful feature is the cross referencing
to the seventh edition of the ACSM Guide-
lines. The tables and boxed information are
also good summary features. Photographs
would have helped readers. For example,
when describing equipment that everyone
might not be familiar with or have access to
(e.g., accelerometer, DEXA, etc.), a photo-
graph would be useful. Also, appendix B
(ACSM certifications & KSAs) in this Re-
source Manual is identical to appendix F in
the ACSM Guidelines. This redundancy
could be eliminated. ASSESSMENT: This
is more than just a study guide for those
seeking ACSM certifications; it is a com-
prehensive reference for clinicians and fit-
ness professionals. There are other books
that are better at explaining how to perform
various exercise/fitness assessments (better
explanations, photographs, and figures):
Heyward, Advanced Fitness Assessment
and Exercise Prescription, 4th edition (Hu-
man Kinetics, 2002), and Howley and
Franks, Health Fitness Instructor’s Hand-
book, 4th edition (Human Kinetics, 2003).
However, the scope and comprehensive-
ness of the ACSM Resource Manual is un-
matched. SCORE: Weighted Numerical
Score: 91
Reviewed by: Dale R. Wagner, Ph.D.
(Utah State University College of Education)

Doody Enterprises, Inc. owns the copy- The ratings are divided into five groups, and each group is assigned one to five stars.
right to all book and software reviews
appearing MSSE®. Full access to ACSM 夹夹夹夹夹 97–100 Exceptional book with nearly flawless execution
InfoSearch is a free benefit ACSM offers 夹夹夹夹 90 –96 Outstanding book, with minor problems in execution
to all of its members, providing full 夹夹夹 69 – 89 Very good book, but usually with one or more fairly significant flaws
access to Doody’s comprehensive, 夹夹 47– 68 Average book, usually with several flaws (or one major flaw) or significant
proprietary database of information about weakness versus its competition
inprint book and software titles and a 夹 below 46 Substandard book
weekly literature update customized to
each member’s topical areas of interest.
To register, members should go to http://
www.doody.com/s7.asp?dslid⫽1007.

2018