Vince Gironda Unleashing The Wild Physique

Bought this when it first came out and have found it to be invaluable. So many insights from the great man himself. A must read and as relevant now as it was back then.

I think this is a great book for bodybuilding enthusiasts who have never heard of Vince Gironda and his methods.

I will say that the book does show other aspects of Vince’s dietary philosophy. Most people are familiar with his dietary recommendations (high fat, low carb), but I was surprised to find other diet plans (such as fasting and vegetarian) in this book.

The greatest strength of this book are the exercises shown for each body part. Vince knew the art of the physique, and he provides a variety of unconventional exercises designed for muscle symmetry and balance.

Overall, an excellent book for the bodybuilder looking to refine his physique.

The section on ectomorph training is where the book really shines. This chapter shows that Vince Gironda truly knew what he was talking about. Excellent info. Read this! He makes an important point to take the endocrinal system into account when planning workouts (never to failure, variety in both nutrition and exercise). There is so much misinformation out there regarding ectomorph training, which does not make any sense. But Vince really knew his stuff.

For anyone who is familiar with Vince Gironda, this book is a must have. If you are a body builder and you have not looked into Vince Gironda you are missing out on a lot of valuable insight into creating muscle. This book not only gives exercises the Gironda way, it shows body building the way it should be done, you against the iron. Gironda trained many of the best including Schwarzenegger. If you think you are tough, try out Gironda’s 8×8 routine, what he called the honest routine.

Want muscles? Willing to work for it? Get this book.

Then adjust your diet and start lifting….

It sound easy but it is in fact an exploration. No body is the same. Because Vince Gironda’s spirit already left his own perfectly proportionally sculpted body a book is what is left to guide you.

But mind you, no empty words will do, muscle growth equals action. Read and practice. Nothing else will do. That was Gironda’s genius the way I see it, he knew what was needed and what had to be done. Gironda suggested ‘the how’ of the process. This is a great help on your way to a perfect body.

A perfect body in my opinion is about health, proportions and function. Vince Gironda knew it and he lived that. I’d say, be inspired until you expire. Good luck on your own journey. It’s a body building jungle out there This book is a valid map of the tricky body territory. I am glad I’ve got hold of it.

I’m not sure if this is the best BB book ever, but I would rank it very highly, partly because it contains information you may not find any other place. BTW, I waited to write this review until I had read the entire book.

Gironda makes it clear that his ideas were criticized in his day. Bodybuilders were laughed at when he first started, but he didn’t let that stop him. His low carb, high protein diets must have seemed really weird back then. However, not so much in the post-Atkins world.

Then again, his recommendation to consume raw eggs and raw meat sounds like an invitation to food poisoning. Also, I am concerned that if I followed his advice to use dessicated liver tablets, I might be consuming too much iron and increasing my risk of heart disease. In fact, he recommends using a ton of supplements, and I’m not sure that this is necessary or that I could afford it.

Although he gives several different diet plans, they are actually for people who are already in good shape. He says he has no patience for fat. To lose fat, he says “eat less”. He expected people coming to his gym to already be in good condition before they came asking for his advice. Of course, if you are out of shape, that doesn’t mean you can’t get something from this book. Just don’t expect it to give you a lot of guidance on weight loss.

Also, don’t expect it to be a book about getting huge. Gironda’s idea of bodybuilding was not about that. He was really into the V shape.

He discourages heavy back squats, because he says it can make the glutes and waist too big, thereby detracting from the V shape. He also mentions that a guy with a short neck should not work the traps specifically. He even mentions that some bodybuilders look fat when they have their clothes on, because they have gotten big in the wrong places.

One interesting idea I picked up from this book is the use of hyperventilation. The idea is to take several deep breaths before beginning an exercise to get oxygen circulating so the muscles don’t give out too soon. I found this very useful when doing high rep sets. I was able to get through the set more easily.

I think it is definitely worth following his advice on back development, given that he had one of the widest backs of his day.

Finally, he includes a chapter for bodybuilders over 40, which I particularly appreciated since I just turned 40.

I’m not sure what Kennedy’s contribution was to this book. Probably some editing and choice of pictures. It was originally published under a slightly different title with only Gironda’s name on it.

In Kennedy’s book, Beef It!, he promotes the use of heavy, high rep squats, especially for those with a slow metabolism. Also, he argues against the idea that bodybuilders need a lot more protein than the average person. Instead, he recommends a high carb diet low in sugar, salt, and processed foods. He does not seem to think that a lot of supplements are necessary except maybe just before a contest.

Anyway, I don’t know why Kennedy would want his name to be used on a book which clearly disagrees with his own ideas, so I suppose it had to be more of a business deal rather than a true collaboration. Of course, Kennedy is a self-described hardgainer, so I don’t think he ever had the kind of personal bodybuilding success that Gironda did. He is, however, a very successful publisher and author.

I’m generally not all that impressed by pictures. There are books out there with great pictures and little information. However, for such a slim book, the author has included a wealth of information. And since the book is not so huge, there is no excuse not to read it all.

This is definitely a classic, and I’m surprised that it went out of print. I think it is one of the few bodybuilding books written about this time which has appreciated in value. I think that it will continue to do so as it becomes more rare, so get your copy sooner than later.

I’ve been an athlete (now Coach and Trainer) for 20 years. At one point, my 2 main passions were Martial Arts and Natural Body Building. With that said, I’ve read my share of books on the subject of Bodybuilding and Vince Gironda’s book the “Wild Physique” is one of the best (if not the best) books I’ve read on the subject. He was indeed a Master Trainer and way ahead of his time. The concepts in this book can still be applied today, not only to Body Building but Sports and Fitness in general. He is to Body Building what Bruce Lee is to Martial Arts … Legend has it that Bruce Lee studied Vince’s training principles. Vince Gironda was a visionary and one of a kind. If you what to learn from a Master, get this book.

The best book on physique training ever…

Vince Gironda was a pioneer in the world of bodybuilding, his methods were many years ahead of his time. The exercises, routines, nutrition, and philosophy contained in this book are some of the best in the world of physique training and bodybuilding. I recommend this book to any serious fitness enthusiast with an open mind. This book is simply a gold mine of information!

i had this book back in the 80s , i lended it out to someone and never got it back .hope the dude used the tips in it .
Vince would have been the best personal trainer.