Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 2nd Edition

This is a book that everyone who lifts should read, whether new or experienced. It teaches you how to properly do the five major compound lifts that build a rock-solid, freakishly strong body: the squat, bench press, standing press, deadlift, and power clean. (A "compound lift" is one that engages more than one muscle group. An "isolation exercise" is one that only engages one muscle group.)Don't listen to the BS magazines that push fake workouts endorsed by steroid freaks that will say anything for a buck. Don't waste your time with the whole slew of Men's Health products that will have you doing ten thousand reps per week only to make no gains.If you want to get bigger and stronger, you MUST do several if not all of the lifts explained in this book. Nothing builds better legs and butts than squats. The bench press is a staple chest exercise that, when combined with dumbbell presses, builds big, powerful chests. The standing press builds strong shoulders that look like cannonballs. The deadlift is one of the best overall mass building exercises, and it builds your entire back, legs, and traps. The power clean is one of the toughest lifts you can do and works just about every muscle in your body.This book shows you the proper form for all these exercises in amazing detail. This is CRUCIAL because bad form can lead to injuries (but proper form will completely prevent them). Remember, heavy weight lifted with poor form is NOT worth it (while the guys doing it think the heavy weights makes them look cool, their poor form actually just makes them look like idiots).The author gives you a workout program in the end of the book built around the five compound mass builders with target sets and reps, which is a great strength-building program.If you lift weights, you owe it to yourself to buy and read this book. Your workouts--and results--will never be the same again.Another great book that espouses these concepts but also goes over proper dieting, cardio, and supplementing (and debunks a bunch of BS), is Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body (The Lean Muscle Series). I highly recommend it.

An amazing resource to have had as a beginner to learn the major compound lifts and proper programming.Very detailed and informative (disregard any diet information in the book until you have a proper grasp on nutrition) ;as words and still images are a way of the olden times. highly recommended to pair with videos online and you too will soon be well versed in proper squats & hip draiiiive.

This is the best weight lifting technique book ever. I cannot stress enough that you will find information in this book that can't be found in any other single source.I have been using the techniques described in this book for a few months now and it has changed my entire view of weightlifting. I had weightlifting courses in high school but didn't receive much instruction. We had to max for squats and bench. As long as either improved throughout the course, you got an A. There was no technique instruction except for the basic `exhale on the way up' and `don't let your knees pass your toes'. Well, know that I've read this book I share the author's view on how to do the exercises properly (btw they advocate holding your breath in what is known as the Valsalva maneuver). I never really knew how to squat properly until reading this book. I used to think it was hard on the knees - turns out that knee pain was just my knees telling me I was doing it incorrectly. Now that I have the correct technique, I do full depth squats each and every workout and my knees are pain free. I have always been decent at bench press (relative to body weight) and this book also opened my eyes to some technique flaws that I have always had. I have yet to start the Power Cleans because I am still working on my back Squat technique. However, there is a chapter dedicated to Power Cleans and it appears to be just as well written as the other sections. I am getting ready to add Power Cleans to my routine and I am confident I'll be able to perform them with good technique in time. I'm confident because of the quality of instruction provided in this book. This is the definitive reference manual for the lifts covered. Period! I have purchased many `weightlifting' books in the past that talk about various other aspects, but nobody ever really got into the details of how to lift.Read this 1 book and you will know what you're doing in the gym.Enjoying the book and attempting to share it with others.

There is a new generation of strength training books such as Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and The New Rules of Lifting by Lou Schuler based on cutting edge research that will give one more strength and more muscle than the routines contained in "old school" strength training books but MOST important of all, it will help focus newcomers on key concepts of muscle growth that are based on more than circuit training large groups of muscles. Concepts that one will extrapolate and apply to one's entire view of fitness. There is no question that applying a great amount of effort (or steroids) to a mediocre training routine will produce noticeable results but why not exert the same (or less) effort for better results?Some other books I can recommend are Schwarzenegger's huge Bodybuilding Encyclopedia, Getting Stronger by Bill Pearl or any of the Men's Health fitness guides. For a different kind of workout check out The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness by Stewart Smith, a fitness program with DVD based around a military program for Navy Seals that is completely free of any weights and uses only one's own body weight. Best of all is Strength Training Anatomy (2nd edition) by Frederic Delavier which is actually a translation of a French book and has far and away the clearest, most informative descriptions of all the strength training exercises that I've ever seen. Couple that will Starting Strength and The New Rules of Lifting and you will have the absolute best resources a strength trainer could have.

This is the book that is a must have if you're into lifting weights for whatever reason. The authors go through the core lifting exercises that should form the basis of any routine. While they spend most of the pages discussing squats, deadlifts, bench presses, presses and power cleans, there are several detailed on other exercises near the end. The basic program is an excellent starting point for at least several months no matter your ultimate destination - stronger for sports, bodybuilding, powerlifting, etc. Amazing thing is with all the reviews on this book I've barely seen anyone squat and perhaps have never seen anyone deadlift in many years of working out on and off at many different gyms. I have seen countless people doing presses incorrectly and then complain about shoulder issues! That's why this book is priceless. It works for beginners and the 10 year lifter with poor technique (plenty out there).Despite the 5 stars, it's not perfect. The book really needs a summary page for each lift. There's a lot of information that's good to know but not really necessary when you're just trying to do the lift. The actual technique could easily be condensed to a page for each lift. A look at the starting strength forum will only confirm the neanderthal stereotype of weight training but it's not part of the book so no deduction.

Let me start by saying that this book is one of the best how-to books that I have ever read. It had me at hello. The introduction's reasoning behind strength training is very convincing. A wonderful mix of research, experience and wit. I am recommending this book to all of my friends, most of whom are military and are constantly focused on their physical abilities.The only draw back is, if you are the type that skims a book and gleans information from pics, you may teach yourself the wrong thing. A good bit of the pics are examples of the wrong way to do something. Simple strength training is...well, simple. The author does a great job of giving you a precise method for each lift, then the remainder of the chapter is what to watch out for. The author borders on giving too much info on how NOT to do an exercise that, again, if you are a lazy reader, will confuse you. I want to get my hands on a first edition to see what the cut-n-dry version was like.I read the book three times (in a week and a half) to make sure that I got it all right. It's so well written that it wasn't a burden. Like I said, I've been telling all my friends about it.

I came to learn about Coach Rip via Crossfit when he was still associated with Crossfit HQ. After reading SS:BBT and then Practical Programming (the second part of Rip's bible), I realized that like he says, strength may be the most important thing in life when it comes to being fit. The book covers all the basics anyone needs to get strong and, if desired, big. I heartily recommend all his books. Currently I am an intermediate lifter using Rip's Texas Method and making solid gains week by week. This is a no BS, common-sense program that will get you strong using the basic lifts plus assistance exercises, all of which are covered in adequate detail. I highly recommend this book in conjunction with Practical Programming, as the programming section of SS is a bit weak. The two books together are all you really need, though his writing style is so entertaining, you'll probably end up buying his other books and following his blog on [...] as well. As one reviewer mentioned, it's dense, with tons of detail on each exercise. That's so you do it correctly, don't get injured, and get the most benefit you can from your workouts. It's not a bodybuilding, Olympic lifting, or even powerlifting book; it's a book about the most efficient and effective way to get strong. And it works.

This is the single most valuable book on weight training I have ever read. If you are committed to getting stronger and want functional strength with flexibility and coordination, then this is a must-read. Anybody can use this book: beginners and advanced lifters can use this book and benefit from it. This book will teach you the fundamentals of barbell training ESSENTIAL for a linear progression program as well as for more advanced programs. It will enable you to train effectively and safely, and provides thorough, anatomical explanations of the squat, press, bench press, deadliest, and power clean. If you study this book, commit to a program like what it describes, you will get stronger, faster, more flexible, and more coordinated. I came to this book from a CrossFit background, and after committing to a linear progression program, I developed strength far beyond what I had before. This book completely changed the way I approach strength training and fitness in general, and it enabled me to obtain strength that enhanced my performance in CrossFit and my overall athleticism. This book draws on expertise gained through many many years of professional experience and coaching. This book gives you the facts, and with hard work, they make all the difference. There are many fad programs and books out there that try to convince people that the body can become stronger quickly and easily, but this is false. Real strength that makes you a better athlete comes only through hard work and dedication, and this is what this book is all about. Get this book and get serious.

Ja es ist natürlich ziemlich nerdig und sehr ausführlich. Aber wer sein Körper zu seinem Thema gemacht hat, der wird mit dem Buch seine Freude haben.

This book is essentially focused on the five key exercises that can be done using a barbell. These being the squat, bench press, deadlift, press, and power clean. On average about 40 pages are devoted to each exercise, with detailed descriptions provided for each. For each exercise the correct form is strongly emphasized both through the use of pictures (similar to the those shown on the front of the book) and photographs. Issues such as posture, feet position, and point of focus are all covered, as well as less obvious points like starting and completing the exercises and the correct grip. Of interest is the advice related to the common mistakes that people make, which is obviously important particularly given the increased likelihood of injury when trying to lift heavier weights incorrectly.Following the 5 key exercises the book then describes other useful exercises that can be used to supplement the main exercises. This section is 80 pages long and covers exercises such as the incline bench press, pull up, and parallel bar dips. While much less attention is given to these extra exercises, i still found the information provided to be useful.The chapter entitled programming completes the book, this covers topics such as suggestions for a workout regime, warming up, nutrition, equipment, and handling injuries. Again i found this chapter insightful, particularly the advice given with respect to the purchase of exercise equipment.In conclusion, i really cannot imagine a more complete book on the subject and if you really want to learn how to do these exercises properly and safely (particularly with heavier weights) this book is indispensible...recommended