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What books do you recommend about fitness, weight training and aerobic exercise? Just started going to a gym after a long break, and I am an absolute beginner

What books do you recommend about fitness, weight training and aerobic exercise? Just started going to a gym after a long break, and I am an absolute beginner in this topic.

jl2718 5y ago
Stop driving. Bike everywhere. That’s all you need to know.
- Lukas_Skywalker 5y ago
  Case in point: children in Finland bike to school [1] even at -17C/2F. Studded tires work really well, even if it‘s a bit icy. [1] https://www.boredpanda.com/students-bicycle-school-winter-snow-oulu-finland https://www.boredpanda.com/students-bicycle-school-winter-sn...
  - Someone 5y ago
    Temperature isn’t the best indicator of bikeability. That photo, to me, looks like a cloudless sky, so chances are it’s dry, little or no wind, and low humidity. Even at -17C, that’s easy to dress for and way better than what you get around freezing with wind and rain, when the cloud cover prevents temperatures from dropping very deep (e.g. your typical British/Belgian/Dutch autumn weather) Even that is quite doable, though, at shortish distances (say less than 5km), certainly with some wind cover, as there typically is in cities.
- jimhefferon 5y ago
  At my house it is currently 6F. There is six inches of snow and freezing rain on everything, so roads are icy. Biking would be stupid.
  - pcmoney 5y ago
    Studded tires work great. People use them at ski resorts and mountain towns from Colorado to Alaska.
- wussboy 5y ago
  Unfortunately this advice is irrelevant (or suicidal) in many climates. Canada’s prairie provinces are completely unridable for 3-6 months out of the year.
  - phonypc 5y ago
    Shameless opportunity to share one of my favourite youtube videos from the last few years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU TL;DW Oulu, Finland is as cold and snowy as any population center in Canada. Plenty of people bike there year round. The issue is municipal infrastructure, not climate.
  - pomian 5y ago
    To help clarify. There are many different northern climates. Close to the oceans,which is Coastal, is very different than continental. I think there is misconception for those who don't understand, because how can they(?) If they have not experienced a Canadian or Siberian prairie winter. 30 to 40 degrees below zero ( °f=°c), wind blowing, constantly 30 to 50 km/hr(20-30mph), so wind chill maybe - 60 or more. (exposed skin frozen ~dead immediately.) Roads not only snowy and icy, but blowing snow, so poor visibility. Equipment breaks from the cold, for example if you go through a pot hole - and can't avoid that because there are no sidewalks or shoulders because snow. This weather can last for 2,3,4 months. We do play outside when we can, with preparation, but commuting, and shopping for essentials, is not playing.
    - hydrok9 5y ago
      I'm a lifelong central canada resident and I can confirm both the truth of this AND the fact that people do bike all winter round. It really is a case of acclimatization and preparedness (fitness being included in this).
    - wussboy 5y ago
      And then add kids in to the mix. Is just not possible (despite the baffling downvotes).
  - deleted 5y ago
- pengaru 5y ago
  Why bike? Man up and run everywhere.
  - agumonkey 5y ago
    I can bike as fast as Usain Bolt runs. Also biking is a bit easier on your back and legs. It may harm shoulders and testicles though.
    - notacoward 5y ago
      > I can bike as fast as Usain Bolt runs. ...which means absolutely nothing in terms of either ability or fitness. Sure, if you're time constrained, biking might be feasible where running is not. Otherwise it's just Easy Mode.
      - agumonkey 5y ago
        1) It was half a joke (implying I will never reach 35km/h with my legs) 2) OP was trying to go back into physical exercise, doing everything by bike is a great way to jump back. Running is amazing but your options are greatly reduced. I can use my bike to commute which means I don't have to allocate time for physical exercise. Aren't we all time constrained ? have a good day
    - pengaru 5y ago
      > biking is a bit easier on your back and legs. It may harm shoulders and testicles though. Not when you actually consider the probabilities of getting injured in a crash/fall. I can't tell you the number of times I've been injured on two wheels. Once I was run over by an inattentive driver hitting my BMX, knocking me to the ground, driving over my leg. On other occasions I've broken my wrists, broken collarbone, countless instances of road rash and other wounds. Other people here are arguing you can cycle in snow and ice, lololol, been there, done that, have the scars to prove it. There's just no comparison in the context of "easier on your body". You can run/walk on sidewalks and trails with all the other pedestrians, away from cars. Cycling near massive vehicles driven by people addicted to taking selfies is so hazardous to your body it tends to kill it to death. If fitness is the goal, running is way more effective in the same unit of time than cycling. I've done both trail running and mountain biking on similar trails. Every time I get really into the trail running mode enough to have the necessary fitness to really execute, returning to my mountain bike feels like easy mode with heaps of unnecessary mechanical wankery thrown in mostly because it entertains my inner gearhead and gives me more things to play consumer whore shopping for and buying.
- agumonkey 5y ago
  How long have you been doing this ? I managed to implement this since july this year. Very good benefits (muscle mass, cardiovascular health) but winter early night makes it a lot less joyful and I'm feeling less motivated. Also I see my thighs are getting thick and stiff .. but maybe I can fix that (jogging session and stretch ?)
  - schrijver 5y ago
    Not the parent poster, but have done this all my live. In The Netherlands people generally stop biking for sport in the winter, yet continue biking to work, which shows that your observation that it looses its fun is largely shared. It’s just that the benefits keep outweighing the drawbacks: it’s cheap, fast (at least in congested cities), sustainable, and good for your health. Then again, it’s much easier to keep doing something when everybody else is doing it, so if you’re in an area where cyclists are a minority I imagine it’s more of a challenge to convince yourself. The advantages do still apply so I’m sending virtual encouragement!
    - agumonkey 5y ago
      > Then again, it’s much easier to keep doing something when everybody else is doing it, so if you’re in an area where cyclists are a minority I imagine it’s more of a challenge to convince yourself. The advantages do still apply so I’m sending virtual encouragement! Very much, and also netherlands bike lane system is a real luxury. I'm lucky to have a long bike lane to bike freely, if most of my area was like this I'd be biking twice more.
  - jl2718 5y ago
    About 15 years, although rarely since lockdown. When I started working, I noticed that the only healthy old people were the bike commuters. Other people had fitness routines by convenience, and they didn't last to old age. Bike commuting was closer to a religion. You start out just trying to get some exercise, but you find freedom and self-mastery. It's a constant set of new and deeper challenges, as you push through the breaking points of each part of both body and equipment, not because you want to, but because you have to. Fitness is no longer a goal, but a means to a higher goal - simply surviving on this planet by your own god/evolution-given power. Thick and stiff sounds great to me. Regardless, I don't recommend jogging; I do recommend short runs building to max stride directly after completing a ride. I also like glute-ham raises and the reverse sit-ups to balance things out.
- notacoward 5y ago
  That's great when you already have that ability, and when circumstances permit. There's a bit more to it for people who do not have that ability, might never have that ability due to disability, or live in places/situations where it's not feasible. "That's all" is an expression of privilege, not real advice.
  - schrijver 5y ago
    “That’s all you need to know” is not the best way to put it… “It’s one of the best hacks out there” would be better. It’s kind of “take the stairs instead of the elevator” on steroids… you’re modifying something you have to do anyway, creating a new habit that will work in your favour… and in this case it also has environmental benefits and is likely cheaper then other forms of transport. But like any hack, there are scenarios where it won’t work, that’s clear.
  - jl2718 5y ago
    Recumbents are great for all body types.
    - notacoward 5y ago
      What about the type that has bad knees, or metabolic issues, or low vision, or seizures, or about a hundred other things? Somehow I think a hard-to-see-in-traffic recumbent bicycle isn't going to be a solution for them. Advocacy is a wonderful thing, but when it turns into ableism it's disgusting.
      - jl2718 5y ago
        I hear you. My uncle is disabled in the legs and I’ve admittedly had a hard time finding a recumbent arm bike that he felt comfortable enough to actually do his commuting on.
- dehrmann 5y ago
  That's great for cardio, but the main muscles it works are the quads. Hamstrings aren't emphasized, and upper body is lacking.
  - namdnay 5y ago
    Does upper body strength have a big impact on longevity? I would have imagined that daily biking covers 99% of the health gains
    - schrijver 5y ago
      I would think so too. The advantage is that since it’s part of daily life, you create this baseline of exercise that is always there, also when you lack motivation or time to do other sports.
- mpalczewski 5y ago
  Depending on where you live this advise my shorten your life expectancy and health expectancy. I’ve seen those on bikes get hit by cars plenty of times.
  - arisAlexis 5y ago
    Also cycling next to exhaust fumes is controversial at least
  - jl2718 5y ago
    This is correct. Daily street commuters can expect to get hit. I took some observational statistics at the place where I started commuting, and there were about 20 people that biked to work every day, and one got killed on average every 2 years, mostly on a single 400m stretch of busy road running to the building entrance. The main feature that increases safety seems to be overt bike lane and shoulder markings. So push for those if you have any involvement with local government. Our problem was the snow plows grinding down the paint, so some drivers would do things like try to pass on the right as if it was a multi-lane road. They will not notice a cyclist at all when doing something like that. I've also been hit by red light racers. They are only looking at the light, zero awareness of anything else. The best thing you can do is probably to just run the brightest flashers you can at all times, front, back, and sides. And this sounds silly, but, think about what you are going to do if something goes wrong. My worst hit was greatly mitigated by just remaining calm and reacting as I had rehearsed in my head, rolling up onto the windshield and tucking into a ball as I flipped through the air. One thing I wasn't quite ready for what what it feels like to get hit by a wall of steel at that speed, nothing like what happens at normal human speeds like playing football.
- foobiekr 5y ago
  Biking doesn’t do much for bone mass retention or upper body strength. Bike all you want, but also lift.
0xk4s7 5y ago
Just read reddit's FAQ on bodybuilding or fitness, depending on what you want.
- kelp 5y ago
  This is good advice and has much / most of the info you really need.
bitwize 5y ago
Rippetoe's Starting Strength is widely considered the go-to book for beginners. Starting off by doing compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press, and OH press is a great way to get your base strength levels up. You can add accessories later to zero in on specific muscle groups that need work. (You'll know which ones need work.) Best tip is don't be a showoff. Use only the amount of weight you can actually handle while keeping your form correct. Proper technique is better than big numbers. Strength will come with effort and technique. Oh, and your diet will change. Get ready to sate those cravings you'll get for protein-rich and fatty foods your body needs to repair your broken-down muscles. And get used to delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS); it's the "pain" in "no pain, no gain". Other forms of pain may not be so good.
- kelp 5y ago
  Regarding DOMS, I find that once I was on a very consistent program, 3-4 days a week, I never got sore with weight training. But if I ever took a week off, I’d have to back off on the volume and weight to avoid getting sore. Longer than a week and you really have to back way way off.
  - throwawayboise 5y ago
    That's about my workout frequency, and I'm basically sore all the time. I am constantly working on increasing weights though, I'm sure if I just did "maintenance" workouts it would be different. Edit: clarify "sore" not "in pain" there is a difference.
    - rkk3 5y ago
      When I trained a few years ago, I would be sore all the time... Now I've been training again, lifting more times a week & heavier weights and am pretty much not sore at all... I would try 1) increasing your protein to 1.5-2g per kg of body weight per day. 2) Cutting alcohol 3) Making sure you get enough sleep to recover properly 4) Drinking more Water (1 gallon / 4L a day)
      - 5y ago
CuriousSkeptic 5y ago
I found this to be pretty interesting: Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?: Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise by Alex Hutchinson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11115311-which-comes-first-cardio-or-weights https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11115311-which-comes-fir...
User23 5y ago
Starting Strength is a decent place to start for barbell exercise, but it's very much in the spirit of The Strongest Shall Survive: Strength Training for Football[1]. Therefore, if you're not a pubescent male with north of 1,000 ng/dL of testosterone and competitive athletic ambitions you'll probably want to modify the programming. I also hear good things about The Physics of Resistance Exercise, but I've yet to read it. An important thing about resistance exercise is that it's not just about muscles. It also stimulates the skeletal system to make your bones more dense, strengthens your ligaments and tendons, and perhaps most importantly stimulates the central nervous system. The latter is the likely mechanism for cognitive benefits. [1] It's arguably the better book, but it's out of print and you're going to be looking at about a couple hundred bucks at least for a copy.
- throw0101a 5y ago
  > Therefore, if you're not a pubescent male Rippetoe, the author of the book, is 65 years old: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rippetoe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rippetoe It's a book for beginners and anyone can use the linear progression method. Once you've progressed beyond just a beginner, The Barbell Prescription takes the Starting Strength idea and adapts for for people 40 and older: * https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34823846-the-barbell-prescription https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34823846-the-barbell-... One of the co-authors (an MD) runs the GreySteel YT channel (and he's no spring chicken): * https://www.youtube.com/c/GreySteel/about https://www.youtube.com/c/GreySteel/about
  - kemayo 5y ago
    You can see their basic program here: https://startingstrength.com/get-started/programs https://startingstrength.com/get-started/programs It has advice for how much to increase weight by which varies based on age and gender. (It's basically "slow down if you're not an 18-35 year old man".)
  - User23 5y ago
    Right; "Modify the programming". I assure you that Rip lifts different now than he did 50 years ago.
neatze 5y ago
For me personally nothing beats swimming for an hour, twice or more per week.
ewhanley 5y ago
You should check out Barbell Medicine. They have a great beginner / restart template [0]. It’s a couple of doctors and an extended team that cut through a lot of the bro science that surrounds fitness and, specifically, strength training. Their content is great and they have a book in the works. [0] https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/returning-to-the-gym/ https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/returning-to-the-gym/
- kvgr 5y ago
  I second this, their content is no bullcrap and easy to read. There is lot of fads in fitness for beginners to get caught on.
- drBonkers 5y ago
  Third vote of support for BBM. I went to comment them as a resource before finding your post.
- generalenvelope 5y ago
  Absolutely the best content I've found. So many free resources. In addition, their youtube channel is a great place to start.
abootstrapper 5y ago
I recommend the heaviest book you can find, and pick it up often!
- agumonkey 5y ago
  I leveraged water bottles. 1.5L to make warm up like arm exercises or weight to hold for punches. Very very nice IMO. ps: I don't know who does the russian trick (30 push ups whenever they have to wait a little .. elevators, mw ovens etc)
gabythenerd 5y ago
Starting Strength has a really comprehensive explanation of the main lifts: squats, press, bench press, power cleans and deadlift. It explains the mechanics behind a good lift and gives a little bit of advice about programming. It was one of the first books I ever read about fitness and it influenced all the workouts I did after it. IMHO strenght training makes going to the gym a lot more fun, as you can compete with yourself.
CalChris 5y ago
If you are going to a gym, I'd recommend classes. You don't have to think much. You just have to do which is good when you don't know anything. You just know you have to be there at 9am; it'll be an hour; and you'll get told what to do. spin classes rowing classes bodypump (light weights) yoga These are easy ways to get into the gym and get something done without wondering around the weight room wondering what this thing is for. If you do take these classes don't expect a lot of coaching. Instead, remember what the exercise was and look it up on Youtube. BTW, if you want to get into weight lifting, start with bodypump for a few months. You won't learn anything, nada. But that's not important; basic reps are. Then get a 5x5 app like StrongLifts. The nice thing about StrongLifts is you'll have a routine and it tracks you. Again, you aren't aimlessly wondering around the weight room. Finally, when you can complain about the difference between StrongLifts vs StartingStrength it will be time for you to leave.
- bckr 5y ago
  > Finally, when you can complain about the difference between StrongLifts vs StartingStrength it will be time for you to leave. Leave what, and do what instead?
  - Smaug123 5y ago
    Leave all the classes and apps and everything that's organised, and do it all yourself; you'll have enough knowledge and motivation by that point.
  - CalChris 5y ago
    Kung Fu reference. When you can take the pebble from my hand ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9selPW2lL-M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9selPW2lL-M
kelp 5y ago
If you can afford it, a trainer at a good gym will make a big difference. That’s how I got started and I really got results. They can make a program that’s setup for your goals and tweak it to keep it interesting. Plus the social pressure of having the appointment was what I needed to get out of bed early and get to the gym on time, especially when I didn’t feel like doing it.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- generalenvelope 5y ago
  preface with: I am not against trainers. I think they can be very valuable for the reasons you mentioned - encouragement, "managing" the technicalities, instructing your technique/nutrition. With that said, I would recommend using a trainer in combination with at least one separate resource - like barbell medicine. I've had personal experience with trainers that pedaled pseudo science (or sometimes straight BS) as fact, or recommended methods that weren't aligned with my goals.
cmaggiulli 5y ago
Starting Strength by Mark R
christoph 5y ago
For me, the three book series “Tactical Barbell” are pretty much unbeatable. Pick one of the three books depending on what your current goals are.
- scruple 5y ago
  Came to mention TB, as well. I've been running it for years (I originally learned about it from a HN comment) and believe that I will probably use it, or some variation of the protocols, for the rest of my life. That said, if I were new to barbell training, I would pick up the Starting Strength book and read it cover to cover to understand the mechanics of the main compound lifts. Then I would pick up the Greyskull LP program and run it (it's more or less the SS program but with some sanity in the progression and it doesn't ignore conditioning) until I was regularly hitting plateaus on the main lifts. Then I'd transition to the TB protocols starting with base building and going from there based on my goals and other fitness related endeavors. edit/ I'd also encourage people to read TB I: Strength, TB II: Conditioning, Mass Protocol, and the Ageless Athlete entry. I incorporate pieces of all 4 of these books into my training week. Additionally, there is another book specific to law enforcement that has interesting information in it. And, on top of that, there are 2 new books being worked on at the moment.
  - christoph 5y ago
    It’s a good point about SS. I kind of forgot about years of other books and programs, learning how to lift with good form, none of which TB really covers. TB just makes so much sense day to day. I think that the fact it is designed around you staying actually fully functional day to day, and not a worn out mess from a crazy amount of lifting is the key. You get serious gains but also still feel human. The workout “Black on Oxygen” is maybe one of the best all round routines I’ve ever done. I’ve never found anything that tops it.
brandonmenc 5y ago
It depends on what your goals are. Ignore everyone here recommending Starting Strength without knowing what your goals are because if your goals are general health or a classic physique, that book will not help you. imo the book is overrated, contrarian, and cultish, and results in injuries and an unbalanced physique just so you can get kind of strong at a few powerlifting movements.
logosmonkey 5y ago
I like Jeff Nippards stuff. He's generally pretty reasoned in his stances and his workouts are all pretty well done. I've had very good results so far with his 3/week full body hypertrophy program.
grech 5y ago
When I first started getting in better health and shape years ago, two resources helped me learn, provide structure, and form habits. One is a lengthy blog post and the other one is a popular book. Both are simple and accessible in their approach. Nerdfitness - The Beginner Bodyweight Workout https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/ https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workou... Bigger Leaner Stronger (Book)
valec 5y ago
honestly the reddit r/fitness faq is pretty good. if you don't mind reading a lot the strongerbyscience guides on squatting, deadlifting and benching are very high quality. in terms of programming: starting strength is ok for beginners but don't stay glued to it for too long. once you start stalling move on to an intermediate program like the texas method, any of the SBS programs, 5/3/1 bbb, or some sort of ppl. also, while starting strength is fine for beginners (the low volume isn't a problem as in beginners few gains are made the first month due to poor physiological recovery capacity, and beginners respond to basically any volume), mark rippetoe is a stubborn dogmatist who has never broken any records or coached anyone who's broken any records. take a lot of things he says with a grain of salt. the most important things are: push yourself in the gym, increase weights or reps regularly (or more generally difficulty so you keep adapting to higher demands/build muscle), eat at a slight surplus, and sleep at least 7 hours, preferably 9 if it's possible.
- kemayo 5y ago
  I would consider that if your goal is just general "I'd like to be strong and healthy", whether someone has broken records doesn't really factor in to it. A program that'll take you from unfit to the strongest person in most rooms isn't necessarily going to share much beyond basic principles with a world record contender program. That said, totally agree on those basics: progressive overload + eat right.
chillwaves 5y ago
As someone else mentioned, hire a trainer. There is only so much you can learn from reading vs doing. Having someone guide you will increase the effectiveness of your effort by 10x.
npsimons 5y ago
Funnily enough, I picked up "Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training" by Mark Rippetoe based on an HN recommendation. In my view, free weights beat out just about everything else for strength training because if you do the basic five (squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, power clean), that hits pretty much every muscle, including stabilisers. It helps not just with strength, but balance and supporting joints, plus increases bone strength. As for aerobics/cardio, I've never really picked up a book myself as I've been hiking my entire life. It really depends on what you're aiming for; if it's just baseline cardio, walks around the neighborhood are good enough. Beyond that you have to specialize a bit depending on what you're aiming for, be it endurance, speed, explosiveness, and also terrain and form. Swimming is probably the lowest impact, but requires a pool. I use cycling for groceries, errands and when I used to commute, but that's sort of an absolute bare minimum. At home I got a VersaClimber clone since I rock climb and mountaineer. I recently got into trail running after reading "Born to Run" but that's less a prescriptive/instructive book than an inspirational/entertaining read. Recently I've gotten into Yoga as I've been neglecting flexibility. Yoga With Adrienne on YouTube has worked well for me so far.
- bumby 5y ago
  SS is good for beginners, but I would push back a bit that it works every muscle sufficiently. Rip says himself his method is really about basic movement patterns. While those exercises probably meet the points of diminishing returns, it doesn’t do much for specific muscles like, say, biceps, which is why he advocates ancillary exercises as somebody progresses.
  - npsimons 5y ago
    > which is why he advocates ancillary exercises as somebody progresses. IIRC, he poo-poos assistance lifts such as bicep curls. The one exception is chins, which is in the official program and he insists on overhand because it works more muscle mass, despite overhand being the more practical version. Yeah, if you're bodybuilding get Pearl's "Keys to the Inner Universe" and plan on spending a lot of time just creating a program. But for most average people just looking to maintain, and especially beginners, the basic five lifts are simple, cover pretty much everything you need (for baseline strength) and can be done with a minimum of fuss, including creating programming and actual time lifting.
gdudeman 5y ago
There are a lot of recommendations for Starting Strength here and I think the book is great for describing how to do a certain kind of lift. I read it and was still lost about frequency, how to minimize injury, etc. It doesn't give you the practical "do this" sort of advice a true beginner needs or at least this true beginner needed. I really like Julian Shapiro's guide for the first few months of weight lifting: https://www.julian.com/guide/muscle/intro https://www.julian.com/guide/muscle/intro I'd recommend the trainer part though - I tweaked my shoulder trying to just figure it out on my own.
- exhilaration 5y ago
  So I'm a big Starting Strength believer, it was transformational for me (specifically the deadlift, it's life-changing), but in addition to the book the YouTube channel is great: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC5FaqTBy0c1jlRUHKu4SuXQ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC5FaqTBy0c1jlRUHKu4SuXQ Since this is a technical crowd, I would suggest firing up YouTube-DL and downloading every video from the channel. The content is so incredibly valuable that I could see them putting it behind a subscription at some point. Once you have it locally you can just sort by filename and watch all the instructional videos on the squat or deadlift etc.
- npsimons 5y ago
  > It doesn't give you the practical "do this" sort of advice a true beginner needs or at least this true beginner needed. What are you talking about? He lists an example two week program complete with sets and reps in that book, plus outlines exactly how to find the weight you should be lifting with. Form is rigorously specified, to the point I've managed to stay injury free from lifting while never having been coached. As someone who had done practically no strength training (benching with friends every once in a blue moon), SS:BBT took me from completely ignorant to regular lifter.
- bumby 5y ago
  >It doesn't give you the practical "do this" sort of advice a true beginner needs or at least this true beginner needed. His other book “Practical Programming” does. I find his writing needlessly verbose, but he does cover a lot of different programming options.
lottin 5y ago
Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe is a must read if you are looking into "getting in shape." It contains a thorough analysis of the main barbell lifts, and compelling arguments in favour of barbell training (and against other types of training). You'll find a lot of learning material on Youtube as well.
bumby 5y ago
There’s plenty of weight training resources already available so I’ll add a cardio resource: Daniels Running Formula. Also, don’t forget flexibility/mobility work in addition to strength and cardio. Starretts Supple Leopard book is a good resource, as is general yoga classes.
post_from_work 5y ago
Special Forces Assessment training handbook (aimed at success in Army Special Forces, but lots of practical workouts and injury-prevention techniques): https://goarmysof.com/documents/sf/SFAS-PT-handbook.pdf https://goarmysof.com/documents/sf/SFAS-PT-handbook.pdf Special Operations Nutrition Guide: https://navyseals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/special-operations-nutrition-guide.pdf https://navyseals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/special-ope...
_prototype_ 5y ago
Its really not very complex, but its hard. lift weights 5-6 times a week. And be consistent. Consistency is everything. After about 6 months you'll see incredible results. Keep going.

What books do you recommend about fitness, weight training and aerobic exercise? Just started going to a gym after a long break, and I am an absolute beginner in this topic.

jl2718 5y ago

Stop driving. Bike everywhere. That’s all you need to know.

Lukas_Skywalker 5y ago
Case in point: children in Finland bike to school [1] even at -17C/2F. Studded tires work really well, even if it‘s a bit icy. [1] https://www.boredpanda.com/students-bicycle-school-winter-snow-oulu-finland https://www.boredpanda.com/students-bicycle-school-winter-sn...
- Someone 5y ago
  Temperature isn’t the best indicator of bikeability. That photo, to me, looks like a cloudless sky, so chances are it’s dry, little or no wind, and low humidity. Even at -17C, that’s easy to dress for and way better than what you get around freezing with wind and rain, when the cloud cover prevents temperatures from dropping very deep (e.g. your typical British/Belgian/Dutch autumn weather) Even that is quite doable, though, at shortish distances (say less than 5km), certainly with some wind cover, as there typically is in cities.
jimhefferon 5y ago
At my house it is currently 6F. There is six inches of snow and freezing rain on everything, so roads are icy. Biking would be stupid.
- pcmoney 5y ago
  Studded tires work great. People use them at ski resorts and mountain towns from Colorado to Alaska.
wussboy 5y ago
Unfortunately this advice is irrelevant (or suicidal) in many climates. Canada’s prairie provinces are completely unridable for 3-6 months out of the year.
- phonypc 5y ago
  Shameless opportunity to share one of my favourite youtube videos from the last few years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU TL;DW Oulu, Finland is as cold and snowy as any population center in Canada. Plenty of people bike there year round. The issue is municipal infrastructure, not climate.
- pomian 5y ago
  To help clarify. There are many different northern climates. Close to the oceans,which is Coastal, is very different than continental. I think there is misconception for those who don't understand, because how can they(?) If they have not experienced a Canadian or Siberian prairie winter. 30 to 40 degrees below zero ( °f=°c), wind blowing, constantly 30 to 50 km/hr(20-30mph), so wind chill maybe - 60 or more. (exposed skin frozen ~dead immediately.) Roads not only snowy and icy, but blowing snow, so poor visibility. Equipment breaks from the cold, for example if you go through a pot hole - and can't avoid that because there are no sidewalks or shoulders because snow. This weather can last for 2,3,4 months. We do play outside when we can, with preparation, but commuting, and shopping for essentials, is not playing.
  - hydrok9 5y ago
    I'm a lifelong central canada resident and I can confirm both the truth of this AND the fact that people do bike all winter round. It really is a case of acclimatization and preparedness (fitness being included in this).
  - wussboy 5y ago
    And then add kids in to the mix. Is just not possible (despite the baffling downvotes).
- deleted 5y ago
pengaru 5y ago
Why bike? Man up and run everywhere.
- agumonkey 5y ago
  I can bike as fast as Usain Bolt runs. Also biking is a bit easier on your back and legs. It may harm shoulders and testicles though.
  - notacoward 5y ago
    > I can bike as fast as Usain Bolt runs. ...which means absolutely nothing in terms of either ability or fitness. Sure, if you're time constrained, biking might be feasible where running is not. Otherwise it's just Easy Mode.
    - agumonkey 5y ago
      1) It was half a joke (implying I will never reach 35km/h with my legs) 2) OP was trying to go back into physical exercise, doing everything by bike is a great way to jump back. Running is amazing but your options are greatly reduced. I can use my bike to commute which means I don't have to allocate time for physical exercise. Aren't we all time constrained ? have a good day
  - pengaru 5y ago
    > biking is a bit easier on your back and legs. It may harm shoulders and testicles though. Not when you actually consider the probabilities of getting injured in a crash/fall. I can't tell you the number of times I've been injured on two wheels. Once I was run over by an inattentive driver hitting my BMX, knocking me to the ground, driving over my leg. On other occasions I've broken my wrists, broken collarbone, countless instances of road rash and other wounds. Other people here are arguing you can cycle in snow and ice, lololol, been there, done that, have the scars to prove it. There's just no comparison in the context of "easier on your body". You can run/walk on sidewalks and trails with all the other pedestrians, away from cars. Cycling near massive vehicles driven by people addicted to taking selfies is so hazardous to your body it tends to kill it to death. If fitness is the goal, running is way more effective in the same unit of time than cycling. I've done both trail running and mountain biking on similar trails. Every time I get really into the trail running mode enough to have the necessary fitness to really execute, returning to my mountain bike feels like easy mode with heaps of unnecessary mechanical wankery thrown in mostly because it entertains my inner gearhead and gives me more things to play consumer whore shopping for and buying.
agumonkey 5y ago
How long have you been doing this ? I managed to implement this since july this year. Very good benefits (muscle mass, cardiovascular health) but winter early night makes it a lot less joyful and I'm feeling less motivated. Also I see my thighs are getting thick and stiff .. but maybe I can fix that (jogging session and stretch ?)
- schrijver 5y ago
  Not the parent poster, but have done this all my live. In The Netherlands people generally stop biking for sport in the winter, yet continue biking to work, which shows that your observation that it looses its fun is largely shared. It’s just that the benefits keep outweighing the drawbacks: it’s cheap, fast (at least in congested cities), sustainable, and good for your health. Then again, it’s much easier to keep doing something when everybody else is doing it, so if you’re in an area where cyclists are a minority I imagine it’s more of a challenge to convince yourself. The advantages do still apply so I’m sending virtual encouragement!
  - agumonkey 5y ago
    > Then again, it’s much easier to keep doing something when everybody else is doing it, so if you’re in an area where cyclists are a minority I imagine it’s more of a challenge to convince yourself. The advantages do still apply so I’m sending virtual encouragement! Very much, and also netherlands bike lane system is a real luxury. I'm lucky to have a long bike lane to bike freely, if most of my area was like this I'd be biking twice more.
- jl2718 5y ago
  About 15 years, although rarely since lockdown. When I started working, I noticed that the only healthy old people were the bike commuters. Other people had fitness routines by convenience, and they didn't last to old age. Bike commuting was closer to a religion. You start out just trying to get some exercise, but you find freedom and self-mastery. It's a constant set of new and deeper challenges, as you push through the breaking points of each part of both body and equipment, not because you want to, but because you have to. Fitness is no longer a goal, but a means to a higher goal - simply surviving on this planet by your own god/evolution-given power. Thick and stiff sounds great to me. Regardless, I don't recommend jogging; I do recommend short runs building to max stride directly after completing a ride. I also like glute-ham raises and the reverse sit-ups to balance things out.
notacoward 5y ago
That's great when you already have that ability, and when circumstances permit. There's a bit more to it for people who do not have that ability, might never have that ability due to disability, or live in places/situations where it's not feasible. "That's all" is an expression of privilege, not real advice.
- schrijver 5y ago
  “That’s all you need to know” is not the best way to put it… “It’s one of the best hacks out there” would be better. It’s kind of “take the stairs instead of the elevator” on steroids… you’re modifying something you have to do anyway, creating a new habit that will work in your favour… and in this case it also has environmental benefits and is likely cheaper then other forms of transport. But like any hack, there are scenarios where it won’t work, that’s clear.
- jl2718 5y ago
  Recumbents are great for all body types.
  - notacoward 5y ago
    What about the type that has bad knees, or metabolic issues, or low vision, or seizures, or about a hundred other things? Somehow I think a hard-to-see-in-traffic recumbent bicycle isn't going to be a solution for them. Advocacy is a wonderful thing, but when it turns into ableism it's disgusting.
    - jl2718 5y ago
      I hear you. My uncle is disabled in the legs and I’ve admittedly had a hard time finding a recumbent arm bike that he felt comfortable enough to actually do his commuting on.
dehrmann 5y ago
That's great for cardio, but the main muscles it works are the quads. Hamstrings aren't emphasized, and upper body is lacking.
- namdnay 5y ago
  Does upper body strength have a big impact on longevity? I would have imagined that daily biking covers 99% of the health gains
  - schrijver 5y ago
    I would think so too. The advantage is that since it’s part of daily life, you create this baseline of exercise that is always there, also when you lack motivation or time to do other sports.
mpalczewski 5y ago
Depending on where you live this advise my shorten your life expectancy and health expectancy. I’ve seen those on bikes get hit by cars plenty of times.
- arisAlexis 5y ago
  Also cycling next to exhaust fumes is controversial at least
- jl2718 5y ago
  This is correct. Daily street commuters can expect to get hit. I took some observational statistics at the place where I started commuting, and there were about 20 people that biked to work every day, and one got killed on average every 2 years, mostly on a single 400m stretch of busy road running to the building entrance. The main feature that increases safety seems to be overt bike lane and shoulder markings. So push for those if you have any involvement with local government. Our problem was the snow plows grinding down the paint, so some drivers would do things like try to pass on the right as if it was a multi-lane road. They will not notice a cyclist at all when doing something like that. I've also been hit by red light racers. They are only looking at the light, zero awareness of anything else. The best thing you can do is probably to just run the brightest flashers you can at all times, front, back, and sides. And this sounds silly, but, think about what you are going to do if something goes wrong. My worst hit was greatly mitigated by just remaining calm and reacting as I had rehearsed in my head, rolling up onto the windshield and tucking into a ball as I flipped through the air. One thing I wasn't quite ready for what what it feels like to get hit by a wall of steel at that speed, nothing like what happens at normal human speeds like playing football.
foobiekr 5y ago
Biking doesn’t do much for bone mass retention or upper body strength. Bike all you want, but also lift.

0xk4s7 5y ago

Just read reddit's FAQ on bodybuilding or fitness, depending on what you want.

kelp 5y ago
This is good advice and has much / most of the info you really need.

bitwize 5y ago

Rippetoe's Starting Strength is widely considered the go-to book for beginners. Starting off by doing compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press, and OH press is a great way to get your base strength levels up. You can add accessories later to zero in on specific muscle groups that need work. (You'll know which ones need work.) Best tip is don't be a showoff. Use only the amount of weight you can actually handle while keeping your form correct. Proper technique is better than big numbers. Strength will come with effort and technique. Oh, and your diet will change. Get ready to sate those cravings you'll get for protein-rich and fatty foods your body needs to repair your broken-down muscles. And get used to delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS); it's the "pain" in "no pain, no gain". Other forms of pain may not be so good.

kelp 5y ago
Regarding DOMS, I find that once I was on a very consistent program, 3-4 days a week, I never got sore with weight training. But if I ever took a week off, I’d have to back off on the volume and weight to avoid getting sore. Longer than a week and you really have to back way way off.
- throwawayboise 5y ago
  That's about my workout frequency, and I'm basically sore all the time. I am constantly working on increasing weights though, I'm sure if I just did "maintenance" workouts it would be different. Edit: clarify "sore" not "in pain" there is a difference.
  - rkk3 5y ago
    When I trained a few years ago, I would be sore all the time... Now I've been training again, lifting more times a week & heavier weights and am pretty much not sore at all... I would try 1) increasing your protein to 1.5-2g per kg of body weight per day. 2) Cutting alcohol 3) Making sure you get enough sleep to recover properly 4) Drinking more Water (1 gallon / 4L a day)
    - 5y ago

CuriousSkeptic 5y ago

I found this to be pretty interesting: Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?: Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise by Alex Hutchinson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11115311-which-comes-first-cardio-or-weights https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11115311-which-comes-fir...

User23 5y ago

Starting Strength is a decent place to start for barbell exercise, but it's very much in the spirit of The Strongest Shall Survive: Strength Training for Football[1]. Therefore, if you're not a pubescent male with north of 1,000 ng/dL of testosterone and competitive athletic ambitions you'll probably want to modify the programming. I also hear good things about The Physics of Resistance Exercise, but I've yet to read it. An important thing about resistance exercise is that it's not just about muscles. It also stimulates the skeletal system to make your bones more dense, strengthens your ligaments and tendons, and perhaps most importantly stimulates the central nervous system. The latter is the likely mechanism for cognitive benefits. [1] It's arguably the better book, but it's out of print and you're going to be looking at about a couple hundred bucks at least for a copy.

throw0101a 5y ago
> Therefore, if you're not a pubescent male Rippetoe, the author of the book, is 65 years old: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rippetoe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rippetoe It's a book for beginners and anyone can use the linear progression method. Once you've progressed beyond just a beginner, The Barbell Prescription takes the Starting Strength idea and adapts for for people 40 and older: * https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34823846-the-barbell-prescription https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34823846-the-barbell-... One of the co-authors (an MD) runs the GreySteel YT channel (and he's no spring chicken): * https://www.youtube.com/c/GreySteel/about https://www.youtube.com/c/GreySteel/about
- kemayo 5y ago
  You can see their basic program here: https://startingstrength.com/get-started/programs https://startingstrength.com/get-started/programs It has advice for how much to increase weight by which varies based on age and gender. (It's basically "slow down if you're not an 18-35 year old man".)
- User23 5y ago
  Right; "Modify the programming". I assure you that Rip lifts different now than he did 50 years ago.

neatze 5y ago

For me personally nothing beats swimming for an hour, twice or more per week.

ewhanley 5y ago

You should check out Barbell Medicine. They have a great beginner / restart template [0]. It’s a couple of doctors and an extended team that cut through a lot of the bro science that surrounds fitness and, specifically, strength training. Their content is great and they have a book in the works. [0] https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/returning-to-the-gym/ https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/returning-to-the-gym/

kvgr 5y ago
I second this, their content is no bullcrap and easy to read. There is lot of fads in fitness for beginners to get caught on.
drBonkers 5y ago
Third vote of support for BBM. I went to comment them as a resource before finding your post.
generalenvelope 5y ago
Absolutely the best content I've found. So many free resources. In addition, their youtube channel is a great place to start.

abootstrapper 5y ago

I recommend the heaviest book you can find, and pick it up often!

agumonkey 5y ago
I leveraged water bottles. 1.5L to make warm up like arm exercises or weight to hold for punches. Very very nice IMO. ps: I don't know who does the russian trick (30 push ups whenever they have to wait a little .. elevators, mw ovens etc)

gabythenerd 5y ago

Starting Strength has a really comprehensive explanation of the main lifts: squats, press, bench press, power cleans and deadlift. It explains the mechanics behind a good lift and gives a little bit of advice about programming. It was one of the first books I ever read about fitness and it influenced all the workouts I did after it. IMHO strenght training makes going to the gym a lot more fun, as you can compete with yourself.

CalChris 5y ago

If you are going to a gym, I'd recommend classes. You don't have to think much. You just have to do which is good when you don't know anything. You just know you have to be there at 9am; it'll be an hour; and you'll get told what to do. spin classes rowing classes bodypump (light weights) yoga These are easy ways to get into the gym and get something done without wondering around the weight room wondering what this thing is for. If you do take these classes don't expect a lot of coaching. Instead, remember what the exercise was and look it up on Youtube. BTW, if you want to get into weight lifting, start with bodypump for a few months. You won't learn anything, nada. But that's not important; basic reps are. Then get a 5x5 app like StrongLifts. The nice thing about StrongLifts is you'll have a routine and it tracks you. Again, you aren't aimlessly wondering around the weight room. Finally, when you can complain about the difference between StrongLifts vs StartingStrength it will be time for you to leave.

bckr 5y ago
> Finally, when you can complain about the difference between StrongLifts vs StartingStrength it will be time for you to leave. Leave what, and do what instead?
- Smaug123 5y ago
  Leave all the classes and apps and everything that's organised, and do it all yourself; you'll have enough knowledge and motivation by that point.
- CalChris 5y ago
  Kung Fu reference. When you can take the pebble from my hand ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9selPW2lL-M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9selPW2lL-M

kelp 5y ago

If you can afford it, a trainer at a good gym will make a big difference. That’s how I got started and I really got results. They can make a program that’s setup for your goals and tweak it to keep it interesting. Plus the social pressure of having the appointment was what I needed to get out of bed early and get to the gym on time, especially when I didn’t feel like doing it.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
generalenvelope 5y ago
preface with: I am not against trainers. I think they can be very valuable for the reasons you mentioned - encouragement, "managing" the technicalities, instructing your technique/nutrition. With that said, I would recommend using a trainer in combination with at least one separate resource - like barbell medicine. I've had personal experience with trainers that pedaled pseudo science (or sometimes straight BS) as fact, or recommended methods that weren't aligned with my goals.

cmaggiulli 5y ago

Starting Strength by Mark R

christoph 5y ago

For me, the three book series “Tactical Barbell” are pretty much unbeatable. Pick one of the three books depending on what your current goals are.

scruple 5y ago
Came to mention TB, as well. I've been running it for years (I originally learned about it from a HN comment) and believe that I will probably use it, or some variation of the protocols, for the rest of my life. That said, if I were new to barbell training, I would pick up the Starting Strength book and read it cover to cover to understand the mechanics of the main compound lifts. Then I would pick up the Greyskull LP program and run it (it's more or less the SS program but with some sanity in the progression and it doesn't ignore conditioning) until I was regularly hitting plateaus on the main lifts. Then I'd transition to the TB protocols starting with base building and going from there based on my goals and other fitness related endeavors. edit/ I'd also encourage people to read TB I: Strength, TB II: Conditioning, Mass Protocol, and the Ageless Athlete entry. I incorporate pieces of all 4 of these books into my training week. Additionally, there is another book specific to law enforcement that has interesting information in it. And, on top of that, there are 2 new books being worked on at the moment.
- christoph 5y ago
  It’s a good point about SS. I kind of forgot about years of other books and programs, learning how to lift with good form, none of which TB really covers. TB just makes so much sense day to day. I think that the fact it is designed around you staying actually fully functional day to day, and not a worn out mess from a crazy amount of lifting is the key. You get serious gains but also still feel human. The workout “Black on Oxygen” is maybe one of the best all round routines I’ve ever done. I’ve never found anything that tops it.

brandonmenc 5y ago

It depends on what your goals are. Ignore everyone here recommending Starting Strength without knowing what your goals are because if your goals are general health or a classic physique, that book will not help you. imo the book is overrated, contrarian, and cultish, and results in injuries and an unbalanced physique just so you can get kind of strong at a few powerlifting movements.

logosmonkey 5y ago

I like Jeff Nippards stuff. He's generally pretty reasoned in his stances and his workouts are all pretty well done. I've had very good results so far with his 3/week full body hypertrophy program.

grech 5y ago

When I first started getting in better health and shape years ago, two resources helped me learn, provide structure, and form habits. One is a lengthy blog post and the other one is a popular book. Both are simple and accessible in their approach. Nerdfitness - The Beginner Bodyweight Workout https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/ https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workou... Bigger Leaner Stronger (Book)

valec 5y ago

honestly the reddit r/fitness faq is pretty good. if you don't mind reading a lot the strongerbyscience guides on squatting, deadlifting and benching are very high quality. in terms of programming: starting strength is ok for beginners but don't stay glued to it for too long. once you start stalling move on to an intermediate program like the texas method, any of the SBS programs, 5/3/1 bbb, or some sort of ppl. also, while starting strength is fine for beginners (the low volume isn't a problem as in beginners few gains are made the first month due to poor physiological recovery capacity, and beginners respond to basically any volume), mark rippetoe is a stubborn dogmatist who has never broken any records or coached anyone who's broken any records. take a lot of things he says with a grain of salt. the most important things are: push yourself in the gym, increase weights or reps regularly (or more generally difficulty so you keep adapting to higher demands/build muscle), eat at a slight surplus, and sleep at least 7 hours, preferably 9 if it's possible.

kemayo 5y ago
I would consider that if your goal is just general "I'd like to be strong and healthy", whether someone has broken records doesn't really factor in to it. A program that'll take you from unfit to the strongest person in most rooms isn't necessarily going to share much beyond basic principles with a world record contender program. That said, totally agree on those basics: progressive overload + eat right.

chillwaves 5y ago

As someone else mentioned, hire a trainer. There is only so much you can learn from reading vs doing. Having someone guide you will increase the effectiveness of your effort by 10x.

npsimons 5y ago

Funnily enough, I picked up "Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training" by Mark Rippetoe based on an HN recommendation. In my view, free weights beat out just about everything else for strength training because if you do the basic five (squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, power clean), that hits pretty much every muscle, including stabilisers. It helps not just with strength, but balance and supporting joints, plus increases bone strength. As for aerobics/cardio, I've never really picked up a book myself as I've been hiking my entire life. It really depends on what you're aiming for; if it's just baseline cardio, walks around the neighborhood are good enough. Beyond that you have to specialize a bit depending on what you're aiming for, be it endurance, speed, explosiveness, and also terrain and form. Swimming is probably the lowest impact, but requires a pool. I use cycling for groceries, errands and when I used to commute, but that's sort of an absolute bare minimum. At home I got a VersaClimber clone since I rock climb and mountaineer. I recently got into trail running after reading "Born to Run" but that's less a prescriptive/instructive book than an inspirational/entertaining read. Recently I've gotten into Yoga as I've been neglecting flexibility. Yoga With Adrienne on YouTube has worked well for me so far.

bumby 5y ago
SS is good for beginners, but I would push back a bit that it works every muscle sufficiently. Rip says himself his method is really about basic movement patterns. While those exercises probably meet the points of diminishing returns, it doesn’t do much for specific muscles like, say, biceps, which is why he advocates ancillary exercises as somebody progresses.
- npsimons 5y ago
  > which is why he advocates ancillary exercises as somebody progresses. IIRC, he poo-poos assistance lifts such as bicep curls. The one exception is chins, which is in the official program and he insists on overhand because it works more muscle mass, despite overhand being the more practical version. Yeah, if you're bodybuilding get Pearl's "Keys to the Inner Universe" and plan on spending a lot of time just creating a program. But for most average people just looking to maintain, and especially beginners, the basic five lifts are simple, cover pretty much everything you need (for baseline strength) and can be done with a minimum of fuss, including creating programming and actual time lifting.

gdudeman 5y ago

There are a lot of recommendations for Starting Strength here and I think the book is great for describing how to do a certain kind of lift. I read it and was still lost about frequency, how to minimize injury, etc. It doesn't give you the practical "do this" sort of advice a true beginner needs or at least this true beginner needed. I really like Julian Shapiro's guide for the first few months of weight lifting: https://www.julian.com/guide/muscle/intro https://www.julian.com/guide/muscle/intro I'd recommend the trainer part though - I tweaked my shoulder trying to just figure it out on my own.

exhilaration 5y ago
So I'm a big Starting Strength believer, it was transformational for me (specifically the deadlift, it's life-changing), but in addition to the book the YouTube channel is great: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC5FaqTBy0c1jlRUHKu4SuXQ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC5FaqTBy0c1jlRUHKu4SuXQ Since this is a technical crowd, I would suggest firing up YouTube-DL and downloading every video from the channel. The content is so incredibly valuable that I could see them putting it behind a subscription at some point. Once you have it locally you can just sort by filename and watch all the instructional videos on the squat or deadlift etc.
npsimons 5y ago
> It doesn't give you the practical "do this" sort of advice a true beginner needs or at least this true beginner needed. What are you talking about? He lists an example two week program complete with sets and reps in that book, plus outlines exactly how to find the weight you should be lifting with. Form is rigorously specified, to the point I've managed to stay injury free from lifting while never having been coached. As someone who had done practically no strength training (benching with friends every once in a blue moon), SS:BBT took me from completely ignorant to regular lifter.
bumby 5y ago
>It doesn't give you the practical "do this" sort of advice a true beginner needs or at least this true beginner needed. His other book “Practical Programming” does. I find his writing needlessly verbose, but he does cover a lot of different programming options.

lottin 5y ago

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe is a must read if you are looking into "getting in shape." It contains a thorough analysis of the main barbell lifts, and compelling arguments in favour of barbell training (and against other types of training). You'll find a lot of learning material on Youtube as well.

bumby 5y ago

There’s plenty of weight training resources already available so I’ll add a cardio resource: Daniels Running Formula. Also, don’t forget flexibility/mobility work in addition to strength and cardio. Starretts Supple Leopard book is a good resource, as is general yoga classes.

post_from_work 5y ago

Special Forces Assessment training handbook (aimed at success in Army Special Forces, but lots of practical workouts and injury-prevention techniques): https://goarmysof.com/documents/sf/SFAS-PT-handbook.pdf https://goarmysof.com/documents/sf/SFAS-PT-handbook.pdf Special Operations Nutrition Guide: https://navyseals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/special-operations-nutrition-guide.pdf https://navyseals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/special-ope...

_prototype_ 5y ago

Its really not very complex, but its hard. lift weights 5-6 times a week. And be consistent. Consistency is everything. After about 6 months you'll see incredible results. Keep going.