Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 2nd Edition

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.

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.

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.