Enter your mobile number below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Getting the download link through email is temporarily not available. Please check back later.

  • Apple
  • Android
  • Windows Phone
  • Android

To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number.
Download to your computer
Kindle Cloud Reader
Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Buy New
$23.84
Qty:1
  • List Price: $29.95
  • Save: $6.11 (20%)
FREE Shipping on orders with at least $25 of books.
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Starting Strength: Basic... has been added to your Cart
Trade in your item
Get a $9.71
Gift Card.
Trade in
Learn More
Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon
Flip to back Flip to front
Listen Playing... Paused   You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more
See all 4 images

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition Paperback – November 11, 2011

by
Mark Rippetoe (Author)
› Visit Amazon's Mark Rippetoe Page
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
Are you an author? Learn about Author Central
Mark Rippetoe (Author), Jason Kelly (Illustrator)
4.8 out of 5 stars 1,049 customer reviews
#1 Best Sellerin Sports Training
See all 3 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions
Price
New from Used from
Kindle
"Please retry"
$9.99
— —
Hardcover
"Please retry"
—
$44.95 $40.00
Paperback
"Please retry"
$23.84
$23.84 $21.99
Best Books of the Year So Far
Looking for something great to read? Browse our editors' picks for the Best Books of the Year So Far in fiction, nonfiction, mysteries, children's books, and much more.
$23.84 FREE Shipping on orders with at least $25 of books. In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
click to open popover

Frequently Bought Together

  • Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition
  • +
  • Practical Programming for Strength Training
  • +
  • Becoming a Supple Leopard 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance
Total price: $80.10
Buy the selected items together

Special Offers and Product Promotions

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Rippetoe is the author of Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, Practical Programming for Strength Training 2nd edition, Strong Enough?, Mean Ol' Mr. Gravity, and numerous journal, magazine and internet articles. He has worked in the fitness industry since 1978, and has been the owner of the Wichita Falls Athletic Club since 1984. He graduated from Midwestern State University in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in geology and a minor in anthropology. He was in the first group certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a CSCS in 1985, and the first to formally relinquish that credential in 2009. Rip was a competitive powerlifter for ten years, and has coached many lifters and athletes, and many thousands of people interested in improving their strength and performance. He conducts seminars on this method of barbell training around the country.
NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE
New York Times best sellers
Browse the New York Times best sellers in popular categories like Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Books and more. See more

Product Details

  • Paperback: 347 pages
  • Publisher: The Aasgaard Company; 3rd edition (November 11, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0982522738
  • ISBN-13: 978-0982522738
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.8 x 11 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,049 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsThe Lost Art of the Barbell
By weekend warrior on December 15, 2011
Format: Paperback
I'd recommend this book for just about everybody who lifts weights. Beginners can greatly benefit from it to learn good form right off the bat. Experienced lifters might also want to check it out because, a) there's always more to learn, and b) your form might not be as good as you think it is.

So what's the book about anyway? Well, the Cliff Notes version is that its a book on how to lift weights PROPERLY using a barbell. A few details:

-the book spends a lot of time discussing the details of all the basic barbell exercises, such as the squat, the bench press, the deadlift, the press, and the power clean. As you might have guessed, the book devotes a whole chapter to each movement. For instance, the squat is discussed on pages 8-63, while the bench press is discussed on pages 66-102- I give you the page numbers to show you how in depth the book goes into each exercise

-you'll learn a lot of details that are often times neglected, such as grip, and the placement of other body parts that are indirectly used during an exercise. As an example, the book spends about 4 pages discussing foot placement during the bench press exercise.

-the book is filled with pictures and diagrams. In fact its hard to find a page that doesn't have one picture or diagram on it.

-the book does also cover "useful assistance exercies" as well, such as chin-ups, dips, rows, barbell curls, etc.

The book ends with a nice section that talks about a lot of "miscellaneous" things, things such as the order of doing exercises, warm-up sets, nutrition, soreness and injuries, etc. As you can see, this is a pretty detailed and comprehensive book, a book I think all weight lifters, beginners and experienced, will get a lot out of. Also, weightlifters with bad shoulders should check out Bulletproof Your Shoulder.
10 Comments 337 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsThe best book ever written on strength training.
By Jim Wendler on December 27, 2011
Format: Paperback
I've been championing this book for years now and my feelings haven't changed - this is THE book for strength training. I received a copy of the 3rd edition a couple of weeks ago and am in the process of re-reading the book. Not only is the book clear and logical but it is entertaining. This is the book you should buy your kids when they want to start lifting. This is the book you get your husband when he realizes he is way too fat. This is the book you buy yourself when you are done conforming to the ridiculous fitness trends of circuit-circus training and trendy chrome gyms.

This is the book that you buy when you want results.
15 Comments 346 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
3.0 out of 5 starsVery detailed book, but with its shortcomings, as well
By JOSHUA S GOLDSTEIN on March 29, 2013
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
There is a lot to say about this book. Some will love it, and others will be bewildered by it. Hopefully this review will enable you to make a more informed decision before buying it.

Pros:
* The author has a very fine grasp on anatomy, and when he explains the lifts, he goes into great detail in his explanations to tell you why you should lift in one way vs. another. For instance, he advocates arching your back hard when performing a bench press to increase the angle of the attack of the pecs. Likewise, he spends a GREAT deal of time explaining that the arms should NOT hang plumb in a deadlift, since, if the shoulders are forward of the bar, this enables the traps to be perpendicular to the humerus and maximize the force of their isometric contraction. You need not be concerned with these particular details while reading this review, but be aware that Rippetoe will spend considerable amount of time talking about them.

* Rippetoe is extremely thorough. He talks in great length about every aspect of the lifts, including stance, breathing, grip, neck position, and so forth. Each small aspect of the lift is expanded in great detail, with large discussions about why altering that aspect might adversely affect the lifting efficiency or safety.

Cons:
* There are not enough illustrations to adequately demonstrate all the body parts and their relationships that Rippetoe speaks about in the text. There are many *photos*, but you need *illustrations* for the muscles and ligaments. For instance, I have several times read the section on shoulder impingement in the chapter on the bench press, but the one or two illustrations do not, in my opinion, adequately demonstrate this. You may say, "Yeah, but who cares?Read more ›
33 Comments 360 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsKindle Version of Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training Ed 3
By Christian Ward on February 10, 2012
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Length: 3:48 Mins
Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training 3rd edition is the culmination of 35 years of experience in the gym, teaching seminars, and lifting by Mark Rippetoe. The text provides a logical approach to lifting that is detailed and understandable to the those with the most cursory knowledge on training with a barbell.

The Kindle version is an excellent companion to the text. I have not come across another e-Pub with better graphics. The text to graphic links remain true throughout the text - providing the reader with a flow and understanding that is not lost in the e-Pub.

Additionally, the Kindle has a "In the Gym: Quick Reference" that assists the user with quick navigation to the parts of the book specifically helpful when training in a gym environment.

In my opinion, the Kindle version is a must have companion to the text - or if the reader prefers - an exceptional alternative to the printed version.
13 Comments 178 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsAwesome!

Awesome book as others have mentioned. If you don't have anyone to show you the proper love lifting technique, this book is the way to go. Learning a lot from Marks writing.

Published 17 hours ago by ppfd
5.0 out of 5 starsThe best workout guide

This is the book I have been waiting for as I return to weight lifting. I started at a 24/7 club, but got frustrated with the long waits and kids sitting around on the equipment... Read more

Published 1 day ago by Medina Mike
5.0 out of 5 starsBasic Strength Progression!

This is a no nonsense approach to getting stronger. It is simple but the explanations of exercise technique are very thorough. Read more

Published 1 day ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsIt is an awesome product!

It is an awesome product!!!

Published 7 days ago by Jose Feliciano
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Great book

Published 8 days ago by dan anderson
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat resource for beginners to advanced levels

Great resource for beginners to advanced levels. All of my main lifts have improved since I began reading this and Mark give great illustrations and verbal cues to help align your... Read more

Published 9 days ago by lyle
5.0 out of 5 starsJust buy it

Very good information. Every serious weightlifter, and anyone even interested in weightlifting should own this book.

Published 9 days ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsWOW!

This book is amazing! If you want your mind blown and to really really understand strength training and how it should be approached.... This is the book!

Published 11 days ago by JD
4.0 out of 5 starsExcellent book with good detail on the various lifts

Excellent book with good detail on the various lifts. Would give it 5 starts except that is doesnt go into much detail about what to do if you stall for any reason. Read more

Published 18 days ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsLife Changing, Buy this book. READ This book.

A life changing book. Buy this book.

Published 19 days ago by ARM

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition
Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway
This item: Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition
Set up a giveaway

There's a problem loading this menu right now.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.