Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition 3rd Edition

by Mark Rippetoe (Author), Jason Kelly (Illustrator)

1,404 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0982522738

ISBN-10: 0982522738

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Starting Strength has been called the best and most useful of fitness books. The second edition, Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, sold over 80,000 copies in a competitive global market for fitness education. Along with Practical Programming for Strength Training 2nd Edition, they form a simple, logical, and practical approach to strength training. Now, after six more years of testing and adjustment with thousands of athletes in seminars all over the country, the updated third edition expands and improves on the previous teaching methods and biomechanical analysis. No other book on barbell training ever written provides the detailed instruction on every aspect of the basic barbell exercises found in SS:BBT3. And while the methods for implementing barbell training detailed in the book are primarily aimed at young athletes, they have been successfully applied to everyone: young and old, male and female, fit and flabby, sick and healthy, weak and already strong. Many people all over the world have used the simple biological principle of stress/recovery/adaptation on which this method is based to improve their performance, their appearance, and their long-term health. With over 150,000 copies in print in three editions, Starting Strength is the most important method available to learn the most effective way to train with barbells -- the most important way to improve your strength, your health, and your life.

-- Why barbells are the most effective tools for strength training.
-- The mechanical basis of barbell training, concisely and logically explained.
-- All new photographs and improved illustrations of all the lifts, and the biomechanics behind them.
-- Complete, easy-to-follow instructions for performing the basic barbell exercises: the squat, press, deadlift, bench press, power clean, and the power snatch.
-- Revised instruction methods for all six lifts, proven effective in four years of seminar, military, and group instruction.
-- How the human body adapts to stress through recovery, and why this is the foundation of the development of strength and lifetime health.
-- How to program the basic exercises into the most effective program for long-term progress.
-- Completely indexed.
-- The most productive method in existence for anyone beginning a strength training program.

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.

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: 1,404 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,692 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Weight Training
- #5 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Coaching > Training & Conditioning
- #109 in Books > Textbooks

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Red_Tile

Excellent resource that has had an enormous impact on my quality of life.

March 24, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Excellent resource that has had an enormous impact on my quality of life. Combine this with the free Starting Strength podcast and instructional YouTube vids and you have your self a worthwhile education and practical application class. I put a rack and barbell in my garage and have been applying what I have been learning over the past 6 months.

Bench was 195lbs for 5 reps and is now 245lbs
OHP was 115lbs for 5 and is now 155lbs
DL was 315lbs for 5 and is now 455lbs
BS was 285 for 5 and is now 365lbs
and all still climbing..

Update: My Squat is now 415lbs DL 505lbs

As an added benefit, I am not constantly hurting myself with bad form and having to take time to heal and thus lose gains. Also, I don't hurt when I get up in the morning. All this with previous C-Spine, knee and nerve damage injuries from three combat tours to Iraq.

109 people found this helpful

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Robert Sanek

This is one of my all-time favorite books, and started me on the path of ...

January 16, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is one of my all-time favorite books, and started me on the path of strength training through compound lifts. I've even evangelized it to others, including both friends and parents. One of the best quotes of the book, which I still reflect on when demotivated to go to the gym: "A weak man is not as happy as that same man would be if he were strong."

The reason I give 4 stars, though, is due to the author's way of communicating his belief system; many times in the book, Rippetoe will dismiss alternative exercises or forms of performing an exercise out-of-hand, without providing any reasoning, only harsh words. Such discussion may come off as authoritative to some, but it can feel a bit like promoting intellectual insulation.

13 people found this helpful

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A. Dauria

A GREAT system for getting strong the right way

March 25, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I heard about SS on the Art of Manliness podcast and was intrigued, as it coincides with my general philosophy around weight lifting - big, multi-joint movements that use the most muscle are the most efficient way to get strong and big. I had kicked it around but never really pursued it until a friend recommended it to me strongly. I would absolutely give the program 5 stars all the way, even if the adherents are little cultish :)

I give the book 4 stars because, overall, it's an excellent introduction to the method, system, program, philosophy, etc. of Starting Strength. Rippetoe's ("Rip" to the disciples) style is very strong and opinionated, which I like but I think needs to be taken with a grain of salt. That said, the diagrams (even in the Kindle edition) and explanations of the movements are really top notch and do a great job of helping you visualize the movements and do them right. I only deduct a star because some of the descriptions get a little long-winded. It can take a lot of patience to get through pages and pages of why low-bar is better than high-bar or front squat, e.g., with detailed anatomical descriptions, diagrams, physics lessons, etc.

The official Starting Strength app is a great complement to this book, and a really useful tool once you start training. It also contains a very consolidate set of excerpts and diagrams from the book that might be enough to get some people started on the system without reading the whole book. That said, I think it's still worth buying and reading the book for additional information and the context (even if some of it is a little drawn out).

I would recommend that anyone considering starting this on their own either consider finding a local SS coach (if you can afford it!) or SS-knowledgable friend to help get started, but with or without that I would recommend checking out the Starting Strength Youtube channel (DVD excerpt playlists for each move in particular) as well as the Art of Manliness videos where Rip coaches Brett on the moves.

6 people found this helpful

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April 14, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The only bad thing about this book is that it makes you want to go up to people and correct their awful form. Once you learn it, you can't unlearn it.
Mark Rippetoe provides an irrefutable argument that the best exercises we should use in the gym are barbells.
1. The exercises we choose from should use many muscle groups
2. The exercise takes us through the full range of motion
3. The exercise allows us to lift the heaviest weights possible (with good form of course)
As a personal trainer It's a shame that this information is neglected in most standard textbooks of the subject.
If you're going to buy one book to become a stronger version of yourself and not waste time then make it this one. You won't regret it.

13 people found this helpful

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Richard Shaw

Great book for a newbie - like me

March 14, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I heard Mark Rippetoe talk about Starting Strength on a podcast last fall. For the previous year or so I'd been cycling and running to get back in shape. But, being in my late 50s, it was much harder to do than in years past. When I heard Rippetoe I realized that I needed to gain strength not just work on stamina/cardio. I've never done any kind of weight training before and was cautious to do so because I didn't want to injure myself. Starting Strength is 5 basic lifts with in depth explanations of each lift. That I can do!

I found a Starting Strength coach and started the program. I've been on it for about 5 months (albeit with a very irregular schedule) and have had excellent results. I started with squatting with an 11 lbs. bar and last workout I squatted 210 (3x5) - (see the attached picture). My deadlift started around 65 lbs. and I'm now at 220 (1x5). The other lifts are coming along well too. In real life this translates into a better overall appearance and physical stability. I'm making progress to being much healthier and stronger.

The book is packed with useful information. For a beginner like me it's too much to take in at first. But I read, do the lifts, then read some more and it all begins to sink in. The book describes in detail the correct way to do each lift and progressively increase the weight. Following these techniques (maybe with a coach) it's possible to gain strength without injury.

This is the only weight training book I've read. While there may be other good books I'm glad that Starting Strength was the first one I've read.

124 people found this helpful

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Most recent customer reviews

O. Jordan

If you have never done strength training and getting into CrossFit at a not young age like me, read this first

If you are thinking about CrossFit read this first. If you are thinking about strength training read this first.Read more

Published 4 days ago

Scott

Good program for beginners, cultish business

In summary, I recommend this book to anyone looking to get stronger. However, I recommend that those interested purchase a used copy to avoid supporting the behavior of its...Read more

Published 9 days ago

Robert Ladd

Amazing!

Amazing! The best overall educational investment I have made in strength training material. I immediately purchased a hard copy after reading the Kindle version to have around as...Read more

Published 12 days ago

CarlTop Contributor: Photography

While it’s comprehensive a local coach will provide on the spot feedback better than you can for yourself

It’s the go to book for, well, starting to get strong. While it’s comprehensive a local coach will provide on the spot feedback better than you can for yourself.Read more

Published 15 days ago

Great read and useful.

Weight training for all, practical, sound advise on how to get started on your weight training journey. Enjoy and get strong.

Published 15 days ago

Blade

Five Stars

Best book on lifting PERIOD!!! Mark is the MAN.

Published 19 days ago

Icy Mike

The only powerlifting book you NEED.

This is pretty much the bible for powerlifting. I love Mark Rippetoe's no-nonsense style and it inspired me to actually become a personal trainer myself.Read more

Published 19 days ago

K.T.

Buy it

Bought this book after reading Bigger, Leaner, Stronger. Very glad I did.

Published 20 days ago

Dave B.

Five Stars

Great book, if you are looking to get strong give it a shot.

Published 1 month ago

Jason Noll

Five Stars

Best training book I've ever read.

Published 1 month ago

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