Starting Strength

Basic Barbell Training, 3rd Edition

By: Mark Rippetoe

Narrated by: Mark Rippetoe

Starting Strength has been called the best and most useful of fitness books. It has sold over a half-million copies in a competitive global market for fitness education. 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.

And while the methods for implementing barbell training detailed in the audiobook 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. 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.
• 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.
• The most productive method in existence for anyone beginning a strength training program.

©2013 The Aasgaard Company (P)2019 The Aasgaard Company

The best book on weight training bar none

I bought the book 10 years ago and read about 30%. Seeing it was available on audible gave me the opportunity to listen to 100% of the book and discover how much important information I had missed. Thanks Ripp for your hard work in writing a masterpiece for training.

only the strong survive

I literally believed that I shouldn't let my kids train until they hit puberty. Watch out Michigan wrestlers cause my kids are coming!! God Bless America. God bless Mark Rippetoe

An object lesson in clarity, precision, and value judgment

Mark Rippetoe calls each thing by its name, and describes its function and value clearly. In an industry of vaguery and hand-waving by those who demonstrably understand little, he builds the case for intelligent systematic strength training based on his decades of experience training himself and others, and his deep and broad familiarity with the literature. Even if you never pick up a barbell, you’ll well understand how and why it works so predictably—when done correctly.

Great but needs chapter titles

The chapter list needs titles rather than simply "chapter 1 chapter 7 chapter 15" etc. With dozens of chapters it's hard to navigate without titles

From the GOAT

This should be required reading for everyone that starts lifting. I wish I had taken the time to read just a couple books when I started lifting, I’ve wasted years in the gym not really knowing what I was doing. He does use a lot of really detailed anatomy descriptions which most people probably won’t understand, but you can get the main points of what he’s saying. I’d also recommend watching his YouTube form videos for the workouts described, audiobooks have obvious shortcomings for visual understanding.

changed my life

something everyone needs to read. I've always been into lifting. started in highschool because of wrestling.I knew stronger was better. but like most kids didnt know how. fast forward 20 years of fuckin around in the gym and i find this book and stert actually lifting.wish i had it back then when i started but better late than never. now i recommend it to everyone. the most practical and comprehensive text on the subject period. thank you Rip and everyone in the starting strength community.

Must read/listen for humans.

Either you love him or hate him, his program is simple enough for everyone to learn and practical enough for EVERYONE to get really, really strong with. Nothing fancy or specialized, just all around great advice and programming for humans.

Information OVERLOAD!

I have been a avid weight trainer for nearly two decades now. However, after years of experience, articles read, and advice from others experienced lifters; Mark Rippetoe has explained more valuable information in his first two chapters than I have acquired in my years in the gym. I will listen to this book at least four more times before I start the program, due to the information overload I have recieved. Great book!

Euclid of barbell training

This here is a classic. The paperback is a must, but you should also listen to this Audible version and not just once. The author narrates and his voice commands a deep understanding of this subject because he has been in the trenches of gym coaching since the seventies. I highly recommend his other books as well.

Highly informative and clear

I wish I had started my training after reading this book. I am reading this book far too long after beginning, but man, did I still learn a lot! This book was fantastic! I have never benefited so much from another audio book. Mark does a fantastic job of breaking down each list, it’s reason for inclusion in his program, and accessory list as well. Overall, five star.