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November Project: The Book: Inside the Free, Grassroots Fitness Movement That's Taking Over the World
The high-octane group-fitness phenomenon known as November Project shows you how to take your workouts with you wherever you go.
November Project is the story of how two way-outside-the-box fitness fanatics are flipping the fitness industry on its head and making the world a better place, one city at a time. No facility. No machines. Just two dudes and a tribe of thousands. What started 4 years ago as a month-long workout pact between two former Northeastern University oarsmen has grown into a national fitness phenomenon. November Project espouses free, all-weather, outdoor group sweats that turn strangers into friends and connect everyone to the city in which they live. It's been described as everything from flashmob fitness to "the fight club of running clubs" to a cult.
In November Project, founders Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric, chronicle their fitness movement's genesis, evolution, operations, membership, "secret sauce," and its future--and along the way, show you how to get fit and societally engaged. The book also includes detailed, illustrated workouts, and advice on starting grassroots tribes, increasing civic engagement, using the city as a gym, growing membership, and effectively using social media.
- GenresNonfictionMemoirHealth
478 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2016
16 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 3, 2016
I joined this group spring of my junior year of college and never looked back. For the next two years I would wake up at 4:30 AM every MWF to get to DC from GMU along with countless recruits. This movement redefined my college career and my social life, not to mention my overall work ethic outside of it. I learned accountability and developed social skills outside of "So what do you do?" and found some of the best people in every city I visit. It made DC home, made my hometown of Baltimore even cozier, and made NYC my home one summer as an intern, and now as my permanent residence.
After a while, even the best things can lose their shine or you seem to forget why you started coming. Groups form, workouts seem monotonous, it all blurs. But I'm so glad I read this book. It reminded me why I just showed up in 8 degree, snowy weather one morning in January and why I came back two days later. I love the motivation and the fire, and pure happiness these people bring me. I almost always feel like I can do any workout or run any distance, or be weird as fuck around them, and they won't back off, they'll just hug me. Read the book. Join the movement. You'll never regret it.
After a while, even the best things can lose their shine or you seem to forget why you started coming. Groups form, workouts seem monotonous, it all blurs. But I'm so glad I read this book. It reminded me why I just showed up in 8 degree, snowy weather one morning in January and why I came back two days later. I love the motivation and the fire, and pure happiness these people bring me. I almost always feel like I can do any workout or run any distance, or be weird as fuck around them, and they won't back off, they'll just hug me. Read the book. Join the movement. You'll never regret it.
January 3, 2025
Very motivational
May 8, 2016
What is November Project? Amazingly this book not only explains the answer to that question, but lets the reader experience the feel of the movement through a combination of background, zany layout, social media shout-outs, photographs, heartfelt testamonials and WTF stories. Capturing the simultaneous chaos, fun spirit and hard work that builds every November Project (NP) workout in written form is quite the task, and this book does not disappoint - kudos to all contributors and Caleb Daniloff for tying it all together.
If you are already a core member at The Mothership (Boston), contemplating a #verbal (see p. 216) to #justshowup in one of the 30 existing tribes or inspired like Richard from Arkansas (p. 196 & 207) to change your life as a "tribe-of-one" by starting your day the NP-way, this book is bound to inspire you.
If you're wondering if society has lost the ability to make meaningful personal connections, show unconditional love or rise out of tragedy stronger, this book will buoy up your hope (see p 32-33, p 215, all of chapter 6... F* that, see the whole book).
If you want to get fit without November Project, the workout exercises are described in detail but, spoiler-alert, most of them require a partner. And hugs.
So, get this book. Yesterday.
If you are already a core member at The Mothership (Boston), contemplating a #verbal (see p. 216) to #justshowup in one of the 30 existing tribes or inspired like Richard from Arkansas (p. 196 & 207) to change your life as a "tribe-of-one" by starting your day the NP-way, this book is bound to inspire you.
If you're wondering if society has lost the ability to make meaningful personal connections, show unconditional love or rise out of tragedy stronger, this book will buoy up your hope (see p 32-33, p 215, all of chapter 6... F* that, see the whole book).
If you want to get fit without November Project, the workout exercises are described in detail but, spoiler-alert, most of them require a partner. And hugs.
So, get this book. Yesterday.
July 16, 2016
Terrific book, definite page turner. Great story on how to build a movement! Reading this book is an excellent choice, reading the book and showing up to a workout is totally better.
July 20, 2017
#justshowup
April 14, 2016
As we say at November Project "this sh*t is good" (credit to DG). Caleb Daniloff eloquently explains why #freefitness is something that exists in 30 cities around the world. Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric were inspired to get fit and, instead, built a movement.
You can go to NP, read a blog post about NP, see a Tweet or a photo, but don't pass-up the opportunity to read about the origins of this quirky, wonderful community that exists at a local and global level. Even better - if you're in a NP city, #justshowup.
November Project is inspiration and magic. It is competitive and inclusive. Bojan and Brogan are geniuses and prove that super heroes exist outside of comic books.
You can go to NP, read a blog post about NP, see a Tweet or a photo, but don't pass-up the opportunity to read about the origins of this quirky, wonderful community that exists at a local and global level. Even better - if you're in a NP city, #justshowup.
November Project is inspiration and magic. It is competitive and inclusive. Bojan and Brogan are geniuses and prove that super heroes exist outside of comic books.
June 10, 2016
** I received this book free through Goodreads Giveaways, however the opinion expressed is my own**
This was a gritty, profanity laced read that I enjoyed as a one time read. Although the scrapbook style lay out sometimes had me looking in too many directions, which made for a choppy view instead of a smooth read, I liked that the book was unique. The personalities of Graham and Mandaric really come through and you feel like you really get to know them. I probably wouldn't read this book a second time and would recommend it mostly to those who enjoy an active lifestyle.
This was a gritty, profanity laced read that I enjoyed as a one time read. Although the scrapbook style lay out sometimes had me looking in too many directions, which made for a choppy view instead of a smooth read, I liked that the book was unique. The personalities of Graham and Mandaric really come through and you feel like you really get to know them. I probably wouldn't read this book a second time and would recommend it mostly to those who enjoy an active lifestyle.
June 21, 2016
I stumbled across this book through "Runner's World" magazine. I have just started my weight loss journey and I get discouraged very easily. But all I have to do is pick up this book...
This is a crazy community of folks and the community jumps right off the pages! (The crazy too, but quit getting me distracted.). If you are a runner that enjoys community, you should definitely check this book out!!! It'll make you wanna go outside, find the harshest hills and stairs in your community, and eat them for breakfast! The world takeover is real!
This is a crazy community of folks and the community jumps right off the pages! (The crazy too, but quit getting me distracted.). If you are a runner that enjoys community, you should definitely check this book out!!! It'll make you wanna go outside, find the harshest hills and stairs in your community, and eat them for breakfast! The world takeover is real!
December 25, 2016
The best book I've read all year. So many great stories of a growing community that means so much to so many people. Maybe it was just feelings carrying over from the NYC Marathon, but I teared up multiple times reading this. The story of NP Boston shoveling out the driveways and sidewalks of the neighbors who had complained about them encapsulates so many parts of this movement that I'm proud to be a part of.
June 17, 2016
This book offers practical ways to get started and involved in community fitness. You don't have to have expensive equipment or an exclusive membership. Inspiring stories of people who have taken the opportunity to get active and help others in their community. Great stories and a great read!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews