The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40

by Jonathon M. Sullivan, Andy Baker

The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40 directly addresses the most pervasive problem faced by aging humans: the loss of physical strength and all its associated problems – the loss of muscle mass, bone mineral loss and osteoporosis, hip fractures (a terminal event for many older people), loss of balance and coordination, diabetes, heart disease related to a sedentary lifestyle, and the loss of independence.

The worst advice an older person ever gets is, “Take it easy.” Easy makes you soft, and soft makes you dead. The Barbell Prescription maps an escape from the usual fate of older adults: a logical, programmed approach to the hard work necessary to win at the extreme sport of Aging Well. Unlike all other books on the subject of exercise for seniors, The Barbell Prescription challenges the motivated Athlete of Aging with a no-nonsense training approach to strength and health – and demonstrates that everybody can become significantly stronger using the most effective tools ever developed for the job.

Genres: Fitness, Health, Nonfiction, Science, Reference, Self Help, Bodies

384 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Colin Fahrion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid book with some good information and science on the importance of strength training for older adults. I'm certainly convinced. My big gripe with the book and the reason I wouldn't give it 5 stars is the bro vibe throughout. It's obvious that the author wants it to be known that strength training is important for everyone of every age, gender, and personality. However it just reads so bro heavy that it could easily turn off anyone that isn't a bro. For example the example of a healthy person he gives in the book is basically a "man's man" who is super athletic, gets all the women, and has easy erections. The book would have been better without the bro humor and with wider range of examples of people who benefit from strength training. I mean one of the reasons people avoid free weights is that side of gym is so bro heavy that they are intimidated. This book does nothing to dispel that. It's all really frustrating as while I want to encourage people to read it but I know the tone of the book will turn many people — especially women and anyone not bro-y — off.

[Rosemary Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that just grabs ya by the wrist and won't let go, especially if you are a grey hair who wants to get stronger. It contains the most sensible, honest exercise/strength training advice you'll ever read. Sullivan and Baker speak directly to seniors who want to get stronger. It inspired me and it changed my entire approach to fitness. And, what matters most - I am stronger, now. I will never go back to a gym routine of bouncing from one convoluted machine to the next. I'm gonna keep on raising that sublimely simple albeit heavy bar.

[Jackie Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40, by Jonathon M Sullivan & Andy Baker, addresses typical physical issues faced by aging humans. These include the loss of muscle mass, bone mineral loss and osteoporosis, hip fracture, loss of balance and coordination, diabetes, heart disease related to a sedentary lifestyle, and the loss of independence. It argues that these can be counteracted by regular strength training alongside sensible nutrition. It is not a simple call for more exercise, indeed the author cautions against many popular pursuits. Rather, it promotes a specific programme, providing compelling reasoning as to why older people should be adopting a regime of particular types of squats, presses and lifts in order to live well for longer.

The author is a retired medical doctor with decades of experience at an American trauma centre. He has seen the results of patients not caring for their bodies in his emergency department. He writes

“Strength training can slow, arrest or even reverse many of the degenerative effects of aging: loss of muscle and strength, brittle bones, floppy ligaments, dysfunctional joints, and the decline of mobility and balance.”

Aimed at both men and women, the book is a clarion call for avoiding the sick aging phenotype. The author avidly recommends strength training not so much as a cure as a lifetime medicine. He acknowledges that

“Biological systems are complicated, and any particular phenotype is always the result of multiple factors”

He wishes to avoid the situation where multiple drugs, with their plethora of side effects, are required to keep a body alive even if compromised.

“Most drugs treat symptoms, not disease”

“No drug in the world will ever match the power of exercise medicine”

The book is structured in three parts. The first of these presents the science in accessible format. It includes the effects on the body of eating too much, that is, more than is required to function. Explanations are provided as to how the body uses energy, including the difference between sudden demand and endurance. As well as biological energy systems, muscle tissue organisation is covered. It is clear that the author is an evangelist for strength exercises. His aim is not so much to live longer but to extend the natural healthy lifespan. The exercise regime promoted is not attempting to body build. Rather, it will assist in normal day to day activities – growing old with as much strength, vigour and function as possible.

The second part of the book covers the recommended exercises, starting with the importance of decent equipment that could rule out many facilities (the author now owns and runs a strength coaching practice).

There are three key movements to be worked on: squat, dead lift, press. These are described in some detail along with the benefits they offer the body in terms of strength, control and stability. There is emphasis on the importance of learning each exercise under qualified supervision. Having said that, the author can be scathing about the abilities of popular gym franchises’ personal trainers.

Assistance exercises are also described. These can be used to work particular muscles to enable better workouts with the key three routines.

The third part of the book looks at programming, including examples for athletes of different ages and from novice to master. Templates are provided with a note that there is no one size fits all. Patience, care and consistency are required to achieve improvement. Each person must start from where they are and then work on increasing volume and intensity. Record keeping assists in reaching training goals.

Also of importance is recovery – nutrition, hydration and sleep. The right sort of physical activity should be pursued between strength workouts. Safety is an important factor. The author does not recommend running due to its negative orthopaedic effect, or classes such as Zumba with their intense throwing around of the body. Walking, bikes and rowers are fine. Also, for reasons given, sled dragging(!).

Many variations of exercise plans are provided. At the end of this section is a chapter on the physiological differences between men and women. In summary, they are not that different. Women are generally not as strong as men but can, mostly, do the same sort of workouts with equal benefit.

The book finishes with: notes on sources for the research referenced throughout; a bibliography; a glossary of terms used.

The writing style should appeal to the target audience – those already interested in improving their health and bodies, in living better for longer rather than longevity by whatever means. It has a male slant, a gym bro vibe, but is clear and factual.

I cannot comment on the efficacy of what the author is urging but his arguments are persuasive. This was an interesting read that I will discuss with my personal trainer next time I visit the gym.

[Петър Стойков · Rating 4 out of 5]

Въпросът, който съм задавал и друг път е "Могат ли старите хора да вдигат тежести?" и отговорът, както и тогава е "Не само че могат, но и трябва!".

Многогодишната практика и изследвания на тия треньори и лекари, които имат смелостта да се заемат с тях показват недвусмислено, че единственият начин за значително съкращаване на периода на морбидност при възрастните хора, изтикването му само към края на живота им и постигане на активни и здрави златни години за тях са силовите тренировки. Силови тренировки, които им пречат да се превърнат или дебелаци, които нямат сила да станат от леглото и умират на 65 от инфаркт/инсулт, или в крехки, кльощави вейки, които едва имат сила да кретат, прегърбени над бастуна.

Джонатан Съливан е лекар, който също така е и Starting Strength треньор и се занимава основно с възрастни хора. Подходът му определено е правилен, както показват както неговите, така и на д-р Павел Добрев резултати с вдигане на тежести за стари хора.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Master Athlete I became disillusioned with crossfit for a variety of reasons. I saw this book on Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength site, bought it immediately, started reading and couldn't put it down. Dr Sullivan doesn't just communicate lots of scientific information about how the body works and then tell the reader they need to exercise. Instead he talks about the increasingly common metabolic health problems in our society and then specifies a logical, science based framework for creating health which he calls the "Barbel Prescription." He and Andy Baker explain how to implement the prescription in a methodical, considered manner which takes into account the needs of the Master Athlete. They describe programming for different ages and for different levels of competency.

I love this book. It gives me a long term, sustainable training plan. My lifting is improving and I am getting much stronger which keeps me physically more capable. This book doesn't tell the reader how to lift so it is best used in conjunction with the Starting Strength book or with the help of a good coach. The Starting Strength website has a list of coaches who have completed their training program.

[daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an amazing resource for "older lifters". A lot of usable programs and tips about programming. How to think about volume, rest and even a quick mention of nutrition.

[Igor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book, good message. I fully agree with the author on the importance of maintaining strength & muscle mass. This book is a usefull reminder of that fact. Note it slightly underestimates the barrier for regular people who want to take on barbell strength training IMO. And I don't necessarily agree with all the conditioning advice. I feel aerobic training is mandatory as well, not just hiit ... . Think long walks, hikes, relaxed running, aerobic clusters combining rowing, wall ball & KB swings ... .

[Jim Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb brief on the benefits of strength training

This was superb! A great argument in favor of strength training, with many programming examples. A very thorough work and well documented.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of how to get stronger for those over 40. Spoiler, it's not that different than when you were 20. But even more importantly it describes why strength is important as you age; and, why barbells are the most efficient way to get "in shape".

[Mark Magagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're over 40, you need to read this book together with Starting Strength.

You will thank me later, when you are 80 and still healthy.

[Tububa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounding down.

What a missed opportunity. I am one of the readers who does not need the hard sell on barbell training, but I found the book to be amateurish and off-putting. I've read Starting Strength, and Practical Programming, and even Mean Old Mr. Gravity. What I mostly needed from this book was how to adjust my programming now that I am in the age bracket this book is designed for. I got that--indeed, the most valuable part of the book is the programming section, which is the second half or so.

In the programming section are general tips on training the decrepit: microloading, light days, and even 2-days-a-week training. I had trouble with overtraining in the past (or, as they like to call it, "overreaching", under the theory that an amateur such as myself can't possibly train hard enough to actually overtrain. Whatever...). This section demonstrates that quite a lot of flexibility can be introduced when old injuries and age are interfering with recovery. So far, so good. (I suspect this is mostly Andy Baker's contribution.)

There is some minimal detail on the lifts themselves, and how to adapt the basic exercises and what to replace them with if the mobility isn't there. I think anyone serious about this should probably read Starting Strength--which the authors of this book are assuming you will be doing anyway.

The worst parts of the book, unfortunately, are the beginning and the end. The beginning starts with the fictional Fat Phil and Wellness Will. Twin brothers who exemplify the metabolic syndrome on the one hand, and the virile aging aspirations of a balding boomer in the depths of his middle age crisis on the other. If you aren't insulted by this chapter, you are made of harder stuff than I am. Because you know what? I know that inactivity is bad, and I know that I'm supposed to lift weights for healthy aging. What you have failed to do, Dr. Sullivan, is explain coherently how exactly someone like Fat Phil will benefit. I actually had to track down an article on Google Scholar that would properly explain how metabolic syndrome is diagnosed and treated. (Hot tip: it was in Nature. Good review, much clearer than anything that happens in this book.)

One thing that the Nature review article clarified, which wasn't at all apparent from reading the Sullivan drivel, is that a lot of the problems in metabolic syndrome arise from visceral fat and the hormonal activity it comes with. Increasing muscle mass is supposed to counteract the activity of visceral fat. One does not need the laughable diagrams (sorry, Simma) about ATP to understand this: muscle is also hormonally active, and the relative proportion of muscle vs. fat is a part of the equation.

Explaining science to the public is hard, so Sullivan falls on the comfortable backup of snide obnoxious humor. He does not have any of Rippetoe's charisma. Mark Rippetoe is kind of a dick--I've been reading his MAGA-scented internet forums for over a decade, it's all online for everyone to see. But he's a likeable dick. Sullivan is just a dick. His attempts at humor fall flat most of the time, and for people who need his advice the most, it will likely be precisely the wrong tone in which to deliver a message they need to hear.

I cannot end this review without complaining about a major and somewhat shocking omission. The last chapter of the book is about training females. I don't know how many older women either Sullivan or Baker have trained, but it is clear that the real challenges of aging women's bodies are a complete mystery to these men. The words "menopause" and "perimenopause" appear exactly zero times in this book. The words "estrogen" and "progesterone" appear exactly zero times in this book. Sullivan almost certainly went to the sort of med school that assumes that men are just smaller women, and all the studies he has read were probably done on men because women are complicated. So, you know, just give them smaller weights, and make them work fewer reps but more sets. That's pretty much it. Nevermind the aches and pains that come with hormone fluctuations. Nevermind the humiliating ravages of menopause that a woman might not mention to a male gym owner, like stress urinary incontinence, or training the bench press after a mastectomy. Women are just smaller and weaker than men. The end.

So, great idea for a book. Godawful execution.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic companion to Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength 3rd edition.

The gist: modern society is plagued by the Sick-Aging phenotype, whereby a person gets sicker as they get older, and accrues malady after malady from middle-age onwards until they're eating handfuls of pills multiple times per day, and haven't seen their genitals since the first Bush administration. They are dying in slow motion, and it takes decades to run its course. But it doesn't have to be this way. With a carefully structured barbell training program that promotes an increase in lean body mass and general strength, nearly anybody can become an elite older athlete - a Masters Athlete - in the Game of Life.

Part 1 addresses WHY you should adopt this program. Life wasn't meant to be a slow grind to the end, attached to a walking frame, rattling when you walk due to the 11 pills you're taking twice daily for a half dozen metabolic conditions. It's meant to be lived as fully as possible with independence and mobility right up until the moment something in your heart or brain gives out at the age of 80+. You're meant to cram all your dying into 5 seconds, not spread it out over 5 decades.

Part 2 outlines WHAT you will be doing in the program, with an introduction to the basic movement patterns of the deadlift, squat, press, bench press, and power clean/snatch. For more extensive treatment of these movement, see Rippetoe's Starting Strength 3rd edition.

Part 3 is where the book pays for itself in spades: HOW you're going to do this program. The limiting factor in any strength-athlete's training is their ability to recover from damage and create an adaptation to the stress. This is called the Stress-Recovery-Adaptation model. As you get stronger, you will be able to do more damage to your body by lifting heavier loads. But as a Masters Athlete, your ability to recover from that damage will be attenuated much quicker than it would be for someone in their 20s. This will necessitate changes to the program as the Novice Linear Progression of adding a small amount of weight to the bar every time you step up to it will run out much faster than it would for a younger athlete.

The Barbell Prescription has 22 programs available to follow. You will not do all of them. The first dozen are for Novices between the ages of 30 and 70+. The next 8 are intermediate level programming, something you will only need after 6-12 months of dedicated training (depending on your age, recovery ability, and initial state of untrainedness). The last programs are for Advanced Masters Athletes who would be competing in national competitions and they emphasise that these are included only to show what it would look like, and isn't meant to be prescriptive (because fewer than 0.1% of their readers will achieve this feat, and the program would be highly personalised with a coach).

On a personal note: I'm in my early-30s, so I came to barbell training late in life. At six months of training 3 times a week, I'm starting to come to the end of my Novice Linear Progression, and will soon need to migrate to an Intermediate level program. As much as I hate to admit it, my experience above and under the bar more closely resembles that of a post-40 year old than it does of a pre-25 year old. At least in my experience, ability to produce testosterone and HGH during sleep isn't a slow decline after your prime years, but seems to fall off a cliff. Whereas younger athletes can cram down 8000 calories during this program and see most of it go to lean mass, Masters have to be more careful as it will preferentially go to adipose fat mass. I've missed the window to do this easily in my youth, but it isn't too late for me to look and feel amazing for the rest of my life. I'm now stronger than I've ever been by twice over, my sleep has improved, and the mirror looks better daily.

Do your future self a favour. Clear out your garage. Buy a power rack, weight tree, and quality Olympic bar (about AUD$2000 delivered). Buy this book and Starting Strength 3rd Edition. And stick to the program. You will not regret a minute spent.

[Alex MacMillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an important and useful - but nonetheless flawed - contribution to the Starting Strength series of books that have transformed the lives of millions of people. I previously reviewed the third edition of Starting Strength when I started performing the lifts five years ago.

The Barbell Prescription is important in that strength training, preferably with barbells and at high intensity, is not just something for young men like me, but should be practiced by every adult (male and female) throughout their lives. A majority of Americans, even many of those that regularly exercise, spend the final 10 to 20 years of their lives physically disabled and living in retirement homes because the muscles in their legs have wasted away from the lack of need to regularly lift heavy things in industrialized society. Anyone who wants to be able to sit up from a chair unassisted, move without a cane or wheelchair, and carry out other tasks of independent living can do so once they commit to two or three 30-minute strength training sessions each week. This is an important fact that more people should know about.

The Barbell Prescription is useful in its comprehensive explanation of the optimal exercise regimens for older people, whose joints and tendons are less able to bounce back or avoid injury when performing many athletic activities than would be the case for someone like me. The book is a great resource on what exercises enable older adults to take advantage of the Stress-Response-Adaptation cycle without the Stress also causing an injury or worsening chronic pain. As someone who has a "middle aged" shoulder due to rotator cuff surgery in high school, I particularly benefited from the chapters explaining alternatives to the low-bar squat, overhead press, and bench press that I am unable to consistently perform due to irreversible mobility restrictions.

The Barbell Prescription is unfortunately flawed in that it appears to be marketed to a general audience but is written in a manner designed to discourage that same audience from completing the book. Unless they are a doctor, personal trainer, or have already seen the light about the benefits of barbell training, this is not a book that you can gift to your older friends and relatives and expect them to read from cover to cover. The authors are a doctor and personal trainer who write large sections of the book, particularly the opening chapters, in an academic and high-reading-comprehension-required manner that will discourage a general audience from reaching the chapters on how to perform the actual lifts. In contrast with the videos on their Youtube channel, which are far less intimidating, be forewarned that this is a textbook.

[Matthew Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, The Barbell Prescription offers a thorough and compelling overview of the case for barbell training and compound movements as the preferred training modality for the aging population. The text presents a wealth of sound research and biological evidence behind the physiological/health benefits of strength training as evidence for its efficacy for Masters. The one element of the writing that I didn't appreciate was the dogmatic undertone throughout the text. While sometimes comical, the need to defend a single training methodology so vehemently seems unnecessary when there is so much sound scientific evidence to support why strength training should be a part of the general population's exercise regiment. The world of fitness is rife with ego and the way to make any training program more approachable is not to indoctrinate your audience. I would spare the book this criticism if I didn't feel like its intent was to make a case for strength training, but it seems the sole purpose of the entire book was to educate and influence individuals over the age of 40 that they should be incorporating strength training, and more specifically, compound movements, into their fitness regiment. I have enough of a sense of humor to chuckle at the author's unwavering and often disparaging commentary about other forms of exercise, but for many I feel this would lead to an outright dismissal of the work before they were able to get the full value out of it's content. Despite this downfall, I will definitely recommend this book to the Masters in my life as I feel it presents a strong case for prioritizing strength training and the many benefits it confers.

[Nik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really poor writing. Lot's of physiological detail on how the body produces energy with an unbelievable degree of repetition. I think this book breaks a record for repeating the same information page after page. 365 pages could easily be reduced to under 100.
Then, insult to injury, one arrives at page 92. After all this build up to how important the squat is - we are told over and over how important this famous squat is. Then we are told - did I tell you it's on page 92? Yes, that's right, in the style of the author let me make sure to say it a few more times - on page 92. Not 91 or 93, but right there on page 92 - "you should undergo the standard teaching progression... [which] will not be described here."
~ Oh, there's plenty of room in the book to describe the standard teaching progression. We could do just that. After all it's essential if you want to proceed with your strength training, but instead we'll repeat something inane and obvious for the fourth time.~
We are referred to another book to learn the "standard teaching progression."
It's a scam. I'm sad to have been tricked into buying this book. This series appears to be a scam.
There's lots of good books on strength training. Get one, read it. Use common sense. Work up to heavy weights slowly. Eat good food, cut out sugar. There, you can skip this book.

[SheRa McGyver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear and well-written. I learned a few things about Masters programming (volume sensitivity and intensity dependency) that I've implemented in my current program. We'll see how things turn out. A little repetitive at times (you'll walk away with an indelible image of the Sick Aging Phenotype and an understanding of the criteria for an effective intervention) but I suppose being a text aimed at Masters we need to read things a few times to encode them ; ). I was a little disappointed with the brevity with which female Masters were discussed. I understand the SS proposition that the programming differences between male and female athletes at any age are minor, but I was hoping for a little more guidance on training as a female masters strength athlete, something more than that found in SS and PP, something more on optimizing weekly RECOVERY and managing intracycle FATIGUE, something *magic* that would add 100# to my total by August =D. Oh well, guess I get to experiment with "volume sensitivity & intensity dependence."

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book on strength training with a ton of work for making these programs work for the older athlete. Spectacular at addressing this topic.
Let's call this four and a half stars.
It's going to lose half a star because the authors love to trash talk other programs. Strength, and their method, is the answer to ALL PROBLEMS. If only olympic lifters and marathoners and bodybuilders would listen to them, they'd all be better. Though I don't know if they've ever trained any one in those fields, so it's mostly theoretical.
Also they don't acknowledge the money and time it takes to do this kind of training. A well appointed gym, good coaching, travel time to and from said gym, sucks a lot of energy from a day. Doing it home takes money, and space. You can't do this at home in an apartment. So if kettlebells, for instance, lose points for not building absolute strength, they take up less money and space.

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is of life and death importance for "seniors," or, as the authors dub us - "Masters Athletes" - training for the most brutal and unforgiving sport of all: aging with grace, dignity, and independence. It has been observed more than once that while young people want to lift weights to get strong and look good, middle-aged and older folks NEED to lift weights to maintain strength and independence. It isn't about cosmetics for us - we need to lift in a way baby gym-bros will never understand (well, they will someday if they're lucky enough to graduate into the ranks of the Masters Athletes).

This book pairs really well with "Starting Strength" by Rippetoe, but you could also go with just this title and watch a bunch of YouTube (or get a coach) to work on the lifts themselves. I strongly recommend this to all of us competing in the arena of life in our senior years.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very important book. I started lifting in my 20s and even discovered Mark Rippetoes Starting Stength. Asides from a dedicated effort around 26, I was pretty sporadic with my lifting. That was till about a year ago when I finally pushed all the way through a novice linear progression with a few resets. I'm now 39, so needed something that would set me up for ongoing success as I leap into my 40's.

This was the book. Not only that, I recently asked questions on the Starting Strength forums and Sully personally replied.

Great book by a great bunch. I look forward to lifting for many years to come.

[Debbie Vickery · Rating 5 out of 5]

really important book for 50+ people

The author presents in great detail, why and how older people can grow in strength and remain strong, active, healthy into old age. As somebody in their 60s who is stronger, healthier, and more ripped than most 35 year olds, I’ve been infuriated by the constant stream of misinformation, tell older people they can’t get stronger and must lose a high percent muscle mass every year. Anyone who follows the barbell prescription will get stronger and feel better.

[Dav · Rating 4 out of 5]

He makes some really good arguments for how strength training is better than endurance training for people over 40. It has that slightly sexist attitude common from the baby boomer generation, and discounts body weight training in like two sentences because he doesn’t know enough about the techniques, but otherwise I can’t complain much about his message. In particular he makes a strong argument for spending your time strength training instead of endurance training.

[Armin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are over 40, and more acutely over 50 or 60, this might be an essential read for you in combination with Mark Rippetoe’s ‘Starting Strength’. From a perspective of sustaining your health into older age, there might be nothing more important. Very thorough exploration of the science and biology behind energy systems, barbell training and why it’s superior to any other ‘expercise’. Super detailed programming chapters. Great read and I can already see this become a frequent reference book.

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fundamentally changed my entire perspective on physical fitness. It is profound book and I am currently practicing what I've learned, and it is hard, it's grueling, and I am seeing tremendous impact.

Dr Sullivan is an amazing individual and is writing a gift.

Anyone that is looking to take physical fitness up a level especially in middle age, this is required reading.

[John Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good resource for Older Trainees

This is a nice adaptation of the Starting Strength method for older adults. The book primarily provides programming for getting stronger by emphasizing the core lifts of Squats, Bench Press, Press, and the Deadlift. It's never too late to get stronger.

[Jaellayna Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful and written in an engaging style. I had hoped for more photographs or other illustrations in the sections about each of the "prescribed" exercises (squats, etc.) and less verbal instruction. I will continue to apply what I learned from this book to my own ongoing fitness program. I especially appreciate that it offers ideas for continuous improvement.

[Paul Bard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent scientific advice for strength training for over 40s.

The advice is precise without being over precise, following the Starting Strength method, with many careful caveats for older athletes.

[Martin Gillam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Perfect for older people wanting to get fit and healthy to live a full life. The authors are very qualified and know what they’re talking about. Also the writing is very entertaining. Highly recommended

[Bill Pritchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now to find a coach...

Book makes a compelling case for the use of heavy weights and simple exercises (Squat, deadlift, bench, etc) to move large muscle groups to help offset the set in of old age syndrome. Well detailed... I wonder how hard it will be to find a coach in my area.

[Hyann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Con:
too much detail information on the mechanic of the human muscle, can be heavy to read

Pro:
good humour
great info with logical explanation.

Most of all , I start training again after an injury so a recommended reading to motivate you to start strength training.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a 'Why it's necessary', with organizational 'How to' added in. If you are over 40 and want to avoid becoming a "demented meat pretzel", you should read this book. The author's presentation makes this a great read!