The Spartan Way: Eat Better. Train Better. Think Better. Be Better.

by Joe De Sena

New York Times bestselling author Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan, the global health and wellness platform, leader in obstacle racing, and executive producer of NBC’s television show Ultimate Team Challenge , challenges you to live The Spartan Way .

Determined to yank 100 million people off their couch cushions to start living instead of being passive observers of life, Joe De Sena has one ultimate to help improve everyone’s physical and emotional health by teaching them the tenets of Spartan living from ancient simple eating, smart training, mastering resilience, and an all-out commitment to achieving a goal.

Like Spartan training, living The Spartan Way requires endurance to reach your finish line, the goal that inspires and drives you to succeed no matter what obstacles are thrown in your path. De Sena believes you can gain that endurance in just thirty-six days by following the ten Spartan Core Virtues, timeless principles to help you embrace adversity and overcome any challenge, and making them a permanent part of your own personal core.

The Spartan Core Values

Self-Awareness―Know yourself
Commitment―Be dedicated
Passion―Discover your purpose
Discipline―Practice diligence
Prioritization―Put your house in order
Grit―Push your limits
Courage―Face your fears and your failures
Optimism―Look for the positives
Integrity―Act honestly
Wholeness―Live as a Spartan

De Sena turned this philosophy into a lifestyle―and so can you. With The Spartan Way , you’ll discover your true north, unleash the warrior within, and transform your life to 10X your maximum potential.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Self Help, Fitness, Personal Development, Sports, Audiobook

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 4, 2018

About the author

JOE DE SENA is a cofounder of Spartan Race, which began as an obstacle race based on the extreme spirit of the legendary Death Race, and has become a multi-million dollar global lifestyle company in less than 10 years. It was voted Outside magazine’s Best Obstacle Race. In one year’s time he competed in the Raid International Ukatak in Canada; the IditaSport in Alaska; the Odyssey Adventure Race and the OAR Beast of the East, both in Virginia; the Raid the North Extreme in Newfoundland, the Adrenaline Rush in Ireland and the Discovery Channel World Championships in Switzerland. He resides in Vermont with his family. For more information, please visit www.spartanupthebook.com.

Reviews

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

tl;dr: skip to The Verdict

A no nonsense guide to embracing challenge and living life at the limits of your potential. Joe De Sena is full on to say the least. He is the creator of the Spartan race program — a multi discipline obstacle race — and various lifestyles and training programs related to the concept of living Spartan.


The Case For

Ever desired a personal trainer, a mentor or lifestyle coach to spur you on and maximise your potential —- if yes then Joe is all that in spades. This man could be described as a hardcore motivational guru. The book is like an injection of Nitro into your lifestyle engine.

The Spartan way is a short read packed with general fitness and lifestyle development tips and motivation to propel you forward. There is little in the way of technical detail as this is mostly focused on mental approach — how to frame your mind in the right manner.

There are some great tips in the book many of which are derived from other sources such as a number of great insights gleaned from the book ‘Grit’ by Angela Duckworth —- which is on my reading list. Also De Sena’s life stories are often fairly fascinating.


The Case Against

De Sena really is a full on character, to the extent that many may find him a bit much at times. He definitely makes a great personal trainer / mentor persona but he does seem to often want to push things past 10 to 11 on the dial.

For example when driving his pregnant wife — who was going into labour — to the hospital. He got her to get out of the car 1-2 miles from the hospital so they could walk the rest of the way! Now this does at first seem to be bordering on cruelty or perhaps just craziness. He does, however, explain that “it worked” as when they got to the hospital the baby literally just popped out — avoiding the torture of an extended labour completely.

From examples like this you can see De Sena is one hardcore guy but he does get results.

I will say that if your looking for a innovative or groundbreaking self development title this is probably not going to fulfil your quest. As much of the info could be seen as de rigour for the ‘motivational’ genre and, as mentioned, some parts are derivative.



The Verdict

The Spartan Way is a solid motivational title, if you want something to boost your workout routine, or approach to business or even life in general, this is a great tool. Rather than lots of practical guidelines it provides excellent mental conditioning to get you in the right frame of mind.

It’s certainly not ground breaking and De Sena can seem as just a little extreme at times, but he is certainly someone to be admired for his no holds barred approach to life and the inspirational results he gets.

3.5 Stars

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for Wit and Sin

The Spartan Way is a helpful, no-nonsense resource for anyone looking to make a change. No matter what your goal, Joe De Sena’s Spartan philosophy is something you can apply to your life. I loved Mr. De Sena’s passion – it comes through strong in this book and his dedication and enthusiasm is infectious. Self-Awareness, commitment, passion, discipline, prioritization, grit, courage, optimism, integrity, and “wholeness” are not new values or ideas, but the way they are presented is what separates this book from the pack. It’s intense, honest, and straightforward, which I really appreciated. I will note that some of the examples Mr. De Sena uses in this book are a bit extreme and the sample sizes in the studies he cites are sometimes rather low, but the core principals are good. If you want a good kick in the butt and helpful, easy-to-digest advice that will serve you well, I recommend The Spartan Way .


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Brian Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re into embodying the classic virtues of ancient Greece as much as I am, I think you’ll dig this book.

“Human beings thrive on challenge. This has been true for hundreds of thousands of years. It was certainly true for the ancient Spartans. …

Look, life is tough. You’ve just gotta be tougher. You cultivate resilience by facing challenges, not by ignoring them and hoping they’ll go away. There are no shortcuts to get anyplace worthwhile. So my question is: ‘Are you just gonna lay there with Doritos crumbs on your shirt or are you the kind of person who gets knocked down but gets back up?’

This book, like every Spartan Race, is a rebellion against a life of passivity and softness. It is a rebirth of grit. And it kicks off by forcing you to identify a purpose for your life that’ll ignite a fierce, unstoppable passion in you.

This book’s purpose is to teach you how to apply the ten timeless principles of the Spartan Lifestyle. If you master these, the next time you’re up against a wall, you’ll find a way to push through. You’ll see. The Spartan Way is the ultimate recipe for success. It’ll help you embrace adversity and beat any difficult challenge to a pulp.

Tackle it. Own it. We ALL need it.”

~ Joe De Sena from The Spartan Way

Joe De Sena created Spartan Race.

As per the back of the book, he is “Determined to yank 100 million people off their couches to start living instead of being passive observers of life” and his ultimate goal is to “help improve everyone’s physical and emotional health by teaching them the tenets of Spartan living from ancient Greece: simple eating, smart training, mastering resilience, and an all-out commitment to achieving your goal.”

I absolutely love what Joe’s created with Spartan Race and I’m a huge fan of him, his grit, and his astonishing (!) commitment to being an exemplar of the Spartan virtues he talks about in this and his other two books.

I did my first Spartan after reading Spartan Up! and stepped it up a notch (or three) after reading Spartan Fit!

Now, I’m officially all in on using my Spartan training as my athletic “portal into enlightenment.” Every time I think about PAYING to face obstacles I smile, say “OMMS!” to myself and fall even more in love with the sport.

In this book, we get to learn the ten Spartan Core Virtues—from Self-Awareness and Commitment to Grit and Integrity. If you’re into embodying the classic virtues of ancient Greece as much as I am, I think you’ll dig the book as much as I did. (Get a copy here.)

Some of my favorite big ideas from this book include:

1. Spartan Virtues - Ten of them.
2. Your True North - Find it.
3. Commitment - Do you know what it is?
4. Marshmallows - Red Bull and Wienerschnitzel.
5. You’ll Know - At the finish line.

I’ve added The Spartan Way by Joe De Sena to my collection of Philosopher’s Notes--distilling the Big Ideas into 6-page PDF and 20-minute MP3s on 600+ of the BEST self-development books ever. You can get access to all of those plus a TON more over at https://heroic.us.

[Jason Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's no secret to any of my close friends that I can be intense. I'm not the biggest, fastest, or strongest guy in my friend group, but I'm probably the most intense. Many of my friends would pause before jumping into the icy river, but I'm more likely to say, "Let's do this," and just take the leap. I tell you this because my intensity is one of the reasons I admire Joe De Sena, the founder of Spartan, and the organization he has built. Having read and loved one of his previous books, Spartan Up!: A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life, I knew I would enjoy this one. But I more than enjoyed it; I was inspired by it. If you're familiar with Joe, you might think you know what to expect, but there is a lot more going on in this book that brought to mind such works as The Warrior Ethos by Steven Pressfield. Joe lays out a solid philosophy for living a life inspired by one of the toughest group of warriors in history: The Spartans. This philosophy isn't just about getting fit or eating healthy; it's about living a life of intention and purpose.

Joe is like the best kind of coach, the kind that will bust your ass with a great workout and not let you give up while making you feel like you're a freaking superhero. This humble attitude to just inspire people to be the best they can be is evident in his writing, and it is the pulsing heartbeat throughout this book.

[Ron S · Rating 2 out of 5]

A magazine article that reads like a locker room pep talk masquerading as a book. Nothing new here. That said, one person's bore could land as inspiration for another, and send them on a life changing journey. For some people, the photo of a Spartan race finisher standing in the pants he used to wear before losing hundreds of pounds could be well worth the price of the book.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

[Hind · Rating 2 out of 5]

This guy could’ve written a much better book, instead it’s another self-help book.

[Joseph Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its definitely an extreme way of looking at things. He has a lot of really good insights, but sometimes takes it a bit far.

[Ally Schermerhorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Some of his examples were pretty intense to get his point across, but overall I learned some interesting facts. Great motivator and puts thing into perspective.

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very motivational read for anyone that wants to improve their health or who wants to maximize their workouts. I have heard of Spartan Races, but have never had a desire to do one. However, this book caught my eye, as I figured the author would probably have advice on how I can make better decisions about my health. I am glad I gave it a chance, as it was really informative.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's nothing wrong with this book, there's just nothing new in it, either. He tells you to wake up, commit to doing your best--to being your best--and take care of your body. There are nuggets of wisdom and practical tips. All of them are pulled from other books and articles that you've probably seen before. So, if you want a reminder, this book could work for you. But if you want to learn something new, probably not worth your time.

[Jonathan Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a second time reading. I find the author to be no-nonsense and clear on the message he is trying to get across to the reader. It has helped me to identify things in my life that I want to change and the nudge to get off the couch. It is an enjoyable read and positive in its approach to delivering on what is promised on the back of the book.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Take your basic self-help / personal development framework, add some personal anecdotes and tie it into the Spartan Race and you have this book. Which, in and of itself, isn't bad. But, if you're looking for anything new in the self-help / personal development sphere, you won't find it here.

[Fyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dig deep, embrace the suck, find your purpose and stay true to your course.
This book outlines the journey to living a truly big life one step at a time, starting with figuring out your inner values and getting off of the couch. A very no nonsense book that brings out the big enthusiasm within.

[Matej yangwao · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's all about *intense* mindset and breakout from comfort zone. Well destiled.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike some of the other books by Joe De Sena, this one really focuses on the mental side of achiveing your goals. If you are looking for fitness and nutrition advice to help jump start your fitness or Spartan race journey, I think Spartan Fit! will be more what you are looking for. There's a tiny bit in here about nutrition but it's very basic (whole unprocessed foods, no snacking, drink your coffee black, etc) and the actual fitness advice is limited to teaching you how to do burpees. But if you've ever tried any endurance sports, you know that physical fitness is only half the battle and it's for the other half of the battle, the one in the mind, that this book aims to cover.

The book includes a discussion of 10 values inspired by ancient Sparta and the Spartan Race series founded by the author. For each value, there is a discussion, stories from athletes and experts and a journaling exercised to help you really put the principle into practice in your own life. I really liked how the values weren't just limited to athletic endeavors. There are examples given of how you can apply these principles to other areas of your life like becoming a better parent, starting your own business or making a career change. In my own life, I have found that the things endurance sports have taught me about how to deal when things get tough really do translate to handling other areas of life when they get tough.

That being said, there are a lot of self-help/motivational books out there that could give you very similar information (possibly even more info if your specific goal happens to be something other than fitness) so the real highlight of this book is how Joe goes about motivating people. He's very self-motivated, ambitious person who believes in pushing himself to the limits. He's got a very tough love, tell it like it is motivational style that can seem harsh and over the top to some. His style really clicks for me so I got a lot out of this book particularly since I do race Spartan races and I can see how these principles can play out on and off the race course. If you are looking to do your first (or first in a while) Spartan race or other long distance endurance race and you feel like you need a bit more motivation, I would recommend this book. I think it'll help you reach your fitness goals plus learn some things that you can apply in your everyday life as well.

[Jessica Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spartan Up! Aroo!

Several people have heard about Spartan races, but what does it really mean to have a spartan mentality? How do people continually train for these brutal obstacle course races year after year and continue coming back for more? Joe De Sena, founder of the Spartan Race, breaks down the ten common principles found in the attitudes of true spartan racers. Each principle reflects a method to not only conquer obstacles in a race, but how to also conquer obstacles in your life. These include prioritizing your life, making commitments, drive, and passion are just a few that are included.

Even though this book does have lots of stories about amazing Spartan racers, it is also geared more toward a book to help you succeed. These are the same principles that are found in many of today’s bestselling business books, just presented in a different format. I was really hoping for more about the races themselves, but De Sena really parallels how these principles can fit into your life. One of the best aspects of the book is about getting healthy and fit. De Sena’s missing is to get people off the couch and into the world. Find an experience and go out and do it, don’t leave yourself wanting.

There is some harsh language throughout the book, but it is fitting with the subject matter at hand. I recommend this book to people who are interested in obstacle course racing as well as need a boost in their life.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

[Book Him Danno · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have tried Daily Burn or driving by a Spartan course or maybe you know someone who has done a Spartan than you know it is crazy Marathon of obstetrical courses and insane amount of burpies.

I first heard about it years ago but I am not much of a runner so I passed it by. Than one day while working out on Daily Burn I started to wonder what it is. The more researched the more I thought Hey I Can do that because it isn't so much but running as it is about having fun and getting dirty.

I wondered how the heck do you train for something like this? I mean it isn't like lets go running and improve my time. This is about strength building muscles and eating right.

The Spartan way is perfect for beginning like me.

The book starts off with the story on how it all begun and a guide to knowing yourself and your strength. It help readers find their own tribe and people who can help them succeed in their fitness goals. A plan is laid out for you to work on and is a guide if you can't do everything they suggest you are given other ideas to help bring you to the goal of one day in a Spartan Marathon.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher St. Martin's Griffin for an adavance copy of Joe De Sena The Spartan Way

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway, and absolutely loved it! It's a no-holds-barred approach to getting things done and becoming the person you want to be. It's a quick read that's very engaging and inspiring.

The summary is that this book provides straightforward instructions for removing obstacles from our lives that hold us back and prevent us from doing the things we aspire to do. It includes several stories from the lives of individuals who have overcome significant challenges in order to accomplish great things that are intriguing and inspiring all by themselves.

It's really all about eliminating excuses and obstacles and focusing on the things that matter most to us. I really enjoyed it a lot. There is some vulgarity in the context of communicating messages in a straightforward and direct manner, but it accomplishes its goal and helps to convey the idea of not caring what others think and just getting done what you want to get done.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who feels like they may not be living up to their true potential.

[Alex Devero · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written guide that will teach you how to live like a real Spartan. It will also help you improve your health and help you find motivation to tackle the hardest challenges. How? This guide will give you 10 simple and straightforward principles to learn, apply and live by. Applying these principles will help you remove any obstacles from your live that may hold you back from doing what you want to do. These principles are explained in a simple and short form. At the end of each chapter, there are also action steps you can make to apply every principle immediately and start living the Spartan Way.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to get gritty and change the way he lives for better. Get rid of all excuses and obstacles and start focusing on what matter most.

[Juan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "The Spartan Way" by Joe De Sena, the emphasis on stepping out of your comfort zone is a powerful lesson. De Sena encourages readers to embrace challenges and discomfort as a means of personal growth. By pushing your limits, whether through physical challenges like obstacle races or mental hurdles, you can build resilience, discipline, and a sense of accomplishment.

The key takeaway is that growth often happens when you confront your fears and take on challenges that seem daunting. This mindset not only helps in physical pursuits but can also translate to other areas of life, fostering a stronger, more adaptable character. Embracing discomfort can lead to greater achievements and a deeper understanding of your potential.

[Eoin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Decent motivating read. Similar vain to Bedros Keullian and Jocko. Corny at times.

Quotes:
“
- Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes but no plans.
– Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
– Self control is like a muscle, the more you exercise it the stronger it gets.
– We must all suffer from one of two pains; the pain of discipline and the pain of regret . The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.
– Perseverance is genius in disguise.
- Yasuteru Yamada is a hero. Look him up.
- Definition of success, doing what you said you would do consistently with clarity, focus, ease and grace.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some great ideas, burpees, an amputee rising above the challenge even after being disqualified. Then the thing that stuck to me was talking about forcing your wife, in labor, to walk a mile to the hospital, not use a wheelchair once inside said hospital and use the stairs to get to the room. I mean the book is written by you, make yourself a hero! Easily done.
Other than that story, pretty good inspiration and some ideas for motivation, except maybe writing your own obituary(?) I thought I was having a fever dream when I read that one. I can see people getting mad about this, but I also see people celebrating it too.

[Scott Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a harsh world and this is a harsh book...Only you can make a change in your life if you want to and this book will give you some tips to achieve things...there is a cost to everything and you will realise it in this book, ultimatley does it suit what you want to achieve your goals or its it better for someone elses...will this help you achieve your goals?

Like his other books nothing is sugar coated (which is bad for you anyway). Some people (Maybe a lot) wont like reading this book, I get that, Joe is your friend that dosnt take BS and doesnt give it to you either.

[Julian Ajello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing wrong with this book. It's one of many that say do the same things. It's another motivational, self-help type book that is designed to get you off your duff and moving and participate and excel.

De Sena's hook is Sparta and the Spartans. Who doesn't want to grab a pike and join a phalanx? It's decently written and he's selling a lot of them, and I didn't mind it. It's repackaged stuff you've probably come across before. This is a different messenger, but the message is essentially the same.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book outlines the 10 Principles / Spartan Virtues. At 200 pages it is a fairly quick read. This is full of quotes from others and summaries of various psychological study findings. A good book to read as I was thinking about what goals I wanted to set for the new year. A lot of the information quoted from others I had heard or read before, but that's ok and to be expected from this type of book.

[Timeo Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Spartan Way

This book is certainly inspirational and filled with great health tid bits. The Story of Ernest Shackleton was amazing.

I admire the Spartan Way. The world right now is a bit too comfortable, and embracing adversity is a cure many people need.

The book includes action plans for individuals to use and gear track their life

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book is the motivation you need to get up off the couch and out to live in the real world...be present and live every day like it’s your last. True inspiration. At completing this book i feel like i have the tools to push myself father and harder than i have before and I’m already looking to sign up for the next Spartan Race in my area!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

The info in this book isn't necessarily that original, but it is gathered and presented in an entertaining and empowering way. The book seems to be focused more at people in the "I need to change my life" stage, and to that end it is highly recommended. If you are looking for something to light a fire under your sedentary life, get off the couch and go buy this book!

[Shay Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was not what I expected - picked it up in the exercise area of the library looking for some new routines. No real exercises BUT some great ideas, would never be as extreme as Joe De Sena but I remember when I first got married I always thought it was good to be in some discomfort. My husband has sort of cured me from that but think I am going to get back to some of those ways. Good read