The Muscle Ladder: Get Jacked Using Science

by Jeff Nippard

The Last Guide You Will Ever Need to Build the Ultimate Physique

The Muscle Get Jacked Using Science is the best all-in-one science-based guide for building a strong and muscular physique. Jeff Nippard, professional natural bodybuilder and coach, has developed a clear blueprint for anyone at any level to achieve their fitness goals. Having architected tens of thousands of programs for athletes and gym-goers, Jeff possesses a mastery of the scientific mechanisms that will help you unlock your hypertrophic potential.
Jeff’s 12 ladder-style fundamentals are specifically designed so that you can work your way up confidently. Using a “rail” and “rung” format to define each fundamental, his model explains where to start, how to follow through, how each rung and side are connected, and how to apply each principle to your unique lifting goals. The Muscle Ladder is a cut above the rest as it explains not only the how, but also the why behind each fundamental.
 
In addition to accessible yet comprehensive explanations, The Muscle Ladder provides sample training programs, a full section on techniques with corresponding visuals, along with a bonus chapter on nutrition and supplementation.
After reading The Muscle Ladder, you
·       Understand the 12 fundamentals of building muscle and the science supporting them
·       Know how to prioritize the fundamentals based on your individual goals
·       Recognize how the fundamentals are interconnected
·       Be able to plug each principle into your own training regimen to unlock your potential for muscle growth and strength
·       Understand how to organize and optimize training routines
·       Be able to identify and troubleshoot common mistakes
·       Have a resource you can return to for instructions on technique, programming, and fundamental fitness questions, from beginner to advanced

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

707 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 31, 2024

Reviews

[Chandru · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doesn’t reinvent the wheel but doesn’t claim to either. Easy to read and very clear in exercise form with pictures and steps. A solid reference for progressing at the gym, had to skim last few chapters as they were well past my current level 😅

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 A science based approach to lifting and hypertrophy training. Great for beginners and advanced lifters. Has 15 different chapters of climbing the Ladder Everything from technique, exercises, nutrition ect. Also 20 different training programs for full body and push pull legs splits.

[Lewie Nys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book to get a good grip on how to workout and make great progress in the gym

[Gerard · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic book to learn more about the human body and training it. the way the book is built-up makes a lot of sense too and going through the chapters makes it much easier to understand the how and why when going to the gym and also what to look out for with regard to diet, sleep, the efficiency of exercises, how to do them, and so on!
also a great addition in this book: many programs to choose from if you want to start with or progress in the gym.
definitely recommended to read and keep so you're able to go through information again for whenever it's needed.

[David Hickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so encouraging and informative. I don’t want to be a bodybuilder or a powerlifter—I just want to be healthy—and this book tells me what I need to know to get there while also making me aware of ways to adjust if my goals change.

[Ethan Iles · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very deep and thorough book on the science behind muscle growth and how to get the best out of the gym.
a lot of useful tips that'll I keep in mind and incorporate into my gym sessions from now on

[Matt Davenport · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10

The perfect science-based weight-lifting book. Perfect for readers of all experience levels, with tidbits that I wish I'd known 18 months ago, and things that, even after having followed Jeff and others online, felt fresh and brand new to help me improve my workouts. Love the natural progression of information, the ease of access to quick information, all backed by quality research and references. I'll continue to use this book for the rest of my strength training, and I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone who lifts or wants to get started lifting!

[Riley Scanlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super informative and helpful for all levels. It started slow enough for beginners to learn but also had enough variety for more advanced lifters as well. The best feature are the sample programs at that back. If you enjoy the gym at all or want to learn more, I highly recommend. If you do not care about lifting but want to start, also recommend. If you do not care about lifting at all, this book probably isn’t for you.

[Thomas Gallagher Romero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primer librito de 2025 xq me estaba empezando a aburrir en el gimnasio y queria aprender un poquito para poder variar! Ta chulo.

[Benjamin Ciesinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a great, research-backed, guide to muscle building. Jeff explains it all in a very sensible way whether you’re just getting started to more advanced. A solid book to own and reference. Thoroughly enjoyed.

[Ingrida Mikalkėnė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seku Jeffo turinį youtube platformoje, tad knyga atrodo kaip visko surinkimas į vieną vietą. Jei nesportuojantis salėje su svoriais žmogus ieškotų knygos - šita pati geriausia. Jau sportuojančiam ir besidominčiam šiuo sportu - pasikartojimas. Knygos gale pilna sporto programų.

[Sandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not sure if I would gain any additional knowledge from this book as I consider myself an advanced lifter but surprise! - I loved and read much of the studies the author used as well as the suggestions on how to move beyond plateaus and make my time in the gym productive and enjoyable. I appreciated the fact that Nippard believes in flexibility and allows for deviations from a strict training program. I finished the book with new goals and a drive to hit the gym harder! I would love to train with this guy….

[Ryan Boissonneault · Rating 5 out of 5]

In no other field save politics do people proclaim expertise about so many things with so little evidence or experience. “Free weights are better than machines. Why? Because I heard someone say that and I’m repeating it to make myself feel superior.” The fitness space is filled with more misconceptions, oversimplifications, and ways to waste your time at the gym than you could count. And that’s why you should pick up this book.

I’ve been following Jeff Nippard for a while now. Jeff is a drug-free natural competitive bodybuilder, holds a degree in biochemistry, and creates informative content through his website and YouTube channel that cuts through the BS to offer science-backed advice. If something truly doesn’t make a difference, and studies show it (the effectiveness of free weights versus machines, for example), Jeff will tell you. And in the strength training field, sometimes knowing what to ignore is just as important as what to focus on.

So how can you develop an effective and efficient strength training program for your goals? What does the latest science tell us about building a program that works, yet doesn’t require dozens of wasted hours in the gym every week? Jeff’s book The Muscle Ladder provides the answers, broken down into a ladder system progressing from basic to advanced concepts and techniques. As you ascend the ladder, you will learn everything you need to start intelligently constructing a workout plan—one based on sound principles.

The “muscle ladder” includes ten rungs and two side rails. The side rails consist of tips and info on sustainability, mindset, and safety; if you’re new to the field, this section is critical, but if you have some experience, it’s probably safe to skip. The key takeaways here are 1) if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, the best program in the world will mean nothing because you’ll abandon it, and 2) injuries cause major setbacks, so it's not worth overtraining or doing ridiculous things at the gym for marginally better gains.

Next come the ten rungs of the ladder, each with a dedicated chapter. Here are some of my key takeaways from each chapter (there’s plenty more useful information in each chapter than I could summarize here):

1. Technique - This section describes general tips for performing exercises. In general, you want to perform each exercise over its full range of motion, taking special care to control the negative phase. Studies don’t show much benefit from performing very fast or very slow reps, partial reps, or other modifications to the basic movements. It’s probably best to not worry about these things and just move the weight in a controlled manner.

2. Exercise selection - The manner in which you subject your muscles to tension is less important than you probably think. Machines can be just as effective as free weights if used properly, and there are several exercises for each muscle group that are equally effective. The most important criterion for selecting exercises is probably whatever you enjoy (assuming effort is high!). You should use a combination of compound and isolation exercises, beginning the workout with compound movements, and make sure to build your program around the “big six” movements: squat-type, hip hinge, vertical push, horizontal push, vertical pull, and horizontal pull.

3. Effort - The number one driver of hypertrophy is mechanical tension, and you maximize mechanical tension by taking your sets to failure or close to failure. The number of reps matter less (within reason) than training intensely. So, if you’re able to hold a full conversation with someone or send text messages while working out, you’re probably not building muscle.

4. Progressive overload - This is probably the most important concept in strength training. Your body adapts to the stressors you place on it. If you’re not progressively challenging yourself (primarily by increasing weight, reps, sets, etc.), then your body has nothing to adapt to. You’ll spend hours at the gym and no one will be able to tell.

5. Volume - As long as you’re training with sufficient intensity (close to failure), optimal muscle growth occurs between around 10-20 sets per muscle group per week, varying by muscle group and fitness level. A key part of this section is the concept of “junk volume”—beyond a certain number of sets, you start to see diminishing returns. This will be highly relevant to the section on training splits.

6. Training splits and frequency - Any body split can work, depending on your goals and how much time you’re willing to dedicate. Your options are full body, upper/lower, push/pull/legs, etc. Jeff leans towards a modified push/pull/legs split. The key points, regardless of the split you use, are to train with sufficient effort and volume and to allow enough time for recovery.

7. Load and rep ranges - Rep ranges may not be as important as you think. The key, once again, is intensity and mechanical tension. As long as you’re training close to failure and progressively increasing weight or reps, you should see results. I personally like to stay within the lower rep ranges, because if you can achieve similar results, why perform all the extra reps?

8. Rest periods - The amount of rest you require depends on your fitness level and the exercise under consideration. Heavy compound lifts require more rest than isolation exercises, and advanced-level bodybuilders require less rest than novices.

9. Advanced techniques - As Jeff notes, this is where the science gets hazy. Most studies are conducted on beginner and intermediate lifters, so there is a lack of data on effective techniques for advanced lifters. Once you reach this stage, you kind of have to experiment on yourself, and, in any case, the gains will be slow as you near your genetic potential. Nevertheless, it seems highly likely that the only way to keep achieving gains is to make your workouts more intense, in some cases going “beyond failure” by performing partial reps, drop sets, myo-reps, etc. This chapter describes those techniques.

10. Periodization - The final rung on the ladder describes how to build a workout plan over the course of an entire year based on cycles. Periodically changing up your routine can reduce monotony and stimulate new muscle growth.

The penultimate chapter includes information on nutrition and cardio, and the final chapter provides several workout plans for each body split and fitness level.

The only criticism I can think of is that the ladder system can at times feel a bit contrived. For example, why is the topic of rest periods placed on the eighth rung instead of lower down, and why are load and rep ranges presented after training splits and not after or before volume and effort? Wouldn’t it make more sense to group all of the training variables together first before discussing training splits?

Also, there’s no chapter explaining the science of hypertrophy or establishing key terminology, nor is there a concluding chapter putting it all together. In fact, for readers that want a book with a little more scientific depth and what I consider to be slightly better organization, I would suggest Brad J. Schoenfeld’s book Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy.

Honestly, though, Schoenfeld’s book may be a little more detailed than most people are looking for. If you simply want science-backed recommendations presented in easy-to-grasp terms, this book will be perfect for you to quickly get started on your strength training journey.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeff Nippard is the goat

[Phil Sykora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff Nippard has some of the best content on YouTube, so when I saw he was coming out with a book, I was super excited to buy it.

Jeff Nippard’s The Muscle Ladder uses a ladder as a metaphor for making progress in the gym. Right off the bat, YouTube fitness enthusiasts will likely notice the similarities between The Muscle Ladder and Team 3DMJ’s Muscle and Strength Pyramid.

As you move up a rung of “The Muscle Ladder,” you move from high-impact beginner concepts (like consistency) to more advanced techniques (like drop sets).

But the ladder metaphor falls apart very quickly for me. One rail – the vertical section of the ladder that holds all of the rungs together – is “consistency” (makes perfect sense: if you don’t do something consistently, the stimulus won’t be enough to change your body long term) and the other rail is “mindset” (huh?).

Sure, having the proper mindset about why you’re going to the gym is important, but is it so important that you literally won’t make gains without it? I don’t think so. In fact, I think the majority of lifters who follow Jeff got started because they were horny teenagers who thought that they’d look like Arnold Schwarzenegger within a couple months of lifting (and therefore be swimming in pussy – a mindset so wrong it has layers to how wrong it is). It’s not because they had any interest in health or self-improvement. If you took out one of the rails of the ladder, it should literally fall apart.

“Mindset” is not a rail; “Effort” is. Without consistency and effort, you won’t make gains:

High consistency + low effort = almost no gains.
Low consistency + high effort = almost no gains.

Instead, effort is the third rung of the ladder. Technique is even below it. I used to do the ugliest bicep curls in the world when I was in high school and my biceps still grew. It just doesn’t resonate with me.

Some people might think I’m nitpicking – but the book is literally called The Muscle Ladder. I think a lack of organization is a legitimate criticism.

In fact, when I read the Chapter on “Effort,” I got the feeling that even Jeff himself knows this. The chapter begins, “No matter how much you optimize all the other variables, what you do won’t matter if you don’t push yourself hard enough.”

This all gets closer to the heart of the main thing I dislike about the Muscle Ladder: I think Jeff Nippard switched around the order of the Team 3DMJ Training Pyramid in order to make The Muscle Ladder seem novel.

If you’ve read one, you’ve pretty much read the other.

I’d give it a 3.5/5 but I rounded up because I love Jeff.

[Juan Pablo López Acosta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Para los que han estudiado los trabajos de Helms, Schoenfeld o Aragon, no hay nada nuevo aquí. Bien puede ser una versión magra con la finalidad de refrescar la memoria, o una buena introducción práctica a la ciencia de la hipertrofia para los más nuevos.

Jeff evita profundizar en tecnicismos y mecanismos de adaptación que naturalmente conlleva la ciencia, como el funcionamiento y activación de la importantísima mTor, el ciclo de Krebs, los métodos de obtención de energía (fosfocreatina/ATP, glucolítico y oxidativo), etc., para mostrarnos la evidencia definitiva (o al menos la más reciente) relacionada al entrenamiento de resistencia.

Uno de los puntos que más me llamó la atención fue el cambio de perspectiva frente al estrés metabólico (que ya Helms y Schoenfeld venían prediciendo como factor determinante y precursor de la hipertrofia), donde Jeff asegura que este juega un papel mínimo en la hipertrofia. Esto, en mi opinión, vale la pena analizar con profundidad, ya que hay métodos de entrenamiento, como el BFR (blood flow restriction) basados en esta premisa que han demostrado ser efectivos en la construcción muscular y recuperación de lesiones.

Otro método de entrenamiento que presagiaba ser explorado con mayor profundidad dado al historial de Jeff, eran las repeticiones parciales elongadas. Supongo que tras el último estudio llevado a cabo por Milo Wolf relacionado a la materia, Jeff acortó la sección. Sin embargo, pienso que se le debió haber dado un mayor énfasis a las repeticiones parciales elongadas y no simplemente utilizarlas como técnicas avanzadas de entrenamiento. La evidencia sugiere que cualquiera se puede beneficiar de esta técnica, ya que dentro del rango de movimiento, la proción elongada del músculo es la más importante.

En general es un buen libro, aunque prescindible si conoces ya algo de la materia (sobre todo por el elevado precio de sesenta dólares).

[William Darwin, · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Muscle Ladder by Jeff Nippard is easily one of the most accessible and well-structured fitness guides I’ve used. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned lifter, this book meets you right where you are. Nippard breaks down complex concepts into straightforward, easy-to-apply steps without ever dumbing things down. He makes the material approachable while still offering real depth for advanced athletes.

The design of the book is excellent. The pictures, diagrams, and clear visual breakdowns make form, programming, and progression immediately understandable. It’s the kind of layout that helps you learn at a glance. It is perfect for anyone who appreciates a more visual approach to training.

One of the biggest strengths is the variety of programs in the back of the book. No matter what your goal is: strength, hypertrophy, recomposition, or getting back into training, there’s a plan that fits. Each program feels purposeful, and the ladder structure allows you to scale the different elements without guesswork.

Ultimately, this is a fantastic reference book. It’s something you can return to repeatedly, whether you’re fine-tuning technique, adjusting volume, or planning your next training block. Nippard has created a resource that is both practical and inspiring, and it deserves a spot in any lifter’s library.

[Phylicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must-Read for Beginner Lifters — Clear, Practical, and Backed by Science

This book is an incredibly informative and well-structured resource for anyone starting their lifting journey. The full-page imagery throughout is not only visually engaging but also enhances understanding of the concepts being explained — a real standout feature.

What sets this book apart is its evidence-based approach. Jeff Nippard presents complex training principles and scientific research in a way that’s easy to digest and apply, without ever dumbing things down. It strikes the perfect balance between depth and accessibility.

The practical tips and guidance offered are grounded in solid research, yet flexible enough to be tailored to your individual needs. Whether you’re modifying a program or building one from scratch, the advice here is actionable and adaptable.

As a longtime follower of Jeff’s content, I could almost hear his voice as I read — the tone is personable and consistent with his social media presence, which makes the material even more engaging.

Highly recommended for beginner lifters looking to build a solid foundation, but even more experienced readers may find useful reminders and fresh insights here. A strong addition to any fitness bookshelf.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a shame I didn’t have a resource like this when I started out. Gym bro science is sadly still rampant in gyms, and books like this could save a lot of people time and frustration. This breaks down strategies for beginners up to advanced lifters with a variety of goals and which methods work for each.

This may have felt like a waste of my time initially, but everyone needs to return to basics to make sure all of their bases are covered. Depending on how ambitious your goals are there’s almost always something you can be overlooking that could be hampering gains. I would recommend this to anyone as a singular resource, but YouTube can teach you most of what’s in this book, just not nearly as organized.

Nutshell analysis: 92% of this book was mostly information I knew already or didn’t pertain to my goals, and the other 8% gave me new ideas I’m excited to try out. For people that may not have been as intense with their research as I’ve been prior to picking this book up, they could learn much more, for sure.

[Adayn Cao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informational and Digestable for the average lifter

If you are new to lifting or have been lifting for a while without immersing yourself in the field too much, this is a perfect starter book.

If you are an exercise science, kinesiologist, or even a personal trainer, you might not find as much useful knowledge since it covers standard information you already know. Still, you might refresh some of your knowledge or get some insight about how other good and efficient trainers are effective in their craft.

Because of that, I think I recommend the book to anyone regardless of expertise. You will either gain a ton of knowledge or some perspective on how someone like Jeff Nippard conducts their training.

However, if you dont have money to splurge and already have the knowledge and perspective, maybe pass on it and look for something more advanced. This book might be more of a novelty for you rather than something you'd benefit from.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book uses the concept of a muscle ladder to illustrate the most important parts of gaining muscle. The muscle ladder consists of sustainability, mindset, technique, exercise selection, effort, progressive overload, volume, training split/frequency, load/rep ranges, rest periods, advanced techniques, and periodization. The ladder lists these in order from most to least important because if you miss the first step, you can not climb the ladder. The main benefit of this book is having lots of reliable knowledge in one place for whenever you have a random training question. It did not make the best read because of the overuse of examples and overly explaining basic principles for inexperienced readers. There seems to not have been a target audience in mind, which was a severe misstep for someone with a niche following. Overall, I appreciate the effort put into making a simple and accurate resource.

[Dinesh Palli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apart from a few mislabels and one logical error (which I assume is also a mislabel), this book has everything a lifter needs to know. From beginner to professional, this covers everything from form, programming principles, and exercise selection to nutrition and recovery strategies. Brownie points for occasionally putting smile on my face. Even if the heaviest thing you’ve ever lifted is the TV remote, this book still has something to offer you.

Jeff Nippard does an excellent job of breaking down complex concepts into digestible bits without oversimplifying them. The illustrations and exercise demonstrations are both practical and accessible, making it easy to follow along regardless of experience level.

I also appreciate the emphasis on scientific evidence. Nippard backs up his recommendations with citations from research while still keeping his advice rooted in real-world application. He balances theory and practice in a way that feels quite trustworthy.

Additionally, while the section on mobility and injury prevention is solid, it could have gone deeper.

Would definitely recommend as a good read!

[Chrisopher Vicente · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t really said I read this book in its entirety which is why I am giving it 3 stars. That being said I did skim some of the parts that I figured would help me when it comes to the gym. Jeff Nippard is well known for being a “science based” lifter and this book is exactly that - a science based approach at lifting. I think it’s a good book for those who are beginning their gym journey. However, I also found myself to be learning new things Lately, I’ve found myself hitting a plateau when it’s come to my progress in terms of strength and I realized it had to do with the volume of my workout plan. Since ‘skimming’ this book I have changed my workout routine to lighten the load and have started noticing myself coming away from this plateau. As someone who loves a science based approach and needing the evidence this is a great read, or a skim through atleast.

[Lucas Jarche · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better books on working out that I’ve read, not that I’ve read many. I think Nippard’s main strength lies in recommending strategies only if there’s evidence behind them. A lot of similar books have non-evidence-based blanket recommendations that only seemed to work for some people. That means that Nippard’s advice is fairly straightforward: put in effort, gravitate towards certain compound moves, eat OK, and don’t hurt yourself in the long run, and the rest will fall into place. It maybe would have been nice to see him get into the ‘why’ behind the literature and recommendations he makes a bit more (there’s only really one attempt to talk about the cellular mechanism of muscle growth and it’s a molecular pathway diagram meant to dazzle not to instruct), but that’s not really the sort of book this is.

[Philip]

Nippard's advice for body building and weightlifting is probably the best out there. In a time where a large amount of fitness influncers are juiced to the gills and perpetuate a misleading body image that isn't attainable for 99% of us natural lifters, Jeff provides a realistic plan that's easy to follow that still allows us to look pretty good given enough effort. Getting back into weightlifting has been easily one of the best decisions I've made, and Jeff Nippard's advice and program played a part for me actually sticking with it. This book isn't necessary as his youtube channel (and other sources from other people) also provide valuable information, but for those who maybe want to take it seriously or expand on their program might get something out of it. What a treat!

[Kevin Orr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preordered. Still waiting. Bought the Kindle version.

Totally worth the extra $20 to have a reference with me in the gym.

I’ve been an athlete my entire life and currently work as a CSCS, nutrition and behavioral modification coach.

This is one of the best texts out there, all of it is legit information, and Nippard is one of the best dudes in the industry. I want him to succeed and even if I’m heated my copy of the print book has been delayed a week beyond promised, I can’t hate on the content.

This will go down as a classic like Serious Strength Training and Rebuilding Milo.

[Scott Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Like other reviewers have said he doesn't reinvent the wheel, a lot of what he discusses is foundational hypertrophy and strength training topics, but I did find it enjoyable and he gave me lots of interesting tips and tricks to consider as I'm training. As a beginner, it's great to get a concise explanation of the topics you hear floating around the fitness space.

Enjoyed the detailed exercise overviews and the program portions. I will likely stick with my program, but I'd definitely give his a shot if I'm looking to mix things up.

[Milan Perišić · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing job as usual at getting the point across. Finding Jeff's content on the internet has been a blessing and has helped me consolidate my bodybuilding techniques. That being said, there are some tedious parts in the book (like RIR, RPE etc) but mostly you will find clear and useful information. Still, i prefer his YouTube channel, given that it's full of useful videos. In fact, you might not need the book if you have been following his channel avidly. This notwithstanding, i like the idea of having the physical book, and besides, it's my way of contributing modestly to the creator.

[Mischa van den Burg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started lifting weights 12 years ago (but had long breaks) and this is hands down the best comprehensive resource to get if you're looking to start lifting weights, become stronger and grow muscle. It contains everything you need and is built up in a perfect fashion, starting from simple actionable basics and increasing to higher levels of optimization.
The included training programs are extremely well designed.
Wish I had this when I started out.

[Wackydeli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information about building muscle, written by a guy who does a great job of explaining why we do certain lifts when. I'm not a total beginner, but I'm not an expert on weight lifting. This book taught me a handful of things I've wondered but never searched for answers. Catch it on sale, I got my copy for 37 bucks.