Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body

I've been applying this book for about 6 months now and I still remember one of my first thoughts only a dozen or so pages in: "This guy gets it." At this point I've spent half my life consistently hitting the weight room where the first 2+ years were under the tutelage of national record holding power lifters. So regarding lifting I got a good functional base in high school. Better than many, I'd guess, just because my first day in the gym was under supportive and interested experts. Anyway, as I said, 15 years later save for a slowdowns due to the rigors of a few degrees I've never let my time in the gym lapse. It's always been a passion and I consider it a hobby. For what it's worth I had built myself up to a respectable size and strength. However, as much as I had learned about lifting I had never done the diet thing. I'd also never had a strong call to do so. I have never had weight issues, I'm naturally lean, I have always been consistent day to day in my intake and I was always smart enough to make any changes incremental. That is, if I wanted to gain weight I added just a little more food every day. But I never knew what my macro breakdown was so I must not have been optimal and this had been bugging me for quite some time. Years, actually. So that's initially why I picked up this book. I wanted to learn how to take it to another level. I wanted to learn how to eat like a bodybuilder. I regret not measuring my body fat percentage when I started but since buying this book I have maintained a spreadsheet of my weight, macro goals and daily food log and I do know that in the early April time frame I weighed in at 220 standing 6'1". So the first thing I did was start a cut. Mike's holistic approach to not only how but why made it easy to understand and easy to buy into. It was also easy to implement! It took a little doing to figure out foods that worked for me and cut out foods that didn't. (For instance, I was big on ground turkey for one meal a day but learned that in a cut the 93% lean turkey blew out my fat macros and while the 99% lean turkey didn't it did blow out my budget. So I switched that meal to chicken.) But after reading Mike's book after a little work and being honest with myself the cut was shockingly effective. I wasn't a saint during my cut and a couple vacations set me back as well as a few other things but just a few short months later I was still standing at 6'1", 195 lbs and caliper measured at 7% bf by one person and 7.3% bf by another. Prior to my cut, having spent so much time lifting it wasn't that rare for me to receive comments or complements on my build and I regularly had people ask me questions on my routine. But after the cut it was all the time! I even had a few indirect (To mutual friends.) inquiries on steroid usage. (Spoiler: While I wish I had the means to buy them I have zero desire.) In reading Mike's book and following his podcasts I now understand how to reach my goals by cyclically cutting and bulking, both at a high level of why it's done that way as well as how to do it. I'm now 6 weeks into my first bulk in the sense that I am gaining weight with intent and awareness of where I'm at. I'm excited to see where this goes. Now when it comes to lifting this is where I had more background. But Mike's book has taught me a lot! I have always been an adherent to compound lifts due to my start under powerlifters but Mike provided some background as well as helped me zero in on how to properly apply my compound lifting for maximal growth. (Intensity. Cadence. Rep range. Set range.) I was doing many things right sort of by accident but some of the things Mike preaches surprised me. But like I said, I wasn't far into his book when I thought, "This guy gets it." So I put my experience and ego aside and I fully bought into his method. It is still a work in progress as old habits die hard. But he's given me a better understanding of why some things I was doing worked as well as where I could improve. So I am improving. I have recommended this book and the female version to friends and one friend in particular has bought into it like I have and while he is all around new to dieting and lifting he's making good progress. And he's related that he's stayed motivated because the book really sets you in a good direction. No B.S. No filler. It makes it doable. To summarize, I really like this book and Mike's work and I do recommend it to anyone who will listen. It is a complete guide for a newer lifter and even more seasoned enthusiasts have a lot to take away from this if they feel they are missing a piece of the puzzle or want a complete background on the science of fitness.

I am not a body builder, but an average Joe, who has enjoyed sports and exercise throughout my childhood and young adult life. I really enjoyed this book for several reasons. First it was a quick read, I think I read the whole thing in a day or two and absorbed most of the information I wanted to apply. I have not lifted "heavy" in many years as I attributed it to greater chance of injury. While I was familiar with the overload concept, I don't think I had practiced it in sometime, choosing to mix cardio and weights to mostly stay in shape. The second thing I liked is it gave a very simple workout plan, basically 3-4 exercises of 4-6 reps per workout. I have been using the variation suggested for 4 workout/week schedule, adding triceps to chest day and biceps to back day and eliminating the separate arm day. My arms get enough of a workout on these days and are big enough that they don't need their own day. Less than a month in I have had tremendous strength gains. To be fair, there was a time that I was much stronger than I am now, so these gains are not above and beyond where I have ever been, but they certainly are above and beyond where I was. I also found the in detail explanation or certain important exercises and the reference to bodybuilder.com for video explanation of exercises to be an excellent reference. Certain exercises require good form to prevent injury and to achieve the desired results of the exercise. I mostly workout by myself, which is unfortunate as I am aware that having a partner would benefit me in many ways as the book suggests and have found this all to be true in the past. One of the problems I am working through is my comfort level with the exercises at heavier weights (often using the Smith machine, which is frowned upon in the book for good reason). The diet information is okay, but I don't feel I should comment too much on it as I have not been following it. I eat relatively healthy, since the book I have been much better about post workout nutrition, but I am not a moderation kind of guy. So when I am eating healthy I eat healthy most of the time and then I eat a large pizza and a ice cream and cookies for dessert one night. Most importantly the results. It has been less than a month and so far they have been excellent. I weigh around 185 and about 5'10". I don't have a six pack or a gut, but have definitely lost some body fat since beginning, but probably not that much because of my diet or lack thereof. My strength gains have been great. I can deadlift and squat over 300lbs. and bench 265 (on smith machine, so a lot less on free weights). On top of this, I have lower back issues, but have been asymptomatic for many years now, instead of hurting my lower back, I believe deadlifts, squats and the core/ab exercises have significantly strengthened by lower back. Overall very happy with workout and information provided in the book as well as its "readability." Of note, I also find Mike's website to very informative. And Mike himself appears to be very available as well, responding to my only email so far within 1 day. I also bought his cookbook (shredded chef), which I flipped through, if one can do such a thing on a kindle. I was hoping it would inspire me get into a better diet routine.

I'm giving this four stars instead of five because I only bought the book two days ago, and don't have enough information to judge the effectiveness of his technique. However, the book itself is definitely worth four stars. Fitness books tend to fall into a certain mindset, which generally sounds something like this: "Everything you think you know about fitness is wrong! Now listen, I'm going to set you straight, because somehow I know all this stuff that everyone else is wrong about. If you follow my plan, you'll do more than you ever have done before, and on top of that, you'll look like an underwear model and feel like you just won the lottery. " Well, Mr. Matthews does engage in some of this kind of talk. I think it's just part of being a fitness person. What sets him apart from other fitness people is that he backs up his assertions with a large number of scientific studies, which he encourages his readers to look into. Because he backs up his assertions with clinical data, the plan becomes less about him and his grand ideas, and more about the data itself. This removes some of the celebrity trainer cult mentality that I've experienced with other programs. Mr. Matthews appears to walk the walk rather than merely toot his own horn. I found that refreshing. What I found especially helpful and interesting was the section on the mental aspect of fitness. Mr. Matthews breaks down the various ways that people sabotage their own progress, and then gives helpful advice on how to overcome self-defeating thoughts. He describes willpower in more than just choosing to refrain from destructive behavior. He addresses the other aspects of willpower as well. While refraining from bad things, one must also decide to spend one's time doing constructive things, and be willing to give up immediate gratification in order to achieve long-term goals. I found this section of the book the most impactful. The mental obstacles he describes apply to every aspect of life, and the strategies he lays out would probably be just as useful outside of the gym. For this section alone, the book is worth the money. Mr. Matthews also does an excellent job explaining the importance of nutrition. His nutrition plan is highly detailed, flexible, and appears to be backed by solid science. Just following the meal plan would likely result in increased health, even if the person never picked up any weight. The workout plans are simple, direct, and achievable as long as the person has access to the proper equipment. Here again, Mr. Matthews sets himself apart from the Fitness-Messiah stereotype. Nothing in this section is earth-shattering or particularly cutting-edge. His philosophy is that doing the right exercises for the right amount of time with the proper nutrition will result in more muscle, better health, and greater confidence. Anyone who has access to weights and wants to use them to build a healthier, stronger body would benefit from reading this book.

This is a very practical, useful, and effective guide to building a healthier body. The title really does say it all. I began with Mike's first edition in November of 2014 after having used a few other books/journal articles as guides to strengthening and conditioning. To be fair, the previous books I had read had helped me cut bodyfat (from 23% to 15%) and add equivalent amount of muscle over the course of about 18 months. However, I had gotten stuck in terms of further gains and hadn't made any progress in over half a year, despite following the prior programs. I was eating very well, was working out several times a week, but had reached a plateau. When I read reviews of BLS, I thought "no way is it that straightforward." It is that straightforward. In 6 months, my strength has increased about 30% on all the big lifts, I've dropped to 10% bodyfat, while still adding muscle (my weight hovers between 175 and 177, meaning as fat is dropping, muscle is adding). My bodyweight is finally creeping up toward my goal weight (which I admit is totally arbitrary, but so what?). I could go into a lot of detail on the chapters and content, but it boils down to a few things that make me highly recommend this book, especially the second edition: 1. Mike supports what he says with references. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy who is board-certified as an Orthopedic Certified Specialist, this is very important to me. I try to use the best evidence I can find when I treat patients, so I expect the same if someone is telling me something about the health of my body. Yes, there are other studies out there that conflict with some of the results he mentions. That's the scientific method at work. Mike backs up what he recommends. I'm sure that if he finds stronger studies refuting what he says, he'd be the first to say so. 2. The workouts are challenging, but very effective and very doable. I have exactly one hour in the gym between dropping my kids at school and getting to my clinic. I don't have time to waste. I get all the workouts done in an hour or less, even with the addition of a few things in the second edition. Mike is right on about "muscle confusion" being nonsense. It is exactly nonsense. I found that changing my entire routine every 3-4 weeks, as recommended in the previous programs I used, resulted in the first week being wasted as I figured out the right weights, figured out the right form, etc. By the time I started making progress, it was time to switch again. I love that I now know my weekly workout routine in my head (but I still track every detail) and that I can look back 6 months on a particular lift and see how far I've come. There is a collection of older guys in the gym each day when I'm there. One of them said to me last week, as he was spotting me on the incline bench, "You increased the weight AGAIN? Didn't you just go up on this a week ago?" 3. Mike hammers home nutrition as the major player and he is right. I can't tell you how many patients complain to me that they just "can't lose weight" even though they pound away on the elliptical or the treadmill every day as they are holding a can of soda in one hand and a muffin in the other. Unless I track my food intake, I find that I am almost never eating enough calories in a day to gain the mass I want to gain. It is definitely about what you eat, but also about how much. 4. Mike will answer your questions personally (even when your questions are clearly already answered in the book). It seems to be his life's mission to help everyone get strong and healthy (while looking great in the process). He is very supportive, highly encouraging, and extremely patient. He'll help you if you ask. 5. I look better than ever at 42. Shallow? Superficial? Yep. So? I've never been a muscular guy. Ever. I've always been skinny. A couple years ago, I was skinny with a developing gut. Now I look good: not incredible, but good...and I'm still making gains. I don't cringe at the thought of going swimming in a public place. It feels awesome to see the fruits of my labor. You will, too.

I don't usually write reviews but I had to write a review for this book because it has changed my life. Like most people, I was going to the gym about 2-3 days a week, no plan, would just head to the gym, no workout planned in advance and would just go about doing some exercises and getting out, probably no more than 30 minutes each workout. My diet plan consisted of...oh that's right, no diet plan whatsoever, just ate whatever. Usually no breakfast, maybe a banana but usually nothing and then 2 large meals for the rest of the day. I felt tired and didn't feel like I had the energy that I used to have and knew I had to change something. I decided to look up books to take my gym workouts to another level, I literally googled 'best workout books', a group of books showed up, the bright yellow cover of the book is what honestly stood out so I started looking up the reviews on amazon, everybody seemed to be raving about this book so I decided to just go for it and told myself I would follow everything in the book, word for word because at this point, I was tired of having no energy and didn't honestly like looking at myself in the mirror, I knew I could do better than this. When the book came in (a few days later), i went right at it, read it every night and whenever I had a chance during the day, took notes, highlighted items, I liked that the book was written by a normal person, it didn't feel like a lecture and the techniques and advice could be immediately implemented. I changed everything up, went from working out 2-3 days a week, with random workouts to a 5 day (monday through friday), 1 hour each workout as the book says. I bought a gym workout notebook to track the exercises, weighed myself every day and jotted it down, even timed the breaks between sets and exercises as per the book, I wanted to follow everything exactly as the book. I went from going in to the gym blind to going in with a plan, I planned every workout session BEFORE getting into the gym, from the exercises I would do, to the reps and weights, I just went in and blindly did the exercises I wrote, using the progressions low rep technique from the book. Diet: This is ESSENTIAL to getting results. The workouts alone won't help you, follow the diet recommendations in the book as well. I created a google sheets file to track daily nutrition and even had daily calorie goals. Use the formulas in the book as a starting point before tweaking to your individual needs. I threw out all the garbage and junk food from my fridge and pantry, loaded up on things I never would think about buying, like frozen broccoli and peas in bulk, and I've probably eaten more chicken the last 3 months than the last 3 years combined. I make sure I get a serving of greens with EVERY dinner I have plus I bought a bodybuilding recipe book which helps tremendously because nothing is worse than having the same grilled chicken day in and day out, the recipes had the nutrition breakdowns as well, important to getting to specific nutrition goals and ratios (calories, carbs, proteins, fat). I even bought myself a food scale and started weighing food, I've NEVER weighed food before this, never even crossed my mind. I blindly followed the book, the gym workouts plus the diet advice because as he keep reiterating throughout the book, one without the other and you won't get the results you're looking for. I started this plan beginning of september, I am now 3 months into the plan, going from about 175-180 weight range down to 174-176 pounds, changing my body composition from about 19% fat, down to 13.8% and 167 pounds (verified by a DXA scan) about 7-8 weeks into the program. I have a lot more energy than I did before, I'm no longer as tired when I come home from work and I actually look forward to the next workout. I bought myself noise cancelling headsets to drown out the noise at the gym, bought new workout clothes, and the only downside so far in this program is that my pants no longer seem to fit me, i'm down to the last hole on all my belts, it's actually quite incredible. Follow the program and you will see the same results that are in those before and after photos at the beginning of the book, those results are real but you need to follow BOTH the workouts AND the nutrition parts, if you cut corners than you won't see the results you're looking for. The book is an absolute bargain, $7-$15? I used to get a magazine subscription to a fitness magazine for that price and it was just filled with advertisements and worthless routines and high rep exercises that did nothing for me. The author does plug in some extra products and services at the end but you don't need any of that to get the results, everything that you need is in the book, he doesn't leave anything out and if you want to buy his products, then great but this book has everything you need to start seeing results, in less than 2 months you will see results and from there you just keep improving on it. Highly recommended, just buy it, follow it blindly and see where it takes you in 2-3 months, you will be amazed.

I never write reviews for stuff I buy on Amazon, but I've been moved to do so with this product. First and foremost, let me tell you a bit about myself before I get into why I'm such a fan of Michael Matthews and his methodology. Before I bought this book, I had been lifting for about 8 months. I gathered most of my information from more advanced lifters and places like Bodybuilding.com. I was able to do the whole bulk/cut thing by myself and get some results. but, for the most part, I wasn't educated as far as workout programs go. I would think "That guy looks better than me, I'm going to do what he's doing." I followed various routines to a T. And then I found this book. The routines in this book are kind of similar to Mark Rippetoe's "Starting Strength," but there is more variety and not as long of rest times so personally, I think these workouts are more fun. You won't really work in the 8-12 rep range that many "experts" call for; this is mostly about lifting heavy. I myself was slightly skeptical, but Mike Matthews backs up everything he says with references that are right in the back of the book. It's evident that he's done his research; I even skimmed through some of the studies he cites myself so I could see if I got the same essential meaning. I did. Yes, the workouts are kind of unconventional, but they work. More on that later. The real strength of this book is how thorough it is. I feel that it's simple enough that anyone could pick it up off a shelf, read it, and be ready to go, regardless of how much lifting experience he or she has had. Nutrition is spelled out so easily that a five-year-old could follow the thought process, and the supplement section opened my eyes to a few things I didn't know as well. There are a couple of drawbacks, though--- the book does seem to contain quite a bit of motivational junk-- which, some people may need-- but to me it seemed overdone and almost hyperbolic. Then again, I love working out so I didn't need the extra kicker. Maybe you do. It's in there. The other thing is this: Sometimes, you just get bored reading the book, man. I LOVE learning new things about fitness, but you can only take so much at a time. I read the book in three large chunks, but sometimes it was a struggle to push through. It's pretty well-written and easy to follow, but you can get bogged down nonetheless. Here's the big part. I wasn't going to post this review until I had actually tried the program for a few weeks. I am now finishing my first month, and I have seen strength gains pretty much across the board. (I should add that I transitioned from cutting to bulking, so more food almost certainly had something to do with it, but regardless, I am thrilled with the results.) I've been able to gain weight without gaining much body fat (something Mike teaches you how to do) and, for the most part, I still look pretty good. I haven't got the "puffy" look that most people do on a bulk. But, I digress. If I were just reviewing the book, I'd probably give it four stars. But that, coupled with the results it brings, pushes it to a 5. I wish I had a sixth star to give for what I'm about to say next. When you purchase the book, in the back there is a miscellaneous section where Mike links you to his website and other e-books. Yes, he obviously wants to advertise and ultimately get more money, but if you go to his website, there is TONS of free advice and he'll even throw in three free e-books when you get on his email list. You can find pretty much everything you need to know-- and yes, it's all backed up by science as well. I've also been able to personally interact with Mike on Twitter a couple times. Initially, I thought this book was a cash-grab and that would be it, but I was wrong. Mike actually cares to follow up with the people on his program. He's answered all of my additional questions and been very helpful throughout the process. He also constantly posts new, free articles on his social media, so he's worth a follow if you're serious about BLS. Obviously this is how he makes his living, but he seems to be a genuine person with a real passion for helping others achieve their goals. Well done, Mike, and I'll be sure to get in touch with you after finishing BLS.

This book was expertly crafted! it contains everything you would need to know to formulate a customized diet and nutrition plan and strength training regimen. Before I picked up this book my diet and exercise regimen was all over the map. I did not know where to go or who to believe in terms of getting the right diet and exercise advice. You see I'm a 47 yo male. I've tried all types of exercise over the years, but I never really knew what I was doing or how to achieve any results. In the past few years I had accumulated quite a bit of excess weight. I was barely exercising at all and eating a lot of junk food . So in April I started a weight-loss program and managed to knock off about 35 pounds which put me in a much better place. People were already saying how much younger and better I looked, but I knew the puzzle was not complete. I knew I had to incorporate a regular exercise program in my life for all of the obvious reasons. I feared if I just continued doing cardio type exercise I would continue to lose weight but also muscle and would end up looking like a skeleton at the end of it. When I started researching I was finding all sorts of conflicting information and I did not see a lot of current training/exercise programs ( no more than a few years old) available out there. Anyhow when I came across Mike Matthews' book, Bigger Leaner Stronger, I got very excited because it was the answer to my prayers. Now , I was not sure at first about starting a weight training program. I never thought it was my style or that I ever needed to bulk up in that manner. But when I started reading this book I realized that training and proper diet were so much more than just "bulking up ". You are not only going for looking aesthetically pleasing, but you are improving your overall health in many different ways as well as increasing your strength and stamina. And let's face it if you look kind of nice at the end of the whole thing that's not a bad thing is it? So anyhow the book covers the whole gamut, the whole ball of wax so to speak. He covers everything such as detailed medical and health terminology, muscle building and fat loss myths and mistakes, ideas on willpower and motivation, detailed diet and nutrition info (including pre and post workout nutrition and preparing your own diet plans for getting bigger or leaner), and of course a complete training and strengthening program including 3, 4 or 5 day training regimens. He also includes a separate section on Supplementation, which covers the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to supplements and those who make them. I think this section was a great addition, because most people are interested in taking them with the hopes of achieving better training results or simply optimal health. Mike helps you sort through the mess and come out with what is really worth taking and how it should benefit you. Two other things. One, Mike tries to back up almost every important claim or statement he makes by citing some study that was done or other reference. He has an almost 40 page reference section in the back of the book citing all of his sources section by section. This man has done his research, put the time in, and is giving us sound, no nonsense advice. And second, I've seen other reviews where it's mentioned that the author promotes his supplement line, customized meal plans etc. I absolutely do not see the issue with this at all. First of all when I read the information the first question I asked was where can I get the supplements or how can I get help with this. Thank you Mike for offering these things for us in the event we are interested. And why should he not promote his things in the books that he writes. They are his books, he wrote them and he should be able to promote whatever he likes. And he does not force feed this information to you, he just makes it available for you if you are interested. We are all adults and if we opt not to purchase anything then we simply do not have to. OK I hope I have proven my point. I am very very happy with my purchase. I have started the program and am happy with how I feel and the results I'm getting. I plan on publishing my success story with before and after photos, so hopefully you'll hear from me again. Sincerely, Neil

Overall I enjoyed this book. Mike has a pretty clear vision for what it takes to get muscley and the book contains quite a bit of information from workout techniques to diet to attitude. There is a lot of valuable information here and quite a bit of material is dedicated to debunking myths and building a more proven approach. I don't know that any of the ideas here are terribly groundbreaking, but Mike does claim that it is all backed up by the latest science, research, and personal experience. Actually, for me, that's the first place the book falters. Mike claims that his approach is based on facts, not myths, but he fails to provide any references to research that supports his claims. For example, he states that you want to consume easily digested proteins right after your workout so your glycogen starved muscles will get the nutrient boost they need to grow. However, there are no references given to legitimate scientific studies to back up this claim. And if you do a little research on your own, it's not hard to find people who make reasonable arguments that totally refute it. I'm not saying that Mike's claims aren't backed by legitimate science (in fact I know that this particular claim is), however if Mike really wants to sell this stuff, references to actual studies must be included. As it is, there's too much "trust me, I know what I'm talking about" and "if I had a nickel for every time I've seen some guy to A, B, or C totally wrong". Why should I believe him? Just because he's saying I should? Personal experience and anecdotal evidence does not equal science or even a convincing argument. The other problem I have with the book is that the layout really needs work. There's a lot that can be done to organize this book so it drives the important points across better (and I don't mean just CAPITALIZING IMPORTANT WORDS) and makes finding critical information easier. The book does have an overall progression of theory, to practice, to diet, to supplements, but it meanders along the way. Too many of the chapters (especially the diet related ones) seem kind of arbitrary and perhaps could be consolidated and clarified. Most of the book is just a big wall of text and it's pretty hard to thumb back through it and pick up the important points. Finally, I really wish he had given a sample weekly diet. He does give a good formula for calculating how much protein, carbs, and fat you should eat per day based on whether you are bulking, cutting, or maintaining, and that is extremely valuable information but taking that information and applying it to create a viable meal plan would be a great addition. He did this with training exercises, why not diet? I know I complained a lot, but I really did enjoy this book and I am actually planning on following its recommendations. I think if there was a little more emphasis on backing up claims with research and a better layout, this book could be great. And if it turns out that I "dramatically transform my body faster than I ever though possible", then I will wholeheartedly recommend this book and probably change my review.

Esta es la segunda edición del libro, os recomiendo leer esta por la cantidad de información nueva y revisada que contiene (con respecto a la primera edición). Si bien no es un libro para culturistas profesionales, ni personas con años de experiencia en el gimnasio, sí lo recomiendo para los principiantes que quieren iniciarse en este mundo o personas que quieran sacar el máximo partido de sus sesiones de gimnasio. Te enseña los principios básicos para progresar y cumplir tus objetivos, cómo entrenar y cómo planificar las comidas, qué suplementos valen la pena, motivación, etc. Fue el primer libro que leí sobre el tema y, si bien posteriormente he ampliado mis conocimientos con libros más especializados (libros de nutrición, técnica, etc.), fue una gran base para empezar a entrenar correctamente y adquirir conocimientos verdaderamente útiles. Llevo unos 9 meses usando su programa y los resultados se notan a las pocas semanas, sobretodo si antes no entrenabas correctamente. Definitivamente lo recomiendo.

Reviewing after following the book for 5 months and only cutting. Whatever he wrote in the book worked for me even though i felt bit skeptical sometimes, only because i was unaware. Followed what he said without judgement and the results are there. Yes, you can get six pack without losing much muscle mass (anyone). Yes, it’s hard. For me, it was the diet. But then again it made me appreciate the food more. Thank you Michael for sharing your experience and valuable knowledge! If anyone wishes to get shredded, just follow the book and don't bother searching google or YouTube for the advice.

This is a very good book. It is very detailed ad gives you all the important tips for building muscle and getting stronger. The information is based on research articles and it is very clear. It gives you real expectations and also teaches you how to tune your routine and diet depending on your goals. It is definitely a great book.

This book is a good guide but it has a lot of marketing in it. Would be a five star without that marketing bs.

I have one week to go on a one year training program following the methods outlined in this book. If you don't know much about weightlifting, or if you have been at the gym doing your own thing without many results, this works. I've lost 50lbs/22kg since I started weighing myself regularly one month into the program (I actually think it is about 55lbs/25kg overall) and compared to where I was a year ago I look great. Due to a long period of writing a PhD and then getting a job in academia, I did virtually no exercise for about a decade and got really fat. At some stage I weighed myself on a doctor's scale and found that I was 357lbs (165kg). I'm a tall guy 6'5" (196cm) but that is morbidly obese. I figured I needed to shape up, but I didn't really know how. I tried a "transformation" program on a bodybuilding website for six months and I lost about 12kg, but I was in the gym three hours a day plus doing all sorts of cardio twice a day and in the last month my results started to plateau. I also know now that a lot of the fat loss and muscle gain happening then was part of the "newbie" experience and a lot of the exercise I was doing at the time was just inefficient. So I switched to BLS. And I am glad I did. I've had just as much or more success using this book than I had doing those mega workouts and each of my workouts now is a little over one hour. There are periods when I do cardio, there are periods when I don't feel like it so I don't. But I have had consistent weight loss month on month for the entire year. My muscles look pretty impressive too. I've still got some weight to lose and at least six months to go before I'm strong enough to move on to Mike's next book, but I can now imagine getting there. The thing that is convincing about BLS book is that Mike tells you not only what to do, but why you are doing it and, while he writes in an engaging style, he bases his explanations on a large amount of credible (published, peer reviewed) scientific research. You could (as Mike recommends) also buy Rippetoe's "Simple Strength" to learn about proper form and its importance in detail, but you can start with BLS and do fine (I did). Other weightlifting books often give you lessons from "experience"--the bodybuilding guru I followed online for a while when I was first starting out had this habit of saying that the gym was his laboratory. Well, there is none of that "bro-science" here. Nor are there amazing claims, prevalent in the health industry, about superfoods, supplements or special exercises based on a few studies. Mike understands not only the scientific principles behind weightlifting, he understands that scientific ideas are formed and confirmed over time through replicated experiments and consensus. He doesn't give in to bullshit. As a researcher myself, albeit in the social sciences, this was important for me. Here's the thing though: the way of doing things in this book is contagious and will seep into other parts of your life. I started out simply doing the exercises and, while I followed the dietary advice, I wasn't too strict about it. But the program, with its admonishment to stick to core exercises, is habit forming and encourages good habits in other areas of your life. I was soon weighing myself regularly to check my progress and, about six months in, started following the dietary advice more closely and sticking to daily--routinized--meal plans. Once you understand that it's all about slow, sustainable gains and good habit formation--I now *want* to get up every morning at 5am to go to the gym before dropping the kids off at school and going to work--you import these methods into other areas of your life. So yes, perhaps a lot to expect from a weightlifting book, but if you are new to working out, or if you have been using machines at the gym with no real results, give this a try, take it seriously, and you won't regret it.