Starting Strength (2nd edition) by Mark Rippetoe, Lon Kilgore
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Book Summary Author: Lon Kilgore, Mark Rippetoe Edition: Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2007-10-21 ISBN: 0976805421 Number of pages: 320 Publisher: The Aasgaard Company |
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Book Reviews of the Starting Strength (2nd edition)
Customer Review: Too Technical for Trainees
Summary: 1 Stars
Unless you are a professional strength coach, this book is going to be one heavy read. You'll need a degree in kinesiology to wade through this stuff. One is reminded of Socrates, who after reading Heraclitus, said: "What I understand is splendid; and I think what I don't understand is so too- but it would take a Delian diver to get to the bottom of it."
The book is as well organized as the Keystone Cops on parade. The text meanders from one technical point to the next, with the occasional practical interlude. And regarding the so-called humour in this book, either Webster's definition differs from the OED, or the writers should leave the humour to Ambrose Bierce and W.C.Fields.
The book leaves a whole lot of questions unanswered. For example, on p.145 the trainee demonstrating the deadlift has a hyper-extended neck; is that correct? and the description of the dip doesn't tell the trainee whether the scapulae should be depressed &/or retracted during a rep.
In addition, two good exercises aren't prompted in this book:
1) the push-up with feet elevated and wearing a weighted vest (or even chains) and hands gripping dumbells;
2) the supine ("inverted") row with feet elevated and wearing a weighted vest.
All the useful info the trainee needs to read could be condensed into about 30 pages. The book is over-padded with irrelevancies. So, what's the trainee to do?
Either get the excellent companion DVD, or seek out the Aasgaard posters on the big lifts (now O/P), or get a copy
of Stuart McRobert's weight-training technique handbook. McRobert's book has flaws but at least it's addressed to the trainee, rather than the trainer.