Strength Training Bible for Women

I'm going to be critical of this book but! At the base it's not a terrible entry into barbell based strength training. You would get stronger, you wouldn't injure yourself, you would have some understanding about how to progress after the provided programming runs out.

I thought it was interesting the amount of variety the suggested program provided (not just plain old squatting every week?!! Crazy! I should probably try that) I questioned the lack of deloads but I think the regular changing of exercises (and the presumed early training age of the athletes) makes sense in this case.

Cons: I don't think it gives the tools to adapt your training to different needs. If you are strength training to supplement another sport how do you balance the provided programming with your sport demands? What if you want to train 4-5 days a week for shorter sessions instead of the 3 days a week as designed?

I do believe that a program so centered around the three main powerlifting lifts here is a flawed approach to training women generally. Because of our weaker upper bodies we need more upper body training and the 3 lift training setup here (squat, bench, deadlift) means the lower body exercise dominates. I prefer equal or more emphasis on the upper body.

Minor quibbles: The author is a snob about weightlifting machines. I think they have a place in training, especially as accessories. There are no modifications provided certain exercises - if you can't do pushups from the floor for example. The book desperately needs an editor, sometimes whole lines from one section have been left abandoned in other sections like random copy-paste errors because nobody proof read even once. Sometimes the exercise descriptions don't match the photographs.

For a “Bible” of strength it is remarkably limited - no nutrition advice, no flexibility for folks who want to use only bodyweight exercises, no advice on how to manage cardio with strength training, no acknowledgement of female-bodied issues like uh hormones, or periods, or peeing during exercise ... Like yes, for the most part, strength training is the same for men + women + othersbut if you are going to put Women in the title you should do more to address our differences and needs.