Strength Training for Life After 40 - The Barbell Prescription

I'm 55 and have been working out/lifting, boxing, karate, bike, jogging, yoga, kettle bells etc.for over 30 years. Recently found with my weight staying the same for the past 30 years +/- 5lb but body fat rising, I have not been lifting heavy because I don't want to get hurt. I have injured my self doing single joint lifts (get the book) and using bad form. A friend recommended this book, he's late 60's and deadlifting 315!!!!??? I want some of that. I like the fact that pull ups and chin ups are still in the program and he confirms yoga and thai chi do what they are intended too, so he's not hatin on anybody but his program. My wife walked up while I was reading a section where the word "thrashabouts" is used, she was headed to a kettlebell cardio class, and came home with a slightly injured foot, (get the book). Touches on HIIT as well, which I learned of 4 years ago so instead of wasting 30min 5 days a week jogging I do 20min once a week. I still do the occasional 5k fun run where I do sub 8 min miles, (joints hurt for 5 days, pride overrides common sense. I'm lucky to live near Grey Steel gym and have had some communication with Sully he's the real deal and knows what he's talking about. I've been using his program slightly modified for 2.5 weeks and my chin ups and pull ups are both stronger, looking forward to long term strength improvements.

Strength training for geezers. Engrossing chapters on exercise physiology with plenty of practical recommendations to employ to exploit the science. Worth every penny just for entertainment value. If you heed the recommendations and get off the couch this book could save you a lot on medical bills.

Great information. The plan is direct and simple. Other lifting for old folks books prescribe so many different exercises that you could never become proficient at them if you spent eight hours a day in the gym--forget about making any progress at getting stronger.
I also appreciate staying focused on strength and conditioning for health outcomes. If you're on either side of fifty and have time to worry about visible abs (even if it were feasible), you're doing something wrong.
My only criticism is stylistic. The author switches between the prescription metaphor, dosing, contraindications, etc., and the athletic metaphor, master athlete, game of life, etc. I'd prefer if he'd settle on one, and then not overuse it.

Good general health advice, good for strength training as far as I can tell, no so good for HIIT and endurance. My impression is the authors lack experience with regard to interval and endurance training, which they argue is supplementary to strength training anyway. One must admit - all fitness books so books have a perspective and emphasis - and it's necessary to read many and decide what's best for you. Worth a read certainly. But reading more about the benefits of endurance training is suggested if the goal is overall health and vitality, not only strength.

The first chapter is the scariest thing I ever read in my life. Stephen King will never reach such levels of horror.

Fortunately, the rest of the book is a road map on how to avoid Chapter One.

An excellent and engagingly written book that anyone over 40 should read and take to heart.

No B.S., the book doesn't sell anything, no stupid gimmick promises about living longer. This book is about living the years you have to their fullest.

Buy it, read it, then buy more as gifts for relatives you don't want to see devolving into useless piles of sick fat.

First some disclosure:
I ordered this book from the publisher.
I have read several books from this publisher and follow the Starting Strength forum (the authors of this book are Starting Strength certified coaches)
I have read the first 60 pages of the book thus far, the review applies to what have read. I will amend the review as I read farther.

If I were to sum up the message of this book, I would say it's:

Understanding the difference between surviving and living. Choosing a way of life that leads to the latter. Taking action on that choice.

The book begins by painting a rather vivid picture of identical twins in youth and then later in life. With one of the twins entering what the authors describe as "maladaptive aging" leading to a lengthy period of suffering and misery and ultimately death. Each subsequent chapter builds on previous chapters as the authors walk you through their argument step by step. First describing symptoms of what they call the "sick aging phenotype". Then describing modern medicine and its faults in regards to addressing root causes. They then continue with a more traditional or classical prescription that does address root causes of maladaptive aging and spend considerable time whittling down using a thorough analysis of effects of certain exercises on biology and the adaptations elicited. They define specific criteria that the proper prescription should address and explain why that is important. By the time you get through the fifth chapter the argument for strength training has been made quite convincingly.

I would recommend this book for anyone that would like to do more than merely survive. The authors goal is for your death to be sudden and unexpected, not the "we all knew it was coming." Scenario that so many experience. It's never too late to start but the sooner the better.

Obligatory Disclosures: I purchased direct from Aasgaard Company when it became available, and frequent the Starting Strength forums.

Weight training isn't a complex process at the novice stage provided you follow a basic framework of doing big compound lifts and put weight on the bar as often as possible as a beginner. As an older athlete - and as Dr. Sullivan puts it "in the extreme sport of aging" - the process gets more complicated as the methods that work for trainees above the age of forty simply work less optimally, for a lot of reasons.

The first section of the book goes into the WHY of training. What is the goal of getting stronger, especially as we get past the point of middle age? He answers this question, in spades, with the comparison of twins - Wellness Will and Phat Phil - one who does work out regularly and remains fit, and his brother who succumbs to the Sick Aging Phenotype. It's a no-punches-pulled description of the completely avoidable downward trajectory of Phat Phil's health to illness, feebleness, and eventual death that we seem to take as being normal.

If you can read the description of Phil's downfall with being horrified, there's something seriously wrong with you.

The second section, the WHAT, describes how we as older people are going to not take that all too often chosen long downward spiral. It doesn't describe in high detail how to do the exercises - this is covered in another Aasgaard publication Starting Strength - but what the function of each exercise is, what musculature and outcome each brings, and how to work around a beginner's weaknesses that make have left them unable to do even a single squat with an empty bar.

The third and final section delves into HOW to arrange programming for different age groups - again, not from carved in stone never-to-be-deviated-from programs, but as frameworks for the aging groups. Each age group, broken out by decades, has a framework for which each of the many programs are further broken down as to their applicability to the age groups and given different variants depending on an individual's needs and recovery from lifting stress.

If that's not enough, it goes beyond the novice lifter phase and through advanced training in a logical, smart, and understandable fashion.

This book, Starting Strength, and Practical Programming should be on EVERY weight lifter's bookshelf, doubly so if they have any desire to train other people.

Great book on exercise. Author is a smart physician and he provides excellent advice for getting started lifting weights and for doing heavy HIIT.

HIghlight of the book was the clever explanation of how exercise prevents disease.

This book is a great motivator to get people to lift weights.

Why 4 stars instead of 5?

I disagree with the diet advice. Persons over 40 years of age should focus on keeping their arteries open. Even if a person exercises a lot, atherosclerosis of the coronaries and carotids is a big deal.

The healthiest diet is vegetarian because it keeps arteries open. The difference becomes obvious after 50 years of age.

People eating a predominantly vegetarian diet after 50, maintain their fitness and cognitive function better.

This book seeks to persuade you that the best way to stay independent and vigorous throughout the last half of your life, is to train with barbells, using the movements that are thoroughly described in Starting Strength. Starting Strength After persuading you that strength training will enable you to avoid fragility and continue doing the things you love right up to the end of your life, the book then teaches you how to adapt the Starting Strength program to your body, as an older trainee. The other book, Starting Strength, tells you exactly how to perform each movement, and why it's best to do them that way. It would be best to acquire both books - Starting Strength and this one, The Barbell Prescription - if you are over 40 and intend to start strength training. I happened to find and read Starting Strength first. Then this book, The Barbell Prescription, helped to persuade me that at the age of 59, with no previous strength training experience, I could safely do the Starting Strength program. I have long-standing low back issues and have had attacks of S-I joint pain for many years. (If you don't know what "S-I joint" means yet, you're lucky!) Rippetoe's and Sullivan's books taught me how to lift barbells safely and protect my back while getting it stronger. I had not lifted anything heavier than 20 lbs for at least 15 years, but on my 5th Starting Strength workout I did 15 squats with 40 lbs on my back, and deadlifted a 40-lb kettlebell 15 times. I had started off using just 15 lbs on both lifts. Kettlebell is not the ideal way to deadlift, since the form you use has to be a bit different -- but the barbell weighs 45 lbs even with no plates on it, so if you need to start lighter, the book will tell you how to lift a smaller weight safely and get stronger, until you CAN lift the barbell itself. (The kettlebell deadlift, with photos of someone performing it, is on p. 106 of The Barbell Prescription.) My joints are all still fine today, after the workout. If you are more of a visual learner, you could check out the Starting Strength channel on YouTube -- there's a section there called On the Platform, which has videos of Rippetoe coaching people exactly how to perform the basic lifts that are part of the program. I find the videos a useful adjunct to the books, but would not recommend skipping the books, if you're part of the over-40 crowd like me. Bottom line, I believe that the two books, together, are the most useful books I've had in my hands since at least 1985. I have one small criticism of The Barbell Prescription, which I thought was not big enough to warrant deducting a star. That is, Chapter 1, "The Sick Aging Phenotype," presents a pair of imaginary identical twins, dubbed Wellness Will and Phat Phil, who despite identical genes age very differently due to their lifestyle choices. Wellness Will has a habit of gym-going and working on his strength and conditioning, so of course his aging process is much healthier and more pleasant than his brother's. It was annoying to me that Sullivan gave Wellness Will a girlfriend 21 years younger than himself, at the time that he has Will die suddenly at age 88 while hiking in the Scottish highlands. I hope if there's a second edition, Sullivan will give his imaginary Wellness Will an imaginary age-appropriate girlfriend (or how about a wife?) who ALSO trains with barbells. It seems to me that If you're wanting to reach both men and women with your message, it might be best not to dismiss half the people on page 2. I got past that irritation, though, and like I said, the rest of the book is great. I'm stronger today than yesterday, and expect to keep getting stronger for another several months. One thing to note: most commercial gyms don't have good equipment for this program, especially if you need to start light, like I did. You may end up buying your own equipment to set up in you garage or basement, unless you happen to live near a Starting Strength gym or a black iron gym.

The book is packed with well organized information on why, what, and how, to do barbell strength training for those over 40.
The authors cover a lot of ground in an easy to read, and entertaining style of writing. The content itself is very nutrient dense, and yet easily digested. I came away with a much greater understanding of the physiology of bodily energy systems, and how they apply to getting stronger.
I bought it mainly for the training programs, which did not disappoint. There's a great variety of programs to choose from, as well as info on doing customized variations, based on the principles neatly outlined.
All the references to scientific studies are referenced in the bibliography, there is no bogus or questionable science, the authors draw on their long experience with what actually works, and support it with factual evidence.
I bought this book as an older guy trying to understand how to train better. I came away with that, and much more.
Whether you want to maintain, or restore fitness as an older person, or train to get much stronger for competition, or just avoid becoming a sick old basketcase, this book is for you.
Highly recommended.

The Barbell Prescription is an excellent book for people looking to “live well” late into life. The authors have done an excellent job outlining common issues with aging and how adding strength to the body by practicing a precisely planned barbell training program can add years of quality to a persons life.

The authors define the all too common “sick aging phenotype” and then describe exercises that should be done to prevent/reverse the condition. Detailed instructions on how to program strength training are then defined. The book is comprehensive, well written and achieves its purpose.

Pros:
Clear flow of “what”, “why” and “how”
Well-written details on how various exercises affect the body
Clear exercise descriptions
Plenty of science for those that want details
Excellent program descriptions for various ability levels/situations

Cons:
The level of detail may be too much for some people just looking for the answer of how to exercise when older.

As a 49 year old that has been doing similar workouts to those listed for over 33 years, I can say that the simple (on paper) methods and exercises work very well for those motivated enough to consistently perform the exercises in the fashion described. If you are into strength and want to understand how it affects your body and how to keep going as you age, this is the best book I have found. If you are a thinking you need to get into shape and strength training might help, get this book. While aimed at life after 40, you can benefit from this book at any age. I would recommend it to a 30 year old that wants to become healthy as most think “running” is the answer and will try that first... IMO strength training is a much better option and the reasons are outlined in detail in the book.

Great job by the authors and this book will take a prime spot on my shelf where I can reach to it often for knowledge and/or motivation.

I did not purchase this book from the store. I ordered direct from the publisher.

This book is without a doubt the single best Holiday present anyone could purchase for their over forty friends. If you don't know what the "Sick Aging Phenotype" is, or how to combat it, get this book for yourself. If you'd like to improve your quality of life for longer, and reduce dying to a smaller time slice of your life, then again this book is for you.

ETA: Nassim Nicholas Taleb wrote the forward for this book. If you don't know who Nassim Nicholas Taleb is, you should. He doesn't write book forwards ever, but he wrote this one.

This book is 300 pages without the notes, glossary, etc. It's very detailed and specific and tries to convince you that following this program is the only way you should undertake a training program. If that's what you're looking for it's a great book.

I was certainly expecting a well-contemplated and well-written book from these two, but I had no idea the level of detail that would be contained in this book, which effectively amounts to a single volume encyclopedia.

The quality and quantity of the content here is actually astonishing.

If you're over 40, or plan to be, or coach or even just care about anybody who is, the thing to do is buy this book. Any other course of action would just be stupid.

This book is a magnum opus, and is absolutely unparalleled in its depth of treatment of fundamental issues relating aging and how to fight it. The science, although deep, is presented in a manner that is understandable and persuasive to the intelligent layperson. This book can--and I believe will--shake the foundations of the current medical recommendations to the aging population...a result long overdue in an era where people over 60 are just told to accept the fact that they'll become weaker and sicker, to pop a few pills, and to not do anything more strenuous than walk around the block.

This book provides some technical introduction on exercise, which I think was largely unnecessary, but no doubt many will love to geek out over the what's discussed in the first part of the book. The rest of the book is largely a rehash of Starting Strength. If you have not read Starting Strength, this book is awesome and provides a wealth of information. If you have read Starting Strength, it's not worth reading, much less buying.

And despite being billed as a book for lifters over 40, I can't recall a single instance of specific considerations for anyone over 40.

Dr. Sullivan and Andy Baker have produced the best written argument for exercise as preventative medicine. This is a well-researched book that does not rely on the authors' eminence to support their arguments and recommendations. Rather, they walk the reader through an evidence-based, practical approach to thinking about aging, health, and the role strength training plays in combatting the deleterious effects of time. It is an important book for anyone interested in strength training and one of the best written books in the fitness industry.

Disclosure, I ordered multiple copies from the publisher and multiple copies from the store. (the store ones have not arrived yet as they were ordered later). Further info, I was a Triathlete for 13 years, and a division 1 Football player. I am no stranger to exercise methods and literature.

There has been an explosion of exercise methodology. Much of what is written, and many of the “programs” recommended “disagree” on what you should do. Unfortunately, the more “commercially successful” ones tend to be those with catchy sound bites. “Muscle confusion” come immediately to mind.

The Barbell Prescription is the definitive tome on what happens to us as we age, and how to counter the effects of aging. Multiple strategies are considered. Many health scenarios are covered. You probably did not know, for example that as you age you predominantly lose Type 2 muscle fiber (which is the high strength type), while you tend to retain your Type 1 muscle fiber.

The results I’ve gotten from the program he recommends are priceless. In fact, I thought they were impossible because I tried a number of strategies, and executed them relentlessly. Dr. Sullivan’s video (“The importance of what we do”) and several of his articles convinced me that this was what I’d “try next”. This is it.

Dr. Sullivan’s description of the sick aging phenotype hit home hard. Many of us knew people like this, some of us saw this person in the mirror. Buckle up for the walk through on drug interactions, loss of insulin receptors, and the inner workings for the 4 energy systems. This is a forced drink from a fire hose. But pace yourself and go for it. These are valuable relationships to understand, they dictate your quality of life. I’m a 62 year old who’s gone from the book’s “Phat Phil”, I’m almost to “Wellness Will”. I had a lot of trouble just walking, no longer.

Even if the Biology is too intense, the strategy for improved health is a substantially easier read.

Andy Baker does a great job of getting down to the nuts and bolts planning your path to better health. Since these blueprints have to start wherever you currently are, there is considerable discussion and examples of how to modify your blueprint when required.

This book does a marvelous job of helping you assess where you are, and where you need to go. These authors have an amazing track record of helping people do just that. The people who know me are amazed at my transformation over the last 8 months. I have had the benefit of both authors writings along with Mark Rippetoe’s book Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition. I have also attended one Seminar where Dr. Sullivan coached and spoke.

This is a book I will re-read… more than once.

Short version: This is a book written by strength training coaches. It focuses on why they teach what they do and what you can expect if you were to train with them. This book does not outline a program that you can implement by yourself. There isn't enough detail for the target audience to use the "How" section. See the end of this review for suggestions.

Long version:
This book is great if you need to be convinced that older people need to weight train with barbells. The sections on Why and What are decent. This book really fails in the How section. There's not much here if you already have experience with barbell lifting or have read any other book on this topic.

There is some good advice on where training patterns break down and what to do in those instances. But that info is more for coaches.

The Why section is very detailed on the science and biochemistry of weight lifting vs other forms of exercise and why weight lifting is superior. When I say "biochemistry" I mean the differences between the phosphagen system and Krebs cycle/oxydative phosphorylation.

The What section is an overview of basic barbell lifts: Deadlift, squat, bench press, and overhead press. It does not give you enough information to perform these lifts correctly. You need a trainer or another book or YouTube to put this section into practice safely.

The How section was the most disappointing to me. It's more of a "what to expect if you come to my gym" than a DIY manual. I wanted a DIY manual, like Ageless Athlete, New Rules of Lifting for Life, or even 5/3/1. (All of which are more practical than the Starting Strength system outlined here. Even the Starting Strength book by itself is a better option.)

I'm not saying that their "Starting Strength" programming model is bad. What I didn't like is the authors don't give you enough information to start strength training on your own. They don't tell you what weights to start with. They don't tell you how much weight to add to the bar every workout. Meanwhile, they warn you of the dangers of undertraining and how quickly you will detrain if you don't follow their program.

Quoting from page 268: Other intermediate programs are available, of course, including those described in detail in Practical Programming for Strength Training. They are almost never indicated for the athlete over 50. This is doubly true of the huge selection of programs yielded by a cursory Internet search. A tiny fraction of such programs might be suitable for the intermediate Master. Most are not, and a few may lead directly to derailment, detraining, or disaster.

Both of the authors are strength training coaches and Starting Strength (SS) is a great program, if you have a strength training coach. The problem with SS is you quickly max out one or more of the lifts and then the program needs to be changed, frequently. Their over-40 Novice program has 4 stages: 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D. The goal seems to be to keep you on the verge of your max strength all the time. You need a strength training coach to do that safely. I would have liked to see a more balanced approach to training. They seem to be saying an over-40 novice who mistakenly chooses an intermediate program, like 5/3/1 (with its slow progression) or Tactical Barbell, over SS is worse off than someone who doesn't train at all. This "my way or the highway" attitude is prevalent throughout.

The authors recommend Texas method variations for intermediate programming, but also warn that most older trainees will never graduate from novice training.

I was also interested in this book for the conditioning component. That, too, was a disappointment. They recommend a sled/prowler for conditioning. (Nick Tumminello has a great article on T-Nation from 8/2/11 that gives 5 simpler exercises that don't have the drawbacks of using a prowler.) I didn't catch why kettlebell swings would be contraindicated in someone capable of performing barbell exercises safely, but I may have missed that. The conditioning chapter is the second to last chapter. At that point, I was very disappointed and frustrated with the lack of practical information.

If you really want to make this book work, then I suggest you also buy Starting Strength and Practical Programming by Rippetoe. You should also hire a strength training coach. Not a personal trainer, a strength training coach.

I'm not a trainer and I'm not certified in anything. But my opinion is an older DIY trainee can get more mileage from these books/resources:
**Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starett**
-- This is your foundation for mobility.
-- This book will teach you the basic barbell lifts and, more importantly, teach you how to correct faults in your lifts. An older, sedentary trainee probably has hip and shoulder mobility issues that will need to be corrected before they can safely do the prescribed barbell lifts.

**StrongLifts 5x5**
-- This is your novice/initial strength building program with barbells.
-- An Internet training program. Start with this. Start with their recommendations for weights and progression. When you start missing reps move on to the next selection.

**Tactical Barbell, Tactical Barbell 2: Conditioning, and Ageless Athlete** or
**5/3/1 and Beyond 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler**
-- This is your intermediate, long-term, strength training program.
-- Research each of the above, choose one.
-- Use a 1RM calculator or a formula to get your estimated 1RM.
-- Either of these programs will let you continue to build strength gradually. Ageless Athlete suggests you check your 1RM every 3 months or so. When you get close to missing a heavy lift with 5-3-1 use the heavy weight as your 1RM and calculate a new training max.
-- Conditioning work is discussed in these books as well.

I bought this book from the publisher via pre-order.

This is a thorough, clearly explained, and well-reasoned case for, and toolkit for strength training for the 40+ individual.

The authors use their medical training and coaching experience to make a detailed case why strength/resistance training is essential to battling the woes of aging. Readers get a (mostly) quick and (mostly) accessible look at the biochemistry behind the "sick aging phenotype" before moving into "the barbell prescription" itself. The book explains why strength training works, and then recommends specific exercises, and programming -- including alternatives for injuries or other limitations.

The book is incredibly well put-together, in terms of editing, images, and physical construction -- it's a hefty, professional item, to be sure. My only criticism is that the medical and biochemical terminology can get to be too much for a layman. There's a section on cellular processing of energy (I think) that I eventually just skipped. (I have a graduate degree but no real head for biology.) I completely understand why the authors chose to be precise in their language, but to the guy just trying to get strong, that chapter can be a bit of a slog. The good news is that the book's overall message is understandable, and the back half of the book is very accessible. Essentially, this is common sense stuff, but delivered in a way that makes you confident that the authors (1) know their field and (2) aren't just making this stuff up.

I had high expectations upon learning this book was coming out, and the first couple chapters already exceed them.
can't wait to finish it and then re-read it again to make sure I don't miss anything. Also has a great glossary, and bibliography for citations (seriously who commits >30 pages to this anymore outside of peer reviewed publications???)

I received this copy yesterday and have been thoroughly impressed so far. Seriously, if this program were instituted on a wide basis we would reduce healthcare costs and improve quality of life immeasurably. It is not a casual read but if you really want in depth information I have not come across anything close to this publication. This covers programming from elderly novices who have never touched iron to the advanced lifters. Every person involved in personal training or physical therapy needs to read this and toss out all of the garbage they were forced to learn from the standard fitness industry.

366 pages of training myths unfounded by any research. A shame for someone with a PhD. For instance, the author states that training cardio and strength together has no effect on either. No reference to any study. No suprise, recent research has not only put this myth to rest (Aerobic exercise alters skeletal muscle molecular responses to resistance exercise.Lundberg TR, et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012) but also shows that by combining cardio and strength one achieves the same results in half the time as if training them separately (Concurrent resistance and aerobic exercise stimulates both myofibrillar and mitochondrial protein synthesis in sedentary middle-aged men.
Donges CE, et al. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2012).

The author also wrongfully states that in order to gain strength one has to train with heavy weights of 5 reps. No reference to studies that show that sets of 25 reps produce the same results-provided the 25th rep with the lighter rep is as hard as the 5th with the higher weight (I don`t have the reference to the study handy). This was enough for me to put the book aside. A decision that was even easier to make when I read that despite the book`s length of 366 pages the author feels he cannot give a complete description of the squat and the dead lift and therefore urges you to buy another book. Sorry, but I`m no longer young enough to waste my time.

I also bought it direct from the publisher. But it really is amazing. I have learned more about the science of aging.....and what to do about it. I consider this mandatory reading for anyone who is interested in health and fitness and strength.

Contains about the same level of phony tough-guy writing as for instance Starting Strength, which may or may not put you off.
Also contains bold statements as to how things work, based on the writers' experience (i e, a lot of bro science if you're not feeling that generous). There's no scientific evidence that I'm aware of that older lifters are 'volume sensitive', which is the basis of the programming laid on in the book.
Training like this might work for you, but other methods (with more volume) might work just as well or better. Check out writers like Greg Nuckols (Stronger by Science) sites like Barbell Medicine if you're interested in science-based lifting. Or don't, don't let some guy on the internet tell you what to do :).

Buying a good quality steak and eating it is more useful to you than spending your money on this book. These people found the needs of others as a way to make easy money based on false claims.

They will lay down known exercises that can be performed and learned for free from the youtube in a catchy tile just to rip people from their hard earned cash.

beware of modern day scammers they call themselves coaches.