Strong: Nine Workout Programs for Women to Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism, and Build Strength for Life
Forget the elliptical machine and the candy-colored Barbie weights. Female athletes are hungry for real fitness. They want to be Strong.
By now, it’s common knowledge that women can and should train the way men do. Today’s women want to be strong, with lean and athletic physiques. Fitness author Lou Schuler and renowned strength coach Alwyn Cosgrove present a comprehensive strength and conditioning plan to help women burn fat and build muscle by getting them off the machines and revolutionizing how they work out. Offering direct guidance and proven tools to help readers enhance their strength and get truly fit, Strong provides:
• A three-phase training program, including nine unique total-body workouts
• More than 100 exercises, with detailed instructions and step-by-step photographs
• Simple nutrition guidelines to cut through the barrage of trendy diets in magazines
• Inspiring success stories from women who have used this training program
Schuler and Cosgrove’s The New Rules of Lifting for Women has empowered tens of thousands of women inside and outside the weight room. Filled with the latest research distilled in Lou and Alwyn’s signature direct style, Strong will help women remake their physiques and reimagine their lives.
Reviews (92)
Another excellent book for women
Workout programs in this book can easily be done at home. You don’t have to have a big gym set or go to the gym to implement almost all these workouts. The book is by far one of the best in explaining workouts for women. It hits upon what works, why strength and muscle matters, has a small section on nutrition, and charts for workout programs. A great addition is myofacial release which some books tend to miss this important step. Lots of pictures on the exercises and a section explaining equipment.
Obsessed with this book!
I just started this program (currently at phase 1 stage 2) but I already love it! In my case, it is exactly what I was looking for in terms of structure/guidance and continuity to see some progress. After 7weeks, I can already see improvement in my overall upper body strength, which was one of my main goals, plus a 1% of body fat loss! Now, it is a 9 month program and the authors call it like it is, they do not promise a magic remedy or some sort of "bikini ready" recipe but the way they guide you, specially in my case as a beginner in weights, is great. I would definitely recommend this book for people who are interested in getting healthy, strong and looking for structure. ---------------------- Update (June 2017) I decided to update my review since I'm about to start stage 8 of this workout program and I could not be happier with this book. I never thought I'd be feeling as empowered as I do now and this program has made such an impact in my overall strength, I could not be happier. Actually, I just bought the NRoL book for women from Alwyn and Lou and I can't wait to start reading it.
Good, but not perfect
I was so excited to get this book and start the programs. Two months in I have mixed feelings about it. As a moderately experienced lifter the beginning workouts are pretty boring. I did them all, but didn't spend as many weeks as suggested on the first part of the program. There are a variety of exercises which helps keep things interesting, but there is also a large variety of equipment used to complete them all. If you aren't working out in a gym expect to put some money into purchasing equipment or jerryrigging your own. Sometimes I just substitute another exercise that uses the same muscle to avoid equipment issues. On a positive note, there are a lot of exercises to choose from. There are some interesting variations that I haven't seen recently that are fun to try. I'm not a big fan of the one legged or one-sided variations. I tend to lose alignment pretty quickly and risk injury. Working out with someone who can spot you would help. Lowering your lifting weight would also help, but then sometimes it feels like you aren't doing much work. I'm sure they are valuable lifts, but without a trainer they feel a little risky to me. My other big problem with the book is that the workout charts are not very well formatted. I would think the editor would be able to come up with something more creative that would take up fewer pages. The month-long section I am in requires 6 pages of workout charts to complete. Basically you alternate between two workouts and the only thing that changes is the number of reps and sets. The workout charts also don't have any page numbers to indicate where you can find directions for the exercise they are referring to. I have taken to locating the exercise and writing it directly on the chart myself to save myself time. Sometimes I want to refer to the directions again to ensure I am doing the lift correctly. It seems like another little editorial detail that would have been helpful. Overall, I enjoy the book and I'm glad I bought it. I'm not sure it will be a long-term lifting companion, though.
this book has great tips to use your fitness time efficiently and improve ...
No matter what your experience and fitness level, this book has great tips to use your fitness time efficiently and improve performance. I have one pretty major complaint, which is the layout of the material. The program is laid out in schedule format in the early chapters of the book, but the exercises themselves are described and explained in detail much later. They are not in any kind of order, and the provided schedules don't even refer you to a page number to familiarize you with the routine. I spend an inordinate amount of time flipping through the book trying to find the right exercise as I'm following the routine. If this book is ever retooled, the best recommendation I can make is to reformat it in a more logical manner.
LOVE IT!!
If I could give this book more stars I would! I LOVE Strong! I have had fantastic results by doing the program included within its pages. In fact, 2 of my sisters, a sister-in-law, and a couple of friends have also started doing this program on my recommendation. Lou writes in a clear, concise manner and it is easy to read and understand. I have taken the nutrition section seriously, and I track my macros using My Fitness Pal. The workouts I keep track of in an app entitled "Strong" (completely coincidental as you have to put the exercises from the book into the app, but you can customize the app so the exercises are the same as the ones for your workouts in the book). I have had a few questions and when I emailed Lou Schuler, he was very prompt to reply to my inquiries. You should buy this book and follow this program!
The Real Deal!
I decided to get this book after hearing Mr. Shuler on a fitness podcast. I have a few other of their related books and have used Mr. Cosgrove's workouts in the past... so I knew going in this would be good. I've started at Stage 1, as the book recommends - even though I am not new to lifting. I'm loving this program and am thoroughly enjoying starting at the beginning. Getting back to basics is so refreshing and knowing that workout by workout you are inching your way to the next level - is an amazing feeling. It's a process and a journey, as anyone working on their strength and/or physique knows - and I'm just really fortunate to have come across this book. A big thank you to Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove for sharing your knowledge with women like me. You cannot imagine the impact you've had. I will check back after I've worked my way through all of the stages of this program for a complete review - but I can tell you already, I'm getting results.
this is one of my favorite books, especially since Alwyn Cosgrove is one of ...
Studying fitness and nutrition myself, this is one of my favorite books, especially since Alwyn Cosgrove is one of my favorite fitness experts! The workouts presented in this book are super helpful. This is a book definitely for those (both men and women) who are looking to step up their workout routines or even those who want to find tools to effectively improve certain functional movements.
Absolutely wonderful!
Love everything about this. The book is well written and informative without being boring or going over your head with technical or scientific jargon. Very accessible for the average reader. The workout programs themselves are excellent. Very scalable for people at all levels of fitness. I have very bad knees and the book works with you to find alternate methods. I'm only four weeks in, but am already seeing tangible results. I would highly recommend this book to any and all women looking to increase their strength or general fitness.
Love it!
I love this book. I was looking to get more lifting in at the gym. I was finding myself unmotivated and not doing my best. This book helped me build my confidence with weights. I like the different exercises and how they are explained in the end part of the book. I like having the routine laid out for me. Although, I will say as I progress forward, the layouts seem to get a little more complicated. I haven't progressed the whole way through yet, and I am already worried about not being able to follow the next rotation. Overall, very happy with my purchase and very happy with my progress.
I love all of them and highly recommend each
This is the third book I have purchased by Schuler and Cosgrove. I love all of them and highly recommend each! I always mention them on fitness blogs and refer colleagues to them. Doable and easy to follow. I am a single mom who works full-time and can maintain the program schedule
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