The best Sports & Outdoors books: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Yep, kids on the way; had to sell his home and move in on the couch of another silicone valley investor to finish the first rocket launch that landed his first contracts. Said he was days away from being negative. This is an amazing read <EDIT harmless joke out> https://www.amazon.com/Elon-Musk-SpaceX-Fantastic-Future/dp/006230125X

The book "Becoming a Supple Leopard" has a number of great mobility exercises, as well as sections on the theory and how to correctly perform exercises. Highly recommended if you'd like to dig into a book that feels like a textbook.

https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837

I don’t know if anyone can say what your body could look like since everyone distributes muscle and fat differently. All you can really do is diet and exercise in a way that is in line with your goals. For building a curvier, more muscular butt and legs I recommend r/StrongCurves. This is the program created by Bret Contreras and there is a Book by the same name. I am on week 5 and have noticed growth in my hamstrings and booty already. Good luck!

If you're properly balanced left to right, as is no joint injuries, I think a basic strength routine would build your spinal muscles and posterior chain.

Mark Rippetoe's book Starting Strenght would be my recommendation.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uCKxFbEN62H1P

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend you purchase the Strong Curves book by Bret Contreras and read it in it’s entirety. It lays out exactly what steps to take and routines to follow. It even gives nutritional advice, talks about exercise frequency, & everything else a beginner needs to start lifting.

Bret Contreras's Strong Curves is probably the best for female-centric programs for those women who want something with more legs and butt focus.

Bought this book today; Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition . I'm excited to receive it on Sunday and enhance my lifting.

Read Proficient Motorcycling by David L. Hough. It's the most comprehensive guide in becoming a better rider; beginners and experienced alike agree that this is a great read; I have it on paperback and in the off season, I give it a read; there's so much to learn.

Congrats on finding relief for your painful feet and freeing yourself of expensive conventional treatments that may or may not actually work.

Please keep in mind that sufficient strengthening of your lower legs (muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones) for successful long term transition to zero drop shoes can take a long time. For some it can take several months. For some it can take years.

So be careful not to push yourself too hard too fast. Because if the usual pattern holds true, the next step in your evolution could be metatarsal stress fractures and chronic Achilles pain.

Edit: You might also check out Born to Run by Christopher McDougall is you haven't yet.

https://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307279189

My overall view is that he's an increadible, but deeply flawed, person.

He's simultaneously transforming the transportation, space exploration, and energy sectors all at once. He's already accomplished multiple things in aeronautics and transportation areas that nobody else had done before. I honestly think he's possibly the most important person alive, and we're really lucky to have him.

But... he's probably a narcissist, and at least appears to be an asshole.

Like many people who are increadible workers, he demands incredible amounts from the people around him. Often enough that he hurts them. If you read his biography it's replete with stories of Elon hurting people close to him because he doesn't seem to understand how they see the world. His ex-wife, Justine, wrote a really sad article about their divorce back in 2010. This doesn't excuse anything, but his biography strongly suggests he was abused as a child by his father.

He seems to share a lot of traits, both positive and negative, with some of the most successful people in history. It's possible to be that driven that something inside of you needs to be broken, or that you demand so much of yourself that you despise mediocrity in others.

It's not so much the exercise or even necessarily the intensity that breaks us down over time - it's often suboptimal form/technique combined with suboptimal recovery that wears our bodies out prematurely.

A lot of people might say a particular exercise is bad for you when it would often be more accurate to instead say a particular exercise done with poor form/technique & poor recovery is bad for you.

Our bones & muscles & connective tissues & nervous systems are designed to work together in specific ways (biomechanics/kinesiology), and many of us are encouraged/motivated to undertake athletic endeavors without also being taught much about how to avoid straining ourselves in ways our bodies are not built to handle well.

If you haven't already, devour everything you can by Dr. Kelly Starrett, from his YouTube channel, to his Becoming a Supple Leopard book, and whatever other interviews, seminars, & guest appearances you can find. K-Star will fix you up from head to toe. Good luck.

Jiu-Jitsu University Paperback – November 17, 2008 by Saulo Ribeiro

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I am reading / re-reading this one. The whitebelt section helped me a bit. (as whitebelt) :)

I started aged 49 with no prior grappling experience, so I know how you feel. I'm just a blue belt, but a couple of things that really helped me:

• The book Jiu Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro is invaluable. This breaks down the fundamental positions, gives you a structure for how to survive, and then escape each basic position (as well as going into more advanced stuff later). It's a great resource and really transformed and accelerated my learning.
• There are many online programs, but while you are getting your feet wet, I recommend www.bjjcurriculum.com (you can also find the videos on Youtube) - well organized and free.
• Mixed classes are great for learning. Don't be afraid to ask questions (after the roll has ended). You'll find an amazing number of higher belts willing to help, especially if you're willing to let them drill moves on you in return.
• Stay calm, tap early. Avoid being stacked (let them pass if necessary - your neck will thank you).

Good luck!

the only thing i would suggest is getting on a program that has some built in progression and frankly expertise behind it. i think r/strongcurves would be a place to start. It's based on this book, and authored by a guy known as the glute guy (Bret Contreras). On the subreddit i think you can find the program outlined somewhere. Additionally if you want the book, he came out with a newer book which is like a glute training encyclopedia. I don't see any of the programs from the newer book floating around on the internet but i haven't really been looking since i bought it. I'm not affiliated with him at all, but i see the progress my wife has been making on the program and endorse it. ok, that sounded creepy, but upon trying to reword it, i can't make it sound any better. But yeah, if you want do your research on the guy and see if it's right for you.

First, thank your father profusely for being awesome. Second, don't abuse his generosity by ordering the entire Rogue catalog - start with the bare essentials for full body strength.

1) A power cage so you can squat and bench safely by yourself.
2) A flat bench
3) An bar for powerlifting
4) Plates - 4x45, 2x25, 4x10, 2x5, 2x2.5.
5) A copy of Starting Strength.

Get the book immediately and actually READ it. All of it. You can do this while working on finding the gym equipment. As far as the exact pieces of equipment, just remember that it didn't have to be "the best", just better than you are right now.

Continue to ask questions and do your own research. Good luck!

To help avoid keto flu, the first week or so, add (1/4 tsp) lite salt & (1/2 tbsp) magnesium citrate to your water two or three times a day, or as needed, and that will help a lot to keep electrolytes up, also spinach & avocado help too. I have this once a day normally now. If you experience a hypoglycemic episode (the worst I had of keto flu) while you adjust to low carb, I found downing electrolyte water & eating bit of peanut butter, berries, &/or greek yogurt help since they're a little higher carb but still workable into your macros. Also if workouts seem harder, don't be afraid to take it easy for the first week or two while your body adjusts to not running on carbs. I find a pre-workout snack like chia seed pudding or eggs help my muscles from feeling dead but I'm working on getting back to fasted runs. A book that I just got in the mail so cannot recommend personally but I've seen recommended quite a bit is The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance [amazon], so you might be interested in that.

for the love of god, please don't think your only option for getting 'in shape' is cardio.

spend the time developing strength. strength is much harder to acquire than cardio. if you're fairly strong, you can build cardio in days. it takes months to develop a good amount of strength. it makes every part of your life easier. https://smile.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

Read this : https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&amp;keywords=starting+strength&amp;qid=1604018685&amp;sprefix=Starting+stre&amp;sr=8-1

When I was your age, it was so hard to find good information on weight training. It would have been such a game changer if I could have read this at the age of 14, really. Maybe you can find a copy at the library if you can't buy it. Good luck!

of course you can "bulk" on keto, too. you don't need carbs for that. And yeah, you sound as if you're not reacting well to carbs (or some of them at least). The GAS issue is usually related to your gut bacteria, you miss apparently some for the carbs you are eating, so this probably gets better over time.

But I consider the whole "bulking/cutting" done in the bodybuilder scene a myth, they came up with some patterns that work, and those are religiously followed now. Science says, if you have the proteins it takes, and a caloric deficit not too big, and the necessary growth stimuli from your exercises, you will gain lean mass. actually you have some benefits like growth hormone and other things.

"the art and science of low carbohydrate performance" by Volek and Phinney might be a good read for your coach :-)

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Science-Low-Carbohydrate-Performance/dp/0983490716

Move your touch point (the point where the bar touches the chest) up. Touch the bar to your sternum even with your nipple line. This will help you feel the lift in you chest.

Consult figure 5-13, 5-15 and the "Elbows" section of chapter 5 "The Bench Press" in the blue book, Staring Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition, for a detailed explanation of why this is the correct touch point for beginner lifters especially.

There is a classic weightlifting and compound barbell book starting strength by Mark Rippetoe that made a huge difference in my form

I started BJJ a few months ago and recently discovered this sub. This is the first I'd heard of this book, so thank you for sharing, /u/Khulo! A quick search for it revealed a lot of praise, so I ventured over to Amazon and ordered it immediately. For others interested, the paperback version is currently at its lowest price ever on Amazon ($20.27). Figured that was worth mentioning!

You are in prime riding country, in all directions you can go exploring. You’re gonna have so much fun! Then you know about dear, just be careful dawn and dusk when they tend to move. There’s some really good reading material for you.

Proficient Motorcycling: The... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

> best by shedding some weight,

I used to be like you.
I also struggled with losing weight and cycling, even as my distance and mileage increased while training for a century.
All the guides seemed to either assume you were already lean and had no difficulty controlling your weight "eat lots", or that you were just a casual cyclist and not actually riding long distances.

On a CICO/IIFYM diet, I was always hungry at the end of the day, scouring my food logs for an excuse to justify a snack. Weight loss was negligible. Maybe -10 lbs in 6 months of relative misery.

That all changed when I found The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance. (It's $9 on Amazon) After a few weeks to adapt to the change in diet, I had energy to ride all day without food, and the weight melted away. I was steadily losing 5 lbs per month, and I didn't feel hungry.

High carb diets are dogma in the cycling community, but there is another way. You have some of the markers for metabolic syndrome, so you may also be a good candidate for keto.

https://startingstrength.com/ And specifically the book Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training. 5 star score with over 2000 reviews on amazon. The book is about 2cm thick (if you get a physical version) and goes into insane depth on the mechanics of the lifts you need, in terms of reasons for the lifts and the program and the biomechanics and crucially the WHY as well as the HOW. The squat chapter alone is 70 pages, for ONE squat.

I can't speak to any of the other online options but I can personally attest to the effectiveness of the program. I know exactly what I'm doing and why and don't get sidelined wasting time on less effective training than I need to make me strong.

I have no personal stake here, other than wanting to share the resources I've had great success with.

Everyone is different but I found that a ketogenic diet really helped with my hunger and cravings. Since I changed my diet, I find myself forgetting to eat more often than not because I'm not hungry. I have to pay extra attention to eating on a schedule to get enough calories. I really liked &quot;The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance&quot;

I will note that keto is probably not the best way to be a blazing fast runner. It has worked well for me for running long distances and for maintaining weight. I'm old enough not to care about how fast I run

A long time ago, I used to be a personal trainer. Most of my clients were women in their late 30s and their 40s. So I have some experience here. I'm writing this before work, so I have to be brief.

First, if you indeed have a barbell set, buy this book, and work the program in it until your numbers stop going up. That's it, it's that simple. This program is probably the best thing that has happened to beginner weight training, pretty much ever. It's designed for you to work pretty much by yourself, so you don't need a spotter.

Second, let go of any worry you have about being big or bulky, and just pump the iron like Arnold. You will not turn into a veiny She-Beast overnight, or even at all. If it were that easy, every single young dude ever would be walking around, yoked out like the Hulk. Even young guys, who put on muscle faster than literally anyone else, have to work real hard to get big. So don't worry about it and just lean into the iron. You will get bigg*er*, but nowhere near to the degree you might be worrying about.

And as a post-script, you might find, as many of my clients found, to their surprise, that they liked that their arms bulked up a bit. The way it actually looks on your body and how it actually makes you feel is not always the same as what you're concerned about. Just food for thought.

Man that's a lot to unpack. There's a ton to learn and the school of hard knocks is the toughest one.

As u/Ralliartimus noted, wear the gear. That's boots, overpants, jacket with spine protector, gloves, full-face helmet. All the gear, all the time.

Generally speaking, drivers are nowhere near as aware of you as you might think they should be. Be very aware of this, particularly in places where someone can turn in front of you (approaching intersections, driveways, etc.) No gear will protect you going from 45 to zero in a few feet.

Not sure what bike you're getting and it sounds like you're committed already, but I'd advise getting an older bike without a lot of fairings. You are going to tip over. Guarantee it. Learning and tipping a cheap, older, lower powered bike is definitely the way to go.

Keep the stock exhaust. Virtually no one likes listening to a loud pipe and, if we're being honest, they're hard on the rider as well. Speaking of, include ear plugs with your gear. Tinnitus really, really sucks.

Take every rider training class you can. Read Proficient Motorcycling and other books about riding. If there are off-road riding classes around you, take them. It's a different kind of riding and you can learn things that apply to your road skill set. A lot of professional riders got their start off-road.

There's paragraphs and paragraphs more, but that's off the cuff.

Good luck!

If you are into learning about different cultures, Born to Run by Christopher McDougall is an great choice for you. It's the #1 Best Seller in Track & Field on Amazon, so it has quite the reputation. I actually encountered the Tarahumara in an anthropology course during undergrad, as they are pretty heavily studied by sociocultural and physical anthropologists. Here's a section from the Tarahumara Wikipedia: > The Tarahumara word for themselves, Rarámuri, means "runners on foot" or "those who run fast" in their native tongue according to some early ethnographers like Norwegian Carl Lumholtz, though this interpretation has not been fully agreed upon. With widely dispersed settlements, these people developed a tradition of long-distance running up to 200 miles (320 km) in one session, over a period of two days through their homeland of rough canyon country, for inter-village communication and transportation and hunting. Their running in sandals are described in the book Born to Run.

Pick up the book Starting Strength. $24 on Amazon with prime. Squats are the first (of 5) exercises covered.

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1473687821&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength

I like it because it's perfect for the beginner, has lots of diagrams and photos, and covers a wide range of issues and rookie mistakes.

Even if you aren't specifically using SS5x5, it still will be a great investment. Plus, a physical book is better as a reference material when you don't want to jump on the internet or for reading material before going to bed.