What else is out there?

[MAD9692]

This is a question for Rip as well as the forum.
In the past I spent years training with little direction, hopped from routine to routine, and wasted time/money on silly things like supplements, magazines, bb books and garbage of this kind.

In 2008 I learned about Rip and like most people SS/PP changed the way I train, produced immediate results, and provided direction in an easy to understand manner in which I can use the rest of my life. The Silly Bullshit is over with. There is no need to look/buy at any magazines, books, etc or waste any time training.

The question is - What else is out there like SS?
In regards to Finance, Investing, understanding defensive schemes...whatever it may be. What else is out there similar to SS that breaks down the unknown and complex into an easy to understand manner that can produce results and leave a clear blue print on how things actually work?

Rip - Is there anything that you have come across that made you realize that what you thought previously was just Silly Bullshit?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I'll open this to the board.

[matclone]

The thing you speak of, and what Rip has done for the general understanding of weight training, is fairly rare but greatly appreciated. Good question. Other examples off the top of my head (and maybe I'll think of others later):

On writing, in general: The Elements of Style--Strunk and White
On Constitutional Law--anything written by Erwin Chemerinsky

[bjvinson]

Since you asked...One of my favorites (other than SS, PP & SE?) is Engineer To Win by Carroll Smith. It provides a very good primer on metallurgy and general design of mechanical things. If you build or use things made out of metal you probably ought to own this book.

[XTrainer]

The martial arts community, to be sure. I could offer you a lengthy explanation, but the best way to illustrate it concisely would be this:

Watch some YouTube videos of martial arts exhibitions, katas, performances, demonstrations, etc.

Then, watch some videos of actual fights and full-contact sporting events, such as MMA or even more "sportified" things like grappling and boxing.

It will become apparent quickly how full of silly BS the martial arts community is, and how straightforward violence actually is.

[j5coleman]

For Finance and Investing, go to berkshirehathaway.com, click on Warren Buffett's Letters to Shareholders, and read them all. From the beginning. Then do it again. You'll get more truth there than in any MBA course you could take. Those letters are to CNBC and Jim Cramer as Starting Strength is to Muscle and Fitness.

[David55]

I can't wait to read the books this q will reveal.

In the field of Psychology and Self Help [the latter field dominated by less than sparkling stuff] Compassion and Self Hate by T. I. Rubin is the book, weird name notwithstanding.

I'll go out on a limb and say it's Star Trek quality.

[novicejay]

https://www.daveramsey.com/store/goo...FSm8sgodMxcJMQ

That is who I use for finance. No gymnastics. Advocates being debt-free and shows you how it is done. It worked for me.

[RobertFontaine]

Some names for the hopper...

I'm pretty sure Bill Starr would fit fine into this discussion (5x5)
Louis Simmons and the crew over at westside and Wendler 5/3/1 comes to mind.
On the BB side I think Dante Trudel's work has a lot of merit (DoggCrapp)

[jgrube]

Wow. I was wondering this exact same thing a few weeks ago. I was so naive just half a year ago when it came to lifting. Yet i thought i knew so much. A very humbling experience really, but i gained confidence at the same time, because i know 100x more about fitness and lifting that 90% of the population. When i look back on what i knew a few months ago it just seems like i knew next to nothing about weightlifting and fitness compared to what i know now. Knowledge is power.. really. When i gave SS: BBT to my mother, after she read the first 40 pages it was like she had an epiphany or something.

But really, has anyone had an experience where they discovered a person or program or a book that taught them so much to where what they knew before about that subject now seems laughable? I'd like to hear.