Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body (The Bigger Leaner Stronger Series Book 1)

I am not a body builder, but an average Joe, who has enjoyed sports and exercise throughout my childhood and young adult life. I really enjoyed this book for several reasons. First it was a quick read, I think I read the whole thing in a day or two and absorbed most of the information I wanted to apply. I have not lifted "heavy" in many years as I attributed it to greater chance of injury. While I was familiar with the overload concept, I don't think I had practiced it in sometime, choosing to mix cardio and weights to mostly stay in shape. The second thing I liked is it gave a very simple workout plan, basically 3-4 exercises of 4-6 reps per workout. I have been using the variation suggested for 4 workout/week schedule, adding triceps to chest day and biceps to back day and eliminating the separate arm day. My arms get enough of a workout on these days and are big enough that they don't need their own day. Less than a month in I have had tremendous strength gains. To be fair, there was a time that I was much stronger than I am now, so these gains are not above and beyond where I have ever been, but they certainly are above and beyond where I was. I also found the in detail explanation or certain important exercises and the reference to bodybuilder.com for video explanation of exercises to be an excellent reference. Certain exercises require good form to prevent injury and to achieve the desired results of the exercise. I mostly workout by myself, which is unfortunate as I am aware that having a partner would benefit me in many ways as the book suggests and have found this all to be true in the past. One of the problems I am working through is my comfort level with the exercises at heavier weights (often using the Smith machine, which is frowned upon in the book for good reason). The diet information is okay, but I don't feel I should comment too much on it as I have not been following it. I eat relatively healthy, since the book I have been much better about post workout nutrition, but I am not a moderation kind of guy. So when I am eating healthy I eat healthy most of the time and then I eat a large pizza and a ice cream and cookies for dessert one night. Most importantly the results. It has been less than a month and so far they have been excellent. I weigh around 185 and about 5'10". I don't have a six pack or a gut, but have definitely lost some body fat since beginning, but probably not that much because of my diet or lack thereof. My strength gains have been great. I can deadlift and squat over 300lbs. and bench 265 (on smith machine, so a lot less on free weights). On top of this, I have lower back issues, but have been asymptomatic for many years now, instead of hurting my lower back, I believe deadlifts, squats and the core/ab exercises have significantly strengthened by lower back. Overall very happy with workout and information provided in the book as well as its "readability." Of note, I also find Mike's website to very informative. And Mike himself appears to be very available as well, responding to my only email so far within 1 day. I also bought his cookbook (shredded chef), which I flipped through, if one can do such a thing on a kindle. I was hoping it would inspire me get into a better diet routine.

Great book that offers more of a lifestyle than a fitness routine or "get fit quick" scheme. Mike offers clear direction and guidance on nutrition and fitness that anyone can implement and follow. The program is adaptable to any level of fitness, age, and available resources, i.e. home or local gym. Nutrition options are provided for cutting, bulking, and maintaining depending on your goals and weight. Strength training is distilled down to the basics, with 3-, 4-, and 5-day options depending on your available time. Mike also provides insights into the mental aspects of training and overall fitness, along with exercises to help discover your inner "why" for embarking on a lifestyle change. I appreciate the straight-forward writing style, and depth of information provided (research-based with sources quoted.

I really appreciated what Michael Matthews attempts to deliver with this book. I'm 40 and have been in the gym regularly for probably the last twenty years. Its really only been in the past four or five years that I've identified what works for me and what has been a waste of time. I've often thought, man, I wish somebody had just taught me this stuff twenty years ago. Especially because the "what works" really isn't that complicated. I think if I'd read a book like this a long time ago, I would have avoided wasting a lot of time in the gym or at least gotten more out of my time there. So I think anybody interested in getting fit would benefit from reading this book. The writing style is very accessible and conversational. The book is intended for guys who want to get fit - not guys who want to be competitive body builders. Matthews starts the book by defining a lot of the common terms one hears around the gym. That part is a little dry, but a necessary section of the book. The workout advice is very simple and straightforward. I was actually surprised by how little of the book had to be dedicated to "workout plans". It makes sense though, because that's pretty much the point. Your gym workouts don't NEED to be complicated. You just need to do a few very basic exercises consistently, with good form and with the correct goals in mind. The dieting advice is a little more complicated, and this is one area I would express some caution. If you are just getting started with getting in shape or getting back in shape, I really think these meal plans are difficult. They seem geared more to somebody who is in good shape and trying to go that extra mile to get "shredded" or whatever. Its just a thought. I did like the diet advice and looked at the meal plans as a guideline I could use to come up with something realistic for me. While I would still highly recommend this book, if you're more of a newbie, you might take a look at Nate Green's "Built for Show" book which was a big help to me in that "get going" phase. I found the dieting advice in particular there was very realistic in that phase. Really good book. Even as a guy who has been working out regularly, and doing fairly well the past few years, I got some good tips from this book and things that I'm trying and incorporating into my own routines. I'm looking forward to checking out his newest book soon!

I stumbled upon Bigger Leaner Stronger in late 2022, after purchasing a power rack and barbell. Prior to that, my workouts consisted mainly of dumbbells and a pull-up bar. However, I found myself getting bored with the same old routine and was seeking a new challenge. After buying the power rack and barbell, I was unsure how to proceed with barbell training. During my search for workout programs, I discovered Bigger Leaner Stronger and purchased it on Kindle (at the time, I wasn't aware of Thinner Leaner Stronger). What I appreciated most about the book is how Mike cuts through the noise and provides a clear, evidence-based foundation for training and nutrition. The chapters on nutrition were particularly insightful, emphasizing the importance of dialing in your diet to achieve your goals. Whether you're trying to lose weight or build muscle, Mike provides actionable advice on how to make sustainable changes. The free bonus workout programs and meal plans were golden. Considering the wealth of information provided, the value far exceeds the $2 I paid for the kindle version. Best $2 ever spent. Results: I followed the 4-day program, making adjustments as needed since I'm a woman. I also utilized the Legion website to determine the correct body fat percentage ranges for cutting (reducing body fat while maintaining muscle mass) or lean gaining (building muscle while minimizing fat gain). I was impressed with the results. After two years, my 1RM numbers are 180lbs Squat, 147lbs barbell bench, 226lbs deadlift, and 87lbs overhead barbell press. As a testament to my progress, I even received compliments on my physique while hanging out at beach and pool this summer – a great motivator to continue pushing forward!

This book was expertly crafted! it contains everything you would need to know to formulate a customized diet and nutrition plan and strength training regimen. Before I picked up this book my diet and exercise regimen was all over the map. I did not know where to go or who to believe in terms of getting the right diet and exercise advice. You see I'm a 47 yo male. I've tried all types of exercise over the years, but I never really knew what I was doing or how to achieve any results. In the past few years I had accumulated quite a bit of excess weight. I was barely exercising at all and eating a lot of junk food . So in April I started a weight-loss program and managed to knock off about 35 pounds which put me in a much better place. People were already saying how much younger and better I looked, but I knew the puzzle was not complete. I knew I had to incorporate a regular exercise program in my life for all of the obvious reasons. I feared if I just continued doing cardio type exercise I would continue to lose weight but also muscle and would end up looking like a skeleton at the end of it. When I started researching I was finding all sorts of conflicting information and I did not see a lot of current training/exercise programs ( no more than a few years old) available out there. Anyhow when I came across Mike Matthews' book, Bigger Leaner Stronger, I got very excited because it was the answer to my prayers. Now , I was not sure at first about starting a weight training program. I never thought it was my style or that I ever needed to bulk up in that manner. But when I started reading this book I realized that training and proper diet were so much more than just "bulking up ". You are not only going for looking aesthetically pleasing, but you are improving your overall health in many different ways as well as increasing your strength and stamina. And let's face it if you look kind of nice at the end of the whole thing that's not a bad thing is it? So anyhow the book covers the whole gamut, the whole ball of wax so to speak. He covers everything such as detailed medical and health terminology, muscle building and fat loss myths and mistakes, ideas on willpower and motivation, detailed diet and nutrition info (including pre and post workout nutrition and preparing your own diet plans for getting bigger or leaner), and of course a complete training and strengthening program including 3, 4 or 5 day training regimens. He also includes a separate section on Supplementation, which covers the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to supplements and those who make them. I think this section was a great addition, because most people are interested in taking them with the hopes of achieving better training results or simply optimal health. Mike helps you sort through the mess and come out with what is really worth taking and how it should benefit you. Two other things. One, Mike tries to back up almost every important claim or statement he makes by citing some study that was done or other reference. He has an almost 40 page reference section in the back of the book citing all of his sources section by section. This man has done his research, put the time in, and is giving us sound, no nonsense advice. And second, I've seen other reviews where it's mentioned that the author promotes his supplement line, customized meal plans etc. I absolutely do not see the issue with this at all. First of all when I read the information the first question I asked was where can I get the supplements or how can I get help with this. Thank you Mike for offering these things for us in the event we are interested. And why should he not promote his things in the books that he writes. They are his books, he wrote them and he should be able to promote whatever he likes. And he does not force feed this information to you, he just makes it available for you if you are interested. We are all adults and if we opt not to purchase anything then we simply do not have to. OK I hope I have proven my point. I am very very happy with my purchase. I have started the program and am happy with how I feel and the results I'm getting. I plan on publishing my success story with before and after photos, so hopefully you'll hear from me again. Sincerely, Neil

I've been applying this book for about 6 months now and I still remember one of my first thoughts only a dozen or so pages in: "This guy gets it." At this point I've spent half my life consistently hitting the weight room where the first 2+ years were under the tutelage of national record holding power lifters. So regarding lifting I got a good functional base in high school. Better than many, I'd guess, just because my first day in the gym was under supportive and interested experts. Anyway, as I said, 15 years later save for a slowdowns due to the rigors of a few degrees I've never let my time in the gym lapse. It's always been a passion and I consider it a hobby. For what it's worth I had built myself up to a respectable size and strength. However, as much as I had learned about lifting I had never done the diet thing. I'd also never had a strong call to do so. I have never had weight issues, I'm naturally lean, I have always been consistent day to day in my intake and I was always smart enough to make any changes incremental. That is, if I wanted to gain weight I added just a little more food every day. But I never knew what my macro breakdown was so I must not have been optimal and this had been bugging me for quite some time. Years, actually. So that's initially why I picked up this book. I wanted to learn how to take it to another level. I wanted to learn how to eat like a bodybuilder. I regret not measuring my body fat percentage when I started but since buying this book I have maintained a spreadsheet of my weight, macro goals and daily food log and I do know that in the early April time frame I weighed in at 220 standing 6'1". So the first thing I did was start a cut. Mike's holistic approach to not only how but why made it easy to understand and easy to buy into. It was also easy to implement! It took a little doing to figure out foods that worked for me and cut out foods that didn't. (For instance, I was big on ground turkey for one meal a day but learned that in a cut the 93% lean turkey blew out my fat macros and while the 99% lean turkey didn't it did blow out my budget. So I switched that meal to chicken.) But after reading Mike's book after a little work and being honest with myself the cut was shockingly effective. I wasn't a saint during my cut and a couple vacations set me back as well as a few other things but just a few short months later I was still standing at 6'1", 195 lbs and caliper measured at 7% bf by one person and 7.3% bf by another. Prior to my cut, having spent so much time lifting it wasn't that rare for me to receive comments or complements on my build and I regularly had people ask me questions on my routine. But after the cut it was all the time! I even had a few indirect (To mutual friends.) inquiries on steroid usage. (Spoiler: While I wish I had the means to buy them I have zero desire.) In reading Mike's book and following his podcasts I now understand how to reach my goals by cyclically cutting and bulking, both at a high level of why it's done that way as well as how to do it. I'm now 6 weeks into my first bulk in the sense that I am gaining weight with intent and awareness of where I'm at. I'm excited to see where this goes. Now when it comes to lifting this is where I had more background. But Mike's book has taught me a lot! I have always been an adherent to compound lifts due to my start under powerlifters but Mike provided some background as well as helped me zero in on how to properly apply my compound lifting for maximal growth. (Intensity. Cadence. Rep range. Set range.) I was doing many things right sort of by accident but some of the things Mike preaches surprised me. But like I said, I wasn't far into his book when I thought, "This guy gets it." So I put my experience and ego aside and I fully bought into his method. It is still a work in progress as old habits die hard. But he's given me a better understanding of why some things I was doing worked as well as where I could improve. So I am improving. I have recommended this book and the female version to friends and one friend in particular has bought into it like I have and while he is all around new to dieting and lifting he's making good progress. And he's related that he's stayed motivated because the book really sets you in a good direction. No B.S. No filler. It makes it doable. To summarize, I really like this book and Mike's work and I do recommend it to anyone who will listen. It is a complete guide for a newer lifter and even more seasoned enthusiasts have a lot to take away from this if they feel they are missing a piece of the puzzle or want a complete background on the science of fitness.

I really enjoyed this book. Excellent advice, information and guidance, especially for guys who know very little or nothing about health and fitness or new to weight training. My only critique is that if you are new to meal planning, it is alot more difficult than the book puts on. There are links to purchase pre-made meal plans among other things, should you choose to go that route. I personally recommend trying it yourself since it will help you to better understand the purpose of meal planning. Perhaps it will be easier for you than it was for me. Also, not meant to be an actual complaint either, this book is a solid five for me, definitely worth it.

TL;Dr: Perfect to learn how to build your own nutritional plan however, the gain in weight lifting I made was not a result of the program but of the simple fact I started lifting weights. Being a newcomer to weightlifting, this book did not help as much as the author intended it to help. The book is packed with great information about exercise and nutrition. All of it backed by studies and reports which the author cites his sources. All this is helps a lot for those, like myself, who have no idea how/what to eat. Through this book you will learn how to balance your diet, not just WHAT to eat, but to always know in every situation what is the best option of nutrition you can get whenever you eat. The book also provides the proper mechanics of how to due your 3 major exercises (Bench Press, Barbell Squat, Deadlift, Military Press). Again, great for people like me who have never tried their hand at weightlifting. Now, on to why I gave the book 3 stars: I am a 23 year old male, 5'06 in height (169cm), originally started at weight of 164lb. I am a member of the Armed Forces for the U.S. and was being deployed overseas. I thought this would be the best time to get into weightlifting and I chose those book. I followed this book as closely as I could, with only 1 day of exercise I missed due to work. I followed the 5 day plan. From the start to the end of 8 weeks of following this book I have made gains in the amount of weight and reps I can perform in the following exercises: Calf press and Military Press. For the most part, my Bench Press, my Barbell Squat, and my Deadlift were increased by a mere 10-15lb gain in ability to lift. Here are the 2 arguments I usually get about this: 1) "You don't push yourself hard enough". Well that's not true, multiple occasions I did my Incline Bench Press finishing up the sets where I could barely place it back in place without being hurt (in one instance I did hurt myself but that was by the end of week 7). I gave my all on the exercises and ended with poor results. My Deadlift caused some pain on my right hamstring in which I had to reevaluate what method of Deadlift I was to continue using (this was in week 4). Argument 2): "But you made progress, that proves the book works". Well, not really. The progress I made could have been the same if I had just jumped right into lifting weights. If I started at zero them obviously I would make some gaines regardless of what plan I follow. I chose this book because it promised efficiency in getting Bigger, Leaner and Stronger. The book stated that regardless of body type I would be able to make significant change. I followed the program for 8 weeks, I have been suggested I follow for 12 weeks but if I have not made the progress I should have in the first 8 weeks, the following 12 weeks will be of even less progress (as stated in the book, the first weeks are the most gains as where once you're in the groove of things, your muscle gain will slow down). As of writing this, my body mass has stayed relatively the same. I see no significant change in muscle groups although I do have to say I lost 10lb in the 8 weeks of training. This is a review of how the book work for me. I have it 3 stars because the author stated it will work for all body types and it was also stated the increase in muscle mass to lift more weights. If you are already into weight lifting but want to get to know more about nutrition and how to build your own diet this book is great for that purpose. If you are a beginner like myself, this book is great as a preface to getting into weightlifting. It will teach you what you need to know of how to get started and how to perform proper exercises. I recommend following other workout plans.