Description
In this book you will learn:
• The 2 best ways to build fitness fast without destroying your body
• Underground training tactics for maximizing workout efficiency
• The best biohacks for enhancing mental performance and entering the zone
• How to know with laserlike accuracy whether your body has truly recovered
• 26 ways to recover quickly from workouts, injuries, and overtraining
• The 25 most important blood and saliva biomarkers and how to test them
• 5 essential elements of training that most athletes neglect
• 7 stress-fighting weapons to make your mind-body connection bulletproof
• Proven systems to enhance sleep, eliminate insomnia, and conquer jet lag
• 40 high-calorie, nutrient-dense meals that won’t destroy your metabolism
• Easy tools for customizing your carbs, proteins, and fats for your unique body
• 9 ways to fix a broken gut, detox your body, and create a toxin-free life
• A complete system to safeguard your immune system and stomach
• Simple time-efficient tips for balancing training, work, travel, and family
• The 2 best ways to build fitness fast without destroying your body
• Underground training tactics for maximizing workout efficiency
• The best biohacks for enhancing mental performance and entering the zone
• How to know with laserlike accuracy whether your body has truly recovered
• 26 ways to recover quickly from workouts, injuries, and overtraining
• The 25 most important blood and saliva biomarkers and how to test them
• 5 essential elements of training that most athletes neglect
• 7 stress-fighting weapons to make your mind-body connection bulletproof
• Proven systems to enhance sleep, eliminate insomnia, and conquer jet lag
• 40 high-calorie, nutrient-dense meals that won’t destroy your metabolism
• Easy tools for customizing your carbs, proteins, and fats for your unique body
• 9 ways to fix a broken gut, detox your body, and create a toxin-free life
• A complete system to safeguard your immune system and stomach
• Simple time-efficient tips for balancing training, work, travel, and family
Sarah (verified owner) –
While I haven’t read the book, yet, I am waiting in anticipation of its arrival! Ben Greenfield has been a top fitness expert in my eyes for years and knowing how much he has influenced my body transformation (40lb fat loss, 8% BF drop) excites me to finally purchase some tangible literature of his professional advice. I’m thrilled to learn more tricks to endurance training, recovery and increasing my overall performance.
For those sincerely wanting to change their lives and are contemplating which “fitness guru” to discover and/or what training book to buy, THIS ONE IS IT. I am ABSOLUTELY certain of that!
It hasn’t even landed on my doorstep and it is still getting a 5-star review!
Jim from AZ (verified owner) –
Over the last couple of years Ben Greenfield has become my go to person for anything fitness, training or nutrition related. I was excited to get this book delivered today.
So far I’ve just read the preface and intro, but I’m hooked. It will be the type of book I skim over to get the general feel of the topics, fold down pages and highlight relevant topics. Then it will sit on my desk as a ready reference and motivator as I go through the various cycles of my training.
Kudos Ben, and congrats on such a great resource that sooooo many will benefit from!
I will add to this review as I read through the book.
TheManCoach (verified owner) –
I’ve been about health and fitness for the past 15 years and have been a professional in the industry for 6 years. I’ve worked as a personal trainer, strength & conditioning coach, nutrition coach and now Holistic Life Coach both in London & LA. I’ve been a Men’s Fitness model and have worked with many clients including an NFL team. I’m always interested in learning more about health and fitness to improve my life and others.
I came across Ben Greenfield’s podcast about 9 months ago and I can honestly say that his podcasts have dramatically increased my knowledge about health and fitness. Due to implementing Ben’s advice, I now sleep WAY better, don’t get back pains anymore, have better sex and much more.
It was a no-brainer to get his (I pre-ordered it) and it’s great! It’s almost all of his knowledge crammed into a book. It’s essentially a health & fitness bible.
Whether you’re a serious athlete or just want to improve your health GET THIS BOOK! You will not regret it!
Peace & Love 🙂
Truthful (verified owner) –
This book pretty much covers it all. From building muscle and strength, to VO2 and endurance, the underlying physiology, and everything in between. It’s extremely comprehensive and pretty much covers all the bases and then some. Diet. Lifestyle. Every possible trick, strategy, and “biohack” to enhance every type of performance.
Everything from overspeed training, to electrical muscular stimulation, to cold thermogenesis, to simulating altitude training, to heart rate variability. Extreme isometrics, speed vs conditioning, different set schemes, plyos, power training, sleep tricks, supplementation, nutrition, gear, recovery, hormone levels, the whole thing. Too much to summarize here.
Would make an excellent gift for an athlete.
Yann Lemasson (verified owner) –
I have been listening to Ben’s podcast for the last year or so, and I found myself several times going back to re-listen to his podcast just to find specific information. This book is great because he takes all of his first hand practical experiences along with the absolute best expert advice from other qualified sources and placed it in one book.
The Beyond Training book is an extraordinary culmination of the best of the best in fitness, health, nutrition & lifestyle.
Don’t think about buying the book – just buy it. It will be well worth your time and is also a fun read.
Amanda (verified owner) –
This is by far the best endurance training book I’ve read. I’m not a crazy endurance athlete, however, I do want to continue to improve in my marathons and half marathons and want to continue to run healthily for decades to come. This book is full of the information needed to continue to improve and do so without throwing your body out of whack. The thing I like best about this book is how easy it is to read and understand the information. Even when the information is full of scientific data, Ben presents it in a way that can be digested by almost anyone, which many training books are not as concerned about. I also enjoy that Ben presents much more information than what is physically in the book with the website to go along with it, including a specific website page for each chapter with links to studies he cites and extra information that coincides with what he talks about in the chapter. Long story short, this book is a MUST for an endurance athlete concerned about their long-term health and long and short term improvements in performance.
DreDay (verified owner) –
I found “Ben” as I was recovering/rehabbing from a meniscal injury in 2012. I’m a busy mom of two so his quality over quantity approach intrigued me. Utilizing Ben’s training plans, books, podcasts, etc., I was able to come back form my injury stronger than ever and had the best tri season to date (I’m pretty much a sprint tri chick). In 2013, I re-hired my “coach” and did not have a good season – too much junk training (quantity over quality), I was overtrained and not seeing any gains at all. So this year, I’m back to Ben. This book now pretty much takes all of his endurance knowledge and puts it all in one place.
Erica (verified owner) –
I’m a physician that works with people to help them maximize performance. So when I read the “beyond training” website I thought, “wow, that SOUNDS great… but anyone can say that…” It intrigued me enough to buy the book…
After reading the book, I’m honestly speechless. The strategies that Ben Greenfield uses to help you overcome symptoms and maximize your health are extremely powerful, research supported and unique. I actually picked up several gems to us in my own business to help the people I work with each day.
In conclusion, the book had substance. It wasn’t fluff. I would highly recommend it to anyone that wants to upgrade their brain, body and life.
D. Thomas (verified owner) –
I have read them all, and I’ve come across some true gems (books that you keep going back to as reference). But Ben had hit the ball out of the cricket pitch (I’m from the West Indies, no ballpark here). Complicated concepts are explained in a way that the average person can understand. And what I like the most is the practical “in-the-trenches” applications that are offered and suggested. The book literally contains dozens of quick takeaways that you can implement into you training regimen immediately regardless of whether you’re training for an ironman, trying to lose weight or just want to look good without a t shirt.
Kudos to you Ben on a fantastic book.
Dundee Thomas
Ben Buchl (verified owner) –
As a Healthcare Professional and Type A athlete that has sat in anatomy and physiology classes, sorted through thousands of articles and books to improve fitness, diet, and health in general. This is an athlete’s dream to optimizing health through awesome biohacks based on evidence-based-practice and studies. Yet through Ben’s excellent metaphors it is put in a way that any non-medical professional can understand. Every page is full of great information. I had to buy extra copies because I refuse to lend my copy out. Love the book and spreading it around to people that I work with at the Mayo Clinic.
Ben
sheila saltzman (verified owner) –
So far so good!
I’d be lying if I said I’ve finished reading it yet; but so far is been everything I had hoped for. Not only is Ben’s new book jam packed full of information, it’s NEW information to me! I have a degree in Exercise Physiology, used to be a personal trainer, currently am a Physical Therapist and a self – proclaimed “nutrition junky”…. so I come from a similar background as the author. He and I had both been misguided during our formal education and athletic experience- and have wanted to figure out a better (more effective) way of getting desired results.
Lucky for me, Ben Greenfield has taken that search to task! …. and shared his findings with us in one of the most entertaining, engaging, easy to read, and informative health/fitness books I have ever read. (And I’ve read plenty!!)
I have 16 years of experience in health/fitness/wellness and have read quite a few books on training, triathlon, nutrition, sports science, etc. I had reached a point of boredom where I started to feel like every new book was just recycled material with a shiny new cover on it.
Thank you Ben for compiling such an inclusive new text for us “junkies” out there. This is the first book in a long time that I have felt included something NEW to further my knowledge, as well as offer new ideas for improving my fitness level while remaining healthy. I’m not sure if you coined the term ‘biohacking’, but you certainly have made it a fun new hobby for a lot of us.
As a heath professional, fitness enthusiast, competitive endurance athlete, and new fan of the Ben Greenfield Fitness podcast ….. I give this book an A+ and recommend to anyone looking for something to keep them fired up about their own fitness level.
This was just the ‘spark’ I was looking for!
Glenn Holmes (verified owner) –
No matter what your chosen activity, sport, fitness level or knowledge, this is an incredible book for anyone interested in learning & bettering themselves mentally, and physically.
Ben is a great author, the book is well organized, easy to follow & written in a language that the non-degree level fitness enthusiast will comprehend and make use of.
Ben’s aim with this book was to condesne the conplex worlds of sports performance, nutrition, diet, lifestyle, etc into a powerhouse book that provides the essentials to give you a practical guide & resource to help boost your potential not only as a gym goer or athlete but as a human. Full of practial hands-on tips, plans, and advice, the book is definitely a full resource to help you unserstand and take your diet & performance to the next level.
I also recommend Ben’s podcast on iTunes, I have listened to it for a couple of years now, and its my go-to spot for knowledge, insight & advice. My sporting performance (running, boxing), strength, injury prevention and overall health have all been taken to the next level with Ben’s output, he’s an inspiring guy armed with an insane amount of knowledge and talent to convey it in an accessible way. The book is a great addtion to the podcast material.
Great work Ben, keep it up.
Put this book on your bookshelf!
Steepslider (verified owner) –
This book is a real book, and in books we get depth, breadth, detail and a lot to think about. This is not a novel or a colorful magazine. The first chapter is in a 1st person ‘story’ format, the rest is written in a conversational style and leads us through an impressive list of ways to improve our fitness, recovery, nutrition, lifestyle and brain. I like using the index to find topics that interest me rather than plough through cover to cover.
The book puts you in the middle of the science in a comfortably non-scary way. At least for me it does. Be prepared to learn a few new terms, which I enjoy. Knowledge is Power! (fist raised)
In the end why I like this book because of two things: 1. it makes me say “I never knew that”, and 2. the fact that I can implement many of the suggestions, hacks right into my life easily and often with little or no cost. So far I’ve changed a number of my own habits and choices because of this book.
I would have liked larger print (it’s mee eyes and I hate glasses), more pictures and maybe a colorful fold out.. but that’s the kid in me wanting to be entertained.
You only need to get a hot cup of hacked coffee, grab a note pad/iPad, maybe some yellow stickies, and don’t be afraid to mark up the book. I suspect this will be one of my more battered, stained and well worn books.
J. Rulon (verified owner) –
I have been following Ben for quite some time and I have always enjoyed his podcasts and his blogs. When I found out that he was putting a book out…I thought, YES! All information in one book.
I pre-order the book, got it on the day it came out and I am having a hard time putting it down. I am a data and exercise physiology junkie. I like that Ben has look outside of the “lab” and chosen to thinking outside the box.
As I have gotten older in my triathlon career, I am getting faster. Ben talks about that in the very beginning about your typical triathlete and then a triathlete that looks outside the “norm” of the triathlon world. I feel that I can’t go out and do the long miles that I used to do but I do quality work in my swims, bikes and runs. I lift and do High Intensity Workouts or WOD’s, yes, CrossFit.
Ben has a TON of information in this book. Pick one up. Borrow it. It will be on my shelf for quite some time as an athlete and as a Triathlon/CrossFit Coach.
Nice work Ben! Keep it coming….
Kem Lee (verified owner) –
Beyond Training is one of the best books to be released in the wellness category! Truly, there is so much good science, nutrition and practical advice for an athlete. Ben is a gifted writer and a comprehensive mind, body and spirit leader in the wellness community. There is important information in each chapter which combined creates a book that answers every question I can think of related to my health and fitness. No need to search subject after subject on the internet because I can find information concisely in Beyond Training. I especially enjoy opening to a random page and reading the contents. Beyond Training does not require you to read in a progression. Every athlete or wellness minded individual should buy a copy for his or her library. Its a wonderful gift for the trainers and coaches in your life too. Thanks Ben!
Lauren (verified owner) –
Ben Greenfield offers the highest quality information that exists in the world of fitness and nutrition. Follow this information and I can attest that you will be in the best shape of your life!
Ben covers everything you’ll ever need to know about optimal training methods, systemic healing, macronutrient ratios, well-being and super cool bio hacks that are based on scientific evidence. That is to say, his advice actually works!
This book is for anyone who wants be as healthy as they can possibly be and offers cutting edge advice that is far superior to ‘common’ books in this field.
I cannot rate this book highly enough! I’ve even bought copies for my boyfriend and father so they too can get in shape!
Keep up the world-changing work Ben!
william richards (verified owner) –
I really, really like this book. Every chapter was informative and gave up to date information on just about everything you can think of that would apply to athletes and anyone who wants to stay healthy. I ordered one book and when it came started reading it and then ordered another for a good friend as a present. The book is presented in 5 different parts and then gives informative, and science based information that is relevant to anyone who is training, working out, or just wants to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. This book should become part of your library and stay on your shelf for reference. I know I have to reread it again as there is so much information in it.
Style (verified owner) –
I have been listening to the Ben Greenfield podcast for the past year. He backs up his recommendations with scientific facts and actual results from real clients. I received the book about a week ago and love it. He looks at training and health in a real world and practical way. It is an excellent resource for endurance athletes, people that want to lose a few pounds, as well as tips to improving overall health. It is amazing how many chronic conditions are improved dramatically or are eliminated when you fix the underlying causes instead of just popping another pill to treat symptoms. Overall, a fantastic book on getting the most from your training, improving your health, and quality of life.
JRoegge (verified owner) –
Ben has been one of my key mentors for 4 years and this book goes way beyond what workout and interval we need for the sport of triathlon. As the title says, this is beyond training as it guides us through the lifestyle of the sport. Not only does this help my training program but it gives me the knowledge to better coach my athletes and feed my family. If you are looking for an all encompassing guide to becoming faster, more fit and balanced then I highly recommend that you read this.
John Allegrini (verified owner) –
This book is chock full of great information some of which I never new, and I’ve been at this game for many years. Great stuff Ben, I can see you spent much time doing your homework. What’s next..??
John
KC (verified owner) –
I love Ben! I look forward to his podcasts every week…and I couldn’t wait to buy his book. I wasn’t disappointed. Every chapter is filled with information I’ve never heard… and I’ve read hundreds of books and articles on natural health and nutrition. Ben is incredibly scientific and thorough…so anyone who gives this book a low rating is probably not capable of understanding the depth of research and science behind his theories. My favorite thing about the book is that it’s very readable. You don’t have to be a scientist to understand it. I loved it. I would recommend it to any man or woman who is already fit and healthy and just trying to be better. My boyfriend and I both bought the book and listen to Ben together. Highly recommend it!
John R. (verified owner) –
I have been reading and listening to ben for a few years and then practices that he uses has taken me to the next level. As an example, I started using his low carb training and competition approach which included gen ucan and my pals thought I was an idiot, a year and a half later they are all using it. Now the stuff is double the price and sometimes sold out. now that meb won Boston everyone is aware of this tool. Things that are fringe right now will soon be mainstream so you might as well take the advantage while you can. I hesitate to write this review because I want all the secrets to myself! BUT I will share since no one should be deprived of their health.
Mary E. Brown (verified owner) –
WISH I HAD THIS RESOURCE 20-30 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS TRAINING HARD FOR ROAD RACES AND TRIATHLONS. I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE COMPETITIVE AND INJURED LESS. I SPENT 35 YEARS IN THE MEDICAL LABORATORY AND PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY, SO I AM IMPRESSED WITH THE WELL RESEARCHED AND DETAILED INFORMATION THAT BEN GREENFIELD HAS RECORDED IN HIS BOOK. ALSO, HE HAS FIELD TESTED THIS INFORMATION FOR HUMAN PERFORMANCE. I AM NOW A TRAINER AND USE THIS AS A RESOURCE FOR MY CLIENTS AND I ENCOURAGE ALL OF THEM TO DOWNLOAD HIS POD CASTS. KEEP UP THE TERRIFIC WORK………..THANK YOU
Gwfintegrity (verified owner) –
Tired of the same old fitness books? The–If you do “X” you will magically drop 20 pounds? This could be the book for you if you are looking at health and fitness as a lifetime pursuit. Ben can geek it up–check out the chapter on the heart rate zones–or dumb it down–the bonus material cuts to the chase. If you want to take control of your life, health, and fitness, this book gives you the tools to do it. You will understand why Ben is America’s top fitness trainer and Ben’s podcast sits near the top of the I-Tunes list.
CK (verified owner) –
I have been following a low carb diet now for years and only recently came across this book by Ben Greenfield. What a great find! I recommend this read for anyone who has shifted their diets and have found the cure to health which is all natural REAL food. Ben explores the low carb approach and “beyond.” A much needed resource in a world filled with misinformation. I am loving that Ben is an athlete himself and experiments with himself first. This has also been my way and that is the true test. Get the real deal and find out for yourself!
cctrimom (verified owner) –
I am one of those people that rarely sits down but since I received my copy of Beyond Training all I want to do is sit and read it! I am 50 pages in and can’t put it down. Thanks Ben for putting all of your knowledge in one easy to read place. A must read for any age grouper, weekend warrior, or serious athlete. Enjoy!!
An add on. The chapter on training zones alone is worth the price of the book. Finally someone has explained it clearly with examples and strategies you can implement immediately.
Joe Conway (verified owner) –
This is an excellent book! It makes the latest research on nutrition, lifestyle and performance very understandable. I’ve incorporated many of the principles Ben describes in his book into my own training and nutrition. I’ve been trying to use the lower carb diet with my running, but performance had been a problem. I would do low carb and my racing times would fall off. With the guidance from Ben’s book, I’ve found the right balance of lower carbs for bodyweight control, health and running performance.
Ryan Sage (verified owner) –
As a college baseball player, turned competitive snowboarder, turned triathlete over the period of about 10 years, I found this book to be a deep resource of material for so many areas of life. It’s very easy in the modern age to make scientific claims based on reading abstracts or cherry-picking data, but the principles of Ben’s book and his whole philosophy are sound and demonstrable. As a personal anecdote, I trained exclusively for my first half-Ironman in the methods he advocates and was able to drop a 5:35 without too much of an issue. To put that in context, one year ago I could barely run a mile. So whether or not you put crystal lamps in your room or sleep on a bio-matt, it’s important to remember that the core principles in the book are to help you live a life that makes you capable of performance while feeling, looking and thinking your best. Ben is up there with the Tim Ferriss’ and the Robb Wolf’s of the world, but has his own personal style that is deeply admirable.
A. J Neale (verified owner) –
This book is filled with fabulous information. I imagine I’ll reference it often and reread whole sections as my goals change. I’m not an endurance athlete at all and you don’t need to be to learn from this book. It covers nutrition in great detail, which is what I was looking for. It also has probably hundreds of references to outside sources for the things he mentions in each section. Ben even goes through his favorite kitchen gadgets and tools, eating plans, and several training and fueling plans.
Gardenpedal (verified owner) –
This book is for every endurance athlete or regular person who wants to live a healthy life. Yeah, there is a lot of techno-geek stuff in the book, but that appealed to me (and will to any triathlete who would like an edge). I am not a big science person, but Ben explained everything so that even I could understand. Every endurance athlete would like a way to go longer and/or faster with less stress on their body and by incorporating some of the tips Ben offers, athletes will recover quicker and maybe shave some time off their next event. Look, not everybody is going to do EVERYTHING talked about in the book, but if you read the book and just pick out a couple of “tweaks” that mesh with your life, it will make an improvement. I particularly appreciated Ben’s information about DHEA and older women. Thanks!!!!
David Kozikowski (verified owner) –
Very cool book!
I’m just getting started into a life style change.
After running (with a lot of walking) my first half marathon, then not being able to walk for 5 days I knew I was doing lots of stuff wrong.
I got this book started reading it and listen to his pod casts via his iPhone app.
Things have made a dramatic change for the better.
I’m over 50 and it has help me lose weight and most importantly get my energy back!
Great read.
Recommended!
Robert Weaver (verified owner) –
Many aspects and subjects I had never considered as hindering performance. Mr. Greenfield is all about performance. I am not a hardcore triathlete or endurance competitor but there is tons of useful information for even “weekend warriors” like myself. There has not been one tip or hack that I have tried that has not worked exactly as predicted. The chapters covering sleep and adrenal fatigue were exactly what I needed. I look forward to the chapter covering nutrition which I will have to tweak some to my level of activity. The author covers every subject in such an in depth way there will be no question as to how to go about it. He does geek out on the science. I am reading every page and jumping to individual chapters that are the most important to me. His recommendations come from firsthand knowledge and backed with cited sources. I believe that I will refer to this book often for nutrition and recovery information. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to improve regardless of their level of fitness.
Cody Novak (verified owner) –
Lots of great knowledge in this book!! However I have to agree with one reviewer in that there is a lot of selling in the book for this product or that. Besides that though, there is a lot to learn to better your quality of life. Thank you!
Sometimes Magic (verified owner) –
I have been working out for a couple of decades and have come across many books on the subject. I appreciate the author’s prospective based on his experience not just book knowledge or theoretical understanding. The author speaks not just from these but from personal application of the principles and practices that he readily shares in the book. It has greatly extended and expanded my knowledge concerning exercise, mentality, and lifestyle. This book has definitely changed the way that I engage my personal health.
Cons: The author seems to attempt to “Plug” and “Sell” a considerable amount of items that he favors throughout the book (a heads up for those that may be turned off by such a constant presentation).
Pros: Great information concerning exercise, personal health, and healthy thinking about staying in shape for the entirety of ones life. It does the body, mind, and lifestyle good.
I recommend this book.
Hari Nair (verified owner) –
Very different approach taken to explain & instil training/behavioural changes for better results. Concepts are well explained, even though some of them could have been either avoided or simplified. Only negative is promoting use of number of supplements & chemicals, which goes against the spirit of living natural.
Aintdoneyetdotnet (verified owner) –
Ben, actually has practiced what he preaches. Also I can attest that he has first hand knowledge of effectiveness of the techniques he writes about. How do I know this? I have been coached by Ben for the last 4 years, traveled to Wildflower twice , Ironman Canada twice, Kona once , Honu once, and Thailand for 2 weeks with Ben and sometimes Jessa. I have a unique perspective. I do have a bone to pick, that is that all the coaching I have paid for is in the book. True you may need to purchase a tailored training plan or a personal consult, but all can be had for under the cost of just one months coaching fee.
For the seasoned athlete you will have some Ah Ha moments, and wow that is 180 out of convention. For the Newer folks this book will require you read it over and over, there is simply a treasure trove of both practical and supporting information. Nerds will also have some fun trying to find holes, all I have to say is “bring a lunch”.
I have been proud to be in Ben’s guinea pig stable, he really took allot of the guesswork out of overcoming significant health issues and completing 3 Iron Man distance events. And the best part is that I Ain’t Done Yet.
SamP (verified owner) –
Ben has a great personality and it transpires in the book. This book is jammed pack of training hacks some great some border line obsessive but hey triathletes are all obsessive compulsive anyways….. I like the book but can be a little dry at times so take your time and annotate it to get back to the various hacks. If you want science you get science as well. OMG ! great read overall.
Coach Rut (verified owner) –
Ben did a great job of cutting to the chase and providing real world useful information on leading a healthier, fitter and more productive life. Much of his suggestions you can start practicing today.
Mindi Rosser (verified owner) –
My latest obsession has been all things biohacking. When Ben Greenfield announced his latest book, Beyond Training, I was over-the-top excited. I have been listening to his podcast since 2009. As a marketer myself, it’s been fun to watch him grow his brand over the past few years.
Beyond Training was no disappointment. I am no endurance athlete–which the book is geared towards–though I would consider myself a non-competitive female bodybuilder. Regardless, it’s a must-read for anyone interested in improving performance in all areas of life, not just short-term, sport-specific training.
What I liked most about the book:
– Easy-to-read. It was not hard to read or understand, and I am no biomechanist or health scientist. There are a few tough terms, but Ben explains them in layman’s language.
– Comprehensive. I think Ben touched on just about all aspects of training, recovery, health, longevity, hormones, biohacking and everything in between. It felt like a very organized version of the topics he talks about in his podcasts.
– Practical. Ben is human, just like the rest of us. If you ever wondered how he gets in all his biohacking, recovery, training and racing into his daily life, read this book. He shares his daily schedules and how he gets in everything he talks about without getting stressed out.
– Resource Lists. Most of us don’t want to dig into scientific journals or spend boatloads of time researching supplements to ensure their efficacy. Ben does it all for you at the end of each chapter. You get a comprehensive list of all the supplements and where to purchase them. The book would have been more than worth purchasing for this aspect alone.
– Addicting. This book was very hard to put down. I saved it for reading during my Bulletproof Coffee breaks and before going to bed.
What I would have tweaked:
– Prioritization. If you are relatively new to biohacking, it’s tough to know exactly which purchases you should save up for first. I would love a price list of all the hacks, how much they cost, and somehow ranked on a scale of 1-10. This would be very helpful for us budgeters, who want to allocate funds monthly to biohacking without breaking the bank.
– Expensive. You could spend tens of thousands of dollars on all these hacks, if not more. Start with the stuff that is free or low cost, and work your way up the ladder.
– Focus on other athletic types. It’s definitely geared more towards endurance athletes, as those are Ben’s specialty and his own personal passion. He does mention Crossfit a bit, but that’s a bit different than what I do. His book would probably need to be volumes long to include all athletic types, but there are a few questions I had about how his hacks affect physique athletes.
– Overwhelming. If you get easily overwhelmed, this book might make you like there’s no possible way for you to do everything, all the time. My advice would be to pick one new “hack” to implement each week. That’s it!
In conclusion, I would highly recommend this book to both seasoned and new biohackers. This is one of those books you must have in your biohacking library and as a reference for when you’re ready to try a new hack for enhancing a specific area of your life.
Pedal Forrest, Pedal (verified owner) –
Ben’s book is very good and informative and I have no doubt he passionately believes in what he’s telling you. I also have no doubt he needs to feed his family and has tie ins with many of the products he’s pushing in the book. Let common sense be your guide when reading his book, I got nothing bad to say about any of his methods or products but you can smell “clever marketing” in some of his writing (I don’t think this is a bad thing, just something to be aware of).
I really, really liked the parts about not letting exercise consume your life, I’m not so much a fan of the very expensive products that may or may not be useful.
A. Maurer (verified owner) –
This book is massive. It covers so many topics about helping you with your health, nutrition,and being healthy. I have faltered for the last year with my training for triathlons and endurance sports. There are so many great things in this book. You have to sit and really absorb. Then throw in all the online content and you have months of reading and research. What I liked about this book was that it covered many topics not typically covered. I marked so many passages that I had to buy the book because I am going to have to go back and read it in sections to fully grasp everything.
Dan (verified owner) –
Found the book very informative with good citations for the ideas presented. Great for those looking to achieve a higher level of fitness with a limited time schedule. Valuable insights into how you body seeks a balance and what you should or could be doing about it.
Some ideas seem a bit out there, definitely interesting alternatives to modern medical thoughts. When I asked my doctor about testing for vitamin D and other suggested test, he asked me why. When I told him I was attempting to improve my health he stated. That is not what we do, we only treat for people that are sick. I guess prevention or improvement is not their concern. This book can lead you to finding out how to improve your health and fitness.
Michal Porubsky (verified owner) –
very good book, I really appreciate all the time the author put in this ‘bible’ and there really are tons of tons of useful information, but I’d still take off one star for maybe too much focus put on the endurance training tactics and less focus on the velocity training I advocate.
The words above put simply – Worth the money, whatever sport you are interested in, but it’s focused on the endurance ones.
evanascent (verified owner) –
I’m not huge in the exercise department, but I’m really interested in healthy living and find that Ben Greenfield’s advice is well in line with other trusted and reliable materials I’ve read (and that includes the information he presents on proper exercise techniques/training protocols). There’s so much misinformation out there, and it’s encouraging that someone is clearing up the myths (and in one convenient book too). I would HIGHLY recommend this book to any athlete, especially those putting in hours upon hours at the gym… Doesn’t hurt that the book is well written and presents all the information very clearly…
John R. (verified owner) –
Wow only half way through but so much solid information and well presented. I am not an endurance athlete but into health and fitness. Yet I am finding out so much information and tips that are well worth the read. This book combines many of the other books, articles that are out there into one solid book. It is the most comprehensive book I have read on fitness.
Even if you are not into endurance training you’ll gain insights into training, recovery, VO2 Max, sore muscles, etc. If you are an endurance athlete you have hit the bible of training.
Surf City Doug (verified owner) –
This book is very well written and covers pretty much the full range of topics in depth, but I would suggest it ONLY for the serious triathlete. Far too complicated to be useful for an average fitness buff. If you are looking for extreme training… this is an excellent book I purchased it more to tweak my nutrition and recovery a bit, and while the information is good… it is far and above what I could possibly need.
Chad P. Poole (verified owner) –
a great reference, but a difficult read. Sometimes, Ben and me are best friends and other training days, I cant get over his sophomoric viewpoints and triathlete/elite attitudes, but overall he has great info and I take his word on a lot of things, mostly nutrition, recovery and supps. thanks Ben for a great add to the library.
Stephen G. Vajda (verified owner) –
The title is accurate. It offers advice about everything: exercise, rest, your brain, including plenty of practical advice like: Do you want to be remembered for exercising well? There are many areas I ignored-the author is quirky and a bit of a fanatic (which he admits) but there is plenty of good stuff, too.
POULIN CHRISTOPHE (verified owner) –
Extremely informative and detailed book! Not sure I buy into all the bio-hacks that Ben lists but some seem to make sense. I like his last words comparing how differently his wife and himself approach things. I have the feeling his wife is right in some ways by keeping things simple and pragmatic.
Avid Readers (verified owner) –
Ben Greenfield is a scientist who doesn’t write like one. He focuses on going beyond conventional training approaches – and clearly states why this is of benefit.
I have to start by saying Ben is in his early 30s. This is important to mention because he hasn’t been indoctrinated with decades of learning that are counter to what he’s been finding in the last few years. As such, I suspect he finds it easier to understand and agree with the current research. Sometimes I think if Ben were 20 years older, he’d have a better sense for how his findings are in contrast to decades of accepted wisdom – and how hard it is for people to simply accept the scientific findings he presents. Yet… then he might not be as willing to just dive in with both feet and experiment. And this is where Ben shines. Ben doesn’t have the “gee I’ve been saying this for 20 years so I have to stick to it” mentality. And he comes across passionate about what he writes – yet his ego isn’t tied to saying “I know it all”
Ben has no pre-conceived notions. He’s gone from being a weightlifter to an aerobic beast to finding the best of both worlds and balancing power vs endurance. He’s tried various different diets and read oodles on the subject. And he’s gone through hundreds of scientific studies and presents them well to the layman. Ben is also willing to admit that he’s been wrong on some earlier notions he’s had – and in the true scientific fashion – when newer findings disprove older axioms – he’ll say “I’ve learned; I’ve changed my viewpoint because the facts bear it out”. OK… maybe not in quotes.
Finally… the book has links to online research for much of what he talks about – making it easier for a deeper dive for those so inclined.
Highly recommend for those interested in overall health with an eye toward performance.
James Jordan (verified owner) –
Lately there is ALOT of health and workout Experts hitting the market…i used to read EVERsyTHIng but now there us simply too much regurgitation of experts quoting other experts leaving me to wonder…’is there anyone who actually has real data from actually doing the work? Not quoting another experts opinion? The answer is yes Ben Greenfield. Ben is the only expert since I believe Ori Hofmekler ( Warrior diet) wirh something new . Beyond training actually made me excited about science jt gets into what i believe is the next level of detail typically only real hardcore ‘Lifers’ will unferstand and LOVE Beyond Training for. If you want sonething new to actually try in your workout regimen this is where i would look….
Nidhish Shivashankar (verified owner) –
very scientific, and generally practical if not a little anal.
Al Valvano (verified owner) –
Comprehensive, for sure. I’m not 100% bought into every concept listed but there are some things to definitely consider as you think about a wholistic, healthy lifestyle. I have a hard time thinking that I would – or even could – live a life as structured as the author, and some of the concepts seem pretty fringe. But I very much like the wholistic look at health and fitness, brain health, emotional health, and big picture approach he takes.
Tony (verified owner) –
A large amount of great information with a sprinkle of gimmicky farkle. The book has a tendency to bounce between teaching you good information and trying to sell you stuff. This is deffinatly not a bible to be followed word for word, rather an intro into making educated decisions about what works best for your goals and lifestyle.
I have made changes to my training routine based off of some of the information in the book and I have found increases in performance as described.
Robert C. Ford (verified owner) –
Its a good book and gives a lot of insight as is to what is effective and not effective .
William B. Yates (verified owner) –
Ben is both an experienced coach and solid technical writer.
MD (verified owner) –
This book has provided much-needed guidance for me in matters relating to diet, recovery, training, and managing adrenal fatigue. As a not-so-young endurance athlete, I haven’t been exactly breezing through my training and races like I used to. This book has thousands of nuggets of information that have helped me to mitigate damage, avoid injury, stay healthy, get stronger, and feel good. It’s not like a novel that you read all the way through, you pick and choose the areas that you have questions about.
Aaron (verified owner) –
Very informational with lots of fitness and performance boosting hacks. Very long read though.
Jen trantor (verified owner) –
Not a book to read cover to cover but a great reference
James Clark (verified owner) –
There are some really great ideas in this book and the overall structure is good. There are also some really good pieces of information in there.
Sadly you need to read through a lot of text to get to them, and some of what’s in here is unproven pseudo-science (aka BS).
Giving it 4 for the 20% amazing stuff – in the understanding the people can sniff out the BS themselves.
Tinkerer (verified owner) –
This book is worth reading and studying by reading again. You’re not likely to retain everything in one reading. Beware of the low ratings. I’ve read a few and they look like they need to read more carefully. There’s more great information in this book than you’ll find in a dozen other health. books. I’ve been reading about health and supplements for many years.
I agree with a other reviewer that Ben is up there with other writers like Dave Asprey, Tim Ferris, Doug McGuff, Dr. Jack Kruse, and some others who are disseminating some fantastic leading edge information.
Some of these authors sell products, some don’t. That isn’t the point of the books. Don’t miss out on really great information. This book is a keeper!
Jeff & Pam Terrell (verified owner) –
Thank you for writing this book Ben Greenfield, it has been a life changing gift for me! It covers all levels of fitness and was the exact information I needed to be able to get back out on my bike and ride with proper guidance and recovery techniques. I’m implementing the protocols listed in the book for weight lifting, HIIT, mental well-being, and nutrition. This is the last health book I should EVER have to buy!
Thank you again for the perfect book to help live a healthy, happy, and fit life! ~ Pam Terrell, wife
Karli Dimino (verified owner) –
I like the way Ben uses science throughout the book. A bit heavy at times, but it really makes you utilize your brain.
Jorge (verified owner) –
a perspective to take in account and use it wisely. Do not believe everything you read but use what you think is helpful.
KK (verified owner) –
This book provides good specific details in everything about endurance.
No. Cal. (verified owner) –
Very informative
Go for it if you want alot of info you
might not need for average training.
fitz (verified owner) –
There is so much freaking information in this book! I’ve read many endurance training/performance books and this is what I’ve been missing. I’m currently reading this book a second time and am realizing I missed a few things the first time through it. There is just so much information, that it’s difficult to retain with just one read. If you are looking for the book that provides structured training for your specific sport, this isn’t that book. This is the book that goes with that book.
The core of this book is about maximizing performance without destroying your body. It has helped me find the balance between performance, health and longevity, to the point that I consider it life changing. If you are a hard charging endurance athlete, you may read some things that you don’t want to hear, but don’t fear Ben provides an endless supply of methods and biohacks for minimizing the damage while maximizing performance.
If you are looking for every possible thing that you can do to maximize performance, recovery, and health, this is a book for you. There is just so many biohacks and methods in this book that it will be difficult to implement them all. The book gives you the tools so you can pick and choose what works best for you.
When it comes to new Science, newly released studies, or new hacks, Ben leaves no stone unturned and doesn’t hesitate getting out on the fringe. This book has been out a couple of years and new information is continuously coming out validating many of the training and recovery methods laid out in the book. I hope and expect to see many revisions to this book since knowledge on this subject is continuously evolving.
This is a book that will always stay within close reach to be used as a reference. I so wish that I had this book 10 years ago!!!
Thank you Ben for all the research and work that went into this book!
deborah callicotte (verified owner) –
print Font difficult to concentrate on. In depth topics.
jean-claude (verified owner) –
Can not really do justices to what Ben has written in a few written lines.. I know a tone of athletes who follow the old ways of over training, adding junk hours to their training plan, breaking down, injure after injure, illness after illness. I keep Ben’s book as my secret weapon.. No need to EPO or steroids.. I am fitter healthier and happier thanks to Ben !
andrewphil (verified owner) –
Great book, easy to read, anjoyable and, most importantly, useful. I was tired of getting injured all the time, and now I am recovering my fitness level without getting injured and with A LOT more time to spare. What more could I ask for? Thanks Ben, great book!
Gina Paulhus (verified owner) –
This book is so chock full of actionable info it’s unreal. I will definitely be going back through with a highlighter and taking notes to be sure I don’t miss anything I want to implement. This has been the best investment in my health ever, by far!
Jake (verified owner) –
So much great information about every topic you can imagine related to health and fitness for your body and mind. Great insights and tips on how to improve your workouts and also what you can do outside the gym to perform and live better. Can’t recommend highly enough for those who love to train.
Thank you, Ben.
J Moya (verified owner) –
One of the better books about fitness and health. It takes a practical approach with ample references and details. Highly recommend in spite of some occasional weak spots. I hope he keeps this book updated in the future…some information is dated but still a good reference book that touches on many aspects of health and fitness.
Jennifer (verified owner) –
Designed for high performance
Scott M. (verified owner) –
Great book! It has an amazing amount of health and training information in 1 place. I also bought the audio version. I have listened to it twice.
JFO (verified owner) –
Ben Greenfield has written a great book here. Beyond Training covers a wide area of bioenhancement and health and fitness material. Hormone levels, nutrition, sleep and recovery, – all sorts of things. It’s well worth getting.