Overcoming Gravity
Update: Overcoming Gravity digital edition (PDF) is available in the store on the Eat Move Improve website. Additionally, Overcoming Gravity is now available on UK and European Amazons! Check your individual country's Amazon page to order. Overcoming Gravity: A Systematic Approach to Gymnastics and Bodyweight Strength is a 542 page comprehensive guide to the most overlooked, yet most powerful elements of strength training. In this book, Steven Low takes the reader on a journey through logically and systematically constructing a strength oriented bodyweight workout routine. With a highly systematic and scientific approach, Steven delves into the exercise physiology behind strength training and how to adequately prepare the body for the rigors of bodyweight training. Using the same rigor and attention to detail, Overcoming Gravity also includes recommendations for all bodyweight athletes concerning health and injury management. Unlike other books on this topic, it provides extremely comprehensive sample programming to assist in the design of a well-balanced routine, including information about the proper execution of the exercises and techniques. If you prefer your books on fitness and health to include data, science and effective recommendations, then Overcoming Gravity is an ideal addition to your library. Note: this book contains no bodyweight leg exercises, or primary gymnastics work (cartwheels, tumbling, swings, giants, etc.).
Stats for nerds
12recommend
18mentions
17people
2013–2024years
67% recommend33% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- definitely checkout
https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Gravity-Systematic-Gymnast...
and the corresponding subreddit
- I'm a big calisthenics nerd, and I agree with this.
For reference, I'm a rounding error away from 50 and I still do advanced bar work - muscle ups, archer pullups, pull overs, etc...
I think it's important to always work with your bodyweight.
80% of strength is neuronal coordination, you'll get strong with the way you train.
Use your bodyweight in closed kinetic chain [1] exercises and avoid the machines unless you're injured or have a specific reason.
There are progressions for every level.
I recommend "Be your own gym" and "Overcoming Gravity" for great references on bodyweight training.
(Also: don't do muscle ups. The only people who like that are sports medicine docs.)
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_kinetic_chain_exercis....
- Does body expanding also count if you are a philosophical monist? ;) Overcoming Gravity 2 - buy this book and a pair of gymnastic rings and you are set for life in terms of fitness (...ok, you should also do squats and deadlifts with weights)
- What really got me into strength training was accidental read of
Overcoming Gravity: A Systematic Approach to Gymnastics and Bodyweight Strength
This book turned out to be infinite knowledge source about physical training and how our body works in general. At first I wasn't convinced as the author looks more like a computer geek than ultra strong gymnast - but once you read it, you get to understand what strength really is, and why size of your muscles do not convey how strong you are.
- Exercise doesn't have to be at the gym. You can do fairly high level calisthenics with a weighed bag and/or Olympic rings
Excellent books on the topic like Your Body is Your Gym, Overcoming Gravity, and Paul Wade's ultimate isometrics.
- 1. Get a pull up bar from Amazon.
2. Buy Get Strong by Al and Danny Kavadlo. Start training 3x per week following their Phase 1/Foundation program. Go for a 10-15 min run on your rest days.
3. If you want better results, then buy Overcoming Gravity by Steven Low. Read a bit everyday while doing 2. Once you get the basics, adjust your routine to match your goals.
