Never Gymless book - Ross Enamait

[Fatman]

Has anyone here tried this book? I've heard it's the best bodyweight book to come out so far. Opinions please...

[neverending]

imo its money well spent , he explains a lot of intresting exerscies , discusss nutrion,programme creation. among other intresting tidbits. If your not a fitness guru i recomend you buy it. Hes someone who actually walks the talk. He does as he preaches, i think thats why hes got such a following. If your still not sure. check out the free articles on his site and take it from there

[kckelly73]

I would highly recommend picking it up. Ross takes a no nonsense approach throughout the book. The 50 day workout schedule can be toned up or down depending on your current level fitness and there is some basic insight on nutrition as well. I've personally been using his principles/workout routines and am down 12 to 15 lbs since late April.

[bretakmf]

by far, it's the best book i've read on training. i typically can't imagine paying for a book on exercise, but i was so impressed by him that i bought the book--very well worth it--it's changed the way i train.

[julio jordio]

not only is this one of the best books ive read
but you really get a hands on service from ross
as soon as i bought the book he emailed me to tell me he was constantly contactable for advice on his book, and the training routines and regimes he educates you about in it.
the reason this book is ranked no 1 in my opinion is because before that i didnt understand all the different aspects of strength needed for my martial arts and had spent to long training maximal strenght which left me feeling overtrained far 2 much, after reading this book i have become a whole more rounded athlete
my advice buy it- itll probably be the best money spent on a training book

[roudenleiw]

First of all: Ross is a personal trainer for martial artists and fighters who works with some big names. And he writes books which he sells online. He is NOT an internet guru like Matt Furey or others.

The most important thing is that he tests all the routines and exercises on himself and his body is the living advertisement for his products, because the guy is muscular and ripped. He can do some pretty nasty stuff such as standing ab wheel rollouts with three weighted vests or one arm chin ups. I find this important: if he tells you that it can be done, it can be done. Others talk and talk about hard exercises but who don't have the impression that they have ever done them (you know who I mean ;))

Never Gymless contains a lot of different exercises for strength and conditioning and more importantly it shows you how to work towards more difficult exercises, such as one arm pushups or even a pullup (which can be difficult for beginners). NG covers a discussion of different forms of strength, how to train each form, sound advice on nutrition, tips on program creation as well as goal setting and keeping.

Ross gives you lots of sample workouts and a complete 50 day plan as well as an beginner workout. He encourages you to modify his plans according to your needs.

He is a fanatic on conditioning, so be prepared to get your weak lazy butt kicked six ways from sunday! :)

Ross has a free online forum where you can post questions, view training logs and nutrition plans of other users and you can mail him directly and he will answer personally.

In short your money is well spend, whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle or get in condition for a fighting sport.

I have ordered Infinite Intensity and I'm looking forward to reading this manual.

[bretakmf]

ross is the man.

[cheesedog]

EVERYTHING Ross puts out is absolutly great. Some of the very best stuff out there. And unlike many others, he walks the talk.

[Toro27]

I would recommend this book to anyone. It is jam packed with info and no fluff or B.S. The price is low for all the info you get. Order this book as soon as you can.

[rawmark]

Yes, I highly recommend it. Matt Furey has a few of the exercises in some of his material that he charges 4x's the price that Ross' book. The great thing about Ross' book is that most of the exercises can be done without any equipment at all. I know that Ross does more than just bodyweight exercises but he does walk the walk so you can't go wrong with his book.

[xofjc62]

Also check out Ross' other book "Infinite Intensity" great book . The best out there as far as I am concerned.

[Harry Brand]

I have it and would recommend any of Ross' products 100%. He always answers my emails or pms.
Cheers

[markfu]

I baught Infinite Intensity and it is terrific. I have had a few email correspondances with him and he is very helpful and approachable. Definitely not a "minor fitness celebrity". Also check out his blog. He puts up some good things there.

[rawmark]

I only have his bodyweight book, which I love. I don't have a need for his other since my weights of choice are either kettlebells or clubbells.

[bladerunner]

Ross is the real deal no question. I had a minor issue with my order when I got his book and he was on it instantly and cleared everything up. Class act all the way. You wont find a better bodyweight book on the market IMHO.

[PillsDoughboy]

I've been to his site before and it is a great site, but was always curious about the book. I'll def order it now.

[bretakmf]

his books are the only ones i'd recommend spending $$$ on.

[LSA]

nothing groundbreaking as far as exercises go....but the chapter on program design and nutrition are worth the price....i recommend it for anyone who wants to work out at home...this book almost puts you on the level of a personal trainer when you understand and implement the principles....

[Fatman]

Probably higher, as most "personal trainers" don't know their arse from a hole in the ground and got certified through the internet...

[cheesedog]

Probably higher, as most "personal trainers" don't know their arse from a hole in the ground and got certified through the internet...

Or through the gym where they work, because gyms like to hire hot young chicks and roided out muscle heads.

[Fatman]

Hey, I don't have a problem with the 'roided up muscle heads. At least they LOOK the part, which is enough for the gullible public. It's the skinny guys who tell you how squatting is bad for you that I don't get.

[NeilC]

I like ross's books. I do have a few issues.

He's loose with the terminology and seems confused about sport science basics like SAID - he says things like 500 bodyweight squats is a true test of strength compared with squatting some heavy weight etc. Of course the two things are entirely different and require different training.

The exercise programmes in his earlier books are very much geared to endurance or strength/endurance with relatively high volumes of work. Good for conditioning, not so good for strength.

Is Never Gymless like this? Or is it a bit more sport-science based?

[Fatman]

I like ross's books. I do have a few issues.

He's loose with the terminology and seems confused about sport science basics like SAID - he says things like 500 bodyweight squats is a true test of strength compared with squatting some heavy weight etc. Of course the two things are entirely different and require different training.

I have read almost all his work (apart from Never Gymless) and have not come across this sort of confusion in terms. He usually differentiates very clearly between muscular endurance and muscular strength. His books are excellent from a scientific point of view - he might say that 500 BW squats are a better test for a boxer's perspective, not that it makes one "stronger" than squatting with a heavy weight. In fact, he is among the most prominent proponents of weight training for fighters. He is also well versed in training for strength, hypertrophy, endurance, etc.

Is Never Gymless like this? Or is it a bit more sport-science based?

To be able to answer this question one would have to know wat exactly you consider "sports science based". His Infinite Intensity book is written entirely on the lines of contemporary scientific approach to sports. His other work avoids using big words, but is still written along the same lines. So yes, I would assume the Never Gymless conforms to the same standard.

[Fit4Fight]

I have read almost all his work and have not come across this sort of confusion in terms.
second that, don´t know, where Neil came across that. NG is definitely up to date with contemporary sports scientific.

[Alboxing]

Never Gymless has enough informations for a lifetime of training, expecially if you are a combat-sports athlete.

However, I like to integrate it with Paul Zaichick products. The perfect combination for me.

[oldtimer1]

One thing that he says that I agree with is that there is to much emphasis on pure strength training and not enough on conditioning. When ever you see a pure weight man wrestle or box for the first time it's quite amusing to see how quickly they get gassed. Great strength without endurance is useless.

How many bodybuilder could keep up with Ross in one of his workouts? Real functional strength is both strength and endurance. Most trainers go for one or the other. I personally over do strength training but I'm slowly coming to understand that "conditioning" is an incredibly important characteristic of a functional athlete. Bodypart training without thinking of the body as a whole functioning entity has gotten many a trainer to the road to an illusion of fitness. Ross has said he hasn't done a bicep curl in years. Mirror athletes will never understand.

[bretakmf]

One thing that he says that I agree with is that there is to much emphasis on pure strength training and not enough on conditioning. When ever you see a pure weight man wrestle or box for the first time it's quite amusing to see how quickly they get gassed. Great strength without endurance is useless.

How many bodybuilder could keep up with Ross in one of his workouts? Real functional strength is both strength and endurance. Most trainers go for one or the other. I personally over do strength training but I'm slowly coming to understand that "conditioning" is an incredibly important characteristic of a functional athlete. Bodypart training without thinking of the body as a whole functioning entity has gotten many a trainer to the road to an illusion of fitness. Ross has said he hasn't done a bicep curl in years. Mirror athletes will never understand.

nice post.

[NeilC]

OK maybe I've overstated terminology thing but I remember in the Underground Guide he says something like "after 20 BW squats, Mr Barbell laughts about how easy it is. As it get to s40 he thinks again as his leg burn. As he nears 100 his legs shake.....he gets his ass kicked by the bodyweight squat"

I'm sure he does, as would anyone who hasn't trained doing large numbers of squats. But then the 500 BW squatter might look pretty silly trying to do just one squat with Mr Barbell's weights. Training is specific.

He also says that hardly any gym rats can perform 100 pushups because it takes less time and willpower to press a bar for 8-12 reps.

That maybe true or maybe not. I can do 100 pushups and it's not a huge test of willpower because I've trained to do a reasonable number of pushups. I cannot however press 200KG even once yet alone 8-12 reps. If I picked a weight I could just lift 8 times then doing it 12 times WOULD be an enormous test of willpower for me.

It's not a big point, I just think he should have compared like with like rather than implying endurance is superior to strength or more manly in some way. Some of these gym monsters train like nutters and have tremendous willpower. Quite why they choose to apply these traits to look like a condom stuffed with walnuts I don't know but there you go.

Don't get me wrong. I bought and am a fan of Ross's book from many angles I just remember these, and other comments, as being off the point and counter to SAID training principles.

[Fatman]

One thing that he says that I agree with is that there is to much emphasis on pure strength training and not enough on conditioning. When ever you see a pure weight man wrestle or box for the first time it's quite amusing to see how quickly they get gassed. Great strength without endurance is useless.

I agree to a certain point. Back when I trained in the grappling sports a strong guy was always a liability because raw power counts for a lot (not in boxing, though). Most of the guys who did weights were able to hold their own or even defeat far more experienced judoka or wrestlers, as in the end it does come down to raw strength. Conditioning is important, but one thing is for sure - a strong inexperienced athlete will almost always beat the weaker experienced guy who has a better grasp of technique(s). The "big guys suck wind" myth was propagated by weaklings who suffered from some sort of Napoleonic complex and needed an imaginary concept to comfort themselves with. To think about it, most martial arts practiced today were probably invented in the 20th century by guys who sucked at the real MAs and formed their own McDojos (I've heard of kung-fu/karate/something schools that don't even exist outside of Canada. Give me a break).

Now, I'm speaking about strong guys, not simply "big" ones (the ones who you refer to as mirror athletes). Bicep curls have their use in combat and all other sports, but overdoing them is a common syndrome among athletes of all sports.

[Erik]

I've heard of kung-fu/karate/something schools that don't even exist outside of Canada. Give me a break

I trained at one of those schools and, in fact, I ran one for a while.

Don't assume that because something's got a pedigree it's better than anything else. Or that something is crap because it's new.

My style was based on a the four basics (striking, throwing, locking and groundwork), with techniques derived from Kempo, Kenpo, Arnis, San Shou, Chin Na, Judo, Jui-jutsu and various military unarmed combat techniques. Our weakness (because it was my weakness) was grappling, but we were working to overcome it. It wasn't a bad school.

The guys who train in woo gar mo sut (also a home-made Canadian school) and who I've had the fortune to train with are very good.

[oldtimer1]

Fatman, I coundn't disagree more. When the first UFC started the only jiu-jitsu schools that existed were Rorian Gracie in California and Renzo/Kukuc in New Jersey. The Dojo in New Jersey exploded with martial arts guys coming from every conceivable art form from Karate,boxing, Judo, Aikido and so on. Everyone wanted to know about this Brazilian martial art from watching the first pay per view UFC. The same pattern was followed almost every training day. A muscle guy who could bench press the world would come in. He would be taken down and submitted by the many "little" guys in the class. I can't count how many left with their egos crushed. Usually the first thing to go was their endurance when grappling. In wrestling they call it gassing in the US. The slang means running out of "gasoline."

The point I'm trying to make is that strength training is incredibly important. I have been lifting for over 35 years. My basement is better equipped than many gyms. I will be in my basement today training with conventional weights today.

Strength is just one piece of the puzzle. Strength, power, speed, endurance, muscular endurance, skill, and reaction time are few of the attributes needed to call yourself a well rounded athlete. Naturally specificity of training comes into play concerning your specific goal in athletics. An example of this could be that 20% body fat is acceptable for a power lifter but 10% body fat is to high for a middle weight wrestler.

[Fatman]

The same pattern was followed almost every training day. A muscle guy who could bench press the world would come in. He would be taken down and submitted by the many "little" guys in the class. I can't count how many left with their egos crushed. Usually the first thing to go was their endurance when grappling. In wrestling they call it gassing in the US. The slang means running out of "gasoline."

I absolutely agree with you. I've witnessed the same many a time too. I'm just saying that it works both ways. I've seen big, strong guys mop the floor with a small and weak opponent with loads more experience and knowledge of locks, holds and throws. After all, you can't arm-bar someone if you're too f***ing pathetic to bring his arm to full extension - I'm sure you'll agree. I observed the same pattern later when I studied jiu-jutsu (albeit briefly). On the other hand, UFC guys are terrifically strong and conditioned, as were the people in the Gracie school you speak of. The fact that they're not physically big doesn't entail that they're weak. Also, big bench presses don't really help you in grappling, although they are incredibly important as part of a well-rounded weight-lifting regime.

Judo is kind of specific as a bout usually lasts until one of the fighters achieves a clean throw or pins/submits the other (or for 3 minutes total... at least did back then). So you don't really need as much endurance for a 3-minute bout, and a physically dominant opponent can complete a throw in far less time than that. IMHO there's not as much opportunity to get "gassed", as you say. Now I'm not advocating powerlifting as the end-all method to improve your grappling (that would be ridiculous), just saying that raw power does play an important role in those sports. So I don't really know what I wrote that you disagree with so fervently.

[bretakmf]

Also, big bench presses don't really help you in grappling, although they are incredibly important as part of a well-rounded weight-lifting regime.

strength in that range--bench/pushup--does help with positioning, esp reversing from the bottom with a heavier opponent.

[bretakmf]

I absolutely agree with you. I've witnessed the same many a time too. I'm just saying that it works both ways. I've seen big, strong guys mop the floor with a small and weak opponent with loads more experience and knowledge of locks, holds and throws. After all, you can't arm-bar someone if you're too f***ing pathetic to bring his arm to full extension - I'm sure you'll agree.

i've seen that too...we had a guy on our team for awhile who was 300+ lbs, and a state weightlifting champion...he'd get on top of me (in my guard), stack me, put his shoulder/chest on my face and smother me--he had so much mass that if he got on top like that i couldn't defend...taught me not to get in that position with him, though...

[oldtimer1]

Fatman, it's unfortunate that any debate on internet boards sounds like arguing because you can see the others' tone or inflection. We are just about on the same page so to speak. All the best. I hope to read many more of your posts. When it comes down to it we are both into physical culture and bodyweight culture.

[Fatman]

Fatman, it's unfortunate that any debate on internet boards sounds like arguing because you can see the others' tone or inflection. We are just about on the same page so to speak. All the best. I hope to read many more of your posts. When it comes down to it we are both into physical culture and bodyweight culture.

True. Even if we don't agree, we still appreciate the other's point of view.

[Gil]

Has anyone here tried this book? I've heard it's the best bodyweight book to come out so far. Opinions please...

ANYTHING Ross puts out is top notch.