Reviews

My 2nd reading of "Easy Strength" confirms the impression I had after the first. Every athlete should be required to read it. Every coach should be tested on it. This is the best information ever put in print for the real nuts and bolts of how to strength train an athlete. Pavel and Dan John are two of the best communicators in the industry. They are also, two of the most knowledgeable coaches ever. The education and experience shared by them will shorten the learning curve of anyone that applies it.

I've been involved in the weightlifting, strength training, and bodybuilding game for 26 years now. In that time I have pretty much tried it all. Working out 1 day a week to working out 6 days a week, twice a day. I've read pretty much all of the best books there are to read on strength training; including Verkhoshansky, Zatsiorsky, and almost every book available from Dragondoor. I've used Westside templates, Bulgarian Burst training (if anyone remembers that), programs from DeFranco, and on and on and on. You name it and I have probably tried it. I'm also a retired United States Marine, so I definitely know what it means to work hard.

I say all that to say this! Easy Strength is, HANDS DOWN, one of the top strength books that I have in my library. The wealth of information that is available, and the format that it is presented in, make it extremely easy to understand and apply to your own training, and the training of the athletes that you coach. It seems like some of the training recommendations would never work, based off of comparisons of traditional strength training protocols. The strange thing is, they not only work, they work EXTREMELY WELL. Me and my two training partners implemented the Even Easier Strength rep scheme, waving the weights up when we are feeling stronger, and taking it easy when we don't. And even taking it easy on days when we know we could really push it. Compared to some of the other programs that I've followed, the workouts are "easy", and we never leave the gym completely exhausted or worn-out. Our strength continues to climb on a weekly basis, and PRs are getting broken on an average of every other week to every third week. Our workouts take an average of 40-50 minutes max. It is truly an eye-opening experience.

Easy Strength has my absolute highest recommendation for anyone involved in strength training. Forget what you THINK you know about getting stronger and about training athletes. Buy this book and start implementing these principles immediately. It will be one of the best investments you will EVER make.

Dan John and Pavel... Wow! This book is a must read. Like Bruce Lee's philosophy of leaving what doesn't work and taking what does, this book blasts away what doesn't work in plain language without the fluff. Pavel refuses to repeat what we already know. These guys have to experience. They know what works. I was at a sticking point in my strength. This book helped me break through that brick wall that was eluding me. I'm getting ready for my RKC weekend and was worried that I wasn't going to meet the standard. I have no worries now. I was sapping my strength thinking I was doing the right thing. I found out right away what I was doing wrong in the first chapter. This book is revolutionary.

Pavel and Dan have produced a book that I feel should change the industry!
(strength and conditioning/personal training)
Breaking down the quadrants and the programming Pavel and Dan show you how to design a program for building strength - How and Why including fantastic research.

Belongs on the bookshelf (well read of course) as one of the classic and definitive strength and conditioning texts.

Just finished an "Easy Strength" slow read through and highlight last night. As much as I think of Beyond Bodybuilding, it is now moved one further out on my shelf so Easy Strength can sit side by side with Supertraning. If Supertraining is the old testament of training (acutally I would really consider it the TORAH), I now consider Easy Strength to be in the new and maybe even specifically Revelation to continue and add to the metaphor. As Chuck Missler says, "The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed; the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed". Bingo.

Hands down the best book I have read in the strength and conditioning domain. I will continue to reread it for the rest of my career and recommend it to everyone working as a strength coach. It has married the science from Eastern Europe with the common sense of two very experienced and successful strength coaches and is a hugely enjoyable read. Whenever you are getting frustrated with the industry pick up this book for a reminder of all things good about strength and conditioning! I really hope Dan and Pavel collaborate in this format again.

"If you can't explain something simply, you don't understand it well enough." Albert Einstein

Pavel and Dan have expressed their level of mastery in the world of strength in this book. Essentially, they have removed the fluff, filler, static, and misinformation that has leaked into the world of strength training and refined all of the important information into an approach that is so simple it is brilliant. Unfortunately, this brilliance may be over looked on the first read of Easy Strength because it is such an easy approach. Rarely is complex better than simple. This book is a MUCH needed reminder of that in the world of strength training where the latest and greatest training programs often begin with "5 minute this" or "Super Secret that" but rarely produce lasting results. This book is a breath of fresh air that reminds us of what we really need to be doing to get results and more importantly gives us a system to achieve this.

Dan John could make a book on numbers fun to read and Pavel could make a book of mathematical algoithms easy to understand. They are the perfect complement to each other and make the ofter confusing, and swirling world of strength training simple to understand. Brilliant!

I am re-reading Easy Strength for the fourth time in 18 months. When I first read it, I did not understand it truly. Simple rep ranges certainly meant strength, or mass, or stamina gains, as the sport science textbooks all agree, so what was special about this book?

Between the 2nd and 3rd reads, I returned to training for pure strength, being 6 years removed from powerlifting. I read EtK, Convict Conditioning, and Christopher Sommer's Building the Gymnastic Body; articles from CrossFit, 70sbig.com, Gold Medal Bodies, and T-Nation. I hopped from program to program each six weeks. I even used Dan John's 40 Day Program (for 20 days...). I felt like there was a pattern, but I was missing it.

Then, the real genius of Easy Strength hit me. I scanned 5-3-1, read about Sandow, Aserati, and the Russian greats. And just before this 4th read, I devoured Rippetoe's Practical Programming for Strength. I noticed that the same ideas were being repeated by all the elite professionals in strength.

Oh, and since following the key ideas from 10 Rules of Thumb for my iron work for just TWO MONTHS, I am stronger than ever, more mobile, and better balanced than I have been in years.

Easy Strength set me on an incredible learning journey in the world of training. So much of my work with clients has evolved and improved since I first booted up Easy Strength on my kindle.

It took a fool, a young and naïve one, to write off this text as redundant, missing its many insights, anecdotes, and research-supported facts about the iron game. On this 4th read, I finally see how much I do not know and am excited about it.

One of your many great products, and I think I am just starting to get it.

There are few Coaches that transcend the profession of his/her craft into the value of life and purpose. Coach Dan John fits that mold. It takes years of befriending iron, chalk, and calluses, coupled with practical application and trench training to provide fellow Coaches with a simple recipe for “Easy Strength.” Such a simple concept, but simple should not be confused with easy! Coach John brilliantly lays the foundation of decades worth of experience to provide the reader with a unique recipe, the recipe for “Easy Strength.” “Easy Strength” is filled with countless gems of information and real world experience from a Coach who’s walked the walk and blazed a path built on character, experience, passion and RESULTS! Without a doubt “Easy Strength” is one of the BEST strength and conditioning books I have read in the last ten years (post University)!

“Lift heavy, not hard”, the “Prisoners Dilemma”, “don’t major in minors”, the reverse S-curve of hypertrophy and the role of less is more are just several of the informational treasures that “Easy Strength” provides. Great Coaches and exceptional people can turn prospects into customers, and customers into evangelists. It is easy to see how much affect Coach John has had in my career as a Strength Coach! “Easy Strength” is so simple, yet so profound. It is a “must have” resource for strength coaches and personal trainers alike. Michelangelo said it best: “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”


Anthony Donskov, MS, CSCS, PES
Donskov Strength and Conditioning, Inc.
www.donskovsc.com

I have to admit, that's what I was thinking when I saw the new title Pavel and Dan put out. "Easy" strength ... that doesn't sound right. Then again, Power To The People was one of the best (and earliest) books I've read on strength training ... so I ordered it.

It was the best book I've read this year on training.

The main thrust of the book is of course "easy strength" -- almost like an extrapolation of "Greasing the groove" and all the ways that an athlete could apply that type of strength to make themselves better at their chosen sport.

Yes, Pavel and Dan like to tell stories. Yes, there are lots of different routines (like a buffet). Yes, that all makes it more enjoyable for me.

I picked up some great tips that will take my deadlift through the roof next year (High praise for me, I am already at a 3x BW Deadlift with no belt) ... and enough subject matter to keep my other lifts steadily advancing.

It's great to get a couple of guys who have been in the iron game for SO LONG ... and ... have seen it "all" when it comes to building strength and staying active.

That's the key thing I got from this book. Yes! I want it all now. Yes! I want to be super strong now. Yes! I love training balls to the wall/no pain no gain/cramp or die/etc ... but ... I also want to be strong AND mobile/healthy well into old age -- and easy strength is definitely the ticket there.

I really can't recommend this book enough. I almost used up an entire highlighter going through it just once ... let my friend borrow it to read ... and ... now I'm itching to get it back so I can go through it again (with a different color highlighter) and make more notes and plan out some more strength goals!

Do yourself a favor, get this book and get strong!

As a retired teacher of 32 years, and a non-retired competitive lifter of 50 years, I always cringed over the so-called strength strategies employed by high school/ college coaches and their athletes. Not that these hard working, serious competitors could be blamed; it was just that much confusion and misinformation about supposed power building programs were everywhere. Unfortunately, many young men and women were placed on time consuming, energy robbing "bodybuilding" programs; their muscles would pump up, but their strength gains proved negligible.

Now, fortunately, Pavel Tsatsouline and Dan John, perhaps the two foremost strength coaches in the world have written EASY STRENGTH. They have removed the myths behind truly EFFICIENT strength work for athletes, spelling out exactly how simple proper programs need be. Football players, wrestlers, track & Field people, and others can now ENJOY a much more direct route to useful total body power without wasting grueling hours in the weight room. About the only downside is that many schools may now have to question why they previously spent so much on rooms full of expensive machines!
JOHN McKEAN IAWA world champion, multi world record holder

Buy this book if you are serious about taking your training to new levels or improving the training of those you work with. This may the most important book ever written on strength training and I've been blown away by the content. The material is extremely comprehensive and will require a few 're-throughs' to appropriately absorb all of the important topics covered. A book written by 2 legends and organized in a very unique format. This book is outstanding for anyone serious about improving their own training and to really impact the people you work with. So, for all trainers, coaches, and athletes, this is a "must have" addition to your library, without a doubt. What Gray Cook's book "Movement" is to Human Movement, "Easy Strength" is to the topic of strength training. Absolutely loved it and give this my highest recommendation!

The rating, that is? Because I would definitely go a few notches above whatever the highest mark is.

I am a mid-30s wannabe/newbie thrower (QIII athlete, in Easy Strength parlance), and the information in this book provides years worth of training ideas and templates.

If you are a regular follower of Dan's and Pavel's work, there are some specifics in here that you may be familiar with, but the way it is all tied together in the book is truly remarkable.

I am on my second read of the book now, and every time I read a passage, there is something new that jumps out at me. My "working" copy is going to be *very* full of highlighting very soon.

After reading this book (twice), I am pretty confident I have been overtraining my entire life, or at least the portion that has been devoted to serious lifting, and I believe this has hampered my progress, and probably the progress of the vast majority of strength trainees who don't have the benefit of excellent professional coaching. I think this book, and the philosophies and programs outlined in it, are the way around that overtraining, and specifically a way around the idea that if A, B, or C is good, then A, B, or C x 2 or 3 will be even better!

In short, if you want to participate in any sport, but especially a sport requiring a good/great deal of strength, or if you just want to maximize your own strength and longevity in the iron game, then BUY THIS BOOK.

I have both the video & book. I reread and re-watch periodically. Each time enriches me. You can not go wrong with their teachings. I am 74 years old and am grateful to have teachers like Pavel & Dan John. Thank you guys.

Such a well thought out and well presented joy to read. If ever there was a piece of work to cause a 'paradigm shift' within the strength and conditioning community, this would be it. Will make it required reading on the new MSc in strength and conditioning that my university is looking to start up. In fact, I think you could easily base the whole course on it!

I think that all that remains to be said is thank you!

I finally completed 40 consecutive training sessions and finished the Easy Strength program. The program is clear, simple and amazingly effective. I needed a program that would allow me to pass my RKC II strength tests with ease. I couldn't rely on a good training day when I tested so I needed a program that provided consistent results, even on a bad day.

I chose the pistol and single arm KB press as part of my program. These were both part of the RKC II strength tests.

Here are some quick before and after numbers for the single arm kb press. I’m pretty happy with the results.

Kettlebell Military Press

Starting Numbers:
32kg x 5R, 5L (This felt very heavy)
36kg x 2R, L (Again, felt very heavy)
40kg x 1R only

Ending Numbers:
32kg x 15R, 13L
36kg x 5R, 5L
40kg x 4R, 3L
44kg x 1R, 1L

Pistol

Starting Numbers:
20kg x 5R, 5L
24kg x 4R, 4L
40kg x 1R only

Ending Numbers:
32kg x 5R, 5L
44kg x 1R, 1L

The best thing about the program? It worked! I got really damn strong (for me) and I passed RKC II with no issues.

This is by far the best book on strength available today. It provides a clear cut, no nonsense, highly effective strategy to build raw strength. This is a must have for beginners to seasoned professionals.

Being past middle age, I was struggling staying in shape and avoiding injuries. Easy strength helped me meet my strength, weight loss and be healthy goals while getting closer to 60 years old. I enjoyed the down to earth rep and set systems for getting stringer without having to use max lifts. My strencgh went up and my weight went down. Must read for older strength athletes.

Pavel,

Just finished your latest work with Dan, Easy Strength. What an incredible book. You two managed to sum up an incredibly convoluted subject into something easily digestible for those of us that aren't physical preparation specialists. The ideas of GPP and SPP as they apply to "your" sport, specifically, is something I've been trying to get guys to learn more about for awhile. It is, unfortunately, something I don't think our current coaching staff totally gets either. This book should be mandatory reading for anyone whose job has a significant physical component. If more of the boys at work would just lift heavy weights with a low volume, do some basic power/speed work as it applies to the job, and cut out the endless conditioning I'm convinced they would experience an increase in performance and a decrease in rates of injury. Additionally, they would have much more time to focus on the technical/tactical aspects of our job...for instance, shooting, combatives, jumping etc. If they could then learn to apply the GPP to SPP continuum as it relates to specific training events we have in our yearly schedule, I believe they'd be amazed at their progress. Again, great job on the book. Conceptually, I think it's one of the best out there now, especially considering it's written at a layman's level.

Teaching strength and cond. in a public high school and working with high school athletes of all levels, this book could become my new bible! Dan John has outstanding insight into the levels of talent, ability and the needs of high school age athletes. Pavel is Pavel and once again puts forth a program based on outcomes and performance. Dan's forty day program looks ingenious. The balance of programming, experience, and personal commentary makes the book an easy read. Too much time effort and energy is wasted in high school weight rooms. Following the Easy Strength principles will put an end to that. Congrats to Pavel and Dan!

Because I would turn this review all the way up to 11. This book is THAT good.

Written with the humor and humility of Dan and Pavel, Easy Strength is easy to follow, and easy to implement. It makes sense for the most educated of trainers, as well as the lay person trying to improve their training.

One of the best things about Easy Strength is it makes it simple to implement changes to programs right away. Just breaking down my clients into four quadrants, helped me shift my thinking to improve their training.

Not to mention my own. My weaknesses became more apparent as I shifted my thought process, and strength gains came faster.

Forget Tom Clancy, John Grisham and Michael Crichton's books. This is one you cannot put down.

Absolutely one of the best books I have read regarding pure strength training in a long time. I also love how it is written as a conversation between two great coaches! I feel like I am at the table with them. This will have an immediate impact on how I train my clients and athletes. I wish this book would have written 10 years ago. It would have saved me a lot of trial and error!

Atypical results require far more than the next magic exercise or routine--You must entirely change how you train. To change behavior, you must change how you think. Read a few pages of Easy Strength prior to every training session for the first 30 days--You will to learn to approach your workouts with the appropriate DISCIPLINE rather than some arbitrary "insanity" (the irony is appalling) or some other catch phrase. The principles in Easy Strength enabled me to dramatically increase strength while dieting--to the tune of 100lbs in deadlift while LOSING 20lbs IN THREE MONTHS! Reread that last sentence if need be. And though this book does not prioritize aesthetics, one can imagine the physique transformation that would accompany such improvements.

I have read through it twice and haven't begun to soak it all up yet. Looking forward to breaking it down chapter by chapter. Hope to use some of the things I learned with my football players this summer as we prepare for another football season.

From a rehab perspective Easy Strength gives me powerful tools to restore function in a clinical population that work even faster than a myriad of manual therapy or corrective exercise approaches. That is the shock to me. That when the bar is raised by increasing the challenge of a GPP program motor control reflexly improves. I have seen this every day in my clinic as I apply these principles more & more. Sumo's, DLs, KB swings & carries, etc are proving to my patients that restoring function not only helps them return to activities sooner, but reduces their pain.

Thank you Pavel & Dan John for providing a new chapter in my education no less revolutionary than when I first came across the work of the Czech "Fathers of Rehabilitation" Dr Karel Lewit & Pr Vladimir Janda.

Take your time and get to know this material well as it will pay off dividends.

I have just finished my first reading of Easy Strength. Although it is written in a different format than many other books (such as Enter the Kettlebell) it delivers on its goal of giving common sense advice on strength training for athletes of all levels (and equally good for those of us who are not actively participating in organized sport but seek the advantages and enjoyment that come from strength training).

I wish I had access to this training information in High School. I can't help but to think back on a lot of wasted training and needless injuries. The truth is that most of your strength goals can be made if you employ a smart, basic training plan. For you young lifters and athletes get this book, stick with the guidelines, and stay healthy.



Well done Pavel and Dan John.

I bought and read this soon after it was released. I was expecting some useful information and got more than I bargained for. There's so much excellent information there that I couldn't take it all in - I've got to read it again now to make sure I haven't missed anything.

The information is very well presented throughout and is different from most other S&C books you will read.

If you're looking for a book to learn about strength training and to help you get strong then this is it. I've made outstanding progress following the basic Easy Strength guidelines over the past 40 sessions. In fact, it's the best gains that I've ever made in 10 years of strength training.

The quadrants helped me realize that I'm not training for 'elite fitness' or some other hype, I'm just a 40-something father who wants to play sports with my kids and stay healthy. Once I understood the basics of what strength training was and was not I rapidly started improving on all lifts.

Starting off I could get 2 shaky presses and one decent chin-up with the 32kg KB. By the end of the 40th session I had improved those lifts to 2 clean reps with 36kg press and a 40kg chin. Despite no dead lifting during this cycle I pulled an easy 2x BW single near the end of the program one afternoon just for to test the lift.

In addition I found a little nugget in the text that described the concept of Easy Endurance wherein it describes a holistic method to combine strength and endurance training simultaneously. Following that guidance I kept my running nice & easy and continued to build endurance while making the aforementioned strength gains. Strength & endurance are not mutually exclusive as the text states!

If you're looking for a solid explanation of strength training and how to get strong I highly recommend this book. I can't wait to start the next cycle!

Supertraining by Siff/Verkhoshanksky . Now Easy Strength. Pavel and Dan have outdone themselves. My wife had to make me go to bed after I recieved my copy. The Quadrants is a brilliant concept. The read is amazing for coaches or strength enthusiasts alike. Pavel and Dan have always been must go to coaches for anyone serious about strength training. Inpressive is an understatement. Very highly recommended.

The new book, Easy Strength, by Dan John and Pavel Tsatsouline is another well written piece from Dragon Door publications. Following is our review from The Culture of Strength:

Easy Strength is an absolute must read for any strength and conditioning coach. The book and its authors do a masterful job of explaining and supporting their methods with in-the-trenches, proven data. All S&C coaches, regardless of sport, need to read and re-read this book. The opening chapter on the impact of an S&C coach should be mandatory with an exam after reading. All too often, especially at high school levels, coaches want to test the mettle of their athletes almost opposed to trying to advance them. As detailed in the book, smoke sessions are great if they can help achieve the desired goal. If not, quite frankly, they serve no purpose other than leaving the athlete unable to perform at optimum levels on game day.

The chapter on quadrants as well, is most useful in helping us all understand where we are on the athletic evolutionary chart. If you don't know where you or your team are, how can you advance yourself or them to a higher level? Simple concept? Yes, but putting that concept into practical application seems to be where so many fall short. The authors understand that and guide you onto the path that will lead to steady, consistent, tangible improvements that transfer to the field of play. As Dan and Pavel say, "It is not the role of the strength coach, but the IMPACT".

From a personal standpoint as well the book delivers. Understand this is not just a book about team training. Once someone truly identifies where there are and what their goal is, they need only to find an approach that aligns with that goal. Again, this is common sense, but somehow our train leaves the station and we forgot our bags. Here, in this book, is your answer of how. There are many recommendations and guidelines that the book lists to help get the process underway. From set and rep schemes to the best bang for your buck exercises and movements, Easy Strength supplies you what is needed to begin, to advance, or to restart.

Personal and team trainers, as well as individuals, would benefit enormously from heeding the advice and applying the principles of these two leading authorities on strength and performance. In short, Easy Strength wins the gold.

Best resource for athletes who do sports other than the iron sport. Thoughtful and thought provoking

I want to keep this review short and sweet. Easy Strength is hands down the most insightfull, eye opening, engaging and dare I say THE single book that will change how you look at and procede with getting strong that you have ever read and possibly may ever read. If you want to get strong and help other people get strong this is a must buy, but even more than that, it is a must read. No B.S., no nonsence, no fluff, all quality.

I'm only about 2/3 of the way through this book and am already astounded at the sheer amount of information contained within the pages that is both easy to understand and implement. After completing this book's 40 day program I made significant gains in endurance, mobility and strength through a greater range of motion. The most significant part about this is I made greater gains in two months than in years of working on these areas.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in improving their fitness.

I was able to apply some of the techniques and went from 200lb dl to a pr of 235 lbs in only one week.

Another great addition from Pavel and the Dragon Door team! Dan John is a wise man and tells it like it is, "It's so easy, you won't do it." Follow their advice and stay fresh, it works.

It has always been a challenge to match up a decent strength training program with athletes' in-season goals. This excellent book, written by two of today's most respected strength training authorities, connects the dots and creates a paradigm model that makes sense.

The information in this book is fantastic, the book reads more like a novel then a technical manual, which is good if you enjoy reading and bad if you just want a cookbook.

When I found out that 2 of my favorite authors were co writing a book I knew I had to have it. I wouldn't have even cared what they talked about I just knew I had to add it to my library.

When the topic is about how to get strong by taking it easy. Well that's almost too good to be true and if it were any other author (with the exception of a few) it would be too good to be true. In as dishonest of an industry as fitness is, both Pavel and Dan John have always been honest in their approach and have always backed what they claimed with hard results (many times even instant).

It's a funny thing. There has been a quote that has been floating around with the party for a considerable amount of time now..."Simple but not easy." Well why not easy? If something can be done easier (and safer I might add...which is always a good thing.) This book is the "how" behind the "easy".

This book for some people can act as a guide and a great read for those that love reading about strength and athletic training. For "go hard or go home" types this could be a complete paradigm shift. Either way you owe it to yourself to grab this book, give it a read and apply the information inside.

Such simple concepts to which I wish were ingrained to me many years ago. I cant say enough of all the products represented here. If you haven't bought this book, do it! you wont be disappointed.

This book is what it's all about. Strength, Easy Strength. A Brief Summary of this book would be a disservice. I'm also not here to write a book, Dan and Pavel have done that. Yes, All the reviews are glowing. Yes, it seems too "Easy." Yes, I understand you're apprehension. No, Not Drinking Koolaid. When you have so many of the Worlds Leaders in Strength saying this book is a MUST Read, Why haven't YOU read it? I'll tell you why. Because you think it can't work or possibly help you. Wrong! If you're Human, it Helps. Especially if you Train Yourself or Others. It's that good. It will help you become a better coach, athlete and most important a better person. These guys have made it 'Easy'. STOP making it Hard and Read This Book. Get Strong then spread the Word. If You Read Easy Strength and Don't Get Strong, It's Your Fault!

i have admired both Pavel and Dan for a while, and am now in the process of trying to buy everthing they have produced. In just a few short weeks myself and my athletes have change dramatically. As a former marine I was using some of the principles intuitively for years like grease the groove and more recently Barry Ross's programme. This book just confirms and enhances my armoury. I have been telling sports players like rugby players to back off for years! The ones who listen benefit greatly. Unfortuneatly it very often falls on deaf ears. This book simply must be in your library whoever you are. I cannot recommend more highly. You owe to yourself...buy it you will not be disappointed! It is a GAMECHANGER!

I have the book and I am still reading through it but I can't put it down every chance I get I read it. There is just so much valuable information in this book . It has so many tips and tricks in it, it makes me want to attend the easy strength workshop asap.

To say that "Easy Strength" is the most prolific book in published in the Strength & Conditioning field in the last 10 years would be an understatement. It's the "in-the-trenches-what-REALLY-works" guidebook for the average athlete that has been field-tested by athletes in all categories - from high school to Olympic and professional caliber. The best part is that it's all easily explainable by science - much of it gleaned from the Russian sports science archives. Pavel and Dan simply do a fantastic job cutting out all the bull and clearing out all the smoke and lay out once again in the simplest of terms a "Here, do this" approach to strength training for athletes and non-athletes alike. Do yourself a favor - buy "Easy Strength" and devour it like I did. You might find it to be the last book on strength training you ever need.

A great book! If you have read Pavel's and Dan's work so far, you'll be familiar with this. More of a detailed summary than something new. Possibly a little overpriced for a book that comes in under 300 pages, but then the information is valuable so others may disagree!

Not the game changer others are saying, this info has been out there a while, I would recommend.

I am a huge fan of Dan John's work. This book is no exception. Dan and Pavel dispel rumors, focus on strategies that achieve results, and provide information for both athletes and coaches to truly excel. I rated this product a nine despite the wealth of information the book contains. I believe this book could be written in a more concise manner that would better serve the reader. I would like to see a second edition or a separate book that distills the information. A simple, "for hypertrophy do 5x5 and 3x2". More of a quick reference, yet comprehensive chart illustrating all of the information in the book. Great book, very beneficial, and a great value for the information contained. A little more of the "how" and less of the "why" might benefit some readers.

In 2009, I was assisting at an RKC instructor certification and wandered into the lunch hall, looking for someone to sit and eat with, and the first person I see, all by himself at a table, is Pavel Tsatsouline. Time to chat with Pavel? Fuggedaboutit! Later, we were joined by Dan John. I know - who gets that lucky? Me. It went down as one of the best lunches I've ever had, and I don't remember what we were eating at all. Our lunch conversation focused on books and a little strength and conditioning research. Talking weights and training casually and unrushed with two people who are so experienced, well-read, and in demand in the field almost never happens to most of us, even when we seek them out. Trust me, I realize how fortuitous that lunch was.

Naturally later, when I found out that the two were working on a book, I was excited. And then later, when I was given the opportunity to read and offer suggestions on a manuscript, I was ecstatic and tremendously honored. It was dynamite and most of the 4 pages of notes I sent to Dan and Pavel after reading the manuscript read like:

"Muscle Joy" - Awesome!
"...most guys who train to look good naked nearly have to be naked before you can tell they even train" - Awesome!

The book's layout is as if Dan John and Pavel are having a free-flowing conversation. The topic is started, and Pavel injects research and anecdotes, and then Dan adds his own thoughts and experiences. It is the closest most of us will get to being a "fly on the wall" during a conversation between two master trainers talking shop in a focused stream-of-consciousness fashion.

There are too many gems, "Of course!" moments, and "a-ha" passages in the book to mention. Way too many.

What does it cover? Well, it covers just about all the programming knowledge that most of us need to get strong without breaking ourselves. A random sampling of topics include GSP, SPP, the application (mis-application, really) of plyometrics, Dan John's 1979 squat workout, ladder rep schemes, "the quadrants", Strength and Speed-Strength Complexes by Verhkhoshansky, the genesis of the "goblet squat", defining an "elite" athlete, many training cycles, workout set-up, the hip displacement continuum, routines, cycles, examples, and plenty of "do-this" lists and bulleted points.

For the self-coached strength athlete it is a must read.

For the trainer or coach that is trying to improve their athletes' strength it is a must have.

There is so much training knowledge in this book, there's no way to digest it all at once. Did I say book? I mean manual. Easy strength breaks things down in a simple and entertaining fashion, as Dan and Pavel always do.

If you play sports, whether at an elite level or in the adult rec league, buy this! Unlike some the other rkc books, this one focuses on getting strong for sports, not just getting strong. Well worth the investment.

I really can't believe how much I have increased my strength in only the past month. This is definitely going to be a strength template I return to over and over and I can't wait to start using the "armour building" aka hypertrophy template next. I'm a Dan and Pavel fan for life

PAVEL AND DAN HAVE TOGETHER COMPILED AN INCREDIBLE WORK THAT WILL BE A TOP 3 ALL TIME S & C RESOURCE FOR THE MELLENIA. SO MUCH INSIGHT FROM SO MUCH EXPERIENCE...YOU WILL READ 'EASY STRENGTH' AND HAVE TRUE REGARD FOR THE DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE BOTH COACHES HOLD ON THE TOPIC. SIMPLY BAD ASS AND A MUST HAVE FOR THE ARCHIVE!

This book is amongst the best books i have read in the past couple of years. It contains smart training ideas that will leave athletes ready to compete, it provides ways of maximizing skill improvements while still getting strong so that you can put your best team on the field- not simply the strongest- and for people who aren't into competitive sports, it gives the key to long term strength gains without body breakdown- a bargain for twice the price!

As a retired football coach and part-time personal trainer, the first thing I did after reading "Easy Strength" was call my successor. If you want to revolutionize your athletic program get a copy of "Easy Strength" for every coach (especially the Strength Coach)! And take THE SECRET to your grave!

Some where it should be made clear that the book is about strength training for sports. If you are a weightlifter or power lifter you have to think about how to apply the ideas to you. If you are in another sport where strength is vital this book can be a great help.

Disclaimers: 1: I have not finished the book yet, but I am currently reading the chapter 7. I quickly checked the rest of Ch.7 and the Ch. 8 to write this. 2)I barely have any experience or knowledge in the field. 3) My English is terrible.

After reading many newsletters from DD about the book, what helped me making up my mind about buying it was watching Mark Rippetoe's interview to Dan, where he talks highly about Pavel. I don't regret it.

The book is easy to read and contains a lot of information. It does reference various previous books by Pavel and others, but in general it is a complete whole. Most of the time they give you the little parts needed from the other Pavel's books.
The authors seem very knowledgeable (and they are well-known for being so). What they say seems sensible to my biological knowledge (which is not related to the exercise science area, as I said).

I would have appreciated some summary or sketched rutines with their names ("40-day", "even-easier strenght", etc) at the end of each chapter or something like that, for quick reference. Sometimes I feel that I will have to "mine" the book when I start actually choosing-designing a program. This is, of course, a minor issue. Maybe it has been even been done in the forums. Another thing, most of the technical aspects of the exercises are assumed to be known. This can be non-trivial because of the big amount of exercises involved. There are books on barbel exercise technique (Rippetoe's is one) and I'll look for other books on KB. Much can be found on internet and probably on DD forums. Being the book already quite long, it is reasonable that they expect you to learn the technique somewhere else.


I generally like the layout of the book as well. I have actually been reading it from my 3.5'' phone on my way to work, without suffering too much. I like very much that one gets to buy a PDF, which is much easier for someone not in the US. Also, I really appreciate that it is DRM-free, so I actually own my copy.


On the purchase part, everything worked fine, I got to download the book as soon as I paid for it.

Pavel and Dan John have once again produced an amazing resource. The information in this book is a game changer when training athletes. Within weeks of applying the principles I learned from Easy Strength, my clients began to experience improvements. I have applied these principles to all my athletes ranging from rock climbers to triathletes. Every one of these athletes has given nothing but praise for their results due to the programing. If you are serious about training athletes, military, police and fire, or just the general population you need to read this book.
Thank you Pavel and Dan John!

The mark of a pro is getting more results out of less work. Pavel and Dan’s “Easy Strength” shows you why that’s true and a whole of slew of ways how to do it. I was expecting that when I got the e-book.

Here’s what I did not expect. This book gives the best overall view of training and health and movement (not corrective movement mind you), from little kid to elite professional athlete that I’ve read.

The template for easy strength has been going around for a long time. Dan’s 40 day program has been around for years as has Pavel’s low rep, medium/high intensity, don’t go to failure, stay fresh approach to strength. I’ve seen several programming templates published in the book before. I thought that’s what this book would be about, and it certainly is.

I thought I could sit down and browse through this in one sitting like I did with Convict Conditioning 2. Ah, no. Dan mentioned on the forum that this is a “textbook.” Have you ever consumed water from a fire hose? This book goes WAY beyond the Easy Strength program, so much so that I question the title of the book but at the same time can see how it works both ways.

For this review, I want to briefly go through Dan’s rather brilliant invention: “the Quadrants” and explain why understanding them will help anyone from high level athlete to the casual, yet highly engaged, trainee who is interested in possessing health and athletic attributes. If you are interested in sludging through exercise or doing as many as you can so you can look pretty, then this won’t interest you.

The Quadrants outline the life of physical activity, starting from the most general movements, embodied best by children’s play. As you ascend up the quadrants (it’s more like a ladder), you move from general activity (pushing, pulling, squatting, rolloing, tumbling, rotating, etc.) to more refined, precise athletic movements. As the intention changes, therefore so does the training.

Here’s a philosophy lesson for you: the more general we are in our knowlege, the more certain we are of it. Yes that knowledge is vague or “hazy.” The more precise we get in our knowledge, the less certain things are. What am I drinking? A liquid. A beverage. Wine. Red Wine. Cabernet. Cabernet with Italian grapes grown in Barolo harvested in 2006. What is most certain? What is most precise? As I read through the quadrants, this teaching of the general and the precise kept ringing in the background. Just as we all have general, certain knowledge about things so to do we exercise and move around (unless you are completely lethargic). Highly precise knowledge is rare. Highly precise movement (which equates to athletic excellence) is rare. General is what everyone does, precision is what people who put 10,000 hours into one thing do.

The movement from our general movements, activities, “health” (and this is important: “fun”) to the highest level of physical excellence that is often less healthy and fun follows this pattern. This book brilliantly takes you through this progression, while feeding you what to do at each quadrant.

Easy Strength starts at the beginning with the first quadrant. Dan posts some timeless “beginning” quotes that stress the importance of a solid foundation such as Virgil and Lewis Carroll. Dan’s Fulbright Scholarness shines through at moments like those. The first quadrant has the greatest variety of movement and the least amount of precision. He points out that problems arise in childhood athletics when parents try to cram the upper “quadrant 4,” ie hyper-specialized athletic protocols down the poor throats of the children who best thrive at the beginning of all physical activity, quadrant 1. Dan makes a convincing case that childhood activity and “Quadrant 1? is a natural connection. Very good things happen if you respect and use it, very bad things happen if you ignore it.

Pavel chimes in here and tells us about his mother and her unfortunate experience with athletics

As a Strength & Conditioning coach as well as international athlete there is so much information out there in Cyberspace on Strength, Power, Speed, Periodization, etc. Some of it garbage, some of it very informative but difficult to digest by the likes of Siff, Verkhoshansky, Zatiorsky, etc.
What Dan and Pavel have done is read all the research and texts and translate it into Coach speak so we can apply the science. I have read it from cover to cover and will be dipping in and out from now on as the need arises. Any coach or athlete should buy this book now.

10 out of 10. Buy it. Read it. APPLY IT! Nuff said...

I was not going to be disappointed with this book - being written by Dan John and Pavel Tsatsouline there was no chance of that!
I was blown away and realised why my body is so beat up after years of lifting hard on top of a military career.
I wish I had had this information 30 years ago - what more could I have achieved with less cost in terms of time, effort and wear & tear? I wish I had known all this and applied it to my recruits and then my students on PTI courses... more to the point I wish my instructors had had it!!
Well researched and well written by two callus-handed men; who are becoming modern-day legends and rightly so.
If you train, no matter what modality you use, READ 'EASY STRENGTH' - it delivers without all that over-macho BS usually associated with lifting - try its approach - the results will change your outlook on training.

Simple, effective and amazing. Every coach and athlete should read this book.

Dan John is the man, pair him with Pavel and you end up with some no BS information. This is one of the smartest systems I have read for increasing pure strength.

...more like a complete meal. Just about ready to complete reading this book for the second time. I need to concentrate on chapter three, on the copious guidelines for making progress and avoiding overtraining, and on the emphasis on keeping overall athletic/health goals in mind. There is a lot of detail--since the book covers the role of strength training from organized youth development to elite competitive peaking (Four Quadrants)--but since I am a middle-aged person who, at a minimum, wants to feel great and wants to be able to take the stairs until I'm 100, I can use the common-sense concepts to get the most benefits with non-exhausting training. Win-win.
"Easy Strength" is not a cookbook, so take the time because it teaches you instead how to cook/coach from a cook's/coach's point of view: just understand the parts where Dan says Q3 is where nearly all of us are, where he repeatedly points out that exhausting volume is the best way to put yourself behind rather than ahead and that most of the time, practicing your sport should be about four-fifths of total training. I really think after reading this book through a couple times, you should be able to open it anywhere at random and get something motivating which will also reinforce the points I mention above. Recommended.

Easy strength was the right book at the right time for me. Understanding the pace of growth and how to slow down to go fast was transforming. Anytime you have 2 masters with 3 decades of experience there is gold to be found. I will use the principles found in this book for the rest of my life. Thanks Pavel and Dan for sharing your wisdom.

Easy Strength is a necessity for any strength coach. It lays down the foundation for starting any group in a strength program especially new comers into the weight room. But it not just for beginners as it will teach you how to train people that are familiar to the weight room but may have been taking the wrong approach to strength. You will learn how to train optimally and not waste your time and energy on other programs that will not produce results.

"Strength is a skill" is the core message of this book. Both Pavel and Dan John have a deep understanding of the components that make for successful strength training. Reading this book is like listening to them have a conversation about everything they know, then trying to figure out the best way to apply their insights to your situation.
This book isn't a "program:" it's full of principles to shape your own training programs. According to some reviewers, the perceived lack of a structured day-by-day week-by-week training guide is a drawback. From my perspective, it's actually better this way.
If you really want to get the most out of this book, and there's a lot in there to use, I think you have to be willing to read it once all the way through, let the volume of information marinate in your brain, and then start reviewing specific sections for answers to specific needs and challenges.

There is just tons of information here. It will take a while(at least for me) to digest it all. I love how Pavel and Dan have arranged training concepts into quadrants, it makes learning progressive and comprehensive .Definitely an excellent resource for an advancing trainee.