Every now and again I pick up a book, enjoy the content and actually finish it.  The last book, Born to Run, exposed me to a world I had no interest in (Ultra Running) and made it appealing to me.  While reading Born to Run I actually paced Dirt in an Ultra Running Event.

My current book-tress (get it, like mistress) is Strong Enough? by Mark Rippeteo.  I picked it up at HAF this past Thursday and just finished it (don’t worry Dirt I’ll put it right back where I found it).  The collection of essays in Strong Enough? should be read by any person who takes getting strong seriously.  By the way, getting strong is code for getting in shape, toning up, leaning out, or any other poorly defined fitness parameter you measure yourself against.  Rippeteo talks of deeps squats, silly bullshit misconceptions in the fitness industry, and the only true way to train – for performance.  The only regret I had at the completion of the read was that while living in Texas I never packed up my Susuki Samuri and made the trek to Wichita Falls.  The truth is that until I walked into Body Armor CrossFit my “workout routine” was laughable and I wouldn’t have been welcome into the Wichita Falls Athletic Club.  Before I found CrossFit I was working out to fill T-Shirts, not training to improve my performance.  Not that anything about my current training makes me better suited to make this mecca, however, at least today I understand the difference between an Olympic style back squat and a low bar back squat.

Ladies, gentlemen, old people, babies and anyone else interested in living up to their genetic potential should read this book.  Coach Rippeteo is funny, knows his stiff, is easy to understand, and has more experience than you in business of getting people better at stuff.