# Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe

6 Hacker News commenters recommended Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and 2 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People recommend it as a clear, technical guide to barbell lifting form and novice programming. Critics say some of its advice is outdated and that it produces strength rather than athletic ability.

## Why people recommend it

- Good for novice lifting programs (3 comments): "Unless you have elite genetics or are on juice you don't really need to go beyond those programs." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46911920)) "for beginners on a well designed program like “starting strength” it typically does" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46421816)) "Rippetoe gives good advice on lifting form and programming especially for novices" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46913948))
- Clear on lifting form (2 comments): "Rippetoe gives good advice on lifting form and programming especially for novices" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46913948)) "It's a great technical manual." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47301321))
- Foundational reference for barbell training (2 comments): "I'm an adherent to the Starting Strength / Mark Rippetoe school of thought" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45900891)) "Your trainers clearly never read Starting Strength." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46451669))

## What people warn about

- Advice seen as outdated (1 comments): "bunch of outdated and bad advice coming from that corner" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46456695))
- Builds strength, not athletic ability (1 comments): "He's great at making fat, out of shape, strongmen. He's not great at producing a fighter, tradesman, or operator." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46913757))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Outlive by Peter Attia](https://hackerapproved.com/p/outlive.md): 7 recommend
- [In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan](https://hackerapproved.com/p/in-defense-of-food.md): 5 recommend
- [Where There Is No Doctor by David Werner](https://hackerapproved.com/p/where-there-is-no-doctor.md): 3 recommend
- [Body By Science by McGuff and Little](https://hackerapproved.com/p/body.md): 3 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780982522738) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe", https://hackerapproved.com/p/starting-strength/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).