The Worlds Fittest Book: How to Train for Anything and Everything, Anywhere and Everywhere by Ross Edgley

The Worlds Fittest Book: How to Train for Anything and Everything, Anywhere and Everywhere Reviews

• 
  James

  There's some good information sprinkled throughout the book, but it's buried in a lot of other stuff, including tons of douche-baggy self-quotes from the author and a lot of boring nonsense.
  
  Overall, probably the most annoying fitness book I've ever slogged through.
• 
  Christian Turner

  im 100% going to try Fell running now.
• 
  Wesley

  Review: Audiobook
  I really want to like this book. But it's really bad. It starts hopeful, when he says what he thinks is wrong with fitness magazines. They promise things that aren't realistic, they use cheap slogans etc. etc.
  Here is the thing. The subtitle of the book 'promises' to be x% better in this and that. Well that's not true.
  It's just a blatant lie.
  1. Literally the only thing he mentions about endurance and running is to not heel strike.
  2. He mentions random scientific articles.
  3. Random recipes. Seriously 10 min long he talks about how to BBQ a steak. Nothing more.
  4. Offers some random programs that suit everyone yet at the same time nobody.
  5. Every few minutes he mentions his website which is almost completely a bunch of ads.
  6. Uses this 'book' to promote his company.
  6a. Here is the 'fun' part. While bashing highly processed foods he forgets that is the thing exactly what he sales on his site.
  7. Every story chapter is the same 'here I am, totally out of place
  8. Just like all those instagram and fb accounts... just cite either Buddha, Einstein or Emerson every now and then.
  Ah well.. this list goes on and on.
  This would have been nice as a blog or something. Bro science...
  But if you've read my review you probably come to the conclusion this book is precisely what he bashes at the beginning. A fitness magazine.
• 
  Joseph

  Really enjoyed this book. Edgley has a good writing style and voice and presents his material with a lot of sources to back up his conclusions. His main point throughout the book is the idea that each of us have our own "body individuality" and that we shouldn't lean too heavily on any source, including this book, as a bible. Instead, use this book and others as guides and look to ourselves to what works and what doesn't. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to fitness and much of mainstream fitness magazines and vlogs cater to that idea.
  
  It's too bad that the top review is a one star review, written by someone who obviously has an axe to grind with Edgley. Everything in that review is simply false or reductive. No wonder that guy turned off his comments because his review is personal. Making shade towards Edgley's "toothy grin"? Seriously? And then just lie about the content on top of that? And the other one star review that show up here is for the audiobook, which may have different information than the printed book. For example, nowhere in the printed book does Edgley mention his website, for example. And it's hardly broscience with as many endnotes as provided here. And that reviewer seems to have a problem with Edgley providing lots of quotes for philosophers and scientists. Not sure what that's all about or why it's even a relevant critique.
  
  Myself, I thought the introductory sections were informative and and I took copious notes in my journal. The middle section on building strength wasn't as interesting for me, and the section on endurance was a little too focused on running, although Edgley does go through more about endurance and running than advocating not heel-striking like the one reviewer says. Just not true.
  
  Solid four star book. Lots of photographs, graphs, and four distinct workouts to try out.
• 
  Veli-Pekka Suuronen

  I'm a bit torn on reviewing this book into stars, as it depends on what the expectations are. I have a huge mancrush on Ross Edgley - I mean, who wouldn't have. He has done amazing things and the stories in the book are pure gold which alone would warrant a pure five star review. As some reviewers have said, the nutrition and training parts remain a bit thin, but that's to be expected already based on the subtitle of the book. You simply cannot expect to get a very deep understanding of everything in one book, but that is not really the point of the book either. The point really is to make the reader think about fitness by giving good foundations and some more specific advise on developing different attributes and intentionally leave the peaks of the pyramids that are built on these foundations open, as our knowledge is ever evolving. The basic truths less. The same applies to the nutrition aspect of the book, which, I think remained somewhat thinner than the training part in practical terms. Although the main take home is that even the author came to the same end result with three very different diets (although this word is frowned upon).
  
  In the end I like the fact that the bushido of the book that closes the book includes very sound advise, especially on the fact that you are (or should be) the best expert in yourself and that you should be sceptical about everything including the book itself.
  
  After all this appraisal one might wonder why it is not a five star review and I really don't have a clear answer to that. I loved the book, but when I finished it, there remained a feeling that it was lacking. I don't know what, but something.
  
  I guess it's four stars instead of five, because I really wanted more. Maybe even a promise that there will be sequels that go deeper into the subjects would have sufficed and if they would appear from somewhere, I might change my mind and rate this as a five star foundation book for everything else.
• 
  Tristan Alexander

  Absolutely loved this book. Simple but with the science.
  
  You can tell that this isn't just another get fit gimmick or a new fitness fad, this is a genuine book that doesnt just teach but ignites a curiosity to explore new realms of fitness that most people dont even know exist.
  
  This is not a book that has been written over night, but something that has been in the making for years. Ross has taken the time to test and prove everything that has gone into the book and he elaborates on this in a casual and welcoming way making you feel like you can do any and all of it.
  
  Definitely recommend to anyone who is interested in taking a leap into the fitness world, whether you want to become a world class olympian or if you just want to be able to catch your bus at the end of your road.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Rafael

  I'm not by any means a fitness junkie, so that's why I started reading this. Finishing it, I don't feel like a fitness junkie, but the author writes about a lot of different ideas from personal experiences and achievements that he has done. A lot of the book is backed up by science and the personal experiences of other people. I read both negative and positive reviews by others, but I have to say that the book was written interestingly enough for someone not a fitness junkie to still read and not dumbed down for someone not a fitness junkie to understand. one recommendation though, you will need to read this on a big screen or a monitor a few times to really get the most out of the charts and pictures, as they do not carry over well into a phone screen.
• 
  Jens

  My first book on fitness after going to the gym regularly for around 4 months now and having only watched some YouTube videos. Consequently, I learned a few new exercises, ways to split my workouts and even some recipes for healthy snacks. Yet, the biggest take-away is a broader view on fitness as "physical education" and maximizing the potential of our wonderful bodies.
  
  Only 4 stars, because it is not brilliantly written, has some typo's and contains at least one irrelevant side story in each chapter. That said, it can be read in a day and that would certainly not be a wasted day.
• 
  Phaedon Lomis

  A lot of great info about fitness and written with style and fun stories. Did laugh throughout the entire book
• 
  Suzy

  Weird stuff about me, I like fitness books by people who know what they’re doing. They’re not trying to sell anything, acknowledge that everyone has a place to start and that everyone can improve.
  
  Ross acknowledges over and over that taking care of yourself is not something to be outsourced. At the very base all the way to the top and over and over again. We don’t retire and he literally goes to the ends of the earth to go over the anthropology of fitness for this book.
  
  It is not a fitness book on the best workout for everyone. He emphasizes as any good athlete should that everyone’s body is different. Everyone’s metabolism is different. He has workout suggestions and where to start but says over and over that you have to do it yourself. Listen to your body. Understand it and stop outsourcing your brain.
  
  He gets into some weird nutrition stuff in the middle of the book on plant based protein which I don’t agree with at all but overall the book is pretty solid and fairly entertaining.
  
  No one is going to help you but you. Your only competition is the person you were five minutes ago and improve from that. Look to history and the peoples around the world who use the world as their gym.
  
  Be healthy. Figure out how to do it. You are your own expert.
• 
  Meredith

  Ross Edgley is the sort of person who works on his fitness not so much to compete in something but so that he can participate in fitness adventures. His reports on these exploits are interesting and relevant to development of varied training.
  I don’t agree with all his dietary statements, but the chapters on strength training were quite inspiring.
  Basically there’s no one route to fitness, and just because you’re fit in one area doesn’t mean you’re fit for all areas.
  The audiobook includes a password to access some extra features on the author’s website.
• 
  Keith

  A really good informative book about fitness. It’s very broad but the focus is really to really learn what works for you.
• 
  Theodore Kopoukis

  I cringed everytime I heard "visit my website..." and drew the line on the cold baths and the "science" behind them. Screw that, I've got better things to waste time on.
• 
  Katarina

  I just finished listening to this as an audiobook and was seriously impressed. I have a weird habit of buying fitness books about once every couple of years, and reading or listening to them with my eyes rolling because it's all shit I've read before, or the science is funky, or the authors are just relaying bro science, but this was something else - in places extremely specific and in places generalised, this book really details how to listen to an individual body, think about what your fitness is for and utilise the studies he cites for any training program. Edgley uses a brilliant mix of personal experience, ancient fitness wisdom and hard science, the research is impeccable.
  
  I feel inspired, I've learnt a lot, my only gripe and tbe reason this book has lost a star is because of the food sections - way to focused on paleo, and the recipes just didn't fit with the ethos of the rest of the book. Super impressive, I recommend this book for beginners or experienced, well trained athletes.
• 
  Terry Kim

  If you were into anything physical and wanted to better yourself, but you only wanted to read ONE book, this would be that book.
  
  Fantastic read on fitness. Everything from Diet, Sleep, Cold Therapy to becoming stronger, increasing your endurance to Specific Training Plan/Workouts and Recipes. This book is absolutely packed. It is also surprisingly in-depth with ton of Studies and Journals quoted but the best bits are Ross Edgley's personal and crazy adventure stories around the world.
  
  Ross Edgley has accomplished some great and ridiculous physical feats such as Running a Marathon while dragging a car, climbing the height of Mt Everest on a rope all day, first person to swim around Britain for 157 days continuously. This book is his knowledge he has gathered over the years of testing and trialing. It has definitely broadened my knowledge on Peak Performance, Training to improve performance and mostly taking an strategic approach to training.
  
  Great read, highly recommended!
• 
  Nathan Borg

  This was a really interesting book. Ross goes over some of the tried and tested basics of fitness. Found this really useful for my own training. There is a lot in this book, strength, speed, endurance, and much more. I would recommend this to anyone who currently trains for anything, as well as to those who don't currently exercise, to ensure that they adhere to the basics.
  
  On second read, again, everything was super interesting and so useful!! Excellent resource for those interested in different training systems and cool stories 👍
• 
  Simon Brunet

  Content quite interesting but hardly applicable for most people (besides a couple of workouts). But it’s not the point and the book shouldn’t be picked as such. Good sport science knowledge to get throughout the book. The narration of the different feats of the author (especially the Great British Swim) despite being very impressive and interesting barely save the book of its terrible writing style. Full of cliché quotes and chaotic thread of thought it was hard to keep going while I was actually enjoying the majority of its content.
• 
  Tanya Smart

  Some decently funny writing found in here...like on page 299, "...I was now naked in their sacred pool, searching for my underwear and self-respect."
  
  I wouldn't say this is a must read, but it was interesting and entertaining.
  
  I think some of the negative reviews are a bit harsh. Yes there are a lot of pictures of the author but he has both studied and practiced the things he is talking about. Who would take a fitness book seriously if the author was 150lbs overweight and couldn't do a single pushup?
• 
  Viv JM

  There are some gems of useful/interesting information here, but you have to wade through a whole lot of tedious blokiness and self promotion to get to it so I'm throwing in the towel on this one. I am not sure Ross Edgley has much understanding of what might be considered a beginner either, given that his beginner's bodyweight workout includes plyometric press ups, full unassisted pull ups and Bulgarian split squats! Hmm.
• 
  Andreas

  The author of this book, Ross Edgley, did exactly what I would have done as well with enough time, budget and - let's be honest - more dedication: he visits extremely fit people from various domains and learns how they became so strong, fast and durable. This was completely eye opening! The last time I felt like this was when I read about the lost secrets in Christopher McDougall's book
  Natural Born Heroes.
  
  While there are a couple of training plans in the book, Ross' real intent is to find the underlying principles with an approving nod from science. Know them and you can succeed in ANY area. I like this approach and in my opinion Ross is fully successful with that. It's important to enable everyone to take care of his and her own fitness without restrictions or dogmas imposed by magazines, books or diet plans. History teaches us that the human being is very adaptable and capable of things beyond imagination if we allow them to happen. There isn't one single method that comes out on top. Be consistent, listen to your body, always demand a bit more and finally from time to time test your limits. A similar attitude can be found in
  The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson.
  
  There is no denying that Ross has done some crazy things. First it was funny but later it started to annoy me a bit. As some real gems are hidden everywhere, skimming paragraphs is risky.
  
  Final verdict: an unusual fitness book with great ideas (I wonder how many people will try taking an ice bath). 4,5 stars out of 5, rounded down to 4.