From Broken to Strong: A Lifter’s Guide to Rebuilding, Recovering, and Reigniting Performance
Ah, you seem to be interested in fitness and injury prevention! The three books you mentioned each take a unique approach to this subject, and depending on your specific needs and preferences, one or more might be a good fit for you. Here’s a breakdown:
Rebuilding Milo:
- Focus: Fixing common injuries, building a strong foundation, and enhancing performance in weightlifting.
- Author: Aaron Horschig, a sports physical therapist, strength and conditioning specialist, and Olympic weightlifting coach.
- Approach: Combines physical therapy and strength training exercises to address the root cause of pain and improve movement patterns.
- Pros: Written by a highly qualified professional with extensive experience, practical and science-based approach, addresses both injury recovery and performance enhancement.
- Cons: May be more specialized for weightlifters and athletes, less emphasis on general fitness or specific joint pain.
Built from Broken:
- Focus: Healing painful joints, preventing injuries, and rebuilding the body using a science-based approach.
- Author: Stacie Tovar, a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist.
- Approach: Integrates pain management strategies, manual therapy, mobility exercises, and strength training to address joint pain and improve overall function.
- Pros: More general focus on joint health and pain management, suitable for various fitness levels and goals, science-based and practical approach.
- Cons: Less specific to weightlifting or athletic performance, may not delve as deeply into specific injuries as Rebuilding Milo.
The Squat Bible:
- Focus: Mastering the squat exercise and unlocking its potential for building overall strength and performance.
- Author: Bret Contreras, a strength and conditioning coach and author known as “The Glute Guy.”
- Approach: Provides detailed technical breakdown of the squat, various squat variations, programming tips, and troubleshooting for common errors.
- Pros: Highly specialized in the squat exercise, perfect for anyone seeking to improve their squat technique and unlock its benefits, offers detailed instructions and training programs.
- Cons: Narrow focus on a single exercise, not a comprehensive guide to injury prevention or general fitness, may not be relevant for individuals with pre-existing injuries or limitations.
So, this book goes into how muscle and connective tissue is generated, inflammation after injury, nutrition recommendations for repairing injured connective tissue, what exercises you shouldn't do (i.e., remarkably benches, barbell squats, and other heavy exercises), etc., all for someone who is looking at just building strength over a longer term (not necessarily for 'muscle beach' type people. There's even a long-term plan for training. Are all the exercises given described correctly - no, world's greatest stretch is actually an advanced exercise for someone older like myself; and one should actually consult the Stuart McGill's back training book for how and why to do bird dog, cat-cow, bridges, etc. exercises for the back - especially if one is building back from a back injury.
But overall, this is probably the best training book of the over 15 books I've purchased. I wish I had read this before I started training after a slight layoff. I was already fit, but not trained properly - so this book would have helped me a lot - especially the advice not to listen to any 20-somthing trainer who doesn't read, and says the exercises are obvious.
This is my initial review. I will update this as needed.
In summary - excellent book and highly recommended.
2 weeks after starting this is the most stable and pain free my shoulder, neck and knees have been for 30 years
As an ex weightlifter who has carried injuries for my my whole adult life, I really thought I was going to be like this forever. Now I know how to get my strength, stability and life back on track.
Thank you, it is worth every penny. 5 stars!!!
I've told as many people in my age group as I can about the book. I've also iterated and reiterated to my children to get an exercise routine going now (they are 9 and 11) because it's easier to stay in shape than it is to get back in shape.
Again, this is the last fitness book I'll read because I felt broken before I read it, but now I know that I can use that brokenness to build a foundation for my best body ever.
Thanks again Scott!
This author managed to easily weave practical information about ALL of these, well divided into chapter that are easy length. And I was able to start putting bits of the info IMMEDIATELY to use. Good chapter about various types of available collagen supplements, what do they support, and it is all supported by the latest research.That chapter alone to me was worth purchasing the book. And I am a professional.
Easy to read , easy to understand and most importantly full of educational, concise information.
He’s not trying to sell anything, he is not trying to change your mind about anything.
Loved it , super helpful on so many levels regardless if you’re an elite athlete , fitness enthusiast or someone with a 9 to 5 desk job.
Good advice on avoiding injury, and recovering from injyry.
Science based consulting.
The book is well-organized and easy to follow, with clear explanations and illustrations throughout. Dr. Horschig begins by discussing the importance of proper form and the potential risks of incorrect technique. He then goes on to cover the various aspects of the squat, including foot position, depth, and bar placement.
One of the strengths of the book is its focus on mobility and flexibility, with a variety of exercises and stretches provided to help improve range of motion and prevent injuries. Dr. Horschig also includes a section on common squatting mistakes and how to correct them, as well as programming recommendations for both beginners and advanced lifters.
Overall, "The Squat Bible" is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their squat technique and performance. Dr. Horschig's expertise as a physical therapist and strength coach shines through in his clear and concise explanations, and the book is a valuable addition to any lifter's library. Highly recommended.
This book has helped to improve my hip and back mobility following surgery. It has also helped me to learn a variety of methods for self improvement to help build up injury prevention tactics for future training.
It took me a while to get through all of the chapters, and I have to admit I skipped over a lot of the parts with words and concepts that were out of my vocabulary. Otherwise it's informative reading that makes sense. Mostly easy to follow with a logical progression to the chapters. I'm ready to start the Beginner Program, and am hopeful that as I progress I will have built a better body that experiences less pain.
I only open with those caveats so I can say without hesitation that this book is excellent. Buy it, and keep it nearby. Go back to it again and again as you progress and learn. I have.
As the title makes clear, Scott is fully aware of the nagging injuries that hold so many of us back, and all the suggestions in the book keep that in mind. Unfortunately most young people will ignore its advice. I used to be one of them.
Don’t let movement become a burden.
I can’t tell you how much knowledge you will gain that will help you and your clients.
A great book to learn from.
extensive information on why we get injured myths and science of the best practices for recovery a complete concise undertaking to keep us all mobile and strong
While just going to a good hot yoga class 3-4 times a week will probably get you most of the way, this book provides an overview of lots of the most current info related to getting and staying fit - corrective exercises, recovery, training around smaller injuries, work-outs that are easy on the joints.
Really recommend this to anyone who wants to extend/keep playing their favorite sports!!
Best wishes to everyone! And thanks to the author for sharing all the great info!
I originally gave this book 4 stars, but have updated it to 5 stars. I decided to Email the author with some of my concerns and he actually emailed me back with suggestions to suit me! Scott has taken time to help a customer and I greatly appreciate that!
Man, I am beyond impressed. I studied this book, took notes, and applied the content. I’ve analyzed my squat and that lead to way more analyses. I understand why my posture is bad, why my right knee hurts, how I’ve been moving wrong, why my thoracic spine always cracks, why it’s hard for to lift overhead, why my right foot is rotated outward, and so much more.
Best part is, I did a few of the exercises and my symptoms IMMEDIATELY improved. I have mobility restrictions and injuries everywhere from years of beating myself up and this knowledge has been healing my body so quickly. Thank God for this book, Dr Horschig, and my body. Praise be to God! Thank you Dr Horschig! Write more!!!! Now off to study rebuilding milo….
I happened to be reading this right at the same time I incurred a spinal injury and had to go under for emergency surgery, so I'm still on lift and exercise restrictions, but plan on utilizing the programs laid out in the book when I get back into it.
I saw this book and thought - I’ll give it a go. I bought all the supplements he recommended and started on the ‘advanced track’ of 4 days a week.
Immediately within week 1 I already saw results. I’m now at week 4 and am a convert. I’m able to stand and walk without pain. I can tell my posture is improving. I am amazed by how much more I can lift in just a few short weeks.
I am so so grateful to Scott and this incredible knowledge that has enabled me to self heal!
This is certainly one of, if not the single best researched and up-to-date text on this topic. It's all here in this one publication.
At the end of the book is a workout plan, and thorough explanations/pictures of each exercise. The way he's crafted everything made it so easy to get started, stay motivated, see progress, and advance. I've made my way through his entire set plan, and am on my second round of personalized custom workouts (which were really easy to set up fast, all the exercises are labeled to make it easy to find one that fits for a particular session). I have built a ton of strength in my legs, back and arms, and I have far fewer problems with my knees (patellar tendonitis) and hips (trochanteric bursitis) and shoulders. I actually look forward to working out 3-4 times a week now, it's become a habit I enjoy and benefit from.
Helped with my shoulder pain due to years of bench press
great job explaining periodization and integrating mobility into the mix
stages of muscle conditioning
determining trouble spots and how to fix them
supplemental material on their website to help get you going
If you are serious about your health and lifting weights then this is a must have reference book.
What does that have to do with Built from Broken?
Everything I've learned and used can be found in this book!
When I started reading, I immediately saw how much of what Scott recommends is what I've been using for years. It works!
If you're dealing with joint pain (shoulders, back, knees, etc.), then do yourself a favor and pick up this book. The warm-up routines, exercises, and workout plans will HELP you get out of pain and back to training.
I highly recommend this book to everyone to help treat (and prevent) joint pain and mobility issues!
Does Scott recommend supplements he sells? Yes. Do they work? Yes. But you'll have to decide if you want to try them or not (you don't have to).
Given this program a chance, and within 4-6 weeks you will be feeling less pain and able to start pushing harder again.
It also really connected some dot for me between programs like 5/3/1, core performance, and power to the people. All of which have elements of this program, but they were never really explained for what they are. Thank YOU!
I started on this program, because I wanted to start training for LONGEVITY. Living a long, healthy, pain-free life.
And I'm telling you, I've had a marked reduction in injuries. The only minor injury I've had on this program was one day I decided to try the RDL dumbbell deadlifts and overdid it. Personally, I'd avoid those if you are lifting heavy like I was. That's because my grip was giving out and I was fatigued and making some jerky movements.
Instead of RDLs, I'd recommend doing weighted extensions or glute-ham raises for the lower posterior chain. The author's Swiss ball leg curls are also highly recommended.
I'm on my third or fourth cycle of this program. I love it. I do some of my own exercises though, still keeping the basic template the author outlines.
If you're a hard-core lifter like I am and sick of injuries, and you wanna start training for longevity and overall health and functionality, get and follow this book.
I was at a complete loss as to what muscles to work and how to work them when there are still joints and muscles that are damaged and weak.
This book greatly helped me find a way to exercise while injured and not increase my injuries or pain. In fact following this book's advice I no longer have Leg Days or Glute Days or Arm Days at the gym. Every time I workout I work my entire body. All muscle groups are worked when I'm at the gym.
Balancing working each muscle group in the safest way possible to achieve the best result without causing further damage. I feeling the difference in all my muscles and I'm not leaving the gym in pain or experiencing increased pain and soreness at home hours later.
I have shown the book to two of my physical therapists and let them read through it and see if they agree with Scott approach and reasoning behind working out and rehabbing injuries as well as avoiding developing new injuries from working out.
My main physical therapist actually bought the book too and is working to incorporate the training suggestions into his therapy plans.
My Orthopedic Surgeon approves of this books methodology so that seems great to me and my recovery.
This book has been a great help and its encouraging. Exercises that I couldn't do before reading the book I can now do with the books suggested modifications.
Definitely work the price and time.
I've been an athlete my whole life, starting ice hockey and soccer at age 5, playing through high school, getting immersed in endurance and outdoor sports during college, finding and falling deep into the CrossFit world in my early adult years, branching out into more focused gymnastics and mobility and movement-quality based paradigms and eventually transitioning from the hardcore dogma of "constantly varied functional movement at high intensity" to a more mellow, Daoist-like fitness philosophy. And, that philosophy cannot be better summarized than by the words of Lao Tzu himself:
"Men are born soft and supple; dead they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail."
Such words fly in the face of today's conventional fitness values that seem to always amount to an egotistical ambition to be 1) appealing to the opposite sex and 2) intimidating to one's own sex (assuming the athlete is heterosexual) and that the pursuit of these ambitions requires you to regularly endure PAIN, as in "no pain, no gain."
What I like about Scott Hogan and others like him (Jerzy Gregorek, Tim Anderson, Dr Eric Goodman, Ben Patrick) is that they take ego out of the fitness equation by waking people up to a fundamental truth: you are not meant to be in pain. Pain, unlike what the ego tells you, is a sign that you're doing fitness wrong, not right. Hogan's book indeed takes this big picture approach and challenges readers to zoom out and reevaluate why they're really training in the first place. For that alone, I'd say it's worth a read.
Another thing I really like about Hogan's work is his emphasis on joint health and range of motion as the non-negotiable foundation of all meaningful health and athleticism. Just stop to think for second: of what use is strength or muscle size if you're unable to simply occupy natural human positions? Any fitness paradigm that does not have mobility and movement quality as its foundation is a house of cards. Strength, power, and speed are all great, but when developed at the expense of natural range of motion, those "gains" eventually become "glitches." Kudos to Hogan for creating a program that will help exercisers of all stripes to repair and rebuild a solid foundation for pursuing their fitness goals. This is a great resource for anyone interested in staying supple and strong for life.
This book builds on what's out there AND includes super usable guides for how to repair and come back (safely) to your sport. I was sceptical about the beginner program but after 8 weeks of no running and very little walking due to a back injury I started doing the beginner routine and was surprised to have muscle soreness from it.
I've bought a lot of books about running and injuries. I'd say if you're going to buy one book, make it this one.
Thanks, Dr. Aaron!!
The look of surprise, shock, and appreciation in my athletes makes coaching even more worth it as I help spread the gospel of proper movement .
I know I am no trained PT and rehab programs are way out of my purview. But the simple movement screens , mobility exercises, and the test retest method (and a thanks to Kelly Starret for that) are easy enough for me to teach my athletes so they are better equipped to see how to screen for and treat their minor aches and pains . This makes them better at movement and makes me a better coach.
Again, thank you Dr.Horschig
Pros:
Very informative.
Will teach you how to not only trouble shoot ,but fix and strengthen problem areas.
Well written.
Cons:
Kind of dry read, but that comes with territory.
I hope Dr Aaron releases a shorthand book of each of these assessments, tests and mobs.
Found this guy on Instagram
Have book now and reading feverishly!!
Mahalo🤙
Everyone who is into fitness should read this book!
I feel like I see so many people at the gym doing bad form and which they finish their lift they touch their shoulder in pain, likewise with their hips.
This book will help.
Everyone is into the influencer workouts, yet influencers do not teach proper form, instead they teach "cool" exercises that might hurt you.
This book will help.
If you have an imbalnces, hip shifts, crooked benches, or you just feel wonky THIS BOOK WILL HELP.
Above all, this book is amazing for personal trainers.
If you want to be well educated on rehab, that NASM skimps on then this book will indeed help.
Aaron and his co-author makes it so easy to flip through pages and find exactly what you need in seconds.
Kudos Dr H!
A+++ Also follow them on IG at Squat university for very helpful videos!
I am only 20 pages in and there are references to Stuart McGill, and I am stoked about that. If you are a McGill fan, this is gonna be an asset to your collection. The writing thus far is fantastic, and I’ve already learned a ton. Full review will follow.
Listened to the author on a podcast and had to invest in his book. Would pay twice the amount. Easy to understand, background anatomy provided, and step by step investigations for solving body issues! Can't recommend enough.
If you are having doubts on getting the book, check out his Instagram. This book is a culmination of everything he has on there and more. His mission to make such knowledge accessible is truly a noble one and I respect him greatly for that.
A lot of the times when you read anatomy, biomechanical, or physical therapy textbook, it can be super overwhelming because the material can be so dense. I think his approach to teaching human anatomy and movement while referencing strength activities, helps others become more receptive and interested in learning about human movement and how to move optimally. In addition, I believe it allows others to embrace strength activities/ exercises such as the snatch and squats in Olympic Weightlifting or pistol squats or even dead bug exercises, which can be intimidating.
I am a chiropractic physician with over 30 years in practice. I’m also a competitive powerlifter, with 3 National Championship titles, and multiple state titles. I have read so, so many books on sports injuries. This book is unique in its field. Thanks so much!
I have improved all my technique.
The book is is well written, informative and needs to be part of your exercise toolkit!
1) From intro to conclusion TSB offers its reader everything you need to become proficient at the squat. Starting with the fundamentals of human movement, you begin to see why the squat is essential to learn for overall health and injury prevention. TSB gives five absolutes of squatting before you ever touch a bar-Never load bad movement! Next a break down of the major barbell squats are discussed with expert level analysis. Last, TSB introduces the joint-by-joint concept, from feet to shoulders, of stability and mobility. The last chapters deal with debunking myths and real science of the squat.
2) “If we are unable to move efficiently with good technique in the squat (especially without a barbell), we essentially set ourselves up for failure.” p.9 “We should all have the ability to perform a full-depth “ass-to-grass” squat without any weight.”p.10
3) TSB is the perfect book for anyone who has need to squat (i.e. everyone). Especially Bodybuilders, weightlifters, powerlifters, gym goers, coaches, athletes, etc. I never felt the information was overwhelming or lacking. Well organized, clear, and expertly developing. Highly recommended!
As I get older I realize how important it is to financially support products you appreciate. Could you be cheap and only read his online content? Sure. But I value his work and insight and his help he has given myself and others, so I wanna make sure the man gets paid and this is the most effective way I know how. Dr. Horschig has done a great job in helping us in the gym begin to master one of the most fundamental movements we need for success, and it's because of that I give my highest reccomendation.
The best part is that it explains how to engage your full body while squatting.
Plus, the bit of science in the last chapter is totally worth it as a quick introduction to kinematic systems.