The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess
by Lou Schuler and Cassandra Forsythe and Alwyn Cosgrove
At a glance
About the Author
Lou Schuler and Cassandra Forsythe and Alwyn Cosgrove1 book reviewed
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
Women ready to commit to a structured, multi-month strength training program who want both the scientific rationale and the practical programming behind lifting heavy — particularly those new to resistance training or coming from an aerobics-first background.
Worth it if
The program is worth it if you want a complete, evidence-informed system — covering six months of lifting, conditioning, and integrated nutrition — and value understanding the physiological why behind the training, not just the what.
Skip if
Skip it if you prefer shorter, modular workout formats, are committed to cardio-based training and unlikely to warm to a strongly anti-aerobics framing, or need the most current exercise science research given the book's December 2009 publication date.
What readers & critics say
Barnes & Noble's product page presents the book as a comprehensive strength, conditioning, and nutrition plan "destined to revolutionize the way women work out," citing the latest studies to back the claim that strength training — not aerobics — is the key to losing fat. A reader blurb surfaced on Better World Books praises Lou Schuler's "expert advice, no-nonsense plans, and sense of humor" as "reassuring, motivating, and entertaining."
Sources: Barnes & Noble, Better World BooksAsk LuvemBooks
Was this helpful?
- Is it worth reading?
- For women ready to commit to a structured, multi-month strength training program who also want the scientific rationale behind it, the book delivers meaningfully on both fronts. The three-author structure — Schuler's accessible framing, Forsythe's research-grounded physiological and nutritional content, Cosgrove's professional program design — gives it a depth of expertise that's uncommon in the women's fitness space. The main caveat is that the research it cites is now more than fifteen years old, so readers seeking current exercise science should plan to supplement. Those already deeply versed in modern strength training literature may find it more useful as a foundational text than a cutting-edge resource.
- Similar books
- Readers who connect with this book's evidence-informed approach to lifting will find strong companions in the broader catalogue. The New Rules of Lifting by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove — the predecessor volume primarily aimed at men that nonetheless attracted significant female readership — is the natural companion text. Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe is the definitive technical manual for compound barbell movements, offering deep mechanical instruction to complement Cosgrove's programming. For readers interested in movement quality and injury prevention alongside strength work, Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett and Glen Cordoza is a widely respected reference. Those drawn to the nutrition science underpinning fat loss may also find The Obesity Code by Jason Fung a useful supplement, and Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia MD broadens the evidence-based fitness conversation into long-term health.
- Who should read this?
- The book is best suited to women who are ready to commit to a structured, multi-month strength training program and want both the scientific rationale and the practical programming to back it up. It is particularly well-matched to readers who have encountered The New Rules of Lifting or Alwyn Cosgrove's other work and want a program built specifically around women's physiology and goals. Readers who want fitness books that explain the why alongside the what — grounded in exercise science and nutritional guidance rather than motivation alone — will find the three-author structure serves that need directly. It is less suited to readers who prefer shorter or more modular formats, or who are firmly committed to aerobics-centered training.
- How current is the science?
- The book was published in December 2009, meaning the specific research it cites is now more than fifteen years old. Cassandra Forsythe's academic grounding in exercise science and nutrition at the University of Connecticut gives the physiological and dietary sections a research orientation that goes beyond anecdote, but readers seeking the most current exercise science literature will need to supplement accordingly. The core argument — that heavy compound lifting drives fat loss and body composition more effectively than aerobics — remains broadly consistent with the current consensus, even if individual citations have aged. Those already deeply versed in modern strength training research may treat the book as a foundational text rather than a cutting-edge resource.
- Why does it dismiss cardio?
- The book's central thesis is that aerobics-first fitness culture has long misdirected women away from the most effective tool for fat loss and a fit, strong body: strength training. This is not a subtle reframing — the book positions heavy, compound lifting as not only appropriate but optimal for women, and the anti-aerobics argument is explicit and sustained throughout. The reviewer notes this strong stance as a notable friction point: readers who incorporate cardio for reasons beyond fat loss, or who value hybrid training approaches, may find the framing leaves little room for their perspective. The title itself — Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess — signals the combative intent from the outset.
- Will lifting heavy make women bulky?
- Addressing the fear that heavy lifting will produce an unwanted bulky physique is one of the book's explicit goals — the publisher's framing directly counters this concern, noting that the program's scope does not produce that outcome. This makes the book particularly approachable for women new to resistance training who may have avoided heavy lifting because of this misconception. The title Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess is itself a direct response to this anxiety, positioning compound, heavy lifting as the path to a fit, strong body rather than an undesired one.
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Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Adult
Reading level
Adult
Skip if you prefer cardio-based or hybrid training approaches and aren't looking to be challenged on that preference.
Editorial Review
Published by Avery in December 2009, The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess brings together fitness journalist Lou Schuler, exercise science and nutrition expert Cassandra Forsythe, and certified strength coach Alwyn Cosgrove to deliver a comprehensive strength, conditioning, and nutrition plan designed to challenge conventional fitness wisdom for women. The book argues directly against the dominance of aerobics-centric workout culture, positioning strength training as the foundational tool for fat loss and a fit, strong body. Endorsed by a credentialed, three-author team, it remains a reference point in the women's fitness space for readers ready to move beyond the cardio-only approach.
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