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The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler & Alwyn Cosgrove Review: Science-Backed Strength Training Done Right
The New Rules of Lifting by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove is a comprehensive fitness book that distills current research on weight training into a structured program built around six fundamental movement patterns, designed to help both men and women build muscle, debunk pervasive gym myths, and train in alignment with how the body naturally moves.
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
Intermediate and motivated beginner lifters — men and women equally — who want a coherent, research-supported strength program built around compound movements and are willing to engage with the science behind it, not just follow the workout tables.
Worth it if
You're ready to move past fragmented, magazine-style routines and want a structured system grounded in peer-reviewed research, delivered in writing that is candid, occasionally funny, and notably free of fitness-world hype.
Skip if
You train primarily for endurance sports or want a hybrid strength-and-cardio program — Schuler and Cosgrove's critique of high-volume aerobic work is presented in strong terms, and the book offers limited support for any goals outside strength and hypertrophy.
What readers & critics say
Reviewer sites including strength-basics.blogspot.com and news.runtowin.com call it a genuinely good workout book, praising its research foundation and accessible program design. Reader voices at raisedbyturtles.org and thriftbooks.com consistently highlight Schuler's engaging, often funny writing as a standout quality rare in the fitness genre.
Sources: strength-basics.blogspot.com, news.runtowin.com, raisedbyturtles.org, thriftbooks.com4.5from 365 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
Look inside the book
Preview the actual pages, via Google BooksIn This Review
- What Works & What Doesn't
- What the Book Is and What It Contains
- Its Place in the Strength-Training Genre
- Strengths: Voice, Accessibility, and Research Integration
- Genuine Limitations and Who May Struggle
- Who This Book Is For
What Works & What Doesn't
What Works
- Structured around six compound, research-supported movement patterns that reflect how the body naturally functions
- Lou Schuler's writing voice is widely noted as engaging, direct, and genuinely readable — rare in the fitness genre
- Directly addresses and debunks common weightlifting myths, including the claim that resistance training causes bulk
- Integrates scientific research on hypertrophy, metabolism, and core training into the program rationale, not just the workout tables
- Designed with realistic time constraints in mind, making the program accessible to non-competitive lifters
What Doesn't
- The critique of endurance and aerobic training is presented in fairly strong terms, which may alienate readers who train for or enjoy endurance sports
- The program is unapologetically focused on strength and hypertrophy — those seeking a hybrid training approach will find limited support for it here
- Beginners entirely new to barbell and free-weight movements may benefit from in-person coaching that the written format cannot replace
The New Rules of Lifting is a genuinely useful, research-grounded fitness book from two authors with serious credentials — and that combination is rarer than the crowded strength-training shelf might suggest.
What the Book Is and What It Contains
The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove front cover
Published by Penguin Publishing Group, The New Rules of Lifting is a fitness book co-authored by Lou Schuler — a National Magazine Award–winning journalist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and editorial director for T-Nation.com — and Alwyn Cosgrove, a strength-training expert. Together, they build a full training program structured around six fundamental movement patterns: push, pull, squat, deadlift, lunge, and bend — exercises the book frames as the movements at which the human body naturally excels. The program covers workouts at varying intensities (including a Break-In phase and progressions through Hypertrophy and Fat-Loss stages), and addresses nutrition alongside training, including guidance on protein, calories, and macronutrient targets. The result is a system designed for anyone seeking maximum muscle growth and functional strength, rather than the isolated, machine-dependent routines that dominated mainstream gym culture for decades.
Its Place in the Strength-Training Genre
When The New Rules of Lifting first appeared, it represented a meaningful departure from the bodybuilding-split orthodoxy that still filled most fitness magazines and gym floors. Schuler and Cosgrove grounded their approach in peer-reviewed research — drawing on journals covering hypertrophy, metabolism, and hormonal response — rather than the anecdote-and-celebrity-endorsement model that defined so many competitors. The book also takes explicit aim at one of the most persistent myths in fitness: the claim that weightlifting makes people, particularly women, bulky. Schuler and Cosgrove address this directly, explaining the physiological case for why resistance training produces a lean physique. That myth-busting posture, combined with a program designed to be accessible to non-competitive lifters, helped establish the book as a foundational text in the "evidence-based fitness" wave that has since become mainstream.
Strengths: Voice, Accessibility, and Research Integration
One of the book's most consistently noted qualities is Schuler's writing voice. Reader reactions cited across multiple sources describe his prose as genuinely engaging — humorous, direct, and free of the fad-chasing that inflates so many fitness titles. The program's design philosophy similarly earns praise: Schuler and Cosgrove explicitly acknowledge that most readers do not have unlimited time to train, and the workouts are structured accordingly. The scientific underpinning is woven into the text rather than relegated to an appendix — the authors explain why compound, multi-joint movements outperform isolation exercises for muscle development and metabolic effect, drawing on research in areas including core musculature, energy systems, and training frequency. This integration of reasoning with instruction is a meaningful feature for readers who want to understand the principles, not just follow a script.
Genuine Limitations and Who May Struggle
The book's treatment of endurance and cardiovascular training is a point of contention for some readers. Some note that Schuler and Cosgrove's critique of high-volume aerobic work — their argument that excessive endurance training impedes fat loss and erodes muscle — is presented in fairly absolute terms. Readers who train for endurance sports, or who simply enjoy running or cycling as a primary activity, may find the framing dismissive of their goals. The program is unapologetically centered on strength and hypertrophy, and those seeking a hybrid or endurance-inclusive approach will need to look elsewhere for balance. Additionally, while the six foundational movements are broadly accessible, lifters who are entirely new to barbells and free weights may find that some exercises require hands-on coaching that a book — by its nature — cannot fully substitute for.
Who This Book Is For
The New Rules of Lifting is best suited to intermediate and motivated beginner lifters who want a coherent, research-supported program and are willing to engage with the reasoning behind it, not just the workout tables. It speaks to men and women equally — the myth-busting sections on weightlifting and body composition are particularly relevant for women who have been steered away from the weight room by outdated advice. Readers who appreciate fitness writing that is candid, occasionally funny, and grounded in evidence rather than hype will find Schuler's authorial voice a genuine asset. For anyone looking to move past fragmented, magazine-style workouts and into a structured system built on movements that have stood up to scientific scrutiny, this book remains a clear and substantive starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
is The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove worth reading
It's worth it for intermediate and motivated beginner lifters who want a coherent, research-supported program and are willing to engage with the reasoning behind it, not just the workout tables. Lou Schuler's writing voice stands out — readers consistently describe it as humorous, direct, and free of the fad-chasing that inflates so many fitness titles, which makes the science feel accessible rather than dry.
what is The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove actually about
The book builds a full training program around six fundamental movement patterns — push, pull, squat, deadlift, lunge, and bend — framed as the movements at which the human body naturally excels. Schuler and Cosgrove also cover nutrition (protein, calories, and macronutrient targets) and take explicit aim at common gym myths, including the persistent claim that weightlifting makes people, particularly women, bulky.
is The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove good for women
Yes — the book speaks to men and women equally, and the myth-busting sections on weightlifting and body composition are described in the review as particularly relevant for women who have been steered away from the weight room by outdated advice. Schuler and Cosgrove explain the physiological case for why resistance training produces a lean physique rather than a bulky one.
does The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove work for complete beginners
It can work for motivated beginners, but the review flags an honest caveat: lifters who are entirely new to barbells and free weights may find that some exercises require hands-on coaching that a book — by its nature — cannot fully substitute for. The Break-In phase and progressive structure help ease readers in, but having some prior gym familiarity will make the experience smoother.
does The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove actually explain the science or just give you workout tables
The science is woven into the text rather than relegated to an appendix — Schuler and Cosgrove draw on peer-reviewed research in areas including hypertrophy, metabolism, core musculature, energy systems, and training frequency to explain why compound, multi-joint movements outperform isolation exercises. This integration of reasoning with instruction is one of the book's most praised qualities for readers who want to understand the principles, not just follow a script.
is The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove good if i also run or do cardio
This is the book's clearest limitation for endurance-oriented readers: Schuler and Cosgrove's critique of high-volume aerobic work — their argument that excessive endurance training impedes fat loss and erodes muscle — is presented in fairly absolute terms. Readers who train for endurance sports or who simply enjoy running or cycling as a primary activity may find the framing dismissive, and the review suggests they'll need to look elsewhere for a hybrid or endurance-inclusive approach.
how does The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove compare to typical fitness magazine workout programs
The book was deliberately designed as a departure from the bodybuilding-split orthodoxy that filled most fitness magazines and gym floors at the time of its publication, grounding its approach in peer-reviewed research rather than the anecdote-and-celebrity-endorsement model that defined many competitors. The review describes it as a foundational text in the evidence-based fitness wave, making it a substantive alternative for anyone looking to move past fragmented, magazine-style workouts.
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- Cited in this review
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- Further reading
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thriftbooks.com
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news.runtowin.com
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