If you already have even a minimal background in sports and fitness, I would not recommend spending the money to buy this book. While it is informative and well written, I found that I already knew most of the material even though I have no formal education in sports and fitness - I just got into weightlifting on my own and figured things out, sometimes by watching what other people in the gym were doing. However, if you are totally clueless when it comes to strength training, then this book would probably be useful for you.