Ripped: The Sensible Way to Achieve Ultimate Muscularity

"Twenty plus years ago I read Clarence's column in M&F. It was so impressing and inspirational I bought this book. Years later I had all that he had written. Then I finally became a vice-president, no time for serious working out, etc. His books went in garage sales and such. Now that I've retired it's time for me again. After a few hundred dollars and many new ideas, I wondered if Clarence Bass books might just be available used or what ever. Amazon has done it again! They're all here, and new, no less. These are the best available, bar none. I've given them a well deserved five star rating. But realize that Clarence, like all writers, except me for now, only has so much gas in his tank. His last couple of works lack the meat of his earlier works, but so what. One of the books I bought directly from him was autographed by Clarence. I'll pass on to you what he said to me "Get Ripped." "
~ Written on 2008-03-08

"First...Angelbaby'smom is my wife! I have ALL of bass's books and have read them many times. Yes, the first ripped book was short and to the point.....not necessarily a tradjedy. Yes, he took steroids...In '78 and '79 ONLY. He very quickly relized it was a fool's game. By the way, he got them through his physician (legal at the time) and took them in rediculously small doses compared to what today's bodybuilding clones do. His advice in all his books is timeless and simple. A fool might confuse that with it being "outdated". Truth is never outdated. Clarence is an awesome charachter. If you find his diet too bland or restictive then YOU have a problem....you are weak. Don't blame your weakness on Bass. Don't be jealous of his ability. Try to do as he does.....that's what his books are all about. If you think you can't walk the walk, you're probably right. Go buy the Atkins book and suffer for your ignorance with the other weak fools who want an easy answer."
~ Written on 2007-07-30

"Ripped is the sort of book you want to keep on your shelf when you feel that you want to take your diet to a whole other level for a short period of time (or longer if you can do it). Clarence Bass should also be congratulated for telling it like it is. He just comes straight out and says "I have taken steroids to keep from loosing muscle when I diet". He talks about his cycles. I read this book in day. It is only 88 pages. Probably the big question is what he eats to look like that. The answer is actually quite obvious. He eats hardly anything. But before we get to that, let us talk about Clarence, and his classic book Ripped. Basically Clarence got into bodybuilding late in the game and entered the over 40 contents for Mr. America and Mr USA. He wins a lot of them because he isn't just ripped, the guy is etched. His abdominals are chiselled. So naturally there are those out there who want that look and he tells you straight how he did it. He figured out how to diet down and keep muscle while involved in weight control experiments with NASA who took an interest in him. He also describes the water tank displacement method of calculating body fat percentages (BF%). However he does talk a bit about training and a lot of stuff has changed. Basically he tried bulking and cutting but lost all his muscle when he dropped his BF% to the low figures using traditional bulk and cut methods. So he took steroids next time and he kept his muscle. That is basically what he did and so for natural bodybuilders the book sort of stings when you read this. You are not going to learn how to keep lots of muscle and drop your BF% down to 2.4% without roids by using the advice in Ripped. However a lot has changed since then with regards to bulking and cutting and trying to stay lean while not getting too fat. Clarence obviously got too fat and so lost a lot of muscle he gained because he had to cut drastically. Nowadays bulking and cutting is more controlled than what Clarence did in the late 70s. So apart from that the only real reason to get Ripped is for his mad cutting diet that will strip everything off you to make you not just Ripped, but etched! So for the etched look he recommends some eggs and cereal for breakfast, peanut butter sandwich and yogurt with an apple for lunch. Some eggs, toast and a salad as big as you can eat for dinner. The evening meal has milk, some supplements and decaffeinated coffee. He has some other diets in the book, but not many and they are really borderline crazy like what you have just read there. Nobody would seriously think about these kinds of diets unless they really want to go from very slim to extreme and that is where this book works. It is all very extreme dieting (for people with defined abs who want to bring out other parts that are rarely seen!) and good to know how to shave of a few extra lbs. It is all extreme stuff but if it is extreme you want it is extreme you will get.
*Updates*
- Saccharin is included in his diet. Saccharin can cause cancer. Replace with berries or something.
- Instead of wheat germ you can use oats.
- You can also use oats instead of the fyblend fibre supplement."
~ Written on 2006-07-30

"This is really a pretty good little book regarding bodybuilding diets, etc. It has some references about steroid use. Just remember this book was written in late 1970's - early 1980's. It's got some good diet hints. "
~ Written on 2005-06-01

"I first started reading and following the ripped program two years ago. I grew up a chubby kid and had weight problems as an adult. growing up on refined foods. since i was a "guy" it seemed to be no big deal. i was just husky. I lost a bunch of weight 10 years ago. mainly because i cut down on the beer, and heavy breakfasts. I was 5'11" and weighed 230lbs, and dropped down to maybe 180. Still i was kinda flabby. i have tried diferant programs over the years with no real benifits. the infomercials always looked so good. i always wanted that chiseled/ripped look, but NEVER could obtain it. I thought maybe it was just me, and it was not possible. well let me tell you IT IS. With Clarence Bass's aproach you will succeed. It is really easy which of course is important if you want to stick to it. he is VERY thorough, and has done his homework. being an attorney i guess it is in his nature. i have all but one of his books, but this is the one i am reveiwing. since it was his first and mine. all CB's books are awesome. i have read them all over and over till i practically had them memorized. his "three pronged aproach" is his/the secret. one day i started noticing that is was getting Ripped. i could not belive my eyes. i swear i would look in the mirror and think who is that. and all the guys/girls in the gym were looking at me too. i am not kidding. it is really easy to follow and understand. buy all of Clarence Bass's books! you will not be sorry. "
~ Written on 2005-01-22