OVER THE EDGE By DAVID SHAW 1997

Back in 1997 I read a book which really had an amazing effect on me.

isbn 0-646-33047-0 spintex publishing OOP.

It was called Over The Edge. A book about an Aussie Bodybuilder who went all the way with the whole BB game and did really well.

The story was written as an alias so that the writer could maintain a safe and detached existence having revealed so much about the truth behind the trophies and the lifestyles.

I still have a copy but it is one of my 10 books I would take on a deserted island.

A fun read, with stories I can match nearly all of but from a drug free perspective. eg The antics of the paranoid friends needing to come over and train on x-mas morning because the gym was closed.... only to find all of them showing up in dribs and drabs throughout the morning. LOL What about the families and santa? I still get roid rage from FM DJs but never took the roids to get em. LOL

I empathized so completely with the main character that I chose not to go down the path. Since my hey day was around then, I have seen a great many of my old mates wither away. Bald Gollums now with thick glasses and frail little old bodies. Many even regret having ever being into it.

Being drug free, they always smile when they see I am still at it all these years later. To this day they still ask me what I am on and still they laugh when I say nothing. If any of us should have been on em it should have been you! I never did!!!

In the end we are all just doing the best we can on the paths we chose for ourselves.

Thanks David Shaw

If any of you guys here know who the real David Shaw is, please tell him that his book came along at just the right time for me. I recommend it to anyone if you are around big dudes and hang with the hard core monsters.

Thanks Rob

My Aunt gave me this book to read not long after I started training; you're 100% right, it is a great read.

The main character is an amalgamation of a several individuals from the era. Apparently one of the gyms referred to in the book was The Fitness Factory in the Eastern Suburbs.

Definetly a must read for serious bodybuilders. Tho i'm slightly younger than you (vador) i can relate to quite a few characters & situations. Heck, even i find myself every xmas at the gym with a few hard core guys (my gyms open 365 days of the year).

i remember clearly the section when the main character hands a list of supplements he wanted to his source. He freaked out, the list was 'huge' & clearly told David to be careful because his list was easily 'over the edge'.

A++ read. I have a connection to David Shaw. I'll let him know

PowerBuilder said:

Definetly a must read for serious bodybuilders. Tho i'm slightly younger than you (vador) i can relate to quite a few characters & situations. Heck, even i find myself every xmas at the gym with a few hard core guys (my gyms open 365 days of the year).

i remember clearly the section when the main character hands a list of supplements he wanted to his source. He freaked out, the list was 'huge' & clearly told David to be careful because his list was easily 'over the edge'.

A++ read. I have a connection to David Shaw. I'll let him know

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Thanks bud.

Gotta love this place!

Best Rob

Awesome. Think I'll get a copy of it. Have a holiday coming up so need something to read.

I'm pretty new to the BB world (only been going a few years). are there any other must read books whether fiction or purely educational?

there are a few other must read's, i highly recommend you read over the edge first

Could not see anything on Amazon.com. Will keep searching for it. Can't imagine its the kind of book in the local library.

you'd be surprised mate. It's in my state library. I could've told you it's not on amazon. It's a bit of an old read, a small release was made

If they are hard to find you can get yourself a copy.

Over the edge / David Shaw | National Library of Australia

Shotgun-Boogie said:

Could not see anything on Amazon.com. Will keep searching for it. Can't imagine its the kind of book in the local library.

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Hard as hell to find now but worth the quest. Very local to Australia, and very like all of us here. Keep an eye out for it in second hand book stores etc. It was only a fairly LTD release and is long since out of print.

Best

Rob

Very Australian. Most serious Australian athletes would be able to read & relate to characters & environments. I know i can. Like i said, come Christmas, a hand full of hard core trainers...very hard core, always come to MY...I shouldn't call it mine...gym on Christmas because they can use whatever they want for as long as they want

PowerBuilder said:

Very Australian. Most serious Australian athletes would be able to read & relate to characters & environments. I know i can. Like i said, come Christmas, a hand full of hard core trainers...very hard core, always come to MY...I shouldn't call it mine...gym on Christmas because they can use whatever they want for as long as they want

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LOL

All the hard core trainers I knew are now balding little old guys who have families and wives to tell them what to do. They no longer train at christmas or at all.

Train to be strong and happy.

and

Take Christmas off and have a rest day with the fam.

vader-nator said:

Take Christmas off and have a rest day with the fam.

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This Christmas may be the first time in 5 years that i'll take Christmas day off, now that i'm a family man with kids & a woman to spend time with

Sounds very much like MUSCLE by Sam Fussel.

Best bodybuilding book I have ever read, the fella didnt change his name so all references could be made.

He went from stick creature to competetive bodybuilder. Plenty of pics and the best weight game book I have read.I have lent it to quite a few clients.

He actually toured Australia on its release, I saw him on the Don Lane show

F U C K I'm old

Shotgun-Boogie said:

Awesome. Think I'll get a copy of it. Have a holiday coming up so need something to read.

I'm pretty new to the BB world (only been going a few years). are there any other must read books whether fiction or purely educational?

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Stuart McRobert's 'Brawn' or 'Beyond Brawn'. Absolute labour of love.

PTC said:

Sounds very much like MUSCLE by Sam Fussel.

Best bodybuilding book I have ever read, the fella didnt change his name so all references could be made.

He went from stick creature to competetive bodybuilder. Plenty of pics and the best weight game book I have read.I have lent it to quite a few clients.

He actually toured Australia on its release, I saw him on the Don Lane show

F U C K I'm old

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I read that am's book back in the early 90's. Great book. Would love to read it again.

Oliver04 said:

Stuart McRobert's 'Brawn' or 'Beyond Brawn'. Absolute labour of love.

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Yes, I just re-read this last week (Beyond Brawn) and am setting new goals for the next 12 months based on his principles, progressive poundages with strict form.
Bought this book about 10 years ago, sadly, didn't follow the principles in it, too boring for a young guy at the time.
Now I realise that it's time to stick to something long term and the results will come slowly, but surely.

The Hulk said:

Yes, I just re-read this last week (Beyond Brawn) and am setting new goals for the next 12 months based on his principles, progressive poundages with strict form.
Bought this book about 10 years ago, sadly, didn't follow the principles in it, too boring for a young guy at the time.
Now I realise that it's time to stick to something long term and the results will come slowly, but surely.

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I'm not too fond of the programming, I love the intro though - he sets REAL parameters as to what a drug free lifter can achieve in terms of weight, bodyfat and strength - sure beats the hell out of the 'if I can lift this than you can too' approach of the steroid users at westside.

Might have to track down 'over the edge', sounds pretty cool.

Id also recommend "MUSCLE" by sam fussell as a good read. Id also have to say "Dinosaur training" by Brooks Kubik, its essentially about training like a real man, you cant read this book and not want to lift heavy stuff.

I would have to say the best peice of writing i have ever read (training related) was a short story about the bodybuilder Steve Michalik, called 'The power and the gory' by Paul Solotaroff, anyone else read it? I cant seem to find an online version, ill have to get it back off my friend and scan it, it is an awesome read.

Bump

For the aspiring bb'ers or those simply interested. All great books!