Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 234 ratings

Price: 15.3

Last update: 09-16-2024


About this item

Possessing no supernatural powers, Batman is the most realistic of all the superheroes. His feats are achieved through rigorous training and mental discipline, and with the aid of fantastic gadgets. Drawing on his training as a neuroscientist, kinesiologist, and martial artist, E. Paul Zehr explores the question: Could a mortal ever become Batman?

Zehr discusses the physical training necessary to maintain bad-guy-fighting readiness while relating the science underlying this process, from strength conditioning to the cognitive changes a person would endure in undertaking such a regimen. In probing what a real-life Batman could achieve, Zehr considers the level of punishment a consummately fit and trained person could handle, how hard and fast such a person could punch and kick, and the number of adversaries that individual could dispatch. He also tells us what it would be like to fight while wearing a batsuit and the amount of food we'd need to consume each day to maintain vigilance as Gotham City's guardian.

A fun foray of escapism grounded in sound science, Becoming Batman provides the background for attaining the realizable—though extreme—level of human performance that would allow you to be a superhero.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.


Top reviews from the United States

Thomas b.
5.0 out of 5 stars it was an amazing book
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2023
This book was extremely insightful on not only the human body but brain as well . Highly recommended if you work out or are just a fan of batman
GiselleA
5.0 out of 5 stars Good entertainment
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2019
Bought as a gift, really enjoyed. Loved how it goes into detail. Great for the curious cat
R. Hermann
4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Work with some Caveats
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2015
Bottom line up front: this is a great book for Batman fans, particularly if they are interested in physical fitness. There are, however, a few issues I'd like to point out:
1) Mr. Zehr is a longtime student of traditional martial arts. As such, you will see phrases like "the streets" and "there are no rules in a real fight" quite often in the martial arts section. My recommendation is to take a page from Bruce Wayne in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker - "Just block him out and power on through."
2) At one point while discussing Batman's physical training regimen, he references an old comic where Batman is holding a heavy weight in one hand above his head. Mr. Zehr states that Batman would not do that as it does not follow the principal of specificity. That is completely untrue and ignorant of the history of physical culture in America during the early 20th century. There were a variety of popular lifts that ended in that position - lifts that, while not common in a bodybuilding gym, are still popular with combat sport enthusiasts to this day (the Turkish get-up is one example). I wouldn't nitpick this were not the rest of the book so well-written, but he repeats it over and over, and it becomes a jarring oversight (at least to me). Speaking of physical training...
3) During the chapter on physical training, Mr. Zehr describes, in great detail, how the body adapts to stress and the various ways a "load" can be varied (weight, repetitions, time, etc). Then, out off the blue, he says [paraphrased] "Batman would do between X and X repetitions at XX% of his max weight." Wait, why exactly? I disagree, but that's not the point. How does the load you've described achieve the results Batman needs? Also, what exercises is he doing? You've mentioned what he's not doing (see above) and you mentioned specificity, so what does that mean? Bench press? Back squats? Weighted pistol squats on a tightrope?You've given the details on everything else, so why skimp here?

These are all fairly minor gripes, but I mention them because they took me out of the otherwise excellent work before you. It is very detailed, but that's the strength - when you get past the big words and lengthy definitions, this is the book equivalent of a friendly conversation between two Batman nerds. That Mr. Zehr can make it friendly and accessible in that way is a testament to his mastery of the material. I wholeheartedly recommend this to any true Batman fan.
Layla Mahjoub
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing !!
Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2023
Amazing quality and very affordable price !
Robert
3.0 out of 5 stars Too technical
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2023
The least fun Batman book in my extensive collection. I don’t even think the biggest tech/Batman nerds would like it. It takes itself way too seriously. Why so serious?
slowbro
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for young and old readers alike
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2015
Excellent book for young and old readers alike! The author focuses hard on the biology and physiology of a hypothetical Batman, while making stops along the way to explain how muscles work, how the brain and body adopt skills into muscle memory and different martial arts Batman could potentially draw from.
I would recommend reading it if you've always been interested in the science and questioned the practicality of Batman. If you're just looking for comic book lore or constant quotes from your favorite stories to back everything up, then this probably isn't for you.
Enjoy!
Jonathan Jenkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, Batman is possible....
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2018
Being a lifelong Batman fan myself, I purchased this book our of curiosity. The author brought a wealth of knowledge about physiology, martial arts, injury recovery, and, yes, Batman to the page. Although his knowledge on scientific aspects physiology and kinesiology seem a bit tedious at moments, Zehr does so to prove his premise – yes, Batman is possible. And, you can be Batman, too.
The Polymath
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Martial Artists and Fitness Fanatics
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five stars is that at times it reads like a college textbook. The excruciating details can be a bit overwhelming. However, I forced myself to read every word and was rewarded with a much greater understanding of the human body and its performance potential. I have been into martial arts and physical fitness for quite some time, but the author definitely gave me new insights and things to think about related to my own training. I paid special attention to the author's discussion on the effect of concussions. The book was written well before all the recent publicity about concussions in football. I engage in full-contact sparring as part of my martial arts and boxing training. However, the author's insights led me to reduce the amount of sparring I do to lessen the chance of problems later in life from taking repeated blows to the head. I also enjoyed the writer's discussion on which martial art is the best overall if you are a superhero like batman.

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