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Translations

This page contains links to translations of my work and a detailed section for those interested in translating something.

Spanish

Portuguese

Japanese

  • AthleteBody.jp is a full Japanese version of this site.
  • The Muscle and Strength Pyramid books — planned release by the first quarter of 2020.
  • A shortened version (~25 pages) of The Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid is available for free, here.

Italian

  • The Muscle and Strength Pyramid books — Contract signed with an Italian publishing house. Release date TBD.

Chinese

  • The Muscle and Strength Pyramid books — Contract signed with the second biggest publisher in China. Release date TBD.

German

Croatian

 

Information for Those That Would Like to Translate

If you would like to join the fight to make the fitness industry in your language better, translating already existing information can be a great place to start.

My journey building out our Japanese site, AthleteBody.jp, started in this way.

I wanted to help my Japanese friends in the gym but had no audience nor translation skill set to do so. Fortunately, determination and persistence can get you far.

I started by approaching respected western fitness professionals and asking if I could translate the free articles that they had available online.

I paid a professional to get them translated into Japanese and put them out on a blog. I refused to advertise on the site or sell products because I knew this would bring into question the credibility of it, and so I lost money every year. (I funded this using the coaching profits from RippedBody.com.)

Eventually, I built a loyal audience, and it was in our seventh year that we finally put out our first paid product, the Japanese translation of the popular barbell lifting tutorial book, Starting Strength.

So it can be done, even without experience (at first), but the first step is to try translating the one free article and see how it is received. — Consider this is the litmus test for yourself; you’ll quickly find out whether it is something you wish to continue.

I hope that helps.

Category 1: Articles, Currently Publicly Available Online for Free, Translated and Republished for Free

1. Let me know what it is you specifically wish to translate before doing so.

I may already have someone who has translated it (or is in the process of doing so).

I may have a deal with someone in that language who I have given the rights to translate my work.

I may have a deal with a publisher not to have any book content, even sample chapters, published.

2. Do a good job. This means the language and the presentation.

If your standard of writing would not pass for a major publication, improve it. Google translate is not even close to being good enough.

I get translated work checked. If you do a sloppy job, I will ask that you delete it.

3. Keep all links, link back to my site, and credit the work with my name.

4. Let me know when it is done so I can check it and link to it here.

Please send me an email via this contact form.

Category 2: Paid Products — The Last Shred, and The Muscle and Strength Pyramids

Note: The former is a book written solely by me. For the latter, I am one of the three authors, but given my experience in this area, we decided that I would be responsible for selecting translation partners. So, know that I speak for the three of us here, despite using ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘my’ in places.

–

Sometimes people email casually to ask about translating one of my books. Then, more often than not, after I explain everything, they realize they aren’t in the right position to do it currently. To save me having the same conversations again and again, I created this section.

Translating paid products is a much more serious endeavor than translating articles. They cannot be put out for free because that would stop us from selling it in that market in the future, and partners need to be chosen very carefully.

There are three key areas you need to consider:

  1. Are you able to translate to a high enough standard?
  2. Are you able to sell?
  3. Are you the kind of person who ‘gets shit done’?

1. Are you able to translate to a high enough standard?

You need to be (or have access to) 1) a professional translator, 2) with experience translating fitness information, 3) who can get the job done at a very high quality.

Speaking a language and knowing about fitness does not qualify you to translate a book. Translation is a profession, a skill for which people go to school.

If you are a translator who can pitch this to a publishing house (for physical versions), the next two sections may not apply but are worth reading.

2. Do you have the ability to sell?

It took my guy Ken over a year to translate Starting Strength into Japanese. It took Alberto and his team of three people over 9 months to get The Muscle and Strength Pyramid books ready in Spanish.

If you go to the trouble of translating it (or finding someone who can), do you have the ability to sell it?

Potential buyers won’t speak English, so while we can email our list to tell people about the translation, this will not lead to many direct sales.

1) You need to have an established audience, 2) have a history of selling digital products, and, 3) be an evidence-based professional.

Selling is hard. Thinking you can do it is not enough, you need to have proven yourself before (or work with someone who has).

I/we do not want to be affiliated with people who promote bro-science, even if they can sell.

3. Are you the kind of person who ‘gets shit done’?

You need to be the kind of person who can figure things out. 1) You’ll need to get a lawyer to put together a contract and 2) get a website put together with a sales page. 3) You’ll need to find software to deliver it, and 4) you’ll need to be willing to handle any technical support issues.

If after having read these things you feel you are a good fit for a language we don’t already have covered (listed in the top section), I’m very interested in speaking to you.

Please send me an email via the contact form explaining clearly, point by point, why.

Thank you for reading.

– Andy.

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