The brightly illustrated Manual of Gainful Exercise appears to be a mundane self-help or training manual. If a detect magic spell is cast upon it, the manual will radiate an aura of magic. Any character who reads the work (24 hours of time over 3-5 days) will know how to permanently increase his or her Strength and Constitution scores by 2 points each¹—this involves a special dietary regimen, breathing exercises, and physical training over a two-month period. The book disappears immediately upon completion of its contents.

The points of Strength and Constitution are gained only after the prescribed regimen is followed. In three months the knowledge of the secrets to gainful exercise will be forgotten. The knowledge cannot be articulated or recorded by the reader. The tome will not be useful to any character a second time, nor is more than one character able to benefit from a single copy.

¹ For 2nd-edition readers, they instead gain 2 points of Strength (Muscle) and Constitution (Fitness). Stamina and Health are not improved.