Every Fitness Buff Needs at Least One Strength Training Book

Being able to consult a strength training book can be particularly helpful to people who are just beginning to get into strength training. However, from time to time even very experienced strength training enthusiasts who have been working out over the long haul find themselves in need of an expert source of information regarding strength training.

There’s no question that the Internet offers a wealth of information on the subject of strength training. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to check something on your computer while you’re in the middle of a workout. You can, however, place a training book within easy reach while you’re training. If a question comes up while you’re working out, you can quickly page through your book and easily get the information you need. You could also consult your training book while you’re relaxing after a workout, without the need to bother with your computer.

So, everyone who’s involved in strength training – from a brand-new novice to someone who’s been working out for years – needs at least one book. But, dozens of these books are on the market. How can you know which books are effective and written by experts, and which ones you’d be better off avoiding? After all, you don’t want to buy ten or twelve training books just to find the right one. Fortunately, we’re in a position to help when you’re looking for a good training book.

We have a few suggestions that are particularly good sources of accurate, reliable strength training information. Here’s some information about three books that we think you’ll find especially helpful.

Our first suggestion is a book called “Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training.” Written by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore, some people have called this book the best and most useful of any book on the market. We’d estimate that more than 100,000 copies have been sold, and for good reason.

As its name implies, this strength training book offers detailed instructional information on different aspects of barbell training. It doesn’t stop there, however. It’s actually a comprehensive guide to strength training that takes a logical, practical, but science-based approach. Among other things, it describes a lot of nuances that are overlooked by many people while they’re performing barbell exercises like squats, bench presses, power cleans, power snatches and deadlifts. Men and women of all ages have used the information in Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training successfully in their strength training. It’s a terrific resource.

We also recommend a strength training book called “The Poliquin Principles: Successful Methods for Strength and Mass Development,” written by Canadian strength coach Charles Poliquin. It covers a great deal of information regarding strength training and building muscle mass. Some of Peloquin’s topics address areas that people often wonder about but have difficulty finding answers. Well, Poloquin looked for and discovered those answers, including some pretty obscure information on things like the speed at which exercises should be performed, how long you should rest between exercises to let your body recover, and the Kaizen principle (a philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement). In The Poliquin Principles, you’ll get the type of detailed information that can help you build a healthy, strong body and a healthy, strong life.

The final entry in our triad of recommended strength training books is called “Periodization.” The author is Tudor Bompa, and there’s no one who knows more about periodization, because Bompa essentially developed the concept. This particular strength training book is the authoritative work on the subject of periodization. Basically, periodization is an organized approach to strength training that utilizes training cycles that progressively build toward a peak. Often (but not necessarily), the peak is timed to coincide with a competition or other event. In essence, periodization involves alternating (or cycling) various aspects of training throughout a specific time period of several weeks or months. One of its goals is to introduce new training movements or methods as you progress through a cycle.

Periodization is serious stuff. The book can be a little tough to wade through, but it’s packed with information. And much of the information in Periodization is difficult (if not impossible) to find anywhere else. Bomba is one of the world’s leading experts on the topic of periodization, and reading his strength training book is important for anyone interested in physical fitness. It should also be considered a must-read strength training book for athletic coaches in any sport.

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