Being as Fathers Day is soon upon us, i was thinking of buying my dad some sort of training book. He’s 47, been lifting for 25 years+ and recently hes been lamenting that his current routine is not working and he wants to switch it up.
What are the best books (relatively inexpensive) that are very informative in all things strength related?
Really depends on what you want from a book…
Book of Muscle is a good all around book in my opinion.
You could always go for Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding.
Those are the only two straight lifting books I have.
As a plug for for T-Nation contributor Christian Thibaudeau, you could go for The Little Black Book of Training Secrets but I think that would be a bit advanced for your pops.
Uhh…I misread your email and thought you said your dad hadn’t lifted in 25 years…maybe the The Little Black book is exactly what he needs. My bad.
Try Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik. If he’s been lifting for that long he should enjoy the old school references and its no nonsense approach to lifting. I would have to say one of the best, if not THE best book on getting stronger and lifting weights.
Dinosaur Training is great for motivation, especially the later chapters on the mental aspects of training. This book has goods and bads imo. One thing i don’t like about this book is that the author discredits periodization and says that you must train to absolute muscular failure on abbreviated routines year round to make gains. It’s alright to take 2 months out of the whole year to train that way but it’s absurd to think that it’s the only best way to get stronger and bigger. Training to brutal failure like that all the time would halt gains and drain the heck out of you. The strongest powerlifters today and even of the past didn’t train that way all the time. They go on plans cycling training , peaking, and then backing down and cycling back up again, and repeats for success . Brooks Kubrik dramatizes things and states a very biased approach to training, which reminds me of the HIT and hardgainer/Brawn and Bulgarian Burst crews.
He does bring up some very useful means of training with barrels, logs, kettlebells, thick bar handles/barbells, sand bags, which can be useful when incorporated into a routine. But the book is still an exceptional motivational work.
Other interesting ways of training can be found in Pavel’s books. Black Book of Training Secrets, Serious Strength Training, Modern Trends of Strength Trainining, Ian King’s Get Buffed series(3 books) are also good ones to consider.
I?ve read hundreds of books on strength and conditioning and my favorite is Science and Practice of Strength Training ( I?m currently studying under the author at Penn State so I?m biased). Christian Thibaudeau books are also very informative.
I think EDT for massive arms is a good book, because it is different from what your dad has been doing. Not only is it a book about training, it is somehow also seems like a guide for success, not only in lifting, but in life. That is what I got from the book. The training itself taught me that progressive overload can happen than just adding weight. I have been able to progress each and every workout, while before, I seem to be trying to add a 1/4 of a lb, to try to increase some weight. The training is fun, and I think your dad will enjoy it very much, I did. Your constantly trying to beat your previous goals, and it is a inspiration each and every time you do. The book taught me, if you try your best each time, you will succeed, not only in gaining hypertrophy, but also in life.
Goodluck and enjoy your training.
thanks for all the replies fellas
Where would be the best place to buy said books?
BigDirk:
Despite the fact that the original came out in 1985…it STILL is perhaps the most comprehensive and motivational book out there…from nutrition and workouts…to demonstrations of EVERY exercise…to posing and pics.
“The New Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding” (“Arnuld” has updated it), just hasn’t been matched…and at 800 plus pages it’s a steal. (Plus your Dad can gain a lot of motivation from guys that motivated him when he was younger!).
Author: Arnold Schwartzenegger
You can get it…and get it QUICK for like 20 bucks from Amazon.com.
Hope this helps!
Mufasa
Power-a Scientific approach by Fred Hatfield
ok …I know this is off the topic…I love the King books any of them…I love poliquin’s books…want him to write more. I ordered CT’s book “black book of secrets” I also ordered the promise and forever from alessi. does anyone know anyother books…that i need to add. Plus does anyone know if Poliquin is writting any more books?
I bought Arnold’s Encyclopedia years ago and while the pictures are motivational, the knowledge really isn’t that current.
I also have Ian King’s Get Buffed. It’s an interesting read, but if your Dad has read everything on here by Ian King it might not be worth the high cost.
Even though it’s not really about training, I highly recommend “Muscle: Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder.”
It’s a great read and very entertaining.
where can i get the “black book of training secrets?”
hey BigDirk-
send me your dad’s name and address and we will send him the “Ultimate Guide to Massive Arms-EDT”
by Charles Staley for Fathers Day. Send it to julianne@edtsecrets.com thanks-Julianne
Anywhere to buy any books by the folks at westside?
I think these would be something he would enjoy immensely as he is a hardcore powerlifter. (Never do more than a few sets of curls in front of him if you want to keep your diginity)
Here are some of the ones I own and like:
Naked Warrior by Pavel Tsatsouline
Training for Speed by Charlie Francis
Eat, Move and Be Healthy by Paul Chek
Renegade Training for Xtreme Sports by Coach John Davies
Renegade Training for Football by Coach John Davies
Get Buffed by Ian King
The Science of Martial Arts Training by Charles Staley
The Russian Kettlebell Challenge by Pavel
How to Write Strength Training Programs by Ian King
The Book of Muscle by Ian King and Lou Schuler
Fat Loss Forever by Derek and Don Alessi
The Poliquin Principles by Charles Poliquin
Modern Trends in Strength Training by Charles Poliquin
Power to the People by Pavel
Well what im really looking for is a book by the boys at Westside. My dads been lifting for a long time, yes, but he does very little reading into lifting itself, and just kinda does it. Any thoughts on the best books based on this?
FYI, money is tight, so more inexpensive = good
I don’t know if any of the Westside boys have any “books.” But, perhaps you could print a bunch of their training articles and make your own book for him. And if you want to get real pretty, you could down to Kinko’s and even have the pages bound and make a nice cover.
After I just typed that, I paused to think about it and I might just do it for myself. It would be nice to have all the information put together in one book, put together how you like.
I’m a dad, maybe someone can do this for me for Father’s Day.
Or you could order him some of the videos from Westside.
BigDirk,
I don’t know that Westside has one book that discusses their methods. I think Simmons developed the system based on reading Zatsiorsky’s Science and Practice of Strength Training and Siff’s Supertraining. I heard Supertraining is excellent but a bit technical - and it’s expensive.
One book that hasn’t been mentioned is Rock, Iron, Steel by Steve Justa. I have never read it, but from others have said about it, the book is a bit like Dinosaur Training. But it also lays out some sample routines that won’t burn you out. I agree with AJ’s criticisms about DT. Although Brooks doesn’t necessarily advocate going to failure, he did say at one point in the book not to worry about periodization. That’s not good advice, IMO. BTW, rumor has it that Brooks is working on an updated version of DT.
Justa’s book is around $15.