Dave asked for the best book on training that you’ve read. Here are your 75 responses:
1.) “Personally:
Starting Strength.” – Jake
2.) “
5/3/1 or SS so far. I haven’t actually managed to read Supertraining yet.” – Jonathon
3.) “Rock Iron Steel…it was just so much fun.” – David
4.) “Dr. Squat’s Hardcore Bodybuilding: A Scientific Approach.” – Nicholas
5.) “Ed Coan - The Man, The Myth, The Method.” – Alexander
6.) “The Complete Guide to Power Training - Fred Hatfield; 5/3/1 - Jim Wendler; High Intensity Training - Mike Mentzer; and
Starting Strength - Mark Rippetoe.” – Ken
7.) “Supertraining by Mel Siff…still reading it to absorb all the info.” – Ryan
8.) “For Sports Training:
Science of Sports Training by Thomas Kurz.” – Matt
9.) “Of course every teenager’s first strength training book is Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding. Now my favorites are EFS Basic Training and 5/3/1, but I never get tired of reading Mark Ripptoe.” – Ross
10.) “Ripptoe’s Practical Programming.” – Paul
11.) “The
EFS Basic Training Manual and the 5/3/1 Manual.” – David
12.) “
5/3/1. It is a simple system. It is just what I wanted. I just want raw-strength for skiing.”- Fredrik
13.) “MeLlo’s- BYg book oF TraYnEinG: A NON-SCIENTIFIC APPROACH. It’s a difficult read!” – Brian
14.) “Infinite Intensity by Ross Enamait. He runs a great no bullshit forum as well.” – P.J.
15.) “Zatsiorsky -
Science and Practice of Strength Training.” – Andrew
16.) “Yep it’s 5/3/1 for me too – more so because it works!” – Dave
17.) “I’m with Ryan…can’t go wrong with Siff. The Man, The Myth, The Method- pg. 125; left center picture…I’m the guy with his back to the camera tightening my belt. Trained with Ed for over four years and that’s all I have to show for it. Good times…” – Joe
18.) “Not sure I would say it’s the BEST, given everything that has come since. But buying Arnold’s Encyclopedia when I was 13 growing up in Ohio, was probably the most significant and had the biggest impact.” – Brando-
19.) “Theory and Methodology of Training – Tudor Bompa.” – John
20.) “Arnold’s Encyclopedia and The Westside Barbell Book of Methods.” – Jesse
21.) “Never Let Go…Dan John.” – Dusty
22.) “Starting Strength, but the
EFS Basic Training Manual comes in a very close second. Honorable mentions for the Westside Barbell Book of Methods, the Westside Barbell Bench Press Manual, ALL of the EFS Training Manuals…and
5/3/1.” – Jack
23.) “Strong Enough, by Ripptoe.” – Richard
24.) “
Transfer of Training in Sports, by Anatoly P. Bondarchuk.” – Morgan
25.) “This is a trick question, but most influential has been 5/3/1. For coaches, Starting Strength is without a doubt, one of the best.” – Patrick
26.) “
Beyond Bodybuilding, by Pavel.” – Eric
27.) “Muscle Revolution: Chad Waturbury is a great book.” – Aaron
28.) “I personally really liked
In Pursuit of Excellence, although, it’s along the lines of mental training…not physical training.” – Chelsi
29.)
Enter the Kettlebell, by Pavel. Maybe not the absolute best, but definitely gave me a few ‘Ah-ha!’ moments about body positions and the way we move.
30.) “Hmmm…Supertraining, by Mel Siff, and The Westside Barbell Book of Methods.” – Chad
31.) “The Development of Physical Strength, by Anthony Ditillio and 5/3/1.” – Larry
32.) “Best? That’s a tough call. I don’t think I could narrow it down to one because I’ve got Labcoat books for all the nerd crap, and then there’s solid practical-wisdom books that I like just as much. If you’re talking labcoat/theory stiff, it’d be either Supertraining or Zatsiorsky’s
Science and Practice. For practical application, I like Pavel, Ripptoe and all of Jim Wendler’s stuff…but now I feel bad for leaving some out.” – Matt
33.) “
Science and Practice of Strength Training, by Zatsiorsky.” – Matt Wenning
34.) “Supertraining, 5/3/1, Thibaudeau’s Black Book, Gambetta Method, Three Day Per Week…” – Darren
35.) “Never Let Go, by Dan John and, 5/3/1, by Jim Wendler.” – Michael
36.) “All I have is
Starting Strength- haha. It’s a great read though, I’m going through it a third time, great detail.” – Javi
37.) “Christian Thibaudeau, High Threshold Muscle Building.” – Angelo
38.) “Strength and Power in Sport Edi., by P.V. Komi.” – Josh
39.) “
Ironmind: Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies, by RandallStrossens. Hands down, the best book you can read on training.” – Mike
40.) “Starting Strength – Mark Rippetoe,
Secrets of Soviet Sports and Fitness Training – Dr. Yessis, High/Low Sequences of Programming and Organization of Training – James Smith. I know this doesn’t count, but if Defranco’s Super Strength DVD were a book it’d be up there also.” – Alex
41.) “EFS Basic Manual and The Westside Barbell Book of Methods.” – Ben
42.) “The Westside Barbell Book of Methods.” – Robert
43.) “
5/3/1.” – Matthew
44.) “Supersquats, Ironmind: Stronger Minds Stronger Bodies and Never Let Go.” – Tommy.
45.) “Wendler’s 5/3/1.” – Kristopher
46.) “From the Ground Up, by Dan John and Starting Strength, by Ripptoe.” – Kellen
47.) “Dinosaur Training, by Brooks Kubik.” – Jeff
48.) “Starting Strength Plus One.” – Al
49.) “Please Like Me by Jason Pegg.” – Karsten
50.) “Practical Programming, by Ripptoe and Kilgore.” – Todd
51.) “Infinite Intensity, by Ross Enamait.” – Bryan
52.) “5/3/1 Manual, I’ve been using it for months.” – Dan
53.) “Supertraining by Mel Siff. I also liked Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance by Dr. Stuart McGill.” – Benjamin
54.) “Science and Practice of Strength Training.” – AJ
55.) “NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training and 5/3/1.” – Matthew
56.) “Most influential literary work was actually a single article about CNS management by Dragomir. It has enhanced the effectiveness of every training method I use.” – Marc
57.) “There was a book either by Joe Bonomo, or about his life. There were lots of exercises in it, like the Turkish getup…I asked the library if I could buy it off of them. They refused, saying it must be rare if I want it, I have his book about his life story, yet the exercises were more valuable. Second choice would be Power by Fred Hatfield.” – Hans
58.) “Starting Strength.” – Shawn
59.) “Strength and Power in Sport by Komi and various authors; a must-have. Science and Practice by Zatsiorsky, anything by Dr. Istvan Balyi (his work changed my life) and anything Dr. Kraemer puts out, I read.” – Justin Cecil
60.) “Dinosaur Training.” – Robert
61.) “Maximize Your Training, edited by Matt Brzycki. At that point in my career, this had the most profound influence.” – Rob
62.) “Wendler’s 5/3/1. It got me off my ass and effectively broke me of my program- hopping habit.” – Jesse
63.) “Starting Strength.” – Paul
64.) “Practical Programming.” – Dustin
65.) “5/3/1. I read a lot of good books, but they seemed to complicate training. After I read 5/3/1, it was like the fog cleared up. Training should be simple and straight to the point, even if you don’t use the 5/3/1 system, it still clears a lot of shit up.” – Matt
66.) “Robert Evans’ Dinosaur Training was an awesome book too. He was very entertaining. I remember busting out laughing at some of the shit that guy said to get his point across.” – Matt
67.) “
Under the Bar was good enough for me.” – Darryl
68.) “Although some of the stuff Mr. Kubik had in his book was a little off the wall, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I just like his whole attitude towards lifting…’shut the hell up and stop being a putty, stop making excuses and lift the weight’ attitude.” - Robert
69.) “Kubik’s comments about most public ‘gyms’ are awesome! Chrome and bunny land, or crazy shit like that. Bit, I did like his attitude. I used his routines and got awesome results. Some of my best gains were when I was lifting just two days a week doing full-body sessions. Squat, bench and pull ups one day and the next, military, press and rows.” – Matt
70.) “Starting Strength and Practical Programming because it was a stepping stone towards something big.” – Matt
71.) “Power by Dr. Fred Hatfield.” – Nick
72.) “Infinite Intensity, 5/3/1, EFS Basic Training and probably Supertraining when I finish it.” – Mark
73.) “Never Let Go.” – Jerzy
74.) “For overall determination Under the Bar is great. My wife, whos’s not a powerlifter, loved it too.” – Rob
75.) “Supertraining. It was like walking through the desert with Jim Morrison, and makes you look at training in ways you didn’t before.” - Nate
