Training Books
 

Hi all,

I am considering getting some of these books and I was wondering whether anyone has read them and if they think they are good/bad.

Serious Strength Training-Tudor Bompa
Sport Stretch-Michael J. Alter
Muscle Logic-Charles Staley
Functional Training For Sports-Mike Boyle
Optimizing Strength Training-Kraemer and Fleck
Stretching Scientifically-Thomas Kurz

Also I was wondering out of Sport Stretch and Stretching scientifically which is better? Or are they both good reads and worth getting?
Also does anyone have any other suggestions of good books?

Many thanks,

Rob.

Mark Rippetoe - Starting Strength
- no matter how advanced a lifter or trainer you think you are, this is a wonderful resource for you to keep

Anything by Pavel, though I especially like Beyond Bodybuilding

Anything by Dan John: I just love reading his work

Staley is legit but Muscle Logic reads like a Men's Health article. you might find it the library.
it's hokey and airy fairy but Body Mind and Sport has influenced my thinkign a huge amount.

RTS manual, Mike Tuscherer. I liked it.
Ditto on Pavel's BBB, he's got a new book out as well.
Westside Barbell book of methods..
have read a bunch of other stuff that's not worth paying for, soem iof the best stuff is free in places like EliteFTS archives...

I'd add in a Boyle resource. Functional Training for sports or that new Functional Strength Coach 3.0 has gotten good reviews. I honestly don't know if it's a book or what though.

Practical Programming should make the cut.

Out of the books on your list, I'd only recommend Kurz' "Stretching Scientifically." I have Bompa's book,and it's written for bodybuilders on steroids and many supplements. Boyle is crap, and I've heard bad reviews of Kramer's and Fleck's books.

I would recommend Christian Thibadeau's "Black Book of Training Secrets" and "Theory and Application of Modern Strength and Power Methods." I'd also recommend Arthur Dreschler's "Encyclopedia of Weightlifting." It has a lot more than just weightlifting content in it. It talks about periodization, strength training, stretching, sport psychology, etc.

I'm also intrigued by the RTS Manual that DVS recommended. I have just ordered it.

To add onto that:

Zatsiorsky, the Science and Practice of Strength Training
Bruce Jenner, Finding the Champion Within (good for the mental aspect of training)

What's the issue with Boyle?

I, personally, have not read any of his books, but I've read many of his articles; however, I find very little use from the functional fitness crowd. I doubt he has been educated in much fitness-wise, and he is highly fickle, changing his ideas with the new crowd and coming out with new products to accomodate that new idea.

If you want to know what's functional and transferable, read Bondarchuk's "Transfer of Training in Sport."

*Edit: I hope I didn't sound too harsh about Boyle. I don't mean to attack him personally, but I am just in disagreement with his methods and his view of training for sport. I think his crowd could do better by obtaining a formal education in a subject fitness/nutrition related or by reading more science-based books/journals, rather than going to Buddy Lee seminars and learning about marketing. I also think the reviews that his crowd gives one another's products are misleading. I don't want to sound like a pompous academic or anything, but that's just my opinion.

Maximum Strength by Eric Cressey is good.

What exactly are you looking for though?

Programming? Beginner program? Knowledge in general?

Strongest Shall Survive- Bill Starr
Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia- John Jesse
Tommy Kono's Oly book (forgot the title...)
Practical Programming for Strength Training- Rippetoe & Kilgore (SS, as well)

A lot of the heavy periodization books have only ben 'interesting' to me, as I've never been (or plan to be) at the level where things get that complex.

Craig