Ideal Training Library

It’s come up many times- here are my choices (my library):
Traing:
Core Conditioning + Low Back courses by Paul Chek
Traing Series by Ian King
Poliquin Principles by Poliquin
Westside Barbell training book/videos
Vince Gironda’s Old Courses
Keys to Inner Universe by Bill Pearl
Any Old articles by Don Ross (ironman mag)
Brother iron, Sister Steel by Dave Draper
Loaded Guns by Larry Scott
NOTHING by mentzer or Schwarzenneger- their genes do not carry to the average man

Nutrition:
Berardi’s pre/post workout articles
Metabolic Typing by Wolcott
Blueprint for the Bodybuilder by Gironda
The New Nutrition by Colgan
Supplement Pyramiud article by TC et al
The Know How by Don Lemmon (forget the guy’s rants- solid book)
Priming the Anabolic Environment by Will Brink

I have a big book shelf - Happy New Year all
The message from above- everyone has stuff to contribute but their is NO “BIBLE” for bodybuilding/ strength training

Mike D

Where’s Supertraining, Facts and Fallicies of Fitness and the Weightlifting Encyclopedia?

Or Zatsiorsky’s book? Check Dave Tate’s site for a good selection of excellent weight training books…

Yeah Im suprised that you included Chek who seems to get a LOT of his stuff wrong when it is analysed by real scientists but failed to include Siff, Zatsiorski (spelling) etal.

Chris- I don’t think that CHEK has it wrong so much as the old debate on weight belts- if you choose to practice with one OF COURSE you have to push your abs out to stabilize . .if you train beltless, you need to develop a vaccuum reflex to maintain a rigid thoraco- abdominal fascia/ transverse abdominis rigidity . . I’d be interested in other “errors” that Paul Chek has been called on - I’m not aware . .
You guys are right though- I should include dave Tate’s stuff- I assumed it to be with the Westside stuff
Mike

Thanks for the book list.

You guys are obviously advanced. As a beginner (1 year of training), I’ve been hungry for knowledge on training and nutrition…but stuff that works. I also want to understand WHY it works.

Ian King’s book Get Buffed, plus his Killer Legs video and articles have really helped me. His single-leg control exercises corrected hip/leg imbalances within 3 weeks and increased my squat strength, too. I recommend his stuff to beginners who want to understand what’s going on during training.

For nutrition, John Berardi’s articles have helped me understand meal timing and how the body responds to protein, carbs and fat. He’s great, but when is he gonna finish that PhD?
Have a happy New Year!

I think Paul Chek is the most overrated person in the business. He doesn’t really have any hands-on lifting experience does he?

I’ve seen paul deep squat 315 to floor- beltless for a very strict 15+ . .he doesn’t bodybuiild though for size- he has a heluva ripped physique (much bigger than Pavel Tsatsouline at that)- his strength is balance work. His core muscularity is frightening . .ripped and looking like a tortoise shell . .he’ll bench and squat on top of a swiss ball with huge poundages.
I would follow his dictums for development of the midsection and lower back . .
He doesn’t offer “improve your bench” or “get big arms” courses at that anyhow . .
Mike D

Paul Chek is a hell of an athlete and great lifter. He says he’s not a bodybuilder, but he’s ripped to shreds, very symetrical, and all natural. I’ve seen him in person. Makes Pavel look like a 10 year old girl. Paul is no arm chair expert that’s for sure.

I’ve got Poliquin’s original Principles book . .anyone read his new stuff ? Anything of interest ?
At his site he is offering a CD (about 60 minutes) where he deals with football training
All input welcome-

IMO, Supertraining wasn’t worth the money (in canadian dollars anyway) but still good, especially the stuff on recovery, machines & applications to sports. I liked his ‘translation’ of Yuri V’s Programming… from Bud Charniga’s soviet english to western english. I was also kind of suprised to see that Siff was a weightlifter in the past. I always thought that he was just an armchair theorist who just bashed others.

Why wasnt Supertraining worth the money? Ive just ordered it Ive only seen the contents and it looks awesome.
I hope not to be mislead by supertraining!

I ordered from Elitefitness & the book cost 50, then 50 for intl shipping (to canada) & then the exchange rate on top of that. It’s still a really good book (not my favorite though), I just wish I didn’t have to pay so much for it.

“Strength Training Anatomy,” as recommended by T-Mag, VERY COOL book! It was well worth the price I paid. Superb illustrations together with some great concepts made it a “shopping cart” must!

Theirs no such thing as an ideal training library or a bad book. You can learn something new from almost every book. My favorite books are Chemistry textbooks and books authored by Tudor O Bompa (I have read every book he has written on my on going quest for infinite knowledge). I also like to read books about fat manipulation because of my on going battle with fat (I am not fat throw I weigh 230Lb at 6% body fat).