Has anyone read Serious Strength Training by Tudor Bompa? I’ve read Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training (4th Edition) and Periodization: Training for Sports is it worth buying Serious Strength Training or is it all the same stuff?
I have always been interested in reading Bompa’s books as well. So I am interested in what others have to say about these books.
I like the book. It gives you all the information that you need to plan a years worth of training. Bompa believes in tailoring your workouts based on your 1RM. He then varies the percentages of the RM and reps depending on what phase of your periodization that you are in. Periodic retesting of your 1 RM allows you to adjust your weights as you progress through the different training phases. I think it is a great addition to my strength training library.
If you have Bompa’s other books, you won’t get much out of Serious Strength. It contains much of the same information in simplified form.
I have Serious Strength training. Yes it’s a great book. The diet information is ca-ca in my opinion, and a few other things I disagree with but…it’s still a great book. I like periodized workout plans. Fleck & Kraemer have a good book too. Seems a bit redundant in parts though. I also have “Supertraining” By Mel Siff. I haven’t read it yet. But it looks to be the best of the bunch.
On another note I watched Ian Kings Killer leg video the other day. It’s pretty damn good. 
I wouldnt buy any of Bompas books,way too basic and full of shit.He prescribes the western version of periodisation,which if you read "the periodization bible 1 and 2"by Dave Tate,you ll know this type of program is not optimal.Get “supertraining” by Mel Siff,Its the only book you ll ever need.On another note,Bompa doesnt even write his own books,I know this is a fact.I dont know if the story is true,but two guys that I used to work with actually paid a visit to Mr.Bompa to let him know that his form of periodisation did not produce favourable results(there sprinters).He apparently agreed that there were many problems with his program but offered little in terms of practical training information.
WSTRAINER.
Just because he has a different opinion to Dave Tate and Louie Simmons doesnt mean its basic and full of shit. Bompa has trained many elite athletes in many sports including ben Jonson. He really knows his stuff. The methods used by Westside are great for powerlifting and developing maximal strength, but many of us have other goals. I am not attacking westside because I think it is a great training system/method. The western Periodization that bompa refers to in his other books is different to the western periodization used in powerlifting it is periodization for all round sports performance. Now I admit I have not read Serious Strength but I have read three of his other books.
Dear locke,thanks for letting me know Bompa trained Ben,as I live in Toronto And am very familiar with Bompa and some of his friends and i never knew this?Anyways,lets get back to facts.Have you personally tried both versions of periodization?If so,what method worked best for you?Do you train people for a living?If so,what type of periodization do you prescribe?Everyone is entitled to there own opinion,but with periodization,the “conjugated sequence system” smokes whatever Bompa recommends.Instead of arguing whos right,lets ask our selves what works and what doesnt.If you need more info on periodisation i suggest you look elsewhere.Again,Bompa didnt write the book.I look forward to your response.wstrainer.
Um Bompa has produced far more top atheletes than Louie has. And what’s with referencing articles as if they’re scientific papers?
“that his form of periodisation did not produce favourable results(there sprinters).He apparently agreed that there were many problems with his program but offered little in terms of practical training information.” Unless they hired him to actually supervise the development of the program how does that mean anything? It would be like somebody attempting to copy WS methoods from articles not seeing results and saying Louie’s training sucks. Yet, it’s much more complicated than that. Trust me, I have seen this all over the place.
Charlie Francis followed Bompas training methods to some extent, so he had a small role in ben’s developement, but never coached him. but before people say Bompa, or his books are full of shit, remember he has been involved in strength and conditioning longer than most of you have been alive. if you think Bompa is full of shit, then i guess Poliquin, King and 90% of good trainers are because to some degree everybody is using Bompas methods in one way or another.
Bompa never invented any type of training method that Im aware of.Everyboby can learn something from anybody,so as far as Poliquin,Francis and king go,at some point in there life they were newcomers to the scene but had a passion to learn.If someone were to ask me,I think Francis,Siff and Verkoshansky have been the most influental in bringing and applying knowledge to the masses.Its all about trial and error and personal opinion as is evedent by looking at programs designed by different coaches.But if it will make everyone happy,purchase Bompas book and give us some feed back in 6 months time.
Hey Westside, thanks for giving us permission to train using Bompa methods. I always thought Bompa was well respected in the strength field thanks again for setting us straight. It is great to get advice from “experts” such as yourself.
I have got SST and followed the training programs a couple of years ago, they were good but the main reason I stopped were that I was having to spend 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the gym per w/out. The nutrition is very different to John Beradi’s stuff and there is a lot of basic info in the book, heaps of pics of different exercises. Personallly I have got better gains out of Ian King and Charles Staley training combined with JB’s eating styles.
Chris, I am sorry that this thread has turned into a flam-fest and gone off-topic, so in response to your question, I have not read Tudor’s book you are reffering to, but have a read a great many others and I think the best I have read so far is Ian King’s “Get Buffed”.
kent
PS~The main issue with conjugated periodization compared to linear is the detraining effect. For this reason it is better suited toward advanced level athletes (who are also experiened with weight selection).
Chris,if you are a beginner trainer,buy GetBuff by Ian king.If your advanced,I can only recommend Supertraining by Mel Siff.In Bompas book Serious Strength Training,chapter 8 explains how to lose fat by pairing up 8 exercises (full-body workout) and performing them non-stop for anywhere between 50 to 100 reps(400-800 reps per workout)2-4 times per week.Chris,does this sound like the kind of book you want to waste time and money for?To John:Im not a WestSide trainer,although I do have most of there material and agree with there pholosophies.WSTRAINER
Thanks for your replies.
Everyone has helped. The debate between WSTRAINER and a couple of other guys was interesting. I thrive on reading differing points of view it enhances learning.
Thanks again.