Best workout book/guide????

stickshift · Jun 10, 2009

Originally Posted by JohnD356

Strength Training Anatomy (Amazon)

Great for new lifters and old hands.
+1

I also like Arnold's book "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding"...lots of great info in there.

turbozed · Jun 10, 2009

Originally Posted by william

+1

-1

Lolz

JohnD356 · Jun 10, 2009

I agree that the forums are a mixed bag. For every guy who knows what he's talking about, there are a dozen who don't have a clue. Besides, once you know how to do the key lifts correctly (which is where a book can help) all you need to do it go to the gym, work hard and eat clean. You don't need to spend all day in a BB forum discussing the pros/cons of every amino acid supplement known to man.

TEPLimey · Jun 10, 2009

Originally Posted by stickshift

I also like Arnold's book "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding"...lots of great info in there.
For pure techniques and exercises, this is pretty much the definitive guide, IMO.

I would supplement Arnold's book with a guide to nutrition and something on building core strength.

robertorex · Jun 10, 2009

btw if you google "javorek complex" many of them are available online. Various other free resources will give you plenty of instruction on how to do the component lifts. You won't have to spend a cent.

pg600rr · Jun 10, 2009

Originally Posted by robertorex

btw if you google "javorek complex" many of them are available online. Various other free resources will give you plenty of instruction on how to do the component lifts. You won't have to spend a cent.

I will have to do that and compile my own Javorek book...I have been wanting to try his stuff out for a while just to see what the results are like.

js4design · Jun 11, 2009

Originally Posted by stickshift

+1

I also like Arnold's book "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding"...lots of great info in there.

this was going to be my recommendation. just supplement the lifts you aren't sure about by looking up videos of proper form. there are actually a lot of them on youtube etc.

riraito · Jun 11, 2009

I have arnold's encyclopedia and I recommend staying away from it. For the average person it's not very practical.. the amount of volume arnold does in his routines is abnormal and not representative of what a typical person is capable of. arnold is a legend and he trains at a level far greater than the rest of us.

In my personal experience you can find a lot of great stuff on the web but as for books I liked Chad Waterbury's Muscle Revolution and Christian Thibaudeau's Black Book of Training Secrets.

It really depends what your goal is though.. I lost interest in bodybuilding awhile ago and am now much more interested in functional performance training. What kind of body do you wanna have? I think having the body of a sprinter or gymnast is a good goal to have.. they have incredible muscular definition and strength. I'll never understand the obsession with being HUGE

Edit: also stay away from crossfit unless you want to die early.

Grayland · Jun 11, 2009

riraito;2155711 said:
I have arnold's encyclopedia and I recommend staying away from it. For the average person it's not very practical.. the amount of volume arnold does in his routines is abnormal and not representative of what a typical person is capable of. arnold is a legend and he trains at a level far greater than the rest of us.

In my personal experience you can find a lot of great stuff on the web but as for books I liked Chad Waterbury's Muscle Revolution and Christian Thibaudeau's Black Book of Training Secrets.

It really depends what your goal is though.. I lost interest in bodybuilding awhile ago and am now much more interested in functional performance training. What kind of body do you wanna have? I think having the body of a sprinter or gymnast is a good goal to have.. they have incredible muscular definition and strength. I'll never understand the obsession with being HUGE

Edit: also stay away from crossfit unless you want to die early.[/QUOTE]

Never understood the huge thing either. I don't want to look like a Kenyan marathoner, but I see very little advantage to being huge.

I've been Crossfitting since 2003 and I'm very much alive and in great shape for a 45 year old. I will agree the cult-like bantor on the site is nuts, but I find the workouts incredible. Other than soreness, I've never had a single injury doing Crossfit. I was smart enough to get some coaching on the O-lifts, so my technique is decent and that probably helps keeps me injury free. Doing some of those workouts without good technique is probably asking for injury, though.

mgoose · Jun 11, 2009

The first book you mentioned is the one I've been using for about a year now and I love, Coach Dos even has a forum where you can ask any questions if you weren't clear about something in the book. http://coachdos.activeboard.com/foru...forumID=112122

robertorex · Jun 12, 2009

Grayland;2156056 said:
Originally Posted by riraito

Click to expand...

I have arnold's encyclopedia and I recommend staying away from it. For the average person it's not very practical.. the amount of volume arnold does in his routines is abnormal and not representative of what a typical person is capable of. arnold is a legend and he trains at a level far greater than the rest of us.

In my personal experience you can find a lot of great stuff on the web but as for books I liked Chad Waterbury's Muscle Revolution and Christian Thibaudeau's Black Book of Training Secrets.

It really depends what your goal is though.. I lost interest in bodybuilding awhile ago and am now much more interested in functional performance training. What kind of body do you wanna have? I think having the body of a sprinter or gymnast is a good goal to have.. they have incredible muscular definition and strength. I'll never understand the obsession with being HUGE

Edit: also stay away from crossfit unless you want to die early.[/QUOTE]

Never understood the huge thing either. I don't want to look like a Kenyan marathoner, but I see very little advantage to being huge.

I've been Crossfitting since 2003 and I'm very much alive and in great shape for a 45 year old. I will agree the cult-like bantor on the site is nuts, but I find the workouts incredible. Other than soreness, I've never had a single injury doing Crossfit. I was smart enough to get some coaching on the O-lifts, so my technique is decent and that probably helps keeps me injury free. Doing some of those workouts without good technique is probably asking for injury, though.

There's a lot of debate on whether or not crossfit is the best for any purpose, but granted crossfit doesn't claim to be the best at any one thing. If there's one thing I undoubtedly like about crossfit, it's that it gets you working hard. too many people in gyms waste time not working hard enough

javyn · Jun 12, 2009

Total broscience and waste of time.

Originally Posted by pseudonym

I'd suggest the simple way: Go to bodybuilding forums. Stock up on knowledge and workout info.
This is what you need.

jarude · Jun 12, 2009

Originally Posted by robertorex

starting strength is good. I wouldn't recommend the javorek stuff unless you have some heavy lifting barbell strength - a base of limit strength to start off with first.

Originally Posted by robertorex

starting strength is good.

Originally Posted by robertorex

starting strength

Originally Posted by robertorex

starting

Originally Posted by robertorex

strength

There is absolutely no reason you should be looking at anything other than starting strength. If you're a beginner, you MUST use Starting Strength. Accept no substitutes.

kever · Jun 12, 2009

I got my best gains of my training ever by doing the intermediate and advanced programs in "the book of muscle". The workouts change frequently, and are 3 days a week. At first I thought the volume was too low, but I was really surprised at how well it worked. They explain all the movements with pictures if you are a beginner as well. I really liked how the programs had varying reps, sets, tempos and exercises. I'd recommend it to anyone starting out.

Lear · Jun 15, 2009

Originally Posted by javyn

Total broscience and waste of time. This is what you need.

Be careful though. On the Amazon UK website (as of June 13, 2009), they appear to only have the first edition. I think I'll get this one though. It'll be my one and only book on the subject. Does it come with a guarantee that I won't get sand kicked in my face? Lear

Best workout book/guide????

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