Book picks similar to
Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide For Athletes & Coaches by Greg Everett
fitness
non-fiction
health
training
Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training
Bret Contreras - 2019
What started as an effort to improve his own weak, flat backside quickly evolved when he discovered the wide range of functional movements to which the glutes contribute. Properly trained glutes not only help you lift heavier, jump higher, sprint faster, and swing harder but also help prevent knee, hip, and lower back pain and injuries. Bret went on to earn a doctorate in sports science and is now known as one of the world’s foremost experts on strength and physique training. After helping thousands of people reach their strength goals and achieve their ideal physique in his world-renowned training facilities, Bret brings you Glute Lab, which pulls his field-tested and scientifically proven methods and techniques together into an all-in-one glute training system that will help you develop leaner, rounder, stronger, higher-performing glutes. This all-encompassing guide explains why glute training is important for health and performance, how the glutes function, what critical role they play in the body, and how to design the optimal training program to accomplish your aesthetic and performance goals. This book offers thirty-six weeks of programming and several training templates for those who want to dive right in, breaking down each technique with step-by-step photos and descriptions. Bret also reveals the most common faults people make when performing these movements and offers hundreds of tips for getting the most out of every training session. You can implement his system in your local gym or even in the comfort of your own home. Glute Lab is more than just a book on glute training. These principles and methods can help you maximize muscle growth and strength, improve body composition, overcome training and physique plateaus, train around injuries and discomfort, determine ideal training frequency and exercise selection, design periodized programs, and so much more. In short, this book gives you the tools to make strength and physique gains and design balanced programs that cater to a wide range of goals and work for your entire body. Whether you’re a regular person looking to improve your appearance, an athlete looking to boost your performance, a physique competitor or bodybuilder looking for an edge over the competition, a powerlifter looking to increase your strength, a CrossFitter inspired to gain knowledge, a personal trainer interested in offering your clients cutting-edge training techniques, or a physical therapist looking to improve your clients’ health, Glute Lab will equip you with the information you need. In this book you will learn: The fundamentals of optimal glute training The anatomy and function of the glutes How to select exercises based on your physique and training goals How to perform the most effective exercises for sculpting rounder, stronger glutes Variations of the hip thrust, deadlift, and squat exercises Sample training templates and splits that cater to different training goals and preferences How to implement advanced methods into your training routine Diet strategies to reach weight loss and body composition goals Sample glute burnouts and templates Twelve-week beginner, intermediate, and advanced full-body training programs with a glute emphasis How to design your own customized training programs How to overcome plateaus in training, strength, and physique
The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning: How to Get Stronger and Tougher--In the Gym and in Life--Using the Training Secrets of the Athletic Elite
Zach Even-Esh - 2014
If there’s a hardcore, super-functional tool or tactic for maximizing strength, speed or muscle, it’s here—bodyweight, kettlebells, barbells, tires, ropes, sandbags, kegs and sleds. The bodyweight section alone is worth more than the price of the book—it’s a ‘must read’ for calisthenics fans. No book combines the old-school methods of strength training and muscle-building with the new science of performance enhancement and athletic conditioning better than The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning. And no author delivers his knowledge with more heart and passion than Zach Even-Esh. This 'bible of strength' is an inspiring must-read for every athlete, coach and fitness enthusiast of any age who wants to help themselves or others get an edge on the competition and become bigger, stronger, faster and tougher.Zach Even-Esh has filled his book with the kind of wisdom that can only be obtained from years in the trenches making mistakes and learning from them. Zach outlines techniques and tactics to build not only useable strength, but well-rounded athleticism that enhances performance and provides resilience from injury. The ultimate report card for a coach is results, not knowledge of theory. Zach gets results for real people.•Become the Total Athletic Package, with a farm boy’s all-around power and a gladiator’s whipcord resilience…•Develop the mental toughness, durability and spiritual fortitude that would do a hardened Spec Ops proud…•Develop the steely, never-ever-quit endurance capacity of a true champion…•Become fully prepped to overcome the rigors and uncertainties of your combat-sport—or whatever else gets thrown at you…•Combine the horsepower of a Ferrari with the grinding strength of a tow truck…•Get stacked with righteous cords of “GO! GO! GO!” hyper-powerful, hyper-functional muscle…•Make relentless progress in your physical prowess—without sacrificing your health…•Develop a tigrish self-confidence that guarantees you NEVER surrender to any set back or apparent obstacle…You CAN have all of this—and a whole lot more—because master-athletic coach Zach Even-Esh, has already delivered on these promises to literally thousands of real-world athletes over the last 25 years…Zach has spent over 25 years figuring out what REALLY works in the REAL world to be utterly devastating athletically. And he is ready to share ALL of this hard-won know-how with you…Zach’s sole mission in life is to pass on to the world what truly does work to produce an EFFECTIVELY strong and powerful human being.Punch a ticket to ride with Zach—and enter the exalted territory of the “Soul Athlete”…“Soul Athletes” see the whole world as their physical-transformation playground. Doesn’t matter where you are—you work with what you got…trees, sand, tires, sledgehammers, kettlebells, barbells, ropes, trucks, sandbags, ocean, kegs, stones, sleds, bodyweight, free weights, training partners, playgr
The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer
David A. Whitsett - 1998
Runner. Marathoner. Are these words you wouldn't exactly use to describe yourself? Do you consider yourself too old or too out of shape to run a marathon? But somewhere deep inside have you always admired the people who could reach down and come up with the mental and physical strength to complete such a daunting and rewarding accomplishment? It doesn't have to be somebody else crossing the finish line. You can be a marathoner. "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer" is based on the highly successful marathon class offered by the University of Northern Iowa, which was featured in a "Runner's World" article titled "Marathoning 101." The class has been offered five times over 10 years, and all but one student finished the marathon. That is approximately 200 students -- all first time marathoners and many with absolutely no running background. This book follows the same 16-week, four-day-a-week workout plan. What makes the success rate of this program so much higher than any other? The special emphasis on the psychological aspects of endurance activities. You don't have to love to run -- you don't even have to like it -- but you have to realize that you are capable of more than you have ever thought possible. One participant in the program explained it like this: "I'm doing this for me -- not for others or the time clock. I just feel better when I run, plus it helps me to cope with things in general. The skills we've learned in this class don't apply just to marathoning -- they apply to life Just like you never know what the next step in a marathon will bring, so too, you never know what will happen next in life. But if you don't keep going, you're never going to find out. By staying relaxed, centered, and positive you handle just about anything that comes your way." This is marathon running for real people, people with jobs and families and obligations outside of running. "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer" has proven successful for men and women of all ages. Now let it work for you.
Every Day Is Game Day: The Proven System of Elite Performance to Win All Day, Every Day
Mark Verstegen - 2014
Special Operations Forces. As founder and president of EXOS, Mark Verstegen has trained the world’s top athletes in sports including the NFL, Major League Baseball, and worldwide soccer powers, along with the most elite “tactical athletes”—U.S. Special Operations Forces personnel.More than a decade ago, Verstegen’s groundbreaking book Core Performance revolutionized the fitness industry and made core conditioning and functional training mainstream. In his new book, Verstegen presents his most hardcore program yet: a demanding system that challenges readers to perform at the highest level.Borrowing heavily from his regimens used by the military and NFL-combine hopefuls, Verstegen breaks the system down into tough but easy-to-follow workouts that help readers become faster, more explosive, and more powerful while moving with greater efficiency and with far less potential for injury. If you’ve ever wanted to perform like the top sports champions or elite fighting forces, this is the book for you.
Diamond-Cut Abs: How to Engineer The Ultimate Six-Pack--Minimalist Methods for Maximal Results
Danny Kavadlo - 2014
It’s about right eating, right drinking, right rest, right practice, right exercise at the right time, right motivation, right inspiration, right attitude and right lifestyle. If you don’t have that righteous set of abs in place, it’s because you have failed in one or more of these areas.With his 25-plus years of rugged research and extreme physical dedication into every dimension of what it takes to earn world-class abs, Danny Kavadlo is a modern-day master of the art. It’s all here: over 50 of the best-ever exercises to develop the abs—from beginner to superman level—inspirational photos, no BS straight talk on nutrition and lifestyle factors and clear-cut instructions on what to do, when. Supply the grit, follow the program and you simply cannot fail but to build a monstrous mid-section.In our culture, Abs are the Measure of a Man. To quit on your abs is to quit on your masculinity—like it or not. Diamond-Cut Abs gives you the complete, whole-life program you need to reassert yourself and reestablish your respect as a true physical specimen—with a thunderous six-pack to prove it.“Diamond-Cut Abs condenses decades of agonizing lessons and insight into the best book on ab-training ever written. Hands down.”—PAUL WADE, author of Convict Conditioning“Danny has done it again! Diamond-Cut Abs is a no-nonsense, results driven approach that delivers all the goods on abs. Nutrition, training and progression are all included, tattoos optional!”—ROBB WOLF, author of The Paleo Solution “There are a lot of abs books and products promising a six-pack. What sets Danny's book apart is the realistic and reasonable first section of the book… His insights into nutrition are so simple and sound, there is a moment you wish this book was a stand alone dieting book.”—DAN JOHN, author of Never Let Go"As soon as I received Diamond-Cut Abs, I flipped to the table of contents. Amazingly I found what I have been fruitlessly looking for in ab books for decades: 66 pages dedicated to NUTRITION. Kavadlo passed his second Marty audition by not echoing all the bankrupt politically-correct, lock-step, mainstream nutritional commandments. When Dan starts riffing about eating like a horse, eating ample amounts of red meat, shellfish and the divine pig meat (along with all kinds any types of nutrient-dense food), I knew I had to give my first ever ab book endorsement. When he noted that he drank whiskey while getting his abs into his all time best shape, it sealed the deal for me. Oh, and the ab exercises are excellent.”—MARTY GALLAGHER, 3-Time Powerlifting Champion, Author of The Purposeful Primitive"Danny Kavadlo's book might be titled 'Diamond-Cut Abs' but the truth is that it goes way BEYOND just ab training. Danny has actually created a guide to Physical Culture & LIVING healthy. The traditional fitness industry has gone astray from what the body truly needs. Since 1989, I've read a ton of abs-related books—and they don't scratch the surface of what's inside Danny's masterpiece. From powerful nutrition methods to training the entire body with a holistic approach, Diamond-Cut Abs is a vital addition to anyone's library. I LOVE it!”—ZACH EVEN-ESH, author of The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning“Danny's new book definitely hits the mark.
Jim Stoppani's Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength
Jim Stoppani - 2014
Jim Stoppani's Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength, Second Edition, is a comprehensive training guide and reference that provides* definitions of key terms and concepts;* evaluations of equipment options, including TRX, BOSU, and kettlebells;* explanations of the role and importance of each muscle group;* latest nutrition information for losing fat and increasing muscle mass;* presentations of the best exercises, including body weight, for adding strength and mass; and* descriptions and examples of many types of workouts and programs and their effects.Choose from 381 exercises presented for 13 muscle groups and the whole body. Proper technique for each exercise is tailored to the type of resistance used, be it free weights, weight machines, or body weight. Plus, each of the 116 training programs is rated according to workout duration, the projected time frame for achieving measurable results, level of difficulty, and overall effectiveness.Past Muscle & Fitness senior science editor Jim Stoppani covers each topic in detail. His advice will help you conquer any problem or plateau you encounter. So build your knowledge base to build a better body. Jim Stoppani's Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength is the ultimate resource for pinpointing and achieving the results you're seeking.
Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body
Michael Matthews - 2011
I'm pretty sure muscles lack cognitive abilities, but this approach is a good way to just confuse you instead.You don't need to burn through buckets of protein powder every month, stuffing down enough protein each day to feed a third world village. You don't need to toil away in the gym for a couple of hours per day, doing tons of sets, supersets, drop sets, giant sets, etc. (As a matter of fact, this is a great way to stunt gains and get nowhere.)You don't need to grind out hours and hours of boring cardio to shed ugly belly fat and love handles and get a shredded six-pack. (How many flabby treadmillers have you come across over the years?)You don't need to completely abstain from "cheat" foods while getting down to single-digit body fat percentages. If you plan cheat meals correctly, you can actually speed your metabolism up and accelerate fat loss.In this book you're going to learn something most guys will never know: The exact formula of exercise and eating that makes putting on 10 to 15 pounds of quality lean mass a breeze...and it only takes 8-12 weeks.This book reveals secrets like...The 6 biggest myths & mistakes of building muscle that stunt 99% of guys' muscle gains. (These BS lies are pushed by all the big magazines and even by many trainers.) (Page 28)How to get a lean, cut physique that you love (and that girls drool over) by spending no more than 5 percent of your time each day. (Page 61)The 4 laws of muscle growth that, when applied, turn your body into an anabolic, muscle-building machine. You'll be shocked at how easy it really is to get big once you know what you're doing... (Page 32)How to develop a lightning-fast metabolism that burns up fat quickly and leaves you feeling full of energy all day long. (Page 41)The carefully-selected exercises that deliver MAXIMUM results for your efforts, helping you build a big, full chest, a wide, tapered back, and bulging biceps. (Page 91)A no-BS guide to supplements that will save you hundreds if not THOUSANDS of dollars each year that you would've wasted on products that are nothing more than bunk science and marketing hype. (Page 100)How to get shredded while still indulging in the "cheat" foods that you love every week like pasta, pizza, and ice cream. (Page 83)And a whole lot more!The bottom line is you CAN achieve that "Hollywood hunk" body without having your life revolve around it--no long hours in the gym, no starving yourself, no grueling cardio that turns your stomach. Imagine, just 12 weeks from now, being constantly complimented on how you look and asked what the heck you're doing to make such startling gains. Imagine enjoying the added benefits of high energy levels, no aches and pains, better spirits, and knowing that you're getting healthier every day.SPECIAL BONUS FOR READERS!With this book you'll also get a free 75-page bonus report from the author called "The Year One Challenge." In this bonus report, you'll learn exactly how to train, eat, and supplement to make maximum gains in your first year of training. By applying what you learn in the book and in this report, you can make more progress in one year than most guys make in three, four, or even five (seriously!).
High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way
Mike Mentzer - 2002
Universe competitionThis one-of-a-kind book profiles the high-intensity training (HIT) techniques pioneered by the late Mike Mentzer, the legendary bodybuilder, leading trainer, and renowned bodybuilding consultant. His highly effective, proven approach enables bodybuilders to get results--and win competitions--by doing shorter, less frequent workouts each week. Extremely time-efficient, HIT sessions require roughly 40 minutes per week of training--as compared with the lengthy workout sessions many bodybuilders would expect to put in daily.In addition to sharing Mentzer's workout and training techniques, featured here is fascinating biographical information and striking photos of the world-class bodybuilder--taken by noted professional bodybuilding photographers--that will inspire and instruct serious bodybuilders and weight lifters everywhere.
Dynamic Stretching: The Revolutionary New Warm-up Method to Improve Power, Performance and Range of Motion
Mark Kovacs - 2009
That is why so many top trainers recommend dynamic stretches.Dynamic Stretching teaches how to effectively prepare your body for physical activity while simultaneously improving strength, power, speed, agility and endurance. With more than 50 exercises—fully illustrated with step-by-step photos—this book shows how to take your workouts and abilities to the next level:•Develop full-body range of motion•Enhance full-body motor control•Increase flexibility, balance and muscular endurance•Improve force generation and reaction time•Correct major and minor muscle imbalances
Pilates Anatomy
Rael Isacowitz - 2011
Using the original mat work of Joseph Pilates, you'll see how key muscles are used, how variations and minor adjustments can influence effectiveness, and how breathing, alignment, posture, and movement are all fundamentally linked.Choosing from over 45 exercises, you can target a particular body region and delve deeper to stretch, strengthen, and finely coordinate specific muscles. You'll also find techniques for breathing, concentration, and self-awareness for a unique exercise experience that enhances your mind and your body.Whether you are just beginning to explore the beauty and benefits of Pilates or have been practicing for years, PilatesAnatomy is a one-of-a-kind resource that you'll refer to again and again.
Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance
Stuart McGill - 2006
Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance provides professionals with the evidence base to design and prescribe the best exercise programs for the back. A complete description of a 5-stage program is provided. Many examples illustrate each stage within a bad back rehabilitation program together with a performance enhancement program for athletes. Beginning with recognizing and re-patterning perturbed motor programs and progressing to the enhancement of stability, then endurance, the final stages continue with strength, power and agility training. Each step is well illustrated and instructive. Added to this are general approaches to assess the demand of individual activities and sports and how to identify the critical components that need specific focus in an individual's back. Dr. McGill's style makes for an easy read of this thorough and rich resource.
Triphasic Training: A Systematic Approach to Elite Speed and Explosive Strength Performance
Cal Dietz - 2012
That's not hype. Cal Dietz, strength coach at the University of Minnesota, has the results to back up this claim - a Hobey Baker Award winner, two Big Ten Athletes of the Year, over 400 All-Americans, 28 Big Ten/WCHA championship teams, 7 NCAA National Team Champions, and 13 teams that finished in the top four in the nation.Over the past decade, Coach Dietz has worked with thousands of collegiate and professional athletes, incorporating the latest scientific research into developing his Triphasic Training method. His approach breaks down athletic movements into their three components -- eccentric, isometric, and concentric -- allowing for the continuous development of athletes, maximizing their strength, speed, and power.In this easy-to-understand book, Coach Dietz has teamed up with exercise physiologist, Ben Peterson, to explain the physiological foundations of Triphasic Training and how they can be applied to training, making athletes bigger, stronger and faster than ever before. The authors give examples of complete programs, as well as examples of how to incorporate the Triphasic method into existing programs, with descriptions on adapting it to virtually any scenario.The digital edition of this book contains over 3,000 hyperlinks to video clips that demonstrate how to properly perform every exercise, as well as six hours of video lectures by Coach Dietz from his national speaking tour. In this book, these hyperlinks are indicated by words or phrases that are underlined. In order for you to take advantage of these features, included in the book is a web link to a downloadable PDF that contains the hyperlinks and videos from the original digital book.Included in the book: - 5 complete 24-week training programs designed for 6-day, 5-day, 4-day, 3-day, or 2-day training models.- Over two dozen tables showing when and how to modify exercises to ensure continuous improvement in athletes.- Peaking programs for football lineman and skill players; swimmers; baseball, volleyball, and hockey players (among others).- A complete 52-week training program for football."Awesomeness! Finally someone has done it right. If you want to challenge yourself, open your mind and just get better at your craft, I suggest you read this book." - Kevin Ziegler Former NHL Strength Coach for the Phoenix Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning"Triphasic Training is a down-to-earth, raw, bare bones book on training. No B.S., just honest facts. It gives you methods and ideas that have been proven to make athletes better. A must have book for any coach's or athlete's library."- Buddy MorrisWorld Renown Performance Coach"Triphasic Training is a game-changer! I integrated the Triphasic Method with many collegiate and professional athletes at IMG. The results were outstanding! It's a "must have" for anyone trying to get better!"- Jeff DillmanDirector of Strength and ConditioningUniversity of Florida Football"Amazing book! One of the best books I have read on strength and conditioning. You two have touched upon so many key topics and principles that few discuss to any extent. Awesome work!"- Jonas SahratianStrength and Conditioning CoordinatorUniversity of North Carolina Basketball"I have to congratulate you as Triphasic Training is one of the best books in strength and conditioning I have read. Extremely practical with very well-presented arguments and logic behind your practical tools and templates. A good blend of innovation, science/research and experience throughout."- Scott WilliamsExercise PhysiologistGolf Australia and PGA of Australia
Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training
Thomas Kurz - 1987
Use our method to attain maximum height in your kicks and to be able to kick at that height with no warm-up! Learn: * How to stretch safely and quickly to achieve and maintain your maximum flexibility * How to make your muscles grow stronger and longer so you stay flexible all the time * How to do splits even if you are over 40 or 50 * How to kick high and do splits with no warm-up * How to develop each of the three kinds of flexibility�dynamic, static active and static passive�to suit every athlete's needs * What exercises are "no-no's" if you want to stretch your muscles * All the factors limiting flexibility * Brilliantly simple tests of hip joint mobility and muscle length that dispel common misconceptions of what limits flexibility the most
Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle
Tom Venuto - 2003
It is written by a man who has discovered these secrets the hard way - through long years of trial and error. Using the information in this manual will allow you master the art and science of losing body fat by a shorter and less costly route; by “modeling” those who have gone before you and learning from an expert. This book was written for you as a simple, yet detailed instruction manual. You get step-by-step instructions: Do this, don’t do that, eat this, don’t eat that, and so on. This is not just an informational book – it is a complete system that will take you from where you are now to where you want to be – in the shortest possible period of time.
Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance
Scott K. Powers - 1989
Written especially for exercise science and physical education students, this text provides a solid foundation in theory illuminated by application and performance models to increase understanding and to help students apply what they've learned in the classroom and beyond.