Strength Training Books – Introduction
What are the best books about strength training in 2024?
When it comes to learning about strength training, websites contain all of the information you need.
Want to know how to squat correctly or the best diet for building muscle?
Just ask Google, Bing, Yahoo, or any other search engine you use!
One of the best things about the internet is the vast amount of information available at your fingertips, most of which is free.
Whatever you want to know about exercise and nutrition, you’re sure to find the answer online.
But there are several downsides to all this freely available information, too.
For starters, by necessity, articles tend to be short and punchy, which means they often omit a lot of potentially helpful information.
Then there are the thousands of hits you’ll get to what could be a straightforward question.
Articles are ranked by search engine use and not by quality.
You could even end up reading an article only to discover that it doesn’t contain the information you were looking for.
Also, you can’t be sure who’s written the article you are reading.
It COULD be an expert, but it could equally be a copywriter who’s rehashing what they’ve just read themselves.
That’s NOT the case for the developing ‘Fit Apprentice’ on HashiMashi.com!
It’s also all too easy to skim over online articles without really absorbing what you are reading.
After all, it’s free information, and we don’t tend to appreciate things with no financial value.
So, while the internet is an excellent tool, books are often better if you are serious about learning more about strength training or want to help a friend or loved one expand their knowledge.
Gift Books for Fitness Lovers
Books are great gifts.
Giving a book shows you’ve thought about the recipient, that you want to share knowledge with them, and that you know what they’re interested in.
You can also write a personalized message on the back of the cover, so the reader will always think of you when they open the book.
Fitness books are gifts that keep on giving for many years to come.
From an informational point of view, books have the space to provide more detail.
A good book goes into much more depth than any article ever could.
Also, a book is a physical thing that you can carry with you and dip into whenever you want.
You can make notes in the margins, highlight key passages, and reread them as often as you wish.
Another key benefit of a great strength training book is that the author shares the knowledge that took many years to accumulate, maybe even a lifetime!
Why should you spend years or decades experimenting with what truly works when you can glean the best practices from an author’s experience?
On the downside, books can be expensive, and there are a lot to choose from.
So, it makes sense to be selective and research so you pick a quality product.
Just because a book is on the bestseller list doesn’t mean it’s any good.
So, this article reveals the ten best strength training books for beginners on the market today!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.
The Ten Best Strength Training Books for Beginners
Looking to buy a book as a gift for a friend, loved one, or even yourself?
Here are ten of the best books about strength training that are ideal for beginners.
#1. Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training Third edition
Starting Strength, is one of the best books on barbell training ever written.
It goes into tremendous depth on squats, deadlifts, the bench press, power cleans, and the overhead press and also covers programming.
This book is written by Mark Rippetoe, who has a real knack for making even the most complicated topics sound simple.
It’s a no-nonsense book about strength training that every exerciser should read.
This classic is the first book I picked up when I decided at the age of 55 to tackle free weights at the Vanderbilt YMCA in New York City.
I had two big issues at that time, a torn meniscus in my left knee and too much excess weight.
I believed that reducing weight and strengthening the muscles of my leg could help me stop hobbling around the city.
While browsing the internet one day, I read that the deadlift exercise could help you burn fat and get stronger simultaneously, which would help me walk better.
So, I wanted to try it out in the weight room.
Starting strength gave me the information and confidence I needed to begin weightlifting.
And so it was, after six months of deadlifting, I dropped 75 pounds, and my knees were strong enough that I could not only walk properly, but I could also start doing squats.
No surprise that this weight training book is also one of my favorites.
For a comprehensive training guide of the big compound lifts, Starting strength is hard to beat!
#2. Practical Programming for Strength Training
- Mark Rippetoe (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 256 Pages - 01/14/2014 (Publication Date) - The Aasgaard Company (Publisher)
Also written by Mark Rippetoe, Practical Programming for Strength Training is a companion book to Starting Strength.
While his definitive Starting Strength focuses mainly on the best exercises for building strength and muscle mass, this book focuses exclusively on programming.
If you want to learn how to organize your workouts for optimal progress, Practical Programming for Strength Training is the book for you.
After all, even the best exercises will produce suboptimal results if you don’t use them correctly.
#3. Strength Training Anatomy, 3rd Edition
- SHK01452
- Delavier, Frederic (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 192 Pages - 03/09/2010 (Publication Date) - Human Kinetics (Publisher)
Have you ever wondered what’s going on under your skin when you work out?
Well, wonder no more!
Strength Training Anatomy is a beautifully illustrated book that reveals the muscles involved in most major strength training exercises.
Armed with this book, you’ll never need to ask, “What muscles does this exercise work?” again!
It’s also a great way to learn muscle names and their functions.
While this Strength Training Anatomy book is over ten years old, it’s still widely available and very well-priced.
#4. The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding
No products found.
Written by Arnold Schwarzenegger, this 800-page book is the ultimate resource for bodybuilders.
In it, Arnie takes you from beginner to advanced, explaining how to build muscle and strength in great detail.
It covers everything from exercise technique to nutrition and includes an illustrated history of bodybuilding – it truly IS encyclopedic!
While The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding is aimed at bodybuilders, anyone who lifts weights will find an abundance of helpful information within.
#5. Jim Stoppani’s Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength
No products found.
Jim Stoppani, Ph.D., is a highly regarded fitness coach and writer.
In this enormous 500+ page book, Stoppani covers every conceivable aspect of strength training and bodybuilding.
Including exercise selection, programming, nutrition, equipment, training for muscle and strength building, training for fat loss, and example workouts to follow.
Phew!
This book is up-to-date and perfect for anyone looking for the latest training and nutrition information based on cutting-edge research.
However, this Encyclopedia of Muscle and Strength is still written with an easy-to-read style, and Jim Stoppani is exceptional at breaking down even the most complicated subject matter to make it accessible to beginners.
#6. The Purposeful Primitive
- unknown author (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 06/21/2008 (Publication Date) - Dragon Door Publications (Publisher)
One of the best ways to learn is to analyze the performance of successful people.
As motivational Author Tony Robbins famously said in his first book and national bestseller – Awaken the Giant Within – “Success Leaves Clues!”
In his book The Purposeful Primitive, USA powerlifting coach Marty Gallagher examines the training methods of many successful bodybuilders and weightlifters to determine what genuinely works.
In this massive book, Gallagher also discusses cardio, nutrition, and proper exercise form and provides dozens of real-life examples of how some of the most famous lifters train.
The Purposeful Primitive is partly an instructional manual and partially a biography, making it a fascinating, informative read.
#7. 5/3/1 – The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength
No products found.
While books are a great way to learn about strength training, some lifters aren’t interested in why things work the way they do.
Instead, they want to be told what to do to achieve their goals.
5/3/1 by Jim Wendler is a strength training program designed to build muscle and strength using basic barbell exercises.
Built around the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press, 5/3/1 is a simple but effective program that makes the best use of your training time.
The program itself is straightforward and can be modified to meet the needs of most exercisers.
It’s possible to plan your training for months or even a year by using 5/3/1.
If you want to let someone else plan your workouts, 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler is a great program to follow.
#8. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning
- Author(s): NSCA
- Published: 6-2-2008
- SHK01216
- Hardcover Book
- National Strength and Conditioning Association (Author)
The Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is nothing short of a mammoth textbook that covers all things about building muscle and getting stronger.
Written by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, this book covers everything you need to know about strength training.
While the language can be a little dry at times (after all, this is a textbook), the book introduces and then logically expands the content, making it accessible even for beginners.
However, the Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is not a light read, so prepare to feel like a student again!
#9. The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40
- Jonathon M Sullivan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 12/01/2016 (Publication Date) - The Aasgaard Company (Publisher)
A lot of strength training books are aimed at younger readers.
The Barbell Prescription is a little different and was written specifically for the over-40s lifter.
Many older exercisers tend to shy away from strength training, but that accelerates the muscle loss typically associated with the aging process.
In the Barbell Prescription, the authors write about the dangers of sedentarism and muscle loss and provide strategies for regaining lost muscle, improving functional strength, and how to age better.
Whether you are currently sedentary or are wondering how to modify your workouts as you get older, The Barbell Prescription will help.
#10. Super Squats
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Randall J. Strossen (Ph.D.) (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 107 Pages - 02/01/1989 (Publication Date) - Ironmind Enterprises (Publisher)
The squat is arguably the most important of all the exercises that will help build muscle mass and strength.
Squats build not just your legs but your entire body.
It’s no wonder they’re often called the king of exercises.
Super Squats is a training program built around high-rep squats – sets of 20, to be precise.
This training plan is not a new program; it’s been around for well over a century and is something of a rite of passage for many lifters.
However, if you want to build muscle and strength with just three short workouts a week, this program is worth trying.
In Super Squats, the author talks about the origins of the 20-rep squat program, provides plenty of detailed instructions, and covers everything you need to know to start this effective training plan.
#11. Strength Training Anatomy Workout
- Description|Table of Contents|Author|Excerpts|Sample Content|Quotes
- Delavier, Frederic (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 256 Pages - 03/16/2011 (Publication Date) - Human Kinetics (Publisher)
The Strength Training Anatomy Workout by illustrator Frédéric Delavieris includes proven programming for strength, power, bodybuilding, and toning that can be used in a gym or at home.
In this gem, you’ll find workouts for over 30 sports, each with accompanying illustrations and step-by-step explanations of how to correctly perform each exercise to help you achieve the best results.
The Strength Training Anatomy Workout is an essential workout reference guide with both beginner and advanced programs to suit your fitness goals.
#12. The Science and Practice of Strength Training
- Hardcover Book
- Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 344 Pages - 04/09/2020 (Publication Date) - Human Kinetics (Publisher)
The Science and Practice of Strength Training is a complete guide to strength training written by two of the foremost experts in the field.
In addition to an updated evidence-based approach, this comprehensive book also includes new information on topics such as strength training for women and athletes, special populations, kettlebells, and sandbags, as well as injury prevention.
The text is accompanied by over 600 full-color photographs and illustrations that clearly demonstrate exercises and techniques.
With its practical approach, the Science and Practice of Strength Training is an essential resource for strength and conditioning professionals such as personal trainers, physical therapists, coaches, as well as exercisers of all ages who want to build strength.
Best Strength Training Books – Wrapping Up
If you want to change your body, you need to challenge it.
Do the same workout over and over, and your progress will soon stall.
But how do you keep changing what is essentially a simple process?
After all, strength training is just a matter of picking heavy stuff up and putting it back down again!
The best way to avoid plateaus is to expand your strength training knowledge.
The more you know, the easier it will be to take control of your workouts, modifying them as necessary to maintain your progress.
If you are serious about being a student of strength training, it’s time to start building a library of books.
The books on this list are a great place to start!
