Looking for a new book on weightlifting

[late]

Hi,
I have used Hatfield's Power for a long, long time. But I was looking at it this morning, and it's obsolete.

I could use a really good book for weight training.

any suggestions?

btw,
after I posted, I ordered Weight Training- Steps to Success
from Amazon and Science and Practice of Strength Training
through interlibrary loan. If you have a favorite, I'd still like to hear about it.

[LifeIsSuffering]

Hi,
I have used Hatfield's Power for a long, long time. But I was looking at it this morning, and it's obsolete.

I could use a really good book for weight training.

any suggestions?

btw,
after I posted, I ordered Weight Training- Steps to Success
from Amazon and Science and Practice of Strength Training
through interlibrary loan. If you have a favorite, I'd still like to hear about it.

I wouldn't call Fred Hatfield's book obsolete. His theories on Compensatory Acceleration Training (or CAT as he calls it) is very sound and worth keeping in one's arsenal. In fact, Westside Barbell among others employs it for work with power bands and their speed days.

However, Hatfield has (or had) the knees which allowed him to squat often, heavy, and deep. There's a reason his nickname is Dr. Squat. The reality is, most of us simply do not possess such tendons/ligaments.

I can't recommend a single book. In fact, I won't. Every major theory on the art of growing powerful has the good and the bad.

Pavel Tsatsouline has great theories on greasing the neural groove. Followed religiously however, most people will surely end up with over-use injuries.

Charles Poliquin is one of the most brilliant trainers around. However, he advocates deep squats to strengthen the vastus medialis for those with knee tracking woes. Well, it's true that you need to strengthen the VM; however, deep squats may only make the problem worse. Why take a step forward and then take two steps back...? I much prefer to place one of those ankle straps behind and slightly below the knee, attach to a cable machine, keep my heel on the floor, and slightly bend and straighten my leg. This exercise, more than any other, has improved my VM WITHOUT compromising the patella tendon. More quantifiable than using bands. And somehow does not produce the shearing stress on the knees the way leg extensions do.

Now does this mean I should ignore Poliquin's other theories? Hell no. His theories on split body work and periodization are some of the best I've read.

Visit the local library/book store/search engine and study the various theories and philosophies out there. Note similarities and differences. Be sure to set your common sense detector to high. It's a matter of being an active participant rather than another sheep who's looking for the easy answers. Then, you can begin to devise a program that's right for you.

As always, when starting a new program, ease the f**k into it. If the program is not right for you, it may not manifest itself until the following day or week.

[late]

Which book by Tsatsouline should I look at? I looked at Amazon for Poliquin,
but the price is out of my ballpark. Might find it at the library. My joints don't like plyometrics anymore, so I hadn't thought about CAT for years.

Thanks for the excellent reply.

[LifeIsSuffering]

Which book by Tsatsouline should I look at?

He has his own website. I believe it's called dragonsdoor.com and powerbypavel.com The websites may have enough articles (at no cost) that may be sufficient. And if you want to buy some of his books, I believe he sells them there.

Just keep in mind that greasing the neural groove can lead to over use. Also, kettle bells are NOT the magic ticket to strength/power; it's just another tool.



I looked at Amazon for Poliquin,
but the price is out of my ballpark. Might find it at the library.

Alot of his articles are on the web. Just grab a snack of your choice, google his name, and go to town.



My joints don't like plyometrics anymore, so I hadn't thought about CAT for years.

Thanks for the excellent reply.

CAT is not plyometrics. At least not as I practice it. CAT is increasing the speed of the weight as momentum and body mechanics change in your favor. In other words, as you pass the sticking point and the weight becomes easier to move, you compensate for this by accelerating the lift.

Important - one should never use CAT: 1) on cold muscles/tendons; 2) if the complexity of the exercise demands control (my favorite type of push up is with the feet on stability ball and hands on medicine balls); 3) when learning a new movement; 4) or if common sense tells you to slow the hell down.

Regardless, I like where your head is at. Your body doesn't like something (ie plyometrics), therefore you avoid it. Such a simple philosophy. Yet I see time and time again intelligent, highly educated people rationalize against it to their ultimate detriment.

[timothy002]

How about this book - Strength Training Anatomy (http://www.dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?deal_id=102395&ru=290)? Seems decent to you.

[Univega]

I looked at Amazon for Poliquin,
but the price is out of my ballpark. Might find it at the library.



Poliquins website has the book for $40:

http://www.charlespoliquin.com/store/product.php?productid=67&cat=3&page=1

[aikigreg]

I don't think Pavel's suff really meshes with cyclists, but it's great nonetheles, as is Poliquin and Waterbury. The bible is still Ian King's stuff though, IMO.

[LifeIsSuffering]

Pavel advocates functional strength and bodyweight movements. In this regard, his philosophy works well for athletes involved in strength to weight ratio events.

He doesn't like training to failure, which is something I agree with for the most part.

His zealotry for kettlebells is something I disagree with. Like any other tool, it may or may not be necessary for the task at hand.

He also preaches doing the same exercises every day or nearly every day. This, as I stated before, will cause over-use injuries for a great majority.

The last I read his work, he also thinks warm ups are over rated. His theory is that, in a real world conflict, there won't be such luxuries. True to an extent. However, when an athlete CONSTANTLY begins the workout using a max weight, max gear, max whatever, the risk of injury is pretty much guaranteed.

I don't know any high-level athlete that does not warm up.

Now, as one's fitness and body awareness improves, the level and intensity of warm ups will also improve. For example, let's say a trainee has a max lift in a certain exercise of 100 pounds. Now, this trainee is smart enough to warm up with a significantly lower weight of 30 pounds. As his fitness improves, his max goes to 200 pounds. Of course, it's reasonable for that warm up weight to rise also to perhaps 50-60 pounds. This philosophy is the one I adhere to.

As stated before, ALL major philosophies on the art of growing stronger has the good and the bad. It's a matter of being an active participant that questions and decides what is best for you.

[oldmtngoat]

My suggestions are:

Go to trainingpeaks.com and purchase a beginning cycling plan that is appropriate for you. As you follow the exercise program, check out Weight Training for cyclists by Schmitz and Doyle. The book will give you a greater range of exercises to incorporate than training peaks may give. Then I suggest Serious Strength Training by Bompa et al. Joe Friel refers many times to Bompa. When I read the various Training Bible books on Cycling and Triathlon, I kept coming away confused about how to implement peroidization. When I finished all those books, I had a much better understanding of how to put it all together.

I am currently reading The New Rules of Lifting by Schuler and Cosgrove. I have already changed portions of my workouts as a result. I expect more will change come Fall.

Hope these thoughts are helpful to you.

[Pman]

I am currently reading The New Rules of Lifting by Schuler and Cosgrove. I have already changed portions of my workouts as a result. I expect more will change come Fall.

I have been doing the NROL workouts for about a year and a half now. Excellent stuff.

Another interesting book is Men's Health Power Training by Robert dos Remedios. It has programs that you can vary to your needs and current level.

[talleymonster]

Not a book, but an excellent website/forum.

www.testosteronenation.com

[late]

Thanks for all the replies..
Amazon lets you look at parts of a book. Been looking at NROL and I am enjoying it. Mucho hard earned common sense. Might have to add that one to the library.

Just FYI Cycling over 50 has a good chapter on lifting.

Drat it all.
Amazon shut me down so I ordered it.