13 books like Science and Practice of Strength Training

By Vladimir M. Zatsiorsky, William J Kraemer, Andrew C. Fry

Here are 13 books that Science and Practice of Strength Training fans have personally recommended if you like Science and Practice of Strength Training. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Mindy Vail Author Of The MindShift Effect: Where Change Management is Redefined and Leadership is Refined

From my list on being authentic and empowered.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m Mindy Vail, and with over 25 years in education and change management, I’ve spent my career as a leadership consultant and keynote speaker. My passion for the book list I’ve put together comes from my work in guiding individuals and organizations through transformation and my dedication to helping others find their joy. Each book reflects my commitment to embracing change, nurturing leadership, and unlocking potential. My insights come from hands-on experience and a deep understanding of psychology, leadership, and personal growth, and I believe we are all ever-evolving in our journeys.

Mindy's book list on being authentic and empowered

Mindy Vail Why did Mindy love this book?

This one resonates with me because James Clear’s insights on the power of small, consistent changes align seamlessly with my approach to personal and professional growth. The book’s emphasis on how tiny adjustments can lead to significant, lasting transformation struck a powerful chord.

Clear’s focus on habit formation and mindset shifts reinforced my belief that incremental progress and intentional practices are essential for achieving meaningful change. Reading Atomic Habits inspires me to fully embrace the idea that even minor adjustments in behavior and thinking can have a profound impact on overall success and personal development. This has helped me in almost every aspect of my life.


By James Clear,

Why should I read it?

25 authors picked Atomic Habits as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 4 million copies sold!

Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the…


Book cover of Practical Programming for Strength Training

Steven Low Author Of Overcoming Gravity: A Systematic Approach to Gymnastics and Bodyweight Strength

From my list on construct your own fitness routines.

Why am I passionate about this?

My philosophy as a coach, physical therapist, and author is based on the maxim: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” My books Overcoming Gravity, Overcoming Poor Posture, and Overcoming Tendonitis were written with this in mind. I find this phrase key in learning and growing as an athlete and in my own life outside of fitness and from those I’ve coached and taught too. Understanding and applying is a lifetime pursuit that keeps the brain active and stimulated.  

Steven's book list on construct your own fitness routines

Steven Low Why did Steven love this book?

Practical programming is a very good introduction to programming and periodization methods that beginners and intermediates can easily implement to be effective in their own routines. Unlike some of the later recommended books, Practical Programming gives templates which the reader can use as their own program while explaining why they work which can eliminate some of the guesswork and confusion of trying to apply concepts to make their own routine. Only once it gets into the advanced section does it become more theoretical in nature and ask you to apply the concepts you learn to your own training. In conclusion, this book helps to bridge the gaps from using routines to making your own routines well. 

By Mark Rippetoe, Andy Baker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Practical Programming for Strength Training as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

There is a difference between Exercise and Training. Exercise is physical activity for its own sake, a workout done for the effect it produces today, during the workout or right after you're through. Training is physical activity done with a longer-term goal in mind, the constituent workouts of which are specifically designed to produce that goal. Training is how athletes prepare to win, and how all motivated people approach physical preparation.

Practical Programming for Strength Training 3rd Edition addresses the topic of Training. It details the mechanics of the process, from the basic physiology of adaptation to the specific programs…


Book cover of Periodization Training for Sports

Steven Low Author Of Overcoming Gravity: A Systematic Approach to Gymnastics and Bodyweight Strength

From my list on construct your own fitness routines.

Why am I passionate about this?

My philosophy as a coach, physical therapist, and author is based on the maxim: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” My books Overcoming Gravity, Overcoming Poor Posture, and Overcoming Tendonitis were written with this in mind. I find this phrase key in learning and growing as an athlete and in my own life outside of fitness and from those I’ve coached and taught too. Understanding and applying is a lifetime pursuit that keeps the brain active and stimulated.  

Steven's book list on construct your own fitness routines

Steven Low Why did Steven love this book?

Periodization training for sports is one of the best books in terms of understanding how everything comes together into a full plan (“cycle”). Like some of the other books, it also delves into the anatomy and physiology of strength training and tissue adaptations, but where this book shines is the focus on understanding the various manipulation of training variables to progress. It covers short term, medium, and long term which are usually weekly, about 1-2 months, and yearly plans respectively. 


By Tudor O. Bompa, Carlo Buzzichelli,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Periodization Training for Sports as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is the pioneering author's latest edition. Tudor Bompa pioneered many of the breakthroughs in modern training methods, proving long ago that it's not only how much and how hard an athlete works but also when and what work is done that determine an athlete's conditioning level. In this new edition of Periodization Training for Sports, he teams with strength and conditioning expert Carlo Buzzichelli to demonstrate how to use periodized workouts to peak at the optimal time. Coaches and athletes in 35 sports have at their fingertips a verified programme designed to produce the best results. Containing plenty of…


Book cover of Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance

Owen Lewis Author Of Core: A Science-Backed Approach to Exercising and Understanding Our Central Anatomy

From my list on anatomy and movement at books core.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love to move and help others move. Movement is at the core of everything I do. In my clinic, I improve the movement of elite athletes and people in pain. I was determined that writing, usually a sedentary occupation, would further my movement exploration. My book reflects my physical and cognitive journey towards a flexible, fluid, and adaptable core can deal with the day-to-day requirements of life. It outlines principles for tailored, individualistic training to improve core function and enhance the movement of everyone. 

Owen's book list on anatomy and movement at books core

Owen Lewis Why did Owen love this book?

My own clinical approach is based on subtly working with the body. This book gives me many other necessary tools. A stronger, harsh, even brutal approach, which is sometimes necessary, can be found within these pages.

This book remains part of my ‘go-to’ guide for the constant prehab and rehab of everyday life. I love to row, a tough sport that requires a tailored approach to prevent injuries and guide me through land-based exercises.

On a theoretical side, I recognize many good fundamental principles that apply to other areas of movement once mastered. 

By Kelly Starrett, Glen Cordoza,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Becoming a Supple Leopard as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Revised and expanded edition! Improve your athletic performance, extend your athletic career, treat body stiffness and achy joints, and rehabilitate injuries - all without having to seek out a coach, doctor, chiropractor, physical therapist or masseur. In Becoming a Supple Leopard , Kelly Starrett - founder of MobilityWod.com - shares his revolutionary approach to mobility and maintenance of the human body and teaches you how to hack your own human movement, allowing you to live a healthy, happier, more fulfilling life.


Book cover of Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well

Navaz Habib Author Of Upgrade Your Vagus Nerve: Control Inflammation, Boost Immune Response, and Improve Heart Rate Variability with New Science-Backed Therapies

From my list on upgrading your health and vitality.

Why am I passionate about this?

I personally have struggled with weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure challenges while I was in my teens and twenties. It was through functional medicine and many of the strategies I share in my book that I was able to create a positive shift in my own health and support the health of my clients. In my education and subsequent research, the Vagus nerve always stuck out to me as a unique and underrepresented component of the health journey. My curiosity regarding human anatomy and physiology led me to this important and missing answer: enabling our bodies to enter a healing state and initiate the recovery of our health.

Navaz's book list on upgrading your health and vitality

Navaz Habib Why did Navaz love this book?

From this book, I learned how important muscle tissue is to overall health. It was quite eye-opening to learn about the effects of poor muscle quality on our longevity and healthspan.

I really appreciated the practical aspects of this book, which helped me come up with a strategic plan for myself and my clients to improve their muscle health for their overall health!

By Gabrielle Lyon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Forever Strong as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Learn how to reboot your metabolism, build strength, and extend your life with this accessible new book that demonstrates the importance of muscle for health and longevity from the founder of the Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine (R).

After years of watching patients cycle through her practice, Dr Gabrielle Lyon noticed a pattern. While her patients struggled with a wide range of conditions, they all suffered from the same core problem: they had too little muscle rather than too much fat.

When we think about muscle, we tend to think about strength or aesthetics, but…


Book cover of Strength Training Anatomy

Uldis Zarins Author Of Anatomy For Sculptors: Understanding the Human Figure

From my list on human anatomy for artists.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a traditional sculptor with more than 25 years of experience. Being a dyslectic student in the 2000s, I developed a systematic approach to translating medical anatomy texts into visual information that I could use while sculpting.  All the anatomy books for artists at the time were text-centered. My reference sketches became quite popular among colleagues. It was clear that visual artists perceive information best when it’s visual, and that is how I got the idea for my first book. Now the Anatomy for Sculptors handbooks are bestsellers among visual artists striving to better understand the human form.

Uldis' book list on human anatomy for artists

Uldis Zarins Why did Uldis love this book?

Frédéric Delavier is an artist and a bodybuilder, and he’s written a unique book. Although Strength Training Anatomy is popular with the bodybuilder audience, it is very useful for visual artists as well. Instead of just showing muscles in static positions, this book emphasizes motion and demonstrates how muscles look when being worked.

By Frederic Delavier,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Strength Training Anatomy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Over 1 million copies sold! With new exercises, additional stretches, and more of Frederic Delavier's signature illustrations, you'll gain a whole new understanding of how muscles perform during strength exercises. This one-of-a-kind best-seller combines the visual detail of top anatomy texts with the best of strength training advice.

Many books explain what muscles are used during exercise, but no other resource brings the anatomy to life like Strength Training Anatomy. Over 600 full-color illustrations reveal the primary muscles worked along with all the relevant surrounding structures, including bones, ligaments, tendons, and connective tissue.

Like having an X-ray for each exercise,…


Book cover of Life's Devices: The Physical World of Animals and Plants

Raghuveer Parthasarathy Author Of So Simple a Beginning: How Four Physical Principles Shape Our Living World

From my list on stretching your conception of biology.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by the quest to understand how nature works and to find patterns amid complexity. This drew me towards physics, which seemed unparalleled in its ability to uncover general rules. In contrast, biology seemed merely descriptive, and despite a fondness for wildlife, I stayed away from the subject in school. It turns out, however, that physics and biology are perfect companions; a whole field, biophysics, explores how physical principles are central to the workings of living things. I became a biophysicist, researching topics like the organization of gut microbes and teaching and writing about biophysics more broadly, at scales from DNA to ecosystems.

Raghuveer's book list on stretching your conception of biology

Raghuveer Parthasarathy Why did Raghuveer love this book?

I started out as a fairly standard physicist, working with magnets, nanocrystals, and other inert “stuff.” I ended up a biophysicist, studying living things through a physical lens. A bit like Dorothy in Oz, I found myself in a world with amazing vibrancy and variety but still with many echoes of familiar past experiences.

There wasn’t a single tornado that took me to the Oz of biophysics but several, one of which was this book. Vogel describes the challenges of living in the physical world and nature’s ingenious schemes for meeting these challenges. We learn how prairie dogs keep from suffocating in their burrows, the speed limit of ducks, and how trees struggle with air bubbles.

Vogel’s writing is warm and folksy, and though this book is the only book on this list with many equations, the style makes it a delight even for the reader who might like to…

By Steven Vogel,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Life's Devices as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This entertaining and informative book describes how living things bump up against non-biological reality. "My immodest aim," says the author, "is to change how you view your immediate surroundings." He asks us to wonder about the design of plants and animals around us: why a fish swims more rapidly than a duck can paddle, why healthy trees more commonly uproot than break, how a shark manages with such a flimsy skeleton, or how a mouse can easily survive a fall onto any surface from any height. The book will not only fascinate the general reader but will also serve as…


Book cover of The Thorax: An Integrated Approach

Owen Lewis Author Of Core: A Science-Backed Approach to Exercising and Understanding Our Central Anatomy

From my list on anatomy and movement at books core.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love to move and help others move. Movement is at the core of everything I do. In my clinic, I improve the movement of elite athletes and people in pain. I was determined that writing, usually a sedentary occupation, would further my movement exploration. My book reflects my physical and cognitive journey towards a flexible, fluid, and adaptable core can deal with the day-to-day requirements of life. It outlines principles for tailored, individualistic training to improve core function and enhance the movement of everyone. 

Owen's book list on anatomy and movement at books core

Owen Lewis Why did Owen love this book?

Each time I read this book, I find new depths of understanding. I appreciate its readability while maintaining a stunning level of precision and accuracy. This book reflects my own clinical process and acts as a practical guide.

It is based upon working with real clients and is supported, not handcuffed, by research. I have often found anatomy books to be dry and singular in topic, whereas this book is rich and multilayered.

I now have a deeper understanding of the thorax through the lens of this cohesive, complex system view of the whole body.  

By Diane Lee, Catherine Ryan, Nancy Keeney Smith

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Thorax as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This clinical textbook will update the reader on the relevant anatomy, known biomechanics, clinical assessment, musculoskeletal conditions and treatment of the thorax and how these relate to the function of the whole body. An integrated biopsychosocial model (the Integrated Systems Model - ISM) will be highlighted in this text and used as a foundation for clinicians to organize their knowledge from multiple sources. The text emphasizes the current suggestion from the evidence that treatment be individualized and that clinical reasoning form the basis for treatment decisions.

Richly illustrated with 3D-rendered colour anatomical drawings, and over 250 clinical photographs, The Thorax:…


Book cover of Play Practice: Engaging and Developing Skilled Players From Beginner to Elite

James Marshall Author Of Coaches' Corner: Essays on athletic development, coaching and teaching.

From my list on youth sports coaches.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am the head coach of Excelsior Athletic Development Club. I set this up after working with professional sports teams and young international athletes for a decade. I saw how poorly prepared they were and how many dropped out of the sport. I wanted to do something better for my children and the local people that had the focus on development and support rather than the prevailing ‘win on Saturday’ at all costs mentality. Many good practitioners do this under the radar but are lost in the race to win medals and secure funding. I hope this list shows coaches there is a better way.

James' book list on youth sports coaches

James Marshall Why did James love this book?

This book is aimed at sports coaches, with a general introduction and the first half of the book containing chapters on coaching theory and practice. These aspects are usually skimmed over in coaching courses, but the authors explain the theory and why it is important to understand before coaching. They write well, and each chapter is well laid out with graphics, photos, and sub-headings. I found it to be a useful reminder.

The second half contains chapters showing how this can be applied in different sports: striking, invasion games, racquet sports, and so on. I used a lot of their ideas, especially when designing sessions in sports in which I had less experience. The only frustration is watching my children being coached with mundane, poorly planned sessions, knowing that if the coaches read this book, things would improve!

By Alan Launder, Wendy Piltz,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Play Practice as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Play Practice: Engaging and Developing Skilled Players, Second Edition, provides an alternative to traditional sport instruction. This innovative and authentic approach to teaching sports combines contemporary theory with the experience of practical and reflective work in real sport environments.

Coauthors Alan Launder and Wendy Piltz, both with wide-ranging experience as players, teachers, and coaches, expand and update the play practice approach they presented in the first edition and show how it can be used to help improve sport skills for players of all ages and abilities. This flexible model of sport pedagogy can be applied as a whole or one…


Book cover of Physical Education for Children: A Focus on the Teaching Process

James Marshall Author Of Coaches' Corner: Essays on athletic development, coaching and teaching.

From my list on youth sports coaches.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am the head coach of Excelsior Athletic Development Club. I set this up after working with professional sports teams and young international athletes for a decade. I saw how poorly prepared they were and how many dropped out of the sport. I wanted to do something better for my children and the local people that had the focus on development and support rather than the prevailing ‘win on Saturday’ at all costs mentality. Many good practitioners do this under the radar but are lost in the race to win medals and secure funding. I hope this list shows coaches there is a better way.

James' book list on youth sports coaches

James Marshall Why did James love this book?

The big yellow book on PE taught me so much about movement, lesson planning, and skill development. It was immaculately researched and dense with ideas, progressions, charts, and sample lesson plans. I have about fifty sections marked with sticky paper tabs. 

Coaches who want to develop their athletes/players/students rather than cherry-pick the big kids need to know how to teach rather than just what to teach. This book is invaluable as a teaching resource. 

I also loved the feel of the old hardback, brimming with knowledge.

By Bette J. Logsdon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Physical Education for Children as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in strength training, anatomy, and physiology?

Anatomy 44 books
Physiology 87 books