Ido: Your top reads.

Hi Ido,

I remember you said a little while ago that you would post your top books that you have read if someone requested and I would be interested to know. For instance your top 10 or 15 etc and was wondering whether you meant training related books and possibly ones that would relate to Gymnastic Strength Training™ or could be applied to it etc.

Thanks man.

My top 15, without special order, and not all training related.

Modern trends in strength training / charles poliquin

Supertraining / Mel Siff

Master & Margarita / bulgakov

The Prince / Niccolo Machiavelli

Change / Watzlawick, Weakland, Fisch

Amino acids and proteins for the athlete / Dr Mauro di Pasquale

Nutrition and physical degenaration / Weston price

A Street smart song / Nestor

The narrow road to oku / matsuo basho

The complete Sherlock Holmes / sir arthur conan doyle

The charm school / Nelson demille

A book of five rings / Miamoto musashi

Science of sports training / Thomas Kurz

Dona flor e seus dois maridos / Jorge amado

And my numero uno:

The Bumper Astrerix Omnibus / Goscinny and Uderzo

Ido Portal.

Awesome! Thanks for that Ido. I wasn't familiar with the vast majority of them but I looked them up and they look very comprehensive and useful.

I have been close to buying science of sports by Kurz and Modern Trends by Poliquin, but I have got poliquin principles so wasn't sure whether it would be much different at all. I most definately will purchase Kurz's book. I've heard extremely good things about it. Interestingly, over here in the UK it is quite hard to get hold of Modern Trends but I found this one place and if it really is quite different or has a different focus etc then I think I may buy it.

I also looked at the protein and amino acids one which seems very comprehensive but a good read so that may be a future book. I was surprised to see the old Asterix there. good choice!

Thanks for taking the time to list those.

Rob

Modern trends by poliquin is the most bang for your buck book for strength training I've read. No BS, straight to buisness and EFFECTIVE.

Thomas Kurz work will put some order through anyone's head. Although I disagree with some of the material and I believe Kurz is a bit of a too cautious trainer, sometimes training is all about taking a calculated risk.

Proteins and amino acids by pasquale is an advanced read, be warned, but it covers fundamental issues that pop up every day with protein requirements, and supplements. It is also the basis for the trend of the last decade in nutritional supplements - using amino acids to gain some kind of a sport related advantage.

Ido.

Modern trends by poliquin is the most bang for your buck book for strength training I've read. No BS, straight to buisness and EFFECTIVE.

Ido I was just wondering something that has been buzzing around my mind for some time....

You often mention great coaches in the field of S&C such as Poliquin, Staley etc and I have absolutely loved reading their material (both books and online) and can't get enough of the info.

BUT...what I find very confusing is what can and should be implemented into a gymnastics strength program from what is said by people such as Poliquin. Maybe you were talking more about training with weights when you made that comment about Modern Trends being so effective etc. But for example, you advocate the use of antagonist supersets with rest in between. I have read material by Poliquin stating that for various reasons (with max strength or hypertrophy) that supersets are efficient etc but I wouldn't have the slightest clue what to implememnt from what these coaches say because it seems that primarily that they relate to gaining mass or working with weights (not always). Also, Coach Sommer uses tempo perscriptions which Poliquin uses a lot etc.

I was wondering whether you could help me out a little. I would love to know how you select and use or change information to fit your specific needs for example gymnastics strength. For instance cluster training...could it be used/ changed to be used in a gymnastics context in any way. I wouldn't have a clue.

Thankyou.

Of course information from other sources can be applied. Poliquin's stuff is especialy easy to implement. Cluster training, wide pyramid, mechanical advantage sets, various rep scehems, super sets, drop sets, tri-sets, contrast training, and even wave loading are all great tools that can be adjusted to gymnastics oriented training.

I have written about such implementation in my 'advanced training methods' posts. have another look.

If I will see another 5X5 program I'll loose my mind. People will avoid using their minds and imagination whenever they can get away with it.

Ido.

Ah I see. Thanks for confirming that Ido!

I was just a little confused and I'm guessing that implementing for example Poliquin's stuff with gymnastics static holds and say ring series routines wouldn't be optimal but when dealing with dynamic movements for example dips or pullups it would work well.

I wasn't sure whether methods such as cluster training would be effective for gymnastics training since maybe some of these methods are based around gaining strength and hypertrophy and a gymnast would not want to persue such gains in hypertrophy but stick to more max strength protocols and hypertrophy is more of a side effect.

Interesting...I can't get enough of this material. HAHA I must admit there are a lot of 5X5 routines out there!

Thanks.

I've processed 4 of those books in your list.

3 of them make my all time top 15 as well.

The Prince

Supertraining

5 rings