IGX

For noobs
Starting Strength

For GPP
Infinite Intensity
Never Gymless

For a basic program for lazy asses like me
5-3-1

For all around weight training with a powerbuilding emphasis
The Metroflex book

The Strongest Shall Survive
Defying Gravity

Both by Bill Starr

Keys to Progress, by John McCallum

Supertraining by Siff and Verkhoshansky

That Zatsiorsky book.

Fitness and Strength Training for All Sports : Theory, Methods, Programs

by Jurgen Hartmann, Harold Tunnemann

The ones in italics are extremely specialized, and most won't get a fucking thing out of them. Zatsiorsky's book is recommended instead.

The two best most recent books I've seen are:

Tuchsherer's Reactive Training Manual and Wendler's 531, with the Metroflex gym powerbuilding book coming in third.

I'm curious as to what you all got out of the metroflex book....personally I thought it was a pile of shit and couldn't believe I wasted 30 bucks to hear someone tell me that bench pressing is a compound excersise which will put slabs of meat on my upper body.

Honorable Mention:
Beyond Bodybuilding-- Pavel Tsatsouline

The Bear Jew wrote:I'm curious as to what you all got out of the metroflex book....personally I thought it was a pile of shit and couldn't believe I wasted 30 bucks to hear someone tell me that bench pressing is a compound excersise which will put slabs of meat on my upper body.

With all the crossfit, trx, kettlebell and functional shit being thrown at you nowadays, it's nice to have someone remind you that people have been doing the basics and getting results from them for ages...

I forgot...Enamait's materials are the best bodyweight materials out there.

Damien wrote:

The Bear Jew wrote:I'm curious as to what you all got out of the metroflex book....personally I thought it was a pile of shit and couldn't believe I wasted 30 bucks to hear someone tell me that bench pressing is a compound excersise which will put slabs of meat on my upper body.

With all the crossfit, trx, kettlebell and functional shit being thrown at you nowadays, it's nice to have someone remind you that people have been doing the basics and getting results from them for ages...

Yeap.

In no order:

Keys to Progress
Beyond Bodybuilding
531
Reactive Training Manual (only the hardcore need apply and that's not me these days, but it is an excellent read)

It is noteworthy that I have not read Dan John's book(s), yet, but 100% of any article he's ever written has had a take away for me. Same for Jack Reape.

High Velocity Lie-Nap! wrote: It is noteworthy that I have not read Dan John's book(s), yet, but 100% of any article he's ever written has had a take away for me. Same for Jack Reape.

I'm reading "Never Let Go" at present, which is what led me to post the thread. It is essentially a bunch of essays/articles he's written over the years, a few I had read before, a bunch I hadn't. Like you said, I take something essential from every single one. I didn't think a book on training would hold my interest, but i'm actually preserving this one and it's definitely made me interested for more.

Best book ever x5

http://www.amazon.com/Firefighters-Work ... 0060197374

no particular order, but I find myself pulling these off the shelves (or opening the pdf's) most often for ideas or just when soaking alone in my bathtub

Anthony Ditillo - The Development of Physical Strempf (I always find something in there)
Gym Windler - 531 or, The Lifestyle Lifter Plan
Dan John - Never Let Go
Mike Tuscherer - RTS Manual
Dave Tate's 8 Keys series of articles from tbag nation

Honorable Mentions

Leo Costa, Big Beyond Belief (a lot of decent ideas and a plan that can be reworked in many ways)
Artie Drescher's Weightlifting Encyclopedia
Starr's Strongest Shall Survive

Never Let Go
5/3/1
Starting Strength
Never Gymless
Beyond Bodybuilding