(Part 2) Best books about weight training according to redditors
We found 1,672 Reddit comments discussing the best books about weight training. We ranked the 198 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
They are pages from the Strength Training Anatomy book: http://amzn.to/fvrM8R (my affiliate link).
Here's the direct link for the affiliate-link-phobics: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0736063684
It's a very good book. I highly recommend it.
*Edit: here's the third edition: http://amzn.to/eqvleS ( http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-3rd-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269/ )
Michael Mathews in Bigger, Leaner, Stronger:
> First, every professional bodybuilder is on steroids. Yes, every single one, regardless of what they say. And when you’re on steroids, you train just as I described above—you spend hours in the gym doing a million sets because you just grow, grow, grow and simply can’t overtrain, and you stick to the 10 – 12 rep range because you don’t want to go too heavy and risk injury to a joint, tendon, or ligament.
How to (taken from this book).
Obligatory Barbell Prescription link. Lifting heavy with great form and smart choices is just fine (arguably optimal) as we age. We just gradually lose lee-way to heal our way out of bad choices.
I'm sitting here with a sore shoulder... but it's b/c I sat playing video games in bed too long the other night. My lifting program has been treating me just fine.
Shorter, and ruder:
No. If you can't already tell if your routine will help you achieve your fitness goals, you do not have the requisite knowledge to design a routine, and you should instead adopt a routine recommended by the program picker, written by redditor RHAINUR, based on your goals and constraints. It's not possible to critique a routine without explaining why, and entire books are written on the topic (you can read these if you like; one is Practical Programming for Strength Training). But, if your routine is designed around very specific constraints (specific equipment have to be used; or a physical limitation) then post a question about how to form a routine within the constraints (assuming they aren't already addressed in this FAQ), describing them as completely as possible.
The first overall source I'd look to for Ex-Sci is a textbook from Mcardle Katch & Katch it's a bit more user friendly for getting into the field.
Another good source for info is the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and they have an Intro to Exercise Science as well. They're a bit more Science and Research Heavy, so they can be good or bad depending on the reader.
To get a good starter for musculature a very helpful one is Strength Training Anatomy This one is only a very colorful and visual source of where the different muscles are and how they're involved with different movements.
Supertraining was mentioned earlier in the thread, and is an Amazing source for how different training variables and methods affect the body.
I've found Exercise Metabolism very helpful in how the body uses different macro-nutrients in various intensities of physical activity.
One of my favorite books is also the Essentials of Strength and Conditioning from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). It's more geared toward programming for athletic pursuits rather than overall physical fitness, but it still does give a great understanding of training variables and the body's adaptations to them.
EDIT: The subject of Kinesiology is touched on in most resources, but you may also want to get a standalone resource for this if you want to really understand the construction and functionality of the musculoskeletal system. The courses I've taken and research I've done have used a lot of different resources, so I don't have a single one personally to include here.
Another great read, one that was recommended to me by another guy around these parts, is Power by Fred "Dr Squat" Hatfield. Much more easily digestible filled with great concepts that stand today.
Edit: I figured I might as well help build some libraries while I'm in here.
Top 5 for Brain Gains
https://www.amazon.com/Supertraining-Yuri-Verkhoshansky/dp/8890403802/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484762523&sr=8-1&keywords=supertraining
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Practice-Strength-Training-Second/dp/0736056289/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1484762523&sr=8-8&keywords=supertraining
https://www.amazon.com/Periodization-5th-Methodology-Training-Tudor-Bompa/dp/073607483X/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1484762523&sr=8-20&keywords=supertraining
Those first three are big bucks. So I opted to go to the library, I suggest many of you do the same. Photocopiers are the shit. (Or just gift yourself a $100 book.)
These last two are relatively cheap and extremely helpful. The first a great stepping point for some of the nuances of strength training. Appropriately written by a doctor who squatted a grand, most appropriately titled "Power."
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Scientific-Approach-Frederick-Hatfield/dp/0809244330/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1484751012&sr=1-1&keywords=power+fred+hatfield
And it pays to not be a dumbass about the very basics:
https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1484762523&sr=8-15&keywords=supertraining
The most common misconception about eliminating fat from a specific area of the body--in your case, the chest--is that you need to exercise that particular area to do so: ie through things like pushups or bench press reps. THAT is not the case. To eliminate fat, you need to get your body to call upon (metabolize) all its fat reserves in order to burn the energy you use when you work out. How is this done? Here is the basic model: eat less (and better) and move more (and harder); otherwise known as a healthy, low calorie diet and exercise. Make healthy eating choices, and get an excise routine for yourself. Cool? Now, this is only half the battle, though. The other half is developing the muscles beneath that layer of pesky poundage. I recommend a robust weight lifting routine as weights tend to develop muscle and burn fat efficiently. Don't shy away from cardio pursuits like jogging or swimming either.
The point is to tone and harden your muscles whilst burning through the fat reserves your body has--effectively burning the candle at both ends. If you only do one--say, just excercise, but no diet--you'll be a big guy who might get muscles and be a tad healthier, but you won't loose fat as efficiently and your fitness progress is hindered immensely. You do the other--diet only--you'll screw with your body's metabolism. You might loose weight, but you won't see the results you'll like, and you'll probably yo-yo back anyway.
Feel free to pick the brains of r/weightroom and r/fitness over as well. there are some real savvy people there who'd love to answer your questions I'm sure. Good luck, dude!
edit: some clarity and grammar stuff.
The injury rate for runners isn't extremely high at all, this is a fallacy perpetuated by people who don't enjoy running.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2013/09/25/why-runners-dont-get-knee-arthritis/
The rest of your advise, and the advise of others is great though. You can lose weight simply through your diet. A controlled diet and some form or training programme will get you where you want to be in no time.
I'd recommend Bigger Leaner Stronger by Mike Matthews. Great beginner guide for getting into lifting and organising a diet and training program to suit you.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate/dp/1475143389
If you are doing 170 on machine presses, you won't lose any size by switching over to push-up variations. Same with switching from lat pulldown to pull-ups. If you weighed 210 and benched 250 lbs with a barbell and did lat pulldowns with 200+ lbs, and those were clean reps with good form, then you could worry about losing size. Judging by your current weight and the poundage you use, it sounds to me like you'll look about the same but get healthier. Machine presses aren't that versatile and frankly they make me feel like shit compared to a dumbbell press. And don't worry at all about poundage with your curls. The biceps don't need a lot of weight to be worked for hypertrophy. Do some chins and order a few pairs of cheap dumbbells off Amazon.
I like the book C-Mass, which is all about building some size with bwf exercises. The writing is a little dogmatic but on the whole I think the author is correct.
This book is useful, too: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Calisthenics-Ultimate-Bodyweight-Training/dp/1905367546
Tip: On days where you don't feel like doing variations, you can wear a weighted vest or backpack and give a few sets of basic pushups a little more resistance.
Finally, the old school bodybuilder Dave Draper had a home and travel routine based on bwf and dumbbells alone, and it only involved push-up variations for chest. The dumbbells were used for overhead pressing, curls, squats, and triceps work. If that guy could use his own weight a few sets of dumbbells without worry, then you will be fine.
edited to give a shout out to Dave Draper
Can i recommend this book to you, it is really good and really well written. It has exercises for all areas of swimming and explains why those exercises are good for you, as a swimmer.
http://www.amazon.com/Swimming-Anatomy-Ian-McLeod/dp/0736075712
https://www.amazon.de/Barbell-Prescription-Strength-Training-English-ebook/dp/B06Y4LXFCK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525874996&sr=8-1&keywords=barbell+prescription&dpID=412wTGHGezL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
This is a semantic point, but it's a point I hope you take to heart. By definition, anything named after Occam's razor does not have all the additions you made. That was already a 2-day program (easily adapted), with 4 big lifts and ab work and KB swings. You've eliminated one of the big lifts and added 4 new things to a (by definition and name) minimalist program, then asked for internet help getting it organized. So, there's a point to be considered that only 4 months into the gym, you don't follow programs. I'd like you to follow one for 3 straight months, minimum. Let it do what it's meant to do, then you can do something else afterward. You have your whole life ahead of you to experiment.
There is not much support for training only twice a week, but I can heartily recommend Dan John's Minimalist Training and Nick Horton's 2 Lift Workout, which is actually 3/wk but is similar in ideology. And quit trying to strictly program additional stuff. If you want grip work, carry your CoC around with you and squeeze it every day. Also, your diet will be key. John's Mass Made Simple only trains every 4th day, specifically to put on weight. You'd do well to find a third day, even just a run on the weekend.
Gray Cook's Functional Movement System Screen is a pretty good place to start. It uses some of the tests you mentioned. I got a lot out of it and the corrective exercises he suggests. You can have a trainer assess you or do a self assessment with some basic tools. Then assign corrective exercises based on the failed tests and retest.
This is the book I used.
https://www.amazon.com/Athletic-Body-Balance-Gray-Cook/dp/0736042288/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G0Y6CMTH2KXERKEEGSBD
Some of the GMB Fitness stuff looks interesting too but I haven't used anything from them. Might lead to some good ideas.
If you want to get better at lifting heavy things in awkward positions, you should mix in some implement training, something akin to strongman training. Supplement that with some basic barbell work in an alternating fashion. And then do something for your cardio that's both specific and general to the task that you need to be good at. I can't tell because you really aren't giving clear details on what that needs to be.
Here's a handout that the national strength and conditioning association created to prepare people for special forces selection that has both a general and specific approach to their training needs that follows this same methodology. Here's a book that takes the same approach (an occupational approach) but covers the principles better so you can make a version for yourself.
Here's a book that's even more general, that mostly goes towards the way of athletes but is much more cohesive. This is kind've supplemental/additional to either of the previously mentioned books.
TB isn't that good of a book imo. It doesn't teach you how to problem solve and fabricate on your own.
Practical Programming for Strength Training is an amazing book by Mark Rippetoe.
First stop should be /r/fitness top place.
It's not really literature but I found BioLayne's youtube series really helpful in helping me to progress my training. https://www.youtube.com/user/biolayne He also has a blog which is really good too.
https://www.t-nation.com/ seems to be quite good as well.
Some on my reading list
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Workout-II/dp/1450419895/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Sports/dp/0736092269
http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Updated/dp/0684857219/
Getting to ripped is literally just about really low body fat with some muscles.
> https://www.fredericdelavier.com/posters
Or the book
https://www.amazon.fr/Delaviers-Mixed-Martial-Arts-Anatomy/dp/1450463592
Honestly, you'd have to just read Johnny Pain's GSLP 2nd Edition.
Also, I haven't looked much into Phrak's, just the original. It's more aesthetic based than other LP's in the sense that you AMRAP your last set, you don't squat everyday, and you don't squat first. It's a good read, you can find it on Scribd too BTW; just sign in w/ facebook account for free 30 days. There's actually alot of good weightlifting/powerlifting/strength training books/ebooks/PDF's on there.
The two best options corresponding to the two most prestigious organizations that certify personal trainers:
ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer
NSCA's Essentials of Strength and Conditioning
you can make some for the cost of a 2x4 and a 4' piece of 1-1/2" dowel, and some screws. should cost less than $20. based mine off the cover of thsi book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Calisthenics-Ultimate-Bodyweight-Exercises/dp/1905367546/ref=cts_sp_2_vtp?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_p=1212178027&pf_rd_r=49a25f44-d131-11e7-8697-4d052f93ba79&pd_rd_wg=wa0r6&pf_rd_s=desktop-detail-softlines&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_i=1905367546&pd_rd_w=aBfcT&pf_rd_i=desktop-detail-softlines&pd_rd_r=49a25f44-d131-11e7-8697-4d052f93ba79&_encoding=UTF8
I'd go with the deeper ones, unless you have somewhere else to do dips.
An exercise tracker based on this book:
http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Your-Own-ebook/dp/B004GTLFNW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1311285427&sr=1-1
I believe there is an iOS version, but none for the Android.
This seems pretty lame unless Rippetoe's decided to make it publicly available.
http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0976805413
It's $9.99 on Kindle and $21.95 in paperback.
Why 5X5 unless you're power lifting? 5X5 is a waste. A rep range of 1st Set of 15+ (to failure) 2nd set of 10-12+ (failure) 3rd set 8-10+ to failure followed by a 5th and 6th set up to 6 reps to failure is what bodybuilders do to optimize both strength and growth.
The key is to lift weight that makes you fail at your intended rep range and lift beyond that rep range (for instance lifting 225lbs at 7 6eps reps to the to point where on the 7th rep you fail exactly) to exacerbate burn which leads to gains assuming your diet is on point.
Arnold Swarzeneggar's Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding and Strength and Training Anatomy Workout II are must haves must read for any serious lifter looking to promote efficient gains.
TRP loves to spout lift, lift, lift but there are too few posts about how to lift effectively and efficiently to make the most out of invested time. I might look to change that time permitting.
Have him read The Barbell Prescription it's explicitly meant for strength training for people over 50. Don't listen to the fools in this thread, no one on this sub-reddit is an expert in training the elderly, but the book is written by people that are. Both authors are also easy to get in contact with should he have any questions after.
> Need to add gallon-of-milk-a-day to increase cals to 4,000+.
You can't rush progress. GOMAD is a ticket to bloated fatass. Fine if your only goals are lifting more weight, BMI be damned....but if you want to just build muscle, there are better ways. Not for the faint of heart.
Sepaen is right about your bmr.
So I'll preface all of this by saying I'm not a trainer...so I'm heavily biased toward my body type and what I've trained for. But I know how to get bigger, I know how to get stronger, and I've learned how to eat well for what I want to achieve. I've not been able to take myself down to shredded levels of bodyfat, and if I wanted to go much below say 12% I don't have the knowledge to get there. But even in my fat and beta days, This stuff - lifting programs and strength training was something I spent a lot of time reading and trying out. Wasn't very disciplined until recently, but I'd say I've got 15+ years of trial, error, and failure under my belt.
As I said in my other post, I was running myself in circles basically trying to get strong and leaner and fitter all at once.
So I think the first step is assessing the goal you've got and making a clear hierarchy. I always wanted to have bigger muscles, less fat, and be strong and able to perform athletically. But that's too many things to chase at once. So I set a longer term goal - that I was going to set PRs in all my lifts, and especially press my bodyweight at 230 lbs. I focused all of my fitness energy on that. And while that is technically two of goals (weight and strength), I had a clear hierarchy between them. Scale number goes down, first and foremost. But I also wasn't going to sacrifice more strength than necessary in order to get there. By setting this longer term goal, I was able to subvert the "Your shoulders/arms look small, you should do something else" hamster. By making it a strength goal, I had a tangible number to shoot at rather than a mirror and a feeling. I flat out don't know how to program to aesthetic goals. So I didn't try. I stuck with what I knew I could accomplish, and let the chips fall where they may on the other stuff. I figured that I'd get some carryover in aesthetics and athletic performance, but I was OK putting them out of mind for the time being.
So with that goal in mind, I said to myself "The scale number needs to go down, period". I was 260 and I needed to get in the 230s. So diet came first. With my diet, I think it was pretty basic stuff, except that I focused more on the mental part rather than on the "what's the best way to lose weight" part. Rather than trying to drop a bunch of weight with a low carb diet - over the years I had gotten really good at losing 20-25 lbs in 2 months and then packing it back on. I went with the sidebar "You are what you eat" method. This was a new thing for me, counting calories. Diet was -500 calories. I went with 15% carbs, 230+ grams of protein (based on 'goal' weight), and the rest was fat. Again, pretty basic stuff. And it worked really well to a point.
But I also geared it all around making sure I wasn't wearing out my willpower. My focus was more on consecutive days of compliance than anything else. So while a guy who is on a cut's instinct might be to ramp up the cardio, cardio makes me fucking miserable. Jogging, hiit, etc. Fucking hate it. Jogging is boring. Stationary biking is boring. I always get injured trying to sprint or HIIT. I also realized over the years that when I ramp up the cardio, I'm hungry all the time. Doesn't matter what my diet is, all I want to do is eat peanut butter between meals if I'm going hard on the cardio. So rather than ramming my head into the wall again, doing the boring ass cardio and feeling a magnetic pull to the pantry every time I walk by it, I just cut out the cardio shit. I didn't do any cardio aside from walking, and just maybe 2 miles 3X/week or so. With a cut, I think morale is more important than anything, and cardio saps my morale. In theory, a hardcore motivated beast mode bro can do all this shit on a diet. But I can't. So I focused on 2 things - lifting and diet.
I was also experienced enough to know that losing weight too fast hurt strength and morale. So I was cool with the slow going on the weight loss at times. I think that helped mentally.
All of this also worked really well, to a point.
In terms of lifting, I've been doing some variation of 5/3/1 for years. It allows for lots of variety and is just flat out the best program I've used for what I do. Any time I stray too far from it, my results suffer. Use it or don't, this is just my preference. But if you use it BUY THE BOOK AND READ IT ALL. Don't just pull the sets and reps off of a website or an app. 5/3/1 is much more than 5-5-5+, 3-3-3+, 5-3-1+ with .9 * your %. Read it, pick a variation you fully understand, and do it.
Things I've learned: I used to take an approach of do the strength stuff for the big lifts (5/3/1) and make the assistance lifts all of the bodybuilding shit we all like to do....curls, triceps, shoulder raises, flys, etc. etc. etc. This also seems to be the approach that the typical message board bro takes with 5/3/1. It's a bad plan for me. It worked ok for a while, but once you get to the point where you're decently strong, it's not really lining up with helping you progress. I think that's why many guys struggle so much to push past plateaus.
Your supplemental and assistance movements need to support your strength movements (big 4). So little triceps movements, burn-out curls, pec flys, all that shit....none of it makes you stronger. If your big 4 are compound movements, most guys probably benefit the most from making their secondary movements fairly compound as well, ie - Dips > tricep pushdowns; Pull ups > Lat Pull Downs; Barbell curls > dumbbell curls. Make them half body moves.
I've found that I get the biggest bang for the buck out of the big 4 (Press, bench, squat, dead) dips, pull ups, barbell curls, Kroc rows, goblet squat, and the ab wheel. I just stick to those. Pull ups and dips, I think are non-negotiable. The others, YMMV.
And to save time, I usually do a short set of my assistance lift between sets of my big lifts. So if it's press day, I do set of press, 5 pull ups, change weight, press, 5 x pull ups, change weight....etc. On 5.3.1 Boring but Strong, that ends up being 15 sets of 5 pull ups. Squat/DL days, I usually do dips between sets. Then at the end, I might do a short circuit of abs/goblet squats - 5 ab wheels, 10 GS on Squat/DL day or abs/barbell curls on bench/press day.
So anyway, on a -500 cut, I can do the full 5/3/1 Boring but Strong, plus 50-100 assistance lift between sets. I knock it all out in 50 minutes or so. The key there, on the cut, is for it to feel like a solid workout, but not be too taxing. Leave the gym feeling stronger (not sore, tired, and beat up). Don't hang out for another 30 minutes doing wrist curls and sit ups.
For me, this type of work-out allowed me to cut 25 lbs, and I set some sort of rep PR in the big 4 at least once a week. And while I never got to Lou Ferigno level ripped or symmetry, I was pretty f-ing strong at an all-time low adult bodyweight. It looks pretty damn good relative to all of the other 39 year olds I know.
Again, the keys were:
The sad ending to the story here is that I felt fucking awesome in February and started really pushing the PRs and getting out of balance with my training. One weekend I tested myself....pressed 250 x 1 and 5 repped 485 in the deadlift. Both felt great when I did them, but that same weekend I tweaked my shoulder cutting tree branches, and it went crazy on me on me the following day. Took 6 weeks for the doc to get me straightened out with stretching & ART, and another 2 months of very limited lifting. Basically push ups and goblet squats were the only things that didn't set my shoulder off. So now I'm back to working this same old routine trying to get back to where I was 9 months before (slowly!). Moral of the story here is that old guys need to stretch, and don't get greedy when testing. Stay in the program and eventually you'll hit the number you covet.
One more thing, with regard to bulking. I don't do this much anymore, as I'm pretty satisfied hanging out at my current bodyweight and can still make gains. But it appears to me that your first mistake is that when you bulk, you're working out too much. The key that most guys miss when trying to build muscle is rest. You'd be better off doing 3 pretty intense workouts a week than 6 if you want to put on muscle.
I didn't understand volume, rest, and eating until I did this program:
Flat out, it is a motherfucker. I've done it twice. It's not something you can do more than maybe once a year. The first time I did it, I limped my way through the whole thing. It was ugly, but I got it done. I probably put on 6 lbs of legit lean body mass, a few lbs of fat. And my bench went through the roof when I did this. It's a good program. And it does a great job of putting you through the process of what it really takes to really pack on muscle.
If you try it, buy the book and read it all. Then, follow it to the letter - the workouts, the timing, the "tweaks". Dan John, the author, is a really sharp guy, a top tier coach, and a good writer. By the end of the program, at the very least, you learn a good deal about what type of things work or don't work for you, and what types of things to add to your 'regular' routines that help you gain.
That's all I've got for now. I could go on about this forever, but hopefully you can pull some nuggets out for yourself.
/u/MRPsurf, hopefully there's some value for you as well.
Not an article but a book. Kindle version is $10
https://www.amazon.com/Barbell-Prescription-Strength-Training-After-ebook/dp/B06Y4LXFCK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504693009&sr=8-1&keywords=barbell+prescription
Highly recommended..
Hey thx alot! Cool to be your workout inspiration :).
Okay, first of all: Whey doesn't make you loose weight or turns you into Arnold Schwarzenegger without lifting. Take it, if your protein intake is too low from normal food.
My routine consists of two simple workout sessions:
|Workout A|Workout B|
|:-----------|:-----------|
|Squat 5x5|Deadlift 2x5 or 3x5|
|Overhead Press 5x5|Benchpress 5x5|
|+ accessories|+ accessories|
You can add "Barbell Rows" in one of your workout, but I just hate it and i do "Dumbbell Bent-Over Row (Single-Arm)" as an accessory instead of it.
Like i said, i hit the gym every third day, so for example:
***
As accessories, you can do what you want! I bought the book "Strength Training Anatomy - 2nd Edition" and just picked a few ones out. I think I always do like 4 to 6 accessories each workout...
I would highly recommend Dan John's original strength program
https://www.amazon.com/Mass-Made-Simple-Dan-John-ebook/dp/B006HXPR66
The downside to this program from what you're looking for is that the movements are basically the same each workout, but with variation. He has a website that details a similar workout but where you can craft your own daily routine using a a ratio for different kinds of movements. I am not sure what your size is, I am a little more petite at 115 lbs so I found this workout plenty challenging with just the barbell for the squats and the complexes. Even if you don't complete the program, I found it absolutely essential in crafting solid form. Since he highly recommends resting for two days between workouts, you can use the days between to do pilates or a WOD crossfit thing or something else.
https://www.amazon.com/Delaviers-Mixed-Martial-Arts-Anatomy/dp/1450463592
You would have to copy the pic and make your own print.
NSCA 4th edition essentials of strength and conditioning is probably what you're looking for. Pretty nice survey of the basics of exercise science and applications. Each chapter is thorough with its citations which is a good indication of credibility.
https://www.amazon.com/Essentials-Strength-Training-Conditioning-Resource/dp/149250162X
Great advice. The Russians have lots of info on tracking your training like this and give volume recommendations based on your total and weight class. Bob Takano's book would be pretty useful in this context.
Another useful book would be Medvedev's A System of Multi-Year training in Weightlifting. This is the stuff that Bob's book is based on.
Bob's book Link
Medevedev's book Link
Soccer is a particularly difficult sport to program and train for as it utilizes all 3 energy systems in different ways. CrossFit would benefit soccer players during the off-season for full body conditioning, but it wouldn't help performance during the actual season. If you're looking to just condition, it could benefit. But I would suggest using a more sport-specific, strength and conditioning routine during pre- and in-season.
Check out:
https://www.amazon.com/Periodization-5th-Methodology-Training-Tudor-Bompa/dp/073607483X
This book is quite necessary if you aim to learn more about the ins and outs of periodization nutrition, etc. Another book I'd highly recommend is this book by the legend, Zatsiorsky, which is focused mainly on periodization and important principles on strength training.
Getting both of these either new or in good condition via amazon is cheaper than what you'd pay for this RTS classroom thing, which is either 100 or 135 bucks per month, which is not worth it when there's cheaper literature by the folks who run the game.
If you don't want to get serious and go to a gym/buy equipment, may I recommend
this book
Diet is the most important thing. Do whatever you enjoy; lift weights, run, cycle, play basketball. Just don't let it be a chore. If you're going from nothing, using dumbells and setting up an hour every other day will have you leaning up very quickly.
a) smarties!!!! we both have them on our lists!!!
now that im looking we have a lot in common on our lists same protein powder, sour patch kids. creatine. and now im going to add the bumper dumper
b) since we have a lot of the same items, im gonna try to pull things off my wishlist that you might like:
You seem to do a lot of outdoors type stuff, how about a waterproof iphone case. a recovery strap incase you ever get suck or need to pull someone out.
You must workout since you have protein powder and the like: i hear this is a great workout book.
and last but not least, a camping cot
Yes. Practical Programming is more of an intermediate book that goes into the why, not necessarily too much into the what. It's still a really good book but it may be lost on you if it's not something that interests you.
In the FAQ, we have this list:
http://www.reddit.com/help/faqs/Fitness#Resources
Personally, I'm a fan of:
Strength Training Anatomy Workout. Geeking out big time over here.
I look about your size before and and want to get to your after! I checked out leangains and I'm basically already eating that way, so it looks like I need to add lifting to my routine, but that link you linked is borked. is this the same book?
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Practical-Coaching-Beginners/dp/0976805405/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1309935751&sr=8-4
Time under tension, and muscle recruitment are both different. Read an exercise physiology book; it's not as boring to read as it sounds! I recommend http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Workout-II/dp/1450419895/ref=la_B001H6NZGW_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407343413&sr=1-3
The Naked Warrior by Pavel Tsatsouline. Some of the variations are genuinely humbling - trust me, it would take you more than 3 weeks to master some of the things in here.
For strength training, I'd recommend a program like Starting Strength for 3-4 months to build up some base strength. Then switch to a more specialized program with a focus on muscle endurance, while still spending some time on building strength. Maybe something like 5/3/1 lifts first, and then some longer sets of 12-20 reps.
Practical Programming for Strength Training talks a lot about how to design strength training programs to support sports-specific goals. I'm in the middle of it now and definitely recommend it.
As mentioned check out the FAQ, lots of great info there. This year I'm doing a workout plan out of the book New Rules of Lifting. I find it challenging, yet doable, and well balanced.
There is no long lasting importance to high protein intake for weight loss. I know, I'm losing weight and athletic. It can help with hunger, some say.
More important is to watch your intake of simple carbs. I learned about the Glycemic Index of foods and that was an eye opener. The foods that are high glycemic index will throw you into food cravings, so avoid them and keep the body balanced. Your Japanese diet sounds good. Because of the high fiber of the veggies you eat with the rice, that will help balance the high glicemic index of the rice. You could take an extra fiber supplement (psyllium, ground flax seed) each time you eat the rice, too.
My husband is 6'2", 178 lbs and a marathon runner. He is watching his nutritional balance and he eats about 2500+ calories a day, and consistently about 12% are from protein.
Since I'm losing weight (female, 5'8", 149 lbs, lost 8, have 9 to go) I'm doing the app LoseIT with great success.
You've got to track calories in. My protein intake is about 16% of my nutritional intake. LoseIT tracks your nutritional values. I am losing weight with that amount of protein intake.
Also, I --and many others-- do circuit training indoors at home. I got The New Rules of Lifting (for me, I got the one for women), and picked 6 exercises. I use free weights, and set a Timex Ironman watch countdown/repeat timer to repeat every minute, and I do one lifting exercise for 1 minute, then I do one of three things: 1. standing in place crunches by lifting one knee to opposite elbow or 2. standing in place pretending to cross-country ski or 3. lifting one leg out to the side while raising the opposite fist with a light weight. Each standing in place movement is done for a minute.
When the timer goes off, I switch between a weight exercise or the standing in place exercise. I do this for 3 rounds. That's 12 minutes a round, so 36 minutes of working out. It can be as hard or easy as you like, depending on the weights and how vigorously you do the standing in place actions.
Hope that helps! Best. Gombatte!
Why not just invest in a good text book that the course would be based around. 16hrs isn't enough, its enough to give you a piece of paper. I highly recommend these two txts books:
https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_16?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=becoming+a+supple+leopard+2nd+edition&sprefix=becoming+a+suppl%2Caps%2C152
https://www.amazon.ca/Essentials-Strength-Training-Conditioning-Resource/dp/149250162X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458166563&sr=8-1&keywords=nsca+strength+and+conditioning
Check out the book Strength Training Anatomy Workout. It goes through a bunch of home workouts and explains everything in great detail. Personally I have all of this guys books and they are seriously awesome!
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Workout-Bodyweight/dp/1450400957/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1549903985&sr=8-5&keywords=strength+training+anatomy
Sticking to books the only other one i could recommend that I’ve read is the sports gene . It talks about the 10,000 hour rule and basically how some people are just born to be better at sports.
The other two books i have that i need to read are periodization and supertraining .
Other books I’ve been thinking of reading are the louie simmons/westside barbell collection. Especially olympic weightlifting strength manual .
Or
weightlifting programming .
I’m a powerlifter but i enjoy the olympic lifts i’m just not strong with them (best lifts are snatching bodyweight and c&j 1.25 bodyweight).
http://www.amazon.com/Weightlifting-Programming-Winning-Coachs-Guide/dp/0980011159
http://www.amazon.com/Periodization-5th-Edition-Theory-Methodology-Training/dp/073607483X
Hands down, this is a top 3 book.
Periodization book
I'm the farthest thing from an expert on exercise, but have been reading up recently. In Bigger, Faster, Stronger, Michael Matthews claims that strength exercises + cardio can co-exist on the same day, but try to separate them by many hours (so - bodyweight in the morning, jogging in the afternoon). If that's not possible, do the strength work first.
Starting Strength (the 2nd or 3rd edition would be best, the 1st edition was more focused on teaching other people rather than the reader). This is a huge resource on form for the most common, major compound lifts (squat, bench, deadlift and overhead press).
Practical Programming for Strength Training explains actually setting up a program using the lifts explained in Starting Strength as well as discussing diet and nutrition. It's also written by the same guys that wrote Starting Strength.
FIT is written by one of the co-authors of Starting Strength along with Michael Hartman and Justin Lascek. It explains the ideas of incorporating multiple facets of training (strength, endurance, and mobility) into a single routine.
Finally, Becoming a Supple Leopard details even more form recommendations on a lot of lifts from bodyweight exercises to ring work and Olympic lifts. It's main selling point is the detail it provides on appropriate movement patterns, how to test for them, and stretching and mobility work to help correct any issues.
There are many ways to tone up your chest area. I'd look into strength training, body building, swimming, or maybe rock climbing.
I recommend this book: The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle to learn about strength training, exercise technique, and dieting.
Obviously, the pot and junk food aren't helping you. I'd at least cut back.
If you want more detail than the FAQ contains (it's good, read it, use it as a launching point for further research), I recommend The New Rules of Lifting which includes a lot of detailed fitness information, diet, and several training programs, including several tailored for fat loss.
Mind: I still prefer the SS protocol. It's simple and effective.
And for all the nuance and detail of lifting and fat loss, it boils down to full-body compound lifting in the 3-6 rep range for strength, and eating at a deficit for fat loss.
For your cardio: once you're down with steady-state work, try looking at HIIT / interval protocols.
Check out Delavier's Mixed Martial Arts Anatomy for his mma workout overview
https://www.amazon.com/Delaviers-Mixed-Martial-Arts-Anatomy/dp/1450463592/ref=la_B001H6NZGW_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505140255&sr=1-10
> starting strength
this one? https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Practical-Coaching-Beginners/dp/0976805405/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1526352649&sr=8-5&keywords=starting+strength
Hey man. I'm new to Aikido as well, but have been strength training 3-5 times a week consistantly for over 5 years. What I can tell you is that it will come down to your willingness to just start lifting, or starting a program whether you're doing it 100% correct or not. Over time you will figure out what is correct by how your body responds. By all means be safe and smart by starting with very low weights, but just start.
After reading through your responses to peoples suggestions, u/rolandthedickslinger pretty much hit the nail on the head (even if a bit abrupt) but he's totally right. You're making excuses. Maybe re-read this thread and count how many times you shoot down helpful suggestions. Speaking of suggestions... I've read loads of books when I started trying to wade through the seas of useless fitness info, and the one book that helped me tremendously was Delaviers 'Strength Training Anatomy'. It teaches you all the muscles, groups, and how to safely train them. For more of a program oriented approach, get 'Strength Training Anatomy Workout II' also by Delavier. The illustrations are excellent, and everything is written so well its really easy to understand.
Good luck.
This is somewhat unrelated to what I was referring to, which was specifically mass vs strength gains.
Your conclusion is moderately sound from the layperson's perspective, but incorrect. Improving strength alone has massive improvements on power output. If you still want to improve power on top of that, then power-based resistance exercises (AKA Olympic lifts, such as the snatch, clean and jerk, and others) will work towards that goal. If you have a sport-specific motion in mind, like charging off a starting block, then you can do resistance power exercises that work those core groups.
A single resistance technique can train either strength, power, or endurance depending on a few factors. Here's a short summary:
  | Strength | Endurance | Power
---|----|----|----
Weight (%1RM) | 60-90 | 30-70 | 50-70
of reps in a set | 8-12 | 14+ | 1-2
Speed of motion | Slow/controlled | Slow/controlled | Fast/explosive
Rest between sets | 1-2 min | 30-60 sec | 30-60 sec
Note the most important part in the table above: 1-2 reps in a set with rest between sets for power training. Power training is also performed with lower resistance than normal strength training (to avoid injury to the weight-bearing joints). Note that this mainly applies to lower extremity exercises; upper extremity power exercises should be performed with caution to avoid damage to the rotator cuff. (If you're looking for advice regarding the starting blocks or vertical jump specifically, the clean and jerk has shown to significantly improve performance in those motions.)
Sources and further reading
Baechle, T. R., & Earle, R. W. (2008). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (3rd ed., pp. 400-401). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. http://amzn.com/0736058036 (Note that the fourth edition has come out, but I haven't had the chance to read the difference summary.)
Kenney, W. L., Wilmore, J. H., & Costill, D. L. (2011). Physiology of Sport and Exercise (5th ed., pp. 272-273). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. http://amzn.com/0736094091
These figures were given to me by my coach, an NCCP Level 2 certified weightlifting coach (one of two in the whole province) who has brought athletes to nationals.
Before training Oly, I aimed for about 130g, which is indeed about 1g/lbs (at the time i was about 135-140). Since starting weightlifting he's had me slowly add up to 200g, which is about 1.3 or so of my current weight.
These figures are also reflected in Bob Takano's weightlifting books.
Of course everyone has to experiment with their own body, and the numbers are ranges and guidelines. But if stalls are happening with lifts, the number one thing I've learned to add is more protein, especially for lifters, and I'd give this advice, to carefully track their protein and add if they are stalling, to most non-oly lifters too if their goal is to get strong.
edit: Read the thread, and nothing I am suggesting really is counter-indicated in that article. I eat about 50g in 3 meals (8am, 1pm, 10pm), and then another 50ish as snacks (4pm, 7pm) protein bar, protein shake after training.
Here is Bigger, Leaner, Stronger: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate/dp/1475143389/ref=pd_cp_b_3
Should you be eating protein on non-gym days too?
this book is amazing. You might also be interested in this
I'd suggest doing Stronglifts at maintenance calories (or deficit if you're a bit chubby) for about 12 weeks then switch to a beginners BB program like AllPro or GSLP.
Is there a gym near you?
If not, you can do bodyweight circuits. Here's a great program to try: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Calisthenics-Ultimate-Bodyweight-Training/dp/1905367546/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QA5ACMGJ1K8EZ4EDRMGP
ಠ_ಠ
For more information, buy and read (yeah, right) the book Practical Programming
You are obviously competent to take care of your own fitness and this is not meant to be any sort of judgment or rebuttal to your statement, but I think there are different ways to exercise that determine the shape of your body. I don't dispute that you are healthy at 215lbs, but if you'd like to change your appearance (slimmer waist and more "classic" proportions) check out New Rules of Lifting. Again this is not to suggest that what you are doing is wrong, just a suggestion about how to get different results if you want to.
I maintain a 500cal deficit diet (based on my TDEE), which comes to approximately 1920calories, consume approximately more than 180g of protein per day in 6 meals and lift 4 times a week/cardio 2 times a week.
My main target is not to bulk up, but to gain muscle while loosing fat and strength at the same time.
Ohh I forgot to mention that my lifting workout is very similar to the one described in starting strength, just in case you were wondered (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Starting-Strength-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0976805405)
I have You Are Your Own Gym in PDF if you are interested.
It has 4.5 Stars (123 reviews).
google "functional movement screen".
also Athletic body in balance, but this is a little outdated.
On my own program now.
https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Workout-II/dp/1450419895/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1522662049&sr=8-5&keywords=strength+training+anatomy
Maybe I'll send one after this cycle in a few weeks. I'm sizing up quick.
BlackCraneStoic (Really original, I know) is my new account for TRP though I hardly use it as much as I used to. Too busy building my body and my bank account to be bothered much anymore.
Stuart McGill - Ultimate Back Performance (cheaper from www.backfitpro.com)
Gray Cook - Functional Movement Systems: Screening, Assessment, Corrective Strategies
Gray Cook - Athletic Body In Balance
Dan John - Never Let Go
Buy a bunch of plates, two dumbbell bars, some bands, and work out at home? I'm currently reading through this book. One point they make is that why train at the gym when you can do it at home for a little investment that would otherwise go into your membership? A powercage, bench, plates, and bar can be had for 400-600$ with some smart buying. I mean I do my dumbbell flies on a coffee table with a yoga mat on top of it.
> This sucks sounding like a whinny little swole baby, but it’s been heavy on my mind.
I think it's just naturally hard to change from what you know that works to something else that also definitely works.
Swole finds a way.
Broden be with you.
edit: Oh also inb4 chest flies are bad, I'm not using heavy weight so it's probably OK for the moment
So not exactly Overcoming Gravity, but Pavel is a fun read anyway - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XIZMR6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
He talks about only building to the one arm pushup and pistol as your only fitness tools.
Read this book: The Mind Gym
The best way to address questions about GSLP is to read the book. It has lots of templates for extra assistance work, including triceps; the version linked in the wiki is just one example of a GSLP template.
Two books that are really good for this kind of stuff:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mental-Game-Baseball-Performance/dp/1888698543
http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Gym-Athletes-Guide-Excellence/dp/0071395970/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414212349&sr=1-1&keywords=mind+gym
You can probably google both for PDFs. Mental Game has an entire section on expectations with stories similar to yours. It describes what caused players to fail and what helped others succeed. The book changed my life.
Good luck!
Looking for https://www.amazon.com/Greyskull-LP-Second-John-Sheaffer-ebook/dp/B007WNC50Q 1st or 2nd edition
Some programs are designed for building mass, like Jim Wendler's Building the Monolith ( https://jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/101078918-building-the-monolith-5-3-1-for-size ) or Dan John's book Mass Made Simple ( https://www.amazon.com/Mass-Made-Simple-Dan-John-ebook/dp/B006HXPR66 , and he has some related articles you can Google for). Note that they both have diet recommendations, as well as things to do in the gym.
Cool. Buy Mass Made Simple and follow the manual to the T. Start with the Six-week squat 101 workout and then do the 6 week bulking plan. You should be ready for football come fall.
Two things: first, check your bike fit, especially seat height and bar height. I know a lot of people here are all about low, flat, bars, but if you are just getting started, it takes a while to get both the mobility and strength to stay that low for long periods of time, even on the bar flats, let alone in the drops. “Bike fit advisor” on YouTube helped me a lot. Or get fitted if you have the coin.
Second, if you want to build strength, do calisthenics. Push ups, dips, chin-ups, planks, and crunches to start. You need to hold up you body weight, so do body weight exercise. Also, bulking through weight training kind of goes against what you need for cycling endurance. These exercises help build mobility and strength in your entire upper body. I highly recommend “Complete Calisthenics” here
I hope you get some relief!
I bought this book and a set of dumbbells recently. I’m four weeks into the first program and my wife says she can see a small differences. I really like the book and it breaks stuff down for people that don’t know anything about strength training (like me). It also advocates doing home workouts.
The Strength Training Anatomy Workout https://www.amazon.com/dp/1450400957/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cSoOBbPWS27BC
Ugh! I bought two books off amazon about three days ago and I would have loved to get the 25% off.
Anyways, I picked up The Path to Athletic Power by Boyd Epley and [Athletic Body in Balance by Gray Cook] (http://www.amazon.com/Athletic-Body-Balance-Gray-Cook/dp/0736042288/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418442474&sr=8-1&keywords=athletic+body+in+balance&pebp=1418442474961).
This one is pretty cool.
I believe what you are looking for is in this.
You won't find it for free but it is strongly supported by scholarly articles for it's claims.
Ps. I studied under the author.
Thanks for the advice! I see multiple books on Amazon titled "Starting Strength." Is it this one or this? Thanks
The first piece of advice I would have to offer you is to hit the gym. It will be hard at first, but then it will become hard to keep yourself away after a while. Being in good physical condition really helps EVERYTHING in your life, top to bottom. It gives you more discipline and self confidence, and the extra oxygen in your bloodstream just makes your brain work a bit better. Check out this book: the program in this book has worked wonders for me. The best part is that this will never have you in the gym for more than 45-60 minutes at a time. You will probably find that you have the strength to fight all sorts of shit in your life that you have never had the strength to fight within the first few weeks.
This may be, at least in part, exactly what you want: Frederic Delavier's Mixed Martial Arts Anatomy.
If you have ever lifted weights, then you will undoubtedly have, at some point, seen or used his ubiquitous book Strength Training Anatomy. He just released MMA Anatomy earlier this month.
I am in Iraq, so although I ordered it I haven't received it yet, but Strength Training Anatomy is a classic for a reason, and I expect good things from MMA anatomy. Hopefully it delivers.
It's a top rated strength training book, http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Practical-Coaching-Beginners/dp/0976805405
I can't recall if the book gives a clear recommendation, but I'd say 3 workouts in a row with no progression in an exercise is considered a plateau. However, I do believe Rippetoe dedicates some elaborating commentary on this, but I might be thinking of Practical Programming (another good read btw).
1 and 2: actually read the program. There's a book for it: http://www.amazon.ca/The-Greyskull-LP-Edition-ebook/dp/B007WNC50Q . Like Mogwoggle pointed out, exrx.net (ninja-edited - I keep writing .com, d'oh) is also a good resource for seeing what the lifts look like.
3: I'm not at all an expert; the following is synthesized from stuff I've heard and given a little bit of thought / sanity-checked against other things I heard. Sure, go ahead and do some cardio; it's probably easiest to just do it on the off days, but if you'd rather do it on the lifting days and have complete rest days, then do the cardio after lifting (because otherwise your lifting will suck) and maybe put some rest in between. You really only need around half an hour in a session; more will still help with your health, but gets diminishing returns. Also if you're doing it just for the calorie burn, then don't bother; it's easier to just eat less.
If you've exhausted the gains of linear programming, then it's time for some periodized programming at an intermediate level. A good source for that kind of thing is Practical Programming for Strength Training, by Mark Rippetoe. Another popular intermediate program is 5/3/1, by some dude whose name I have forgotten. Madcow is another. My personal favorite is Tactical Barbell, which gives you a number of options as to how much time you want to spend in the gym, and how often you want to go.
If you just want to drink from the firehose and then write the bible from "In the beginning," then read this. It's by the guy who basically invented periodization, and single-handedly invented the legend of Glorious Eastern-Bloc Socialist Training.
Go to a trainer that is qualified to administer the FMS screening. In the meantime, this book has some self-assessment tools you could use. http://www.amazon.ca/Athletic-Body-Balance-Gray-Cook/dp/0736042288
And your answer to part two?
Basically, I'm wondering why something like Convict Conditioning or Never Gymless from the FAQ wouldn't work for you (or something like The Naked Warrior).
Sounds like a quote from Practical Programming by Rip. I agree, in the beginning you can recover quickly, but as you progress your body needs more recovery time.
42 here; like others say, prevent injury. Getting a (good) trainer definitely won’t hurt.
Lower weights, more reps, and what helped me is more recovery time. (So two rest days instead of one).
Maybe have a look at The Barbell Prescription https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06Y4LXFCK/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1450400957/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1521943583&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=frederick+delavier
Great book for learning plyometrics and optimizing home training. His Workout II book is centered on optimizing gym gains and imparts understanding about the functional and anatomical aspects of each lift. It also even goes further to describe various growth techniques and what exercises to do and avoid based on your morphology.
For instance, taller lankier guys mights want to consider using machines or dumbells instead of barbells for chest presses because due to their length it's harder for them to perform a standard bench compared to someone with shorter arms because of increased range of motion which can lead to injury and reduces the tension required for stimulating muscle growth. He describes it way more clearly than I just did. It's worth picking up.
> Enter the Kettlebell - Pavel Tsatsouline https://youtu.be/cKx8xE8jJZs
> And his book https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XIZMR6/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3
Link
Most of his points hit the nail on the head (from my perspective). However, one thing I noticed was that in part one he criticized the team for not correcting his mistakes, and then later on he said how is he supposed to get better if they keep bringing up all the stuff he does wrong.
That kind of attitude is probably (just from an outside perspective) the reason they were reluctant to bring it up recently.
If you can't put emotions and egos aside (This goes for all CLG members) and take objective criticism without having a knee jerk reaction, then you will never reach your full potential as a player. I would recommend working on your mentality some. I haven't read it myself, however some of the SC2 EG guys said "The Mind Gym" helped them with their mental game a lot.
http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Gym-Athletes-Guide-Excellence/dp/0071395970/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322192782&sr=8-1
The New Rules of Weightlifting
This is a good book. The authors are very much of the old "shut up and squat" school of thought; the excercises and workouts are simple and effective.
Also, this guy's Westside for Skinny Bastards workout worked really well for me when I was on it. I'm pretty ectomorphic and I gained ~10 lbs of muscle.
You might look at Darebee . Lots of great material there. They have an endless variety of ideas that, if nothing else, can be used to mix things up a bit if you are stuck in a rut.
Another resource is Ashley Kalym’s Complete Calisthenics
Finally, you might also look at Al Kavadlo’s Get Strong