(Part 3) Best books about weight training according to redditors

You have to be very careful getting back into plyometrics, especially when you describe 2 hour training sessions with them.

You are still young, but you are not as young as you were in the youth leagues. The muscle tissue of children and teens is inherently more damage-resistant than even young adults, and that's important to remember. It continues to become more vulnerable as we age, especially when coming back from a long layoff. You will never again be able to handle the kind of daily and weekly training volume you could at those young ages, especially with plyometrics.



The good news is, you don't NEED to. Most of us were training too hard too often, even at young ages. These days the best-trained young athletes are getting 2-3 days of plyos per week, with a greater emphasis on form and power than volume, and they are focusing more on basic strength with squats, deadlifts, and depending on who's coaching them also some power cleans and perhaps other weightlifting movements.

​

There is a very good book called "Jumping into Plyometrics" that may be a good place to start, and " Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness" is also a useful resource.

The most important thing to do is to take your time and re-enter plyometrics slowly.

​

Much of what you remember was actually motor learning for more efficient body control. Plyos can only take advantage of the strength you currently have, and because of their inherently high-force nature they place you at higher risk for injury if you do too much volume with them, which is why the following are the two rules to live by:

​

1. Don't use plyos for your primary lower body training, use 1-2 squat variations and 1-2 deadlift variations that you can perform well as the base for your strength training
   
2. Approach plyometrics with cautious enthusiasm, they are super fun and feel great but you will not have much of any warning when you get close to an injury. You will have a sudden pop or tear, and then it's too late.
   
   ​
   
   Good luck and have fun! Hopefully those two books help if you choose to get them.

Dorian was a big advocate of Mike Mentzers high intensity training style 'Heavy Duty' and he wrote books and training plans around it.

Exert from one of his books:

According to Mentzer, biologists and physiologists since the nineteenth century have known that hypertrophy is directly related to intensity, not duration, of effort (Mentzer 2003;39). Most bodybuilding and weightlifting authorities do not take into account the severe nature of the stress imposed by heavy, strenuous resistance exercise carried to the point of positive muscular failure.

Mike based his style off the HIT training he was introduced to from creator Arthur Jones who had a very different take on training back when the typical "bro-split" would dare beat questioned. For most exercises only 1 set but that set taken to complete and utter failure. 3 workouts a week. The biggest emphasis was on rest. See the original plan below:

http://www.arthurjonesexercise.com/MuscularDevelopement/Idealworkout.PDF

Mike took those core foundations and reworked them to form Heavy Duty training and introduced Dorian to it around 1990/91. Mikes approach was similar in 3 training days, big emphasis on test but he lowered the rep ranges so the total weight could be increased. His reasoning for this was more stress and thus activation of the muscle fibres to stimulate growth.

This style of training can clearly work Mike and Dorian are proof but you need to bring a level of intensity to the gym that majority of your everyday gym rat doesn't have.

I've read both of Mike's books and highly recommend to anyone who hasn't ive put links below.

https://www.amazon.com/High-Intensity-Training-Mike-Mentzer-Way/dp/0071383301

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0071452931/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2DQWMSV5K4C78Q40YY4A&dpPl=1&dpID=51B6x0cKhzL

It helps to have a basic understanding of energy systems. Here's the dominant energy system for different durations of effort (Periodization Training for Sports 3rd. Ed, Bompa):

• Anaerobic
  
  • Alactic
    
    • 0:00-0:06 -- Power
      
    • 0:07-0:08 -- Capacity
      
  • Lactic
    
    • 0:08-0:20 -- Power
      
    • 0:20-1:00 -- Capacity
      
• Aerobic
  
  • 1:00-2:00 -- Power (I)
    
  • 2:00-8:00 -- Power (II)
    
  • >8:00 -- Capacity
    
    Most sport climbs rely on what Bompa calls Power-Endurance, for which training should target the anaerobic lactic and aerobic systems. You can use these timings to develop interval training routines to target the relevant systems.
    
    And as always, increasing your maximum strength will improve all facets of your training, including endurance. You will be shocked by how quickly endurance "responds" to training, especially how big a part of that is psychological (coping with pump, and climbing/gripping efficiently).
    
    ---
    
    I highly recommend Bompa's book. The Kindle edition is just $14; the paperback is $18. It's worth every penny.

Here are some examples for explosive power. Can be applied for basketball, volleyball, handball, football, long jumps, boxing, etc.
Box jumps (both legs take off; one leg); long jumps (both legs lands same time; alternate leg touches to ground - 3-5 jumps); skip in place/moving (knees high/low, usually after this comes sprint 3-5m); side skips; medicine ball smashes of the ground/partners throwing to each other; bosu ball squats/lunges/push ups/planks; push ups on clap; single leg dead lift; single leg squats.
Also try to find some of these books...
https://www.amazon.com/Sport-Specific-Strength-Training-Preparation-Performance/dp/1616682590
https://www.amazon.com/Functional-Training-Sports-Michael-Boyle/dp/073604681X
https://www.amazon.com/Training-Speed-Agility-Quickness-3rd-Brown/dp/1450468705/ref=pd_sim_14_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1450468705&pd_rd_r=JTJ3BHZQQ11JDK4NYA6V&pd_rd_w=ViL1i&pd_rd_wg=3W8nA&psc=1&refRID=JTJ3BHZQQ11JDK4NYA6V

Its because you aren't doing it regularly. If I were only allowed to do 2 exercises ever again in my life, I would choose deadlifting and squating. With those 2 exercises and nothing else I can assure you I would look better naked than most people in the gym.

Do yourself a favor and spend $15 on this book: http://www.amazon.com/Brawn-3rd-Edition-Stuart-McRobert/dp/9963916317

I got it when I was in your shoes and didn't think exercises like deadlifts were important. This will change your view.

Men's Health Home Workout Bible: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1579546579/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_ZPo5wbF8BQCCB

Men's Health Ultimate Dumbbell Guide: More Than 21,000 Moves Designed to Build Muscle, Increase Strength, and Burn Fat https://www.amazon.com/dp/159486487X/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_wQo5wb6PY9WJD

The Workout: Core Secrets from Hollywood's #1. This is by Gunnar Peterson, aka the man who made Hugh Jackman into Wolverine

Trainer https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060738065/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_4Ro5wb74KC2X6


Both these books will be written at a level for anyone to start. I would not follow men's health magazine much anymore, but these books are worth their weight in gold for beginners.

Replace soda with fruit, my bro. It has sugar, but also nutrients & fiber.

Make smoothies-- with a handful or two salad greens, flax oil (or other omega 3 product), etc. Start learning about nutrition & nutrition as it relates to exercise recovery.

Walk for one hour a day.

Lift weights for 20 mins, 3x week. After a month, increase to 30 mins. After another month, 45. Get up to an hour. Then, after 3-6 months or so, after your weights, do about 20-30 minutes of walking or light cardio.

Check out resources like this for learning proper form for weight lifting exercises. Start at home with the basic movements. Plan your routine (start with large muscle group activating "compound" exercises like bench presses, lat pulldowns or squats, before you move to "isolation" exercises like curls, triceps pulldowns, calf exercises, etc):

https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/

​

Within 3 months of starting you'll see differences and feel differences.

Get these books, they're practically all you need:

- the abs diet -- get it for its nutritional advice

Amazon comment about The Abs Diet: "a friend of mine lost 50 pounds using this. I lost 30. I can clearly say this is a great help. It explains not only WHAT decisions to make about food but WHY. "

- home workout bible-- get it for referencing exercises

​

Think about making it your philosophy to:

- Look forward to any physical exertion -- such as by making choices each day to make it physically more arduous on yourself. Example: Stop taking elevators & escalators. Commit to only using stairs. Park further from shops, make yourself walk. Never avoid a walk or physical exertion-- instead, look forward to it.

- Challenge yourself physically. Sweat, exhaustion? Things to be proud of and happy to pursue.

If you set conservative total maxes and then use typical Wendler style training maxes (90% of 1RM), you should be ok. For instance, in a basic 5/3/1, the highest intensity load (the 1 in 5/3/1, 95% of 90%) used is about 85% of actual 1RM, which is solidly in the strength zone without necessarily being in the peaking/powerlifting zone (90-100%.)

A lot of strength programs use ranges in the 75-95% range, if you want the best injury prevention while retaining the ability to still add some strength, the bodybuilding range (60-75% typically) can be safer. And avoid 1 rep maxing unless you need to, a lot of injuries happen during max rep attempts where form breaks down.

Explosiveness is just another word for power, and power can be developed with [compensatory acceleration training] (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24734902) which is just another name for what Westside called Dynamic Method lifting where you use about 50% of 1RM and do lots of small sets (like 10x2s or 10x3s) where each rep is given maximal bar speed focus. This is a form of power training that can be performed [controversially] within normal strength training movements, compared to actual "power lifts" like the clean/snatch, where the movement cannot be completed without applying acceleration to the bar.

In general, almost every trainer on the planet who cares about athletes would agree that as long as form is good and the loading is appropriate, more bar speed is better than less bar speed, unless that person is training for time under tension (TUT) which is common in bodybuilding circles as a means doing more muscle damage to get more swole. Ignore that shit and lift fast with good form, alternate between 75% and 50% with good bar speed and you will get stronger and more powerful (explosive) without any major injuries, unless your gym gets hit by a falling airplane engine, then it's all about recovery.

For your periodization question, I [like this book a lot.] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LPICIUQ)

Seconded! I recently bought the Kindle book based on the reviews from yourself and /u/overnightyeti, so thank you both for the recommendation.

If anyone else wants to take a look, get the free pdf from Andersen's website. You give them an email address, they send a link to the Dropbox, which has two files: The blue and white one, "Swimming in Deep Water," is the one you want. The red and black one, Deep Water Superset Samples, has recommended combinations and links to Andersen's demo videos on YouTube. You can safely skip the autobiographical information (you're welcome). The program intro starts on Chapter 4 (page 33 of 78), and the outlines on page 36.

Or, you can skip that and get the $10 Kindle book and support the author. I like supporting people who provide free stuff, in the hopes they'll provide more free stuff in the future. But the text is exactly identical, as far as I can see. The free .pdf is maybe a little prettier, with the outlines visible at a glance instead of over multiple pages. Again, programs start at Chapter 4.

Make sure you've had your coffee if you read through or go to the website. Portions are like being yelled at by a wrestling announcer.

My Coach wrote a book called Hardgainer
Solution and in one year it took me from looking like I'd never worked out to hey. visible arm veins and pump. booty.
quads. shoulders. at 46 years old and lifetime I tell you of working out.

Just read his work and see what you think, the low low price of free. Stick with it as I have. I was skeptical as hell but in about six weeks i was likeee...this is gonna work.

I'm running the one from this book

You can also download a copy from Jon Andersen's Instagram page apparently.

Al Kavadlo has been a huge inspiration for me. He focuses on body-weight training which I have just started doing as well. I would suggest reading up on this forum and going to your library to read about body weight exercise. A cheap ebook ($5) that I found encouraging and informational is C-Mass: Calisthenics Mass. I would suggest beginning working out right now. A great way to get good training is by joining a sport. When I was entering high school I was in your similar shoes of being skinny and picked on. I was recruited on to the cross country team and that changed everything for me. I then went on to join track and pole vaulting. Once I joined pole vaulting no one messed with me anymore because they thought I was some crazy mother fucker for doing a sport like that. Being in sports you basically get a free trainer and access to the school's weight room and all of that. Take advantage of that. Maybe you'll meet some friends too.

https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/0671633813

I liked New Rules of Lifting. If you are new to lifting, it has a lot of good info in it. The book includes a bunch of workout programs focused on either fat loss, hypertrophy, or strength. Each workout is centered around compound lifts which I like a lot.

Okay... incoming wall of text (you've triggered "verbose Amy mode"):

I am an utter newb at this, so I'm still learning myself. So far, I'm just working on my own, although I just got the name of a promising-sounding personal trainer from my physical therapist, so when my current round is over, I might try that out. I'd like to. But since I was starting from zero, I figured anything is better than nothing, so as long as I learned enough to keep from hurting myself, it would lead to progress.

Here's my current plan:

I split my routines up by parts: Sundays are legs, shoulders, back; Tuesdays are biceps, core, chest; Thursdays are legs, core, triceps. So legs and core get worked twice a week, everything else once.

Each workout is built around one of the big, compound movements: squats, pushups, pull-ups (which I can't actually do yet), and deadlifts (which I don't have the equipment for right now.) I do one of those every session; then the rest is made of accessory exercises focusing on more specific movements. They're usually 9-12 exercises total, and typically 3 sets of 10 reps, or however many it takes to fatigue the muscle. Then stretch, and done.

The only equipment I'm working with is one 15-lb dumbbell, one 8-lb dumbbell, a physio ball (I love mine), an array of resistance bands (most of which are too easy for me now) and body weight. This selection is a bit limiting, but since I started from fat middle-aged woman status, I've been able to make some initial progress with just this.

The really hard part, I've found, is finding books on strength training that are suitable for people in our situation -- it's like, everything is either pitched for 80-year-olds or people not really interested in actual strength training, or else for already-fit athletes. The books that I've found the most useful are Delavier's Women's Strength Training Anatomy Workouts, because it shows you very specifically what muscle group you're focusing on, and it does a good job of explaining the pros and cons of variations and modifications; and The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises because it's just got a million variants of major exercises included, which can be helpful for modifying and keeping boredom at bay. There are some better-respected books out there, too, but they tend to lean heavily on a pretty fit starting state, and access to really extensive collections of equipment. YouTube is also super helpful to find videos on correct form and further modifications for stuff that's still a little too hard.

Again, this is just my limited understanding from a novice perspective. I feel like I'm getting to the point where I won't be able to make consistent progress for much longer without investing in a lot more equipment (or finally dragging myself into the beautiful, state of the art fitness center to which I have access through my job), and some expert advice would probably do me a lot of good. So over the summer, I'm hoping to transition to a gym-based workout with some help from a personal trainer. So far, though, it's been all me, making it up as I go (with some research to back it up.)

I was rather impressed at the level of detail in this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Delaviers-Strength-Training-Anatomy-Workouts/dp/1450466036

If this is a thing you are into (I am a bodybuilder and so this is a thing I am into), I cannot recommend this book strongly enough: https://www.amazon.com/Venus-Biceps-Pictorial-History-Muscular/dp/1551523701

Crossfit Endurance and his book Speed Power Endurance

Read the following

Fit

Practical Programming

Power, speed, endurance

Olympic Weightlifting

Also, 70's Big is a great resource. As well as Glenn Pendlay's Blog, and the articles section of his website.

Live and die by KISS principle when programming for yourself. My personal opinion is to squat and press heavy twice a week (volume day/intensity). Snatch, clean and jerk twice a week (volume/intensity). Two hard conditioning sessions a week of under 10 minutes.

Brad Schoenfeld's M.A.X. Muscle Plan. The plan incorporates lots of variety. It's a fairly long program (26 weeks, I think) that's composed of several mesocycles that alternate between strength and hypertrophy training. Each week (microcycle) changes up the exercises, # of sets, # of reps, rest interval, as well as adding some supersets. In addition to the healthy number of stiff legged dead lifts and good mornings already in the program, it calls for leg curls, leg extensions and leg presses. I don't have those machines in my home gym, so I just did stiff legged deadlifts, trap bar deadlifts, good mornings, Bulgarian split squats or hip thrusters instead.

​

May the wind be at your back on the Iron Path.

AMAB runner here! I found that running didn't flatten my booty, but it didn't build it either. I'm sure I got some great cardiovascular benefits, but I didn't see much change when I looked in the mirror (I was always a healthy weight.) The main change I saw was that my abs were more defined (probably a combination of working my core muscles and losing body fat.)

Recently I started strength training. Squats do work your booty, but it's secondary. The main effort is done by your quads. Deadlifts are more focused on your backside (hamstrings and glutes.)

Some resources:

1. I highly recommend Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier. It has detailed color illustrations showing which muscles are worked by just about every exercise you could think of. There's also a version for women's anatomy.
   
   
2. My girl Abby Pollock on the YouTube.
   
   
3. /r/StrongCurves. I haven't used it personally, but you may find it helpful.
   
   Good luck quitting smoking and building your booty!

I like these ones

https://www.amazon.ca/Trigger-Points-Laminated-Chart-Posters/dp/B0007YZ20C



https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/158779036X/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TJVCN8N506DNVY9BTNR2


Not sure how much you're wanting to spend but these look cool

https://www.amazon.ca/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736059318

For bodybuilding, these books will give you the greatest breadth and depth in your training knowledge:

• The Complete Keys to Progress
  
• Keys to the Inner Universe
  
• Brother Iron, Sister Steel: A Bodybuilder's Book
  
• Brawn
  
  
  Hope this helps.
  
  
  Craig
  
  Author of Bodybuilding: From Heavy Duty to SuperSlow
  

The OP's nearly 6 feet and he's 128 pounds. He definitely needs to pack on the muscle. Questions_Life, I recommend that you commit to a regimen of weight lifting and gain at least twenty or so pounds. Get this book if you can.

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Stronger-Weight-Training-Revised/dp/0936070242

I redid my favorite workouts through a rotation before finding this guy through Bret contreras; the book is super science based and allows you to build your own programming (kinda, his guidelines) for what feels the best.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/149251456X?pc_redir=T1&qid=1466147887&s=books&sr=1-1

I just started my programming today!

(also, for lifting, i don't know if you're doing something really strength-focused and just feeling beat up? i do submaximal loads in the hypertrophy range, and never go to actual failure, so i feel pretty fresh most of the time. always leave a fair bit of juice in the tank. still get hypertrophy that way if you have frequency. if you're interested in that idea, there are a few people talking about it. strengtheory in this article, then there's scott abel's hardgainer solution, hypertrophy-specific training, SC, plenty of programs like that out there. lol maybe you're doing that already, sorry if so)

John Brookfield, the author of Mastery of Hand Strength lists block training as the most unstoppable, unparalleled type of grip training. I'd agree that is more functional since it includes dynamic training (lift the block, clean and press the block, toss and catch the block, etc). There'd be good carryover between this and 2.5" thickbar.

My mom got me this absolutely awesome and inspiring book, Venus with Biceps, which manages to combine my love of history AND fitness, and a workout shirt that says "There's a beast in every woman and it stirs when you put a barbell in her hands". So I got sweet gifts, as well as her support of my athletic endeavors, woo hoo!

This is apparently the go-to book on hand strength training. I also found a good forum when I was googling around on the subject with a beginner program that only used weights -- but I forget what it was called.

This book has a ton of great exercises and drills: https://www.amazon.com/Training-Speed-Agility-Quickness-3rd-Brown/dp/1450468705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472916169&sr=8-1&keywords=training+for+speed+agility+and+quickness-3rd+edition

A couple of quick ones that I'd recommend (just google):

• Get-up Sprints
  
  
• Falling start sprints
  
  

Something like it would be out of Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier? You might be able to find some posters if you check amazon? Something like that you had in mind? Click around on amazon and see what you can find.

Or just get some good illustrations and order prints yourself if you're entirely out of luck.

TLDR: Nov-Dec: strengthen tendons/ligaments/joints & base endurance; Dec-Jan: heavy squat/bench, short intervals & short sprints; Jan-Feb: explosive squat/bench, medium intervals, longer sprints & deload for try-outs; Mar+: maintain strength/endurance/speed & deload for big games

Everyone here has provided a lot of good suggestions, especially related to specific exercises.

I don’t have experience with soccer specifically. But I want to add that to maximize your performance for any sport, you should really have a routine that varies throughout the year. Most coached (and even self coached) athletes use a process called periodization to plan their training. Periodization involves doing different exercises at different times in order to give you the best possible performance during your competitive season. If you just do the same thing every single week, you risk plateauing, burning out, or injury. I'm currently reading Periodization Training for Sports which covers this topic in depth. Here are some simplified core principles:

• Work on Strength, Endurance, and Speed simultaneously throughout your training plan. They all matter for a sport like soccer!
  
• Divide the year into three "phases”: Preparation (aka pre-season), Competitive (aka season), and Transition (aka off-season).
  
• Divide each phase into smaller units (call them "cycles") that are 3-4 weeks long. Each cycle has a particular focus.
  
• The last week of each cycle is a deload week (~30% reduced volume and intensity), to recover and fully reap the benefits from the previous weeks of hard training.
  
• Schedule deload for the week of important competitions (and even try-outs), so you are fresh to perform your best.
  
• Training effect is determined by duration, intensity, and work-to-rest ratio (i.e. 30 sec interval with 30 sec rest is different from 30 sec interval with 3 min rest). It is important to control these factors (especially rest) to get the desired effect from every workout.
  
• Workouts should get more sport-specific the closer you get to the competitive season. For example, do intervals on the sport’s surface or replace running intervals with sport-specific drills of the same duration and intensity.
  
• You must maintain the abilities that you develop in the Preparation phase during the Competitive phase or else you will fade by the end of the season.
  
  Given the physical requirements of soccer and some suggestions in this thread, here are key workouts you may want to perform throughout the Preparation and Competitive phases. These are just guidelines, and you will want to adapt the Endurance and Speed workouts to the unique demands of soccer as the season approaches.
  
  Strength/Weights:
  
  
• Anatomical Adaptation (AA): 2x10-15 reps @ 40-50% 1RM of 8-12 exercises targeting the whole body; perform in circuit or superset with short rest (1-2 min); control weight through full range of motion
  
• Maximum Strength (MS): 3x5 reps @ 70-80% 1RM of squat, bench press, bent over row; long rest between sets (3-5 min); finish with accessory lifts for core; increase weight 2-5% per week
  
• Power (P): 6x2-3 reps @ 60-70% 1RM of squat & bench press; medium rest between sets (2-3 min); concentrate on explosiveness; do NOT lift to exhaustion; finish with accessory lifts for core/pull
  
  Endurance:
  
  
• Aerobic Threshold (AT): Run for 25-45 minutes with 30 second bursts thrown in every 5 minutes (as suggested by u/sitdwnandhngon)
  
• Anaerobic Threshold (AnT): Run 3-10 reps of 1-2 minutes hard with equal time rest between reps; increase by one rep per week; or do ladder runs (as suggested by u/sitdwnandhngon)
  
• VO2 Max (VO2): Two sets of 7-12 x 30 sec sprint with 30 sec jog in between reps; 3 min rest between sets; increase by one rep per week; or do 6-12 minute all-out run
  
  Speed:
  
  
• Alactic Power (ALP): Explosive movements lasting 1-10 seconds (40-60m sprints, hill sprints, box jumps, plyometrics, explosive drills); long rest (20-30x interval length or 3-5 min); simple movements can be grouped into sets of reps (i.e. do 3-5 box jumps and then rest)
  
• Lactic Power (LP): All-out movements lasting 10-60 seconds (100-200m sprints, hill or shuttle sprints, exhausting drills); moderate rest (4-8x interval length).
  
  And here is a suggested weekly training plan with progression of abilities for each phase. You can combine similar sessions to save time (for example, do sprints and then lift weights), but don’t do the same type of session on back-to-back days. Properly warm-up and cool-down each session. Adjust the duration, intensity, and frequency to your ability and time constraints. Take 1-2 days complete rest per week. Try to be realistic and consistent.
  
  Preparation Phase:
  
  
• Cycle 1 (3 weeks; Nov-Dec)
  
  • Strength: 2-3 x AA
    
  • Endurance: 2-3 x AT
    
  • Speed: 2-3 x light intensity agility drills
    
  • Deload is optional for this cycle
    
• Cycle 2 (4 weeks; Dec)
  
  • Strength: 2-3 x MS
    
  • Endurance: 1-2 x VO2, 1 x AT
    
  • Speed: 1-2 x ALP
    
  • Practice soccer 1-2 times per week
    
• Cycle 3 (3-4 weeks; Jan)
  
  • Strength: 1-2 x MS, 1 x P
    
  • Endurance: 1-2 x VO2, 1 x AnT
    
  • Speed: 1-2 x ALP, 1 x LP
    
  • Practice soccer 2-3 times per week; play indoor or pick-up games
    
• Cycle 4 (3-4 weeks; Jan-Feb)
  
  • Power: 1-2 x P, 1 x MS
    
  • Endurance: 1-2 x AnT, 1 x VO2
    
  • Speed: 1-2 x LP, 1 x ALP
    
  • Practice soccer 2-3 times per week; play indoor or pick-up games
    
  • Plan deload week for try-outs
    
    Competitive Phase:
    
    
• Cycle 5+ (3-4 weeks each)
  
  • Strength: 1 x MS, 1 x P (maintenance: fewer exercises and lower weight; prioritize squat; stop lifting two weeks before last game)
    
  • Endurance: 1 x VO2, 1 x AnT (maintenance: alternate one each week if soccer schedule is too busy)
    
  • Speed: 1 x LP, 1 x ALP (maintenance: be smart and don’t overdo it if you get plenty of similar efforts during practice)
    
  • Tactical/technical: practice soccer 2-4 times per week; play scrimmages/games
    
  • Plan deload weeks for important games
    
    Transition Phase:
    
    
• Cycle N+
  
  • Strength: any lifting 1-2 x per week will help maintain strength between seasons
    
  • Endurance: run 1-3 x per week; maybe train for a 5k; don’t be too inactive for more than 3-4 weeks between seasons
    
  • Speed: play random pick-up games or play another sport; have fun and recharge mentally
    
• Return to Preparation phase next season
  
  Edit: A word/number

I don't offhand! But it's probably in the book -- Venus with Biceps

Or even a jog in the field. Just don't try running a file. Try running/jogging 100m.

Check out this book: http://www.amazon.ca/Power-Speed-ENDURANCE-Skill-Based-Endurance/dp/1936608618

Really great info on proper forefoot running carrying on from POSE method. It is my go to on run/bike/swim body mechanics.

The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, changed my life :)

Good work! Just keep in mind you don't need to kill yourself on every set. A great book I'd recommend to someone getting started in lifting is the MAX Muscle Plan by Brad Schoenfeld - he is pretty much the go to guy when it comes to research on how to build muscle and the book incorporates a lot of great strategies for building muscle, like scaling volume, intensity and frequency over time.

https://www.amazon.com/Max-Muscle-Plan-Brad-Schoenfeld/dp/1450423876/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=the+max+muscle+plan&qid=1562046532&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I did. I haven't had a chance to get into the book yet. I also bought Periodization Training for Sports. It'll be interesting to compare the two.

This is what I was talking about. Looks like it's not an official CC volume.

No problem brother and good to hear the roids aren't an option for you anymore.

Here is a great place to start. https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/0671633813

Also, Lyle Macdonald is really legit as well. https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=lyle%20mcdonald%20books

https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Sculpted-Brad-Schoenfeld/dp/149251456X?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

this works, get her reading some bret contreras as well.

With strength training, more is less. Don't work out more than once a week. You will get better results when you have sufficient rest time. If you want more muscles, lift a medium amount, and repeat no more than 24 times (3 sets x 8 reps). Once you go beyond 24 your gains tend to diminish. Also, increase your weight a little. You can, gradually, double the weight of your bicep curls. And don't forget to do different exercises. You're missing muscles by doing the same routine over and over again. Instead of using a machine for your back, you may want to do pull-ups instead.

I recommend this book!

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Stronger-Weight-Training-Revised/dp/0936070242

It's really good.

My Current Program

Plyometrics-

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Systems-Jumping-Into-Plyometrics/dp/0880118466

Take up this type of weightlifting It only takes 2 hours a week with your build and the right diet 3 months you wont recognize yourselfhttp://www.amazon.com/High-Intensity-Training-Mike-Mentzer-Way/dp/0071383301/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348972778&sr=1-2&keywords=HIT+traINING

I highly recommend this book that covers pretty much all your concerns:
The New Rules of Lifting for Men

The M.A.X. Muscle Plan by Brad Schoenfeld.

Edit: A good exercise plan is not much without a good diet. So, for the diet, follow The Lean Muscle Diet by Alan Aragon. (It has an exercise plan, too. But, ignore that in favor of The M.A.X. Muscle Plan.)

Brawn by Stuart McRobert is probably the best book on reality of lifting universe. It does have some do and don't.
You might have read it already. But just in case you didn't..
http://www.amazon.com/Brawn-3rd-Edition-Stuart-McRobert/dp/9963916317

In the past I would train: Sunday - Back, Monday - Chest, Tues - Legs, Wed - biceps, THurs - Shoulders/Triceps
And I would do 4 or 5 excercises of 3-4 sets for each.
It was just lots of reps/sets, lots of bullshit with no direction.

Then, I studied Dorian Yate's, and gave his "Blood N Guts" routine a try:
http://zajachealthandfitnessblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/7/

Then, I read this bood by Mike Mentzer:
http://www.amazon.com/High-Intensity-Training-Mike-Mentzer-Way/dp/0071383301

I downloaded it on google play.
I highly recommend reading it so you apply the workouts correctly

My current routine:

• I am listing the working sets - you can give yourself 1-2 light/easy warmup sets to get yourself mentally ready for the (1) working set
  
  Workout A
  Squats (Normal pace)
  1 set 12-20 reps
  
  Dips 1 set 6-10 reps
  (SLOW pace - 4 seconds up, 1-2 second pause at top, 4 seconds down)
  
  Underhand Lat Pulldowns 1 set 6-10reps (SLOW pace - 4,1-2,4)
  
  Workout B
  Deadlift 1x 12-16 reps (Normal Pace)
  
  Shoulder Press 1 set 6-10 reps (SLOW pace - 4,1-2,4)
  
  Standing Calf Raise 1 set 12-20 reps (SLOW pace - 4,1-2,4)
  
  I rotate between workout A and workout B every 5-7 days.
  Although there is only 1 working set per exercise - they are done very slow & controlled - very intense.
  AND they are done till complete failure - till you absolutely cannot move the weight anymore.
  Only allow a few minutes rest in between exercises, so that whole thing takes around 20 minutes or so.
  It doesnt matter how tired you are from the previous set - do not save your energy - the key is to shock your central nervous system with as few sets as possible in order to trigger the maximum growth response.

I'm an aesthetic lifter as well. I found this program several months ago honestly it's the best program I have found for a non enhanced lifter looking for better aesthetics. Way to many programs out there push the lift for strength and size will come mantra. In my experience this does not work very well for majority of people, or if it does it works EXTREMELY slowly in terms of aesthetic differences. In the book I posted below he takes a completely different approach and really nails it imho.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Hardgainer-Solution-Training-Overcoming-ebook/dp/B00S3XFDCQ

You are in luck sir! All you need is a trusty pair of.. nope. not even shoes needed! The great outdoors and household objects are all you need to set yourself up with a great conditioning plan. Run, Hike, Lift, Climb, Push, Pull. Yes all this can be yours for one simple price.. getting off the couch! Yes believe it or not all you have to do is stand up and walk out your front door!

If this doesn't sound good then drop 20$ on the men's health home workout bible This can be torrented btw

The best I could say is the Recommended Routine here. Other than that, if you want volume (if that's your thing) then just add in different variations of the exercises.

• Here is an interesting read. Maybe you can find appropriate subs there.
  
  
• In this book, you can find a fair few exercises for each body part. Hopefully, that suits your needs.

https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736059318

Hand strength isn't just closing your hands. It's helpful to strengthen your fingers, hands, wrists and forearms in every way they can move. This book is small, but has a ton of great info on methods of doing this

Mastery of Hand Strength, Revised Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0926888811/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_xv16wbGXSP5K1

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Stronger-Training-Revised-Edition/dp/0936070242

old school book is good. I like it cause it has a reference for lift technique for all the lifts you could think of. bodybuilding.com has tons of info on pretty much everything, good articles, there's better blogs out there just go looking, but bodybuilding.com it's waaay to focused on selling shit you probably shouldn't put in your body.

Depends on the topic, I can suggest some more books. Waiting for this version, to.

Yep! That's not too different from mine as posted above. Though admittedly I do indirectly hit some groups twice bc of my compound movement "cleanup day" on Friday.

If you haven't read it, High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way by Mike Mentzer it's well worth picking up. Very interesting counterpoint to Arnold's high volume approach.

A good book would The New Rules of Lifting. There is also one for ladies. I read the one for women and it has a lot of really good info and exercises.

>OK, I'll start a PSMF next week after my meal prep is gone.

Throw your food out.

Throw.

Your.

Fucking.

Food.

Out.

It's an investment in your health and sunk costs are one of the greatest motivators known to man.

​

>But I've lost 4 inches off my waist while increasing my lifts over the last 10 weeks, dude. I'm not the same size.

Fucking DEER moar fatty. You are 268lbs. You should be losing 5lbs a week. Minimum.

​

You need to not weigh more than 200lbs ASAP.

​

You can do it in a few weeks. Easily.

​

I don't give a shit how cranky you get and I don't care if you miss your 3 year old's birthday cake.

​

Another nut to motivate you (short read).

​

I am rooting for you bro and I can't wait to see how well you do (and how effusive your praise is in a few weeks).

There are so many online resources, however, I sometimes like having a book in my hands. I just bought Strong & Sculpted by Brad Schoenfeld.
http://www.amazon.com/Strong-Sculpted-Brad-Schoenfeld/dp/149251456X?ie=UTF8&qid=&ref_=tmm_pap_swatch_0&sr=
I really like how he broke down each muscle group and gave different exercises and equipment. Plus it has 4 or 5 different routines. Beginners to advance. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do the programs at home but most of it is free weights. Plus, he gave detailed information for swapping one exercise for another.