by Past Parallel

Created on: July 05, 2009

The problem with many of the weight lifting magazines is their function. Despite their mission statement or original intent, they often end up serving the public as a marketing "tool" for supplement companies. This month's super serious training for trainees includes an awe inspiring photo shoot of an athlete manifesting the side effects of using various drugs in copious amounts, but the article insists these amazing gains in lean muscle mass are the result of a series of cable movements performed with great intensity. Most of the weight training publications contain very little in the way of good training advice. There have been several books written on the subject of lifting weights that prove no less than illuminating.

One of the best, most complete books on lifting weights is John McCallum's The Complete Keys to Progress. This book is a collection of articles he authored in the 1960s-1970s, and they prove as informative now as when he first wrote them. This book covers many topics and their impact on lifting weights. He informs the lifter how to gain weight effectively, build muscle, lose body fat, increase definition in the muscles, and many other topics. He includes many different programs and suggestions for lifting weights. This one book could serve as a life-long program to progress towards practically any weight lifting goal.

Another excellent book is Beyond Brawn by Stuart McRobert. This book contains over 500 pages and is packed with information. Stuart McRobert focuses on training strategies "for the rest of us" in his books. His main idea concerns debunking of the misinformation prevalent in weightlifting magazines, and he stresses the importance of weight lifting strategies geared for people who are not taking steroids. When a person is lifting without the inclusion of steroids and other drugs in their body they simply have to train differently than people using drugs. Failure to adopt the proper training strategy will lessen gains, likely produce over-training, and can cause injury. This book helps the natural weight lifter navigate the confusing world of lifting in a way that maximizes results.

A last book I cannot fail to mention is The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is an updated version of a classic book on how to build a better body. Areas of nutrition and training are covered at length, and this book includes many photos that serve as exercise guides and demonstrations. This book offers a thorough look at the sport of bodybuilding and how one could train for this sport.

I have chosen to recommend these books due to the scope of the books. Each book offers an amazing amount of training information. Another factor in my recommendations is the fact that each of these books has stood the test of time. These books have served as excellent instruments of instruction for a few generations of would be weight lifters, and they still offer a lot to the reader. There are certainly other books available with valuable information, but these books offer a time-tested, on-target approach to lifting weights.

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