Best Books to Start With

As of today, we have over three dozen books and courses listed on my four websites. have read -- and enjoyed -- all of them, which is one of the biggest reasons they are there in the first place.

With so many to choose from, though, sometimes it's tough to know which one to start with.

Recently Arnold wrote in to ask this very question:

Hi John,

I've taken a look at a number of the books you've mentioned since I've started reading your emails. Is there one or two books you would recommend
above the rest?

Arnold F.

Hi Arnold, that's a great question, thanks for sending it my way. They are all good, and I do have my favorites, which I will get to shortly, but one of the things to keep in mind is exactly what kind of information you are looking for.

For example, if you wanted information on grip training, we have four different "Oldtime" courses to choose from.

Or, if you wanted some truly unusual training ideas, Steve Justa is the guy to look up.

One of the best books to start with though would be Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik which is undoubtedly one of the modern classics and has a place in every strength
athletes library.

It has plenty of basic information – the kind that everyone needs to hear, and keep hearing, but Dinosaur Training also has lots of "interesting" training info that you simply wont find anywhere else.

I mean, go to any book store and pick out any book on strength training and youll find pretty much the same thing – boring, cookie-cutter workouts, generic equipment etc etc.

I don't have to go on, you know what I'm talking about.

But in Dinosaur Training, youll learn how to build great strength lifting rocks and barrels, and how to correctly use the power rack... and thick bars... and heavy grip work... and plenty more.

In short, the kind of serious training information you sure won't find at the local book store:

Another book that I would highly recommend, especially for beginners, is The Keys to Progress by John McCallum. I make this recommendation for the simple reason that this is the book that I started with way back when as a young freshman in high
school.

Unlike so many of my peers, I wasnt swayed by the muscle comicsat the news stand and instead cut my teeth reading training info that was written many years before I was even born.

It was simple, basic and most importantly of all, got results.This is the book that taught me the value of intense leg work,and what a real workout looked like...

In any case, theres no question that the books you read will influence you and your training in ways that you don’t even realize.

I was fortunate enough to read the two books mentioned above early on in my career, and I think it shows. So, if you are wondering which books to start with, both of those get my vote.

Train hard,
John Wood

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