Strength Basics: Your Guide to Resistance Training for Health and Optimal Performance

by Brian B. Cook, Gordon Stewart

Whether you're young or old, male or female, seeking better health or better performance, success starts with Strength Basics . This easy-to-understand guide explains the basics of resistance training and shows you how to design a training program using the most commonly found types of equipment. Written for beginning and less-experienced strength trainers, the book's practical, how-to advice for safe and effective workouts will ensure you're on the right track. You'll discover the benefits of resistance training, how and why it works, how to choose equipment, and how to get the results you want. More than 140 illustrations show you how to perform the 75 exercises and use the equipment correctly. Here's what you'll - The theory and benefits of resistance training
- How to set reasonable, attainable, and worthwhile goals
- How to adapt training programs for different age groups and fitness goals
- How to design an individualized program
- Tips for injury-free training, including stretching and warm-up routines
- 22 equipment-free exercises that use your own body weight or inexpensive tubing and exercise bands
- 20 well-balanced training routines using free weights and stack-weight equipment
- 24 advanced exercises to add to your workouts and help fight boredom
- 16 ready-to-use, sport-specific programs designed to meet the demands of your favorite sports or recreational activities Strength Basics also includes forms to help you get started, monitor progress, and stay on track. Suggested readings list more advanced and specific sources of information. Follow the sensible advice in Strength Basics and get stronger. It's that simple.

216 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1996

Reviews

[Hollis Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't really agree with everything in this book. For one thing, the authors don't show you how to do full squats, deadlifts or military presses for reasons that escape me.

The best thing about this book was the friendly attitude and sensible advice to people from all age groups. It's such a shame that weight training has turned into a macho, intimidating environment in many gyms because it can really benefit people in many ways. Ask a meathead why they lift weights and 'bigger arms' is probably the best reason they will come up with but there are many other benefits that make it worth your while: stronger bones, better fitness, endurance etc etc. And I'll warn you that there are plenty of meatheads in the gym if you didn't know that already: the kind of people who hog pieces of equipment for quarter of an hour and then go off to stare lovingly at themselves in the mirror when they're finished. (The kind of gym where people say to you 'Are you using that mirror?') How annoying. Even the trainers themselves are just as bad sometimes: I remember when I first started using a gym when I was quite thin and didn't have a clue what to do, I asked a trainer for help and he was very patronising and rude to me. It's a shame, of course because it must put a lot of people off a really good, versatile training method but I hope a few people at least will come across this book and get some encouragement from it.