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Strength is Specific: The key to optimal strength training for sports
Have you ever wanted to know how strength training transfers to sport?
Do you want to be able to figure out which exercises and loading schemes to use, so you can improve performance in any sporting movement?
In this short book, Chris Beardsley gives you a framework to help you achieve all of this.
Whether you are a strength and conditioning coach working with athletes, a personal trainer helping the general population, or even an athlete yourself, this book will teach you how to write better strength training programs for any performance goal.
Divided into four main sections, the book assumes no previous knowledge, but will take your understanding of strength training to new heights.
In a series of short, easily understood chapters, the first section summarizes the foundations of strength training. Here, you will learn what “strength” actually is, and how we can increase it by producing adaptations in the body and brain.
The second section explains why there is a principle of specificity, and why it is important.
In the third section, you will discover how to analyze the movement patterns involved in athletic activities such as sprinting, changing direction, and jumping to create a list of the kinds of strength required in each. By applying the principle of specificity, we can then see which type of strength training is needed in each case.
Finally, the fourth section addresses practical issues of programming strength training, including how long is needed to recover between workouts, how the general adaptation syndrome can be used as a model of strength training, and how periodization actually works.
Do you want to be able to figure out which exercises and loading schemes to use, so you can improve performance in any sporting movement?
In this short book, Chris Beardsley gives you a framework to help you achieve all of this.
Whether you are a strength and conditioning coach working with athletes, a personal trainer helping the general population, or even an athlete yourself, this book will teach you how to write better strength training programs for any performance goal.
Divided into four main sections, the book assumes no previous knowledge, but will take your understanding of strength training to new heights.
In a series of short, easily understood chapters, the first section summarizes the foundations of strength training. Here, you will learn what “strength” actually is, and how we can increase it by producing adaptations in the body and brain.
The second section explains why there is a principle of specificity, and why it is important.
In the third section, you will discover how to analyze the movement patterns involved in athletic activities such as sprinting, changing direction, and jumping to create a list of the kinds of strength required in each. By applying the principle of specificity, we can then see which type of strength training is needed in each case.
Finally, the fourth section addresses practical issues of programming strength training, including how long is needed to recover between workouts, how the general adaptation syndrome can be used as a model of strength training, and how periodization actually works.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 18, 2018
128 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 11, 2018
I learned more about strength training fun this book than I did in my sports science degree
Chris's writing style is conversational, and he explains the core concepts of strength science clearly, simply and repeatedly throughout the book.
I came away with a new approach to strength training and a much clearer and deeper understanding of the factors in a training puritan that contribute to strength gains.
There is also a chapter on how to avoid overtraining, which is gold.
Chris's writing style is conversational, and he explains the core concepts of strength science clearly, simply and repeatedly throughout the book.
I came away with a new approach to strength training and a much clearer and deeper understanding of the factors in a training puritan that contribute to strength gains.
There is also a chapter on how to avoid overtraining, which is gold.
August 9, 2025
Clearly simple and brilliant
A must read for anyone wanting to understand clearly the nuances of strength training. Clearly explained and detailed outlining the key factors that will help someone understand how to achieve greater gains in force production through resistance training. Excellent resource for S and C coaches and fitness professionals to help them gain clarity on what will have an impact in supporting their athletes or clients gain force producing capabilities in order to improve performance.
A must read for anyone wanting to understand clearly the nuances of strength training. Clearly explained and detailed outlining the key factors that will help someone understand how to achieve greater gains in force production through resistance training. Excellent resource for S and C coaches and fitness professionals to help them gain clarity on what will have an impact in supporting their athletes or clients gain force producing capabilities in order to improve performance.
December 6, 2019
Strength is specific
I’ve been a follower of barbell medicine for a couple years now and this book is one they recommended. It’s full of information that I knew and some I didn’t. It’s a great resource to refer back to when traditional strength and conditioning coaches make strong claims counter to what the literature suggest. This book is a must have for any strength professional.
I’ve been a follower of barbell medicine for a couple years now and this book is one they recommended. It’s full of information that I knew and some I didn’t. It’s a great resource to refer back to when traditional strength and conditioning coaches make strong claims counter to what the literature suggest. This book is a must have for any strength professional.
November 6, 2018
Excellent book on a complex topic
Informative and easy to read unlike many other strength and conditioning books. I'm impressed with the amount of detail in the book. I will be recommending to others who want to take their coaching knowledge to the next level.
Informative and easy to read unlike many other strength and conditioning books. I'm impressed with the amount of detail in the book. I will be recommending to others who want to take their coaching knowledge to the next level.
November 9, 2018
One of the most informative books i have read
I really gathered a vast amount of information and understanding as to the purpose of why certain exercises are done and which qualities of strength they improve. I can not wait for another book by this author. Superb!
I really gathered a vast amount of information and understanding as to the purpose of why certain exercises are done and which qualities of strength they improve. I can not wait for another book by this author. Superb!
October 16, 2019
A reference book that would put you to sleep
Trove of information that is surprisingly hard to read. If you are looking for a practical advice this book might have a place at your table though.
Trove of information that is surprisingly hard to read. If you are looking for a practical advice this book might have a place at your table though.
November 20, 2023
Crazy how extremely helpful this book is, the only downside is the author's wiriting. I found it a bit dry, to be fair it's sport science, obviously it will be dry. However, could be compensate by adding some more graphics. Overall, such an insightful and eye-opening material!
November 9, 2018
👍👍
This is a great look at how physical preparation and sport performance work together. The concepts are explained in a thorough and easy to follow way.
This is a great look at how physical preparation and sport performance work together. The concepts are explained in a thorough and easy to follow way.
November 23, 2021
Informative, appropriately detailed and very relevant from a practical perspective. It does not get much better than this.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews