Book Club

I've recently gone through my book collection and wanted to share some of the best books I have read to date. I have heaps of favourites so I have categorised them accordingly and provided a link to purchase as well as a brief reasoning;

Strength Training

1. Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe - The fundamentals to form and technique. An absolute basic read but must-have knowledge.

2. NSCA Essentials by NSCA - Seems fairly explanatory. Don't necessarily agree with all concepts in here, but again basic understanding is essential.

3. Triphasic Training by Cal Dietz - Love this book and approach. Have used concepts from here for quite some time. Excellent read for those looking to lean towards High Performance. 

Bonus: Supertraining by Yuri Verkhoshansky , 5-3-1 by Jim Wendler

 

Sport Science/Monitoring

1. Monitoring Training and Performance in Athletes by Mike McGuigan - Relatively new book and I believe first of this nature, but great insight into many aspects of monitoring.

2. Physiological Tests for Elite Athletes by AIS - Fantastic for any sport, in terms or appropriate testing and how to analyse.

3. ACSM's Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription - Underrated book in my opinion. Covers some of the essential understanding of adaptations.

Bonus: Anatomy Trains by Tom Myers - Not really a 'sport science' book, but wanted to give a shout-out because I still enjoy this one.

 

Personal Development

1. Legacy by James Kerr - One of the most talked about books in regards to sporting culture. Great insight to the leadership and culture qualities of the New Zealand All-Blacks.

2. Mastery by Robert Greene - Bit of a tough/long read, but certainly helps in developing an individual craft.

3. Leadership by Andrew DuBrin - Great book that provides a deeper understanding of leader attributes. 

Bonus: Every Day is Game Day & Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers

 

High Performance

1. High-Performance Training for Sports by David Joyce - Easily top read in this category. Each chapter covers multiple aspects of High-Performance.

2. Block Periodization by Vladimir Issurin - An oldie but I had to through it in there. I believe some of the basic periodization schemes are often overlooked, so I rate this as a necessity. 

3. Sports Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation by David Joyce - Joyce's second book. Many phenomenal contributors and necessity for interpreting some of the injury risk factors associated with your athletes. 

Bonus: Conducting and Reading Research in Kinesiology - To be able to apply research (evidence) based decisions, one must understand how to read and interpret results.

 

Speed Training

1. Key Concepts Elite by Charlie Francis - Couldn't overlook this classic. Not only in-depth speed training, but also how to program appropriately throughout a season.

2. Explosive Running by Michael Yessis - Fantastic insight to some of the running mechanics and how to correct.

3. Speed Training Considerations for Non-Track Athletes by James Smith - One of the better books that don't just address track athletes. Great for those who program for field-based sports.  

 

Conditioning

1. Exercise Physiology for Health, Fitness and Performance by Sharon Plowman - Again for me this ranks as number 1. Very theoretical, but absolutely vital to understand the physiology and adaptations!

2. Ultimate MMA Conditioning by Joel Jamieson - Bit of a broader look in terms of physiology, but great programming sections.

3. Juggernaut Method by Chad Wesley Smith - Bit of a meat-head book, but one that covers some of the more 'metabolic' conditioning aspects when paired with strength training.

Bonus: Developing Endurance by NSCA

I would love to hear some of your favourite reads!! So leave a comment or shoot me a message if you have some recommendations.

Coach Alex