We are always asked about the best tips on how to make gains, how to get shredded, how to make biceps bigger etc., but some people started to ask about best bodybuilding books. So, we liked that idea and decided to work on this topic. It is much more valuable for you to have good literature and start to understand how everything works than just to ask for some tip without any understanding.
So, let us introduce you the most valuable books about bodybuilding and fitness, which will make you understand every detail about how to workout, build muscle, stay lean and eat correctly. Remember, you are your body own sculptor, and we won’t make you a master in it.
Jim Stoppani’s Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength is written by a PhD in exercise science. So, this science-based book will explain to you all the necessary details about how to exercise and exercise programs. It includes information on how to use simple equipment, but also you will see how to use the variety of home equipment, like TRX or even BOSU ball.
Book covers:
- All necessary definitions of strength training terms
- Main researches on strength training
- Nutritional rules and advices for strength workouts
- Detailed explanations of fitness and bodybuilding concepts
- Evaluations of different strength trainings
- Explanations and roles of each muscle group
- Training guide
Bottom line: Dr. Stoppani (1) has written a huge amount of articles on workouts, nutrition, and health. He also is a coauthor of the New York Times bestseller LL Cool J’s Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle (Rodale, 2010) also he took a part in books like Stronger Arms & Upper Body (Human Kinetics, 2009) and PrayFit (Regal 2010) and more. Dr. Stoppani is known as the creator of the training and nutrition programs like “Shortcut to Size” and “Shortcut to Shred”. This book will guide you from the most basics to the advanced!
This one is the classic! But it doesn’t mean that it is not up to date. Every respecting himself athlete must have this book. Currently, classic bodybuilding is getting more popular than it was before, so who can be the best teacher for you? Of course Arnold Schwarzenegger (2), the king of classic bodybuilding. Also, most of the people really don’t see the point of modern bodybuilding, athletes are too huge, they don’t have the proportion the gold era had before.
Book covers:
- Unique practical bodybuilding exercise techniques from Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Comprehensive information on fitness, nutrition, health and much more
- Effective strength training methods
- Advices on bodybuilding supplements
- Instruction and advices on the prevention and treatment of different type of injuries
- Detailed information for beginners and experts
Bottom line: This book is called “The Bible of Bodybuilding”. It is the ultimate guide for bodybuilding. Also, it covers everything what you need: the most effective workout method for every muscle, it describes how to organise your workouts, also describes in details how to work with heavy weights and can prepare you for bodybuilding competition with all nutrition.
You even will be able to analyze and learn details about sports psychology, and also will get advices how to avoid and treat injuries and much more.
Also, by reading this book you will feel the way how Arnolds thinks and how to see and reach your goals!
The Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding is one of the most known and respected books about bodybuilding. Originally it was written a long time ago, so now the book was updated for the 21st century. Also, now it is a complete guide for modern fitness and bodybuilding. The book has 800 pages and also is written in the format of an encyclopaedia. It will offer you all the necessary details about all aspects of bodybuilding and fitness.
Book covers:
- Over 800 pages of detailed information
- How to use nutrition and supplementation correctly
- Way to build body mass without common mistakes in short time
- How to shape your body in proportions you want
- How to succeed and participate in bodybuilding competitions
- And also how to workout with proper form and technique
- and much more!
Bottom line: Big part of the book is telling you exclusively about the professional bodybuilding: posing, tanning, contest prep, and even how to buy posing trunks, what to expect from the judges, contest psychology and much more. So, basically it includes everything an aspiring bodybuilder should read. If you have plans to compete in bodybuilding, this book should be must have for you, but it’s more into details, more modern, than any other book on the market.
Bigger Leaner Stronger is pretty simple book for people who wants to understand how to get bigger correctly. It will also learn you all necessary tips and tricks you need to know without any strict diets and ridiculous training schedules. The author tries to prove that a process of strength training is not so complicated as a lot of fitness “gurus” tries to make you believe that. Also, he provides the most simple solutions to help you reach your goals.
Book covers:
- An all-in-one bodybuilding routine
- Simple explanations which will help you to get shredded
- Guide for supplements
- Nutritional advices for all types of workouts
- Simple tips for burning fat and also building muscle
- Mistake you have to avoid
- Everything is so simple as it is possible
Bottom line: Well, this book is a perfect guide for non-professional athletes. As authors say – if you want to get muscular, lean, and strong as quickly as possible without steroids, good genetics, extreme dieting, or wasting ridiculous amounts of time in the gym… regardless of your age… you want to read this book. And that is basically the truth. Consistency, be patient, be motivated and stick to your diet and you will go to the next level, but we should not forget that you will not go so far as a pro or steroid user.
The Poliquin Principles is a book which has a different point of view and goes out from the simple frames of traditional bodybuilding concepts. Also, it’s concentrating on the athletes and bodybuilders who want to use scientifically proven workouts into their training. This way this book is making an excellent job, explaining advanced approaches with really easy to understand language for simple user.
Book covers:
- An all-in-one bodybuilding routine
- How to shape your body to perfect proportions
- Scientifically proven strength exercises
- Nutritional advices
- Explanations and roles of each muscle group
- Comprehensive information on fitness, health, nutrition and more
Bottom line: Anyway, this book does a good job and will allow you to get the next level of your physique. It was written by Charles Poliquin, Canadian powerlifting trainer for the nation’s Olympic and several NHL teams. However, this books expect that you have at least the basic understanding of bodybuilding concepts, so that just means that you need at least to be familiar with working out and nutrition basics.
Conclusions:
There are so many misconceptions about bodybuilders – that they’re for dumb people, who do not think at all and just stupidly are lifting heavy weights, eating supplements and using steroids without any knowledge what harm it can bring them. That’s simply not true. We can say that bodybuilding is a science, where you need to learn how to make your body composition and progress correct.
After the introduction of best bodybuilding books, we hope that now you have the basic idea of what book you want to read, and what goals do you want to reach. Do you want to do it just for your own health, or go with the way of a professional bodybuilder? All these books are really good choices and will give you a lot of knowledge.
We want to recommend you to visit other pages on our website. Most of our articles is about fitness supplements, where we describe them in details with all the pros and cons, making guides on how and when to use them. When you will have a solid understanding of bodybuilding, using supplements can support you in achieving your goals faster.