Top 10 Must Read Books on Bodybuilding Coaching

10 Books for Every Bodybuilding Coach

It’s time to hit the books and expand your knowledge! This list of the top ten bodybuilding books will tell you which ones to read. Few books have withstood both the test of time and the tests of the gym over the years. The rate of new books promising you the key to more muscle and less fat appears to keep up with the number of Starbucks openings.

1. The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding

Arnold introduced the world to this old-school bodybuilding book in 1999, and it is still as popular today as it was then. If you want a classic bodybuilding book, this is it! It is a must-have addition to your bookshelf because it was written by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bodybuilding legend.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a bodybuilding icon who has appeared in a slew of blockbuster films that have left audiences in awe of his physique. 

• It comes as no surprise that this is one of the best-selling bodybuilding books of all time. 
• Put yourself in the shoes of seven-time Mr. Olympia and say goodbye to stubborn fat and hello to Conan the Barbarian-like muscles.

The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding is available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.

2. Jim Stoppani’s Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength

Human Kinetics Publishers released the book on October 17, 2014. The Encyclopedia of Muscle and Strength by Jim Stoppani is one of the best bodybuilding books ever written. This massive 584-page bodybuilding book is jam-packed with Stoppani’s groundbreaking research. Stoppani received the Gatorade Beginning Investigator in Exercise Science award in 2002, and it’s easy to see why.

Stoppani goes into detail explaining 116 different exercise programs and rates them on difficulty, length, and time in one of the best bodybuilding workout books. There is a section for each stage of the bodybuilder’s journey, whether you are a beginner or an expert.

• If you’re looking for more exercise programs to try, there are many bodybuilding and weightlifting apps available with a variety of useful features for both beginner and advanced bodybuilders.
• Instead of reading it all at once, you could keep it as a reference book to refer to after putting what you’ve learned into practice. This book is jam-packed with information and can serve as a single text for your bodybuilding progression over the next few years.

Jim Stoppani’s Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength is available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.

3. Strength Training Anatomy

This book was published in 2010. We can see why this is a classic bodybuilding book that has sold over a million copies worldwide!

Delavier is an extremely intelligent person. Delavier demonstrates his full intellect in Strength Training Anatomy after studying Morphology and Anatomy for 5 years and Dissection for 3 years at prestigious colleges.

• Delavier creates the illustrations himself, outlining the advantages of each muscle-building exercise. 
• Delavier shows how a slight change in posture and positioning can benefit your body. 
• He’ll show you how to do a sumo deadlift with proper form to avoid injury and target the right muscles,

After reading this informative publication, many readers will realize what they have been doing incorrectly. You’ll know which muscles you’re missing and which ones you’re hitting with each workout. This is one of the best bodybuilding books, with colored illustrations and a chapter dedicated to each muscle.

You will learn more from Delavier’s illustrations than you will from any science textbook. After reading this fitness masterclass, your bodybuilding knowledge will be multiplied tenfold!

Strength Training Anatomy is available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.

4. Serious Strength Training

This book was originally released on May 1st, 1998, and updated on October 2nd, 2002 by Human Kinetics Publishers. Isn’t it true that three is a crowd? Not when it comes to writing about bodybuilding, that is. Tudor Bompa collaborated with Mauro Di Pasquale and Lorenzo Cornacchia to create one of the best bodybuilding workout books.

• This book combines personal advice with extensive scientific research to give you everything you need to know about strength training. 
• The three authors take pride in being among the top in their respective fields, combining their knowledge to create what already feels like a classic bodybuilding book.

They detail how readers should structure their diets to meet their individual metabolic profiles, as well as list the 80 exercises that cause the most muscle stimulation. It focuses on the six major stages of strength training:

• Anatomical adaptation, 
• Hypertrophy, 
• Mixed
• Maximum strength,
• Muscle definition
• Transition.

This top bodybuilding book provides excellent insight into how to improve your current workout routine by identifying how to properly utilize periodization. It is not a bodybuilding “diet” book, but it does discuss nutrition and how it can improve your training.

Serious Strength Training is available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.

5. Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body- By Michael Matthews

This book debuted on January 13, 2012. Unlike some of the other books on this list, Matthews encourages his readers to achieve a lean muscular body rather than bulking up massively. So, if you’re looking for a bodybuilding book that will help you get aesthetically lean, this is the book for you. It is one of the best bodybuilding books for men who want to look more like Zac Efron than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Matthews’ methods are extraordinary because he insists that you can get the body you’ve always wanted without cutting out your favorite foods, doing cardio, or doing more than 6 hours of exercise per week. He guarantees that you will gain 10 to 15 pounds of lean muscle in a few months.

This is also one of the best bodybuilding nutrition books available, as Matthews explains how to eat happily without feeling guilty. He is strongly opposed to the widespread use of pills, powders, and potions and prefers that you achieve your body naturally.

Although this is not a vegan bodybuilding book, it promotes the same principles of living a natural and healthy lifestyle. 

Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body- By Michael Matthews is available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.

6. Functional Training and Beyond: Building the Ultimate Superfunctional Body and Mind- By Adam Sinicki

Functional Training and Beyond is the modern-day bodybuilding bible that was published in December 2020.

It delves into techniques and methods that other authors on this list have not even mentioned.

• Sinicki encourages readers to train their minds as well as their bodies in order to achieve the best results.

• Sinicki understands that telling you what you need to do to achieve your ideal body is all well and good, but if your motivation is lacking, the muscular frame you desire will remain a dream. Sinicki pushes your mind to step up and take charge.
•  If you’re tired of hearing the same things from traditionalists and want to spice up your workout routine.

Functional Training and Beyond: Building the Ultimate Superfunctional Body and Mind- By Adam Sinicki is available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.

7. Joe Weider’s Ultimate Bodybuilding: The Master Blaster’s Principles of Training and Nutrition – By Joe Weider and Bill Reynolds

It was published in 1989. This is without a doubt a classic bodybuilding book. This famous text was co-written by Joe Weider, a household name in the bodybuilding world, and writer Bill Reynolds. It’s an old-school bodybuilding manual!

When Weider was 70 years old, he had a lifetime of bodybuilding experience. This book covers every aspect of the Weider bodybuilding system. His training principles have been adopted by the world’s best bodybuilders. Weider discusses everything he’s learned and practiced over the years, such as:

• Instinctive training
• Progressive overload
• Body part sequencing
• Muscle confusion, and 
• Supersets

You can’t go wrong with Joe Weider’s Ultimate Bodybuilding as one of the best bodybuilding diet books written by a legend in the field, especially at such a low price.

Joe Weider’s Ultimate Bodybuilding: The Master Blaster’s Principles of Training and Nutrition – By Joe Weider and Bill Reynolds is available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.

8. ‘Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook’

This book was released on February 28, 2019. Bodybuilding is at an all-time high in popularity, and the sport is only growing. However, both experienced competitors and newcomers frequently have questions about how to look their best on show day. Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook, written by expert bodybuilding coaches Peter Fitschen and Cliff Wilson, will walk you through every step of the process of selecting a competition, preparing for the contest, and transitioning to the off-season. Bodybuilding is the only book on the market that provides scientifically supported and experience-based guidelines to help you have your best show ever.

Bodybuilding takes the guesswork out of competing by answering common questions like these:

• How do I pick the right competition and division for myself?
• What are the mandatory poses for my competition?
• What is the best workout to do before a competition?
• What should I do if I begin to overflow during peak week?
• How long is too long to maintain stage-lean body fat levels?

The authors have created a user-friendly handbook that walks you through each step. The chapters begin with a history of the sport, then move on to a discussion of the competitive division options for both men and women.

‘Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook’ is available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.

9. ‘Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy’

Science and Developments of Muscle Hypertrophy were first released in 2016. This is a comprehensive collection of scientific principles designed to assist professionals in developing muscle hypertrophy in athletes and clients.No other resource provides a comparable amount of content focused on muscle hypertrophy with over 825 references and applied guidelines throughout.

Readers will find current content that will help them fully understand the science of muscle hypertrophy and how it can be used to design training programs. This text, written by Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., a leading authority on muscle hypertrophy, provides a definitive resource for information about muscle hypertrophy – the mechanism of its development, how the body structurally and hormonal changes when stressed, how to most effectively design training programs, and current nutrition.

The book includes several features that help readers understand the content: 

• Sidebars highlighting current research findings encourage readers to reevaluate their knowledge and ensure their training practices are up to date. 
• The sidebars on Practical Applications explain how to apply the research findings for maximum hypertrophy development. The book’s utility as a reference tool is enhanced by comprehensive subject and author indexes.

‘Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy’ are available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.

10. The New Rules of Lifting’

This book debuted on December 29, 2005.A revolutionary method of weight lifting that uses modern science to achieve maximum results. The New Rules of Lifting, written by fitness guru Lou Schuler and strength-training expert Alwyn Cosgrove, distills the most recent research on weight lifting and fitness to create a workout program that focuses on the movements that the body naturally excels at. Squat, bend, lunge, push, pull, and twist is six “real-life” movements that comprise three complete programs for three distinct goals:

• Fat loss
• Muscle gain 
• Strength improvement. 

These routines can be mixed and matched at home or in the gym for a year’s worth of workouts that will keep lifters challenged long after most plans have called it quits.

The New Rules of Lifting is available for purchase at a low cost on Amazon.