The Strength Training Anatomy Workout II: Building Strength and Power with Free Weights and Machines

None of the reviews thus far have addressed how Strength Training Anatomy and the Strength Training Anatomy Workout books differ, so you might be wondering which one to buy. Strength Training Anatomy, 3rd Edition, is a reference book--it's got really cool drawings with tips for common techniques at the gym. It's no-nonsense and great for weight-lifters who have a great routine already but want to optimize it, or for the intellectual athlete who wants to gain a greater understanding of muscles in motion. The Strength Training Anatomy Workout will teach beginners how to start and athletes how to optimize strength for their sport. It goes into breathing techniques while lifting, how many sets and reps one should perform, how often to work out, etc. Delavier and Gundill have lots of drawings, pre-planned routines including those to supplement other sports, and succinct advice to get the most out of every technique. Important to note, it focuses on working out with weights and resistance bands and eschews gym equipment. If you want to work out at home, it's great, if you want to join a gym, you'll need Volume II. Strength Training Anatomy Workout Volume II will show you how to make the most of the gym if you want some serious strength training. It has many different routines, the low-down on all the equipment you'll find at the gym, great advice on optimizing every technique, and even more drawings to help guide you to excellent technique. This is the book to get if you want to get into body building. Overall, these books are great. Delavier and Gundill translate their extensive anatomy and weight-lifting knowledge into language anyone can understand and information is succinct so reading's a pleasure. Do they work? I gained 15 lbs in 6 months after having plateaued with my previous, self-made routine.

The book is truly amazing. It provides you with lots of training tips that many books out there does not. In fact, you be surprised that there are many training tips that even gym instructors may not share or are aware of. This book is not only for the novice, but all gym-goers at all levels. Besides the cool pictorial illustrations of the various muscles, the author clearly let the reader makes their own decisions which kind of movements during training would be best through explaining the pros and cons. For example, should we put our feet on the bench or the floor during bench presses? Should we bring the bar all the way to our chest? Rebound? or simply push it up? You be surprised that common school of thought that we should be touching the bar on your chest is not suitable for everyone...anyway want to know the answer? Buy this book :) The book is also divided into different muscle groups, with clear explanation on the types of exercise you can do. This book also highlights the types of injuries that are likely to occur for certain types of movements. In fact, this is something which most books do not cover. I am most keen on this area for I have long suffered some tendon injuries myself, and this book now made me understand why those injuries occur, and what I could do to prevent it. I have not finish reading this book but its really great so far. The author does use some scientific terms or names that you may find a little dry / confusing / boring. But beyond this, the illustration and explanation are what make this book unique. Truly, the one gym book that I will not put down.

I have many in the series. If I want to work on some aspect of training, and you want to see how those muscles work then this is the book (series).

This book has a wealth of technique and hints and tips. I was looking for a newer version of Muscle & Fitnesses Training Notebook where there is a consistent layout of anatomical picture on one side (with muscles highlit for the appropriate excercise) and the execution of that excercise on the other. I have not read even half of it, but the layout is not as concise as I had hoped it to be. Great book, but not a quick reference - its an actual read much like Schwarzeneggers Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding which I own and highly recommend.

I've either given mine away or am asked for it to borrow and never see it again. Enormously valuable informative resource. Not only for exercises and good form but also the "why" and how to address injuries. Love it.

First, I am not a body builder. I am an older woman who has been athletic my whole life. I do lift but I am also really into calisthenics & core work. I love the women’s training book but I also learn a lot from the men’s series. This volume has a lot of novel and interesting strength training ideas with very detailed sections on specific muscles for example lats. I broke my collarbone and have ulnar nerve issues as well as hypermobility so I can’t do some lifting moves so I greatly appreciate the awesome modifications in this book. For example, I can’t do pull ups bc my shoulders sublux but there is an option to use cables and kneel on the floor. I also like the detailed section on eccentric lifting with options to use bands in this phase. The drawings are amazing! I have trouble with proprioception and they help me “feel” if I am working the right muscles. For example, I learned I was working my teres major rather than my lats. I own all the authors books & ordered the newest one! Quality of the book both content & construction is of the highest quality. Easy to read & apply!

Great book,along with the first edition, for excellent weight lifting advice. Both books contain information you can't usually find anywhere else. For example, these books recommend ALWAYS hanging from a chin up bar after heavy lifting involving your back, i.e. deadlifts, squats. Exercises that compress your spine. Apparently, hanging up after decompresses your spine. Also, it highly recommends doing some light triceps work before lifting with your back, to warm up your elbows. It says elbows can easily be strained and injured with back work without warming up, and the damage isn't discovered until the damage is done. Those are two examples while these two books are excellent additions to any exercise junkie's bag. They are loaded with stuff like this. They recommend which exercises to do when working specific muscles, instead of the usual, hit all areas of a muscle mantra. They talk about common weight room injuries, and how they happen, how to prevent them and which lifts tend to cause them. This artist has long been known for his excellent anatomical drawings, but now the books are full of excellent advice. Highly recommended.

Great book to add to your collection if you have Strength Training Anatomy or if you want to learn more about how to work out in the gym. This book explains a lot of the minor details of working out in the gym that are overlooked in the 1st book, such as the importance of working your infraspinatus, the use of lifting equipment such as belts and wrist wraps, or when discerning to use Dumb-bells, bar-bells, or pulleys for doing certain exercises. There was one minor editing complaint with this book that I would like to pass on to Delavier & Gundill if this book could be written any better. In particular, there is a large section devoted to discussing the researched ineffectiveness of incline bench press for developing upper pectoralis, but a few pages later the incline bench press is recommended as an exercise for the upper chest. Why write a long section discussing a research paper's findings against doing incline bench presses if you're going to suggest it later on in the book anyway?