Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning - 3rd Edition [Hardcover]

National Strength and Conditioning Association (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0736058036 | ISBN-13: 978-0736058032 | Publication Date: June 2, 2008 | Edition: 3

Now in its third edition, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the most comprehensive reference available for strength and conditioning professionals. In this text, 30 expert contributors explore the scientific principles, concepts, and theories of strength training and conditioning as well as their applications to athletic performance.

Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the most-preferred preparation text for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam. The research-based approach, extensive exercise technique section, and unbeatable accuracy of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning make it the text readers have come to rely on for CSCS exam preparation.

The third edition presents the most current strength training and conditioning research and applications in a logical format designed for increased retention of key concepts. The text is organized into five sections. The first three sections provide a theoretical framework for application in section 4, the program design portion of the book. The final section offers practical strategies for administration and management of strength and conditioning facilities.

• Section 1 (chapters 1 through 10) presents key topics and current research in exercise physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, biomechanics, endocrinology, sport nutrition, and sport psychology and discusses applications for the design of safe and effective strength and conditioning programs.
• Section 2 (chapters 11 and 12) discusses testing and evaluation, including the principles of test selection and administration as well as the scoring and interpretation of results.
• Section 3 (chapters 13 and 14) provides techniques for warm-up, stretching, and resistance training exercises. For each exercise, accompanying photos and instructions guide readers in the correct execution and teaching of stretching and resistance training exercises. This section also includes a set of eight new dynamic stretching exercises.
• Section 4 examines the design of strength training and conditioning programs. The information is divided into three parts: anaerobic exercise prescription (chapters 15 through 17), aerobic endurance exercise prescription (chapter 18), and periodization and rehabilitation (chapters 19 and 20). Step-by-step guidelines for designing resistance, plyometric, speed, agility, and aerobic endurance training programs are shared. Section 4 also includes detailed descriptions of how principles of program design and periodization can be applied to athletes of various sports and experience levels. Within the text, special sidebars illustrate how program design variables can be applied to help athletes attain specific training goals.
• Section 5 (chapters 21 and 22) addresses organization and administration concerns of the strength training and conditioning facility manager, including facility design, scheduling, policies and procedures, maintenance, and risk management.

Chapter objectives, key points, key terms, and self-study questions provide a structure to help readers organize and conceptualize the information. Unique application sidebars demonstrate how scientific facts can be translated into principles that assist athletes in their strength training and conditioning goals.

Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning also offers new lecture preparation materials. A product specific Web site includes new student lab activities that instructors can assign to students. Students can visit this Web site to print the forms and charts for completing lab activities, or they can complete the activities electronically and email their results to the instructor. The instructor guide provides a course description and schedule, chapter objectives and outlines, chapter-specific Web sites and additional resources, definitions of primary key terms, application questions with recommended answers, and links to the lab activities. The presentation package and image bank, delivered in Microsoft PowerPoint, offers instructors a presentation package containing over 1,000 slides to help augment lectures and class discussions. In addition to outlines and key points, the resource also contains over 450 figures, tables, and photos from the textbook, which can be used as an image bank by instructors who need to customize their own presentations. Easy-to-follow instructions help guide instructors on how to reuse the images within their own PowerPoint templates. These tools can be downloaded online and are free to instructors who adopt the text for use in their courses.

Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Third Edition, provides the latest and most comprehensive information on the structure and function of body systems, training adaptations, testing and evaluation, exercise techniques, program design, and organization and administration of facilities. Its accuracy and reliability make it not only the leading preparation resource for the CSCS exam but also the definitive reference that strength and conditioning professionals and sports medicine specialists depend on to fine-tune their practice.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas R. Baechle, EdD, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, is chair of the exercise science and athletic training department at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. In his career covering more than 35 years as a fitness professional and academician, Baechle has earned numerous certifications and awards, taught at various universities, held a variety of professional and civic offices, and volunteered for many national and international associations and organizations related to fitness and personal health.

Baechle is widely published and lectures frequently. His recent honors include receiving the Outstanding Writing Achievement Award from Human Kinetics in 2007, Merit for Excellence in Education and Development of Professional Standards from the International Fitness Institute in 2006, the Distinguished Faculty Service Award from Creighton University in 2002, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the NSCA in 1998.

Baechle makes his home with his wife, Susan, in Omaha.

Roger W. Earle, MA, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, earned his master`s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in exercise science. He is the associate executive director for National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certification, where he is responsible for developing the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and the NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) certification exams. Previously Earle served as the head strength and conditioning coach and a faculty member of the exercise science and athletic training department at Creighton University in Omaha.

Earle has over 20 years of experience as a personal fitness trainer for people of all age and fitness levels, and he frequently gives lectures at national and international conferences about designing personalized exercise and training programs. He coauthored the first and second editions of Fitness Weight Training and coedited both the NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training and the first and second editions of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning.

Earle enjoys spending time with his wife, Tonya, and their four daughters at their home in Glendale, Arizona.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 656 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics; 3 edition (June 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736058036
• ISBN-13: 978-0736058032
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #743 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Weight Training
  • #8 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Anatomy
  • #28 in Books > Medical Books > Medicine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Evidence-Based Exercise Info at its Best, November 13, 2008

By 

Coach Tom - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning - 3rd Edition (Hardcover)

When it comes to telling people how to train, I want to know that the advice I give is based on evidence, not what on other people say, and not on what I "think" is going to work. While you could dig around on various electronic databases, such as Medline to get such information, its nice to have all the latest excercise recommendations based on sound research at your fingertips. And if you're looking for such a book, well, look no further.

Readers who regularly read sports science research will see some familiar names on page vii, which contains the list of people who contributed to the book. To me, knowing that people like Kraemer, Faigenbaum, or Hatfield had a hand in this book puts it on solid ground.

And the book is thorough too. Covering just about every aspect of conditioning and training, from basic exercise physiology to how many sets of an exercise should I do, its just a plain fact that there's not much that has been left out. Of course all the major areas such as strength training, endurance training, and flexibility are there as well. Also notable are the great pictures of stretching and strengthening exercises as well as little numbers (2) to refer the reader to the study the info was taken from. Right on!

My criticisms of this book are picky and few. For example I did notice that on page 299 the book advocates holding a static stretch for 30 seconds to become more flexible. Experts in the field who keep up on the research may not agree with this. While the 30 seconds rule applies to a lot of muscle groups, it does not apply to all- like stretching the calf muscles to increase dorsiflexion (see The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution for a nice updated literature review on ankle stretching). In case you're wondering, 30s won't cut it to increase ankle ROM.

In conclusion, as a researcher and trainer, I was really impressed with the evidence-based information and the thoroughness of the text. I think it would be of most benefit to coaches, athletic trainers, personal trainers, or anyone who wants a good resource to guide their exercise prescriptions.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helped me pass the exam, but DON'T MAKE the same MISTAKE I did!, September 3, 2011

By 

Jennifer Lee - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning - 3rd Edition (Hardcover)

This was the main resource I used to pass the NSCA PT exam when I first started in the personal training industry. There is a ton of information in this book, and I hate to say it but I have only used a small portion of the knowledge I gained from studying this book.

I have worked at a few different health clubs, and because I was new to the business I was not prepared for how much selling I would have to do of myself and my business. Guess NSCA forgot to mention that!

I thought I could avoid the "sales" aspect if I worked at a gym but I found that it was even more important to know how to sell yourself if I was going to make any money at all since there were so many other trainers for the members to choose from.

Luckily I did find a book that taught me how to sell personal training. It was perfectly suited for me because it explains a sales system on how to sell personal training sessions in a health club. Since reading this book I have been training over 40 hours a week consistently for close to a year now, no kidding!

For every trainer getting certified, I recommend NSCA for certification and I wholeheartedly recommend the "Personal Training Sales Textbook" so you can learn how to make money with your new pt cert;

The Personal Training Sales Education Textbook: A simple and effective sales system designed specifically for the personal trainer in the health club. (Volume 1)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible., January 19, 2012

By 

Domenic Micheli - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning - 3rd Edition (Hardcover)

You could memorize everything in this book and be the worst strength coach or trainer ever to walk the earth. The exercise form used in the pictures is absolutely horrific. The deadlift and lunge form is awful, and the written instructions are simple to the point of being worthless.

Sure there is good information on muscle at the cellular level, sliding filament theory, anatomy and the like, but honestly most of this information is worthless in the practice of training someone.

This book and the NSCA-CPT and CSCS certifications are completely worthless, they literally mean nothing. Every trainer save one, I have ever trained with (as a co-worker) that had either of these certifications was awful, and were no better than someone who was just into fitness.

It all comes down to whether or not you care enough to continually educate yourself on the latest tactics and methods in the field. Want to learn something, go look up Eric Cressey, Mike Boyle, etc..

Also, as a side note. Here is something interesting to chew on. When you purchase this book as a personal trainer or strength coach thinking "I am entering the field of fitness, strength and conditioning etc, I am bettering myself". However. Be aware that you are also entering the for-profit fitness education industry. You are now making someone else money by buying this book.

CSCS has the distinction of being known as the best certification for training. This shouldnt be, but its just the way it is. That is why you need to pass the CSCS exam. Not because it is any good, but merely because it is the industry standard. So be aware, that you are NOT paying for quality educational materials, you are paying because you need to pass the CSCS exam, because it is considered the best in the field.

Lastly, considering how much money you can make as a trainer or coach, continuing education credits are ridiculously expensive. You can maintain your standing with your State Bar Association as a lawyer for less.