Learning about bodybuilding is tricky. Step inside a gym, and you’ll be surrounded by bros doling out tips and tricks to improve your form and gains. However, most of the advice you get in the gym or on social media is nothing more than broscience.
You need science-backed information if you’ve been stuck on a plateau for a long time, and this is where tried, tested, and revered bodybuilding books shine. Unlike social media, where your attention span is as short as an Instagram reel, learning from a proclaimed bodybuilding book helps you dig deep into the subject.
Top 16 Best Bodybuilding Books You Should Read
Given below are the 16 most thought-provoking bodybuilding books you can get your hands on:
- Best Overall: The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Best for Beginners: Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body by Michael Matthews
- Best for Learning Anatomy: Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier
- Best for Building a Foundation: Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Best Old-School Bodybuilding Book: Joe Weider’s Ultimate Bodybuilding by Joe Weider
- Best for Nutrition: The Bodybuilder’s Kitchen by Erin Stern
- Best for Physique Transformation: Men’s Health Natural Bodybuilding Bible by Tyler English
- Best Barbell Training Book: Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe
- Best for Injury Prevention and Recovery: Built from Broken by Scott H Hogan
- Best for Contest Prep: Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook by Peter J. Fitschen and Cliff Wilson
- Best for Glute Development: Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training by Bret Contreras
- Best for HIT: High-intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way by Mike Mentzer
- Best Book by a Coach: Championship Bodybuilding by Chris Aceto
- Best Book for Building Muscle Symmetry and Balance: Lee Haney’s Ultimate Bodybuilding Book by Lee Haney
- Best Bodybuilding Book for Women: Delavier’s Women’s Strength Training Anatomy Workouts by Frederic Delavier
- Best Bodybuilder Autobiography: Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger
How Much Do the Best Bodybuilding Books Cost?
The prices listed below are of the physical (paperback or hardcover) versions, and you can find books ranging from $13.49 to $69.31 on this list. The $69.31 book is an exception, and the average price of a book on this list is a pocket-friendly $20. However, spending on your education is probably the best investment, and we recommend grabbing as many of these books as possible.
| Category | Book | Name | Price | Why We Love It |
| Best Overall |  |
The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding | $23.99 | Revered “the bible of bodybuilding,” this book will help you level up your knowledge. |
| Best for Beginners |  |
Bigger Leaner Stronger | $16.56 | Great for an average lifter who wants results without feeling exhausted in the gym. |
| Best for Learning Anatomy |  |
Strength Training Anatomy | $20.09 | One of the best pieces of literature to learn about muscle anatomy in bodybuilding. |
| Best for Building a Foundation |  |
Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder | $13.49 | Includes step-by-step exercise guides and comprehensive programs and tips to build muscle. |
| Best Old-School Bodybuilding Book |  |
Joe Weider’s Ultimate Bodybuilding | $30.30 | The training and diet principles listed in this book have stood the test of time. |
| Best for Nutrition |  |
The Bodybuilder’s Kitchen | $17.96 | This book has everything you need to fix your diet and achieve your dream physique. |
| Best for Physique Transformation |  |
Men’s Health Natural Bodybuilding Bible | $24.99 | A very detailed step-by-step guide for building muscle and losing fat. |
| Best Barbell Training Book |  |
Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training | $26.95 | One of the best books about barbell training focused on newbie lifters. |
| Best for Injury Prevention and Recovery |  |
Built from Broken | $16.61 | This a great book to learn about joint, connective tissue, and muscle health in strength training. |
| Best for Contest Prep |  |
Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook | $29.95 | A must-read for people prepping for a bodybuilding show. |
| Best for Glute Development |  |
Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training | $32.49 | This book details how to design the optimal training program to accomplish your aesthetic and performance goals. |
| Best for HIT |  |
High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way | $18.90 | A heavy-duty and effective training system to build muscle mass and strength in relatively less time. |
| Best Book by a Coach |  |
Championship Bodybuilding | $24.95 | One of the best in the business pulls the curtains on his techniques. |
| Best Book for Building Muscle Symmetry and Balance |  |
Lee Haney’s Ultimate Bodybuilding Book | $69.31 | The secrets and not-so-secrets behind Haney’s eight Mr. Olympia title wins. |
| Best Bodybuilding Book for Women |  |
Delavier’s Women’s Strength Training Anatomy Workouts | $13.99 | A masterpiece and a must-read for women trying to build muscle mass, lose weight, and tone their bodies. |
| Best Bodybuilder Autobiography |  |
Total Recall | $14.99 | The Governator lays bare his illustrious, controversial, and truly unique life. |
Best Bodybuilding Books Review
Given below are the bodybuilding books that will help step up your game:
Best Overall
Although countless bodybuilding books are available on the market, it wasn’t hard to pick a winner for this category. The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding has everything you need to go from good to great.
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The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger
It’d be safe to say that Arnold Schwarzenegger changed the fate of bodybuilding and was a driving force behind popularizing the sport. The Governator’s physique was not the result of following haphazard advice. Instead, he followed proven diet, training, and recovery principles that made him one of the best bodybuilders of all time.
In the New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, dubbed the “the bible of bodybuilding,” Schwarzenegger shares tried-and-true tips for sculpting, strengthening, and defining each muscle to create the ultimate jacked physique. Plus, he covers bodybuilding competitions, diet and nutrition, the treatment and prevention of injuries, and training methods.
One of the best sections in this book is about sports psychology and how to master your mind. Originally written in 1999, this book is a must-read for every sports, fitness, and bodybuilding enthusiast.
The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger Coupon
The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger Coupon
The seven-time Mr. Olympia shed light on everything bodybuilding in this popular book, dubbed "the bible of bodybuilding." Whether you are starting your bodybuilding journey or want to add a few new tricks to your arsenal, this book has something for everyone.
Best for Beginners
Learning about bodybuilding can be intimidating for a newbie. Our pick for this category will help you ease into your new fitness lifestyle.
Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body by Michael Matthews
Written by Michael Matthews, owner of Legion Athletics, Bigger Leaner Stronger enjoys a cult following. With over 11,000 4.5-star reviews on Amazon, this book shares scientifically proven ways of losing fat and building muscle mass.
Written in an easy-to-read format, Bigger Leaner Stronger focuses on programs to transform your body while eating foods you like and doing a few challenging strength training workouts per week.
Are you still wondering why you should get this book? Per the publisher, 338 peer-reviewed scientific studies back Build Leaner Stronger. Plus, Matthews is a bestselling fitness author, with over 1.5 million books sold.
Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body by Michael Matthews Coupon
Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body by Michael Matthews Coupon
If you want to build a Hollywood A-lister-like jacked physique but don't want to lose your soul eating bland food and spending two-plus hours in the gym, pick up this book the next time you can. You're welcome!
Best for Learning Anatomy
You are leaving gains on the table by not learning about human anatomy and how different exercises work your muscles. Strength Training Anatomy fixes this.
Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier
Most of us know that the barbell bench press trains the chest, but not many know what goes on behind the scenes and how this exercise (and others) work the target muscles to grow bigger and stronger. If you want to dive deep into the human anatomy and how to make the most of exercises, Strength Training Anatomy is the book for you.
Frederic Delavier’s books are known for his signature illustrations, and Strength Training Anatomy is one of his best works. This book has sold over one million copies worldwide.
Strength Training Anatomy has over 600 full-color illustrations revealing the primary muscles worked along with all the relevant surrounding structures, including bones, ligaments, tendons, and connective tissue for different exercises.
Having studied morphology and anatomy for five years and dissection for three years at prestigious colleges, Delavier takes you deep into human anatomy (all puns intended).
Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier Coupon
Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier Coupon
Strength Training Anatomy is a must-read for nerds who want to master human anatomy. Not only will this book teach you about muscle structures, but it will also show you how to perform exercises to get the best bang for your buck.
Best for Building a Foundation
Getting this book is a must if you are a sucker for old-school bodybuilding exercises, training techniques, and aesthetics.
Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger
If you thought Arnie could pack all his bodybuilding knowledge inside one book (The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding), you know nothing, Jon Snow!
The five-time Mr. Universe champ wrote this part memoir-part bodybuilding manual in 1993. Arnie shares a four-day-a-week training regimen in this book. On top of that, each exercise is illustrated with photos of Schwarzenegger in action.
Since the workout program in this book requires you to train four days a week, it is great for people with packed schedules. Plus, Schwarzenegger’s motivating words and stories will give you the kick you need to start your transformation journey.
Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger Coupon
Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger Coupon
The Hollywood A-lister has the innate ability to motivate you to become your best self, and he doesn't disappoint in this book. It has exercise guides, nutrition tips, and training programs to get you in the best shape of your life.
Best Old-School Bodybuilding Book
The Weider brothers built a bodybuilding empire from scratch. Joe Weider devised multiple training techniques and nutrition programs to help his athletes advance to the next level.
Joe Weider’s Ultimate Bodybuilding by Joe Weider
If Arnold can be credited for popularizing bodybuilding, Joe Weider did the same for the Austrian Oak. Weider is known as the “Father of Bodybuilding” and, with his brother Ben, co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB).
The book was published in 1989 and includes the Weider training principles, which Joe developed in the 1930s and kept refining. The advanced training techniques mentioned in the book were considered the holy grail of bodybuilding back in the day.
Joe Weider’s Ultimate Bodybuilding by Joe Weider Coupon
Joe Weider’s Ultimate Bodybuilding by Joe Weider Coupon
Joe Weider, also known as the Master Blaster, was way ahead of his time. The training and dieting principles mentioned in this book make it a must-have for all enthusiasts.
Best for Nutrition
Nutrition is arguably the hardest part of building a chiseled physique. Erin Stern tries to change this with her book The Bodybuilder’s Kitchen.
The Bodybuilder’s Kitchen by Erin Stern
Building strength and muscle mass and improving aesthetics require you to nail the trifecta — nutrition, training, and recovery. However, most content on bodybuilding focuses on training. This is a big problem as bodybuilding diets are notorious for being bland and boring.
Erin Stern, a two-time Figure Olympia champ, fixes this with her blockbuster book — The Bodybuilder’s Kitchen. The book contains 100 delicious recipes and customized bodybuilding meal plans to help you “build muscle, burn fat, and chisel your physique.”
This book includes five meal plans for bulking and cutting phases and plans for ketogenic dieting, calorie cycling, and carb cycling. If you are looking for a diet fix, you should pick up this book.
The Bodybuilder’s Kitchen by Erin Stern Coupon
The Bodybuilder’s Kitchen by Erin Stern Coupon
If a lousy diet and a lack of a dieting framework have been holding you back from achieving your dream physique, the Bodyubuilder's Kitchen will help you fill the void.
Best for Physique Transformation
Our pick for this category will help you go from zero to hero with the least friction. The 16-24-week program detailed in this book will help you get in the best shape of your life.
Men’s Health Natural Bodybuilding Bible by Tyler English
If you want a bodybuilding book that tells you what to do step-by-step, Men’s Health Natural Bodybuilding Bible’s 24-week program was written just for you.
Tyler English is a natural bodybuilding champion who shares his hard-earned knowledge with the readers through this book. This book will give you all the tools you need to transform your physique — for good.
English claims it to be the “how-to manual for anyone who wants to win his first bodybuilding competition.”
Men’s Health Natural Bodybuilding Bible by Tyler English Coupon
Men’s Health Natural Bodybuilding Bible by Tyler English Coupon
This book contains a 16-24 week bodybuilding and nutrition program to help you build muscle mass and strength and shed body fat. It is a must-read for aspiring natural bodybuilders.
Best Barbell Training Book
Barbells are an incredible training tool. Rippetoe opines that it is the only training equipment you need if you learn how to use it correctly. In this book, the powerlifter walks you through how to make the most of barbell training.
Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe
Starting Strength delivers a simple, logical, and practical approach to strength training. Rippetoe uses the simple biological principle of stress, recovery, and adaptation to help improve the reader’s performance, appearance, and long-term health.
Starting Strength contains photographs, illustrations, and easy-to-follow instructions for performing basic barbell exercises like the squat, press, deadlift, bench press, power clean, and power snatch with the correct form and get the best bang for your buck.
Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe Coupon
Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe Coupon
In this book, Rippetoe teaches the correct technique and form for building muscle and strength through compound lifts using a barbell. Starting Strength makes even the advanced lifters feel they have been using the barbell incorrectly all this time.
Best for Injury Prevention and Recovery
Built from Broken teaches you how to prevent weight training-related injuries and recover faster. This book should be in your library if you’re in it for the long run.
Built from Broken by Scott H Hogan
People who are in the bodybuilding space for a long time — or those who plan to be in it for the long run — will most likely experience an injury at some point. However, not a lot of attention is paid to this subject.
Built from Broken is a science-based guide to healing painful joints, preventing injuries, and rebuilding your body. This book can add incredible value to your weightlifting journey.
This book teaches you about corrective exercise, sports nutrition, and joint health. Built from Broken goes over the causes of joint pain, how to prevent them, how to identify and fix muscle imbalances that lead to tension, pain, and injuries, and natural injury recovery strategies. And this is just part one of this book.
In the second part, the 348-page book explains the ideal training schedule to maximize muscle recovery and connective tissue repair, illustrates corrective exercise instructions, tips to strengthen joints, and a step-by-step workout program.
Built from Broken by Scott H Hogan Coupon
Built from Broken by Scott H Hogan Coupon
Built from Broken includes action steps to resolve joint and muscle pain. Plus, it contains a four-week corrective training program for muscle and joint longevity.
Best for Contest Prep
Prepping for a bodybuilding contest, especially your first one, can be very intimidating. Our pick for this category holds your hand through the entire process.
Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook by Peter J. Fitschen and Cliff Wilson
If you want a book that can help you prep for a contest, you cannot go wrong with Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook.
Written by bodybuilding coaches Peter Fitschen and Cliff Wilson, this book will guide you through every step of your contest prep — selecting a competition, preparing for the contest, and transitioning to the off-season.
The handbook guides you step-by-step through the contest prep. Plus, this book will answer almost all your questions about prepping and competing in a bodybuilding show.
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Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook covers topics including posing, peak week, and tanning to help you bring your best physique to the stage.
Furthermore, this book contains 60 full-color photos depicting body types for each division and each mandatory pose to help you choose a division that suits you the best.
Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook by Peter J. Fitschen and Cliff Wilson Coupon
Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook by Peter J. Fitschen and Cliff Wilson Coupon
A complete bodybuilding contest prep guide that helps you choose a division, prep for it, and annihilate the competition on stage with your immaculate posing skills.
Best for Glute Development
If you thought glute training was reserved for the ladies, Glute Lab will make you question all your preconceived notions about bodybuilding. This book by Bret Contreras will help you build explosive lower body strength that will help improve your functionality and overall strength and muscle mass.
Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training by Bret Contreras
Bret Contread, Ph.D., has been researching and developing ways to help athletes build strong, muscular, and aesthetic glutes. His work in the field has earned him the moniker, The Glute Guy.
The glutes are the biggest and strongest muscles in our body. Overlooking and not training them effectively can hamper your overall strength and muscle development.
But why should you read a book dedicated to improving your backside, you ask? Well-trained glutes not only help you lift heavier, jump higher, sprint faster, and swing harder but also help prevent knee, hip, and lower back pain and injuries.
Furthermore, this book isn’t just about training glutes. It can help you maximize muscle growth and strength, improve body composition, beat training and physique plateaus, train around injuries and discomfort, determine ideal training frequency and exercise selection, and so much more.
Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training by Bret Contreras Coupon
Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training by Bret Contreras Coupon
Glute Lab includes field-tested and scientifically proven methods and techniques to help you develop leaner, rounder, stronger, higher-performing glutes.
Best for HIT
High-intensity training is one of the most popular terms in gym lingo. However, only a few understand the concept completely. Read Mike Mentzer’s book on the subject to become a HIT veteran.
High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way by Mike Mentzer
Mike Mentzer was one of the freakiest bodybuilders of his time. He took Arthur Jones’ high-intensity training philosophy, modified it, and called it Heavy Duty.
Jones initially prescribed one 20-rep set per exercise for high-intensity training. However, Mentzer lowered the ideal rep range to six to nine. Mentzer was a proponent of three advanced lifting techniques — forced reps, negative reps, and rest-pause.
Mr. Heavy Duty focused on doing shorter, less frequent workouts each week but emphasized hitting failure in every set and pushing your body to the limits in each workout.
High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way by Mike Mentzer Coupon
High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way by Mike Mentzer Coupon
Mike Mentzer's time-efficient HIT sessions require a bodybuilder to train no more than 40 minutes weekly. This is a big change from orthodox bodybuilding routines that can last north of an hour daily. Pick up this book if this training routine sounds interesting.
Best Book by a Coach
It’s one thing to learn from a fellow competitor and a completely different experience to get your education from a coach with a proven track record.
Championship Bodybuilding by Chris Aceto
Chris Aceto is one of the most popular pro bodybuilding coaches of all time. He has coached two former Mr. Olympias — Jay Cutler and the late Shawn Rhoden.
Aceto’s clientele also includes the likes of the 2022 Arnold Classic South American champ Rafael Brandao, Sergio Oliva Jr., 2007 AC winner Victor Martinez, Peter Molnar, Ramon Rocha Queiroz, Douglas Fruchey, Hasan Mostafa, Jose Raymond, Guy Cisternino, and the late 2017 Arnold Classic champion, Cedric McMillan.
Championship Bodybuilding goes over training, conditioning, nutrition programs, pre-contest dieting, carb depletion and loading, body fat control, and supplements.
Championship Bodybuilding by Chris Aceto Coupon
Championship Bodybuilding by Chris Aceto Coupon
A bodybuilding coach of Aceto's stature rarely shares his insights and 'tricks'. You should definitely get this book if you are a budding bodybuilder or even a coach.
Check Out: 10 Best Bodybuilding Coaches with Proven Track Records
Best Book for Building Muscle Symmetry and Balance
Muscle symmetry, balance, and proportion are the name of the game when it comes to pro bodybuilding. Haney is known for his trademark symmetry and balance.
Lee Haney’s Ultimate Bodybuilding Book by Lee Haney
When an eight-time Mr. Olympia shares bodybuilding advice and tips, you sit up and listen. Haney and Ronnie Coleman hold the record for the most Mr. Olympia title wins. Both set their names in stone in bodybuilding annals by winning the Sandow for eight consecutive years.
In Lee Haney’s Ultimate Bodybuilding Book, the legend shares the training program and mindset that helped him dominate the Mr. Olympia competition like never before.
Besides conventional bodybuilding diet and training programs, Haney also includes cross-training workouts for other sports in this book, including his special program for boxer Evander Holyfield.
Lee Haney’s Ultimate Bodybuilding Book by Lee Haney Coupon
Lee Haney’s Ultimate Bodybuilding Book by Lee Haney Coupon
Lee Haney's Ultimate Bodybuilding Book includes Haney's training, nutrition, and mindset principles, and deserves a place on the shelves of all aspiring competitive bodybuilders.
Best Bodybuilding Book for Women
Only a few books on female bodybuilding are worth a read. This book is all you need to build a solid foundation and get all your questions about bodybuilding for women answered.
Delavier’s Women’s Strength Training Anatomy Workouts by Frederic Delavier
Most bodybuilding books are geared towards male lifters or vaguely touch upon strength training for women. It’s no secret that men and women are built differently and need specialized training programs for optimal muscle and strength development.
Frederic Delavier’s women-focused book is based on the anatomical features unique to women and sets the standard for women’s strength training.
This book answers all the questions women typically have about weight training, including if lifting weights will make them look manly, what exercises are best for women, how much weight to lift, and the most optimal reps and sets they should be doing.
Delavier’s Women’s Strength Training Anatomy Workouts includes 290 full-color illustrations that allow women to see inside 157 exercises and 49 programs for strengthening, sculpting, and developing your arms, chest, back, shoulders, abs, legs, and glutes.
Delavier’s Women’s Strength Training Anatomy Workouts by Frederic Delavier Coupon
Delavier’s Women’s Strength Training Anatomy Workouts by Frederic Delavier Coupon
Delavier's book is focused on weight lifting for women and contains anatomical illustrations to ensure an understanding of maximizing the efficiency of each exercise.
Best Bodybuilder Autobiography
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the most popular pro bodybuilder of all time. Learn from his story if you want to use bodybuilding as a gateway into other career streams.
Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Although this is not a typical bodybuilding book, Total Recall is a must-read for all bodybuilding aficionados. It is the story of how The Austrian Oak went from living in a small Austrian village to becoming the Governor of California.
Arnie narrates his life story in his trademark hilarious yet profoundly wise and transparent way. Total Recall will leave you in awe of everything Schwarzenegger has achieved in his life and will motivate you to get after your dreams.
Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger Coupon
Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger Coupon
Did you know Arnold Schwarzenegger became a millionaire ten years after arriving in America as an immigrant through his investments in real estate? Total Recall reveals a side of Arnie that was kept under wraps for a long time.
Why Read Bodybuilding Books?
With the rise of platforms like Instagram and YouTube, many people question the need to read bodybuilding books, arguing that they have the best bodybuilders and coaches sharing knowledge on these outlets daily.
While these photo and video-sharing websites are great for newbies, they shouldn’t be your only source of knowledge if you want to progress to the next step. More often than not, the bite-sized Instagram reels and 10-15 minute YouTube videos share incomplete information. And as the proverb goes — a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Although most pro bodybuilders share their training videos online, they often hold back the number of reps, sets, and techniques used, leaving the most critical information out of bounds for their followers. If you want in-depth knowledge about the sport of bodybuilding, adding the 16 books mentioned in this article to your library should be a no-brainer.
Reading these books will expand your knowledge and add new weapons to your arsenal.
What to Look For in a Bodybuilding Book
Given below are the things to consider while buying a bodybuilding book:
1. The Author’s Credentials
Thanks to social media, you now have an internet fitness celebrity in almost every gym. As these social media influencers gain fame, many come out with books on bodybuilding to capitalize on their large fan base.
However, most of these books lack solid content and science-backed evidence. Always look at the author’s credentials before buying a book. For example, do not buy a contest prep book from a nutritionist or someone who has never helped a client peak for a show.
2. Your Goals
As is evident from this article, different bodybuilding books cater to different goals. If your goal is to improve at performing barbell exercises, you should get Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training and not Bodybuilding: The Complete Contest Preparation Handbook.
3. Practicality
Many bodybuilding books are filled with impractical advice. Impracticality could mean things that are impossible to do or that require too much effort daily. Look for books and authors that give actionable advice.
Also, some books are too heavy on theory and lack practical advice. You should only buy a bodybuilding book that strikes a balance between all aspects.
How We Ranked the Best Bodybuilding Books
Here are the criteria we used to rank the best bodybuilding books:
- Author: To ensure you get your information from the best sources, we only selected books written by experts in their fields.
- Readability: We selected books that are easy to read and don’t feel like you’re studying to be a rocket scientist.
- Reviews: We also looked at reader reviews and selected the books based on what resonated most with readers.
FAQs
Is there a single book that can make me an expert at everything bodybuilding?
Sadly, no! If you want to become an expert in any field, you’ll have to dedicate yourself to it. Learning is a never-ending process.
Is there a book to learn about steroids in bodybuilding?
While many books teach you about different compounds and what they do, we don’t recommend turning yourself (or someone else) into a guinea pig. The same compound might have different results on different people, and it is not worth the risk until you want to be in the top one percent of bodybuilders in the world. Even then, we would recommend working with a coach rather than experimenting with these dangerous compounds yourself.
Which is the best bodybuilding book for a beginner?
We recommend reading Bigger Leaner Stronger if you’re starting your fitness journey. It is easy to read and contains actionable and effective advice.
Wrapping Up
Reading is one of the best ways to learn something new or keep yourself updated. This article lists the 16 best bodybuilding books you can read to master the sport.
While we recommend The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger as our best overall book, feel free to choose the book from the suitable category that best meets your immediate needs.
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
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Comments 1
Can you add more “Muscle, Smoke, & Mirrors” Randy Roach