Books
I've written seven highly-acclaimed books, sold in most countries around the world. Select a book to see full details.
Body of Knowledge: The Reference for Building Muscle, Staying Fit and Living Healthy
Take charge of your well-being, improve your health and fitness, eat better, feel younger, and live longer.
Body of Knowledge offers you a compendium of time-tested information for building muscle, performing aerobic training, improving your nutritional eating habits, improving your flexibility and mobility as you age, optimizing your sleep and recovery, and testing everything to make sure you are improving.
Build more muscle. Train your heart. Stay mobile. Eat better. Live longer.
- Learn over a dozen different weight training systems
- Discover the scientifically-proven best exercises for each area of your body for building muscle
- Increase your exercise effectiveness with over 40 intensity methods
- Learn how to avoid and deal with injuries
- Determine how to use various cardiovascular training modalities to improve fat loss and heart health
- Stay mobile as you age with various methods of stretching and measurement of normal ranges of joint motion
- Learn how to identify over-training and optimize rest and recovery
- Improve every aspect of your diet, including nutritional analysis of foods, various dietary systems, how to eat healthy at restaurants, and optimal use of nutritional supplements
- Stay in tune with your fitness levels by using dozens of easy, at-home assessment tests
Table of Contents
- How to Use This Book: A Road Map
- Progressive Resistance Training
- Benefits of Weight Training
- Body Types
- Ectomorphs
- Endomorphs
- Mesomorphs
- Muscles
- Fiber Types
- Contraction Types
- Types of Muscular Failure
- Muscle Groups & Names
- Kinesiology of Muscle Groups
- Other Aesthetic Characteristics
- Levels of Muscularity
- Warm-Up & Cool-Down Techniques
- General Warm-up
- Stretching
- Specific Warm-up
- Cooling Down
- Weight Training Systems
- General Principles
- Weider System
- Volume Training
- Hardgainer Method
- Heavy Duty
- High Intensity Training (HIT)
- Holistic Training
- Power Factor Training
- Periodization
- Pre-Exhaustion Training
- Static Contraction Training
- SuperSlow
- Positions of Flexion (POF)
- PHA (Peripheral Heart Action) Training
- Bulgarian Method
- Workload Measurements
- Reps
- Time Under Load
- Exercises
- Abdominal Exercises
- Back Exercises
- Biceps Exercises
- Calf Exercises
- Chest Exercises
- Shoulder Exercises
- Forearm Exercises
- Glute Exercises
- Hamstring Exercises
- Quadriceps Exercises
- Neck Exercises
- Trapezius Exercises
- Triceps Exercises
- Mass Building Exercises
- Unilateral Exercises
- Core Training Exercises
- Weak Point Training
- Motor Unit Analysis of Exercises
- EMG Muscle Analysis
- MRI Muscle Analysis
- Intensity Techniques
- 21’s
- 5 Sets of 5
- 10 Sets of 10 (German Volume Training)
- Addition Sets
- Alternating Sets
- Ascending Sets
- Burns
- Chains & Bands
- Cheating
- Circuit Training
- Combination Sets
- Complementary Training
- Composite Training
- Compound Sets
- Cumulative Fatigue Sets
- Descending Sets
- Double-Pause Reps
- Down the Rack
- Drop Sets
- Extended Sets
- Fixed Time Sets
- Forced Reps
- Giant Sets
- Halves (50% Drop Sets)
- Isolation/Compound Rebound Sets
- Jump Sets
- Machine Negatives
- Negatives
- One and One-Quarter System
- Partials
- Post-Exhaustion
- Pre-Exhaustion
- Pyramids
- Rep Targeting
- Rest-Pause
- Same Weight Progression
- Slow Motion
- Speed Training
- Staged Repetitions
- Staggered Sets
- Static Holds
- Static Hold Pyramiding
- Straight Sets
- Strip Sets
- Strong-Range Partials
- Supersets
- Time Subtraction Sets
- Triple Drop Sets
- Triple Drop/Rebound Sets
- Wave Reps
- Machines vs. Free Weights
- Types of Grips
- Injuries
- Types of Injuries
- Common Exercise Injuries
- Avoiding Injuries
- General Principles of Injury Rehabilitation
- Therapeutic Treatments for Injuries
- Recommended References
- Cardiovascular Training
- Benefits of Cardiovascular Training
- Proper Breathing Technique
- Cardio Efficiency Factors
- Talk Test
- Target Heart Rate (THR)
- General Formula
- Karvonen Formula
- Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
- Common Cardiovascular Training Methods
- Walking
- Jogging
- Running
- Cycling
- Stair Climbing
- Recommended References
- Flexibility, Stretching & Mobility
- Benefits of Flexibility
- Types of Flexibility
- Factors Limiting Flexibility
- Benefits of Stretching
- Basic Techniques of Stretching
- Types of Stretching
- Active Stretching
- Ballistic Stretching
- Dynamic Stretching
- Isometric Stretching
- Passive Stretching
- PNF Stretching
- Static Stretching
- Effectiveness of Stretches
- Stretching Sequences and Equipment
- Normal Ranges of Joint Motion
- Recommended References
- Rest & Recovery
- Benefits of Sleep
- The Sleep Cycle—Stages of Sleep
- How much sleep do you need?
- Tips for Sleeping Better
- Symptoms of sleep deprivation
- Active Rest
- Over-training
- Nutrition
- The Rules of Nutrition
- Macronutrients
- Protein
- Carbohydrates
- Fat
- Water
- Cholesterol
- Calorie Requirements (BMR)
- Calories Expended
- Glycemic Index of Common Foods
- Reading Food Labels
- Food Label Components
- Food Labeling Terms
- Common Food Ingredients
- Common Food Additives
- Vitamins & Minerals
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Antioxidants
- Symptoms of Deficiencies
- Herbs
- Nutritional Supplements
- Foundation Supplements
- Health & Convenience Supplements
- Performance Enhancement Supplements
- Unconfirmed Benefit Supplements
- Summary of Nutritional Requirements
- Nutritional Analysis of Common Foods
- Fat and Calorie Content of Beef
- Nutritional Analysis of Seafood
- Nutritional Analysis of Fruits and Vegetables
- Nutritional Analysis of Condiments
- Sources of Nutrients
- Food Substitutions & Enhancements
- Restaurant Food Selections
- Dietary Systems
- Food Macros
- Atkins Diet
- Ketogenic Diet
- Weight Watchers
- Zone Diet
- Recommended References
- Fitness Assessment & Testing
- Body Composition
- Population Averages for Body Fat Composition
- YMCA Formula
- US Navy Circumference Model
- General Procedures for Skin-fold Calipers
- Jackson-Pollock Formula (7-Site)
- Parillo BodyStat Formula
- Muscular Strength & Endurance
- One-Rep Max
- YMCA Bench Press Test
- Pull-Up Test
- Sit-Up Test
- Push-Up Test
- 30-Second Chair Stand
- Arm Curl Test
- Muscular Endurance Test Battery
- Muscular Power
- Medicine Ball Shot Test
- Standing Long Jump
- Vertical Jump
- Cardiovascular/Aerobic Endurance
- Cooper 12-Minute Run/Walk Test
- 1.5 Mile Run
- One Mile Walking Test
- Rockport Walking Test
- 6-Minute Walk
- Speed & Reaction Time
- 50 Yard Dash
- 6 Second Dash
- Flexibility
- Floor Sit & Reach
- Chair Sit & Reach
- Goniometer Range of Motion Tests
- Body Part Measurements
- Ideal Measurements for Strength
- Ideal Measurements for Bodybuilding
- Measurement Procedures
- Recommended References
- Body Composition
- Appendixes
- Table of Abbreviations
- Nutritional Weights and Measures
- Kilogram Conversion Table
- Glossary
- References
- Index
Supermen: Building Maximum Muscle for a Lifetime
This book presents a weightlifting system for intermediate to advanced weight trainers that maximizes the muscular development of an individual, while creating a complete, balanced and symmetrical physique. It's a book for the rest of us—those with average genetics, strong minds and stronger hearts. More significantly, it represents a long-term plan for lifting weights wisely throughout your life.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Guiding Principles
- Muscles & Their Function: What You Need to Know
- Training Frequency
- Workout Scheduling
- Training Volume
- Am I Over Trained?
- Rep Ranges
- The 3:1, 2:1 and 1:1 Methods
- Weight Training Tips & Techniques
- Abs
- Chest
- Back
- Shoulders
- Traps
- Biceps
- Triceps
- Forearms
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Calves
- Intensity Techniques
- 21’s
- 5 Sets of
- 10 sets of
- Addition Sets
- Alternating Sets
- Ascending Sets
- Burns
- Cheating
- Compound Sets
- Down the Rack
- Drop Sets
- Fixed Time Sets
- Forced Reps
- Giant Sets
- Halves (50% Drop Sets)
- Negatives
- Partials
- Pre-Exhaustion
- Pyramids
- Rep Targeting
- Rest-Pause
- Same Weight Progression
- Static Holds
- Supersets
- Weak Point Training
- How to Work Out When You Are Injured
- Low Back Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries
- Elbow Injuries
- Knee Injuries
- Neck Injuries
- Keeping Track of Your Progress
- LiftScript™
- Recording Your Progress Electronically
- Planning Future Workouts
- Cardio
- The Two Types of Cardio
- How Often Should I Do Cardio?
- How Long Should I Do Cardio?
- When Should I Do My Cardio?
- A Word about Your Diet
- Recommended Foods
- The Workouts
- Abs
- Chest
- Back
- Shoulders
- Traps
- Biceps
- Triceps
- Forearms
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Calves
- Recommended Reading
- Final Thoughts
- Additional Resources
What others are saying about Supermen
"I've been training for over twenty years and have a library of books on the subjects of fitness and bodybuilding. If I had found this book twenty years ago I could have saved a lot of time and money."
"A rare gem of muscle building guidance."
"I have read countless fitness and nutrition books and this is by far one of the most detailed and informational books I've read. This book covers every aspect of weightlifting including information about cardio, nutrition, and so much more."
"Wow - this is an incredible, all-in-one, highly detailed guide!"
"As of the writing of this review, I have been lifting weights for 35+ years. This is probably the best book I have read in that entire time on the subject."
"I have read countless fitness and motivational books. 'Supermen' is truly as real as it gets."
"This is such a fantastic reference for lifting. It's a no nonsense approach and has more workout routines listed than any other book I've read. I wish I could give it more stars because it is that good."
"Wow this is my favorite strength training book—and I've bought almost EVERY book Amazon has to offer on the topic."
"Awesome book...I've learned so much from it! If you are not having real results at the gym, you need to read this!"
"I wish i would have found this book 5 years ago when i started at the gym. I've learned more from this book in the past three weeks than I have in my past five years."
"The information in this book is like having a personal trainer, nutritionist, and exercise consultant at your fingertips. The information is easy to read due to its down-to-earth narration and (funny) sidebar overviews and comments."
"As an avid weightlifter and a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation, I found this book to be a well-written, die-hard approach to muscle and fitness."
"This is an excellent book for the lifter looking to move up their muscle. Good for the absolute beginner as it sets out the ground rules very well and hammers them home through the book."
Bodybuilding: From Heavy Duty to SuperSlow
There's more than one way to build muscle. Learn about all of the bodybuilding strategies from the past century. This book takes you through the evolution of hypertrophy-based training, from early 20th century circus strongmen to the latest muscle-building techniques of today.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- General Principles
- Volume Training
- Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) Training
- High Intensity Training (HIT)
- Periodization
- The Bulgarian Method
- Pre-Exhaustion Training
- Heavy Duty
- The Weider System
- The Hardgainer Method
- SuperSlow
- Holistic Training
- Power Factor Training
- Positions of Flexion (POF)
- Static Contraction Training
- Final Thoughts
- References
What others are saying about Bodybuilding: From Heavy Duty to SuperSlow
"Finally—an all-in-one-book of the various ways to pick things up and put things down."
"As a book on bodybuilding, Cecil’s book is delightfully comprehensive and deeply informative—more than a dozen weight training systems developed, fine-tuned and used in the past century are painstakingly discussed here. If you’re only buying this for its information, then you cannot go wrong with this—but if you want more, such as actually finding a weight training system that suits you, then this is the book you need, and nothing else."
"This is, hands down, one of the best bodybuilding books out there."
"The reason I love this book is that it is well-written, concise, and very complete. It describes how bodybuilding (and fitness) principles have evolved from the early days to the present. Also, it presents a clear description of the great variety of current bodybuilding schools of thought. Taken together, this may allow you to create your own approach taking something from each."
"Learn the essentials of bodybuilding from a true expert. This is an essential book that every serious bodybuilder should have."
"One of the best bodybuilding books I have ever picked up. It is chalked full of information that I didn’t even know that I wanted to know. The wealth of knowledge in this book is worth the price."
"If you love history, the human body, and strength training then this is definitely the book for you!"
"Craig's knowledge and enthusiasm are evident through his writing. He is a joy to read and a credit to the iron game."
"This book is a must read for anyone who has an interest in fitness and bodybuilding."
"Craig has compiled the most extensive and detailed list of the weight training systems and the methods behind them."
"Great book, I love the idea of comparing different training methods, very informative, definitely worth buying."
"This book will help everyone who wants to improve their work outs. It gave me a few new ideas on how to spruce up my training with some ideas I have forgotten over the years. Helpful in switching up your training for maximum progress."
"This is a great book, valuable information, easy read and it brings me back to the days when I was going around collecting all this stuff in different books."
"Back when I started lifting, the muscle magazines would write an article about a major weight training approach maybe once a year or so. If you were lucky, there might be a book written about a system, but you had to read 200 pages just to extract the 10 pages of pertinent information. This book takes all the major training systems it took me years to find out about and condenses them into an easily digestible format."
Bodybuilding at Home: Building a Complete Home Gym: A Step By Step Guide
A Home Gym is Freedom. This book shows that you don't need state-of-the-art, modern equipment and machines to build strength and muscle and transform yourself. Stop wasting your life driving back and forth to the gym and waiting for equipment. Now you can work out your way, with your own equipment, with your rules, whenever you want. Take back your time and control of your life. Gain strength, build muscle, lose fat and find yourself. It all starts at home.
Table of Contents
- Freedom & Purpose
- A Bodybuilder’s Gym
- Location, Location, Location
- Planning the Layout
- Budget, Economy & Luxury
- Setting the Stage
- Flooring
- Lighting
- Mirrors
- Climate Control
- Sound, Video & Visual Appearance
- Miscellaneous Items
- The Equipment
- General Equipment Strategy
- The Baseline Setup
- Dumbbells—Minimal Investment, Maximum Returns
- Plates—The Currency of Weight Training
- Benches
- Barbells—The Key to Maximum Development
- Racks—Lifting to the Limit, Safely
- Machines—What is Really Necessary?
- Cardio Equipment
- Training Journal
- Accessory Equipment
- Maintaining Your Equipment
- Adding It All Up: What’s It Gonna Cost?
- Home Gym for Under $100
- Home Gym for $100-$250
- Home Gym for Under $500
- Home Gym for Under $1000
- Core Equipment
- Home Gym Checklist
- If You Build It, Will You (They) Come?
- My Gym: One Man’s Story
- Inspiration, Perspiration and Desire
- Beyond the Home Gym
- Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Bodybuilding Workout Routines
- Beginning Bodybuilding
- Intermediate Bodybuilding
- Advanced Bodybuilding
- Adapting Workouts for the Home Gym
- Integrating Cardio into Your Workout Routines
What others are saying about Bodybuilding at Home
"A clear guide to planning and building a gym in your garage."
"I learned an incredible amount from this book."
"I can't thank Craig enough for helping me get locked and loaded for many years of productive training without ever leaving my house. The only negative is that he enabled me to become even more of a hermit, haha. Great book from a super knowledgeable source!"
"Wanted to get back to working out at home again. Found this book and loved it! So much great info I'd never thought of with a home gym. Highly recommend it!"
The Complete Smith Machine: Exercises & Workouts
The Complete Smith Machine is the most comprehensive resource ever written about the most popular exercise machine in the world. Whether you use a Smith Machine at home or the gym, this book contains all the information you'll need to use and master this versatile piece of equipment.
Table of Contents
- The Soul of a New Machine
- Meet the Smith Machine
- Advantages, Disadvantages & Limitations
- How to Use the Smith Machine Effectively
- Strength Training
- Bodybuilding
- Circuit Training
- Cardiovascular Training
- Weak Point Training
- Injury Rehab
- Periodization
- The Muscles: What You Need to Know
- The Exercises
- Abdominals
- Back
- Biceps
- Calves
- Chest
- Forearms
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Quadriceps (Thighs)
- Shoulders
- Trapezius
- Triceps
- The Workouts
- The Basics of Weight Training
- Strength Training
- 5x5 Programs (3 Days per Week)
- Other Strength Training Strategies -Bodybuilding
- Full Body Workouts
- Split Body Workouts
- Specialized Workouts by Muscle Group
- Other Approaches
- Combining Strength Training and Bodybuilding
- Circuit Training
- PHA Circuit Training
- Full Body Circuit Training
- Split Body Circuit Training
- Circuit Training with Low-Back Issues
- Cardiovascular Training
- Weak Point Training
- Keys to Improving Weak Points
- Optimal Physique Structures for Men & Women
- Typical Weaknesses/Problem Areas for Men & Women
- Injury Rehab & Prevention
- General Principles for Rehab & Recovery
- Handling Specific Injuries
- Intensity Techniques
- Beyond the Smith Machine
What others are saying about The Complete Smith Machine
"Excellent book! It's not only about the exercises you can do with the machine but it's also about workouts and training methods. A good guide for beginners and a complementary for experts. Highly recommended."
"Even Expert Weightlifters Will Find Something New In This..."
"Good book! Very informative, is loaded with content. If you have or use a Smith Machine I highly recommend picking this up. It will add some more variety to your routine."
"A book on the Smith machine? C'mon. You've got to give it five stars just for such a novel idea. Thing is, it's so complete and well organized that there will never be a need for another."
"I have been an avid lifter for 20+ years and this book taught me ways to use the Smith Machine that I didn't know existed."
"After you've read about the exercises, the book shifts into what could have been a whole additional book – training routines. In fact, a variety of training routines for each body part totally based on the use of a Smith machine. Two for the price of one."
"I never knew the Smith machine was so versatile."
"It is very detailed and addresses everybody from beginning to advanced lifters who might be short on gym time and want a quick and effective workout without wandering all over the gym. Who knew the Smith could be so versatile?"
"Gift for my husband. He found it very helpful as he had just purchased the equipment."
Designing in the Browser: A Practical, Step-by-Step Guide to Web-Based Prototyping
The medium of the web is the web browser. So shouldn't we design our websites and web-based apps in the browser, with the browser as the design surface? Why are we still clinging to the use of proprietary prototyping tools that are abstracted from this surface?
This book will guide you through the complete process for designing high-fidelity, fully interactive and accessible web-based prototypes rapidly in the browser, using HTML and just a little CSS. No JavaScript, build processes or complicated setups required.
Table of Contents
- Designing in the Browser
- Setting Goals for Your Design Tools
- Assembling an Effective Design Toolset
- Learning the Design in the Browser Workflow
- Creating Charts, Diagrams, and User Flows
- Starting Your Prototypes with Content—Tell the Story
- Creating Wireframes
- Creating Low-Fidelity Prototypes
- Creating High-Fidelity Prototypes
- Creating Multi-Lingual Prototypes
- Creating Accessible Prototypes
- Creating & Using Reusable Page Components
- Adding Data Persistence
- Adding Conditional Logic
- Adding Roles & States
- Adding Realistic Data
- Adding Annotations & Walkthroughs
- Enhancing Typography
- Prototyping with Color
- Adding Animation & Motion
- Handling Design Iterations & Version Control
- Collaborating on Prototypes
- Providing Design Documentation
- Testing Your Designs
- Publishing Your Designs & Gathering Feedback
- Putting It All Together