Strength Training for Sport

Strength Training for Sport Editors: Kraemer, William J. , PhD; Hakkinen, Keijo, PhD, Bibliographic Data: (ISBN: 0-632-05568-5, NLM: QT 255, LC: GV546; Blackwell Publishing, 2002, 29. 95. ) Series Title: Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science Series, 186 pages, soft cover. Subjects: Sports Medicine. At a Glance: This text is a further volume in the ‘Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science Series’, published under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee, and represents the fundamental knowledge needed by sports medicine and coaching professionals to understand and develop strength training programs for athletes. DESCRIPTION: This is a comprehensive guide to developing strength training programs. It describes the relationships between science and practice very well. It is an excellent reference for coaches and practitioners dealing with athletes of all levels. PURPOSE: The purpose is to provide the reader with scientifically-backed knowledge of factors and processes in developing sport-specific strength training programs. The objectives are very worthy. There are few sources available that offer what this book offers in such a comprehensive manner. The authors do a good job of meeting their objectives. AUDIENCE: This book is written for coaches and practitioners in the field of strength training athletes, but also for students. It has enough practical information and basic science for strength training that a novice could learn from it. The authors are very credible on the subject matter contained in this book. FEATURES: This book covers everything from how strength training was started to the fine details of writing an individual strength training program. It covers the scientific aspects of strength training in an easy to read format and does a great job of illustrating this science with tables, graphs, and pictures. The book also goes over different programs for different sports and points out the important needs for those sports in regards to a strength and conditioning program. Chapter 5 is the best part of the book because it covers all the different training methods for different sports. Coaches sometimes do not realize that each sport is different and requires different training protocols. This chapter does a great job of outlining each sport’s needs assessment. The use of photos, graphs, and charts keeps the reader interested and helps explain the material in a hands on way. ASSESSMENT: This book is an excellent resource for strength and conditioning professionals. It does an outstanding job of describing why you would incorporate certain aspects of a program. This book sets itself apart from other books in the field because it is so comprehensive and doesn’t particularly focus on one sport. SCORE: Weighted Numerical Score: 87 - ***