FOREWORD BY THE AUTHOR 'There are many ways to skin a cat', as my old gran used to say, but some ways are better than others, and some will leave you with a bloody mess. This old fashioned non 'PC' quote applies to many things, and strength training is no exception. You could say, 'there are many ways to lift a barbell', and of course you would be right, the different approaches and methods that may be applied in training to gain strength are very varied, from the simple and practical to the weird and dangerous, but, it has to be said that even a totally impractical and downright weird training plan may work well for someone out there During the last 45 years I have been exposed to just about every type of training programme for speed, endurance, strength and power development, and I have seen and felt the effects from good and bad training methods. Getting worthwhile advice on strength training has always been difficult. Why? The simple reason is that very few gyms employ coaches who know the subject in any detail. I have run, coached in, and trained in many gyms across the UK, and the picture isn't good at all. If you want to lose some fat, get a bit fitter for a sport, or gain a few pounds of muscle there are plenty of instructors and gym owners who will be more than capable of getting you on the right track to start with, but what do they recommend after three months and progress has stalled? What if your goal is to get a lot stronger for your athletics? Who is going to show you the way? Does your current gym instructor or coach know how to develop your training plan to get you through to the next level, ask them about recovery and intensity to see what they say, ask them what are the keys to success and how you can incorporate them into your training plan. Many just regurgitate the same old crap that they were told, or assumed, and will rarely have done any research themselves or looked beyond their current knowledge. This book provides the detail you need to ensure your training moves up a gear and beyond what you imagined was possible, it will equip you with the knowledge needed to find success in building great strength. Several of the key concepts you're about to encounter are probably a complete mystery to those in your gym and those that purport to coach you, read on and soon you will have the knowledge to step out of the shadows and into the fast lane