Despite a seemingly endless supply of training programs promising enhanced athletic performance, the same questions inevitably plague strength and conditioning coaches. How do you initiate an athlete’s strength program and progress it over the course of not just a season, but a career? How will you know when it is time to progress, and how can you avoid the consequences of overtraining? How can you develop an athlete’s work capacity while increasing strength, power, and speed without completely sacrificing one quality for another? T
he answer to all of those questions lies in the systematic approach to program design outlined in The System.
Hall of Fame strength coaches Johnny Parker, Al Miller, and Rob Panariello have spent their entire careers studying, testing, and refining the best practices and methods of Soviet-era sports science into a modern, practical approach to strength and conditioning for long-term athletic development. Their system of scientific programming and coaching produced not only powerful and resilient athletes, but also dominant championship teams spanning over three decades.
Their distilled lessons and experiences will teach you:
~ A structured approach to advance a novice athlete to a stronger and more powerful performer
~ Why simplicity in exercise selection is one key to athletic development
~ The critical training variables that can make or break progress
~ How planned—not random—variations in training will yield progressive and sustained physical gains
~ How to integrate lifting, running, and jumping together to build explosive athletes T
his book provides more than just a system of principles for optimal strength and conditioning program design. Rather, it provides an education in both the science and the art of coaching and will help you develop what the authors call the “Eye of the Coach” to ensure continued success for both you and your athletes.
“This book contains the distilled knowledge and wisdom of Al Miller and Johnny Parker, who are possibly two of the most successful strength coaches in NFL history. You would need to combine the careers of about 10 people to achieve the same level of success and impact on the field and the profession as Al and Johnny.” ~ Dan Reeves, NFL Head Coach, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons
“What a great book and great read from true masters of our field. These men literally walked me through the paces as a young strength coach. A very inspiring read from truly great men.” ~ Tommy Moffitt, LSU Strength & Conditioning
“I didn’t expect this book when I got it. I thought it would be a book filled with stories and anecdotes about the good old days of training and the stars who shined the brightest in the world of sports. I was wrong: This book, from start to finish, is a master class in strength coaching. This is the how-to/do-this book we have been looking for in strength and conditioning. Ignore the word ‘Soviet;’ This is intelligent training explained clearly.” ~ Dan John, athlete and author of Never Let Go, Intervention, Can You Go? and Now What?
TKA (verified owner) –
Coaching and Strength Training for athleticism is the benefit of this book.
Coach D (verified owner) –
that is the first time through. It will remain an ongoing reference at my gym.
I was blessed to see that much of what I was already doing lined up well with this book.
In other ways, I was freshly challenged to improve my coaching in several different areas.
If you are an uncommitted or impatient person, don’t buy this book.
South Carolina Strong (verified owner) –
This book is explains, in clear English, all of the Soviet training “secrets.” I’ve purchased several other books on the same topic, with “translations” from Russian to English, but they are difficult to read. This book fills that gap!
Raymond Trotta (verified owner) –
This book finally demystified the Russian system. The author gave a great explanation of how the system works and the thought process around how to use it.
Fatguyinalittlecoat (verified owner) –
A great book for programming. It basically takes all of the Soviet WL texts and puts them in one experience proven respirce that is easy to read and implement. This is scaleable from competitive teams teams to the garage lifter.
Anthony Perisho (verified owner) –
For anyone who appreciates the contribution made by knowledge of Russian science in strength training, this book is a great help in achieving your strength training goals.
David Tortora (verified owner) –
Awesome
Jason smelser (verified owner) –
Highly recommended book! Full of knowledge and application! I couldn’t put it down. We use this system as our foundation for our strength programs for track and field and football!
Zarreff (verified owner) –
This single book distills much of the 1980’s Soviet research into a practical, usable, manual for American strength coaches. It is American Football centered (the American authors all come from American Football) but it easily translates to all other sports – hockey, soccer, basketball, baseball…and, of course, Olympic Weightlifting.
Edward S Morrisoin (verified owner) –
A great book that really turns traditional fitness and strength training methods their head.