Power to the People!: Russian Strength Training Secrets for Every American [Paperback]

The only good point about the book is that's it is fun to read; it's full of "smarties" of the like: if you think that technique is for sissies, I suggest you volunteer your opinion to the 300-pound temperamental Mr x (who uses the author's suggested technique), and see how much you live...

The last 30 pages - i.e. roughly 25% of the book - and many quotes within the rest of the text, invite the reader to buy other books by the same author. Well, no thanks, I ll pass.

On the back cover of the book you'll find the promise: "Increase your bench press by ten pounds overnight". I wouldn't advise you to try that. However, if you read this book you'll be able to achieve this in one week, and this is no little thing.

I will write here the ideas in this book, but it's good for you to read the book, because it provides a lot of motivation.
- when you lift, tense up al the muscles in your body. To the maximum. This way you'll be more stable, thus safe, and you'll be able to lift more.
-don't worm up, this is an unnecessary waste of energy; just go straight for a big weight. In real life when you have to use your power you aren't given the opportunity to worm up!
-do just five reps per set, two sets per muscle group, and two exercises in all, one for pull, one for push (I chose bench press, and deadlift).
-long breaks between sets, like 5 minutes.
-don't try to go for your maximum weight every day, once a week is enough; build up for this goal, every day a little more. This way you'll work with submaximal weight most of the time, and still gain strength.

This is it. All these ideas are developped into chapters. They will convince you that the system works.

Now about the week points of the book.

First: Pavel Tsatsouline promises that his system works with little modification for muscle gain. My training partner wants to gain muscle, and it doesn't work for him. Go for the classical pyramidal programs, and train to exhaustion. This is how all bodybuilders train, and they know how to best build muscle. Buy Arnold's Encyclopedia, and follow its line.

Second: Pavel advises you to lift slowly. I am not sure about that. You'll lift slowly because you lift huge weights, but I think you should try and lift as explosively as possible. However I don't have any credentials, so you should search on the internet some advice from powerlifters. I found very valuable advice for the deadlift. And by the way, the deadlift is a dangerous game, ask a more experienced lifter at your gym to observe your form for a while when you start. The fatal mistake to look for is a bent spine; the spine has to be always straight, or even a little arched up. Also pay attention to the knees.

Third: the book makes some scientific claims, but they are not supported by a bibliography, or any sort of references. Take these claims with a grain of salt; they are there just for motivation purposes.

Overall, this is an eye opening book. I would put it on my list of books that changed my life.