Book suggestions for supplementary reading

[AlexanderEgebak]

Hi all.

I am about to study physical therapy next year after my law bachelor.

I have for a long time had an interest in exercise science, but Denmark does not have an education that matches that of exercise science so therefore I am starting physical therapy.

I wonder if any of you could come up with any books for supplementary supplementary reading? The curriculum I have to read will most likely feature a lot of anatomy so that is not a problem. But as for books on the topic of adaption to different types of exercise I lack I would believe.

My dream is to become a high level personal trainer to help different kind of people achieve their goals in sport, general strength training and general health.

Any ideas are welcome.

[Jim Pickles]

For general information (though not specifically on adaptation, if that is what you wanted), you could try Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology by Karen Clippinger. Lots of useful detailed information about how the body moves in there, and not just in relation to dance, but applies to all activities. A fantastic resource.

[AlexanderEgebak]

Cool, I will write it on my list.

[Frederik]

Hi Alexander,

Just out of curiosity: Where are you in Denmark? (I am in Odense myself.)

If you can absord some of the material and research that came out as a consequence of the research done in the old Eastern Block then you would definitely be on the right track. I am thinking of books by the likes of Kurz, Zatsiorsky and Verkhoshansky. Also Supertraining by Mel Siff / Verkhoshansky. They read like text books ... because they are. Dense works, but if you have studied law then density should not be too big of a problem. That said an intimate understanding of physiology and biology is probably very beneficial.

But, really just go to any decent library and begin your own research. If you have access to a university library there should be a large number of books on the subject.

I would like challenge the statement that an education in exercise science does not exist in Denmark, or at least invite you to explain further if you care to. There is an degree in Sports Science in at least four of the universities, granted they might not be all about exercise physiology.

Held og lykke.

Frederik

[AlexanderEgebak]

Hi Alexander,

Just out of curiosity: Where are you in Denmark? (I am in Odense myself.)

If you can absord some of the material and research that came out as a consequence of the research done in the old Eastern Block then you would definitely be on the right track. I am thinking of books by the likes of Kurz, Zatsiorsky and Verkhoshansky. Also Supertraining by Mel Siff / Verkhoshansky. They read like text books ... because they are. Dense works, but if you have studied law then density should not be too big of a problem. That said an intimate understanding of physiology and biology is probably very beneficial.

But, really just go to any decent library and begin your own research. If you have access to a university library there should be a large number of books on the subject.

I would like challenge the statement that an education in exercise science does not exist in Denmark, or at least invite you to explain further if you care to. There is an degree in Sports Science in at least four of the universities, granted they might not be all about exercise physiology.

Held og lykke.

Frederik

Hi Frederik.

 

Sorry for not replying to you.

 

It has been a long time since I have been online on the forums due to my password being lost. I recently discovered some old passwords while browsing my computer and logged in here again. I will be happy to answer your questions!

 

I currently live in Copenhagen where I attend Copenhagen University as a sports science student. I now see that my point about there being no exercise science educations in Denmark is a bit vague. Although there is a lot of practical sports education we are surely educated in anatomy, physiology and biomechanics as well, and during 2nd and 3rd year we are given the opportunity to specialize with courses like strength training periodization, muscle physiology etc. Arguably the majority of the education on the bachelor is structured towards being a teacher at a gymnasium or something similar, in fact about 50% go that route. However, a bachelor in sports science is, besides medicine, the only way to a candidate degree in human physiology; the candidate degree is literally the exercise science part of all the 5 years, expanding the topics from the bachelor.

 

I appreciate your tips regarding reading material. I was already recommended a copy of Verkhoshansky, so that one will I definitively pick up now!

 

Out of my own curiosity I have to ask you - what is your education?

 

Also, I would not mind a few more tips

 

Best regards/ bedste hilsner,

 

Alexander

[Kit_L]

Fred has a Master's degree in medicine.

 

Alexander, you will learn more from working with your own body than any amount of time spent with even great books, though the content of this learning will be different. The key material missing from all books can only be experienced, then embodied: it is not written down. This fact about the way the universe is organised is the greatest drawback to both science and the scientific method, when speaking about working with humans, and the experience of being human. I speak as someone who did fully-funded PhD research in this area for five years or so. What I found is why we do what we do presently; a poor attempt to rectify this deficit.

 

None of this is a counter-argument to Fred's recommendation of those books above; they are excellent, and we need both kinds of knowledge if we are to be effective.

[AlexanderEgebak]

Thank you Kit, and I do agree.

 

I value both theory and practice equally, because, as you say, both have their merits but also their limits in terms of how each are traditionally practiced.

 

I have learned a lot by practicing and helping people with strength training, and I have learned a lot by reading study material about neuroscience, physiology, biomechanics and anatomy.

 

Seems like the only way to understand the theory fully is to functionally apply it to my own training, however understanding the principles of practical strength training and fully optimizing strength training requires a basis of theory. At least it did for me.

 

And this is the journey I hope to embark on with stretching too. However, with a few exceptions (like the stretching book of yours), I find it hard to dust up quality information about stretching.

 

In connection to that I was hoping that you at some point would come to Denmark with one of your workshops?