by Christian Thibaudeau

The first book by Christian Thibaudeau and a classic strength training book. The Black Book includes informations that are applicable regardless of your goal, bodybuilders, athletes, powerlifters and health enthusiasts will all get something out of it. Read the book that started it all!

259 pages, 7.75 x 10, illustrated.


Chapter 1: Introduction

- About me
- What you’ll get from this book
- About the editor


Chapter 2: Keys to strength and size

- The two key variables to increasing strength and size
- The importance of maximal tension
- Total Time Under Tension
- The role of the nervous system in strength and power development


Chapter 3: Evaluation of needs

- Simple ways of determining an athlete’s muscle fiber type
- Evaluating the efficacy of the nervous system
- Finding flexibility problems via muscle testing
- Postural analysis


Chapter 4: Training methods

- A presentation and description of high force training methods
- Pros, cons, and “when-to” for all methods described
- How to plan the use of these methods in the training of an athlete


Chapter 5: Planning volume

- The proper rep and set relationships for muscle size
- The proper rep and set relationships for strength gains
- The proper rep and set relationships for power gains


NEW - CHAPTER 6: Acute training variables

- Training frequency per muscle group
- Total number of weekly sessions
- Intensity zone/number of reps per set
- Number of sets per muscle group
- Loading pattern for an exercise
- Tempo of an exercise
- Rest intervals
- Exercise selection


Chapter 7 Blocks of training

- Blocks of training: periodization for dummies
- Block training for athletes
- Block training for bodybuilders


Chapter 8: Planning intensity

- Selecting the proper intensity bracket for your goals
- Proper intensity for various types of exercises


Chapter 9: Training frequency

- Full recovery versus loading/unloading
- Ideal training splits for athletes
- Ideal training splits for bodybuilders
- How-to-make twice-a-day workouts work for you
- Ideal rest intervals


Chapter 10: Bodybuilding tips

- Short tips that you can use in any training program to increase muscle mass


Chapter 11: Examples of bodybuilding programs

- Optimized Volume Training
- Insider Contrast Training
- Bench press specialization program


Chapter 12: Example of a 12-weeks periodized football program

- Exercise descriptions for the movements involved in the football program
- Illustration of the agility drills included
- Actual training program


Chapter 13: Learning the Olympic lifts

- How to correct the most basic mistakes in the power clean
- A beginner’s Olympic lifting program


Chapter 14: Short topics

- Pre- and post-workout nutrition to maximize the training effect
- Posing to get lean and gain muscle control
- Post-tetanic potentiation
- Running for losing: 3 effective fat loss strategies
- Swinging into condition


NEW - CHAPTER 15 - More sample programs

- Beginner programs
- Intermediate programs
- Advanced programs