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BOOK REVIEW / CRITIQUE DE LIVRE
Science and practice of strength training. 2nd ed.
V.M. Zatsiorsky and W.J. Kramer. Human Kinetics,
Windsor, Ont. 2006. Hard cover, 249 pp. CA $68.50.
ISBN 100736056289.
Dr. Zarsiorsky was originally a strength and conditioning
consultant for the Soviet Union Olympic teams, and was
chosen to edit the Biomechanics text for the prestigious IOC
series of Sports Medicine monographs. He was sole author
of the first edition of the present book, written while visiting
Benno Nigg in Calgary. By partnering the second edition
with William Kraemer, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of
Strength and Conditioning Research, there is now a unique
combination of ideas from Eastern Europe (Russia, East
Germany, and Bulgaria) with American approaches to the
enhancement of muscle strength. It includes a proportion of
material previously published in Russian books and journals
that would not have been widely accessible to the Western
reader.
The text is written from the perspective of those who have
worked in both the laboratory and the coach’s office, al-
though more attention is paid to principles of training than
to specific regimented programmes. Topics covered include
the basic principles of training, task- and athletic-specific
strength, intensity and periodization of training, strengthen-
ing techniques, and injury prevention. The second edition
has been strengthened by the addition of chapters dealing
Received 30 June 2006. Accepted 30 June 2006. Published on the NRC Research Press Web site at http://apnm.nrc.ca on
7 February 2007.
Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 31: 154 (2007) doi:10.1139/H06-057
with the training of special populations (e.g., women and
young and aging athletes). I do not know all of the programs
that Dr. Zarsiorsky has directed in Eastern Europe, but per-
haps significantly this book makes no mention of continuing
issues such as the administration of anabolic steroids and
human growth hormone or gene doping.
The book has an underlay of current physiology and
biomechanics; however, in places there is a dogmatism that
may disturb the laboratory scientist (for example, a log cor-
relation of 0.63 between weight category and world weight-
lifting records (p. 55) is found to be close to the value
predicted from a theory based on the square of the contes-
tant’s stature (M0.666), thus “proving” the correctness of this
particular theory. The text concludes with a 7 page glossary
and a list of about 80 references. The primary intended read-
ers are athletes and practitioners of strength training, but the
material may find some application to introductory under-
graduate courses in strength training.
Roy J. Shephard
Faculty of Physical Education and Health and the
Department of Preventative Medicine and Biostatistics
Faculty of Medicine
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ont.
© 2007 NRC Canada