Looking for the best fitness books? I’ve got you covered.
The list below contains useful books on fitness and exercise to help you live a healthier life and achieve the body you desire.
Top 5 Fitness Books
1. Bigger Leaner Stronger by Mike Matthews
This fitness book aims to show you how to exercise and eat to lose as much fat as possible while gaining lean muscle.
By simplifying the process of muscle building and fat loss, Mike Matthews hopes to save you the grinding hours in the gym every day with punishing training workouts.
Written for guys, Bigger Leaner Stronger will help you achieve the muscular, lean, and strong body you desire.
What’s in it for you:
- The 10 biggest fitness mistakes and myths that keep you fat, weak, and confused
- How to grow bigger and stronger muscles by focusing on the primary driver of muscle growth
- How to create meal plans for losing fat and building muscle without feeling like you’re on a diet, starved, or deprived
2. Thinner Leaner Stronger by Mike Matthews
Written for women, this fitness book aims to teach you how to eat and exercise to lose pounds of fat while gaining attractive muscle definition and strength.
Mike Matthews claims that fat loss and muscle building aren’t as complicated as you’ve been led to believe.
So, in Thinner Leaner Stronger, he offers science-backed strategies for achieving the toned, lean, and strong body you desire.
What’s in it for you:
- How to build your desired body while eating foods you like and doing a few challenging workouts per week
- The 10 biggest myths and mistakes that keep you overweight, weak, and confused
- How to get fitter and stronger by focusing on the primary driver of muscle growth
- How to create meal plans you love, without feeling like you’re starved, deprived, or on a diet
3. Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe
One of the most helpful fitness books, Starting Strength presents a logical, simple, and practical approach to strength training.
The book offers detailed guidance on all aspects of basic barbell exercises, helping you develop strength, athletic performance, and long-term health.
You can use its simple biological principle of stress, recovery, and adaptation to improve your performance, appearance, and quality of life.
What’s in it for you:
- Explains why barbells are most effective for strength training
- Photos and illustrations of all lifts and the science behind them
- Detailed, easy-to-follow instructions for basic barbell exercises
- How to create an exercise program for long-term success
4. You Are Your Own Gym by Mark Lauren
Special Operations trainer Mark Lauren presents a simple, fast-results, do-anywhere program for getting into the best shape of your life.
Lauren shares the secret to his amazingly effective program to help you reach peak fitness and look your best.
The simple exercises in the book require only your own body weight to achieve remarkable results.
What’s in it for you:
- Expert training, motivation techniques, and nutrition advice to help you see rapid results by exercising just 30 minutes a day, four times a week
- How to gain healthy muscle, lose fat, develop balance and stability, and prevent injuries
5. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto
This fitness book aims to help you achieve long-term results in a safe, healthy, and natural way.
Tom Venturo offers a groundbreaking system to help you get stronger, leaner, fitter, and healthier using the latest exercise and nutrition science discoveries.
The book focuses on teaching you how to achieve your personal goals, whether it’s to lose weight or gain muscle.
What’s in it for you:
- Four vital elements for achieving your fitness goals
- A four-week training plan for gaining lean muscle
- A simple and easy-to-follow lifestyle program to fit your needs
- Motivation strategies to help you stick with your plan
Other Best Fitness Books
6. Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier
This fitness book gives you an inside look at how your body performs during a workout.
Combining detailed illustrations with expert training advice, Frederic Delavier shows you how workout positions affect muscle gain.
The book also provides training recommendations based on your body structure.
What’s in it for you:
- More than 700 illustrations of exercises, stretches, and exercise variations
- One of the most comprehensive strength training resources
7. Body by Science by John R. Little and Doug McGuff
This fitness book offers a groundbreaking once-a-week training program for building muscle easily and quickly.
Bodybuilding expert John Little and fitness medicine authority Dr. Doug McGuff join forces to present a science-backed formula for maximizing your muscle development in 12 minutes per week.
The authors recommend a weekly high-intensity program for increasing your metabolism, improving strength, and building muscle.
What’s in it for you:
- How to build fitness that improves your health without spending hours in the gym each week
8. Complete Calisthenics by Ashley Kalym
Complete Calisthenics is a vital guide if you’re interested in taking your workouts to the next level without machines, weights, and costly gym memberships.
The book will teach you to lose weight and build core strength using only your body weight.
It also offers instructions for optimal rest and recovery, enhanced muscle-building exercises, and several original recipes.
What’s in it for you:
- A comprehensive, easy-to-follow calisthenics guide
- Vital information on nutrition, workout preparation, simple props, and diverse training routines
- 500 instructional photos
- How to create physical endurance, agility, and power
9. Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley
In this fitness book, Dr. Henry Lodge and Chris Crowley team up to provide the science and motivation to help you grow fitter and younger.
They teach you how to enjoy the last third of your life by prioritizing exercise, diet, and emotional health.
What’s in it for you:
- How to eliminate about 70% of aging-related problems, injuries, and serious illnesses