" It is said that the difference between where you are today and where you will be five years from now can be found in the quality of books you have read. I believe this is true for all areas of life, but perhaps it rings most true in the fields of athletic preparation and bodybuilding. When your progress as an athlete, coach or bodybuilder comes to a halt, the problem may manifest itself physically, but its roots are firmly intertwined with your level of knowledge. Simply put, the more you know the better you'll be.

As a writer and editor for a muscle magazine, I have the privilege of working with the best coaches and trainers in the business. I learn a little from each of them, and when I apply that knowledge I get better results from my time spent in the gym. It's like reading a good book: I pick up a little something to improve myself from every one I read. But sometimes I read a book that changes everything. More than just garnering a few interesting tidbits of information, these great books affect my entire outlook. If it's a training book, the results come in the form of new muscle, increased strength and improved performance. But those great books are rare. They just don't come along very often.