100 Best Exercise Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE

Phil Knight

5.0

In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.

In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and created a company with a simple mission: import high-q

Recommended by Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Andre Agassi, and 39 others.

Bill Gates

CEO/Microsoft

This memoir, by the co-founder of Nike, is a refreshingly honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like: messy, precarious, and riddled with mistakes. I’ve met Knight a few times over the years. He’s super nice, but he’s also quiet and difficult to get to know. Here Knight opens up in a way few CEOs are willing to do. I don’t think Knight sets out to teach the reader anything. Instead, he accomplishes something better. He tells his story as honestly as he can. It’s an amazing tale. [source]

Warren Buffett

CEO/Berkshire Hathaway

The best book I read last year. Phil is... a gifted storyteller. [source]

Andre Agassi

Founder/ College Preparatory Academy

I've known Phil Knight since I was a kid, but I didn't really know him until I opened this beautiful, startling, intimate book. And the same goes for Nike. I've worn the gear with pride, but I didn't realize the remarkable saga of innovation and survival and triumph that stood behind every swoosh. Candid, funny, suspenseful, literary - this is a memoir for people who love sport, but above all it's a memoir for people who love memoirs. [source]

2

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

Christopher McDougall

4.9

Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we tho

Recommended by Ed Stafford and Turia Pitt.

Ed Stafford

An honour to be asked to do an impromptu little talk tonight after #christophermcdougall. Great to see the big man in the flesh in the UK. #BornToRun was a book that definitely changed the path of my life. #legend @vivobarefoot #barefootrunning https://t.co/3QgVKZ0OQ4 [source]

Turia Pitt

If people are interested in running, I give them this book. [source]

3

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training

Mark Rippetoe

4.8

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training is the new expanded version of the book that has been called "the best and most useful of fitness books." It picks up where Starting Strength: A Simple and Practical Guide for Coaching Beginners leaves off. With all new graphics and more than 750 illustrations, a more detailed analysis of the five most important exercises in the weight room, and a new chap

4

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

John J. Ratey

4.8

Preview Summary

The authors embark upon a fascinating journey through the mind-body connection, showing how exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD, from addiction to Alzheimer's.

5

The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

Timothy Ferriss

4.6

Preview Summary

Thinner, bigger, faster, stronger... which 150 pages will you read?

Is it possible to:
Reach your genetic potential in 6 months?
Sleep 2 hours per day and perform better than on 8 hours?
Lose more fat than a marathoner by bingeing?

Indeed, and much more. This is not just another diet and fitness book.

The 4-Hour Body is the result of an obsessive quest, spanning more than a decade, to hack the huma

Recommended by Jon Favreau, Caterina Fake, Bryan Callen, and 3 others.

Jon Favreau

I’ve given this book to people. [source]

Bryan Callen

I probably have recommended The Art of Learning and The 4-Hour Body, I'm not kidding, more than any other books. [source]

Dr. Monali Y. Desai

I get most of my information about nutrition from medical studies. I haven’t read any books about nutrition that I agree with 100%. These are a few nutrition related books that I’ve read recently that I thought were interesting: Eat to Live (Joel Fuhrman), Why We Get Fat (Gary Taubes), and The 4-Hour Body (Tim Ferriss). [source]

6

Becoming a Supple Leopard

Kelly Starrett

4.6

LEARN HOW TO HACK HUMAN MOVEMENT

Join the movement that has reached millions of athletes and coaches; learn how to perform basic maintenance on your body, unlock your human potential, live pain free…and become a Supple Leopard.

Improve your athletic performance, extend your athletic career, treat body stiffness and achy joints, and rehabilitate injuries—all without having to seek out a coach, doct

7

Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body

Michael Matthews

4.6

Preview Summary

MICHAEL MATTHEWS' #1 BESTSELLING NATURAL BODYBUILDING BOOK WITH OVER 400,000 COPIES SOLD. If you want to build muscle, lose fat, and look great as quickly as possible without steroids, good genetics, or wasting ridiculous amounts of time in the gym and money on supplements ... regardless of your age ... then you want to read this book.

8

The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises: Four Weeks to a Leaner, Sexier, Healthier YOU!

Adam Campbell and Editors of Women's Health Maga

4.6

The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises is the essential workout guide for anyone who wants a better body. As the most comprehensive collection of exercises ever created, this makeover manual is a body-shaping power tool for both beginners and longtime fitness buffs alike. From start to finish, this 480-page makeover manual bulges with hundreds of useful tips, the latest findings in exercise scie

9

Strength Training Anatomy

Frederic Delavier

4.5

The third edition of Strength Training Anatomy offers the most compelling artwork ever applied to a strength training resource.

Packed with over 600 anatomical illustrations of muscles from each major muscle group, the updated edition features 48 additional pages, 12 new exercises, and 18 stretches.

10

Convict Conditioning: How to Bust Free of All Weakness Using the lost Secrets of Supreme Survival Strength

Paul Wade

4.5

How to Train As If Your VERY LIFE Depended on Your Degree of REAL Strength, Power and ToughnessMost physical training systems are designed for the domesticated human animal. That is to say, for us humans who live lives of such relative security that we cultivate our strength and power more out of pride and for a sense of accomplishment than out of an absolute need to survive in the wild. The profe

Recommended by Naval Ravikant.

11

You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible Of Bodyweight Exercises For Men And Women

Mark Lauren, Joshua Clark

4.4

Providing the only exercise equipment anyone will ever need again, this guide presents to the public, for the first time, the most elite Special Operations fitness exercises to fit their schedule and their wallet. Providing the most effective, efficient, inexpensive, and convenient routine for exercise available, this simple program requires no gym or weights—only the human body. For thousands of

12

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Haruki Murakami

4.4

An intimate look at writing, running, and the incredible way they intersect, from the incomparable, bestselling author Haruki Murakami.While simply training for New York City Marathon would be enough for most people, Haruki Murakami's decided to write about it as well. The result is a beautiful memoir about his intertwined obsessions with running and writing, full of vivid memories and insights, i

Recommended by Anant Jain and Brian Koppelman.

Anant Jain

On the non-business side of things, “What I Talk about When I Talk About Running” by Haruki Murakami is my recent favorite. I’m a long distance runner and I was extremely delighted to find out that one of the top fiction writers in the world draws a huge chunk of his inspiration from long distance running. In this book, Murakami beautifully connects running to writing, which are two skills close to me that I want to get better at. [source]

Brian Koppelman

The single best distillation of the kind of focus, commitment, and sense of mission it takes to become a great artist. [source]

13

The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can: Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer

Gretchen Reynolds

4.4

A cutting-edge prescription for exercise by the New York Times “Phys Ed” columnist

At one point or another, nearly every person who works out wonders: Am I doing this right? Which class is best? Do I work out enough? Answering those questions and more, The First 20 Minutes helps both weekend warriors dedicated to their performance and readers who simply want to get and stay fit gain the most from

Recommended by Dr. Martin Gibala.

Dr. Martin Gibala

Provided a really good example or set a bar for us in terms of trying to structure 'The One Minute Workout.' [source]

14

Practical Programming for Strength Training

Mark Rippetoe, Lon Kilgore

4.4

15

The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding: The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised

Arnold Schwarzenegger

4.4

From elite bodybuilding competitors to gymnasts, from golfers to fitness gurus, anyone who works out with weights must own this book—a book that only Arnold Schwarzenegger could write, a book that has earned its reputation as “the bible of bodybuilding.”

Inside, Arnold covers the very latest advances in both weight training and bodybuilding competition, with new sections on diet and nutrition, spor

16

Body by Science: A Research-Based Program for Strength Training, Body Building, and Complete Fitness in 12 Minutes a Week

John Little

4.3

Building muscle has never been faster or easier than with this revolutionary once-a-week training program

In Body By Science, bodybuilding powerhouse John Little teams up with fitness medicine expert Dr. Doug McGuff to present a scientifically proven formula for maximizing muscle development in just 12 minutes a week. Backed by rigorous research, the authors prescribe a weekly high-intensity progra

Recommended by Nassim Nicholas Taleb and Rob Leathern.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Author

I feel guilty for not having posted a review earlier: I owe a lot to this book. I figured out the value of intensity training and maximizing recovery. I use the ideas but with minor modifications (my own personal workout is entirely based on free weights and barbells, but I incur --and accept --a risk of injury). I have been applying the ideas for more than three years. Just get over the inhibitions (and illusions of control) and accept the idea of training less. Gratitude. [source]

Rob Leathern

@MikeIsaac Get this book. 12 mins a week... love it; it’s not the end-all but I’ve found these approaches better than regular gym https://t.co/s8KRF8luKs [source]

17

From Head to Toe Padded Board Book

Eric Carle

4.3

From Eric Carle, the New York Times bestselling creator of beloved books including The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Grouchy Ladybug, comes From Head to Toe, a colorful and energetic book that will have young readers clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and wiggling their toes!

Giraffes can bend their necks, monkeys can wave their hands, and donkeys can kick their legs. And so can you! Thro

18

5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength

Jim Wendle

4.3

Recommended by Mark Bell.

Mark Bell

Did a great job of presenting a condensed, simplified, but effective method for getting stronger. [source]

19

The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health, and Boundless Energy

Mark Sisson

4.3

Being healthy and fit has gone mainstream--millions sweat the calories away on the roads or in health clubs and scrutinize labels and menus trying to do the right thing to control weight, delay aging, and feel healthy, fit, and energetic. And it's simply not working. Rates of obesity, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and cancer continue to climb, and even the most committed fitness enthusiasts

Recommended by Gary Taubes.

Gary Taubes

Author

Mark Sisson has got 10 basic ideas, including everything from avoiding the poisons in your diet to getting enough sunlight and play. [source]

20

Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness

Scott Jurek

4.3

For nearly two decades, Scott Jurek has been a dominant force—and darling—in the grueling and growing sport of ultrarunning. Until recently he held the American 24-hour record and he was one of the elite runners profiled in the runaway bestseller Born to Run.

In Eat and Run, Jurek opens up about his life and career as a champion athlete with a plant-based diet and inspires runners at every level. F

21

Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy

Bret Contreras

4.3

Increase strength, build mass, burn fat, and define your muscles. With full-color anatomical illustrations, step-by-step instructions, and training advice, Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy is the authoritative resource for sculpting your physique without free weights, machines, or expensive equipment.

Targeting all muscle zones and primary muscle regions--arms, chest, shoulders, back, core, thi

22

Autobiography of a Yogi

Yogananda Paramahansa

4.3

Preview Summary

Autobiography of a Yogi is one of the best-selling spiritual biographies of all time. The book is not merely read it is treasured and cherished by millions of spiritual seekers throughout the world.

Recommended by Steve Jobs, Marc Benioff, Dan Engle, and 2 others.

Steve Jobs

Founder/Apple

One book in particular stayed with Jobs his entire life, and Isaacson noted that it was the only book Jobs had downloaded on his iPad 2: “Autobiography of a Yogi,” “the guide to meditation and spirituality that he had first read as a teenager,” Isaacson writes, “then re-read in India and had read once a year ever since.” [source]

Marc Benioff

CEO/Salesforce

If you haven't read it, and if you want to understand Steve Jobs, it's a goood idea to dip into this book. [source]

Dan Engle

One of the more impactful books for me when I was living down in the jungle and experiencing more of the deeper reflections through the medicine space. [source]

23

Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner

Dean Karnazes

4.3

In one of his most ambitious physical efforts to date, Dean Karnazes attempted to run 50 marathons, in 50 states, in 50 days to raise awareness of youth obesity and urge Americans of all fitness levels to "take that next step.""UltraMarathon Man: 50 Marathons - 50 States - 50 Days", a Journeyfilm documentary, follows Dean's incredible step-by-step journey across the country.

Ultrarunning legend Dea

24

Stretching

Bob Anderson

4.3

The book Stretching was first published in 1975 when fitness awareness was in its infancy. Stretching has since sold over two million copies in the USA and has been published in 24 foreign editions worldwide. Now after twenty-one years and with many other books on the market, it has become the most widely-used and recommended book on stretching and its popularity continues to grow each year. The r

25

Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body

Michael Matthews

4.3

MICHAEL MATTHEWS' #1 BESTSELLING WOMEN'S FITNESS BOOK WITH OVER 250,000 COPIES SOLD. If you want to be toned, lean, and strong as quickly as possible without crash dieting, "good genetics," or wasting ridiculous amounts of time in the gym and money on pills and powders...regardless of your age... then you want to read this book.

26

The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess

Lou Schuler, Cassandra Forsythe, Alwyn Cosgrove

4.3

Finally, a weight-training book that doesnt treat women like weaklings. This book is for the woman whos ready to throw down the Barbie weights and start a strength and conditioning program that will give her the body she wants. Illustrated.

27

Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance

Alex Hutchinson

4.2

From the National Magazine Award-winning Runner’s World columnist, frequent New Yorker online contributor, and Cambridge-trained physicist: a fascinating and definitive exploration of the extraordinary science of human endurance and the secrets of human performance, for fans of The Sports Gene, Born to Run, and Grit.

From running a two-hour marathon to summiting Mount Everest, we’re fascinated by t

Recommended by Malcolm Gladwell, Bear Grylls, Adam Grant, and 2 others.

Malcolm Gladwell

Writer & Journalist

This book is AMAZING! [source]

Bear Grylls

Adventurer, author, survival instructor

If you want to gain insight into the mind of great athletes, adventurers, and peak performers then prepare to be enthralled by Alex Hutchinson’s Endure. [source]

Adam Grant

Reveals how we can all surpass our perceived physical limits. [source]

28

The Men's Health Big Book of Exercises: Four Weeks to a Leaner, Stronger, More Muscular You!

Adam Campbell and Editors of Men's Health Magazi

4.2

Revised edition includes 100 new exercises!

The Men’s Health Big Book of Exercises is the essential workout guide for anyone who wants a better body. As the most comprehensive collection of exercises ever created, this book is a body-shaping power tool for both beginners and long-time lifters alike. This book contains hundreds of useful tips, the latest findings in exercise science, and cutting-edg

29

Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?: Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise

Alex Hutchinson

4.2

In Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights? Alex Hutchinson, a physicist, award-winning journalist, and contributing editor of Popular Mechanics magazine, reveals the little-known and often surprising truths that science has uncovered about exercise. A book that ranges from cardio and weights to competition and weight loss, here are fascinating facts and practical tips for fitness buffs, competitive

Recommended by Dr. Martin Gibala.

Dr. Martin Gibala

I think there’s a gift there in terms of boiling this complex science down into compelling narratives that people can read and understand. [source]

30

Body For Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength

Bill Phillips, Michael D'Orso

4.2

Mention the name Bill Phillips to any of the people he's helped transform and you will see their faces light up with appreciation and respect. These people include:

Hundreds of thousands of men and women who read his magazine for guidance and straightforward information about exercise, nutrition, and living with strength.

Elite professional athletes, among them John Elway, Karl Malone, Mike Piazza,

31

Kettlebell Simple & Sinister: Revised and Updated Edition

Pavel Tsatsouline

4.2

Six years after the publication of the original S&S, people are still getting great results from the program and the book has never left the Amazon weight training best-seller list. So why another edition? Pavel answers with a quote from a novel: You know our motto: "We never let well enough alone."

This is Kettlebell Simple & Sinister: Revised & Updated Edition or simply S&S 2.0.

Learn how to use

32

Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection

A. J. Jacobs

4.2

New York Times bestselling author and king of “immersion journalism” A.J. Jacobs tackles his most challenging experiment yet: a yearlong mission to radically improve every element of his body and mind—from his brain to his fingertips to his abs.

From the bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically and The Know-It-All comes the true and truly hilarious story of one person’s quest to become t

33

Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet

Jesse Itzler

4.2

Entrepreneur Jesse Itzler chronicles his month of living and extreme fitness training with a Navy SEAL in the New York Times and #1 LA Times bestseller LIVING WITH A SEAL, now with two bonus chapters.
Entrepreneur Jesse Itzler will try almost anything. His life is about being bold and risky. So when Jesse felt himself drifting on autopilot, he hired a rather unconventional trainer to live with him

Recommended by Marc Andreessen, Cory Booker, and Chris Goward.

Marc Andreessen

Co-Founder/Andreessen Horowitz

What's it like to train with a Navy SEAL in winter in New York for a whole month? Featuring the truly remarkable American hero David Goggins. [source]

Cory Booker

If you are a workout guy, it reminds you of things you already know. That you can push your body and yourself far further than you think. [source]

Chris Goward

In the non-business category recently, I found Living with a SEAL by Jesse Itzler to be both entertaining and inspiring. It summarizes a month he spent with the former Navy Seal, David Goggins, living in his home. [source]

34

100 No-Equipment Workouts Vol. 1: Fitness Routines You Can Do Anywhere, Any Time

Neila Rey

4.2

Hundreds of thousands of people all over the world use Darebee bodyweight, no-equipment workouts to exercise at home.

The 100 Workouts Book is for everyone who wants to stay active, get fit, build muscle tone and/or shed extra weight in the home environment without acquiring any extra equipment. Be in complete control of your fitness. No more worrying about the right equipment, the right attire, f

35

The Champion's Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive

Jim Afremow, Jim Craig

4.2

Even among the most elite performers, certain athletes stand out as a cut above the rest, able to outperform in clutch, game-deciding moments. These athletes prove that raw athletic ability doesn't necessarily translate to a superior on-field experience its the mental game that matters most.

Sports participation-from the recreational to the collegiate Division I level-is at an all-time high. While

Recommended by Bill Cole and Katrín Davíðsdóttir.

Bill Cole

He talks about greatness, and how to learn it from other people: to look around your sport world, the coaches and athletes at every level, Olympic, pro, national, local, and notice what you like or admire in those people. He says, if you can notice some of these elements, that must mean you have some of those elements in yourself, that you could develop. That’s a big message he sends. [source]

Katrín Davíðsdóttir

It got me focusing on giving my absolute best in any given situation without the pressure of constantly stacking myself up to others. [source]

36

Light on Yoga

B. K. S. Iyengar

4.2

Light on Yoga has become the bible for hundreds of thousands of people who practice Yoga daily with the Iyengar method, for exercise, meditation, or simply relaxation. With more than 600 photographs depicting all the postures and breathing exercises, it remains the fullest, most practical, and most profusely illustrated guide by the world's foremost yoga teacher. Light on Yoga is a comprehensive a

37

Yoga Anatomy: Your Illustrated Guide to Postures, Movements, and Breathing Techniques

Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews

4.2

The best-selling anatomy guide for yoga is now updated, expanded, and better than ever!

With more asanas, vinyasas, full-color anatomical illustrations, and in-depth information, the second edition of "Yoga" "Anatomy" provides you with a deeper understanding of the structures and principles underlying each movement and of yoga itself.

From breathing to inversions to standing poses, see how specific

38

The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet

Robb Wolf, Loren Cordain

4.2

Do you want to lose fat and stay young, all while avoiding cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and a host of other illnesses? The Paleo Solution incorporates the latest, cutting edge research from genetics, biochemistry and anthropology to help you look, feel and perform your best. Written by Robb Wolf, a research biochemist who traded in his lab coat and pocket protector for

Recommended by Rick Rubin.

Rick Rubin

I continue to give it to friends because it really helped me know what was healthy to eat and how our bodies process different foods. [source]

39

The Simple Six: The Easy Way to Get in Shape and Stay in Shape for the Rest of your Life

Clinton Dobbins

4.2

40

The Naked Warrior: Master the Secrets of the Super-Strong - Using Bodyweight Exercises Only

Pavel Tsatsouline

4.2

Have you noticed-the greater a man's skill, the more he achieves with less? And the skill of strength is no exception. From the ancient days of Greek wrestling, to the jealously guarded secrets of Chinese Kung Fu masters, to the hard men of modern spec ops, warriors and allied strongmen have developed an amazing array of skills for generating inhuman strength.But these skills have been scattered f

41

Overcoming Gravity: A Systematic Approach to Gymnastics and Bodyweight Strength

Steven Low, Valentin Uzunov

4.2

A lost friend, a new love, and a town full of secrets... One night in the town of Hell, Ariel's best friend goes missing. Those around her believe Jenna ran away, but when Ariel is tormented by nightmares and paranormal activity, she realizes Jenna's disappearance was part of a bigger mystery. Ariel's obsession with haunted houses and horror movies makes her the perfect detective.

But to complicat

42

The Pilates Body: The Ultimate At-Home Guide to Strengthening, Lengthening and Toning Your Body- Without Machines

Brooke Siler

4.2

The Pilates® method may be today's hottest exercise, but it has been endorsed by physicians for almost a century. Originally developed by Joseph H. Pilates to help strengthen and condition muscles, Pilates is the ultimate mind-body exercise for anyone who wants to tone, streamline, and realign their body without the bulked-up results of more conventional workout methods.

Now, in The Pilates® Body,

43

ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running

Danny Dreyer and Katherine Dreyer

4.2

A groundbreaking program that teaches you how to run faster and farther with less effort, and prevent and heal injuries, for runners of any age or fitness level.

In ChiRunning, Danny and Katherine Dreyer, well-known walking and running coaches, provide powerful insight that transforms running from a high-injury sport to a body-friendly, injury-free fitness phenomenon. ChiRunning employs the deep po

44

Complete Calisthenics - The Ultimate Guide To Bodyweight Exercise

Ashley Kalym, Chris Frosin, Mike Seymour

4.2

COMPLETE CALISTHENICS - The Ultimate Guide To Bodyweight Exercise. This book shows you how to build strength, power, athleticism, and astounding physical ability using only your bodyweight as the resistance. Relying on virtually no equipment, this book promises to be the most comprehensive and detailed bodyweight exercise manual on the market today. Learn how to perform many different types of pus

45

The Strength Training Anatomy Workout II: Building Strength and Power with Free Weights and Machines

Frederic Delavier, Michael Gundill

4.2

The anatomy of strength, size, and definition!

Over 1 million readers have turned to Strength Training Anatomy for the most effective exercises in strength training. Now put those exercises to work for you with The Strength Training Anatomy Workout, Volume II.

Over 500 full-color photos and 485 full-color illustrations allow you to go inside 60 exercises, 19 stretches, and 9 programmed workouts to s

46

Good Night Yoga: A Pose-by-Pose Bedtime Story

Mariam Gates

4.2

For kids in early to middle childhood and the lucky people who have to get them to bed Good Night Yoga is both a bedtime story and a series of simple poses for following the natural world as it comes to rest at day's end. Created by the founder of the celebrated Kid Power Yoga program. The birds are flying back now To their homes in the trees. The ladybugs settle softly, Between the butterflies an

47

You Are a Lion! And Other Fun Yoga Poses

Taeeun Yoo

4.2

With simple instructions and bright, clear illustrations, award-winning artist Yoo invites children to enjoy yoga by assuming playful animal poses. And she sparks their imagination further by encouraging them to pretend to be the animal. Full color.

48

The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances

The Oatmeal, Matthew Inman

4.1

"All runners wonder, at some point or another, why we do what we do. Mr. Inman's explanation is the best I've ever seen. And the funniest. Because he is clinically insane."
-Mark Remy, editor at large, Runner's World, author of The Runner's Rule Book

"He runs. He sweats. He heaves. He hates it. He loves it. He runs so hard his toenails fall off. He asks himself, why? Why do I do this? Here, gorgeous

49

Every Body Yoga: Let Go of Fear. Get On the Mat. Love Your Body

Jessamyn Stanley

4.1

From the unforgettable teacher Jessamyn Stanley comes Every Body Yoga, a book that breaks all the stereotypes.

It’s a book of inspiration for beginners of all shapes and sizes: If Jessamyn could transcend these emotional and physical barriers, so can we.

It’s a book for readers already doing yoga, looking to refresh their practice or find new ways to stay motivated.

It’s a how-to book: Here are easy-

50

Delavier's Stretching Anatomy

Frederic Delavier, Jean-Pierre Clemenceau, Michael Gundill

4.1

Get an inside view of the muscles in action during every stretch you perform!

"Delavier's Stretching Anatomy" is your guide for increasing flexibility, improving range of motion, toning muscles, and relieving pain and discomfort. The very best stretches for shoulders, chest, arms, torso, back, hips, and legs are all here, and all in the stunning detail that only Frederic Delavier can provide.

With o

51

The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence

Josh Waitzkin

4.1

Preview Summary

Josh Waitzkin knows what it means to be at the top of his game. A public figure since winning his first National Chess Championship at the age of nine, Waitzkin was catapulted into a media whirlwind as a teenager when his father's book "Searching for Bobby Fischer" was made into a major motion picture. After dominating the scholastic chess world for ten years, Waitzkin expanded his horizons, takin

Recommended by Bryan Callen, Chris Oliver, Dave Elitch, and 4 others.

Bryan Callen

I probably have recommended The Art of Learning and The 4-Hour Body, I'm not kidding, more than any other books. [source]

Chris Oliver

The Art of Learning as well is phenomenal. You're always learning new things in programming and startups so being good at learning is a crucial skill to have. [source]

Dave Elitch

I tell everyone I teach to get this book. [source]

52

Breathe Like a Bear: 30 Mindful Moments for Kids to Feel Calm and Focused Anytime, Anywhere

Kira Willey

4.1

Breathe Like a Bear is a beautifully illustrated collection of mindfulness exercises designed to teach kids techniques for managing their bodies, breath, and emotions. Best of all, these 30 simple, short breathing practices and movements can be performed anytime, anywhere: in the car to the grocery store, during heavy homework nights at home, or even at a child’s desk at school. Based on Kira Will

53

Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training

Bret Contreras

4.1

WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST SELLER

IMPROVE YOUR PHYSIQUE, BUILD LEAN MUSCLE, AND INCREASE STRENGTH

For more than twenty years, Bret “the Glute Guy” Contreras has been on a quest to improve human performance, focusing his research on the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the human body. What started as an effort to improve his own weak, flat backside quickly evolved when he discovered the wide ran

54

Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It

Gary Taubes

4.1

An eye-opening, myth-shattering examination of what makes us fat, from acclaimed science writer Gary Taubes.

In his New York Times best seller, Good Calories, Bad Calories, Taubes argued that our diet’s overemphasis on certain kinds of carbohydrates—not fats and not simply excess calories—has led directly to the obesity epidemic we face today. The result of thorough research, keen insight, and unas

Recommended by Dr. Monali Y. Desai.

Dr. Monali Y. Desai

I get most of my information about nutrition from medical studies. I haven’t read any books about nutrition that I agree with 100%. These are a few nutrition related books that I’ve read recently that I thought were interesting: Eat to Live (Joel Fuhrman), Why We Get Fat (Gary Taubes), and The 4-Hour Body (Tim Ferris). [source]

55

Runner's World Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary 3-Run-a-Week Training Program

Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, et al.

4.1

The Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (known as FIRST) is dedicated to make running more accessible and limit overtraining and burnout while producing faster race times. FIRST is one of the foremost experts in the world on the science of running; its authority is unmatched and the promise of training less and accomplishing more has made the first two editions of Run Less, Run Fas

56

Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder

Arnold Schwarzenegger

4.1

Five-time Mr. Universe, seven-time Mr. Olympia, and Mr. World, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the name in bodybuilding. Here is his classic bestselling autobiography, which explains how the “Austrian Oak” came to the sport of bodybuilding and aspired to be the star he has become.

I still remember that first visit to the bodybuilding gym. I had never seen anyone lifting weights before. Those guys were hug

57

The Strength Training Anatomy Workout

Frederic Delavier, Michael Gundill

4.1

Over one million readers have turned to "Strength Training Anatomy" for strength training's most effective exercises. Now put those exercises to work for you with "The Strength Training Anatomy Workout."

"The Strength Training Anatomy Workout "is your guide to creating the body and the results you want. Strengthen arms and legs; increase muscle mass; sculpt chest, back, and core; firm glutes; incre

58

Anatomy of Exercise: A Trainer's Inside Guide to Your Workout

Pat Manocchia

4.1

Anatomy of Exercise is revolutionary for its insights into how different muscles of the body actually work during exercise. The book is organized by body area and shows common sequences in the progression of a typical workout. Lifelike anatomical illustrations demonstrate each exercise and reveal in colorful detail exactly which muscles are engaged, which are being conditioned and how those muscle

59

Running Like a Girl

Alexandra Heminsley

4.1

In her twenties, Alexandra Heminsley spent more time at the bar than she did in pursuit of athletic excellence. When she decided to take up running in her thirties, she had grand hopes for a blissful runner’s high and immediate physical transformation. After eating three slices of toast with honey and spending ninety minutes on iTunes creating the perfect playlist, she hit the streets—and failed m

60

Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself

Rich Roll

4.1

Finding Ultra is Rich Roll’s incredible-but-true account of achieving one of the most awe-inspiring midlife physical transformations ever.

One cool evening in October 2006, the night before he was to turn forty, Rich experienced a chilling glimpse of his future. Nearly fifty pounds overweight at the time and unable to climb the stairs without stopping, he could see where his current sedentary life

61

Strong Curves: A Woman's Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body

Bret Contreras MS CSCS, Kellie Davis

4.1

This is not your run-of-the-mill fitness book. Developed by world-renowned gluteal expert Bret Contreras, Strong Curves offers an extensive fitness and nutrition guide for women seeking to improve their physique, function, strength, and mobility.

Contreras spent the last eighteen years researching and field-testing the best methods for building better butts and shapelier bodies. In Strong Curves, h

62

Convict Conditioning 2: Advanced Prison Training Tactics for Muscle Gain, Fat Loss, and Bulletproof Joints

Paul Wad

4.1

63

Ready to Run: Unlocking Your Potential to Run Naturally

Kelly Starrett

4.1

Are You Ready to Run?

Is there a bridge from the injury-ridden world of the modern runner to the promised land that barefoot running and Born to Run have led us to believe exists? Can we really live the running life free from injury? Is there an approach designed to unlock all the athletic potential that may be hidden within? Can we run faster, longer, and more efficiently?

In a direct answer to the

64

The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer

David Whitsett, Forrest Dolgener, Tanjala Kole

4.1

Athlete. Runner. Marathoner. Are these words you wouldn't exactly use to describe yourself? Do you consider yourself too old or too out of shape to run a marathon? But somewhere deep inside have you always admired the people who could reach down and come up with the mental and physical strength to complete such a daunting and rewarding accomplishment? It doesn't have to be somebody else crossing t

65

Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence

Gary Mack

4.1

Drawing on his work with some of the top teams in professional sports, noted sport psychology consultant Gary Mack shares with you the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." These 40 accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes will help you gain the "head edge" over the competition.

Recommended by Michael Gervais.

Michael Gervais

One of the books I often give away is Mind Gym by Gary Mack. It’s a very mechanical, easy, lots-of-white-space-on-the-page book. And it’s one of my favourites, a very applied synopsis of mental skills from a sport and performance psychology standpoint. [source]

66

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Sri Swami Satchidananda

4.1

This valuable book provides a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja Yoga, the path of concentration and meditation. This new edition of these timeless teachings is a treasure to be read and referred to again and again by seekers treading the spiritual path. The classic Sutras (thought-threads), at least four thousand years old, cover the yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and phys

67

The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice

T. K. V. Desikachar

4.1

The first yoga text to outline a step-by-step sequence for developing a complete practice according to viniyoga--yoga adapted to the needs of the individual.

• A contemporary classic by a world-renowned teacher.

• This new edition adds thirty-two poems by Krishnamacharya that capture the essence of his teachings.

Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who lived to be over 100 years old, was one of the gre

68

The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance

Jeff S. Volek and Stephen D. Phinney

4.1

A Revolutionary Program to Extend Your Physical and Mental Performance Envelope.

Our recent book 'The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living' was written for health care professionals, championing the benefits of carbohydrate restriction to manage insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type-2 diabetes.

In response, our athlete friends asked "What about us?"

This companion book is our answer,

69

Daniel's Running Formula

Jack Tupper Daniels

4.1

Get in the best shape of your running career with the help of Daniels’ Running Formula, the book that Runner’s World magazine calls the best training book. Premier running coach Jack Daniels provides you with his legendary VDOT formula to guide you through training at exactly the right intensity to run stronger, longer, and faster.

Choose a program to get in shape, target a race program, or regain

70

Lore of Running

Timothy Noakes

4.1

Lore of Running gives you incomparable detail on physiology, training, racing, injuries, world-class athletes, and races.

Author Tim Noakes blends the expertise of a physician and research scientist with the passion of a dedicated runner to answer the most pressing questions for those who are serious about the sport:

-How your body systems respond to training, the effects of different training metho

71

Inner Engineering: A Yogi's Guide to Joy

Sadhguru

4.1

Preview Summary

Achieve absolute well-being with the classical science of yoga

The practice of what is commonly known as hatha yoga is but one of eight branches of the body of knowledge that is yoga. Yoga is a sophisticated system of self-empowerment that is capable of harnessing and activating inner energies in such a way that your body and mind function at their optimal capacity. It is a means to create inner si

72

The Oxygen Advantage: Simple, Scientifically Proven Breathing Techniques to Help You Become Healthier, Slimmer, Faster, and Fitter

Patrick McKeown

4.0

Preview Summary

A simple yet revolutionary approach to improving your body’s oxygen use, increasing your health, weight loss, and sports performance—whether you’re a recovering couch potato or an Ironman triathlon champion. With a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Dr. Joseph Mercola.

Achieve more with less effort: The secret to weight loss, fitness, and wellness lies in the most basic and most overlook

Recommended by David Allen.

David Allen

Author

I had no idea how critical it is to do nasal breathing instead of mouth breathing. It is amazing stuff. [source]

73

Enter the Kettlebell!: Strength Secret of the Soviet Supermen

Pavel Tsatsouline

4.0

With Enter the Kettlebell! Pavel delivers a significant upgrade to his original landmark work, The Russian Kettlebell Challenge. Drawing on five years of developing and leading the world's first and premiere kettlebell instructor certification program, and after spending five years of additional research into what really works for dramatic results with the kettlebell-we have Enter the Kettlebell!P

74

The Yamas Niyamas: Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice

Deborah Adele

4.0

The first two limbs of the eight-fold path of yoga sutras—the basic text for classical yoga—are examined in this spiritual guide to the practice of yoga. Foundational to all yogic thought, they are considered to be the guidelines to the yoga way of living that free individuals to take ownership of their lives, direct them toward the fulfillment they seek, and gain the skills to choose attitude, th

75

Intervention, Course Corrections for the Athlete and Trainer

Dan John, Thomas Plummer

4.0

76

The Roll Model: A Step-by-Step Guide to Erase Pain, Improve Mobility, and Live Better in Your Body

Jill Miller, Kelly Starrett

4.0

LIVE BETTER IN YOUR BODY.

Pain is an epidemic. It prevents you from performing at your best because it robs you of concentration, power, and peace of mind. But most pain is preventable and treatable, and healing is within your grasp. Hundreds of thousands of people around the globe have taken life “by the balls” and circumvented a dismal future of painkillers, surgeries, and hopelessness by using J

77

Stretching to Stay Young: Simple Workouts to Keep You Flexible, Energized, and Pain Free

Jessica Matthews

4.0

Discover how the practice of stretching can increase your flexibility, strengthen your body, and renew your youth with Stretching to Stay Young.

As we age, our bodies move less and less. And the less we move, the tighter our muscles and joints become. But this isn't our natural state--in fact, our bodies were designed for movement.

Stretching is a gentle, simple activity that anyone can do. Doctors

78

Beyond Training: Mastering Endurance, Health Life

Ben Greenfield

4.0

Whether you're an extreme exercise enthusiast or you're just looking to shed a few pounds, this is the last book on training, endurance, health, and life you will ever need.

In this book you will learn:

• The 2 best ways to build fitness fast without destroying your body
• Underground training tactics for maximizing workout efficiency
• The best biohacks for enhancing mental performance and entering t

79

Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method For Stopping Chronic Pain

Pete Egoscue

4.0

Pete Egoscue learned a lot about pain when, as a Marine officer, he was wounded in Vietnam. He segued from patient to physical therapist, and now runs a famous clinic in San Diego, where he claims he's helped 95 percent of his patients cure chronic pain--including Jack Nicklaus and Charles Barkley, whose athletic careers he helped prolong. At the heart of his program are stretches and motion exerc

Recommended by Tony Robbins and Anthony Robbins.

80

Ten Golden Exercises: (As chosen by a 20 year Physical Therapist)

Daniel Philpot

4.0

81

The Book of Five Rings

Miyamoto Musashi

4.0

Preview Summary

Written over three centuries ago by a Samurai warrior, the book has been hailed as a limitless source of psychological insight for businessmen-or anyone who relies on strategy and tactics for outwitting the competition.

Recommended by Steve Blank, Ryan Holiday, Bill Liao, and 2 others.

Ryan Holiday

Author

Widely held as a classic, this book is much more than a manifesto and manual on swordsmanship and martial arts. It’s about the mindset, the discipline, and the perception necessary to win in life or death situations. As a swordsman, Musashi fought mostly by himself, for himself. His wisdom, therefore, is mostly internal. He tells you how to out-think and out-move your enemies. He tells you how to fend for yourself and live by a code. And isn’t that precisely what so many of us need help with every day? [source]

Bill Liao

The human world occurs in language so best get good at it! [source]

Stephane Grand

I do not believe there are business and non-business books. Business is life, you do business like the man or woman you excavate from the person you are told you are. Hence, the most potent business books are not about business, in my opinion. What makes a great business book is that it is a book that helps you find a better version of yourself. Therefore, I would say that my favorite business book is Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings. It is an amazing inwards look at how to win battles. [source]

82

The New Rules of Lifting for Abs: A Myth-Busting Fitness Plan for Men and Women Who Want a Strong Core and a Pain- Free Back

Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove

4.0

A strong, athletic physique, highlighted by a flat midsection with well-defined abdominal muscles, is the goal of everyone who works out, from lifelong gym rats to the New Year's resolution crowd. But most people who seek these goals undermine their efforts. In The New Rules of Lifting for Abs, Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove offer unique programs based on the latest breakthroughs in exercise scien

83

Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.: Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes

Shalane Flanagan

4.0

Cook the recipes that Shalane Flanagan ate while training for her 2017 TCS New York City Marathon historic win!

The New York Times bestseller Run Fast. Eat Slow. taught runners of all ages that healthy food could be both indulgent and incredibly nourishing. Now, Olympian Shalane Flanagan and chef Elyse Kopecky are back with a cookbook that’s full of recipes that are fast and easy without sacrificin

84

Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory

Deena Kastor and Michelle Hamilton

4.0

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

NOW WITH A NEW WORKBOOK

Deena Kastor was a star youth runner with tremendous promise, yet her career almost ended after college, when her competitive method--run as hard as possible, for fear of losing--fostered a frustration and negativity and brought her to the brink of burnout. On the verge of quitting, she took a chance and moved to the high altitudes of Alamosa, Colora

85

Spunky Little Monkey

Bill Martin Jr., Michael Sampson, Brian Won

4.0

Sleepy little monkey won't get out of bed.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said:
"Apple Juice, Orange Juice, Gooseberry Pies --
Monkey needs some exercise!"

Sleepy little monkeys everywhere will clap, stomp, shake, and cheer -- while chanting this rhythmic, energetic dance song based on a popular playground game. And as they move their heads, hands, hips, and feet -- everyone will be bursting w

86

Relentless: The Ultimate Mind & Body Challenge

Tim S. Grover

4.0

Preview Summary

For more than two decades, legendary trainer Tim Grover has taken the greats—Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and dozens more—and made them greater. Now, for the first time in paperback, he reveals what it takes to get those results, showing you how to be relentless and achieve whatever you desire.

Fore more than two decades, legendary trainer Tim Grover has taken the greats—Michael Jordan

Recommended by Ryan Switzer.

Ryan Switzer

Never forget my FR year at Carolina, @CoachFedora handed me the book “Relentless” by Tim Grover. Inside look on the mindset that drove Dwade, MJ, KOBE. Gave me an idea of what it was going to take to live my dream. Relentless became my favorite word. My passion. My everything. [source]

87

Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual

Jocko Willink

4.0

The instant New York Times bestseller!

FIND YOUR WILL, FIND YOUR DISCIPLINE--AND YOU WILL FIND YOUR FREEDOM

Jocko Willink's methods for success were born in the SEAL Teams, where he spent most of his adult life, enlisting after high school and rising through the ranks to become the commander of the most highly decorated special operations unit of the war in Iraq. In Discipline Equals Freedom, the #1

Recommended by Timothy Ferriss.

Timothy Ferriss

Author & Entrepreneur

Trust me, it’s fantastic. [source]

88

Encyclopedia of Exercise Anatomy

Hollis Liebman

4.0

"This useful title, which will also work well as a circulating item, presents that something extra for fitness enthusiasts who want to become serious about their conditioning." -- Library Journal (starred review)

The revolutionary series Anatomy of Exercise includes eight specialized titles that followed the first title, Anatomy of Exercise, each focusing on a specific sport or exercise program. S

89

Yoga for Everyone: 50 Poses for Every Type of Body

Dianne Bondy

4.0

Yoga is for every body, including yours!

For years, yoga books have asked readers to bend over backward (literally!) to conform to their physical demands. It's time for the opposite--for readers to demand that yoga conform to their individual needs. It's time for a yoga book to reflect the broader population that would benefit from a yoga practice geared toward them. It's time for Yoga for Everyone

90

Listening to My Body

Gabi Garcia

4.0

Listening to My Body is an engaging and interactive picture book that introduces children to the practice of paying attention to their bodies. Through a combination of story and simple experiential activities, it guides them through the process of noticing and naming their feelings and the sensations that accompany them, while helping them build on their capacity to engage more mindfully, self-reg

91

A Life Without Limits: A World Champion's Journey

Chrissie Wellington

4.0

In 2007, Chrissie Wellington shocked the triathlon world by winning the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. As a newcomer to the sport and a complete unknown to the press, Chrissie's win shook up the sport. A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS is the story of her rise to the top, a journey that has taken her around the world, from a childhood in England, to the mountains of Nepal, to the oceans of New Zealand

92

I Am Yoga

Susan Verde, Peter H. Reynolds

4.0

The companion to the instant #1 New York Times bestseller, I Am Human!

An eagle soaring among the clouds, a star twinkling in the night sky, a camel in the desert, or a boat sailing across the sea... Yoga has the power of transformation. Not only does it strengthen bodies and calm minds, but with a little imagination, it can show us that anything is possible.

New York Times bestselling illustrator

93

Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging

Ben Greenfield

4.0

What if the ability to look, feel, and perform at peak capacity wasn't the stuff of lore but instead was within easy reach?

Sure, some of us find ways to hit peak performance in one area or another—there are professional poker players, computer programmers, and race car drivers hunched over card games, keyboards, and steering wheels with optimized minds; UFC and NFL gladiators fighting for glory on

94

Stretch

Doreen Cronin, Scott Menchin

4.0

Can you stretch to the ceiling? Can you stretch to the floor? You can stretch with a whisper, you can stretch with a roar! Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin give new meaning to the yoga pose downward facing dog as publishing’s most energetic pooch explores the many, many ways a kid can get limber. More than simple toe touching, this pup stretches to ride a breeze, grab a snack from a tree, catch a w

95

The RBG Workout: A Supremely Good Exercise Program

Bryant Johnson

4.0

A fun, fully illustrated exercise book that details Ruth Bader Ginsburg's workout, written by her trainer

Have you ever wondered what keeps Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the Supreme Court's favorite octogenarians, so sprightly? She owes it all to her personal trainer, Bryant Johnson, whom she refers to as “the most important person in [her] life.” But don't despair, now you too can work out with Bry

96

Real Food for Pregnancy

Lily Nichols

4.0

Prenatal nutrition can be confusing. A lot of the advice you have been given about what to eat (or what not to eat) is well-meaning, but frankly, outdated or not evidenced-based. In Real Food for Pregnancy, you ll get clear answers on what to eat and why, with research to back up every recommendation. Author and specialist in prenatal nutrition, Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, has taken a long and hard lo

97

Tactical Barbell II: Conditioning

K. Blac

4.0

98

Train Like a Mother: How to Get Across Any Finish Line - and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity

Sarah Bowen Shea, Dimity McDowell

4.0

Since the publication of their first book, Run Like a Mother, the authors have built up an engaged, vibrant tribe of women runners--more than 10,000 fans on Facebook and an average of 2,500 daily visitors to anothermotherrunner.com--who are clamoring for another book. At its core, Train Like a Mother will comprehensively cover how to train for a race, including training plans for four race distanc

99

The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle

Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove

4.0

100

The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles

Terry Wahls M.D.

4.0

An integrative approach to healing chronic autoimmune conditions by a doctor, researcher, and sufferer of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) whose TEDx talk is already a web sensation

Like many physicians, Dr. Terry Wahls focused on treating her patients’ ailments with drugs or surgical procedures—until she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2000. Within three years, her back and stoma