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This page features the products I personally use and recommend, including some of my favorite books and some of my own products.

PRODUCTS

FullProgram600KETTLEBELL DOMINATION

A laser-focused 5 week single kettlebell training program designed for fat loss, conditioning, and performance.

A proven, powerful program for the intermediate to advanced kettlebell enthusiast.

Click here to learn more and see if it’s right for you.

THE EDGE OF STRENGTH (New Print Book Coming – Summer of 2015)

The Edge of Strength is a NEW print book that covers my entire philosophy and methodology of strength and performance training.

It will be a “game-changer.”

Subscribe now to get all the latest updates about the upcoming book launch and a lot more!

BARBELL BODYBUILDING (Launching Soon – Please Check Back About This Awesome Program)

A 6 week barbell based program for building muscle mass.

THE “SHOCK AND AWE” PROTOCOL (Kindle Book)

A 4 week double kettlebell program for size and strength for the intermediate to advanced kettelbell enthusiast.

Click here to get your copy.

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Affiliate Disclaimer.

I sometimes use affiliate links on RdellaTraining.com. This means if you decide to make a purchase through a link, I will get a sales commission. EVERY affiliate link on this site are products or services that I use and have found to be valuable, useful, and of the highest quality. I ONLY endorse products or services I use myself.

EQUIPMENT I USE

Kettlebells:  

My preferred kettlebell brand is the Rogue Kettlebell.

This kettlebell is the highest quality and the price is unbeatable.

Another great brand is the RKC kettlebell sold by Dragon Door.  These are certainly high quality kettlebells, however the cost is quite a bit higher.

If you’re new to kettlebells, DO NOT purchase adjustable kettllebells as these are not sufficient for authentic kettlebell exercises.

Please don’t waste your money, instead purchase a quality, cast iron, solid kettlebell for proper training.

Barbells, plates, and other equipment:  

One of my favorite equipment distributors is definitely RogueFitness.com.

For a great selection of bars, plates, and more high quality fitness equipment, from straps to racks, Rogue has been a great source for me and I highly recommend their product line.

I have purchased many items and will continue to purchase from them.

Another source for fitness equipment I have used is PowerSystems.com and PerformBetter.com.

Both are also great resources, depending on your needs.

SUPPLEMENTS

FISH OIL

Currently, my preferred brand of high quality fish oil is PurePharma.

This company has just a few products, but they are very high quality and are designed for athletic training.

Remember, not all fish oil is created the same and it’s very important to get a pure grade fish oil for maximum benefits.

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is becoming recognized as a more valuable training supplement for recovery and many immune system benefits.  

It’s an inexpensive supplement that’s extremely important for many health and performance reasons.  

My preferred brand, again, comes from PurePharma.  

Very high quality supplement and specifically designed for athletes and exercise enthusiasts.  

Try to get the best quality supplements as you can and it’s worth it to spend a little extra, in my opinion.

PROTEIN

I have a few proteins that I really like and recommend.

Most proteins are crap, to be honest.

Here’s a few I like:

  1. SUN WARRIOR “BLEND” – This is a plant based protein that tastes great and is extremely “clean” in terms of processing and ingredients. Some people haven’t been fond of the taste, but I actually think it tastes really decent and it’s super high quality. Get the chocolate and make sure you get the “blend,” as this is different from the standard Sun Warrior protein.
  2. RESERVEAGE GRASS FED WHEY PROTEIN – This is a high quality grass fed whey protein. It’s inexpensive, tastes excellent, and is extremely satiating. I usually only mix this with water. It’s really a great tasting and high quality protein that I’ve been using for a long time.
  3. TRUE ATHLETE WHEY PROTEIN – Here’s another high quality protein powder with a short ingredient list that tastes great. A quality protein without the processed ingredients and fillers.

The key is to find products that are as “clean” as possible.

GREENS

The problem with greens products is that most of them taste HORRIBLE. No, I mean really bad.

I’ve found one that doesn’t.

Greens are very important since most people don’t eat the proper amount of daily greens.

There are numerous nutritional benefits of greens products and they can never be over consumed.

I’ve tried many different greens and the product I prefer is Sun Warrior Ormus Greens.

I think it’s the best greens product on the market.

BOOKS I’VE READ

Colorful BooksI’m a huge reader.

No, I’m a book addict – I read everything I can get my hands on.

Here’s a list of some of my all-time favorites.  

I’ll let you know, this list covers many different topics, some not related to fitness.

I highly recommend you pick one (or a few), dig in, start reading, and apply the information.

There’s always much to be learned from every single book you read.

Remember, if you take away one great idea and act on it, it was totally worth you time.

Please take the time and scan the list for your topic of interest.

And, another one of my recommended resources is Get Abstract.

Get AbstractGet abstract is a service that highlights the best books into 5 page summaries with all of the key takeaways.  This is a phenomenal resource and I highly recommend it.

Check out GET ABSTRACT.

Enjoy!

STRENGTH TRAINING:

Intervention by Dan John.

This book may be the most important fitness book you ever read.  It sets the standard for what is most important in physical training.  10 questions and 5 principles that are fundamental in performance training.  A framework for success and sorts through the clutter and misinformation in the fitness industry.  If this book could be the official text book in the fitness industry, the world would be a better place.  Very practical and very valuable for trainers, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts. I can’t recommend this one enough.

Never Let Go by Dan John.

Entertaining, lots of ideas, a bible for strength training.  I refer back to it often and a really excellent book.

The Naked Warrior by Pavel Tsatsouline.

A bodywieght training manual that’s loaded with bodyweight training principles, even though it only covers 2 exercises. A revolutionary training approach.

Never Gymless by Ross Enamait. A classic, “under the radar” strength training book, loaded with great information from workouts, to training philosophy, and extensive knowledge from one of the best.

Olympic Weightlifting for Sports by Greg Everett.

The book to get for learning proper progressions and technique with Olympic barbell lifts.  A very practical and concise book that offers major value, if you want to learn the proper way to the O-lifts. The progressions are fantastic.  I wouldn’t dive into the olympic lifts until you read this. This is an outstanding book.

Easy Strength by Pavel & Dan John.

Easilty one of my favorites, without a doubt. Written by 2 great minds and contains a abundant amount of programs and training philosophies.  This should be mandatory reading for anyone interested in strength training as this book offers incredible insight and wisdom. Fantastic book!

Beyond Bodybuilding by Pavel.

A masterpiece and probably one of Pavel’s best books. A ton of articles and topics in everything related to strength and muscle building. Outstanding and a “must have.’

5/3/1 by Jim Wendler.

A proven, raw strength program.  Simple, but brutally effective if you want increase your strength.  Already a classic.

The Purposeful Primitive by Marty Gallagher.

I’m not sure what to say about this one, other than it’s superb.  So much great information and so well written. Stories, lessons, practical information on strength training and nutrition.  A wealth of knowledge and a must read for serious fitness athletes and people committed to strength training.  This will not disappoint, but you should know it’s a massive book, kind of like reading an encyclopedia.

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.

The definitive guide on barbell training.  If you train with a barbell, this book is absolutely required reading to understand safe and effective basic barbell lifts.  Brilliant, in-depth writing that you can apply immediately to better lifting.  I love this book and wish I had read it years ago.  Highly recommend to maximize the understanding of applied physiology to barbells.  A wonderful book and reference.

Strong Enough? by Mark Rippetoe.

More great work from Mark Rippetoe in a collection of very important articles, covering topics from biomechanics, deep squatting, training for the aged, silly bullshit, and many other  great topics.  This is a great companion book to “Starting Strength.”  Great reading, very candid, and very useful information.

KETTLEBELL TRAINING:

The Swing by Tracy Refikind.

I think this book is a groundbreaker. A book about one exercise? Guess again. While the kettlebell swing is the foundation of the book, it’s a story of personal success and offers a simplistic way to body and life transformation. This book is relevant for beginners through advanced as there is always something to learn.

Enter the Kettlebell by Pavel Tsatsouline.

A classic kettlebell training book for beginner’s through advanced.  Essential reading for the kettlebell enthusiast.

Kettlebell Muscle by Geoff Neupert.

A very powerful 6 or 12 week double kettlebell training program.  Very simple, but very effective.  I’ve done the program several times and love it.

Kettlebells For Women by Lauren Brooks.

A great book focused on training applications. Lots of great training ideas and a “how to” guide on using kettlebells, while addressing questions from a women’s perspective. Great content with workouts designed for women.

Return of the Kettlebell by Pavel.

More great kettlebell training ideas, exercises, and drills from Pavel.  The focus is on double kettlebell exercises here, so this is not for beginners.  To learn more kettlebell progressions and advanced exercises, this is the book you have to have to take things to the next level.  Two thumbs up for this one!

Viking Warrior Conditioning by Kenneth Jay.

This is a unique book. The book is a series of kettlebell protocols that focus on improving cardiovascular performance or VO2 max. A great training program, if it matches your goals.  If you want to really enhance your cardiovascular conditioning, then put this on your list for sure.

SPORTS NUTRITION:

Nutrient Timing by John Ivy. The classic book on the topic of nutrient timing. Easy to read and valuable information that can make a difference in your training and performance.

The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Dr. Loren Cordain.  Looks at the Paleo diet approach for endurance athletes.  More insight into ‘Paleo’ with applications to the endurance and athletic populations.

NUTRITION:

Food Rules by Michael Pollan. Simple, practical guide to healthy eating.  You can read this book in one sitting.

It Starts With Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. A comprehensive and very practical guide to Paleo eating.  Provides all the science and practical applications of Paleo nutrition and a very ‘take action” approach to healthy eating.  Helps you understand how food interacts with our body.  A wonderful read for everyone.

The Paleo Diet by Dr. Loren Cordain. The original book on Paleo nutrition with lots of science and rationale to the hunter gatherer eating style.  A classic book on the topic.

The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. Serious science in this book and another ‘must read’ in the area of Paleo nutrition.  Each Paleo books offers new insight and enhances your learning.  Brilliant book and required reading in this topic.

Wheat Belly by William Davis. A deep dive in the ill effects of eating wheat and grains in today’s world.  If you think wheat is good for you, then read this book. You’ll be amazed at what you discover.

Why We Get Fat by Gary Taub. Fantastic book on the evolution of obesity and offers a complementary view to the books mentioned above.  Read this to better understand why we need to eat whole, unprocessed foods and prevent the obesity epidemic.

LIFESTYLE:

Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson.  See the book review here. A book that changed my life and the 1st Paleo type book I read.  Not a diet book, but a lifestyle book.  A great book that I highly recommend.  A couple points I disagree with, but other than that it’s flat out awesome.

Anti-Cancer by David Servan-Schrieber. Brilliant lifestyle book that I always recommend.  The nutrition chapter is outstanding.  Loaded with references from clinical studies and written by an MD who developed cancer and did extensive research into cancer prevention through lifestyle change.  Very powerful book for everyone.

Change Your Brain, Change Your Body by Daniel Amen. A very interesting book on brain science relating to your physical body.  There are some good bits of information and the book offers a different perspective on improving your health.

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. This book is revolutionary. Talk about a ‘game changer.”  The book helps you understand how habits work and how we can change them by understanding the “habit loop.” Very powerful information and this can easily improve your life in any way by transforming bad habits to good ones.  An amazing book!

ENERGY:

The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. Outstanding book that I’m due to re-read.  The principles on productivity and energy are priceless. Ties many different topics together, but the bottom line is it teaches you how to improve your energy to be 2-3 times more productive.  A life changing book.

PRODUCTIVITY:

The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield. Classic.  If you haven’t heard of this book, get it immediately.  It can help to improve any area of your life. Breakthrough book about overcoming “resistance’ and getting things done. This can change your life.  Very easy read, you can read through it in a day. Highly recommend!

Turning Pro by Stephen Pressfield.  (The follow up to ‘The War of Art.’ An expansion on some of the concepts he wrote about in the previous book. Are you an amateur or a pro? If you want to go “pro,” read and implement the mindset in this book.)

The Power of Less by Leo Babauta (A great book that covers topics from productivity to fitness and everything in between. Easy to read and high value content. Simple principles to apply and improve your life.)

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT:

Make It Big: 49 Secrets For Building a Life of Extreme Success by Frank McKinney.  One of the best personal success books available by a brilliant man, Maverick Real Estate Investor, Frank McKinney.  Don’t be misled and think this book is about making money with real estate.  This book is filled with 49 valuable life lessons that I keep with me in a journal and refer to consistently.  I would easily put this book in the top tier of personal success books I’ve ever read, written by a genuine, giving, and honorable man.  One of the most valuable books you will ever read.

The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson Fantastic read and if you want to improve any area of your life, this is one of the best.  I cannot recommend this book enough because the premise of the “little things matter” and everything has a cumulative effect is truly life changing.  Really, if there is one book I could recommend you get now, this is probably at the top of the list.

Mastery by George Leonard  A great short, easy read about mastering anything. The principles will make you think different and seek mastery in an area or areas of your life. Very powerful concepts.

Train Your Brain for Success by Roger Seip. Highly recommend this book!  This book covers many different topics from killer productivity tips, lighting fast reading strategies, and innovative goal setting.  An unconventional, brilliant book I took many things away from.  This is an “under the radar” masterpiece.  Check this one out!

Live Life Aggressively by Mike Mahler. Here’s a very unique book and an unconventional approach to self improvement.  The 1st chapter on hormonal optimization is worth the price of the book alone and lots a great pearls in this one.

MOVEMENT & PERFORMANCE:

Movement by Gray Cook A textbook in human movement. While it’s an absolutely brilliant book, it is more like a textbook for coaches, health care professionals, and trainers.  While I highly recommend, it’s more geared towards people helping others improve their level of health, fitness, and performance.  Outstanding book, without question, but maybe not so practical for the general fitness enthusiast.

Athletic Body in Balance by Gray Cook The pre-cursor to “Movement.”  Great, very comprehensive, and essential reading for trainers and coaches.

Advances in Functional Training by Michael Boyle. A wonderful, comprehensive training manual with many pearls of wisdom.  There’s a lot to learn here and the book is organized very concisely into nice chunks of information. A very useful and practical training guide with something in it for everyone and required reading for coaches and trainers.

Becoming Bulletproof by Tim Anderson and Mike McNiff. A simple, but very valuable exercise training perspective focused on improving human movement.  An easy read and very practical application to a return to fundamentals to prevent injury and improve your training performance.  Very unique and will be complimentary and ‘value added’ to your training program.

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. This made the list because it’s fascinating reading.  I’m not a “runner” but I enjoyed the story and history of barefoot running.

MINDSET:

Mind Gym by David Casstevens. Short read with stories about the athletic mindset. Some excellent mental take-aways in the book to improve your training and performance. It’s all about mindset.

The Body Fat Solution by Tom Venuto. I put this book in mindset because there are some great things to motivate and educate you in improving your health, fitness, and performance.  I think the author is a straight-shooter and this book is very extensive.  A transformational book, without question.  You’ll learn a lot and get value from reading this one, with some really great insight.

BRAIN SCIENCE:

Spark by John Ratey.  Another fascinating book that looks at the relationship between exercise and brain function.  If you want to better understand the interplay between your mind and the effects of exercise, check this book out.

Brain Rules by John Medina Great book, easy to read, 12 concepts related to brain health.  The whole book is excellent, but the 1st chapter on exercise and brain power is outstanding.  Amazing what a little exercise can do for your brain health.  Really like the applications and simplicity of this book.

SPECIAL TOPICS:

The 4 Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss. Kind of like an explosion of health, fitness, and performance topics, covering things like the “slow carb” diet, techniques for adding muscle, fat loss methods, running, swimming, biking, and even having better sex.  A panel of interesting topics with insight from many different experts.  On a personal note, 2 great chapters were “Building the Perfect Posterior,” with Tracy Reifkind’s story and the chapter called “Ice Age” discussing cold therapy for fat loss, which is really interesting.  With this book, you simply take out what applies to you and your goals.

The Little Book of Talent by Daniel Coyle.  Here’s a brilliant little read.  52 tips for getting better.  Basically, it’s 52 tips about the value of practice to improve your talent.  Awesome read in a simple concise format.  Easy to read and extremely practical information. I love this book!

BUSINESS: (I’m also a business book junkie, so I thought I’d list a few of my favorites. You’ll see this list grow and I’ve got a ton of business books to recommend, as well):

Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman. A comprehensive business book that covers all aspects of starting and running a business.  I love the concept of getting an “MBA” from reading this book. Contains all the frameworks of building a successful business.  Kind of the “best of” in business concepts.

The 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. A robust business book for entrepreneurs. Totally packed with content and will get you thinking and taking action. Loaded with resources and ideas for building a business.

Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port.  Here’s a great book to laser focus on the clients you dream of working with.  This really isn’t a book, it’s a full blown course with major action exercises to help you dial in to getting ideal clients.  A great resource, no matter what business you’re in.  A classic business reference you’ll get a lot out of.

The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz.  Outstanding book for thinking bigger in any area of your life.  I read this book some years ago and am due to go back for a “re-fresh.”  This book has some life changing concepts and is a groundbreaker, even decades after it’s first publication.

Scott Iardella, MPT, CSCS writes about training methods to optimize health and performance. If you enjoyed this article, join a strong and growing community of passionate fitness enthusiasts and subscribe below to get a ton of cool, free stuff! Subscribe below or go to RdellaTraining.com/join to get your FREE Report, Kettlebell Impact with 12 of my best Kettlebell Workouts.
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