Knowledge is the key to nailing your fitness goals. In this issue of Healthy For Men, we share our top thirty essential health and fitness books. Read our top five below!

Iron War by Matt Fitzgerald
If you don’t know how the 1989 Ironman World Championship ended, buy this
(and avoid spoilers), then sprint through it. It’s a brilliant take on training theory, racing science and opposing mental approaches, shot through with the narrative of the greatest race ever run. Exemplary.

Never Let Go by Dan John
Renowned strength coach Dan John made his name as an all-American discus thrower. Here, he makes hard lifting simple – but not easy – with dozens of workouts, anecdotes and things that you’ll try once, weep, then try again. Front squat Tabatas? No thanks.

Assault On Lake Casitas by Brad Alan Lewis
A book about rowing in the 1980s doesn’t sound all that fascinating, but the way Lewis made his attack on the Olympics – by being kicked off the ‘official’ team and coming back to beat them – is astonishing. You’ll be back on the Concept2 in no time.

Grit by Angela Duckworth
Talent? Pfft. What you really need to get ahead is grit, according to author Duckworth. She now insists that her whole family are always doing one ‘hard thing’ to build success’s most important quality, after studying everyone from Navy SEALs to CEOs.

Faster by Michael Hutchinson
Written by a man who did (almost) everything in the pursuit of speed, this cyclist’s memoir deals with everything from the lactate system to laminar airflow in its discussion of how to improve one skill – and it’s full of motivation for anyone wanting gains in their own life.

To hear more about these books, check out the Healthy For Men podcast:

If you are a UK listener, you can read the full list of the 30 books in the latest issue of Healthy For Men magazine in your local Holland and Barrett or subscribe here.