Which Josh Bryant Books Should I Read First?
Like most parents and maybe just busy people, I don’t read as much as I’d like to read, but Josh Bryant’s books climbed the ranks of my priorities, each gaining more importance in my day. I’d first learned of Bryant on Instagram, because I enjoyed the historical posts on his account, @jailhousestrong. Whether a story of Randy “Macho Man” Savage fighting at a Waffle House or details about the mysterious Chuck Ahren, Bryant posts about a wide array of strength history. I soon learned of his elite powerlifting career, coaching, and eventually his seminal book, Jailhouse Strong.
Jailhouse Strong isn’t just a training method, sets and reps. It’s a mindset. It’s historically proven methods for gaining strength. Each chapter provides training as well as the history behind it. Bryant researched a number of different strength athletes and lifters who served time, speaking with some in person, and he dialed in the common methods developed by them. One of those athletes was the bodybuilder, Craig Monson.
I’d heard about Craig Monson from following and eventually speaking with C.T. Fletcher, and if CT admires someone, it gets my attention! So when I saw that Josh Bryant had written a biography of Monson, it was an instant purchase.
Much like Jailhouse Strong, Craig Monson: OG Bodybuilding Legend is a dance between training and history but in the opposite ratio of Jailhouse Strong. Instead of being a mostly training with some history, Bryant’s Monson biography is a historical account with some training. Each chapter concludes with training advice. I personally enjoyed this, because I could implement many of the training principles and tips into my current training program or as a compliment to it.
My third favorite book by Josh Bryant is sort of the middle child between the aforementioned two books. The Saga of the Tijuana Barbell Club tells the story of a group of young me that are unaccustomed but willing to try training at a classic barbell club in Mexico. They meet and train with memorable characters that I ended up missing when their time in the story concluded. There are programs, but also smaller bits of training information provided along with the story. Similar to Jailhouse Strong, the training is a mindset as much as a physical endeavor. And as with the Monson biography, Tijuana Barbell Club left me wondering what I’d ask these lifters.
Fortunately for me, Josh Bryant was kind enough to put me in contact with Craig Monson, and I’ll be recording an episode of Lift History Podcast with him very soon. Make sure to follow and subscribe to Lift History Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss it! Also, purchasing any of these books through the links on this page helps to support VintageWeightsPGH. For more information about Josh Bryant, follow him on instagram and visit his website, www.JoshStrength.com.
