The first overall source I'd look to for Ex-Sci is a textbook from Mcardle Katch & Katch it's a bit more user friendly for getting into the field.

Another good source for info is the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and they have an Intro to Exercise Science as well. They're a bit more Science and Research Heavy, so they can be good or bad depending on the reader.

To get a good starter for musculature a very helpful one is Strength Training Anatomy This one is only a very colorful and visual source of where the different muscles are and how they're involved with different movements.

Supertraining was mentioned earlier in the thread, and is an Amazing source for how different training variables and methods affect the body.

I've found Exercise Metabolism very helpful in how the body uses different macro-nutrients in various intensities of physical activity.

One of my favorite books is also the Essentials of Strength and Conditioning from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). It's more geared toward programming for athletic pursuits rather than overall physical fitness, but it still does give a great understanding of training variables and the body's adaptations to them.

EDIT: The subject of Kinesiology is touched on in most resources, but you may also want to get a standalone resource for this if you want to really understand the construction and functionality of the musculoskeletal system. The courses I've taken and research I've done have used a lot of different resources, so I don't have a single one personally to include here.

If you want to get better at lifting heavy things in awkward positions, you should mix in some implement training, something akin to strongman training. Supplement that with some basic barbell work in an alternating fashion. And then do something for your cardio that's both specific and general to the task that you need to be good at. I can't tell because you really aren't giving clear details on what that needs to be.

Here's a handout that the national strength and conditioning association created to prepare people for special forces selection that has both a general and specific approach to their training needs that follows this same methodology. Here's a book that takes the same approach (an occupational approach) but covers the principles better so you can make a version for yourself.

Here's a book that's even more general, that mostly goes towards the way of athletes but is much more cohesive. This is kind've supplemental/additional to either of the previously mentioned books.

TB isn't that good of a book imo. It doesn't teach you how to problem solve and fabricate on your own.

The two best options corresponding to the two most prestigious organizations that certify personal trainers:

ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer

NSCA's Essentials of Strength and Conditioning

This is somewhat unrelated to what I was referring to, which was specifically mass vs strength gains.

Your conclusion is moderately sound from the layperson's perspective, but incorrect. Improving strength alone has massive improvements on power output. If you still want to improve power on top of that, then power-based resistance exercises (AKA Olympic lifts, such as the snatch, clean and jerk, and others) will work towards that goal. If you have a sport-specific motion in mind, like charging off a starting block, then you can do resistance power exercises that work those core groups.

A single resistance technique can train either strength, power, or endurance depending on a few factors. Here's a short summary:



  | Strength | Endurance | Power
---|----|----|----
Weight (%1RM) | 60-90 | 30-70 | 50-70

of reps in a set | 8-12 | 14+ | 1-2

Speed of motion | Slow/controlled | Slow/controlled | Fast/explosive
Rest between sets | 1-2 min | 30-60 sec | 30-60 sec

Note the most important part in the table above: 1-2 reps in a set with rest between sets for power training. Power training is also performed with lower resistance than normal strength training (to avoid injury to the weight-bearing joints). Note that this mainly applies to lower extremity exercises; upper extremity power exercises should be performed with caution to avoid damage to the rotator cuff. (If you're looking for advice regarding the starting blocks or vertical jump specifically, the clean and jerk has shown to significantly improve performance in those motions.)

Sources and further reading

Baechle, T. R., & Earle, R. W. (2008). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (3rd ed., pp. 400-401). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. http://amzn.com/0736058036 (Note that the fourth edition has come out, but I haven't had the chance to read the difference summary.)

Kenney, W. L., Wilmore, J. H., & Costill, D. L. (2011). Physiology of Sport and Exercise (5th ed., pp. 272-273). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. http://amzn.com/0736094091

Why not just invest in a good text book that the course would be based around. 16hrs isn't enough, its enough to give you a piece of paper. I highly recommend these two txts books:

https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_16?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=becoming+a+supple+leopard+2nd+edition&sprefix=becoming+a+suppl%2Caps%2C152

https://www.amazon.ca/Essentials-Strength-Training-Conditioning-Resource/dp/149250162X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458166563&sr=8-1&keywords=nsca+strength+and+conditioning

This book is quite necessary if you aim to learn more about the ins and outs of periodization nutrition, etc. Another book I'd highly recommend is this book by the legend, Zatsiorsky, which is focused mainly on periodization and important principles on strength training.



Getting both of these either new or in good condition via amazon is cheaper than what you'd pay for this RTS classroom thing, which is either 100 or 135 bucks per month, which is not worth it when there's cheaper literature by the folks who run the game.

NSCA 4th edition essentials of strength and conditioning is probably what you're looking for. Pretty nice survey of the basics of exercise science and applications. Each chapter is thorough with its citations which is a good indication of credibility.

https://www.amazon.com/Essentials-Strength-Training-Conditioning-Resource/dp/149250162X