Abstract: The dynamical theories of elastic solids with microstructure are restudied and the reason why so many notations have been introduced for derivation of basic equations for such theories is given. In view of the existing problems in those theories the rather general principle of power and energy rate is postulated and the equations of motion, the balance equations of energy rate and energy and the boundary conditions for local and nonlocal theories are naturally derived with help of that principle and the generalized Piola’s theorem. These basic equations and the boundary conditions together with the initial conditions may be used to solve the mixed problems of the dynamical theory of elastic solids with microstructure.