Product Description
"An affectionate, acutely observed life of Webb that brings his achievement into sharp focus after more than a century of neglect." (Sunday Times, London)

Swimming the English Channel was once thought to be a feat as impossible as reaching the summit of Everest, flying through the air in a plane, or walking on the moon. But in August 1875, an obscure ship captain named Matthew Webb became a world hero. He was the first to accomplish what fewer than six hundred people have done since-swim the twenty-one miles of ice-cold, jellyfish-infested water from Dover to Calais.

The Crossing is the richly detailed story of Webb's swim. Fueled by infusions of cod-liver oil, beer, coffee, and brandy, Webb competed for the honor of being first with a swimmer who sported the latest Victorian invention: a thirty-five-pound rubber "survival suit" containing ten days' worth of food and water, a headlamp for night paddling, an axe for killing swordfish, and books to ward off boredom. Even more intriguing is what happened to Webb after he made history. Addicted to fame, he hired himself out for ever more desperate swimming feats in pursuit of the money and applause he craved-and died tragically in a crazed attempt to traverse the boiling rapids and quarter-mile whirlpool of the Niagara River.

From Harry Houdini to Evel Knievel to David Blaine, we have long been fascinated by risk-takers. In a fast-moving history of triumph and folly, The Crossing takes us inside the mind of the daredevil.Amazon.com Review
The Crossing tells the colorful story of Matthew Webb, the first person to swim across the English Channel. Webb was born in 1848, learned to swim as a boy in the River Severn, and joined the merchant marine, where he received a medal for bravery for diving after a seaman who had fallen into the Atlantic. A natural showman, he gained sponsors for what was considered an impossible feat, to swim from Dover to Calais. The author, editor of Women's Realm magazine, skillfully recreates the physical agony of Webb's crossing and his triumphant return as he sailed into Dover to the wild applause of crowds jammed on the pier. His exploit made Webb famous and gave the new sport of swimming an enormous boost. Newspapers described him as "probably the best-known and most popular man in the world" and his achievement "a matter of national importance." As his fame faded, however, Webb tried to keep himself in the public eye with a series of dubious public appearances, such as spending 60 hours in a glass tank at the Royal Westminster Aquarium, exploits that gradually ruined his health. Finally, for $10,000 he attempted to swim across the Niagara rapids and was crushed in the whirlpool below the falls. The author sympathetically places Webb's descent from national hero to desperate promoter in the context of the Victorian quest for novelty and the bizarre. Besides being the well-written biography of an eccentric daredevil, The Crossing is a fascinating piece of social history. --John Stevenson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Rise and the Fall
This is a very entertaining, but tragic, story of Victorian times. This little gem is about Capt. Mathew Webb, the first man to successfully swim the English Channel. It relates his rise to renown and his equally swift decent that finally results in his untimely death while attempting a suicidal swim down the Niagara river, below the waterfalls. Capt. Webb was a merchant ship captain of respect and then a renowned long distance swimmer. After the crossing he slowly downgraded from sportsman to performer to freak show exhibitionist. He loses touch with reality and yearns for his glory days to return.

This book gives us a glimpse into the Victorian period and also the beginning of the modern sport of swimming. At the time swimming was not an organized sport as we know today but rather something between a sport and an exhibition of prowess. Swimming made Capt. Webb but also destroyed him.

excellent reading
This is a good reading if you are planning to attempt any challenging swim or if you simply want to be inspired.

A good read
A little book with a big story.It tells the story of the first man to swim the English Channel.Its a solid story, with all the drama of a Tour de France drug scandal.

A glimpse of celebrity in the Victorian era
As an open-water swimmer myself, I was attracted to this book about the famous first crossing by Capt. Webb I've heard about for years.The author clearly shows that she did her research on failed swims of the past and on how present-day Channel swimmers conquered the Channel between England and France.

To Watson's credit, the actual channel crossing is only a minor part of the entire book.The author looks at Capt. Webb as something more than the first man to swim across the English Channel; she examines him as the Victorian age's first mega-celebrity...think Mickey Mantle meets Michael Jordan at the turn of the century.

She meticulously pieces together newspaper reports of the day regarding Webb's exploits after the famous Channel swim, actually building sympathy for Capt. Webb and the hucksters who set him up for swim after swim (and even more ridiculous feats of endurance).

I only wish that this book had a biography so I could explore more stories about Capt. Webb and open-water swimming.However, you don't have to be a swimmer to enjoy this book - Watson clearly markets it to the casual reader, and it's small size makes it perfect for summertime reading.

'Boy's Own Paper' stuff!
Time was when every schoolboy in Britain knew about Capt.Webb; matchboxes carried his name and image; he figured high on the list of heroes and tales of derring-do - I'm not sure if the same holds true nowadays, so this book is an attempt to set the record straight (even so, we are surprised to discover that someone had beaten Webb to it ... but not by swimming),

Written in an accessible, flowing conversational style, it goes beyond 'the Crossing' to trace the life and exploits of this remarkable man. Incidentally, Ms.Watson (no relation) aspires to be a channel swimmer - this lends a certain authority and credence to the rest of the book; not that it needs it, the research into Webb's life is meticulous.

At the time, swimming the channel was as daunting as climbing Everest; many authorities stating categorically that it was an impossible feat. However, Webb seems to have suffered from no such fears - totally confident, he persuades backers with his no-nonsense charm, incidentally laying the basis of the British love-affair with swimming.

After the success of the crossing, we see more of Webb's bravado and determination ... but directed into increasingly desperate money-making schemes, culminating in the one that would end his life.
One feels for the man, driven as he was by some inner need, but reduced to exhibitionism instead of taking an easier option on life.

A very enjoyable read. ***** ... Read more

Product Description
Thereexists a common set of principles underlying all athletic performance, andthese principles, if observed in unison over time, enable any athlete to matureinto an accomplished athlete capable of achieving a lifetime of enjoymentthrough participation in sports. Thisbook is all about improving athletic performance. Learn how each of the ten athleticprinciples common to all sports assist top athletes in achieving superior athleticperformance. Fivespecial sections provide insight into Swimming, Running, Tennis, Cycling andSkiing. ¿Skills mastered by topperforming athletes are presented and explained in accordance with the tenathletic principles underlying The Unified Theory of Sports. Any athletewishing to improve their own performance will benefit from advice provided.Readthis book and you will gain valuable insight required to achieve a lifetime ofenjoyment through participation in sports. ... Read more

Product Description
This manual provides swimming instructors the basics for teaching student-centred, character development-oriented aquatics classes at any age level. As the initial course text for all YMCA swimming instructors, it covers how as well as what to teach. The text outlines the responsibilities of instructors, and provides the basic knowledge needed to teach aquatics. It helps instructors understand how children learn, then gives step-by-step instructions to help put this knowledge to use. Analyses, illustrations and stroke observation sheets for each basic is provided. Readers will learn the normal progression of movement for children in learning strokes as they grow up. The book also covers 11 basic principles that apply to stroke development and gives sample lessons that explain these principles to students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

teaching swimming
I'm actually teaching swim classes at the Y right now, and this book has been a great reference tool.I was pretty much thrown into the class as a floater the first couple of weeks and instructed to teach.The good thing about this book is that it breaks down the fundamentals and actually provides the Y's specific methods.I also purchased the Parent/Child Y instruction book which has been even more helpful.

Swimming Instruction
I was not happy with this book.I had hoped to get a book to help me teach my children to swim.This book was mainly philosophy about the YMCA with VERY little information on steps to teach a child to swim.It was not helpful at all.

A Book Designed for a Swim Class
I was teaching a child how to swim and bought this book as a guide for what to teach.I did not find this book helpful though, as most of the games and activities are geared for a YMCA swim course with many students.The book teaches the reader how to be an instructor for the YMCA.The material in the last two chapters, which explained swim strokes, was the only information that I found somewhat useful.

how to....
I bought this book from eHow.com and using the combined efforts of the book, and eHow, I managed to teach my three girls all to swim on their own.I really recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
In California, a team of talented young men begin pursuing the most elusive dream in sports, the Olympic Games. The pressure steadily increases as two best friends (a mentor and his protégé) reach the top of the world rankings and unexpectedly find themselves direct competitors. Their teammates include an emerging star methodically plotting to retrace his father’s path to Olympic glory, as well as a super-extraordinary athlete desperate to walk away from it all. Led by one of the most passionate coaches in sports, a brilliant and explosive strategist on a personal quest for redemption, this team of dark horses and Olympic favorites works through escalating rivalries, joyous triumphs, and heartbreaking setbacks.

Author P. H. Mullen chronicles their journey to the 2000 Olympic Games and presents one of the most powerful and moving sports books ever written. Boldly sweeping in literary power and pace, this startling book will permanently change how you view the Olympic athlete.
It is a fascinating world of suspense and emotion where human desire for excellence rules over all, and where there are no second chances for glory. But above all, Gold in the Water is a triumph of the human spirit.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

A truly amazing book!
It's hard to describe just how great this book really is. I picked it up after reading the Amazon reviews and within the first 5 pages I was hooked; it had already started elevating my heart rate and getting my blood coursing through my veins. I've often preached to my friends that non-fiction is incredibly boring and I usually only read fiction but I'll tell you that no book has ever been this exciting for me. I read it over the course of a few weeks, reading a chapter or two a day and the emotional ups and downs that this book provided were something else. I would often read before a workout or a swim and every time I would end up hitting the gym a little harder or swimming a little faster. I am so grateful that a book like this even exists.

I didn't really get a chance to play sports in high school because I went to so many different schools so when I finally got to junior college I decided to pick up swimming at the ancient age of 18. Knowing little about the sport, I fumbled around trying to pick up on everything as fast as I could. I'm so glad that I picked up this book because now I know so much about the swimming world and I can be confident around the team and coaches and know what to expect during workouts and practice. It's true that I'll never be an Olympian or even a really great swimmer but I'll still get to experience a little of the thrill of competition and a lifetime of good fitness. I think this book taught me about the life of a professional athlete and now I don't have to feel like I missed out because I can still enjoy the fun of the sport without the heartbreak and back-breaking hard work.

I could go on for longer but I don't feel like writing a three page review and I'm not really a good writer so I'll just say that I recommend this book to everyone but especially athletes and ESPECIALLY swimmers!

Narrative of the Pursuit of Excellence
This book shows the price that must be paid to be the best. The facet that stands out the most to me is the turmoil these men put themselves through in the process of preparation for the Olympics. Everyone already knows it takes a great deal of physical effort to be an Olympian, but PH Mullen shows how heavy the emotional burden must be as well.

The characters are almost too distinctively defined - they seem like players in a Dickens novel. From the hard working underdog (Wilkens), the confident veteran (Grote), the cold technician (Wales), or the scarred phenom (Blahnik), anyone who reads this can find a person and a situation that they can relate to. The book is so much bigger than just swimming; it describes the process and pitfalls, the "agony and the ecstacy" of choosing to follow a dream.

I have never attempted to compete at the Olympics, but I have won and lost my share of races. The author uses his own firsthand experience as a competitive swimmer to provide surgical insights into the emotions of the athletes. He discusses the hunger for victory, the confusion of failing to meet expectations, and the eventual tedium of training as only a person who has felt it for himself can.

I would recommend this book to just about anyone, but especially anyone interested in studying how different personalities face a challenge.

The best
This will go down as the best swimming book ever written. The facts of non-fiction with the fluidity of a great novel. PH Mullen has written the aquatic masterpiece.

The world of professional swimming
Gave a glimpse of the professional swimming world.Starting with kids beginning swimming to Olympians from the perspective of professional coach.Entertaining and more appreciative to the sport.But too late for me to join.

Water is gold
Very nice book about swimming as a sport and the people, swimmers and coaches and more, in and behind it. One of few great books about swimming. ... Read more

Product Description
See how to achieve stronger starts, more explosive turns, and faster times! Swimming Anatomy will show you how to improve your performance by increasing muscle strength and optimizing the efficiency of every stroke.

Swimming Anatomy includes 74 of the most effective swimming exercises, each with step-by-step descriptions and full-color anatomical illustrations highlighting the primary muscles in action.

Swimming Anatomy goes beyond exercises by placing you on the starting block, in the water, and into the throes of competition. Illustrations of the active muscles for starts, turns, and the four competitive strokes (freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke) show you how each exercise is fundamentally linked to swimming performance.

You'll also learn how exercises can be modified to target specific areas, improve your form in the water, and minimize common swimming injuries. Best of all, you'll learn how to put it all together to develop a training program based on your individual needs and goals.

Whether you are training for a 50-meter freestyle race or the open-water stage of a triathlon, Swimming Anatomy will ensure you enter the water prepared to achieve every performance goal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Strength Training, Not About Swimming Technique
I was looking in Swimming Anatomy for help with swimming technique, but what I found were strength training exercises for swimmers. If that is what you are looking for, then this is perfect. The illustrations are fantastic. I've already begun incorporating some of the exercises into my training regimen.

What I really like is that the book doesn't just tell you the exercises you ought to be doing, but gives safety tips, some of which I could have used years ago when I first began training. I wish the book had talked more about how to improve technique as well.

Swimming Anatomy
It is a great book,as for beginners as for elite swimmers. Excellent pictures and perfect explanations provide great possibilities to schedule and plan workouts not only at gym, but also at any dryland activities

Fabulous addition to dry land training for all levels of swimmers
As a U.S. Master swimmer, I'm always looking for ways to improve my times.This book is awesome with the examples of dry land training to accompany your swim workouts. I even bought one for my favorite coach! It lists the exact muscles used for each stroke and suggestions for dry land training to strengthen those muscles and the opposing muscles for balance too. It is a must for all swimmers.

excellent book for allSwimming
Swimming Anatomy is well written and easy to follow for me, a physical therapist, and the clients I work with.There are sections that cover all strokes, specific strokes, and general information.Of the most help, are sections that point out where cheating can occur for the swimmer.These have been helpful for me to share with my son, a swimmer, to help him be his best.In summary, well worth it for the swimmer and professionals.

Must have for coaches, trainers, and swimmers!
Ok swim coaches, go ahead and buy this book.The description of the exercises is good, the anatomical diagrams of the muscles worked in each exercise, and how it relates to swimming is worth every dime this book costs.

I've read weight lifting books for swimmers, and they are usually generic in content, or they are written by coaches who don't explain the "why's".

I've got a former swimmer who consults this book before every session in the gym; her personal trainer saw the book and ordered one for his center.Use the "Look Inside" feature here on Amazon, and the content will impress you.

Coaches should coach, and by that they should be able to explain the "why's" of what they want the kids to do, too many coaches abdicate that role of teacher.If you get the athlete to buy into what they are doing and why they are doing it, they have longer term success.This book will help take a step towards that goal of being a better coach.
... Read more

Product Description
Speed Demon is the must-have book for all competitive sprint freestyle swimmers. It doesn't just tell you how it tells you why. And it tells you in plain and simple English with analogies as explanations rather than complicated mathematical proofs. The book's main goal is to highlight the importance of technical analysis but while technique is important it is not viewed in isolation. Speed Demon is a complete strategy for sprinting success and is full of tips on how to achieve it (including some gleaned from Olympic swimmers). Nobody likes battling with concepts they do not fully understand. With its plain English style this is an easy-read which will be of interest to young adults and masters alike.

Speed Demon has recently been republished following proof reading. All buyers purchasing new copies from Amazon now will receive the proof read version. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a concise guide but maybe a little bit too short
This book is informative, a bit controversial, and definitely provocative.I highly recommend it to anyone who ever wanted to swim fast.

It is easy to understand with many diagrams.I like how the author summarizes her points at the end of each section.
I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because the book needed to be proof read.I also felt that it could have been a little bit longer i.e. there was no discussion of straight arm recovery, drag suits, etc. ... Read more