Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

A Perfect Yoga Book
Not only is this a perfect book for athletes, it is also perfect for non-athletes.It is an excellent introduction for those new to yoga, and would be a great new resource for yoga instructors.As a cyclist and a yoga teacher in training, I found this writing to be the most elegant and direct explanation of the broad principles of yoga of any book I've read.It introduces the concepts of yoga and then provides examples of how they are to be applied in the real world.Resources are provided for those who want further study.

Sage Rountree's introduction to yoga in the first part of the book is worth the price itself.For anyone curious about yoga, this explains everything needed to approach it safely and with confidence.For athletes, she specifically discusses how the different types of yoga can be appropriately incorporated into their training program.The middle of the book is dedicated to the poses, breathing and meditation.Each pose is illustrated and fully described as to how to safely get into the pose, along with modifications.Relaxation and breathing are well covered with an emphasis on how important they are to an athlete's recovery time.The last part of the book discusses how to use yoga within the cycles of a training plan and finishes with several sequences for specific needs, such as stretching, warming up and restorative poses.Many of these sequences are great for any busy person wanting to "sneak" in some yoga during their hectic day.This author seems to be one of the few who understands that many who are interested in yoga are also very busy.

This is just a wonderful book.I hope it gets the attention of a very broad audience because it has so much to offer.It has now become the first book I would recommend to anyone asking about yoga.

The Yoga Guide I've Been Looking For
As a busy professional, dedicated age group triathlete, and regular yoga class student, I've experienced both the physical and mental benefits of yoga in my racing and my life.However, I've really struggled to practice yoga at home - without a teacher telling when, where, and how.Sage Rountree's book is what I've been looking for: a practical, user-friendly guide that speaks my "athlete language" and includes step-by-step yoga rountines that complement specific portions of my training. The pictures are beautiful - and depict realistic pose modifications that make yoga much more enjoyable when I'm feeling especially tight. I also have a deeper (and more functional!) understanding of yoga's history and philosophy thanks to Sage's clear description of yoga's 8 limbs - and how they translate to the athlete's world.A helpful book for those very new to yoga AND those hoping to practice outside the gym or studio. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (30)

Now your talking!
My USAT coach recommneded this book after she found out that I really wanted not only how to finish a triatlhon race, but to learn how to create any kind of multi sport program in future instead of having a coach or web page making it for me (that saved me money too!).
I finished my very first racing season based on this book program and finished in a period of 8 months: 4 sprint Tri, 1 off road tri, and 2 olimpic distance tri, with no injuries and always improving my goals and times. Not bad for a beginer!
The book is full of codes and times that will lead you into a never-bored universe of drills and new stuff that will really improve your performance while having fun. It has programs for sprints, olimpic, half and Iroman, as well as year long training plans or only for a couple of months for those that are not sure if triathlons is for them. It appears to satisfy any lifestyle and is really great for beginers. Don't know about the pros, but I really enjoyed it.
Now I can taylor my own program that fits into my life style and race type, and always look for my coach supervision and make sure I'm in the right path.
I strongly recommend it!

Good, straight forward, concise for all athletes
I have looked at many books on multisport and have found this one to apply to a wide range of athletic abilities.Whether you want to do your first sprint triathlon or an Ironman, this book provides the tools to acheive results.Since I am not sure if I will be able to get into a 1/2 ironman in 2008, the book still gives me workouts that I can use for shorter distances.The plans in the book are realistic for mortals that have families and jobs that need some attention to.

Very helpful book
This is a good adjunct to the "Triathletes Training Bible". She works with Friel's training concepts and adds meat to them with specific daily/weekly work out plans. She has specific plans for various distances (sprint, olympic, 1/2 and full Ironman), events (Tri and Duo), and various preparation time periods (12 weeks to 6 months to full year). I think she also incorporates some of the efficiency techniques suggested in Niles "Time Saving Training" and mentions his book as a good resource. It's a well written and interesting book with lots of good info and help in laying out your training and establishing a workable long term plan.

Training Plans for Multisport Athletes: Your Essential Guide to Triathlon, Duathlon, XTERRA, Ironman, and Endurance Racing
I was looking for a comprehensive training plan for one year, most books will offer a 12-16 week program.This book delivered the full plan, and I have used it as a beginner triathlete to prepare for multiple sprint and olympic distance races.The nutrition chapter is also excellent.

Finally, a book with easy to follow training plans
I've bought a few triathlon training books in my day, and most of them are just full of theory, scientific jargon and a lot of technical nonsense.This book, however, lists everything in an easy to follow fashion, from proper nutrition to how your body type will react to training.And the best thing about this book are the endless training plans that it includes (from sprint to full Ironman), for those who are just starting out to those who have done this for a while and just want to get faster.Plus it lists training for Xterra-type races and duathlons as well, which I definitely want to participate in.I love it! ... Read more

Amazon.com
Jack Groppel is a speaker-consultant on business issues and a partner in a company that helps sports stars such as Ernie Els and Monica Seles enhance their competitive edge by fine-tuning their training regimens and overall lifestyles. In The Corporate Athlete, he proposes a total program of nutrition, exercise, and spiritual fitness that's designed to do the same for those competing in the world of business. "Executives and employees in the new millennium can protect their health and happiness and continue to perform at high levels only by doing what athletes do--train," Groppel writes. "You must become a Corporate Athlete, which means adapting the training mentality of elite, high-performance athletes." His program is hardly "a quick fix," Groppel admits, but rather a demanding (albeit versatile) and multifaceted process with explicit short- and long-term guidelines. He clearly explains how carbohydrates and proteins, stretching and aerobic activity, and even ethics and values affect performance at work, for example, and offers practical suggestions for incorporating them into an already overcrowded day. He concludes by outlining a complete 21-day improvement program, which includes day-by-day goals for exercise and meals along with ways to track subsequent accomplishments. This book is for anyone, corporate or otherwise, looking to add balance to an otherwise stressful and hectic work life. --Howard RothmanBook Description
"As Jack Groppel so aptly explains, the rigor of corporate athletics is often even more demanding than that of professional athletes. In my world, one does not have the luxury of an off-season. This book is a must-read for all those striving for the gold."

-Arthur M. Blank, CEO and President, The Home Depot

"Today's challenging business climate requires every top executive to be perfectly fit both mentally and physically. The Corporate Athlete is must reading for everyone who wants to manage his or her business, career, or profession effectively while living a balanced life. Buy it-it's a great investment."

-Leonard Lauder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Estee Lauder Companies, Inc. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

OUTSTANDING!
This great book should be on the desk of every stressed out business executive.It brilliantly describes what it takes to be in a peak state of mind when you need to be.There is no question that business people as wellas everyone should train their bodies to get their minds in top shape.Thisbook illustrates that with great information about diet,exercise,and properattitude.A wise investment.

Lacking new Insight to an age-old problem
I waited in anticipation for this book to arrive. Much hype had been made about this new research and the 21 day plan.Business men and women stuggle to balance work and home-life, and the foundation of this book isright on. If we loose weight, drink more water and exercise we will havemore energy for both. The problem with this book is that it says verylittle more.I found myself brousing through the book looking for newideas to give me some boost. The book does have some excellent chapters onhow to deal with stress in the work place. In fact, this book is worthbuying just for these two chapters.However, for those of us who read selfhelp books on a daily basis, you might be looking for more.

At the Top of Your Game
Finally - a book that delivers on its promise to help you get to the top of your game, to help you achieve maximal performance levels in life - and does so using a common sense approach that integrates experience, study andscience with focus and commitment.The key is training like an athletewhether its following an exercise or nutrition program or developing apositive attitude. What a refreshingly realistic concept in this "apill a day takes the fat away" world!Through Dr. Groppel'sconvincing clarity, it all makes perfect sense.And you don't have to bein the business arena to benefit from the principles of THE CORPORATEATHLETE.Maximizing performance can be a goal that crosses age, gender andoccupational or vocational boundaries.But what makes this book stand outfor me is Dr. Groppel's holistic approach - completing the palate offitness by incorporating the physical, mental and emotional with thespiritual.It takes courage to take spirituality out of its politicallycorrect closet and plop it onto the Board Room table, to make it a keycomponent of performance enhancement.Could it be that the growth ofcourage, confidence, conviction and character is a natural end product ofone's development into the ultimate corporate athlete? I am convinced,after reading the book, that this is the case. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (12)

Great piece of work!!!!
I really believe this book is very inspiring and has made me a better athelete!!Just by reading about the author (My Story) was amazing and the most inspiring for myself!!Thanks Chris, for a great book!!

Ricky

A blissful journey
You know how sometimes, when you read a book, you hit a sentence that transports you right into the author's brains and spine and make you feel like, 'yes, I know exactly what you mean, I've experienced it'?Well, I got transplanted right at the beginning of the book with these sentences: "The enthusiasm was contagious, and we were all feeding off one another's happiness...What mattered was that we were all in the park for the same reason... it made us feel good.We were all there because we loved to move, and sport was a chance to feel the excitement of forward movement."Yes, it is all about sharing this powerful experience.The rest of the book was just an amazing journey.Mr. Bergland wrote a beautiful book about such blissful experiences, explaining what happens in your brains as you exercise, how you do reach peak experiences, the importance of the cerebellum's role for a perfect flow, giving tips on strength training, nutrition, cardio, positive thinking...
I bought the book when I was injured and couldn't run:watching the runners by the FDR drive every morning while driving to work was agony, I missed that pleasure so much.So I decided to spend my extra time reading about athletics to try to understand what was going on.I found the answers in this book.The Athlete's Way was my Sunday long run along the Hudson when I could only run in my head...

More suited to the budding/beginning athlete.
There's some intellectual highs in this book, similar to diamonds in the rough... but there are too many insipid and trite passages to make this a good book.More suited for the novice or budding athlete; if this defines you - I recommend this book - it's worth your time.A few gems for the experienced athlete, but you'll spend a lot of time digging through the book to find it.Basic health and fitness information in most parts of the book, as well as basic sport psychology; the introduction was the best part of the book for the experienced athlete; read that and pass on the rest of the book. Unless you're having trouble sticking with an exercise program... read the introduction only.

A unique way to look at exercise
As a habitual exerciser, I find myself frequently refering to this book when conversations come up on the topic.It was refreshing to read an intellectual discussion that argues I'm not crazy for feeling the need to exert myself on a daily basis!Bergland makes an interesting and compelling argument for the addictive nature of exercise, and convincingly advocates for tapping into this potential as a way to establish a habit whose benefits affect mood, sleep, aesthetics, and longevity.The blend of anecdotes, quotes, practical suggestions, and understandable neuroscience makes this a truly unique take on the subject.Reclaiming sweat as pleasure rather than pain--a delightful idea!

Cheers to The Athlete's Way.......
The Athlete's Way is an illuminating,informative, entertaining, and superbly written book on how to train, but at a deeper level on how to live. The author not only has an amazing understanding of sports, science, the body, and mind, but also of our common humanity. At the outset, he reveals who he is with a such candor and such an appealing voice letting us know that despite his expertise and accomplishments, he is one of us. Throughout the book,he engages the reader with his honesty and "smarts". Woven in artfully throughout with his straightforward advice on how-to train are quotes from the greats including: Twain,Emerson,and Woody Allen, and Chris's how-I-did-it story, for which he called up discipline, hard work, perseverance, and passion. This book should be required reading for everyone wanting to train; live a richer, fuller life; and follow his or her bliss.
Author! Author!Nancy Kelton ... Read more

Book Description
The Mental Athlete is the applied sport psychology handbook for competitors and coaches. It contains exercises, tests, and worksheets that will guide you through the steps of mental achievement for improved performance.

This conditioning manual for the mind helps you

-enhance mental strengths and address weaknesses through effective self-assessments,
-increase confidence in personal abilities and overcome the fear of failure,
-heighten awareness of inner-thought processes and learn ways to improve them, and
-initiate action and respond intuitively and positively to challenges.

Maximize your physical skills by fully developing your mental skills. Perform your best with The Mental Athlete! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Mental Athlete is the most beneficial book I've ever read!
This is the best mental training book that I have ever found.In 1985 I was on the National Team for my sport, but I was not up to par for the other aspects of my sport.I found "The Mental Athlete" and it totally changed my athletic life.The book teaches you how to visualize, do relaxation exercise, run mental training programs, etc.Even though it is not specific to my sport, you can incorporate the techniques into any sport.It is an amazing book.It is not a boring, hard to understand technical book, it is written very well.This book took me from a good athlete to a National Champion (many times over).This book is worth it's weight in gold. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (29)

Quality Nutrition Guidance for Endurance Athletes
This is a well-written and authoritative review of many aspects of sports nutrition, with an emphasis on the specific needs of endurance athletes. Triathletes, endurance runners and cyclists will especially benefit -- there are separate spections geared just for their needs. Provides insight into not only meeting nutritional needs before, during, and after training and racing, this book offers guidance into an integrated approach to an overall nutritional program. Also provides a useful discussion of many nutritional supplements, including ergogenic aids, vitamins, and commercial sources of carbohydrates, lipids, protein, and hydration. Recommended read for the serious athlete.

Easy reading and easy to understand
This book provides a wealth of information in nutrition, equipment, and sample workouts for various sports.It is very easy to read and understand.

Excellent
Excellent book, up to date.Essential reading for anyone who is serious about improving their training and race performance.Thank you !

Must have if you are starting to train seriously
Great compendium of important concepts on sports nutrition, and also lots of practical tools to master the art. Easy going writing stile.

A Great Sports Nutrition Reference
Athletes of all kinds will learn the importance of diet for their sport.There are also sample menus to help you learn how to plan your meals. ... Read more

Book Description
Loren Cordain, Ph.D., follows his success of The Paleo Diet with the first book ever to detail the exercise-enhancing effects of a diet similar to that of our Stone Age ancestors When The Paleo Diet was published, advocating a return to the diet of our ancestors (high protein, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables), the book received brilliant reviews from the medical and nutritional communities. Jennie Brand-Miller, coauthor of the bestselling Glucose Revolution, called it 'without a doubt the most nutritious diet on the planet.' Doctors Michael and Mary Dan Eades, authors of Protein Power, said, 'We can't recommend The Paleo Diet highly enough.' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

different diets
I didn't think this book was an easy read.I think many other diet books flow better.I can't imagine eating salmon for breakfast every day!

Useful information for low-carb endurance athletes
I have followed a low-carb diet for about 3 years now, and in the last year have gradually become an avid runner.I was looking for info on how to add carbs intomy diet to support my running, and this book has specific, useful info on that topic.I do not agree with all of his dietary advice in general (for general info on low-carb diets I would recommend that you read a variety of books to gather well-rounded advice on this diet, as each author contributes a different piece of the puzzle), however I do highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for advice on how to properly integrate diet and sports, or who is suffering some sort of chronic problem during high-intensity athletic training - this book may straighten your problem out, even if you don't currently see it as related to your diet.This book is a valuable and much-needed addition on the topic of nutrition and sport.

Cordain sold out his diet to Joe Friel
Two stars for the Paleo Diet but Zero stars for the "modifications."

I was severely disappointed with this book.I hoped that an athlete would adopt the diet and adapt his training to the demands of the sound science that Dr. Cordain authored with his Paleo Diet.Instead, we have an athlete who has basically adapted the Paleo Diet to the high carbohydrate nonsense that permeates the "endurance world", which leads to good results, but bad health.How many of our great athletes have to continue sacrificing their long-term health for short term goals?

Recovery is not a good enough reason to "adapt" and modify the diet.The goal of training is to race, not more training.I don't think enough athletes understand that.There is a large section in this book about overtraining, but the authors "overcome" this seeming limitation ironically with the very thing that the Paleo Diet attempts to cure us from - - a misplaced reliance on excessive glucose which is responsible for the majority of the maladies that currently afflict us.

"Periodization" is also a problem.I'll leave you this quote by Olympian Gordon Pirie which accurately details the issue:

"Another popular aspect of training which I think is very dangerous is that known as "periodization" - that is, breaking down the training year into various "phases", each of which is divorced from the others. Thus, the beginning of the year may be devoted to a slow distance "build-up", the second portion of the year devoted to hill training, a third part devoted to interval work and then speed training, and finally (though most of these runners never get this far) a racing season undertaken. The difficulty with training in this manner is that you go along quite well with one aspect of training (e.g. long distance running), and then suddenly, on a certain day, "Bang!". You start hill-bounding, or speed-training, or something new, and the body simply is not ready for the change, and invariably, year in and year out, you are more often than not injured. The body should be trained in all aspects of running, all of the time. Only the emphasis should change as you progress through the year; no aspect of training should be entirely given up for any significant length of time. The balance between different types of training (distance running, intervals, hill running and speed training) should be adjusted as the year progresses"Pirie, "Running Fast and Injury Free", Page 86.

This balance can be achieved with adequate rest.When an athlete gives up his dependance on sugar, he will find that he has much more strength and steady energy reserves.Sure, you don't recover as quickly, but this is an indication that training is too hard, and one needs to adjust this training in order to successfully make it to the starting line.The science by Phinney and others clearly demonstrates that athletes, when given sufficient time to adapt to fat burning, were able to repeat their athletic performance.Frequency was a problem, but again, the goal of training is to race, not more training.

I'm disappointed that Dr. Cordain could not find an athlete willing to test his theories with sound and intelligent training, rather than the usual carb-load glucose-laden mess we've been stuck with.There are many low carb runners and cyclists out there who address the issues covered in this book far more intelligently and in a way that does not compromise their long term health as this approach potentially does.

"A great diet and exercise book not just for paleolithic
Highly informative for all athletes and people wanting to exercise on a regular basis.

Basically it teaches you what, when and how to eat your food so that you get the maximun performance. It also has specific advice on fluids. If you are planning to do regular execise, this is a highly recommended book, even if you are not planning to follow the paleo diet strictly.

Wow! Opened my eyes.
This book is packed with some very useful information. I would have given it five stars, but I don't have the knowledge to thoroughly evaluate all the statements made in this book and I feel like there are probably some important points that are being left out. Nonetheless, it has made me aware of some very important and little understood issues relating to performance and diet. As a result of reading this book, I am much better informed and I will definitely be better able to understand additional material relating to nutrition and health.

I have read other books by Joe Friel, and I find that the incorporation of performance related principles from his other books is consistent and very helpful. ... Read more

Book Description
Have you ever had to sacrifice training or competing because of your diabetes? If you have, or if you just never want to be put in that situation, The Diabetic Athlete is just what you've been looking for. Inside this helpful guide you'll find detailed advice on blood sugar regulation, medication, and nutrition for 73 sports and activities.

Written by Dr. Sheri Colberg, a diabetic athlete with a PhD in exercise physiology, this book draws on the experiences of hundreds of diabetic athletes to provide the best advice for type 1 and type 2 diabetics. Specific insulin advice is included for NPH and lente, ultralente, and pump users. And profiles of elite and amateur athletes, from golf to scuba diving, show how they cope—and thrive—in their different environments.

No other book gives so many sport-specific recommendations to help you safely and fully pursue the activities you enjoy. With Dr. Colberg's advice you'll feel better than ever while training for fitness and sport performance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not what I expected
This was not quite as helpful as I'd hoped. I can understand why, since there is no one answer for the challenges of managing diabetes and exercise. It listed many types of exercise and then what various diabetics might do in certain situaitons, but the end result is that you STILL have to figure it out for yourself. I guess I was looking for more guidance, and more physiological information. Still worth purchasing, and there is a new version in the works by the same author.

OK , But not exactly what I was looking for.
The book was informative but not exactly what I was looking for. It was geared more for a person who was taken insulin or on a pump. I was looking for something more in line with someone on an oral medication with type-2 Diabeties. But that taken into account it was both easy to read and very informative. I'm glad I have it in my library.

the diabetic athlete
My son is 12 years old and a very strong, diverse athlete.He plays ice hockey, baseball and football and is very organized and very driven.As a newly diagnosed diabetic, we have many many questions about how diabetes is going to affect his life.This book gave me many ideas and made me realize that my son is first and foremost an athlete and we will fit the diabetes into his life.



He is doing really well and told me yesterday that having diabetes isn't such a big deal.We are well into the baseball season and looking ahead to hockey.I was very nervous about handling low blood sugars, but he seems to take it all into stride.



I highly recommend this book -- it is easy and interesting to read.

Very informative, a must have book
This book is divided to two parts. The first part explains the physiology of exercise and how it relates to diabetics. It includes general chapters and chapters dedicated to type 1 and type 2. The premise of the book is that knowledge is power, so knowing what the body does during an exersice is powering you to better manage your diabetes as it relates to exercise. It also has a chapter on nutritional supplements for diabetic athletes. The second half of the book deals with specific sport activities and gives advice on how to change your nutrition or insulin regimes to better accomodate for these activities plus examples from actual athletes. I found this part to be less usefull. However the book is worth its weight in gold just for the first part and is a must have for any diabetic that considers exercise as part of his medication. The book is very well written, full of concise and clear information.

great format and advice
The Diabetic Athlete was exactly what I was looking for. It describes the effects different sports and activities have on blood sugar and your body. Also, provides tables and advice on how to manage your glucose levels depending on sport and type of insulin being used. Great reference and easy reading. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Voice of experience
Bob Seebohar is an experienced professional who not only teaches optimal health, but lives it every day. His reasoned and balanced instruction reflects both his work with the top athletes in the country as well as his personal passion for achieving the best state of fitness possible. I found the information in this book highly relevant even as a wanna-be athlete who only competes with the treadmill. Learning more about food and supplements has helped me fuel my workouts and maintain my weight--important goals for anyone!

Great Info
This book is awesome.A friend of mine recommended it to me and it is a brilliant concept.The author is very knowledgeable and very experienced.I highly recommend this read if you are a serious athlete. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
The foundation for success in sports is formed by effective skill and tactical instruction, adequate physical conditioning, and proper nutrition. Fuel for Young Athletes provides guidelines for meeting the essential nutritional needs of adolescent athletes to set the stage for good health and optimal performance throughout their sport careers.

Development of an athletic body hinges on whether the aspiring athlete gets the appropriate amounts and types of foods and fluids to spur growth, meet daily energy needs, and keep weight and fat levels within healthy ranges. Fuel for Young Athletes provides food plans to tackle the demands of specific sports, and recipe and snack ideas that will appeal to teens and power their performance on playing fields and courts.

Registered dietician Ann Litt addresses all the key issues, such as weight management, vitamin supplementation, growth, and hydration. Fuel for Young Athletes provides the nutritional bases for successful sport participation through the teenage years and beyond. ... Read more

Book Description
Boasting more than 10 million American practitioners, Pilateshas become a popular path to strength and flexibility. Now outdoor athletescan harness the core strengthening and cross training benefits of Pilates.Combining her love of Pilates, rock climbing, and snowboarding, LauriStricker has penned a user-friendly guide to boost outdoor performance andprevent injury. This informative guide includes images of key poses, tips,and training techniques from beginner to expert. While not part ofFulcrum's Little Kick in the Butt Series, Pilates for the Outdoor Athleteis an excellent companion title to the series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Awesome guide for athletes of all types!
Great in-depth pilates routines which focus on balancing the different muscles groups that are used in specific athletic disciplines.Very easy to use and full of valuable information!

Pilates for the Outdoor Athlete
As a Pilates Instructor I found this book an excellent tool including very well illustrated and easy to follow exercises.

More Piilates than you could ever do
I enjoyed this book immensely. It has some different pilates exercises that I had not seen before. I recommend it as an addition to your regular training routine. ... Read more

Book Description
This new edition represents collaboration among orthopaedists, physical therapists, and athletic trainers. It reviews the rehabilitation needs for all types of sports injuries, stressing the treatment of the entire kinetic chain with various exercises. Chapters have been extensively revised, featuring new concepts and techniques. The 3rd edition of Physical Rehabilitation of the Injured Athlete includes new chapters including Proprioception and Neuromuscular Control (Ch. 8), Cervical Spine Rehabilitation (Ch. 16), Functional Training and Advanced Rehabilitation (Ch. 10), and Plyometrics (Ch. 11), with new contributors and new features, such as summary boxes and tables. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great reference for the Ortho PT
This is a great reference for sports rehab, PT's, ATC's would benefit from this up to date techniques.Has great pic's to go with techniques.A must have for the sports rehab professional.

Great rehab techniques taught.
This book showed many rehabilitation techniques that if used correctlybring great gains in the rehab process of an injured athlete.The authorsdo a good job explaining the rationale and principles behind the rehabtechnique and the time in the healing process. ... Read more

Book Description
Unparalleled advice for parents of young athletes, from father and beloved future Hall of Famer, Cal Ripken.

Few athletes embody sportsmanship and class as perfectly as Cal Ripken, Jr. Since he retired from baseball in 2001, Ripken has devoted his time to coaching kids, including his own two children. His daughter, Rachel, plays basketball; his son, Ryan, plays baseball. The Babe Ruth League even changed the name of its largest division (more than 700,000 five-to-twelveyear-olds) from Bambino Baseball to Cal Ripken Baseball in 1991. But Ripken is troubled by what he sees in youth sports: a competitive intensity that removes the element of fun from playing. Drawing from his experiences as a father, a player, and a coach to his charges at Ripken Baseball, the legend offers his insights and advice in Parenting Young Baseball Players the Ripken Way, including:
• How an overemphasis on winning can harm your child’s game
• Why it’s counterproductive to correct your child’s technique during a game
• Mistakes well-meaning parents can make
• A complete guide to the structure of youth baseball leagues
• How Ripken’s techniques can be applied to other sports
• And much more

Showcasing his proven philosophy (keep it simple, explain the “why,” celebrate the individual, and make it fun!), Cal Ripken has created a plan that will delight baseball lovers for generations to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Parenting Youth Sports
I'm a coach. In another life, I think that I'd do that as a profession. In this life however, I've been coaching my 2 girls in a variety of sports and learning so many lessons. As they have gotten older, more and more issues have come up that have pushed me past those easy tee-ball days. Suddenly, drafts and organizational politics have come into play - neither of which I could care about all that much. I'm still more concerned with my singular goal for each season:

How many of these kids will have so much fun that they will come back and play another season?


There was a study done recently that showed that 75% of all kids who play sports stop completely by age 13. Athletics was such an important part of shaping who I am today and for my girls, I feel that it is extremely important for them to keep playing (something, anything) and having fun.

I picked up a copy of "Parenting Young Athletes The Ripken Way" from the library this weekend and blew through it's pages in one sitting. What I read reconfirmed:

* Cal Ripken is a class act
* Youth Sports today is very different than it was when I was a kid (not so long ago)
* Youth Sports are GAMES... and games are meant to be fun
* Parents and coaches may be hurting their kids inadvertently by pushing and not praising at all times

I jotted down a few notes as I read this book (I read with one eye on the Patriots playoff and their 17th victory this season - all those guys played youth sports I bet).

Cal talks a lot about praise and how to use praise to really build up a kids confidence. I do an OK job of this, but am realizing how important it is to not be critical - especially in the car on the way home from a game. My instinct is to keep coaching on the way home, giving my girls tips and pointers on what to work on. What I should be doing is going gaga over their performance and asking them about what they thought.

If my goal is to get my kids to keep playing a sport from season to season, I think a little less criticism and a ton more praise might just do the trick.

A lot of parents have asked me if I think travel teams and specialization is something they should be considering for their athletes - I get these questions more and more now that my older kid is approaching middle school. While I'm not an expert quite yet, Cal's book made some great points that are worth considering.

* By playing as many different sports as possible, your athlete develops cross-compatible skills that will help them in every sport they play. The quickness they get from playing aggressive defense in basketball will certainly help their footwork on a soccer field or on a baseball diamond.
* Cal also mentions that the college coaches he knows actually tend to favor well-rounded athletes - their thought being that a player who specialized at a young age is at risk for an injury (overuse of particular muscles) and burn out.
* The book also talks about travel teams and how for most kids, lack of playing time on a team focused only on winning can actually end up making no difference athletically for that child - and even worse can create other issues. The demands that travel teams make on families creates issues with school work, missing family time and meals and at it's worst, can create animosity or dislike for the game. At 7 or 8 years old, is this really necessary?

In the end, Cal makes a startingly simple and powerful statement that I 100% agree with:

It's not about your dreams, it's about your child's dreams.

I'd agree. Sports may not be your kid's dream - but giving them an opportunity to stay fit, learn a new game and make friends is worthy enough a goal!

A Great Book For Any Parent OfA Young Athlete
I thought this book was excellent.It made a lot of references to baseball but it can be applied to any sport.He does mention other sports and uses examples with them.This book is great for any parent that has a child in sports.It covers, the basics of sportsmanship and how an overemphasis on technique or winning can harm your child.It also covers how to develop a good relationship with your child's coach and why most kids burn out on team sports by middle school and how to avoid it.My 2 daughters swim on a swim team and one of them also plays soccer.I found myself thinking of myself in many of the examples and also of the other parents that I know on our team.I think it is a good down to earth book and it gives a lot of helpful advice on how to deal with various things that come up when your children play sports.I think it should be required for any parent that has a child in youth sports.

Classy Guy with Wholesome Advice
What can one say, advice by Ripken is as good as it gets.If you want to keep athletics a positive experience for you and your kids, the Ripken Way is the way to do it.Great guide for parents, school athletic departments, and all those coaches who sometimes need to be reminded about what sports is all about...good experiences for kids!Extremely readable.

Another Hit for Cal Ripken Jr.
Great book for parents with kids involved with sports. Very sensible advice. Ripken shares experiences he had with his own children.

A grand slam for youth sports!!!
I have been honored to have coached youth sports for sixteen seasons.I've often struggled with what is best for the kids in the long run against a parent's internal drive for competition, and to win.This book should nearly be a mandate for every parent in this country who has kids playing sports.Cal, along with Rick Wolff, who is Chairman of the Center for Sports Parenting, have created an outstanding book that covers all the bases about child development, skill development, and long-term success.In a society where news is filled with overzealous, and even violent parents in kids sports, this book offers the cure.It even provides the secret to creating long-term athletic success (and it is not what most parents think it is).

The book is full of practical advice about how to broaden athletic skills and deal with the developmental and emotional challenges kids face when playing organized youth sports (how we wish for the sandlots of yesteryear).In fact, when my seven-year-old son got out at a play at second, and couldn't control his emotions, I found myself driving home frantically just to reread the chapter on "dealing with disappointment", so I could help him through it.

When I was a kid, I didn't have fun, wasn't given a chance, and I was one of the millions of kids in this country that stopped playing sports.Cal and Rick are right on target about what to do to keep kids playing.The messages in this can create happier kids, happier fields, less-stressed parents, and in the long run, more kids that choose to play sports for a lifetime (and do them well).
... Read more

Book Description
Whether you swim, run, cycle, cross-country ski, or compete in multievents, SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes is the tool you need to become the best possible endurance athlete. Use these 7 components of the SERIOUS system to enhance your training:

Speed workouts

Endurance or Easy Distance training

Race/Pace sessions to test your fitness level

Intervals of high-intensity workouts on flat terrain

Overdistance sessions of prolonged, low-level activity for base building

Up/Vertical intervals to enhance mental and physical toughness Strength workouts for overall and sport-specific conditioning

SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes shows you how to design a personalized year-round training plan by modifying the SERIOUS plan designed for your sport. You'll finally have a sure-fire method to reach peak racing condition safely and predictably.

SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes provides the coach, trainer and athlete with solid guidelines for designing personalized training programs. Author Rob Sleamaker has analyzed the world's best systems of endurance sport training and devised this program by combining the most effective elements of each. SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes includes sport-specific training recommendations for cyclists, distance runners, swimmers, canoeists, biathletes, triathletes, and all other endurance athletes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

A Serious Book for Serious Athletes-No Kidding
This is the first book a serious athlete should read on endurance and multisport training. It provides a great foundation for everything you will need to know to develop your own effective training program. The writing team of Sleamaker and Browning work well together. Sleamaker gives you the theory and the facts, and Browning puts them into practice.

Okay read
It has a lot of good ideas on how to create a training schedule.This isn't the main book I use but I do revert to some of the ideas on occasion.

Very helpful
I use this book in order to build my training schedule and I enjoy any minute. The book explains the different components of the periodic training method and presents a practical way to develope a yearly log for different types of endurance events (road races up to the marathon distance, triathlons and duathlons up to ironman/ powerman distances, cross-country race, cross-country skiing). I use this books for over a year now, and I find it very helpul.



The fifth star is missing because I find that the books is lacking a more comprehansive view for the periodization within the training week.

Good book
This is a good book for people who have never done a sport at a high level, because it will show you how to do a good training and give you ideas for exercises, it is also for people who plan to do some sport for a special event (for example, training for a 1 week or more mountain hiking)

I would not really recommend this book to people who already do high level taining and who allready are in a training program, because they probably allready know most of the exercises and ideas of this book (or at least something equivalent)

Excellent primer for a successful training program
I bought this book on the recommendations of Amazon customers and I must admit that I wasn't disapointed. Sometimes you don't know what you're going to get when everyone gives a book 5 stars. Sometimes it's hard to get an unbiased review.
I was pleased with the book and what others have said is true. I recommend this book to endurance athletes looking for reasons and explanations on why to train a certain way and what it will do for your body in the long run.
However, I am a competetive rower and there were few topics that took rowing into account. Most of the training is geared towards running/cycling/triathetes and not specific to rowing as much as I was hoping. Also, there is way too little emphasis on resistance training. Most of the book is about setting up a mathmatical training plan and says to devote time sparingly to strength training. I'm not an expert on other sports, but I do know that power through strength training is vital for a strong pull on those oars. I suggest devoting more time in the SERIOUS formula to weight training in the gym than the book suggests, especially in the early training weeks.

As for the rest of the book, it's great, but it takes a *LOT* of paperwork. Fortunately my wife is handy with MS Excel and plotted all the charts for me with forulas that makes it all easy. However, without her I know that I would be daunted and discouraged at the task of making all the charts and calculations by hand. In a future updated edition (I hope that they make one) the book should come with a CDROM loaded with all the charts and formulas, or at least a web site link for downloading them. In the 21st century it's good practice to have online content and I hope to see it with this great text book. ... Read more

Product Description
Athletes have a passion for sports that makes them unique, viewing life through a competitive lens. The desire to compete and their drive for success can mean seeing friends, family, church and school as distractions. Usually the first to be sacrificed is their spiritual life. And yet, God doesn t intend for athletes to go it alone. Heart of an Athlete is spiritual training for the competitor, 120 devotions written specifically for athletes of every level. It goes straight to the issues that matter most to athletes, such as identity, fear, trust and recognition.This athletic devotional encourages readers to spend regular, short and meaningful time in God s Word to help them become true competitors for Christ. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

book review
I have enjoyed reading the book and it has shown me some fundamentals of exercise that I had forgotten. I enjoy the descriptions of the exercises and the muscle groups working. overall I am quite pleased with this book and use it to show me how to do the exercises properly.

Tony ... Read more

Book Description
"The best traders in the world know that being mentally prepared is absolutely essential to compete in today's markets.Without a firm understanding of the psychology of trading, even the best stock picker will fail. The Trading Athlete gives specific instruction on how new and seasoned traders can keep themselves at the top of their mental game."-Tim Bourquin, Cofounder, TraderInterivews.com and The Online Trading Expo

"This book is a great training camp for online traders. Doug and Shane will provide the knowledge and motivation to help you become a successful trader."-Jonathan Markowitz, Partner, SMW Trading Co., Inc.

Traders, just like athletes, face tremendous pressure, stress, and expectations that would crush the ordinary, unprepared individual. The Trading Athlete utilizes sport psychology strategies to provide you with the knowledge, confidence, and discipline needed to succeed and profit in the sink-or-swim world of online trading.

Using real-world examples of athletes and online traders, this book will help you reach the peak of your online trading performance with in-depth analysis of:

• Building confidence in good times and bad
• Handling losses by examining your methods
• Focusing and maintaining concentration
• Playing the game one trade at a time

Through sport psychology strategies exemplified by John Elway, Arthur Ashe, and other athletes, you will finally begin to trade and survive in the big leagues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Book review
I found this book to be a good read.Having played alot of sport in the past I could relate to the advice that was being given.

nice read but not sufficiently hands on
At first, i was enthoused by the uplifting style in which the book is written. That is an asset in itselft as it contributes to giving you a positive attitude. But once you have finished the book and try to elaborate some plan to implement some long term goals, you reckon that there is no specific help on how to define short term goals which is in essence the most important message of the book. It is apparent that the autors have extensive experience sport psychology and i think the book is actually more helpful if you are into weight lifting than into trading as it is somewhat more difficult to formulate goals that relate to emotional issues than easily measurable results in sports (power, speed etc.) and fixing short term monetary goals is counterproductive as the book states itself as the most important thing in trading is consistency. So there is no information on how to put the ideas into practise which considerabely decreases the practical value of the book.

Light reading
Buy Elder's trading for a living.This book is so light that I read it in one night and listed it on Amazon to sell the next day.

The concept is okay. The book is not.
I did have great expectation on this book. I had been quite disappointed. Instead of elaborating on the similarities for playing pro sports and trading, it's more like a business management book emphasizing on setting achievable, strategic, measurable, controllable, flexible and positive goals of daily, weekly, monthly and yearly time span. I am not kidding. The authors did put tables of the above goals for you to fill in te blank. Though the authors also had chapters on motivation, concentration, pressure handling, routine setting, loss handling stuff but the coverage of them, in my opinion as a veteran trader and frequent trading book lover, were far from sufficient and sophisticated to help traders to turn themselves into a pro athlete and win this highly competitive game. The analogy is brilliant, but is only limited to the title. The content is not. It's just like reading one of those common psychology or life management books.

get your psyche straight!
this book gives you a step by step approach to getting, and maintaining the proper mind set needed to trade successfuly.
easy reading, and recommended. ... Read more

Book Description
This book is designed to better prepare athletes and their families to intelligently question, choose, and work with an agent and/or prospective advisors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Back where I started. Not exactly what I bargained for.
I bought this book as a gift for my brother who was looking for information on finding a new agent in the U.S and abroad, how to approach agents, how to find quality agents, information about affiliations, training/try-out camps etc. Unfortunately this book offers no information in that department. Instead it assumes you are being recruited from a college team, which is of little use to semi-professional athletes, or those who are well out of college.

If you're looking for semi-interesting anecdotes and examples of the business end of sports, check this book out of the libarary and give it a read.If you want specific or practical info to get you started or point you in the right direction this is not the book for you.

A Must Read for New Agents!
We use this book as required reading for our course offered withsportsjobs.com, as well as in our mentorhship program withsports-management.com!

Dr. G. Lynn Lashbrook President and FounderSports-management.com

Great (if you are into sports)!
This book is an absolute must have for any diehard athletes!It give you all the insight on the latest agents as well as tons of info. on what it's really like to be an agent through the eyes of the agents themeslves! ... Read more

Amazon.com
A wise book that looks at the psychology behind the search for athletic excellence, The Inner Athlete shows anyone how to improve skills, accelerate learning, and unleash their athletic potential.The skills it teaches are applicable not only in sports, but in daily life -- transforming training into a path of personal growth and discovery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Life changing
This was one of the most life changing books I have ever read.
Highly recommend it.

Dan Millman expounds on an integrated philosphy of training.
Dan Millman pulls valuable concepts from a variety of disciplines.This book does not delve into specific training methods, but rather expounds a philosophy of training.The author integrates concepts from sportspsychology, physiology, and the martial arts. The Inner Athlete containsseveral enlightening perspectives on different aspects of athletictraining.I have been following his suggested modifications for stretchingexercises for about two weeks, with excellent results.This book will bevaluable for any athlete, regardless of level of attainment.