Product Description
Athletic Development offers a rare opportunity to learn and apply a career full of knowledge from the best. World-renowned strength and conditioning coach Vern Gambetta condenses the wisdom he's gained through more than 40 years of experience of working with athletes across sports, age groups, and levels of competition, including members of the Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, and U.S. men's 1998 World Cup soccer team.

The result is an information-packed, myth-busting explanation of the most effective methods and prescriptions in each facet of an athlete's physical preparation. Gambetta includes never-before-published and ready-to-use training approaches in

• sport-specific demands analysis,
• work capacity enhancements,
• movement skills development,
• long- and short-term training program progressions, and
• rest and regeneration techniques.

Customer Reviews (11)

Athletic development made easy
Vern's book is abosutely amazing.It provides a really conclusive overview of athletic development principles.The best part of the book is his perspective on the art and science of coaching.

A Different Approach to Coaching
Gambetta is a pioneer in the Athletic Development and in this book he showed us his creativity and the practical approach in coaching by assimilating the sciences into actual application. Many a time, coaches believe in the plain old-school methods while the sports scientists will tell them it's not scientific but here Gambetta will show how these two can "work together". Coaching is the art of applying the sciences into training and in this book you will find out how it is done. It is an interesting read and I have benefited a lot from it.

A Must Read!
This book is a must read for coaches or anyone seeking to develop the total athlete. Gambetta offers great insight into the science of functional training and lays it all out so clearly that even those who are just having their first taste of the physiology of exercise can understand. This book focuses mainly on the science of functional training methods but also details some great thoughts on coaching in general. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

great read
this is one of the best books i have ever read.. it totally blew my mind

Great Read for Strength and Conditioning Coaches
This book has great insight in the formation and development of training regimens mostly for elite athletes.However it does glance by initial training steps for the novice.Not written for those without basic knowledge of anatomy and physiology.It should be an adjunct to other strength and conditioning books. ... Read more

Product Description
Vital Point Strikes is a guide to pressure point striking for the average martial artist. Sang H. Kim demystifies the lore of vital point striking and shows you realistic applications of vital point strikes for self-defense and combat sports. For those new to the concept of vital points, he begins by examining the Eastern theory of acupoints, meridians and ki (qi) and the Western scientific concepts of the nervous and circulatory systems, pain threshold and pain tolerance, and the relationship between pain and fear. This synthesis of accepted Eastern and Western theories helps the reader understand what makes vital point striking work and why it can be not only useful in fighting, but deadly. Based on this introduction, you ll learn about 202 vital points for use in fighting including the name, point number, location, involved nerves and blood vessels, applicable techniques, sample applications, and potential results for each point. The points are illustrated in detail on an anatomically correct human model, with English, Chinese, and Korean names as well as point numbers for easy reference.In addition to identifying the vital points, Sang H. Kim gives you detailed information about the type of techniques that work for vital point striking including a discussion of fighting zones and ranges, plexus strikes, stance and footwork, bodily weapons, striking directions and angles and dozens of applications for common empty hand, grappling, groundfighting, knife and gun attacks.Based on over thirty years experience in the martial arts and in-depth research, Sang H. Kim has created one of the most complete books available on the art and science of vital point striking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Excellent book, just be careful.
This book is and excellent guide and reference of vital points and ways to striking it. The content is well organized and is very easy to locate the parts of the body that you want to study. Just read the Table of Contents and see the example pages.

With time, this book can be a classic. It is really good.

Please use it with responsibility. Check all the advices and be careful because you can hurt yourself or your partner.

Highly recommended
I highly recommend this work for anyone who is serous about self-defense and learning martial knowledge. I do put out a caution, however, because one should not be going out hitting people to test in application the information they receive in this manuscript. You still need a qualified instructor to learn how to practice these techniques without doing serious harm to your partners. I added this book to my library of vital point strikes and it is one of my favorites, it sits right next to my Encyclopedia of Dim Mak by Erle Montegue (who, in my opinion, still rates number 1 as far as his material and presentation goes).

This book deals mainly with vital points and application of those points for self-defense, and there's nothing wrong with that. I believe this was the author's intent, and he accomplished it very well. However, if you want to have a well rounded information base on both the healing and disruption base of each of the 12 meridian Dim Mak points, Erle Montegue's book would be an important addition to your library.

Very Comprehensive and generally well presented
AN excellently detailed exposition of vulnerable 'Vital' points from both a Western and Eastern perspective, plus some applications based on the points and the authors general drills.

NO doubt a lot of other people worked on this with the author and a lot of other references have been heavily used but the result justifies all that.

It may be too detailed in fact for a number of people who would rather a somewhat smaller number of very effective techniques. However it's probably a great thing if a reader who may want to use such information innapropriately is put off by the effort it might take to go throught this book as that is always a worry when such information is made freely available as it seems to increasingly be these days.

A very informative book
Vital Point Strikes by Sang H. Kim is a thorough book on the vulnerable spots of the human body. It has sections on both Western and Eastern views on vital areas. It talks of the nervous system of Western anatomy and the body's meridians of Eastern medicine, and shows a correlation between the two. It is well illustrated with many anatomical drawings, and it has many photos illustrating striking methods and other self-defense scenarios such as disarming assailants with weapons. One should, however, be aware of the disclaimer that the techniques are not to be misused, and that it is written simply to inform. Also it has a disclaimer that there may be a few inaccuracies in it. But all in all I find it an excellent book for the studies of the martial artist of any style.

A dangerous book only the experienced should use.
First things first, this book is excellent. Sang H. Kim has no equal in his art, and I have nothing but full respect for him. Pressure points were a specialty of mine when I was still active in competitive martial arts, and while my outlook on fighting has changed over the years, it's best to end a fight quickly, and going for the vitals is the surefire way to do that. The presentation of this book is very well-organized, has many useful pictures, charts and photos showing every single pressure point [except two I know of that are best kept out of books to the public] and how to apply the strikes in real life situations. This isn't your standard martial arts book that shows you to 'do this if this happens', but it thoroughly explains everything and why you're doing it. My only gripe is with the photos and that they aren't in color, but black and white, so -sometimes- it's hard to see certain things, but usually everything's very clear.

But my main criticism is that this book is extremely dangerous, and I don't think it should've been released with this much information. Any martial artist of any rank can get it, read a few pages, think they're a killing machine, and then will either hurt someone else very seriously, or do something wrong and get hurt them self. Please, if you're interested in getting this book and have martial arts experience, ask your master about it if they know anything. As someone who was on the receiving end of a pressure point strike over 10 years ago, I still haven't recovered from a hit on my inner elbow, and can't hold my arm still without continuous shaking. But if you're using this book for reference and to know what points to keep more protected, that'd be the best reason to get this.

Again, the book itself is an excellent resource, and I wish it had been out when I was younger. Seeing just how many pressure points there are on the human body is incredible, and knowing that you're doing acupuncture in reverse with the knowledge on these pages isn't something to take lightly. Please use the utmost care if you plan on actually using the techniques in this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Must have for MDs on the mat
A fabulous book which explains the mechanisms of many common injuries in the combat arts and their immediate management on the mat. More importantly the book is both funny and understandable. I reccomend this to anyone who has been hit in the head or anyone who intends to hit other people in the head.

A MUST!!!
This book is an absolute must for anyone involved in combat arts such as wrestling, martial arts, boxing,etc.Estwanik has put together a thorough and comprehensive book that covers injuries that the fighter is likely tosuffer.Accidents happen and most injuries can be prevented if one knowswhat to look for-this book covers it. I recommend it for the student andteacher alike. ... Read more

Product Description
Have you ever seen an action-packed kung fu movie? Have you seen people moving their bodies in the calm motions of tai chi in a park on a Saturday morning? You might not think these two practices have much in common, but they do. They are both styles of the ancient Chinese martial arts of wushu. Discover the sports in which the "hard and stron ... Read more

Product Description
The Porsche is the quintessential sports car—sleek, shiny, sexy, and very fast. The striking looks of the car are matched by the machine’s superb engineering and performance, making it one of the world’s great automobiles. In merging the highest standards of design with advanced technology, the Porsche has become a four-wheeled work of art. Now, in a book whose design is as refined and as smart as the car itself, the story of the Porsche unfolds from the beginning as a creation of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche and his son in 1948, through forty-eight models to today’s magnificent examples. Interwoven with the history of the Porsche’s development are factors and events that influenced the development of the company, such as the imprisonment of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche by the French during World War II, the development of the Volkswagen, the ever-changing rules of national and international racing associations, and the marketing genius of people as far away as Chicago. Porsche: The Fine Art of the Sports Car features over 380 pages of text and more than 250 stunning color and 120 historical black-and-white photographs, enabling the history of the world’s beloved sports car to be cherished and enjoyed at home in a stylishly handsome volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Nice as a gift.
I got this as a gift for my husband. It's a nice, big book - somewhat heavy actually. Has great, HUGE images. I have not read it or looked at it in great detail but it was a nice gift. He seemed excited to get it.

Nice but not complete
Porsche: The Fine Art of the Sports Car is a very nice book with lots a great photos but if you are looking for 996 photos or text, you will not find the 996 model here.

Great Book!
This has to be one of the best coffee table books around. Love the size, love the pictures and the history told inside.

The fine art of the sports car
Of the 35+ porsche related texts I own and collect this is one of my favorites. Excellent photos, quality printing and readable history on a wide variety of models.

Mrs. Lewis has made some wonderful pictures here!
Although I have the spanish version of this book purchased in my country (I was unable to buy it brand new over the net) I must say this is one of the best Porsche book in my collection. The book is huge and complicated to handle but once you put it on a table and see the wonderful pictures it has (never saw pictures that large indeed) you know Mrs. Lewis has a special gift to captivate the beauty of these cars. The text is interesting but basic and there's a lack of info about some models as noted by other reviewers. A good point is Auto Union reference. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Not Much Good To Say About This One...
Outdated in terms of both content and illustration, and there are much better Judo books out there to spend your money on (see my other reviews).

Judo Book
This is one of the old, simple books on Judo.No frills and no extended theory.Just the real stuff done by men who know the sport.This is a great book for any Judo student to learn from and to keep as a reference.Bought a bunch of them as gifts for my Judo students.

I love this old book on Judo
An oldie but goodie.

This is certainly one of the better "old" judo books both in the book size, pictures and explanation. I still refer to it time and time again.

Good for those new to the Sport and Art of Judo
Shows the basic Judo moves and techniques in an east to follow format.Starting with how to fall properly to basic and intermediate throws and counter throws.I would recommend this book to people new to Judo and high school/college wrestling, due to it's simplicity and to-the-point photos and movement explainations.

Good pictures and helpful pointers
The beginning and intermediate Judo student will be pleased with book. It is a good introduction to the major Judo techniques, starting with the basics such as falling and unbalancing you opponent, and then introducing a number of the more common techniques (throws, sweeps, chokes, and holds). Each technique is accompanied by a number of pictures showing the progression of the moves (including different variations) as well as good explanatory text.

There is good reason that this book has had 48 printings! ... Read more

Product Description
Involved in the development of a sports venue, theater, convention/congress center, or exhibition hall? This new book contains expert advice and best practices for each stage of development, critical factors that can make or break your project, innovative financing, and the latest trends.

The book builds upon the author's previous work, Sports, Convention, and Entertainment Facilities; as such, each chapter has been completely revised, expanded, and up-dated. Now illustrated in full color, 40 new and expanded case studies provide details on how a wide variety of sports, convention/exhibition, and performing arts facilities were developed in the United States and abroad. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great starting point for a complex industry.
A great textbook covering development within the area of sports venues, convention centers and entertainment facilities, this book provides great guidance for anyone from the novice/student, to the most experienced city planner.I've been involved in this industry for over 15 years, and found the author's unique insight and innovative case studies valuable in explaining both the "internal economics" of the developments and their impact on the surrounding communities.A must read for advocates, opponents, or the just plain curious. ... Read more

Product Description
In The Art of a Beautiful Game, Chris Ballard, the award-winning Sports Illustrated writer who has covered the NBA for the past decade, goes behind the scenes to examine basketball in ways that will surprise even die-hard fans. An inveterate hoops junkie who played some college ball, Ballard sits down with the NBA's most passionate, cerebral players to find out their tricks of the trade and to learn what drives them, taking readers away from the usual sports talk radio fodder and deep into the heart of the game.

Ballard talks to Dwight Howard, a prolific shot-blocker, about the enervating feeling of meeting another man at the height of his leap; challenges Steve Kerr to a game of H-O-R-S-E to understand the mentality of a pure shooter; reveals the roots of Kobe Bryant's unmatched killer instinct; and spends time with LeBron James to better understand both his mental game and his seemingly unlimited physical skills. He tracks down renowned dunkers from Dominique to Shaq to explore the impact of the dunk on the modern game, shadows Shane Battier during his preparations to defend LeBron, takes lessons from a freethrow shooting guru who once hit 2,750 in a row, and attends an elite NBA training camp to feel the pain that turns a prospect into a pro.

Packed with lively characters and basketball history, and grounded in superb writing and the reportage that is the hallmark of Sports Illustrated, The Art of a Beautiful Game is an often witty, always insightful look at the men like Steve Nash, Yao Ming, and Alonzo Mourning who devote themselves to this elegant and complicated sport. It ultimately provides basketball fans what they all want: an inside read on the game they love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Three words:Buy this book.
Three words:Buy this book.

Unless you definitively dislike basketball or are just a generally unhappy person, you will be instantly drawn into this colorful and insightful tour of the fundamental skills, subtle techniques, and diverse personalities of today's NBA.Ballard's remarkable access to the NBA's top talents, familiarity with the game, and immediately accessible and entertaining writing style make this the best sports book I have read in years.

Ballard's only mistake was in limiting his sub-title to "The Thinking Fan's Tour of the NBA."While the finer points in every chapter are no doubt informative and stimulating for even the most advanced fan, the fact is that this is a great book for those (like me) who haven't had the time, energy or interest in keeping abreadst of the NBA, but who remember basketball from our youth and hope that the art of a beautiful game is not lost on today's slam-dunk talent.Ballard's book clearly demonstrates that the art is not only alive and well, but soaring to new levels in today's NBA.Even for those who have never played basketball, this book is a winner simply because of Ballard's talents as a storyteller.Thanks for the great ride, Mr. Ballard!

The only Beautiful Game
As an NBA fan for fifty years. I watched Bob Cousy and Bill Russell at the BG. The author should never confuse, "The Beautiful Game" which is soccer/football to 4.4 billion people with the NBA. Respectfully, he has his "Brands" confused.

Read it and Enjoy NBA Games More
I chose Ballard's book over Bill Simmons' better-selling tome to serve a specific purpose: introduce my wife - who has developed an obsessive rooting interest in our local five (the 17-time champion Celtics) - to some of the finer points of the NBA game.

That, it turns out well for us, is a perfect use for Ballard's work. I don't say this to imply that it was beneath me (I am no basketball maven myself), or that it was great "for the little lady," but mean it as a recommendation of the book as a very smart, very accessible look at the finer points of the mechanical and strategic points of the game.

Ballard uses access to specific well-known NBA stars to explain the mechanics of things like the jump shot (Steve Kerr) and the box out (Dwight Howard), and he is able to fit in some anecdotes that never really feel too cutesy.

Between Ballard's book and the DVR rewind feature, my wife is now appreciating the games even more thoroughly, picking out pick and rolls but also beginning to really stretch her legs by doing things like watching action off the ball. That is the way to enjoy the NBA. Ballard's book will help you do it.

Good, but not quite great
A very interesting collection of articles and episodes from various players and insiders that will interest most readers who follow the NBA.

Downside is that much of the articles and episodes were introduced in bits and pieces before, so not many of the material in the book is really new or revealing if you are an avid follower of the NBA blogs and such.

Sports Illustrated fluff without the photos
The author actually believes dunking began with Kobe and LeBron! Obviously, the author is someone that thinks basketball started when he began dribbling. We learn more about the author than we do about the professional game. I really don't care that the author can make an NBA three or touch the rim with a running start. Please! Giving this waste of paper "one star" seems overly generous. ... Read more

Product Description
Improving fundamental martial arts skills like strength, flexibility, endurance, balance, speed, and agility requires a wide range of specific exercises, which have never been compiled into one easy-to-use resource—until now.

Complete Conditioning for Martial Arts is the most comprehensive resource for preparing the body to excel in karate, taekwondo, judo, aikido, jujitsu, kempo, and other martial arts forms. Loaded with exercises designed specifically to improve the execution of martial arts techniques, this book supplies the workout prescriptions you need to excel as a martial artist.

Written by certified strength and conditioning specialist and black belt holder Sean Cochran, this book combines his expertise in both disciplines into one outstanding and widely applicable resource.

Develop the fundamental fitness and art-specific conditioning needed to master your discipline. With Complete Conditioning for Martial Arts, you’ll always be in peak form. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Some Good Stuff, Not Much
It's a decent book. None of the material in it is blatantly wrong. It's just not terribly informed or inspired. Also, it's much more about strength training than actual combat conditioning. Go check out Ross Enamait's web site & books for really useful information on these topics. Seriously, there's nothing horribly wrong with this book, but you can get so much more for your money.

Old school work out book
This book is dated.It's old and out of date information about working out is not helpful.Based on the cover it appears to be just the ticket for a martial artist wanting to build strength, but the reality is that this book is a blast from the past.After reading it I found that I had been transported to the 70s and that I would also have to purchase a complete universal gym as well as some odd medicine balls and Gawd knows what else.I do not feel it is useful book.

Good General Conditioning - Not Very Martial
This is a worthwhile book if you seek basic but general exercises for strength, power and flexibility.Unfortunately, the authors don't emphasize much martial arts conditioning used by boxers, wrestlers and other fighters.Fighters tend to integrate physical conditioning into actual fighting skills and drills.If you want to build speed, strength and flexibility also consider using the speed and heavy bags, weighted vests, kata practise with dumb bells, crowbars and other weights.A good instructor will focus on physical conditioning and diet/nutrition as an important part of any martial art.

Easy to understand and effective
I should say I don't study martial arts.I use this book just for it's good strengthening exercises (although it has good stretches in it, too.)This is a great book for strengthening, especially the torso.I like it because first, the things necessary to do the exercises are inexpensive, second it gives sets of exercises in 4s and 5s, so you can do 2 sets of exercises (I do one upper, one lower body) in about 20-25 minutes.They're very doable, and have a range of reps so you can do what you feel good about without overdoing it.I've been using it for about 6 months now and I love it.In fact, I'm here now because I accidently recycled my copy, so I have to get a new one!

A must read for rapid progress and injury prevention
Regardless of system, progress in the martial arts requires not only proper instruction, but a high level of general fitness.Many martial arts instructors neglect to tell this to their students, probably because they stick to "traditional" training techniques that were developed before the discoveries of sports science.

It is not enough to go to class 3 times a week and expect your body to perform at a high level when you need it to.The masters of old trained every day, and with the exercises in this book, you can too, and get even better results.

Read this and you will have the basic, scientific principles of athletic training at your fingertips.You will learn about the basic components of fitness (flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, muscular power, muscle balance, speed, agility, aerobic and anerobic capacity), and how various systems emphasize different aspects of fitness.

Especially important--the joint stabilization exercises.You won't find very many instructors teaching these.I wish I knew these, as I dislocated my shoulder a few times doing judo and kung fu.They will improve your muscle balance and prevent dislocations.I've incorporated them into my workout routine. ... Read more

Product Description
A masseuse to sports superstars offers hands-on techniques for improved performance and recovery from injury that are sports-specific and helpful to weekend athletes and serious competitors--including warm-ups and stretches, self-massage, and partner massage. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Nice Book
This is a good introduction to sports massage that should be helpful to athletes and massage therapists alike.

This book is for the layperson.
The author clearly states in her introduction that this book is intended for the everyday active person. So, therefore, it has been quite helpful. The review below did not comprehend it's intent.

Not meant for the professional
To say I was dissapointed is an understatement.This is definitely a laymans book.I had wanted a book for reference but this is about as non-specific as you can get. If you are a massage therapist, you do not want this book.

Her work has helped thousands of students of massage therapy
The text follows a logical and practical order to enhance the learning process. Even after using the text, one will always continue to learn. An excellent reference.

Easy self-help book to follow.
I really enjoyed learning from this book on how to massage. From this experience I am learning to work on all my friends! This is a great gift. ... Read more

Product Description
Cole Richards has been training in karate for four years. He's on the brink of advancing to his next belt level, but as he prepares for his test, new challenges come his way. First, his dojo announces a "create-your-own kata" contest to take place the same day as his belt test. Now he's torn between practicing for the test and making up a series of moves that will knock his sensei's socks off. But before he even begins with either challenge, he lands in trouble with a group of local teens -- and then with his best friends, too! How will Cole handle the mounting pressure?



With themes of jealousy, competition, and bullying, Matt Christopher brings together important life lessons and the thrill of karate. ... Read more

Product Description
Eldridge Hardie's artwork has for many years graced the pages of sporting literature such as Gray's Sporting Journal and Bill Tarrant's Pick of the Litter. His work has also appeared in Sporting Classics, Fly Fishing in Saltwaters, Double Gun Journal and numerous other magazines and books. Hardie has been honored with the first one-man retrospective show at the National Bird Dog Museum and has exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art and the American Museum of Fly Fishing. He was the first Artist of the Year for Trout Unlimited.

This is the first book wholly devoted to his classic oil and watercolor paintings. The book showcases over 100 reproductions of upland game, waterfowl, sporting dogs, and fly-fishing subjects. Eleven of the pictures are accompanied by the preliminary drawings and notes that led to the completed painting to give you "a look under the hood," as Hardie puts it.

The Paintings of Eldridge Hardie--Art of a Life in Sport includes an introduction written by George Reiger and a foreword by Nick Lyons, two people who are able to get to the essence of Hardie's paintings and the man himself. Stackpole Books ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

RTurba - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
This book is perfect. The paintings and scenes are beautifull and plenty of colors andwas very interesting to find some tips about his drawings. ... Read more

Product Description
Experienced martial artist and veteran correction officer Sgt. Rory Miller distills what he has learned from jailhouse brawls, tactical operations and ambushes to explore the differences between martial arts and the subject martial arts were designed to deal with: Violence.

Sgt. Miller introduces the myths, metaphors and expectations that most martial artists have about what they will ultimately learn in their dojo. This is then compared with the complexity of the reality of violence. Complexity is one of the recurring themes throughout this work.

Section Two examines how to think critically about violence, how to evaluate sources of knowledge and clearly explains the concepts of strategy and tactics.

Sections Three and Four focus on the dynamics of violence itself and the predators who perpetuate it. Drawing on hundreds of encounters and thousands of hours spent with criminals Sgt. Miller explains the types of violence; how, where, when and why it develops; the effects of adrenaline; how criminals think, and even the effects of drugs and altered states of consciousness in a fight.

Section Five centers on training for violence, and adapting your present training methods to that reality. It discusses the pros and cons of modern and ancient martial arts training and gives a unique insight into early Japanese kata as a military training method.

Section Six is all about how to make self-defense work. Miller examines how to look at defense in a broader context, and how to overcome some of your own subconscious resistance to meeting violence with violence.

The last section deals with the aftermath--the cost of surviving sudden violence or violent environments, how it can change you for good or bad. It gives advice for supervisors and even for instructors on how to help a student/survivor. You'll even learn a bit about enlightenment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (81)

Review of 'Meditations on Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence'
A definite insightful read into the world of real-life violence.
The author's main message is that real life violence is complex, nasty & nothing as glamorous or as cool as how we all imagine it to be like in the movies. Getting caught up in it whether as victim or perpetrator is neither good & both has serious consequences.
The examples he gives are illuminating & insightful.
The author keeps the message & writing style real, direct, & to the point. He doesn't sugar coat things. Some of the stuff he says rings true, while others may come off as unsettling to some readers.
My guess is that he's doing so to make the reader feel the need to ask questions & think more critically about violence in general (due to the uneasiness felt from his message).
Again, definitely a good book worth reading.

Meditations On Violence
This is not a book of martial arts technique but more the voice of experience explaining what happens when confronted by the "unexpected" of real violence rather than the "expected" of much of todays martial arts training. For those wishing to understand from an experienced Martial Artist, who is also a long serving American prison officer, just what happens to the mind and body when confronted by real life violence then this is informative and a surprisingly easy read.

Add Another Fan to the List
Does anyone need to read review number 79 for this book? Others have already said it all, but I want to add my "five stars." This a must-read for anyone interested in martial arts, police science, self-defense, criminal psychology, etc., but it's about a great deal more than any of those things. I would say this is a must-read for anyone who has any intellectual curiosity at all, anyone who wants to try to understand a broad swath of the human experience that many of us will never--or hope to never--encounter personally.

I'll tell you how much I value this book: I read it cover to cover and then two weeks later I read it cover to cover again. Since then, I've picked it up dozens of times and read a page or two. There are so many fresh, original, striking insights in it that it is impossible to absorb it all in a single reading.

I've read a lot of books in this genre, but "Meditations on Violence" is unique. It has a place in my library alongside such books as Gonzales's "Deep Survival," De Becker's "Gift of Fear," Cooper's "Principals of Personal Defense," and Thompson's "Verbal Judo."

Possibly the best self-protection book ever written.
Hundreds of books have been produced by so called experts on self-protection who all claim to have real life experience of extreme street violence. Claiming to have had hundreds of street fights and decades of experience as door security staff; I've often thought that perhaps they may just be stretching the truth a little or they are probably the type of people to have instigated many of their own confrontations and that they are the ones to steer clear of. I spent twenty years working as a doorman in Cardiff and I can count all my violent confrontations on one hand, actually, one finger!

Sgt Rory Miller on the other hand is completely different animal. Working daily in America's high security correctional facilities (prisons to us Brits), he deals with some of the most violent men on the planet every day of his working life. To steal from the blurb on the back of the book, he "teaches and designs courses in Use Of Force Policy & Police Defensive Tactics; Confrontational Simulations; and leads and trains his agency's Corrections Tactical Team." Bluntly put, when the proverbial brown stuff hits the fan, he's the man they scream for.

It shows too. Miller understands and conveys the pshycology of violence in depth as well as how to deal with potentially violent and very violent people by using pshycology as well as force on force. Making use of some quite shocking imagery, he drives home the true nature of violence and violent people clearly and succinctly and blows away any delusions martial arts experts may have that their art will protect them and others without having had any real experience or at least having trained in a realsitic way.

Possibly the best self-protection book ever writen. Certainly the best I've ever read.

decent.. but repetitive
This is a decent book for a beginner martial artist, or someone that is going into the field of law enforcement (or both).
But as a martial artist I have read several books with the same info I got from this one and its pretty repetitive with the common sense . Basically you could get the same realist info from a Bruce Lee book .
Something I really disagree about in this book is when he quotes that 'overwhelming aggression always defeats skill and precision'. Well, this has proven throughout history to be wrong, and even today a skilled martial artist can overcome a sloppy aggressor with skill and precision. I suppose it depends on the person as well. but to use the word "always" is just not correct.
Also, he says that 'the first strike always gets in' .
It doesn't ALWAYS. Some people are not on their guard , it could happen, but someone who is on their guard would be aware of their surroundings and able to sense a hit coming and quickly react. (by moving or covering, or blocking etc..).
Anyway, I respect Miller's experience and he does offer some good insight based on his many experiences, but , that doesn't mean he is right about everything.
Overall an ok book.
... Read more

Product Description
Improve performance in any sport with Russia’s most guarded training secret

For elite sports training, nothing compares to the impact that kettlebells have on the entire body, and author and trainer Dave Bellomo now brings the power and benefit of these Russian-inspired weights to any athlete.

Working the entire body at different angles, this popular training program provides you with rapid gains in strength, speed, and endurance—all requirements for proficiency in any sport. This powerhouse program also gives you customization tools for setting personal goals and tailored eight-week workouts to answer the needs of your specific sport.

Kettlebell Power Training for Athletes:

• Presents more than eighty illustrated exercises for quicker learning on how to train with the weights
• Helps you gradually build a training foundation for a healthier lifestyle
• Includes sport- and goal-specific programs so you can go directly to that section of the book for your needs
• Features photographs from award-winning photographer Bruce Curtis

Whether you are training for the gridiron, the Octagon, or the Pentagon, these simple tools will help you produce the most extraordinary results you have ever seen.

Author Profile
Dave Bellomo (Williamsport, PA) consults high-level athletes such as Mixed Martial Artists and World's Strongest Man competitors as well as elite military and law enforcement professionals such as members of Homeland Security and US Special Operations. He designed kettlebells that appeared in the major motion picture, Never Back Down. He currently resides in Pennsylvania with his wife and 5 children, and can be found online at www.davebellomo.com. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Poorly written and poor illustrations
A poorly written book with a limited amount of pictures to correctly illustrate the proper way to use the kettle bell. There are many others books on the market which would better serve the purpose for learning how to do a great kettle bell workout. This book had too much repitition and was not well written. Don't waste your money

New to Kettlebells
I'm a weightlifter looking to incorporate something different to change up the routine. This book is the perfect solution for someone looking to learn the proper techinques to get into kettlebell training. I also liked the fact there were different routines illustrated for whatever sport you are training for. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to take their strength training to the next level. Bellomo does a great job using his personal experience in Kettlebell training to set you in the right direction. Enjoyed it!

The best kettlebell book.
If you are looking for a great book showing you how to use kettlebells for a variety of different sports,this is it. This is the best book of its kind I have ever found.

Kettlebells made easy
The detailed exercise descriptions and specialized combinations of routines (circuits) take all the guesswork out of making kettlebells an effective part of your training routine.The workouts are designed to combine cardio and strength training into a single session and the order of the exercises in the various circuits maximize the workout to ensure you are getting the most out of the session.I like to create a month of workouts from the book and copy the circuits from the book onto a notepad I can take to the gym, working well.Great book!

A biased review
As my title indicates, I may be a bit biased in my review of this book. Here is the reason: I personally had a chance to train with Dave. Try as I may, it is difficult to separate this fact from my review of this book. In December of 2004, I had ACL replacement surgery. I credit Dave with helping me recover as quickly and to the extent that I did. Within 4 months I was ready for golf. Okay, laugh if you will, but golf requires a range of motion, balance and a strength to be able to rotate through the golf swing. Believe me, this was not a simple task on a gimpy knee. Dave helped me gain the strength and stamina I needed to be able to get back the necessary muscle for my golf swing. And he did this in the time frame that I wanted to. And as for skiing, another passion of mine, I was back to skiing the next season. And, with more endurance and strength than before my surgery! Kettlebells, once I was recovered from the impact of the surgery, became a regular part of my routine with Dave. He was constantly mixing it up on me, but I always looked forward to the training with kettlebells. The range of motion, the strength necessary, and the cardio impact from a session of kettlebells is an all-around workout. Most of you will not be able to train personally with Dave. But this book is the next best thing. The many photos and the descriptive narrative is the alternative to being able to work out out with Dave. As I read the varieties of workouts in the book, they reminded me of the personal sessions that I had with him. So if you can't work out with him personally, get this book, get some kettlebells and start the routines. You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
COMPLETE KICKING: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO KICKS FOR MARTIAL ARTS SELF-DEFENSE & COMBAT SPORTS is a comprehensive guide to the kicks of Taekwondo from white belt to black belt and beyond. Sang H. Kim shares his expert knowledge of fundamental, jumping, spinning and multiple kicks.You ll get in-depth instruction for over 40 kicks, including the purpose of the kick, key points to pay attention to when practicing, step-by-step execution of the kick, the best targets for each kick, applications for sport fighting and self-defense, plus the most common kicking mistakes and how to fix them. As you progress, you ll also learn exercises designed to improve your kicking flexibility, power, speed and balance.This book goes beyond the basics and explains the concepts behind awesome kicks including how to generate power using your whole bodyin every kick, how to generate maximum impact, how to use body mechanics to kick higher, and how to get the most out of every practice session.Complete Kicking is the ultimate reference for martial artists of all styles who want to master the art of kicking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great for my children who just started taking lessons
The kids enjoy the details of the kicks and prepare or review what they learn from their in-class lessons.It is very helpful.

Complete Kicking By Sang H. Kim
Sang H. Kim presents a well written and organized book on kicking.Mr. Kim covers the basic kicks found in most martial arts.His material is easy to follow with examples of correct and incorrect form.Mr. Kim incorporates sample target areas for the kicks presented and some may find it a little slanted towards Taekwondo.I thought the book was not only well written but an excellent resource for a dojang/dojo/kwoon library.Beginners will probably find this very helpful yet even the experienced instructor can apply the material presented to improve their own techniques.Mr. Kim has done it again!

Complete Kicking
This book is well written and contains a great deal of information for the beginner to advanced martial artist.You'll be guided through helpful practice exercises to develop your skills and also given practical uses for each kick that is covered.It's well worth the addition to your martial arts library.YMAA gave me a copy of this book in exchange for the review.

As someone married to a martial artist..............
This book is well written & covers a wide variety of kicks. It is easy to understand & well demonstrated. It is helpful no matter how new or adb=vanced you are.

Complete Kicking Review
I received the book "Complete Kicking" and started reading it as soon as I got it.I was impressed with the number of kicks covered and how the box progressed in difficulty as i went throw the book.I am a martial artist of 30 years and have studied many forms in that time.I enjoyed how the book helps all no matter how long they have been in the martial arts to focus on good form and to have a knowledge of how effective kicking works.I have students that are troubled that I work with and allow a few of them to look at the book and read it and they said the book helped make sense of what i have been trying to get them to understand about appropriate stances and kicking.The only way this could have been better is if it was a dvd and the actions could be illustrated with actual movement.(Found out there is a DVD of Complete Kicking; if you are a visual learner) Enjoyed the self defense part of the box because kicking effectively can make the different in surviving a real fight.I recommend this book to all serious about martial arts. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is a must-have gift for anyone interested in skiing or in the art of the poster.Organized by country, it features the world's foremost winter sport by drawing on an unparalleled collection of 800 vintage posters and paintings.Amassed by Mason Beekley over a lifetime dedicated to the celebration of all things skiing, the collection is now housed at the Mammoth Ski Museum in California and open to the public.In the 1910s and 1920s, skiing became the "in" thing among the young and the fashionable, who made such glamorous resorts like St. Moritz, Chamonix, and Garmisch famous.Like car racing, skiing was one of the sports that defined the twentieth-century's notion of the modern.It combined fast-paced action with the need to appear in stylish, sporty yet appropriate attire.Since it took place away from everyday urban life in remote and breathtaking mountain locations, it also combined the romance of travel with the stylishness of après-ski social life and ski chalet rusticity. Even in the steamship era, skiing quickly jumped the Atlantic and spawned such now famous ski resorts such as Vermont's Stowe, Colorado's Aspen, and Canada's Banff and Whistler (all featured here in their pre-war glamour). The book is rounded out by chapters on the contemporary skiing scene and on skiing fashion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Cocktail Table Book
The Art of Skiing: Vintage Posters from the Golden Age of Winter Sport-A Must have for the winter travel enthusiast or ski home owner.

A trip back in time
I bought this book to take to our ski condo.It is fun and the reproductions are good quality.The book is not just a collection of posters, however, as the author describes the development of recreational skiing in Europe and North America.A fun diversion for ski enthusiasts.

Great book - fantastic gift for the skier fanatic!
This book has great visuals, from all different countries, and is a perfect gift for the skier you know who likes old-school stuff. I actually bought this for someone who doesn't understand English, but the artwork stands on its own. ... Read more

Product Description
A leading authority on classical games here provides a comprehensive study of the practice of combat sports in the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, and the Near East. Describing and analyzing the sports of boxing, wrestling, stick-fighting, and pankration, Michael B. Poliakoff discusses such topics as the function of competition and violent games in ancient society; on the social background of the participants, showing the broad spectrum of Greek athletic personnel; on the significance of the appearance of combat sport in myth and literature; and on the alleged cultic functions of the ancient combat sports. The book is copiously illustrated with photographs of numerous objects rarely or never before published. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

besser geht kaum
Wäre Poliakoff ein Kampfkünstler, sein Buch hätte stellenweise mehr "Insider-Lebendigkeit". Aber auch ohne diesen Punkt ist das Werk einfach hervorragend. Es gibt kaum ein besseres Buch zu diesem Thema. Alle anderen, die ich hierzu gelesen habe, weisen die eine oder andere Schwäche auf. This book is recommended for all martial artists.

I'd rather be punched in the face with an iron knuckled Caestus.
Ok, that's a little severe... In truth an erudite academic overview, interesting, but lacking in charisma. The chapter on wrestling was a particular disappointment as it was limited to an analysis of Black-figure style depictions of wrestlers on Greek pottery which the author goes to lengths to decipher, but aside from pointing out what may or may not be a particular wrestling hold being applied on a particular piece there is not much offered. Wrestling aside, the chapters on Pankration and Boxing proved slightly more fulfilling, while the varied source materials documenting the deeds of the contemporary participants (sprinkled throughout, few and far between, like brilliant gems in dry clay) are completely fascinating and thankfully made the effort worthwhile.

Great Book!!!!!!
Well to start off im 18 and HATE READING (as does everyone in my generation) and from the way that this book was layed out I thought it was the average encyclopidia style book that is boring as hell and that only Stephen FRICKEN Hawking could only understand. I did order it seeing from the last 4 reviews and found out that this book is actually very informative and very well written to keep your attention regardless if you hate reading or not. Filled with greek storys and in formation on pankration, boxing and wrestling. And little things about them that will make you sound smart LOL. I even used this book as my main source for my essay in college and got a A to be honest this was my only source really the other 5 books were the encyclopidia style that looked like they were written in greek rather than be on the damn topic. Anyways really good book definitly would say buy it though there is only like 3 pages on stick fighting so if your looking for that you might be a little disapointed but none the less this book is to good to not get.

An Excellent Survey of Classical Martial Arts
Poliakoff gives a thorough overview of the three combat sports of the ancient Olympics (wrestling, boxing, & pankration), their rules, the training involved, and the attitudes of the Ancients towards those sports.He speaks briefly of Egyptian stick fighting, but the dearth of ancient literature on the subject means he can treat it only superficially.

In addition to describing the sports, Poliakoff gives biographies of some of the more famous practitioners and voices some opinions about the usefulness of combat sports to the body politic, especially in the field of athletics.

In his exposition, Poliakoff sometimes dismisses as fantastical legend some feats which are achievable by well trained athletes.For example, he expresses grave doubts about the tradition that the wrestler Milo of Kroton could lift and carry a bull.In the mid-20th century there was a carnival performer, H.E. Mann, who lifted and carried a bull as a part of his act.Mann's act was inspired by Milo.Poliakoff neglects to mention that Milo is credited as the father of "progressive resistance" weight training.Milo began with a calf and lifted it daily until it became full grown.H.E. Mann trained for his carnival act exactly as Milo did, beginning with a calf and lifting it daily until it became full grown.One of the USA's earliests vendors of weight training equipment was the Milo Barbell Company.

Poliakoff takes a dim view of the savagery involved in ancient combat sports and sees no correlation between the combat sports and actual military service.Although Poliakoff seeks to show that excellent combat athletes make poor soldiers, he does cite numerous counter examples to his position.It seems ancient Greek history is full of individuals who distinguished themselves both in the games and on the battlefield.

Notwithstanding Poliakoff's anti-combat-sports agenda, the book is an informative and enjoyable reading experience.

Nothing New Under the Sun
Fans of modern day Pankration, as in the UFC, Pride and other such events, will be fascinated to read of the close parallels between the ancient and modern versions in terms of technique, match style as well as audience reception.Many of the same issues facing the sport today were dealt with by the ancients.

More important perhaps is what is revealed regarding the importance and effectiveness of combat sports outside the competitive arena.Poliakoff quotes Homer, Alexander and others to make the point that boxing, wrestling and pankration may not be so effective in producing an effective warrior.Alexander, for instance, didn't approve of boxing and wrestling but did favor stick fighting.Champion athletes in the Iliad are cowardly in battle.The Romans blame the Greek love of "games" on their decline.

Scholarly, readable, relevant. ... Read more

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