Sports Books

I really like this book. It's hundreds of color pics. break down each move 1/2 step by 1/2 step and from multiple angles. You don't even need to know how to read. Just follow the pics & arrows highlighting the important grips and positioning. I use volume 2 ("the guard") a little more, but both are really great.

This is a great book. Sequence of pictures are taken from two different angles to capture all the details. Tim Cartmell does a great job describing each step of the technique in simple words.
It covers most of the situations encounter when passing the guard. Will definitely boost you BJJ game.

I'm a blue belt, and this book can definitely improve your top game a lot. No other book cover the subject with so much depth. Sometimes the pictures aren't as crystal clear as Kid Peligro's ones, and you have to get used to the unusual layout. Aside from that the book is awesome and I think intermediate bjj practitioners will get the most out of it.

Too many books try to cover too much in their text. This often results in poor details, a small snapshot of someone's game, or unconnected techniques that don't integrate well. It is a fantastic idea to spend an entire volume on one aspect of the game.

I'd read Cartmell's good work in "Effortless Combat Throws" and liked it a lot. I'd never heard of Beneville, though, as per most of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community.

However, the most important qualification is whther your information is accurate and effective. This book is exactly that.

The book opens up with imporatant details on posture and position. What it is, why you need to get there and - of course - how. This is golden information to the beginner and early intermediate, but more advanced practitioners will even find some useful info here.

Then, onto the guard passes. The passes shown are the same ones you're taught in every class. The details, though, are intricate and accurate. There are a number of options for each pass and photos aplenty, along with concise, accurate text descriptions.

The book covers more than passing and is THE text for the whole game from inside the guard. It covers posture and position, passes from the knees, passes from standing, submission attacks from inside the guard, defenses and counters to attacks and even a great section on a ttacking the turtle position.

More still, the book ends with some great drills that will help you develop the skills described in the book.

This book pioneered the contrasting coloured uniforms on the models and the blue vs white is still a great idea. The photography is great and has views from multiple angles. As said earlier, the text is concise, clear and descriptive.

It's clear that the authors know their subject and have planned this book well. Kudos to them.

I'll start off by mentioning the only negative I can think of or noticed:

There are quite a few typos and grammatical errors in the technique descriptions/instructions. However, they only cause a minor distraction, and not enough to warrant giving this book anything less than 5 stars. The reason for this is because all you have to do is look at the accompanying picture and the problem is solved. For example, the instructions will say, "Grab with the right hand or swing to the right" and then you look at the picture and the guy is grabbing with his left hand and swinging to the left. I'm assuming those who buy this book already practice BJJ and are only purchasing the book for reference, so it should be easy to "understand" what the typos meant to say. This, however, leads to the best part of the book.

Everything else about the book is great. The only negative I mentioned above may actually go unnoticed by some. The reason for this is that the pictures are awesome. One may be able to learn a technique just by looking at the pictures. They're that good. The flow and clarity of the pictures makes the detailed instructions seem as an optional supplement.

Another thing that this book does well is it's order. The book starts from the ground up, literally: breaking the guard on your knees, passing the guard on your knees, standing up, breaking the guard standing up, etc, etc... More importantly, whenever the opportunity is given, the authors split the techniques into alternative "finishes" depending on whether or not the opponent reacts.

If you're looking for a well written book with plenty of details for BJJ as a reference, I cannot recommend this more. It's really great to look through and see a technique and think to yourself (or scream out loud), "That's what I should have done in that last fight/roll/etc!"

I will be buying volume 2 for sure.

Although this book is titled Self-Massage for Athletes, it's ideal for anyone who wants to learn to incorporate self-massage as a component of their fitness program, or even those who simply would just like to use self-massage to foster greater relaxation. In Part 1 of this book, "Why Every Athlete Needs Massage," the authors spend quite a bit of time (over 60 pages) detailing the advantages and benefits of self-massage; they also go into some of the effects of sports massage, how it releases endorphins, and how it benefits the muscles.

Part 2, "Learning Self-Massage," introduces the 7 simple massage strokes: 1) gliding, 2) squeezing, 3) squeezing & rolling, 4) pressing, 5) pressing & rolling, 6) drumming, 7) rock & rolling. As the names suggest, there is much overlap between each technique, but the user has a chance to practice all of the strokes togheter in a sample full body massage: each body part is broken down in turn, and various strokes are recommended for that area. There is also a discussion of when to use self-massage.

The final section of this book is called "Going Deeper--Getting More from Your Massage," and it branches out into different but related techniques such as accupuncture and trigger points. Unfortunately, these complicated topics were at best given only perfuctuary treatment here. Other issues addressed in this final segment included choosing things like massage tools, coaches, and personal trainers.

Although this was a nice introduction to the basics of self-massage, given that I already exercise and practice yoga regularly, I didn't really feel like there was much here that I didn't already know. Like another reviewer mentioned, I walked away with a bit of a "that's it?" feeling, especially given the oversized nature of this book, the large print, and the overabundance of white space. There is some useful information here for those who have truly had not exposure to this kind of information before, and my overall rating would be about 3 1/2 stars.

I'm a landscaper, and I can tell you, at the end of the day I am pretty wiped. I didn't think I'd have the energy to massage myself - even if it feels good and helps my body, it's hard to find time to do one more thing.

But the beauty of self-massage is its simplicity - you have everything you need right there with you and you can do it anytime. When I am stuck at a red light, I can massage my arms or upper legs, when I am watching TV or waiting for the toaster, I can massage myself then too.

It's amazing how much just a little bit of attention to my body increases my awareness and helps me avoid injuries. I've been using this book for a couple months now and I am totally impressed. It isn't hard to learn the techniques and in just a few minutes of reading, you get some tips and tools to begin.

I am definitely going to recommend this to my gardener friends, and I hope anyone who is on the fence about buying this will go ahead. It's really written for everyone and is easy to understand and do, yet complex enough that I really did learn a lot that I wouldn't have figured out on my own.

Self-Massage for Athletes was a surprise. I was hesitant to read this book since I probably would no longer be considered an athlete. The one trait I do share with the more athletic is a propensity towards aches and pains. A nagging neck ache (from too many 12 hour days at the hospital) finally prompted me to open this book. Easy to read, easy to access, and very hands on (no pun intended), Self-Massage for Athletes delves not only into massage techniques for aches and pains, it illustrates techniques to prepare and recover from exercise and sport, and to encourage the natural release of endorphins. Each technique is well illustrated with photos and each section is broken down into steps and explanations. No special equipment is necessary, though there is mention of several tools (inexpensive) that can be used, including a sock, tennis ball massage tool that can be made at home. Many of the exercises can be done almost anywhere. The tone of the book is inclusive, proactive and informative, not overwhelming. I took this into work and it was off my desk in a second, several of my coworkers were trying some of the techniques. The physical therapists that work my area (a step down ICU unit) also took a look at the book, and pointed out some exercises that would be beneficial for the chronic low back pain that accompanies bedside nursing. They were impressed by the readability and straightforward nature of the text.

Self-Massage for Athletes is a great book for athletes, any level. It should be part of any trainers' bookshelf, and should be part of any training regimen. Rich Poley has produced a well laid out book. One of the great strengths of this book is the easy to look up and read format. I was encouraged by the inclusiveness of the book, it can be used by the non athletic as well as the serious athlete. Self-massage for Athletes will be beneficial for anyone looking for proactive approach to the strain of everyday life and the stress we put on our bodies. As I incorporate these techniques, I find myself becoming more mindful of my physical body and wanting to take better care of myself. I'm just sorry I didn't read it earlier!

I've lifted weights for decades and only recently did I experience an injury to my shoulder. I'm a firm believer in self-massage and doing all I can on my own. I know how to deal with injury and only seek professional help when absolutely necessary. I've found they do no more for me than I can do for myself --- much cheaper and conveniently.

I don't mean to imply you shouldn't see a professional. They certainly have their place and there are times when we need them. But we can do a lot for ourselves and self-massage is one of those things.

I know when one of those leg cramps from hell hits me in the middle of the night, I grab the leg and begin the massage. I often stand up and begin to put pressure on the leg. Often the leg will have some residual mild pain for one or two days afterwards. Again, self-massage will help. But usually if I massage it immediately and thoroughly, I won't have the pain for long.

At any rate, I followed the neck and shoulder self-massage in the book and got instant relief from pain. And with each massage, the injury improved. My mobility improved. Of course, I also did some light weight lifting and light exercises for the shoulder too.

You don't have to be an athlete to get full benefit of self-massage. Fact is, the easy-to-follow self-massages in this book will be valuable to anyone, of any age.

Highly recommended.

-Susanna K. Hutcheson

I am an amateur of fitness rather than an athlete, but my husband has a long history as a field and track athlete. Now, in our thirties, we more and more feel the aches and pains connected with intense training. Rich Poley's book "Self-Massage for Athletes" offers a great alternative to, often expensive, professional massage sessions, when it comes to relieving the soreness, relaxation and help with elasticity and, in consequence, improve performance.

The first of the three parts of the book deals with the theory of massage - reviewing its, known for centuries, benefits for the body, the advantages of self-application of the massage, activation of the happiness hormones - endorphins, and introduction to the muscle groups, naming the individual muscles on the photos.

The second part is concerned with the basic techniques of massage. Seven basic stroke types are introduced and the sample massage of particular body parts is shown. I should mention that the photographs in the sample massage (although they are very nice and add to the aesthetic value of the book) could also be more instructive (like the ones showing the strokes, which are very helpful), perhaps in series showing the moves. This is the only flaw I could think about though...

The third and last part shows the wide array of additional applications, which expand the plethora of possibilities initiated by self-massage and round up the practice. I especially appreciate the rules of safety, which are especially important in the home setting.

This book is a useful addition to the library of anyone with an active lifestyle, and repeated use is guaranteed!

Like many of the reviewers before me, I've grown tired of the NFL and NCAA Division I football, and now prefer small college and high school football. This is a great way to be introduced to the game at that level, although you never really get to know John Gagliardi as well as you'd like (a fact that frustrates Murphy). Murphy will at times give away how a particular game ends early in the chapter dealing with it, but it's never a great distraction because the story is so well told.

The only shortcomings to me are the lack of photos or stats, plus I detect an occasional bit of smugness on the part of both Murphy and his wife in their dealings with the locals (News flash: Minnesota is NOT the Bay Area), but he IS a very funny and perceptive writer and this is a worthwhile read.

I really enjoyed this book that is about a football season, but also about so much more, including marriage, raising children, coaching and the personalities at this small school in Minnesota. While we often think of Lombardi and Bear Bryant school of hard-driving coaching, it turns out the softer style of coach Gags can also be successful. This book reminded a lot of First and Last Seasons: A Father, A Son, and Sunday Afternoon Football, another book about football but also a lot more.

I read this book after reading Mr. Murphy's "How Tough Could It B?" and loving it. Although I'm not much for football I thought I'd give this book a try because I enjoyed his writing. It was terrific - a great commentary on St. John's and its coach as well as another look at Mr. Murphy's refreshingly real family (well, perhaps they are not real but they sure are like my husband and children). I'm waiting for another book please!

Lack of pictures and statistics of Gagliardi's 50 years in coaching cause this book to come up just short of 5 stars. Also, I expected the author to provide a few more "game details". I actually found the epilogue, where St. Johns makes it to the Divison III championship game the following season, more exciting than the body of the book.

If you're as tired as I am of the NFL schlock, of having to take the time to remind the high school kids you coach every season that taunting and trash talking are not a part of the game, then you will absolutely love this book. Mr. Murphy is funny-- so funny, in fact, that several times I laughed so hard I couldn't even read the passage in question out loud to my wife and had to hand her the book. Mr. Murphy is also jaded, tired of spending his life on the road dealing with the overlarge head of professional and big college Div-1A athletes.

You won't find jerks like Randy Moss or Brian Bosworth in the pages of this book, unless they are mentions solely as a stark contrast to the genuinely respectful and worthy athletes of St. Johns. Reading this book reminded me of the potential of all athletics to reap great good from the hearts and minds of youth, and also reminded me that, as a coach, it's my responsibility to sow those seeds.

The book can be enjoyed on several levels-- as humor, as a description of a sporting season, and above all, as a triumph of what football is supposed to be-- fun for everyone involved, ESPECIALLY the players.

I hope you enjoy it.

Beautiful drawings. Great for young hockey fans. Our 5 year old loves it. Have the numbers one too. Perfect reading for Stanely Cup season or any other hockey time. Lots of interesting facts too.

I bought this book for my husband to read to our [..] son. It's been a year since we've been reading it and now whenever we get the book out, Ben has to run and get his mini "zamboni tractor" and mini hockey stick that we bought him separately. He holds them tight and at each page he points and repeats hockey terminology. Even when we're not reading the book, the terms stick with him. At about 20 months, when I had my arms folded, Ben said to me "Mommy ref". This is thanks to one illustration, the referee has his arms crossed for the interference call. This book is for hockey loving families and fans of all ages.

Hands down, my 18 month olds favorite book. Beautifully illustrated - he looks at the pictures all day. Very durable and highly recommended.

This book is a great way to work with the ABC's when you have a classful of sports-minded boys. Being a primary teacher, I am always looking for different approaches to the alphabet. What a great way to interest boys. I first heard this book from the Philadelphia Flyers/Phantoms Organization. They came to our school for an assembly. Since it was a little over our children's heads, they read this book to them instead. The children were enthralled. I then had to order it to become a permanent part of my personal school library! Not only does it explain the basics of hockey, it brings in some of its history. Very enjoyable!!

This board book goes through the entire alphabet, giving each letter it's own page and it's own hockey term or reference. The terms touch on the game of hockey itself and the history of the sport. However, I was a little disappointed in a few of the references.
There are some that are so old, obscure, or nonsensical that parents may not even know what it means or who the person is (e.g. "Y is for two glorious Canadian Years-- the Summit Series and the Salt Lake Games"; huh?) More than a few are just plain unimaginative. And there are plenty of terms I would like to have seen in the book but didn't. There's no Playoffs, no Faceoff, no Net. It refers to the Stanley Cup as "Lord Stanley's Cup" (putting it under the letter L) which is technically correct but isn't how it's really referred to.
Also, the writing is iffy at best. Nothing rhymes or has any sort of rhythm whatsoever, and at times really isn't even grammatically structured very well.
Overall, though, even though it doesn't sound like it, I do like the book. Most of my dislikes are nitpicky. It's a cute book, especially for the hockey fan who wants to get their kid into it the sport as well. It's a fun and educational read.

This book is the finest Marathon Training Guide I've seen. It is written for any level runner from first time Marathoner to experienced veteran. The author explains in an easy to understand format the reasons behind his system. This system works! The better job I did of following the book the faster my times dropped. I've taken over 30 minutes off my marathon time in a 2 1/2 year period. The book has easy to follow running schedules for a wide variety of training circumstances.

I really can't say enough good things about this book. I'll start by saying that having just followed the "below 70 miles per week" training plan pretty faithfully, I just lowered my personal best in the marathon by 19 minutes, breaking 2:50 for the first time. I also actually enjoyed running the marathon, right to the finish, did not hit "The Wall", and sustained my highest weekly mileage ever without sustaining injury. I attribute a lot of this success to this book.

You need to be fairly serious about training to benefit from this book - the training plans are best suited for those who are willing to do 60 miles per week or more. (The 70+ mile per week plan contains a section "When 93 miles per week just aren't enough"). But the book places a strong emphasis on recovery and nutrition, which I think were critical in allowing me to increase mileage without getting hurt, sick, or run-down. And you certainly don't need to be elite - just willing and able to find the time and energy for a fairly large amount of training.

There are a lot of things to get right in a marathon, and almost all of them seem to be addressed here: all the different types and intensities of training, how to make sure you recover on your "easy" days, how to replenish carbohydrate stores after long runs, how to taper, race day strategy, carbo-loading, hydration, and even how to recover intelligently in the month after the race. Impressively, the book manages to cover all these aspects while being readable and quite easy to comprehend and remember.

A lot of ideas in this book are quite similar to Daniel's Running Formula (another good book) but tuned specifically for the marathon and made a bit easier to digest because it only covers that one event.

Nothing new to read here, just the same old marathon training instructions we have all heard.

This program is tailored for the "serious but busy" athlete.
A big plus are the scaled programs from <50 mpw to >70.
The main emphasis is on LONG HARD RUNS. It is no secret that this is the key to aerobic development (Canova, Noakes, Costill etc).
Pfitz puts it into practice w/ a well thought out program.

My only issue would be that there is no "anaerobic threshold" training e.g. 6x2k @ 10k pace. While maybe a bit of overkill, training at this pace worked well for me in the past, and is advocated by others (Vigil, etc).

Definitely worth it - I will be following the 18 week cycle (with a few of my own modifications) for my next race.

This book totally transformed my marathon training. It took me from a middle of the pack runner to a Boston qualifier. It explains the demands placed on your body in training for a marathon and what it needs to recover and how to focus your runs so that each time you hit the pavement, you do it with a purpose (i.e., no more "junk" miles). I use the training guides in the back of the book religiously. If I'm ever away from home more than a few days, this book goes with me!! I've given it to at least 4 other people. In my opinion, no runner should be without this book.

I love Karen Kingsbury and this book is no exception. It was hard for me to put it down!!

Karen Kingsbury has done it again. I could hardly put Between Sundays down. This uplifting story tackles modern issues from the foster care system to the impact that famous sports figures have on society. If you like Christian fiction, this is a must read!

A GREAT BOOK.......I GOT IT WHEN I WAS TOLD I WOULD AND AMAZON HAS ALWAYS BEEN GREAT WITH ALL ORDERS I HAVE RECIEVED.

I couldn't put this book down! It was a great read over the holidays. Definitely one of my favorite Karen Kingsbury books. I highly recommend it!

Like Karen's other books, you won't be able to put it down. I got this from a friend for Christmas and as soon as my company left, I sat down and read the whole book. It is such a heart warming story. god has blessed karen with amazing talent. Once you read this, you will surely want to read all her others!

I've used this book so much over the past 2 years I may need to replace it soon. While the rating system took me a little while to figure out (the numbers do NOT represent the ranking, just the location on the map), the book is very user-friendly. In addition to giving accurate directions to each campground, it directs you to the correct page and area in both the Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer and Colorado Recreational Road Atlas. By rating Scenery, RVs, Tents, Shade, and Privacy, the book helps you locate the campgrounds based on what is important to you. The elevation info is great if you have young children who might not appreciate waking up in the snow and I love that the book tells you which tent sites are the most popular since we tend to reserve campsites well in advance of trips. This is a great book.

The book is a very good reference on a large number of campgrounds. It has a strength in that it provides pictures, unlike for instance the Moon guide. In my opinion, the book would be better if it covered the CGs more evenly: the authors' choices of "best" very often coincide with "most popular" (read: "most crowded") and the quieter campgrounds do not get the coverage that may be of interest to readers.
Another annoyance I found is numbering of campgrounds. They are not numbered and listed in a logical order that would allow reading about closely located ones in a sequence. Instead, you can read on one and the adjacent one on the map is fife pages down, yet the next one in the text is 50 miles away. This makes one go back and forth between the map and the text if you are trying to get impression on CGs in a certain area.
However, all this notwithstanding, I think this book is well worth having.

We have camped in Colorado for years, but this guide gave us new campgrounds to explore and try. We like the idea that the author includes ratings on both tent and RV "friendly" places, as well as including shade and sun, spacing and privacy aspects.
Love the pictures!
We find the format easy to use and the organization by regions is good, too, although the San Luis Valley should be kept separate from the Eastern slope.
This is the first summer we've used the guide, but will keep it in use for many years.

I do not own an RV, but noticed that the book is full of campsite info from all around the state, and includes whether the sites allow RV's, tents, pets, if they have hook-ups, ect.

We used this book to determine every campground we'll stay at in CO.
The pictures were wonderful and the ratings were very useful. We are tent camping so it was nice to find a book that not only catered to the RV campers but the tent campers as well.

I live in Bishop, CA which is a flyfishers paradise. This book made flyfishing simple, easy to understand and is the best single work on the topic ever written. I say that while adimiting that I was a friend of the late, great Sheridan Mullholland Andreas Anderson and I miss him. Don't miss this book. I have just ordered a copy for a flyfisher beginer.

I am a newbie at the sport and bought this after seeing it highly recommended on several group discussions. But I was disappointed. The book is very short. It is written in comic book style. I don't have a problem with this, but I thought it was limiting.

Unless you are a extreme newbie, I can't recommend it. And if you are, go with LL Bean's book by Dave Whitlock.

Older book timeless in its message and written in a style that makes flyfishing easy for anyone who want to pursue the sport.

Hi Folks,

If I had a case of these to give away, it wouldn't be too much.

I think that you will love this book a bunch.

-clark

Great summary of fly fishing. Easy to read and reread. Excellant ideas that can easily be put into practice

I loved this story! One, it was about a girl. Two, it made me feel as if I were actually in the story myself. It reminded me of my life and people telling me I couldn't be a swimmer in college. The Games is great!

The games has it all in suspense , drama ,passion , cold war politics ,family bonds loveand the great human stuggle .Achieving greatness and living your dreams ! no matter what the odds .This book is a must for every american family > Jeff schnieder makes you feel as though this was not a fiction story it feels very real , it's real as it's gets .I've read jeff's last book the Fix witch I thought was the best book I've read in years , so I'am not surprised by the amazing writtng talents of the author .This is simply a great american author with anthor amazing book .Can't wait to see the movie .
John Grisiam beware ! youhave been passed up!
Frank karaglanis

Great page turner I couldn't put down! Gold, silver and bronze! The Russians never knew how tough an American girl can be. Loved Dee Dee!

Magnificent read! He signed at Barnes and Noble in Louisville and once I opened it, couldn't stop. Schneider is an upcoming superstar! The Games is a perfect story for girls to read.

I've never been to Utah, but I want to go now. The Games made me feel as if I were on skis, the snow tickling my face. Few writers have ever made me feel like I was actually there, but this author did. Wow, this might be the best book I've ever picked up.

I just bought this book based on the reviews and will be returning it. We live in Sausalito and the Marin Headlands are essentially our backyard. I bought the book to find new areas in the Golden Gate area to explore but when I looked at the area I know well, the Marin Headlands, the information ( map and route description ) were inaccurate and misleading.

This book is excellent but readers should know the authors have recently revised it for 2004/2005. They've added more maps and photos and a section for family outings. The easiest way to find the new edition is to click on the authors name. Note the title has changed slightly too. It's now Golden Gate Trailblazer: where to hike, walk, bike in San Francisco and Marin.

My vacation to San Francisco lasted three weeks. I bought Golden Gate Trailblazer when I arrived and walked many miles with it as my guide. Treasured memories are Limantour and McClures beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore which I never would have found on my own. There's so much more to the Bay Area than Fisherman's Wharf and the cable cars and traffic. This book excels when it comes to organization with maps in every section and a very detailed index. I highly recommend it to hikers and walkers who have never visited this part of California's coast. Like me, you'll probably be surprised at all the places these local authors have packed inside.

San Francisco was only a brief stopover and this book opened up all the possibilities. It turned my vacation upside down with all its trail recommendations. The book is so well written and well researched. I've loved using it and recommend it to anyone who wants a bit of history along with their exercise. The restaurant recommendations were too cool. These guys are real pros.

Simply said . . . wow. What a find! High on my list for seeing all the offbeat and major sites around the City and along Marin's rugged coast and bay wetlands. For years I've been the chauffer when guests come and stay. Now I just hand my friends a copy of Trailblazer and tell them to begin at trail #1, The City. For trails in the Golden Gate National Recreation area and Mt. Tamalpais, this is the most detailed book. You really get a feel for northern California and its history by reading it. Maps are A+ too.