Athletics Books

Get in shape for ski season with this guide to stretching. These easy exercises work well as a morning wake-up call.

This is a good book - a relatively inexpensive book to help know how to get in shape for skiing season. I also purchased Fitskiing (hardback) which is more exhaustive (and was more what I was looking for), but this book is worth the cost.

I'm a personal trainer working in a New York City gym and when a client of mine wanted some exercises for his favorite sport, I did a search and found this book. It has been excellent. All I needed to tailor a program for him, and even exercises he can do on the mountain in full gear. Clear, honest and effective. I highly recommend it.

It is well established that stretching improves agility and quickness of skiers. Resistance exercises strengthen the muscles, but they also shorten them. Stretching makes muscles longer again. This leads to flexibility (greater range of motion in the joints) which allows to get the most out of your training program and helps to ski longer, in better control, with less fatigue. Many books in the past emphasized primarily physical training during off-season period. In the last few years, flexibility and stretches got increasingly large attention. This book is entirely focused on stretches. It contains a well-illustrated 10-20 minute warm-up and stretching routine, and several additional excersises to improve balance. The exercises are very easy, and can be done, e.g., in the morning before work. They help to wake up and to feel better. Additionally, there is a section on warm-up and stretches recommended for the slopes before skiing (partly with the skis on), and a few exercises on skis to improve balance.

The authors emphasize that it is important to do these stretches every day since the result will be nil if you do them irregularly. However, it is not quite clear what kind of progress you can expect if you do them every day. While I appreciate the importance of stretches, I strongly suspect that the result may be rather insignificant if you do these routines every day, but nothing besides them. Stretches obviously work best when they are combined with more vigorous exercise program, such as strength training or aerobics. It is a pity that this book includes very few of those - if it did, it could be an indispensable source for pre-season conditioning. The good part, however, that practically all suggested exercises can be done at home on the floor or standing against the wall, with the equipment which can be purchased at a local harware store, or with no equipment at all.

The subtitle of the book (see the bottom of the book cover) is misleading as it says "flexibility, fitness, and conditioning for better skiing". Flexibility is definitely there, and is very well written; fitness and conditioning - sorry, guys, I did not see much of it in the book. Four stars.

Simple, easy to follow, this book outlines some great at-home workouts. I was especially impressed with the "chair" exercises, important for me at this moment since I have a broken foot.

I not only would recommend it to all, I will buy many copies and give them as gifts to friends I know need exercise that is easy and fun to do.

Great book. The illustrations are clear and easy to see, and they make sense for a beginner. It stresses the importance of stretching, warmup, and aerobics, but its focus is on strength. I recommend thin gloves for using the rubber bands.

I now own a lot of resistance training books of various sorts - using dumb-bells, or the thera-band. This book is unique, the only one I found using large rubber bands (I didn't even know such things existed). I had hesitated to buy this book because of the reviewers who said the rubber bands were harsh in thier hands. When I got the book and tried the exercises I found there was absolutely no discomfort from using the bands without gloves, that was a relief. In addition, I LOVE the exercises, they somehow get at muscles in a different way than other methods. The exercises are well explained and the photographs make it easy to see exactly how to do each one. This book is among my favorites. I did not want to use the order form for new bands at the back of the book because I was afraid prices might have gone up or something since the book was published, so I did a web search on SPRI Rubber Band and found a site called LeighCrews.com, or DynaLife (it's connected somehow) where you can buy rubber bands of different widths for more or less resistance. (Hint: if you buy 20 instead of 1, the price per unit goes down drastically.) Overall, this is a great book and a great method for getting in shape and staying in shape.

I got this book to extend my rubber resistance training. It's the only book on the topic I found at Amazon at the time. I was interested in the book but when it came and I saw the 2 small blue rubber bands attached, I was happy that it was an inclusive package. You didn't have to go out to buy the exercise equipment now that you had the book. I tried out much of the exercises and they do feel good. However, the rubber band feels harsh in my hand after a while and I have to do the exercises with my exercise gloves so I don't burn or chafe...

This weight training guide is full of great drills for volleyball players. Increase your jumping and endurance, and keep training with these programs in the off-season.

a really good book about weight training, with specific drills for volleyboll. I have already increased my jumping and endurance.

This book is straightforward, unlike Complete Conditioning for Volleyball. I know exactly when and how to work out.

The off and pre-season programs are very solid.

The only thing I wish it had in it is more agility and plyometrics programs.

I'm a multi sport athlete who trains all year round regardless of what sport I play. I bought a few of these Ultimate Guide to Weight Training books, and they definitely helped me train specifically for the different sports that I play. Then about a year later I received an email from amazon that there was a new edition out. These upgraded editions are even better than the originals, with more articles and a lot more sport-specific information. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who plays a lot of sports or wants to specifically focus on training for one sport in particular.

As an "outsider", Greg Emmanuel quickly grasped the dynamics of the long-lasting rivalry between Ohio State and The University of Michigan. While the history of the games' action through the years is quite thorough, his accurate comparison of universities represented by these two great football powers is very perceptive. Having graduated from both schools, I would agree with the comparisons. It's a good read.

An entertaining read about arguably the greatest rivalry in sports, and everything that went into the 100th game in 2003. The detailed appendix, notes, and index can settle most arguments and bets on what's happened over the course of the rivalry. A good holiday gift idea for any sports fan (and obviously any Ohio State or Michigan fan).

Emmanuel successfully weaves the story of the 100th meeting between Michigan and Ohio State -- the 2003 battle in Ann Arbor to decide the Big Ten championship -- into the century long history between these two perennial powers.

The narrative is compelling, and uncovers the historial reasons for the bitter rivalry between the two states and spends ample time on past classic meetings. It also gets into the not-so-subtle differences between the fans of the two schools, which is the real sustaining power for the rivalry today.

All in all, this is an excellent look at one of sports' greatest rivalries and would be a great addition to the book collection of alums or fans of either school, or just college football fans in general.

The premise of the book is that winning is not a bad thing. It's not necessarily the only thing however. Thompson uses real life examples from youth through professional, where focusing on the positive, correcting the negative, and focus on improving have helped teams be successful.

It is our job as youth coaches to make sure we are building solid citizens, teaching them life lessons through sports, and helping them become the best athlete they can be. Winning happens to be a great side effect of this approach!

The book is great for coaches and parents alike!

Discussions of character in sports hinge on two sometimes competing beliefs. One holds that sports build character, the other that sports reveal it.

The case can be made that both ideas are valid. Character is regularly revealed in the way that players, coaches, parents and leaders of youth sports organizations (YSOs) conduct themselves on and off the field.

The "Sports Builds Character" belief is a trickier proposition. Who is to question that sports provides a wonderful setting for the development of poise, confidence, determination, resilience, self-sacrifice, courage? The list goes on, and it is not a coincidence that a strong involvement in sports was the common feature of those who tried to take back the plane on 9/11. Yet every Positive Life Skill associated with sports has a counterpart that can be learned equally well. And often more easily. If you can learn fair play and sportsmanship, you can also learn to cheat. If you can learn about commitment, you can also learn to quit on yourself and your teammates. Accountability and accepting responsibility: making excuses. Again, the list goes on.

Many of the adults involved in sports simply assume, based on their own experience, that the positive side of these character traits will emerge. In fact, without a concerted effort to use sports to teach positive Life Lessons, you might as well be flipping a coin.

Attention to these issues is a major focus of "The Double Goal Coach", the latest book by Jim Thompson. The author is founder of the Positive Coaching Alliance ..., an organization based at Stanford University which seeks "to transform the culture of youth sports so that sports can transform youth."

Like many books on the state of youth sports, Thompson chronicles the excesses. What sets the book apart are solutions to these problems based on research in the fields of education and sports psychology as well as lessons in organizational culture drawn from the business world. Theory then becomes practice through the presentation of many practical tools for establishing and maintaining a positive culture for youth sports. Coaches, parents and the leaders of YSO's will find things here that can be put to immediate use.

What is a Double Goal Coach? He or she is a coach who wants to win. Thompson makes clear that the Positive Coaching message is not anti-competitive or about "happy talk". This is not an invitation to go out and kick a ball around with Barney. Indeed, at a time when real competitions at Field Day have been reduced to (at most) a 50 yard dash, Thompson sees the competitive sports experience as an increasingly important, and rare, opportunity for the development of positive character traits - the second, and more important, goal of the Double Goal Coach. Because it's the character traits that will endure long after the ball's gone into the closet.

There are three elements to Double Goal Coaching. The first seeks to redefine winning, changing the definition from one based only on results (the "win at all costs" model, or waac - which so often becomes wacko!) to a "mastery approach" based on effort, learning, and a positive view of the value of mistakes. The essential difference in the approaches has to do with control. Results are so much in the control of others; with a mastery approach, control belongs to the athlete. What's interesting, though, is the research that shows that a mastery approach actually produces better performance than one where the focus is primarily on the scoreboard.

Next comes the concept of Honoring the Game. This is largely a proactive view of sportsmanship issues, based on what you do rather than what you don't do. Honoring the game involves developing and demonstrating respect for Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates, and one's Self (ROOTS).

The third element of the Double Goal model involves "Filling the Emotional Tank", motivation through encouragement and positive reinforcement. Again, the book provides a number of useful tools for coaches.

There is also a section of the book for Sports Parents. Thompson promotes the notion of the "Second Goal Parent", whose primary task is to be unconditionally supportive of their child, whose focus is on those Life Lessons and positive character traits, who recognize that their child's participation in sports belongs to the child, and who leave coaching to the coaches.

Thompson advocates a "systems approach" to developing positive cultures for youth sports, and his organization provides an integrated set of workshops for coaches, parents and leaders of YSOs. Where that's not in place, "The Double Goal Coach" will give the individual coach many ways create a more enjoyable environment for his or her team, and one where the players are much more likely to reach their potential as athletes. That a Double Goal approach will also be much more enjoyable and rewarding for the coach is no insignificant bonus.

This book covers some of the same topics as Thompson's classic, Positive Coaching. However, it has some new ideas in it, and also has some lessons learned since Positive Coaching was written. It also has a handbook-type approach - it gives you example talks, helps you plan a practice and also shows you ways to help you acquire Positive Coaching skills. I have found all of Jim Thompson's books enjoyable and enlightening.

I bought this book being told it would be great even if I wasn't a sports fan. I am told Jim is very funny. After reading this book I realize both are true.
I am not much of a sports fan, but his writing is very engaging and entertaing in the same way Anthony Bourdaine(Kitchen Confidential) and David Searis(Me Talk Pretty One Day) are. He is also the same type of as humor as they are more akin to Bourdaine than Sedaris. I must admit to laughing out loud through every section of the book.
As for not being a sports fan he does a great job at bring you to the experience with his observatioons and gives the reader enough backgroud to get a good sense of the "experience". He keeps himself relatable to both sports fans and non sports fans alike with a great balance of passion and knowledge.
From his time with the people he meets in Daytona to the craziness of the Superbowl it seems he finds somthing that goes beyond just sports. He manages to find and look for a sort of good quality and in fans that is more human and less alienating than I would expect. He is introspective enough really breath in the experience. It's the perfect summer read and just in time for Fathers Day
(My dad is a sports fan)....I could recomend this to just about anyone!

Jim Gorant really knows his stuff. If you love sports and could use a good laugh, don't hesitate to pick up this book and devour it from cover to cover. Bravo to Mr. Gorant for getting out there and giving us the real feelings behind these events.

Jim has a great way of showing how people share their love of sport. Fantastic story-teller, very humorous and laugh-out-loud.
-"Ian"

This is a beautiful book that makes a wonderful gift for any sports enthusiast. The book is large with very high quality photos.

It is unique and offers the reader a variety of sports and athletes to marvel at while he/she flips through the pages.

Be forewarned--the picture on the cover is by far the best in the book. That is the only reason that I was slightly disappointed when I received the box containing my purchase. I was very much in awe of the picture of Ali, and I was looking forward to a book full of images that were also interesting, full of emotion and reflective of the athlete. The pictures inside are fantastic, just not as moving as that on the cover.

I am a proud owner of Glory and show it to my guests when they come over. Recently I saw Glory on a shelf in a store and was stopped in my tracks by the cover photo of Ali. It glowed like a beacon from across the room. The photos by Corman are perfect in their simplicity and superb in their production. Glory is a gem.

My father is a huge sports enthusiast. His past includes coaching a few star baseball athletes. I am always at a loss for gifts for him as he is a collector of many things and most gifts don't hold a candle to what he already posseses. This book is a gift that gives him great pleasure. The photos, and the stories behind of them, are fascinating.

For the remainder of his life and when his obituary is published, Gary Barnett will be remembered as the coach who revitalized the football program at Northwestern University. In 1995, he lead the Wildcats to the Rosebowl. A year later the team tied for first with Ohio State. Barnett possessed superb skills as a motivational leader and mentor. It was not uncommon in the immediate wake of Northwestern's two consecutive Big Ten titles (the first of which marked the first time NU topped the conference since 1936 and the first time the team had posted a winning record in twenty-four years) for instructors to emphasize Barnett's unique management style.

Northwestern featured a team composed of genuine student athletes in an environment where academics were stressed on an equal basis with athletics. The 1995 and 1996 teams featured some great individual players who possessed enough character and strength to overcome their athletic deficiencies against more highly rated opponents. One of these players, Pat Fitzgerald is the current head coach of Northwestern.

As a darling of the media, Barnett was constantly offered employment by other football programs at other universities. This seriously hurt recruiting at Northwestern as rival school recruiters suggested to high school seniors that it was foolish to commit to the Wildcats when it seemed likely that Coach Barnett was about to make a hasty exit.

Regrettably, Barnett succumbed to the siren's call and opted out of his contract (taking several top recruits with him) and he accepted a lucrative position at the University of Colorado in 1999. While he came within a game of capturing the National Championship, Barnett's reputation suffered when his athletic program was mired in constant scandals and controversies. Barnett seemed to be thoroughly discredited by the time of his dismissal from Colorado.

Northwestern was fortunate to hire the late Randy Walker to succeed Barnett. Before his death, Walker managed to keep the football team competitive and he won one additional conference title.

This is a memoir of the happier times before success spoiled Barnett. There is a residual bitterness on the part of some Northwestern fans towards Barnett. I can understand that. I can also appreciate Barnett's desire to achieve financial success for his family and to return to Colorado where they had lived for many years and where he formerly worked as an assistant coach under Bill McCartney (when the Buffaloes won the National Championship). For myself, I appreciate what Barnett achieved in Evanston and I am thankful for his efforts that resulted in the renovation of Dyche Stadium (now called Ryan Field) and improved training facilities. There are still some valuable life lessons to be learned from what occurred on Central Street more than a dozen years ago.

Someday, I hope Barnett has an opportunity to redeem himself by accepting another coaching position. It would be wonderful and reaffirming if Barnett could succeed with a new team and prove that the principles that he formerly espoused were not empty platitudes.

This book in a enjoyable book that highlights Northwestern's Rose Bowl Trip. Even if you are not a NU fan you will find this book very interesting and at the end you will be cheering on NU throughout the book. It explains how Gary Barnett took a "nothing" NU football team to be top-ranked and possibly contend for the national championship.

Barnett writes about success not only in football but in life. I was so touched by this book that I wrote Barnett a letter telling him how good the book was.

You will enjoy!

Gary Barnett is one of those guys you'd like to have a beer with....A master of motivation and getting young people to believe in themselves (even when the facts say they shouldn't!) Barnett works from everyday experiences and personal convictions to extract the absolute best from his players. The result is not only the greatest turn around of an entire collegiate program in history, but the "release" of some truly gifted student athletes into the world. I virtually read this book in one sitting -- I simply could not put it down. Someday, I going to have to find a way to buy Barnett that beer, just to get the advance copy of his sequel. By the way, Gary, just exactly was that "horrid" event in college, for which you got into so much trouble? The intrigue is killing me

This promises to be THE book on the NCAA college basketball tournament - all the stats, matchups, insights and interviews we've been craving since March Madness became 'The Spring Superbowl.'

You can't put this book down. Interview after interview, you are amazed at the stories behind each legend. The best part is that this is basically a compliation of mini-autobiographies, but narrated as a conversation between good friends. The book starts with an interview with Rey Meyer - it reminds you how lucky the author was to have interviewed him before his passing away. You are also amazed at the hard work, passion and perseverance of Eddie Einhorn. If you love basketball (or even just "like" sports), this is the book for you.

Fans of college basketball will enjoy the information and stories provided in this book. The book is a collection of interviews, set forth in story format, in which the author met and interviewed with a number of significant figures in college basketball, including coaches, media, and players.

There are many great stories here, and the book is divided up into different stories on the different personalities, so it makes for an accessible read. You can pick up the book, read one article, then put it down. I found the stories by the coaches to be among the most entertaining: Coach K, Roy Williams, Rick Pitino, Dean Smith, Guy Lewis and others all provide insightful stories.

Also, the book puts college basketball in its historical context, with a focus on the first televised basketball game, UCLA vs. Houston, played in the Astrodome. Overall a very informative and entertaining book, I would strongly recommend it to any college basketball fan.

Cissik did a very thorough job researching Olympic-style weightlifting - in fact, this text reads like a research paper/thesis. Having said that, the text might be a little too formal for some.

This book is MUCH better than the first edition. The beginning of the book is a concise description of the Olympic exercises and associated assistance exercises. This is good for the beginning lifter. The second half of the book is on workout design. It is EXCELLENT and draws heavily on EASTERN EUROPEAN texts (They always have the best lifters!). The book is worth buying for this section. Powerlifters and fitness buffs can use the principles outlined here to greatly improve their progress. Every chapter is heavily referenced for those who are interested in learning more.

My first impression when I opened a light and skinny envelop of the delivered book was that of opening some business correspondence letter. The book is only 132 pages, of black and weight print that could be produced on a home printer, the era preceding of hp-laser or inkjet. Though the first edition came in 1997, it immediately revived my memory of the struggle to print and publish my own book on those days. It is a painful experience for authors to meddle with so many hurdles in order to get their information to the reader. Then, there is my bias in favor of a fellow weightlifter attempting to maintain a dying sport form retiring to history archives.

In total contravention to the inclusive format of Drechsler's Weightlifting Encyclopedia and El-Hewie's Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training, Cissik sticks to the hardcore of old fashion Weightlifting. The classical two lifts; Clean and Jerk and Snatch, are described, together with their immediate supporting exercises. The back, front, and overhead squat; deadlift with various handgrips and height of pull; goodmorning in standing, seating, and ground positions; pullover, and stretching is all that trainees need to advance in weightlifting. That is a bold and daring confrontation of appealing consumerism that thrives on promoting expensive machines, fancy exercise accessories, and endless exercises that do little, if any, good to fitness.

The simplicity, clarity, and accuracy of Cissik's Introduction outweighs it poor production quality and attests to the author's courage to stand tall on substance. Although, the book is intended as an introduction, the above mentioned attributes make the book practical and convenient for modern day busy people. In addition, each chapter begins with neat tabulated highlights and basic contents and ends with a list of references. Inside the chapters, the author places the reference citation where needed in every page.

Its drawbacks are:

(1) Complete omission of individualized peripheral training exercises. Modern weightlifters rival bodybuilders; on bulk and definition, and powerlifters; on peak isometric strength. Many young weightlifters could not attain the astronomically high level of modern international records because of lack of muscular bulk. Cissik's old fashion training emphasizes the technique of lifting and periodization for robust, explosive power, yet falls short on massing slow twitching muscle fibers. Those require dedicated bodybuilding training during off season or prior to committing to protracted competitive weightlifting career.

The fear that bodybuilding and powerlifting exercises would do away with the mental skill, specific to the explosive full range of motion and highly coordinated dynamics of weightlifting, is well understood and recognized by experienced lifters and coaches. However, modern lifters have sufficient resources to ease the highly toned and acutely inflamed structures caused by such repetitive and depleting modes of exercising. Yoga, Pilates, Stretch, UV booths, saunas, and massage are few such modern remedies for the side effects of strengthening through controlled motion exercising. That however raises the stakes of heart and cellular reserves. Could the heart tolerate multiple overloads? Could the cellular metabolism adapt its enzymatic machinery to oppositely demanding activities? or, could the trainee have access to adequate health knowledge in dealing with such double sword training modes? Cissik's answer is: simplicity; a wise, safe, and practical choice.

(2) Jumping straight in the air during the pull isn't scientific. Although few great lifters do jump, the laws of mechanics forbid jumping. It wastes energy. Explosive extension isn't synonymous with jumping. Cissik is rightfully insisting on not spreading the feet sideways, yet wrongfully advises jumping. Jumping might be stimulating, yet wasteful.

(3) The deep squat during the amortization phase portrays to some that "deep" is a requirement for lifting. It is better to emphasize that squatting should be as high as it is needed to catch the barbell at its (the barbell) final destination. Unnecessarily deep squat should be reserved for training, stretching, and strengthening.


Mohamed F. El-Hewie
Author of
Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training