Athletics Books

This book is a must read for anybody that is interested in running. Everyone always wonders why the Kenyans are such good runners? This detailed, and interesting, book allows you to learn and understand the people of Kenya, and also why they are such good runners. Throughout their turbulant history it seems as though games, or sporting events, have been an important part of their culture. Becasue of their deep rooted cultural activites, as well as the colonial influence from the British, the Kenyans have been able to excell at events that revolve around running. Bale and Sang bring fourth a lot of information that allows you to learn about running in Kenya, and also the impact the Kenyans have had on runners around the world yesterday, today, and into the future.

The writing of this book is very technical yet if you are looking for the training regime and/or secret of why the kenyans win so many races, you will be disappointed as it writes a lot on geographic differences....

This book is a must read for anybody that is interested in running. Everyone always wonders why the Kenyans are such good runners? This detailed, and interesting, book allows you to learn and understand the people of Kenya, and also why they are such good runners. Throughout their turbulant history it seems as though games, or sporting events, have been an important part of their culture. Becasue of their deep rooted cultural activites, as well as the colonial influence from the British, the Kenyans have been able to excell at events that revolve around running. Bale and Sang bring fourth a lot of information that allows you to learn about running in Kenya, and also the impact the Kenyans have had on runners around the world yesterday, today, and into the future.

How are we to explain the seemingly phenomenal success of East African athletes in the sport of track and field? One approach, advocated by Roger Bannister, former mile world record holder and currently a consultant neurologist, is to explain such success in biological terms. During 1996, in a series of speculative statements, not grounded in any `scientific' facts, Bannister highlighted the importance of `race' in determining thesuccess of East African athletes. On reading Kenyan Running, it is clear that, on this occasion, Bannister is firmly on the wrong track.

John Bale and Joe Sang have produced an excellent account of the emergence and development of Kenyan athletics. This carefully crafted text demonstrates, time and again, the socio - cultural determinants of sporting success. In offering a cogent, social scientifically based account, Bale and Sang provide a clear riposte to advocates of biological determinism. In particular, in chapter six, the environmental and racial myths associated with `Kenyan' success are carefully dissected. Besides, who are these `Kenyan' men who succeed in specific athletic events? This book provides the answers. The debunking of biological determinism is an important achievement in itself. This book, however, does more than this. It has several other virtues.

In Kenyan Running we see not only the theoretical advocacy, but also the empirical demonstration, of an approach to the study of sport that draws on geography, history and sociology. While I would have liked the authors to have been even more explicit in this regard, the book provides a very good example of the potential stemming from a blending of different disciplines. No doubt, advocates of these disciplines would have liked to have seen more of `their' knowledge base in the book, but what has been produced provides an important pointer to what inter - or multi - disciplinary research can achieve.

Bale and Sang also provide a detailed account of a century of Kenyan involvement in modern athletics and, in doing so, assess the role of tribal traditions, colonial heritage and `development' processes. In these areas they provide a solid account of the actual dynamics involved. Drawing on traditional geographical methods, but also in keeping with new geographical directions, the authors provide a series of astute historical geographical insights. They are not content, however, to explain the `success' of Kenyan athletics solely in terms of `internal' developments. The authors show how such processes have to be explained in terms of the globalization of sport.

This connection between Kenyan athletics and the global sport system is another virtue of this book. For them, the emergence of Kenyan athletics is bound up with the globalization of sport. Drawing on Wallerstein's World System theory, Bale and Sang interpret Kenyan athletics in terms of a process of `underdevelopment'. Far from western coaches and sporting aid assisting Kenyan athletics uniformily, these authors argue that aspects of the sport have been, wittingly or otherwise, `underdeveloped'. For example, and in very concrete terms, Kenyan field athletic performance has declined over time. In contrast, through a combination of `channelling', self selection and role modelling, some Kenyan men excel at middle and long distance racing. This very success, however, leads to a dependent form of development. The `natural' resources of Kenya are drawn away from the periphery to the core. In sporting terms, the core involves American colleges and the European Grand Prix circuit. Bale and Sang rightly point to the costs, as well as the well publicised `benefits', of these processes.

The debate regarding sport and globalization is complex. The Wallerstein model has been rightly criticised by Robertson and Featherstone in the mainstream literature. It is no surprise then that reservations can also expressed in the context of the study of sport. The role of cultural relations, civilizational exchanges and lived experiences do not occupy a central place in the model. To be fair, Bale and Sang are keen to address aspects of these issues. Perhaps, however, in their conclusion to a fine book, they should have shown how their approach fits in as part of the debate about sport and the global system more generally. In addition, it would have been helpful to have returned to the theme of debunking the myths and biological determinism that underpins much of the media reporting, coaching beliefs and sport science assumptions concerning Kenyan athletic success. These are, however, minor quibbles. This is a book that can rightfully claim to be both imaginative and path - breaking.

Joseph Maguire

Loughborough University

I used this book to train for my first marathon. Felt very prepared and exceeded my goal. I am starting to train for my next marathon and am looking back at my log-very helpful to see what worked and what did not. Recommend this book highly. I also liked the motivations and advice.

This book features an interesting format of an ongoing progression of training and running advice in conjunction with logs in which you record your training experiences. In a sense, this book is written by two expert coaches. Expert coach 1 is Joe Henderson whose knowledge of running and writing skills provide excellent and plainly-stated advice on how to progress through the training process and how to manage the day of the big race. Expert coach 2 is you, even if you are a novice runner approaching your first marathon (as I was). The process of training for and running a marathon is a superb learning experience if you put your mind to getting the most from it. By completing the logs, you will come to understand what works best for you and how best to apply your experience. Working with the book was much like working with a knowledgeable coach who cared and listened. I read several other marathon books preparing for my first marathon and realized that I had figured much of the advice in those books on my own during training runs (e.g., don't make a decision while running an uphill stretch). The advice on phantom injuries and illnesses was excellent and is a topic not well covered in most books (my worsening cold on the day of the race disappeared before I reached mile 1). The training plans are oriented to three levels of runners, novice, experienced, and excellent and the programs are straightforward and sound. Unless you really want to enroll at the School of Marathon Running Made Complicated, I think you will find this book one of the best guides for learning about yourself and meeting your goals during the marathon experience.

This book contains a number of interesting meditations and reflections on marathon running. And viewed as such, it's a nice book to have. But the substantive guidlines on how to train are poorly lacking. There are some general guidlines and a few charts you can use to chart your progress, but there is little beyond that (e.g., about nutrition).

I enjoyed this book. Like I imagine a lot of improving runners, I have purchased several books with various training schedules as well as Runners World. I got this book mid-training, so did not use its best feature, the runners log. Lots of good advice.

First off I need to comment that, in my opinion, the author has really found his own personal niche writing books for the MMA community. He obviously knows what he is talking about and writes fairly well on the various subjects concerning NHB and MMA competition.

The book contains a wide variety of pretty basic exercises utilizing a variety of methods including; bodyweight exercises, barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, plyometrics, etc. and in doing so, give you a wide variety of exercises to do in order to get you into fighting shape. Now as I already said, a lot of these exercises are pretty basic and kind be found in almost all books concerning that particular subject, but this books stands out in the fact that the author demonstrates a variety of variations to some common exercises that I hadn't seen before.

Now that's not to say that they aren't out there in print somewhere, its just that I haven't seen several of them before and I found them quite interesting and pretty fun to do. Although I must admit that a couple of them have the better of me for the moment.

The only complaints that I have with this book is that all of the photographs are pretty small, which normally wouldn't have been that big an issue, but some of them are also a bit blurry. My other major complaint was that the descriptions of the exercises were, for the most part, pretty brief and in some cases that was fine, but in other I felt that they should have been longer and more detailed.

Here are a couple of other books that you should check out on conditioning that I highly recommend.

The Naked Warrior

Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen

Practical Programming for Strength Training

Starting Strength (2nd edition)

Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

i think these was the best in mma conditioning exercises not only functional but also effective. mark hatmaker books are always the best. im looking forward for a 1 complete NHB manual. all books must be completed and must be complied as one inexpensive manual

"No Holds Barred Fighting: The Ultimate Guide to Conditioning" is one of the best combat-sports primers I've seen. The author presents a variety of excercises, including bodyweight, barbell, dumbell, plyo/agility, and stretching. Hatmaker gives the reader suggestions for sample workouts which vary from begginer, intermediate, advanced, and pro. He covers sports-specific conditioning for grip and neck training, and for sprawling and standing up. Also included is a bodyweight cardio workout, great for those of us who find running tedious. Other topics covered include breath control, when to stretch, and the type of cardio specific to the MMA fight game. As another reviewer stated, the weak points of the text include periodization, which isn't even addressed; nutrition, for which Hatmaker hedges his bets by stating that past champs have eaten a variety of foods and that there's no "magic diet"; and weight cutting, for which he suggests simply fighting close to one's own natural weight. For pure conditioning though, the information contained in this book is worth all my other conditioning books put together. With a straight-forward, easy-to-read style and a variety of useful conditioning information, this book is a plus in any martial artist or fighters library.

I have several of Hatmaker's books. I like the reasonable prices, and no nonsense, conversational style and this one is no exception. If you already have significant knowledge of conditioning, I don't think you are going to learn a lot from this book. Some discussion of periodization would be useful. There is virtually nothing on nutrition. (The author points out that many great athletes have had bizarre nutrition plans and suggest you should do what works for you.)

If you want a clear, inexpensive, easy to ready intro that will give you explanations of a number of exercises and specific suggestions for how to assemble them into a program, you will be very pleased with this book. The book has application beyond NHB and MMA, but if you are looking for something for a particular sport that is not one of those or similar (wrestling, bjj, etc.) then you can probably get a resource that is more specific to your needs.

From the PGA Teaching Manual to The PGA Manual Of Golf I have had the opportunity to gain the knowledge that has help me become a good coach and teacher and not just a instructor. If you are serious about your game and want to get better I sincerly recomend that you add The PGA Manual Of Golf to your library. Coach H Turk Walker

After having some trouble with my swing, I knew that I had to better understand the basics of the game in order to improve. I got this book as a gift and it really helped me define the fundamentals of golf and improved my play. I enjoy the game more now. The concise and straighforward presentation was easy to read. The format made it easy to find just what I was looking for. I highly recommend this as a great gift to the golfer in your life!

This is one of the most comprehensive books on golf around. There is a wealth of information on virtually every aspect of the game, from the physical mechanics of making the stroke, to the mental side of playing. Everything in here is required knowledge for anyone playing golf, or someone looking to get started.

Probably my only problem with the book is the lack of exercises listed. A great many appear as pictures with short captions, but many of these drills may be helpful to a variety of players. If performed incorrectly, they may damage your game, which is probably why they were not described in detail, but given that almost every segment ends with "Listed to what your PGA instructor says", it would be nice to know that the PGA trusts its readers to do just that.

Another part that would have been nice, but not neccesary, would be a more in-depth section on club design and construction. With so many people going out to buy custom made equipment, a little more information on exactly what standards are used to determine club length etc. might have put some people's minds at ease when at the pro shop. We all trust the PGA and its professionals, but knowing what they know isn't going to detract all that much from our experience. Rather, it can help us understand why we pay more for fitted gear.

In sum, buy this before you buy any other book on golf. Then, if you still feel you need more even with an instructor, shop around.

This book was a poor choice for me.

I am taking up golf for the first time so I was looking for a book that would be very specific to the fundamentals. I wanted step by step instructions that included detailed pictures. I also wanted concise information on golf rules, etiquette, and equipment technology trade-offs.

This book has a lot of information but it depends on word after word to tell its story. Very few pictures are included to supplement the information. Therefore, it fails almost totally at my first requirement for detatiled fundamentals. The second requirement is partially met. There is information available on many topics but it is not concise.

Overall, reading this book was like sitting through a friend's vacation slide show. I listen to all the general comments and tangents(which someone else may find interesting), waiting for the specific nugget I'm interested in, but ultimately fall asleep.

If you enjoy broad discussions or want a higher level overview, this book may be right for you - but it did not meet my requirements.

I'm a 4.0/4.5 player who has been doing the Power Tennis Training program off and on for the past few years and would strongly recommend it for all players looking to improve strength and conditioning. Chu's book provides a 12 week workout plan (both weight training and court footwork drills) that is easy to follow and gets results. I find myself quicker, stronger, and more explosive after just a week or two. The program gives you more confidence in your level of fitness which translates into more confidence in your overall game. Some of the workout days take a few hours, but if you stick with the program you will be more than pleased with the results. Thanks for a great book Don Chu!

I guess my expectations are too high. This book was very remedial with a lack of content. I was hoping to gain some insight from this book, but the information was basic at the best, with poor choices for athletes. No regard to the biomechanics of resistance training were applied, and no effort to address the neural or physiological continuums that are extremely important to athletic development. The one bright spot is the section on the court drills. They are enough to get you started on agility and foot speed drills.

This book is a set of well crafted exercise patterns. I am really impressed by the way the author has touched upon key development areas, which, one can easily overlook. I am very regular with my gym schedules with a balance of cardio and weight training. Sticking to the book schedule of about 3 month program shouldn't be a motivational challenge. With just one week into it, I have not only seen the results in my court coverage and my game, but also into other "reflex" sensative indoor games like foos ball :)

This is the best investment one can make for playing serious tennis.

As a high school tennis coach and a tournament player myself, I have looked extensively for a training source that is highly specific to tennis and easy to follow. Don Chu's book fits both of these criteria. Chu tells you exactly what to do and how to do it; reps and sets are clearly listed and the exercises carefully explained. Several other books on the market promise a great deal, but Chu's book, in my experience, is the only one that promises to make you a stronger player and then shows you the steps to achieve this goal, provided you work hard. No other book or program on the market can do this in my opinion.

I just thought I would warn others that are like me. I didn't realize it until months after I bought it, it's only 24 weeks long! This book doesn't work if you are looking for a full-year runners diary, which unfortunately I thought I was buying to begin with. Apparently not all runners logs are created equal. I thought I would be adventurous this year and buy a diary I hadn't bought before (I've owned all of them). Lesson learned ;)

Happy trails.

Whether you are a top local racer, high-school or college harrier or just log a few miles every day, this is a diary to seek out and stock up on for the next several years.

The color photographs are fantastic and there are 56 weeks of diary pages, so you won't run short, as what can happen with some other more famous publications. The information/tips and inspirational quotes are impressive, with a great balance between serious racing and fitness running.

RunLog does not just lead the large pack of diaries, it blows the race apart and captures the gold medal with ease.

I have been using the RunLog for several years. Great Photos and quotes. Plenty of room for commentary on your daily runs. There is a summary log in the front to track race performances. There is also a histogram for weekly mileage for the year.

I discovered this log book 'new' at a used book store back in 1998 and since then I bought two more for the next couple of years. It not only allows you to log numerical data, but subjective data as well. It also contains a fill-in linear graph for weekly mileage, race results entries, a pace chart, and basic training information. I love the color and black and white photographs of runners inside. It's a very well thought out design as far as log books go, and the most highly-evolved. I don't look for any other runner's log book but this one.

My husband said the book was very helpful when he ran in the Atlanta 10k.

I bought this book for a Runner/Biker/Marathon-enter(er)... and he loved it! He was interested in the material, info, and said the book was a GREAT read!

Injury Prevention: Barrios takes the reader through details of injuries and preventions for most runners.The author offers cross-training to help prevent injuries and help speed up the healing process.
Recommended for all runners at all fitness levels to help understand the causes of injuries and the training protocol to prevent them from occuring again and again.

I was expecting more in-depth information on running injuries, but this booked contained less information than a lot of other general running books.

For example this morning I referenced the book on hamstring injuries, and the only information they had on hamstrings was on stretching.

Very disappointed in the content.

This book has plans for every week of the year and I customized it to fit my schedule. This book is a no-brainer and gives you a great program that fits every fitness level. I highly recommend this book.

this book would be great for someone interested in becoming a marathon runner. I just wanted to make running part of my lifestyle not win marathons. The book claims to be good for either. It isn't.

This program is perfect for runners of all fitness levels. There are plans for each week of the year, and you can customize them to fit your own schedule.

This book is good for someone that is looking for a plan. It has three different levels, A, B, and C, depending on what your goals are. If you just want to run (x) number of miles a week, then search the internet for plans that do just that. What I like about this book is that it offers advice on steadily improving both your running technique and distance. It has guidance on drills and tempo work, as well as advice on how to recognize and treat injuries. What I didn't like about the book was the fact that the A plan only exercised three days a week, and the B plan exercised four, but the mileage was too aggressive. Using my own intelligence, I am using a hybrid of the two. But that in no detracts from the usefulness of the book for a new runner like me.

The book was ok but I felt that it read like an camouflaged advertisement for Adidas. The author was clearly one-sided. It also seemed to go into irrelevant details and was boring at times.

Most fascinating account of a family and the business that they started in a small community that reached such great heights. Especially interesting to me, because of a few day's visit to the German town of Herzogenaurach and nearby Army Base in Bavaria, several years ago.

the book was in great condition and I am enjoying reading it! Thank you so much!

Between the pages of this book lie the family saga of two brothers who ended up being torn apart due to war, personality and family. There is not really a happy ending although there is reconciliation among the posterity. Developing a better shoe and running a company are not necessarily the same thing as the players find out in this biography of two major shoe giant companies: Adidas and Puma. Although the book was good, it felt tedious and drawn out in place. I'm sure the author was trying to make sure that all the major players were included but maybe some of them should have been left out in the editing process. This was an interesting read into the world of sports and the attire accompanying the players and teams. Look for everyone from the soccer great Pele' to David Beckham and Joe Montana. I did appreciate the thoroughness that the author devoted to this work.

I would recommend that you spend a little time Googling instead of wasting your money on this book. It is WAY overpriced. Technically it's 108 pages, but if the layout were professional (i.e., using a normal-sized font, without the random textboxes (some of which are missing text as they stop mid-thought) or quotations in huge fonts) this book could easily be 50 pages - and most information is on the Internet.

This book was great. It had all the information in one place and was a quick, accessible read. It filled in the gaps in my knowledge about how my kid should approach coaches and how we should make a good media guide and video, and it gave me tips from an insider perspective. It even gives examples of professional sample letters for students to submit to prospective coaches. It's also a book that could help the whole team (we found lots of info to share and pass on) and something our busy kids would still sit down and read (and I can't imagine my son plunking down with one of those huge books and doing that). This book had everything I needed to know in one place. I could have googled for weeks for information and still not found everything in this book (I tried!). The price was right and I checked it out ahead of time with the search inside to get a feel for what it was like. It provided everything it promised.

The Student Athlete Handbook for the 21st Century offers concise, practical advice to student athletes making the transition from high school to college.

From selecting a college, to contacting coaches, to succeeding during the all-important freshman year, the book provides a guide through a sometimes daunting process.

It's also an ideal resource for a younger athlete, perhaps a high school freshman or sophomore, who hopes to participate in college athletics and wants to get a head start.

This book provided us with an excellent (and accurate) depiction of what a student athelete should be aware of as he or she gets ready for college. Other books we read (or tried to read) were so sterile and/or out of date they didn't provide any sort of relevant guidance. I _highly_ recommend Grimes' book, even for students who aren't fully sure they want to pursue a college career. You might just find it helps them realize college isn't a bad idea and isn't too hard to do and play sports at the same time!