Athletics Books

Rodgers and Douglas do a fine job demystifying the sport of running. This book is very accessible and easy to read. Like other books in the series, it's structured so that you can read short portions and come back to it at a later time.

One key principle in the book is that you need to build up your endurance slowly. If you push yourself too hard at the start, you'll be sore and miserable, and you run an increased chance for injury. Together, these are a major disincentive to ever run again! Building incrementally gives your body time to adjust to the stresses of running.
The authors also emphasize stretching, which I've found to be very helpful in preventing soreness and injury.

The best thing I can say about this book is that it works. I've personally worked my way through Rodgers and Douglas's plan where you build up to 30 minutes of running. Now I've been running for over a year and a half. At the 6 month mark, I got to the point of running 6 miles at a stretch, and I did my first 5K in May. I've since decreased my distance, but I'm working back up to the 10K mark again. I feel proud of myself for going from nothing to 10K.

Other resources (e.g. Runner's World magazine) can be overwhelming for all of their sophistication. I'm thankful for this book because it gave me a goal, a plan, and lots of good advice and encouragement along the way.

Wow, I was laid flat when I opened up this book. These pages are really serious about running. And they haven't returned yet.

I've been an endurance trial runner for many years but after a stress-related leg injury took me off the circuit a friend of mine bought this book for me as a joke. Common sense may be a luxury but at least we can buy it in the nearest bookstore. Technique was my problem...and probably shoes too. And I laughed while a learned. The marathon veteran that wrote the book gives a few antidotes as to the progression of Runner culture through the decades. (I'm so happy we runners have gotten past the leotard, spandex-wearing, hairy,shirtless Mr. America jogger years) I'm happy to report that I've been back in the woods and running my normal pace for a month now after Way Too Long Off. This book was very helpful in my recovery.

This is yet another fantastic book in the "Idiot's Guides" series. Like all other Idiot's Guides, the book is written is a user-friendly style and format. Neatly divided into five parts, this book describes what running is, where and when to run, reasons for running, running apparel and equipment, injuries, training tips, and a lot more. Bill Rodgers, who himself was a runner who won the Boston Marathon multiple times, did a fairly great job presenting the sport of running. The tips that are given in this book are invaluable for runners.

However, this book is by no means an all-inclusive guide to endurance running. This book tends to be aimed towards amateur road racers and novice runners and not so much for track athletes, high school cross-country runners, or experienced competitive runners who are looking for advanced racing strategy tips. Also, this book is not for people who are running because they want to burn a specific amount of calories for weight loss. If you are a serious, competitive runner looking for some serious coaching tips, The Competitive Runner's Handbook might be better for you. Overall, Bill Rodgers has intended this book to be a book on amateur running in general. If you want to sprint, or if you want to be top 10 in a college cross-country invitational, something else might do the job better.

impressive view regarding the physical demands of the game ... and a complete progression of training to improve the components of a reliable, 'safe', effective swing! stay healthy and improve!

I bought this book as well as the Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Golf. I think this book has a better program, particularly when used in conjunction with the Core Performance web site.

The illustrations of various strength and stretching movements are helpful, but when and how frequently to perform is quite confusing.
Too many categories: eg "Movement Prep, Prehab, etc. and too many options Par 3,4 etc make it problematic to create a specific program for an individual. A more straightforward "cookbook" approach would help..

I am a 24 year old former collegiate golfer, and this book is probably one of the best I have read for golf specific training. The exercises are described well and the workouts are easy to follow. There is also a nutrition section which talks about how to be healthier day to day as well as what to eat pre / during a round. For anyone looking to increase flexibility, strength, power, eat better, prevent injury, this book is a must.

Just a side note, but the movement prep sequence for the workouts / pre round are worth the price of this book itself. I will never workout or play golf again without completing the Movement Prep beforehand, it is the best stretching / warm up routine I have seen.

I highly recommend this book.

if information like "studies suggest exercising helps you live longer and better" is new and helpful to you, then this book is as good as any. I only made through the first half of this before giving up as a waste of time, so I stand open to correction from somone that struggled through the entire thing, but there was simply no there there. No new insights or interesting research studies in this. I could have written this book, and I have no expertise whatsoever in this field.

This was a good read. As a busy professional, it's easy to forget to incorporate the healthy things into life because "busy" just seems to take over. This book not only offers ways to "fit" them in, but I read it months ago and the tips have stuck with me.

Fit To Lead is an absolute must-read. It brings together a synergistic blend of data and concepts that are substantiated by genuine research data (not just "a new idea that ought to sell"). The concept is laid out in a manner that is doable for even the busiest executive. It is informative, motivational, and right to the point (another plus for busy people).

The title may be just the positive suggestion to establish some necessary life extending and enhancing strategies. Well written, organized and researched without being tedious, it's a great book to loan out or give to the people you care about.

If you enjoyed the Oscar winning movie Chariots of Fire, you will probably also enjoy this biography of Eric Liddell, the Scottish sprinter whose refusal to run on a Sunday - even in the Olympics - drew headlines. More than just a successful athlete (who did win the Olympic gold medal in the 400 meters in world record time), Liddell was a man of strong character and religious convictions. His selfless actions were a constant source of inspiration to others. This book is neither boring nor long and can be read with pleasure.

Eric Liddell is the "Flying Scotsman". This nick name comes from the name given to the fast steam train which did the Edinburgh to London route. Eric was fast too - a fast 100 and 400 metres track runner. His exploits at the 1924 Olympics are sketched out in the classic film "Chariots of Fire".

This is one of the few books I've read through more than once. But you don't really get to know, even in this well written book, the real driving force behind Eric Liddell; though the book makes you aware of it by emphasising its enigma. Really, the truth is, that he knew how to dwell in the secret place of the Most High (see Psalm 91).

Sally Magnusson is, or was, a TV personality in Britain. I can always remember thinking every time she came on the screen: "What a beautiful soul". Whatever Sally's sympathies with Christianity might be, it is interesting that time and time again, she reflects on this self same quality of Eric Liddel: the beauty of his soul. She weaves this theme into the comprehensive and intimate account of his life.

Now, it may be true that many loved this man because he excelled in sport (running and rugby), but there is equally no doubt that those who met him were inspired by this other worldly quality which so impressed.

Though I myself was born long after he died, I remember an incident which emphasises this point. I had to go down to Tiverton, in Devon, about 20 years ago, and there was no reply at the house I was to call on. The next-door neighbour came out and told me that they were all away.

Thinking that this was a wasted journey didn't stop me from talking to the man and it transpired that he had been in China when Eric was there, and had known him personally. He began to speak of Eric with almost an awe, and described this very aspect of his character that Sally had found unable to overlook.

Sadly, this gentleman had concluded that Eric was virtually the only Christian that had ever lived, and wasn't interested in the gospel that Eric had so loved. Ironic isn't it? when Christians don't live up to their profession people find excuse for not believing; and when people go beyond all expectation of what holiness can be had down here, they also draw back! Still, I sent him Sally's book and another one that was out at the time, and I am sure he would have read them with great pleasure just as I have.

Many of our sports-crazed world would do well to study and emulate this great man.

From the classic Chariots of Fire movie, I wanted to see how Hollywood handled this accurately. From Magusson's research, certainly one can see from actual photos that Liddell was not as thin or attractive as Ian Charleston. Also to my great disappointment, Jason, the American sprinter, never gave Liddell the Scripture verse right before the race.

Interesting sidelight to this is that in 1988 Olympics all but 2 of 19 Israeli athletes refused to compete on the Yom Kippur celebrative day.

This is wonderful read. Do not know how this relates to other works on Liddell as I'm just discovering them to find out.

This book portrays the details of this celebrity's daily life through his journals, letters, personal interviews, and the writings of those who knew him. They describe a faithful man of God who didn't prize religiosity or overly pious appearances. Instead, he modeled Jesus' character of love and kindness with his own humor, wit, and laid-back nature. Great book for all who wish to see how the Christian life is lived out amidst the daily grind.

While this is a necessity for a women's hoops fan, it's not as good as it could be.

The first problem is immediately apparent: the book jacket doesn't describe the actual book. The jacket claims to be about the 2000-01 season (a much chronicled season in WCBB) and to cover UConn, Tennessee, Rutgers, UCLA, and Louisiana Tech. The book is actually about the 1999-2000 season and UConn, Tennessee, Rutgers, and Sacred Heart. Perhaps the jacket blurb would fit the paperback version?

It's also surprisingly shallow. I've seen books of similar size focused on one school: here, you have four schools with a chapter for recruiting and another for the tournament. It often seems as if it were written in a hurry, spewing game stats as it frantically rushes forward; Kent promises that the book would "also deal with the plethora of national powerhouse and not so powerful teams" that the power teams would face, but except for the asides, there's little from opposing points of view.

Far more could have been done with Sacred Heart, the least known of the four schools and the most compelling possible story. We don't even get to find out how they did in the NEC tournament! Tennessee also gets short shrift, and I think it's because both schools weren't covered by writers dedicated to the team- in fact, Tennessee seems to have been covered by a Connecticut writer. In comparison, UConn and Rutgers are covered very well.

Sloppy editing also plagues the book, with some passages mere rephrasings of previous ones. (And how exactly does one don a tattoo, as UConn's Kennitra Johnson supposedly does?)

But yes, there are positives to this book. The asides tangentially related to the profiled schools are the most interesting parts, such as the one on (now former) Pittsburgh coach Traci Waites. And I did enjoy reading about Sacred Heart, since I don't know much about them.

Overall: if you can find a copy cheap, as I did, buy it, but don't buy it new.

This is really a great book. I found the Chapters on UCONN and Sacred Heart to be the most interesting. Both are located in Connecticut. UCONN is coming off a National Championship, while Sacred Heart is just starting it's Div. I classification. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes college basketball.

Author really puts us inside the arenas and the lockerooms of the major Programs in the country to find out about the women's game.I especially enjoyed the suggestions for changes at the end.A must read for the casual reader or zealot of women's college hoops.

The operative word is "Inside" as Inside Women's College Basketball Anatomy of a Season transports the reader inside the locker room, the coaches inner sanctum as well as onto the court. For a rabid fan or casual observer to get such insight into UCONN and Tennessee, the two premier women's programs in the country, is a treat. Access to C. Vivian Stringer, one of the legendary coaches makes the Rutgers story come to life the way she has elevated their program to the elite level. A look at the Sacred Heart program adds another dimension as the reader understands how a lower tier school competes for visibility and victories in a burgeoning women's college basketball environment. It is clear that Kent and his colleagues understand the women's game, but what is really enjoyable is how they communicate their excitement about and love for the game to the reader.

After providing a brief autobiography Mark Allen, who does not seem the slightest bit arrogant, recounts the few days of and before Ironman Hawaii '87. The book clearly shows that Allen spends a lot of time sports-psychoanalyzing himself and his competitors (contrasting Dave Scott's seemingly machine like approach to racing.) The intimate description of IH '87 is interesting. The end of the book provides brief, but useful training advice incorporating heart rate monitoring.

Since the date this book was written Mark Allen has progessed as an athlete to reach even greater glory and to conquer the Hawaiin Ironman, winning the race more than any other man in the 90's. In a sport where any of the top ten competitors are physically capable of winning on the day, I have no doubt that the mental strategies contained in this book have been the distinguishing characteristics between Mark and other athletes. The book deals with a brief description of Marks history in the sport, mainly with his 1987 season and the successes and dissapointments of that year culminating in the Hawaiin Ironman. Unlike the plethora of training material available today, this book deals with how the author motivates himself, focuses, faces his fears, and controls his mental energy in all aspects of his life particularly in triathlon.

If you are serious about getting 100% out of your body and enjoying training and racing in any endurance sport, read this book.

Mark Allen, the greatest triathlete this world has ever seen, puts pen to paper and muses about the myriad aspects of his personal philosophies and motivating factors.

This book lets the reader enter the mind of a great warrior, while learning to appreciate just how mentally strong one must be to conquer an Ironman race.

Excellent book!

After providing a brief autobiography Mark Allen, who does not seem the slightest bit arrogant, recounts the few days of and before Ironman Hawaii '87. The book clearly shows that Allen spends a lot of time sports-psychoanalyzing himself and his competitors (contrasting Dave Scott's seemingly machine like approach to racing.) The intimate description of IH '87 is interesting. The end of the book provides brief, but useful training advice incorporating heart rate monitoring.

No More Broken Eggs is a must read for parents of young athletes as well as coaches and team directors. I purchased this book a year ago and enjoyed it then, but it was invaluable recently when my son was injured in soccer. This book helped me take a long-term view and not push him, but let him heal and return later. This may seem obvious, but in the heart of a season the natural tendency is to push through pain, ignore it, which is a bad idea physically and mentally, and just creates burn out. I have given this book to the management of his soccer club as recommended reading for all its coaches and staff.

this is basically THE book i have been looking for (without knowing it). it pretty much answers all my questions! its so informative and i would 100% suggest it to everyone, not just athletes or sports related ppl. it could really help out for parents as well. its great!

No More Broken Eggs brings to light aspects of living and supporting young people in aspects of sport and, furthermore, in how they deal beyond sport. As an Olympic coach, Tom Morin worked with Matt Biondi (a winning United States Olympic swimmer), and he currently works in a substance abuse program. His book, subtitled "a guide to optimizing the sports experience for athletes, coaches, parents and clinicians," elaborates on the care of athletes from different role model standpoints. Interspersing stories of young athletes on their way to becoming "broken eggs," meaning burned out kids, Morin designs chapters specific to parents, coaches and clinicians outlining points necessary for success.

Throughout the book, Morin combines both his experiences of sports psychology and coaching to create a straightforward, readable and interesting method of approaching and maintaining positive attitudes towards young people and sports. His real examples illustrate his points well; he discusses a variety of cases to demonstrate the range of athletes who need support, as no two situations are identical. Using a vocabulary easy to understand, Morin lays out the most basic tools for working with young people - going beyond the sports field to show how the world of sport connects to the world beyond clearly applies.

In the end, Morin alludes to what all adults must embrace: we need to communicate with and to respect our young people, or they may not succeed in any fields that inspire them at a young age. As adults, we exist as examples, and if we do not pay attention, "broken eggs" continue.

Participation in sports can be beneficial to the healthy self esteem of children. Learning new skills, having fun, achieving goals, and experiencing team camaraderie can all be experienced through such activities. For many youngsters though, the sport actually eats away at their self image, creates unrealistic expectations, and threatens to destroy their love of the game.

No More Broken Eggs seeks to educate parents, coaches, and athletes about the hazards inherent in competitive sports for young children. The most obvious of which is parents and coaches that put too much pressure on their young children to win and to achieve. However, children can also have problems with their own unrealistic expectations, fear of failure, inability to deal with the commitment required, and other potentially disastrous situations.

This book uses two very different strategies. First, the book tells the stories of real children that the author has worked with in his sports psychology practice. These sections discussed how the author helped these individuals with their sports related issues. Then, the book includes special sections for the athlete, for parents, for coaches. These sections give tips and ideas to reduce the likelihood of burn out, unrealistic expectations, and unhealthy levels of pressure.

I like Tony Little. I enjoy his tapes and his music mixes. The book was not so great. But it's not a waste of money either. It's motivating and worth the read. If you're new to Tony Little and his philosophy of health, you should read it and get your feet wet.

What an awesome book! I got mine the day it came out, and have already read the whole thing. I started my 28 days last Thursday and am soooooo motivated! I can't wait for the next 24 days!

This book is very reader-friendly. I found it to answer many of my questions in a simple, to-the-point manner. The exercises are challenging, and the pictures make them easy to follow. Tony's down to earth attitude is refreshing. This book encourages me to keep healthy!

I could not wait for this title to hit the bookstores. I had heard it was coming out on the radio, and I own every other Tony Little product there is, so I just had to have this book too. He is the best Personal Trainer that anybody could have. I have learned so much from him about self-esteem and motivation. I can't wait to receive my book in the mail. I'm sure it will live up to my expectations and then some. Thank you, Tony!

Not only is this a good read into the history of the Harvard/Yale rivalry, but it is also a nice glimpse into the origin and development of college football as well as the development of the sport of football as it is played today. As a fan of an SEC school, it definitely gave me an appreciation of the Ivy League.

In the 1875-1876 football game, Harvard beat Yale 4 to 0. The next year it was Yale's turn to win 1 to 0. In fact that began a winning streak that lasted until 1891 (to be sure there were some 0 to 0 ties and a few years when they didn't play) when when Harvard finally won 12 to 6.

But in spite of a few tidbits like these, this isn't a history book. This is almost a eulogy to the rivalry. Perhaps eulogy isn't exactly the right word since they usually reflect on something past, and this rivalry certainly isn't over.

The book is historical, but spends most of its time on the recent games, players, and coaches. The two writers are both Massachusetts men, but then again, Massachusetts is just a short physical distance from New Haven. Delightful book.

The book was interesting and a fun read for any Harvard or Yale grad...or any fan of college football. However, I counted at least three errors in the book. Early in the book President Theodore Roosevelt is listed as being from the Harvard Class of 1880. Several pages later he's listed as the class of 1895. (1880 is the correct date...) In discussions of Frank Hinkey, he is mentioned as one of only 5 four-time All Americans. In the photo section, his picture is accompanied by a description that says he is one of 11 four-time All Americans. Then, there is discussion of Ivy League football dropping from Division I-A to I-AA. At first this is mentioned as having happened in 1982. Later in the book, the 1974 Yale team is noted to have the best defense in Division I-AA. (But they were still in Division I-A in '74, weren't they?)

Anyway, these were three glaring errors that I picked up without doing any research or fact-checking. It just makes me wonder how many other errors are in the book that I didn't notice?

Every fall, colleges from far and wide gather together in some of the most intense and passionate rivalries in all of sports. Whether it be the classic rivals of Ohio State-Michigan, Army-Navy, or Auburn-Alabama, nothing truly compares to a game between two longly contested institutions. However of all the great traditional rivalries perhaps none exemplifies the true and humble beginnings of football better than Harvard and Yale. With this outstanding piece of football commentary and history, Corbett and Simpson give the reader a true sense of what The Game is truly about: sportsmanship, loyalty, and tradition. Whether your a die-hard alumni or a casual fan of good football, this book will keep you interested and motivated to know more. You begin to understand and apprieciate the rivalry that this is. Since many of the great Division I-AA rivarlies, like Harvard-Yale or Lehigh-Lafayette, don't get as much attention from the press, its very refreshing to see an example of the true student-athelete at his triumphal and inspiring best. The young men of Harvard and Yale, coming from different backgrounds and lives, come together every year not to showcase their own individual skills for NFL scouts but rather represent the institutions that have come to exemplify American excellence the last 300 hundred years. You don't even have to have gone to either school to gain a general sense of pride when observing such a rivalry unfold. It is simply inspiring and uplifting to know that sports are still played for the love of the game and to know with a combined effort anything is possible for a team. A truly honorable feat by both schools to keep tradition and pride alive in a otherwise prideless sports landscape.

if your an smu football fan or just a college football fan you need to read this book... if you hate University of Texas football (sports like i do) then you will love this book and hate TU even more

This is a good, not great, book about the SMU football recruiting scandal in the early to mid-1980's which resulted in the NCAA death penalty sanctions. The book is written reasonably well, but it is not a real page turner. The author goes into detail about the actions of key SMU administrators and board members, especially Gov. Clements. I would have liked to have seen more detail about individual recruiting situations and competition in recruiting with other schools. It almost seemed like the goal was to write a fairly short book instead of a great book. In any event, if you're a fan of college football or SMU or interested in the struggle between athletic recruiting versus academics, this book is worth reading.

This is a hard book to track down but I did so a couple of years ago and it was a worthwhile effort. My interest in what happened to SMU was enhanced largely from the recent controversies and issues my favorite college football team, the University of Alabama, has had with the NCAA. From what I understand about Bama's problems, they were nowhere in the ballpark of the corruption that was allowed to infect the SMU football program in the 1970s and 1980s.

I remember well how Arkansas and Texas raced far ahead of the rest of the Southwest Conference in the 1960s and 1970s and other programs were left in the dust. It was not uncommon to see teams like TCU, Texas Tech, and SMU on the short end of a 52-7 game. But a curious thing happened. These teams, particularly SMU, suddenly started moving up in the world and became very competitive. But their return to prominence was done in ways that attracted not only fans, but NCAA investigators as well. It seemed like SMU in particular could not escape the scrutiny as they continuously got slapped by the NCAA. Other programs in the Southwest Conference also got slapped but SMU seemed to almost take masochistic delight in getting slapped by the NCAA. Then the NCAA instituted the infamous "death penalty" and even then the school seemed to dare the NCAA to apply it. Interestingly enough, the book recounts how previous deals with players along with SMU's ability to previously hide the depth of its corruption made it almost impossible to clean the program without getting caught one last time. Deals were made to pay players that SMU felt compelled to abide by for fear the players would squeal. Once those players were gone (graduated or otherwise), SMU was working to clean the program. But they had to keep that last vestige of corruption in the closet. Unfortunately, it came out and SMU football was gone for a couple of years. SMU has never fully recovered.

I would love to find a couple of other books that are related to this. I would love to find a good book on the demise of the once mighty Southwest Conference. I know the corruption and problems the schools had with the NCAA contributed to the conference's demise but there were other factors as well.

A second book I would love to read will be an accounting of the issues surrounding my beloved Alabama Crimson Tide. They, too, got burned by the NCAA but evidence has been surfacing lately that the NCAA investigators may well have been guilty of less than noble practices and there were other aspects of the investigation that could have and should have gotten other schools investigated for misbehavior. Evidence now surfacing seems to support Alabama's claim that they were punished too harshly while others got off with nothing. But such a book, if it is published, will be some time in the future.

and this IS a great book. i read the first 100 pages in a single sitting, only went to bed after midnight on a long day but finished the rest in the morning. the story is great -- and a nice backgrounder on how sports, even collegiate-level, has always generated conflicts about compensation and power. whitford's language is clean, spiced with jewels of description that avoid the overwriting in most books about sports. i stumbled across a copy of this book in a used store in new york and it was worth so very much more than the bargain i got it for. (fyi, david whitford is the brother of west wing actor bradley whitford; it was david's heartfelt profile of his brother for the may 2001 esquire that first brought me to his writing.)