Athletics Books

I thought this book was very helpful and believeful and I started out as a total skeptic. I think think these principles are sound, although I find them hard to follow. This book is very easy to understand, even for a lay person and many sports 'self help' books aren't. I find that this book gives enough scientific evidence that makes it good, but not so much that its boring or hard to understand. Definitely a must-have for endurance athletes' reference collection.

I didn't think this book was an easy read. I think many other diet books flow better. I can't imagine eating salmon for breakfast every day!

Highly informative for all athletes and people wanting to exercise on a regular basis.

Basically it teaches you what, when and how to eat your food so that you get the maximun performance. It also has specific advice on fluids. If you are planning to do regular execise, this is a highly recommended book, even if you are not planning to follow the paleo diet strictly.

I have followed a low-carb diet for about 3 years now, and in the last year have gradually become an avid runner. I was looking for info on how to add carbs into my diet to support my running, and this book has specific, useful info on that topic. I do not agree with all of his dietary advice in general (for general info on low-carb diets I would recommend that you read a variety of books to gather well-rounded advice on this diet, as each author contributes a different piece of the puzzle), however I do highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for advice on how to properly integrate diet and sports, or who is suffering some sort of chronic problem during high-intensity athletic training - this book may straighten your problem out, even if you don't currently see it as related to your diet. This book is a valuable and much-needed addition on the topic of nutrition and sport.

Two stars for the Paleo Diet but Zero stars for the "modifications."

I was severely disappointed with this book. I hoped that an athlete would adopt the diet and adapt his training to the demands of the sound science that Dr. Cordain authored with his Paleo Diet. Instead, we have an athlete who has basically adapted the Paleo Diet to the high carbohydrate nonsense that permeates the "endurance world", which leads to good results, but bad health. How many of our great athletes have to continue sacrificing their long-term health for short term goals?

Recovery is not a good enough reason to "adapt" and modify the diet. The goal of training is to race, not more training. I don't think enough athletes understand that. There is a large section in this book about overtraining, but the authors "overcome" this seeming limitation ironically with the very thing that the Paleo Diet attempts to cure us from - - a misplaced reliance on excessive glucose which is responsible for the majority of the maladies that currently afflict us.

"Periodization" is also a problem. I'll leave you this quote by Olympian Gordon Pirie which accurately details the issue:

"Another popular aspect of training which I think is very dangerous is that known as "periodization" - that is, breaking down the training year into various "phases", each of which is divorced from the others. Thus, the beginning of the year may be devoted to a slow distance "build-up", the second portion of the year devoted to hill training, a third part devoted to interval work and then speed training, and finally (though most of these runners never get this far) a racing season undertaken. The difficulty with training in this manner is that you go along quite well with one aspect of training (e.g. long distance running), and then suddenly, on a certain day, "Bang!". You start hill-bounding, or speed-training, or something new, and the body simply is not ready for the change, and invariably, year in and year out, you are more often than not injured. The body should be trained in all aspects of running, all of the time. Only the emphasis should change as you progress through the year; no aspect of training should be entirely given up for any significant length of time. The balance between different types of training (distance running, intervals, hill running and speed training) should be adjusted as the year progresses" Pirie, "Running Fast and Injury Free", Page 86.

This balance can be achieved with adequate rest. When an athlete gives up his dependance on sugar, he will find that he has much more strength and steady energy reserves. Sure, you don't recover as quickly, but this is an indication that training is too hard, and one needs to adjust this training in order to successfully make it to the starting line. The science by Phinney and others clearly demonstrates that athletes, when given sufficient time to adapt to fat burning, were able to repeat their athletic performance. Frequency was a problem, but again, the goal of training is to race, not more training.

I'm disappointed that Dr. Cordain could not find an athlete willing to test his theories with sound and intelligent training, rather than the usual carb-load glucose-laden mess we've been stuck with. There are many low carb runners and cyclists out there who address the issues covered in this book far more intelligently and in a way that does not compromise their long term health as this approach potentially does.

Learn how to keep your body perfectly fueled for any athletic endeavor. Charts will help you compare various health food products to help you make the right decisions for your diet.

Within 3 weeks of implementing the basic concepts I noticed a massive difference in my ability to train productively on successive days and that my soreness after long runs of 10-20 miles was drastically cut.

One of the great things about this book is that you can apply it's concepts in a macro or micro level pretty easilly, from grams to food groups to eating for specific training cycles.

The organization and layout could use some cleaning up, but the content makes up for it. It has plenty of sample diets, though it could use a little more.

Truly outstanding!

Well for starters let's say this book is a little technical and spread out. There is lots of information but it is spread out all over the place. That is the bad news. The organization is spread out in seventeen chapters over four parts. Some parts are more beneficial than others. The good news is that there is everything you need to know in this book about keeping your body fueled at the optimun level for a top performance, whatever you choice of exercise is. The best section is probably the part entitled "The Best Fuels for the Job." Within this section you can find your guide to carbohydrates, low carb diets, fats, proteins and other useful information about minerals and vitamins and fueling for performance before, during and after. There are charts to compare the different products(protein powders, energy drinks and recovery drinks) on the market for you to choose the one that best suits your needs. There are also many charts with comparisons of nutrients found in different foods to help you make a choice for which is best for your tastes. The training regimen is detailed with suggested meals and is just to linear for my tastes. I like to pick and choose so for me this book was too regimented. I bought this book when it first came out and have read it on and off since but have recently incorporated some of the receipes found in the back of the book into my lifestyle. Since I am more a free form cook, I use many of the ideas as a springboard for my own imagination in the kitchen. However there are several receipes that are great as is. The empahsis on nutrition and the benefits of certain foods is the books strong point and can benefit many people, even people who are not atheletes. If you are into health and are active in some type of endurance sport than this book will be of help you get the most out of your body. If you are sedentary and want to get off your duff this book might help you see you can still eat many of the foods you like(but others you will have to cut)as you begin to become more active. Overall this book can have a good effect on your lifestyle.

I chose this book because I trust Chris Carmichael's knowledge and experience with athletes. He is not trendy or strict, but instead realistic and straight-forward. He helps you design YOUR plan.

Easy recipes in the back, also!

Good ideas, without question, but clearly publicity for PowerBar as much as anything else.

This book takes a sane, low-key approach to triathloning. The author did his first one when he was about 45. Very well written, with detailed training plans and lots of interesting anecdotes. HIGHLY recommended

If you've been wanting to get into triathlon, but you don't know where to start, this book is full of programs for you to get started on.

I love this book because it gives you a normal everyday mojo's perspective on triathlons and duathlons. I recommend it to anyone who is a beginner.

I didn't realize how out of date this book was, or I would not have bought it. The book makes 80s-era references when it comes to diet, nutrition, and other books about fitness. He suggests that you'd better plan to spend a whole $45 dollars on a good pair of running shoes!

The author is readable, and his personal experiences are somewhat interesting. But although he is an M.D., there seems to be no scientific basis for his recommendations - it is all based on his personal experience.

NOTE: This review applies to the FIRST EDITION. I just found out there is a Second Edition. I will oder and review it forthwith.

I rated this book 4 stars because it is an old 5 star book.

First, this book is for rank beginners. If you say, "Gee, I want to try this cross-training thing called a triathlon . . .um, where do I start?", then this is the book for you.

Second, the book IS DATED. It was originally written in 1984 and updated in 1996. A lot has happened since then; distances have been standardized, new equipment and techniqes have evolved, advances in nutrition and kinesiology.

Now, my reivew.

This is a marvelous book in a lot of ways. If you have no clue how to get started, this book will help you a lot. Unlike some of the reviewers here, and as stated by the author, this is TRIATHLONING FOR ORDINDARY MORTALS. Dr. Jonas lays out a program of exercise that rank amatuers can accomplish. He presents this information in a way that you can directly apply without a coach. The object of the book, as stated on page 23:

"This book is for you if you an average recreational endurance athlete of modest ability who would like to do a triathlon of modest proportions [Olympic]. It is also for you if you are not yet 'average recreational endurance athlete of modest ability' but would like to become one, with the goal in mind of doing a triathlon of modest proportions'" . . .This book is not for you if your ambition is to do an 'Ironman' triathlon."

Phase One is a three month prelude to developing an aerobic base, to get you used to exercising. Phase Two is a six month program to get you sufficiently fit to train for a triathlon. Phase Three is a three month program to COMPLETE a triathlon.

The nutrition and equipment discussion in the book are dated. However, the advice he offers, such as going to a specialty shoe store to get fitted, is not.

As to counting minutes vs miles, in one of the previous reviews, the BEST way for an amateur to build thier aerobic capacity is over time. Miles work best for people who are already there and have advanced beyond what this book may teach. You need to practice technique and intervals and that is beyond this book. I reccommend the 12 week walk/run program offered by the British Columbia sports medicene group a replacement for the run program.

I really enjoyed reading this book 5 years ago and again now. Science and technology have moved on, but sage advice is still golden.

Poorly produced with a few radical concepts about sport-specific conditioning as it relates to golf. I doubt anybody on tour uses this stuff, just too funky.

Thougt I was getting a fitness book. Found it to be much, much more. A mental toughness program that makes sense is the highlite for me. I have used most of the exercises now for about 10 weeks, and I have a MUCH bigger shoulder turn. Best of all, my knees and lower back have quit hurting. Happily shooting in single digits now after flirting with them for years...

Not easy to follow, but a few interesting exercises I have added to my routine. Some of the sections are just not adequate compared to other books/plans, for example, the aerobic/endurance section. Looks like it was thrown together over the weekend at Kinko's.

I love the concept... that the swing was broken down into all of it's phases and the the exercises are designed to reinforce the muscle tone and muscle memory required for a better golf swing. However, the written directions are complex and the visual aids are of poor quality so it is possible to do the exercise wrong with out knowing it. I'm sure the video would be a great supplement to the book.

It's good information, but more than I'll ever need by a factor of 5. There is a very useful technique for scoring your game, so you have a record of exactly what happened on the course, and you know what to work on. But, there is just too much for me, a beginning golfer, and for my brother (I tried to pawn it off on him), who's a mid-level player. I wish I'd returned it.

I found the book very interesting and factual of how good prospective high school athletes can be ground up like chopped beef. The USA top division I coaches have a bad repretation for running and competing the good prospective Olympic athlete in the ground from European coaches. The book was exciting when the races were described and very dissappointing when the results of the biggest and last races of the year were not there because there were thirty-three pages missing in the book and of course at the dmost interesting part. Very dissappointing. WMW

at the end of the book i actually disliked Webb. it was a story about someone who was not patient enough and thougt of himself as above everyone, i actually think him running such great times as a highschooler hurt him,he did not give the coach at michigan a fair chance and found ways to make everything a drama. the part i did enjoy though was reading about the other people from michigan and the fact that chris lear is such a great writer and really connects with the reader.

In a space of several months in 2001, Alan Webb ran the fastest indoor mile by a U.S. high school athlete and then set a national high school record for the magical distance, breaking a mark that reigned supreme for 36 years by the legendary Jim Ryun.

Author Chris Lear takes the reader on the rocky journey Webb runs while carrying his fantastic prep record to the college ranks and beyond. In particular interest is how Webb deals with coaching legend Ron Warhurst at the University of Michigan.

The pressure on Webb from outside the confines of the college campus are chronicled without editorial comment from Lear. It is my feeling Webb comes across as a boorish teenage tennis player or figure skater that must have things his/her way and coaches last about as long as a pair of training shoes for an ultra-marathoner.

Webb's "team" that was around him when rewrote the prep record book seemingly derailed Warhurst's efforts before his star runner went on his first workout as a Wolverine. One must wonder if they had the best interest of Webb in mind or if dollar signs were circling that track.

There was the lure of professional money from shoe companies and race promoters who were certainly salivating at the chance to have the great American star wear its logo or compete on the domestic/international stage.

But the blame for being swayed by so many voices clearly falls on Webb. And if this tug-of-war would have been in a bigger profile collegiate sport, it would have been as big a national story as - for example - Maurice Clarett's public battles with the Ohio State brass and coaches from a few years ago.

Sometimes the biggest search for a young world-class athlete is for those who will provide good advice over what can be profitable today. For every Tiger Woods or John McEnroe - who used brief collegiate careers as a springboard to professional success - there are hundreds like Webb that want it all now, but end up with fleeting glimpses of brilliance.

Alan Webb in this story strikes me as more a baby than a runner who has ran under 4 minutes in the mile. He whines about being hurt and not getting trained right. Warhurst is one of the greatest american distance coaches, if you can't run under him don't run at all. Nate seemed more likeable and more of a team player than Webb did in this book. Being for Illionis I love how Webb lost to Don Sage in 1500 meter final. Towards the end of the book, you knew he was going to quit michigan, now granted Webb has become very big in the sport but for a while he struggled after leaving Michigan and going back to his old coach. Good Book, if you like Webb, you might change your view of him, Nate is awesome, so is Tim Broe

Chris Lear has done it again! Following an exellent debut with "Running With the Buffaloes" he comes back with "Sub 4:00" -- a great account of Alan Webb's first and only season at the University of Michigan.

Lear is the only guy out there writing about the collegiate running scene as most books in the running section at your bookstore revolve around training logs or how to run your first 10K. It's about time someone took a different path and I'm glad Lear has done so.

Webb's tumultuous season at UM is well-depicted. The tough workouts, the injuries, and most importantly, the hot and cold relationship Webb has with his collegiate coach. Webb is pulled in a couple of different directions, whether to turn pro and go back and train under his high school coach, where he had great success; or stay at UM where he has friends and training partners. After awhile one can tell where Webb is going to end up.

What makes Lear's books so good is he gets right into the action. Just like his first book, he has intimate access to the team, it's workouts, meetings, and private moments. He's with Webb in the residence halls, on solitary and team workouts, at the meets, and even on the road in his car. Lear isn't an outside observer, he's right there. Also, the main supporting character, Brannen, gets his fair share of coverage.

This isn't just a book for runners, but anyone interested in athletics, particularly college athletics and how the system works and how coaches are under pressure to win -- yes, even so-called minor sport track and field coaches.

I highly recommend this excellent book and hope Lear has more coming down the road.

I would definately reccommend this book to anyone who might have self esteem or self confidence issues. It was a very positive and uplifting read and written very well. It works on a story level while not coming off preachy but manages to convey many ideals as well as misconceptions one may have about taking a martial arts class.

I found this to be an inspiring story and one that dispelled a lot of myths about martial arts.

It is very easy to read and to associate with the main character, "Joey". Everyone has feelings of low self esteem some time in their life. This story shows how one very shy boy, along with the help of caring family and friends, overcomes his self doubt and finds it within himself to achieve his goal. He becomes a confident and self assured young man through the lessons he learned from Tae Kwon Do.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone in the same situation, or anyone curious about learning more about martial arts and the positive effects it can have on your life.

I first met Rory Kyle in 1976 at Valparaiso University and since I have not met a more disciplined or compassionate person. Rory as a young man was extremely confident and sure of himself. He left school, entered a prestigious accounting firm and had a stellar career there. A few years later he left to devote himself to his discipline. Tae Kwon Do.

Rory has the ability to master anything that he focuses on, his latest effort in writing this book is no exception. Bringing to the market a fictional story (perhaps loosely related to his personnel experiences?) is no exception. Rory brings to these pages the anxiety of parents who want their child to be happier, the confusion of childhood, as well as the pleasure of finding something to which you belong, and in time become part of.

Reading this book as a novel is a mistake, this is more of a life reference as to how to approach challenges and in turn conquer. If you are a parent with concerns your child that may be a bit awkward or shy, and you need a place to turn, this book will help you direct your childs energies, whether towards Tae Kwon Do or other programs, and become part of something.

I found Tae Kwon Do Man to be inspiring and very challenging, especially for young and old having low self esteem or just not much self confidence. Master Rory writes an easy to understand story of how the mind and body work together to develop a whole person. Master Rory shows that Joey's parents, instructor, best friend and girlfriend are all part of his life long maturation process. As a retired teacher and coach, I can think of several students that would have benefited from reading about Joey's life experiences. I have never taken Tae Kwon Do, but see its merits and benefits from this book. I highly recommend this book to adolescents and parents alike.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from Master Kyle. Anyone young or not so young could benefit from this work concerning self esteem and confidence. I found it very inspirational.

This book has recipes that are long and use products that I don't have access to in my rural town. I like short simple recipes that offer a bang for the buck with products I can obtain locally and spices that are common to my kitchen. This is more time consuming and complicated than I like. Too gourmet for me.

I was skeptical getting a cookbook like this. I thought it might just be a silly book trading off the Carmichael/Lance duopolistic cycling brand. My skepticism turned to enthusiasm when I read the accompanying text and tried a few of the recipes. They are tasty, easy to make, different, and healthy. And there is enough variety to make this a cookbook I think I will explore for a while.

I have to say this is a good book. The book's chapters are seperated into the Foundation period, Preperation period, specialization period, and transition period. Now at first i found this wierd and annoying because most cookbooks are seperated into breads, soups, appitizers, dinners, snacks, and desserts. After getting used to the book I understood why and appreciate it. Most peoples sport has a "off time" and "peak time" and it gives recipes depending on what period of your sport you are in, which is nice. It also uses icons to tell you what this recipe is actually doing for example. A picture of a match that means it is a firestarter, which means is easy to digest and has ready to use energy which is great hours before a workout. Another example a picture of blocks means it is building blocks which means it is very high in protien. The book explains all of this plus has 6 other Icons. So I feel it spells everything out for the athlete.

Now these recipes are not simple simple. If you need stuff that simple you need to find a 15 min cookbook or a college student cookbook. However these recipes are simple not having complicating instructions. Some of them can take time anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes. But any healthy food will take longer. Just as minute white rice takes 10 minute... but a brown rice takes 60 min to cook. However the brown rice is better for you.
MOst of the hour recipes have alot of not active time or simmering time so you could always excersize in your kitchen while the food is cooking.

I am a vegetarian ( vegan)and these recipes are very easily comverted by switching the fish to tofu or sietan or temeph or even any premade vegetarian protien like tofurkey or boca burgers.

In short i find this book a very good buy for the athlete. If you find these recipes too complited I think it would be best if you stepped away from the stove and gave this book to your girlfriend/ wife.

Sorry, but those who find these difficult in prep/ingredient finding scale are not much experienced as chef. These are at best, medium in difficulty of technique, steps, gredient finding, etc. I find them minimal, but exceptional in taste, uniqueness, and best of all, performace and/or weight loss/maintenance.

With repute of clientle of these two authors, recipe collection is nice variety: Cumin-Roasted Pork Loin with Rosemary Polenta and Creamy Leeks;Sweet Potato and Garlic Soup; Spicy Three-Egg Arizona Scramble;Chicken Tortilla Soup; Quick Muesli with Apples and Dates; Fresh Pear and Pecan Salad.

Great nutrition and training charts and advice as well. Color photos nice.

Wasn't a fan of this book. I found that the caloric intake and the levels of fat were much too high for someone who is a casual athlete. If I'm Lance Armstrong and am training for hours every day, this diet makes sense. But as it is, I am a recreational triathlete who tries to keep her diet near 1500 calories to maintain my weight. More, I gain. Less, I bonk on workouts.

Secondly, I have to disagree with the people who found the recipes as being "too difficult". If anything, I was turned off by the lack of interesting recipes and the simplistic nature of the detail. Maybe some people need a lot of help in the kitchen. However, I don't like cookbooks that could be filled with more recipes instead filled with asinine directions such as "Take a noodle out of the water. Set it on a plate. Let it cool. Taste it. This is how you can tell if the pasta is done." You really can't dumb down the tough task of boiling water, throwing in pasta, and draining it, but Carmichael managed to. I really disliked this to the point where I just sort of glanced over recipes and prepared the ingredients listed in my own way.

This is sinmple a must read for any one wanting to do a triathlon...no matter what level you are.

It could do with a little up dating as it was written in the 80's but this really shouldnt put you off...buy it, read it, get fit!

G.

This book may not suit a beginner or first timer triathlete...but after saying that...there are wonderful bits and pieces that would be helpful. But reading it from beginning to end would be too detailed for those just wanting to get to the finish line (I recommend "triathlon 101").

I picked up so many details about VO2, anaerobic and aerobic conditioning. It is rare to find a book that can explain the process and why we should train with different methods.

The only area lacking is the workout section. I can not figure out how to design my own w.o. The workouts are not geared to sprints, olympic or ironman's...so should we all be doing the 3+ hour workouts regardless of what distance we are trying to accomplish? It is very unclear what is the optimum time and or distance. However, the intesity level for each w.o. is clearly explained.

I would recommend this book and maybe in the future Dave will come out with a new edition that clears up some of the confusion between pages 102-130.

When I first decided to start training for the Half-Ironman, I browsed through Amazon and ordered about 10 different books. This is absolutely one of my favorites.

Dave Scott has won 6 Ironman World Championships since winning one of the earliest Ironmans in 1980. Yet surprisingly, he is quite gracious about his wins.

"Triathlon Training" has individual chapters on swimming, cycling, and running techniques uniquely suited for the triathlete. It offers a year-round training program and workout schedules for 3, 4, 5, and 6-day training weeks with the most effective intensity, speed, and duration for each workout.

It covers nutrition and specific tips to get ready mentally for the race, preparing for transitions, and pacing yourself throughout the race.

Frankly, my goal is simply to finish the race. Regardless of my time, Dave Scott's techniques have already helped to prepare me for Hawaii. His attitude and motivation helps prepare you for Life 101 as well.

In much of this book, there is a very strong emphasis on exactly what worked for Dave Scott. This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, and in some cases isn't, but I find it more helpful to hear the coach's perspective as opposed to the athelete's perspective. The reason why this is important is because a coach will very often know the difficulties that wide ranges of people face during triathlon training while the athelete really only has to deal with his own challenges. The other thing to note is that the information is a little dated.

It did cover a lot of territory though... There are also some good gems that I found as well as an underlying emphasis: 'your training should as accurately as possible reflect your race'.

(My rating should be 3.5)

Dave Scott's Triathlon Training is pretty old. However, it has a great deal of information that is as useful today as it was when it was written. This book covers all aspects of triathlon training: diet, weights, intensity, and of course running swimming and cycling. There is a huge amount of data in the book and on occasion it gets pretty technical. Also, my friend complained that the book does not really have any workouts designed. I like it better than books with workouts though, because it gives the triathlete at any level the tools needed to design a custom workout.

This is my favorite fitness book and will continue to dominate my endurance training program for the future. If you have any interest in the physiology and mechanics of triathlon then this is a great book.

I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THIS BOOK, MY STORY IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE AUTHORS, I WAS 7 WHEN I HOPPED ON THE A'S BAND WAGON. I HAVE DESPARATELY BEEN LOOKING FOR ONE OF THE ORANGE BASEBALLS THAT WAS ONE OF FINLEY'S "QUIRKY" INNOVATIONS. AUTOGRAPHED BY FINLEY EVEN BETTER. IF YOU KNOW WHERE I MIGHT FIND ONE OF THESE BASEBALLS PLEASE EMAIL ME AT wiifus@myauctionwatch.com. I WILL SUBMIT A REVIEW IN A WEEK OR SO AFTER I READ THE BOOK.

This book had some extremely interesting information and background about a very colorful organization. The problem was that it was a little heavy on details about mid season games, and a bit light on player quotes, descriptive pictures, and statistics. I would of really enjoyed seeing more pictures of the players and situations describes. It would of been nice to glance at player and team statistics to support points the writer was making. There were quotes from some of the players but many of the key players were notably quiet. The writer did demonstrate a passion for the franchise that made the reading interesting. The writer was a young child, as I was, when the A's were winning these championships, it just appeared there was a lack of information for portions of the book.

The background and explanation of the internal A's battles, Charlie Finleys personality, and the destruction caused by free agency were all very captivating. In part due to my interest in the A's of the 70's, I could not put this book down. I read the book feverishly but it had my wanting more.

I am as big of a baseball history buff as they come. This was a great book as it gave you an inside look at the mindset and business dealings of a tyrant owner and his slaveship that was the 1970s' Oakland A's. While Markusen does a good job in explaining details, player reactions, quest to the WS etc; I feel this book comes up short in the aspect of objectivity. Mr. Markusen explains in the beginning of the book that he grew up rooting for the A's. As you read, it feels like his love of the team clouds the objectivity a book like this should be written. It is written in a way that paints the team, owner and operation in a much too positive light. I felt his account was written from a standpoint that some "haphazard" fans have of thier teams, that they block out the negative and accept only the positive. (Ala Monte Moore). Instances such as Vida Blue's holdout, the 1972 ALCS fight between Rollie Fingers and Blue Moon Odom, Ray Fosse's 1970 shoulder injury, Charlie and Shirley Finley's divorce etc. were portrayed in a respect that it feels as if the author doesn't want to accept that these things occured within his beloved team. Loving a particular team is great. Its part of sports. But a true sports fan accepts the bitter with the sweet. (Ask any Yankees fan). However, I dont feel that this is entirely the case in this book. From a historical perspective, its a good book. Beautifully written - to a point. I can sum this book up best as if it were a player, who just hit a deep drive into centerfield. Just when you think it might be an inside-the-park homerun, the batter gets thrown out at home plate by a magificent throw. It comes up short.

I was very disappointed that Charlie Finley never received any votes for Time's Man of the Century...it is the same type of snub that the A's have had to endure many times, such as when Mitchell Page had to share the 1977 AL Rookie of the Year award with Eddie Murray....Charlie was a master deal maker, as witnessed by his trade of his manager, Chuck Tanner, for Manny Sanguillen and the Mitch when he was at AAA Hawaii...Mr. Markusen's book tells the true story that baseball didn't want to know -- Mr. Finley could build and manage a signficant enterprise better than all of the rest of the league combined...Many scoffed at his decision to let players like Rudi, Tenace, Bando and Reggie Jackson go, but Charlier knew his minor leagues were stocked with players like Henderson, Murphy and Armas, not to mention Picciolo, Newman and John Henry Johnson....there is a reason why Oakland has been to 6 world series in the last 30 years, or 20% of all world series played -- Charlie O....this book is a must read for anyone who ever dreams of running an entrepreneurial fortune 500 enterprise, like Charlie's cousin Bill Gates.....sincerely, Miguel Dilone

Growing up in New England it's only natural that I was a huge A's fan during the 70's. The green, gold and white of a team from the bay area was all I talked about, so when this book was chosen for review, I naturally grabbed at the chance and I am glad that I did.

The book shows how on the field the power of Reggie, the speed of Campy, men like Hunter, Blue, Odom and Holtzman along with Rudi, Bando and the whole host of others produced the most dominate team of that decade.

Off the field, you'll read about the troubles in the clubhouse with the fights and of course the antics of the owner, Charlie O. The book gives you the first in-depth look at what these men went through to become the powerhouse they were.

Read about a team that won 5 straight division titles, 3 American League pennants and 3 straight World Series. The Oakland A's, the mustache gang, Charlie's Not So Angels, are but a few of the nicknames they earned. A great read and an excellent book!

I like the way the author set up the book with a clear introduction of the anatomy and mechanics of stretching. In addition, the use of charts for "sport specific" stretching guidelines is extremely useful. Illustration are clear and easy to understand.

I am a certified personal trainer, athlete, medical massage practitioner and I teach anatomy/physiology, so I review this book with some authority.

The opening chapters explain quite nicely the scientific rationale for, and benefits of, stretching for those who prefer to have a technical basis for what they do. You'll find great variety here and many unique stretches I've not seen in similar books.

To address some of the negative reviews:
Nowhere does the author recommend performing dangerous stretches or techniques beyond the abilities of the reader. Some advanced stretches are presented for informational purposes but with the caveat that these are for VERY specific applications and should be attempted ONLY if you do not have contraindicated conditions. To quote the book: "There is generally no such thing as an unsafe stretch or exercise: only an unsafe way of executing any movement for a specific individual at a specific time". In other words, everyone is different and the reader should use good judgment in their choices. Some people will take very "safe" stretches and get injured by using sloppy form or not training within their abilities while others can perform "dangerous" stretches very safely by proceeding slowly, deliberately and realistically training within their own physical limitations.

Some reviewers purport that 2 or 3 stretches are all that you need and the author is fooling you with many "goofy" stretches. Ridiculous! Can a carpenter build a house with only a hammer and level? NO! If two good stretches were all you needed for each muscle, then the book would simply be entitled, "Two Stretches That Work For Every Person and Sport". Personally, I like that the author has provided a huge amount of variety. That way, I can try any number of the 311 stretches taught and find the 3 or 4 that work best for me for each muscle group. As my needs change, then I can go back to the book and try something different. I would rather have too much information than not enough. If some readers are annoyed by the variety there are plenty of very basic, boring stretch books out there to fill their needs. Also, if you read and understand the opening chapters, you'll know how to adapt any of the stretches to active, dynamic, PNF or vice versa. The book will not limit your advancement as some reviewers mistakenly believe.

I highly recommend this book. It's clear, concise and presents many options, from basic to advanced, for you to build a good stretching program.

Although this book may have some good overall general stretches in it it does not cover all the methods of stretching, or any routines for the athlete to build apon. Although passive stretching is good for your flexability maintanence if you dont incorperate isometric and combining it (PNF), you will never achieve the greatest rang of flexability as a top athlete. I have been studying the martial arts for 19 years now and I am always looking for good material for stretching to recomend to my students of friends. I can say I would never recomend this book to another living soul involved in any demanding sport.

I was very pleased with this book. As I read the other reviews, there unhappiness with the book comes from the fact that it is not for every day people. I am very pleased with that fact and the title does imply that it is for people involved in sports. I am a mother of a 7 year old gymnast and I have been very challenged to find a book on stretching that will enhance her flexibility at an advanced stage. I am working with her coaches to ensure safety and develop a schedule that will make her a better gymnast. I was very pleased with the variety of stretches, pictures and descriptions for the stretches.

I'm a former couch potato who started doing Tae Bo and cardio kickboxing almost two years ago. I recently added yoga to my routine for flexibility, and pilates for strength and control, but found that I needed more. In particular, I wanted greater flexibility in my adductor muscles so that I could kick higher and with increased control. I found that I was also having some knee problems. So I checked out every book that my local library had on stretching and flexibility; out of the dozen or so books I looked at, I liked three of them, including "Sport Stretch," well enough that I purchased my own copies.

"Sport Stretch" begins with a discussion of flexibility, then launches into descriptions of 311 different stretches. Most of these consist of a single illustration with a few bulleted instructions. The stretches themselves are arranged into chapters based on muscle groups, including feet and ankles, lower legs, hamstrings, adductors, quadriceps, hips and gluteals, lower torso, upper back, neck, pectorals, shoulders, and arms and wrists.

Additionally, the author includes an index at the beginning of the book that singles out stretches that are helpful for specific sports. One- to three-page sections are dedicated to each of the following: archery; baseball, softball, and cricket; basketball; bowling; cross-country skiing; cycling and triathlon; dance; diving; figure skating; football; golf; gymnastics; hiking and backpacking; ice hockey; in-line skating; jogging; lacrosse; martial arts; race walking; rowing, kayacking, and canoeing; sailing and windsurfing; skiing; soccer; squash; swimming; table tennis; tennis, racquetball, and handball; track and field; volleyball; water skiing; weight lifting; and wrestling.

As a BEGINNER, I found most of the stretches helpful. There were some standard moves that I was already familiar with from my high school gym classes, as well as some more challenging exercises I learned in yoga. However, a number of the stretches were completely new to me. I'm especially happy with the adductor section, as it's exactly what I needed to help with my roundhouse kicks! Note the emphasis on "beginner," though - because I'm such a novice, I really can't say whether more advanced athletes will find "Sports Stretch" useful or not.

As much as I like the book, I do have a few complaints. Most of the stretches, with few exceptions, only have a single illustration. Given the minimalist instructions, many of the moves could have used at least one extra picture. Also, once I eased into certain stretches, I found it difficult to gracefully get OUT of them. It seems to me as though the author should have included "exit strategies" for some of a stretches, particularly the more advanced ones! Finally, a few stretches come with the following caveat: "This exercise may be too advanced or dangerous for even some elite athletes." Now, I would think that "elite" or even "professional" athletes have trainers, and wouldn't need to rely on a book for stretching advice - so I really don't see why the author included these seemingly dangerous stretches. Unless he's asking for a lawsuit! ;)

Otherwise, a great buy, at least for beginner-to-moderate athletes.

- Kelly Garbato