Athletics Books

I'm not a die hard runner by any means, but desired to run a sub-4 hour marathon for my first marathon. This book helped me with confidence and a concrete plan for training. It isn't so complex that you need to incorporate blood testing, heart rate monitors, etc. (which are probably important as you advance). This is a basic plan that tells you the workouts you need, food to eat, and how to prepare. If the training is too hard then you probably need to establish a better base or revise your goals.

I didn't do all the training because after I got about 10 weeks into the plan I had two 'back to back' sciatica attacks (the second had me on the floor for 60 hours in pain). I was in fear that I wouldn't finish let alone run sub-4. I believe the basic endurance gained from the plan allowed me to achieve my time. I was worried the training wasn't tough enough, but followed it to the letter (when I could due to my back).

I previously researched other plans online (Higdon's and others) but they only showed mileage to run and didn't tell me about pacing which is extremely important!

Summary: this book keeps it simple and to the point. If the title is your goal you would be foolish not to get it. Good luck regardless.

P.S. I ran the Grandma's in Duluth June 2008. A fast course, beautiful views of the lake, awesome support, and a great local crowd. Highly recommended race!!!

I enjoyed this book very much. It is a wealth of knowledge, especially for the beginner runner that I am. I'm sure that all of the hard work will pay off in the end.

I have successfully trained for 2 marathons with this book and I recommend it to friends aspiring to do the same all the time. Not only does it give reality based tips, the training schedules in the back are reasonable and easy to understand. I picked my first marathon, the Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon, out of the back of the book where it recommends flat, fast courses . My husband and I followed every bit of advice and the schedule and hit our 4 hour goal at the finish line, finishing well into the middle of the pack of racers.
The only additional advice I would add to what the book tells you is to get fitted for running shoes at the on-set of your training by someone certified in Gait Analysis- this will save your knees, feet, and lower back tremendously.

I love this book. I am a new runner and this book has given me soooo much helpful information from certain leg pains I was feeling and suggestions on how to remedy it; to how to increase my speed in my jog/run effectively. You can't go wrong getting this book. If you are excited to start training your body and mind to run a marathon I would totally recommend this book. - "Good Luck!"

I do not recommend this book. It does give some useful information on running--general stuff on what to eat and wear and where to run. If you are new to running you might find it helpful. However, the training program is terrible. I ran my first marathon in a little over 4.5 hours. I took it very easy though and there were a lot of hills, so I was hoping that with the flat Chicago course and some harder training I could run a 4 hour marathon. A lofty goal, but my plan B goal was a sub-4.5 marathon. I bought this book hoping to reach at least one of my goals (unfortunately, the stifling heat ended this year's Chicago marathon before I finished & I had to walk a couple miles so I did not reach either goal, but that's not Kuehls's fault).

To run a four hour marathon, you need to run a 9 minute mile. I used to be able to run several miles at that pace, but this training program made me SLOWER. Here's the basic plan: there are two 20-30 minute jogs each week that are supposed to be done around a 12 minute mile pace (yeah, that's HARD--it took me a couple weeks before I could even get that slow). Your long run is supposed to be done at a 10:40 to 11:20 minute mile pace. Then you have one interval speed workout (at the beginning of the program) or a tempo run (at the end of the program to be done at a 8:40ish minute mile pace). How one fast run a week is supposed to prepare you for 26 miles at a 9 minute mile pace is beyond me. It didn't make sense at the beginning & I guess I'm the fool for following the plan anyway. If you want an easy training program, choose this one. If you want to run a 4 hour marathon, look for something else.

Now that the marathon is over, I need to work on building up the speed I lost over the last four months.

Who thought that one man could do so much in life, have so much success, and still be grounded to where he was brought up. This is a truly inspiring book because it is rare to find a man of this profession who cares so much about character. He is one of the few coaches in college basketball who values a kid's personality more than their talent. Reading this book really showed me how great a guy Coach K really is, and how lucky those kids are to play for a coach like him.

This book is easy to connect with for anyone and everyone. For me in particular, coming from a military background, I found it very interesting to learn about Coach K's time at West Point Academy and the experiences he took from there. Also, as I prepare for my freshman year of college, where I will be playing basketball, Coach K values character traits such as trust, loyalty, honesty, determination, and respect, all of which I will take with me into next year. The real situations that Coach K portrays are an incredible look inside the life of one inspiring and motivational man. The stories about basketball, players, friends, coaches, West Point, Korea, Chicago, Duke, and of course family, are really unforgettable.

I had a great time reading this book because you have the opportunity to see what really goes on at Duke University and their highly acclaimed basketball program. Coach K discusses game day routines, pre-game speeches, coaching drills, player development, film work, and coaching, all with open arms. He doesn't feel the need to hide any of his business and welcomes basketball fans around the world to be a part of his story. Through the uses of metaphor and flashbacks Coach K is able to show the importance of character and trust, and not allowing his program to turn into a business like many others. He and his teams have fought through adversity, and despite much criticism, Coach K is definitely one of the best coaches ever. I recommend this book 100% to any businessman, basketball fan, military person, or anyone simply looking to better understand the important things in life, and what should really matter, like friends, family, and religion.

Some books I have read stand the test of time. Since its initial publication, this book by Coach K stands that test, with stories and chapters that both inspire and encourage. It gives valuable strategies for succeeding no matter what your aim is. It made me much more than a Duke fan, but made me a Coach K fan as well. Well done and it is no wonder the Duke program is so successful.

A must read for coaches and business people alike. Very informative look on how Coach K built Duke into a basketball powerhouse. I am not a Duke fan but enjoyed this book.

I read coach K's book when it first came out and recently re-read it. I often refer to it when I need to put things in the correct perspective. This inspirational book makes it easy to "take responsibility for yourself, and never let "it's not my job," enter into your mind. Coach "K" exemplifies "getting the job done/taking charge." Many a time I'm wondering what to do in tough situations, both in sports and business. I truly ask myself a lot: "What would a guy like coach Krzyzewski do?" I can't think of any coach who exemplifies more decency, integrity, honesty, perseverence, dedication, fairness, family values...you get the point. It appears there are many who admire him and, some will envy him. I say learn from him because he's proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, what leading with integrity and values is all about. Many, many, parent's say they want their kids to go to Duke. Why? These parents are specific to say that they hope their children can be part of the positive and integral influnce that "coach Krzyzewski brings to Duke." Major companies have used coach "K"s book to help executives get on the right track. You won't read a better book on motivation for anything in life. Amazing book, about an amazing person. Worth it!!!

I have read this book and reviewed my notes several times and everytime I gain something new from it. Fantastic book on leadership and thought process of building a team that will excel.

This book was recommended to me by a professional massage therapist. I'm 65 and on statins, which have the side effect of muscle stiffness and soreness. This book provides an easy to understand and follow guideline for stretching, which although focused on athletes, works well for the average Joe or Jane. The underlying premise, that gentle, progressive stretches lasting no more than a few seconds don't activate muscle resistance, is spun out in detail for each muscle group. There are useful illustrations and clear descriptions. What's best, though, is that it works!

I am a certified fitness trainer and although there is an ongoing debate about the usefulness of stretching pre-workout, I am here to tell all of you who read this that Active Isolated Stretching is the answer to warm-up stretching and the Whartons Book is very easy to read, follow, and understand. I recomend this book to anyone who has a habit of over stretching causing muscle soreness and tightness.

I was so excited to receive this book, hoping for a layman's guide to the Mattes stretching technique. Mattes' book (Active Isolated Stretching: The Mattes Method) is great, with lots of big photos and thorough discussion of each stretch, but I was having trouble digesting the information into a usable routine. Now, the Whartons definitely provide routines, but much of the book is cluttered with self-serving anecdotes and terribly shallow write-ups of the method's applicability to different activities.

That's nothing compared to the book's real problem: the illustrations. They are atrocious. I can only assume that one just said to the other, "hey, can you draw people?" The truthful answer would have been "no." Not only do the little caricatures stare into your soul, but it's difficult to tell what on earth is supposed to be going on. Please, for your own sake, do a "search inside this book" and hit "surprise me!" until you see some examples of what I'm talking about. The illustrations nearly render this book useless.

What's good about this book: these two clearly have experience with relieving pain. Their stretching model, nearly identical (and credited to) Mattes, gets good results. It feels better than traditional stretching methods, and it is reasonably well-explained. Some of their specific stretches are a bit worrisome (there are far better psoas and external hip rotator stretches), but overall they're pretty good.

I bought this book after injuring my shoulder. My arm had locked to the point I could barely move it. Any attempt to move the arm resulted in extreme pain. I did the exercizes every day, and after a few weeks, the scar tissue began to break, motion returned and the pain eventually ceased. Other reviews say 20 minutes a day is "too much" time. Are they kidding? Twenty minutes out of 24 hours? Years later my bicycle was hit by a careless truck driver. My left shoulder, elbow, hip and hand/wrist were injured. The hand needed surgery to remove a bone. The wrist and hand developed arthritis. Because I keep doing the exercises, and have incorporated the strengthening exercises, I am not crippled. I still ride my bicycle, work in the yard, and do what I did before. If this book isn't "scientific" then why do physical therapists and doctors recommend it?

I've been hearing about the increased role of stretching in a person's fitness routine as they age, but didn't know much more than a few basic stretches. The Wharton's provide scores of stretching routines, grouped by body area. More importantly, they teach the proper procedure so your body does not counteract the stretching, which would waste your time. Diagrams are provided, they may be a little tough to figure out. I use this book every week to lead my stretching routine.

A wonderful book about Fall River as well as Durfee basketball. Wonderful and bittersweet. It made me want to know what happened to all the people in it afterwards.

As a Fall Riverite, I am ashamed to have taken so long to read this book. This book is so accurate that it is scary. While the actual writing does lack some luster, it is certainly accurate weaving the city's history with key people, with the history of Durfee High School, and the politics that are still as evident in 2007 as they were in 1993. Chris Herren's basketball career at Durfee is chronicled with foresight as to what eventually did happen, evident to me that the author really did get to know the characters he wrote about because we all know what eventually happened to Chris, the dream that never really came to fruition, almost as if Fall River is cursed and has cursed its residents. Jeff Caron, the kid who was overlooked, according to the author in the book, is currently the coach of Durfee and its AD, taking the place of the everfamous Skippy Karam. Again, after reading the book, Caron's role in Fall River now seems exactly scripted the way Reynolds depicted Fall Riverites, destined to never leave, yearning always for the past. It's a good sports book, it's a good history book, it's a good story. There are some editing issues--spelling errors and misnamed places, but it's mostly annoying if you know that Columbus Park is not "Columbia Park," etc. If you are from the area, you must read! But even if you are not, if you know anything about Chris Herren, you will forever feel for him and his plight. I wish Chris would actually do an autobiography, it could be a lesson for all kids that nothing is a given.

I'm clearly not alone in having read "Fall River Dreams" after reading "Friday Night Lights." Several other reviewers have mentioned as much in their own reviews. Clearly, I had some expectations that it would be a basketball version of FNL, which it was, but it just didn't have the bite that FNL was able to dish out. Not that this was a bad book at all, but I think I was doomed from the start to always have that hanging over my head.

From a book standpoint, it was an enjoyable read, with a good amount of real life ups and downs mixed into it. I hate reading fairy tale non-fiction books, and fortunately this doesn't turn into one. Having read this over a decade after its first printing, I wish there was a new version with author commentary as there was with FNL. My interest in the players, especially Chris Herren, took me to the internet where I found quite a large amount of depressing post Fall River information. In some ways, it made the book more vivid. Reynolds might do well by refocusing on a few players with a re-release.

Overall a 3/5, mainly the 3 coming from a lot of repetitive commentary throughout. This book could have used a better editor.

i thought this was a pretty good book. as a sports fan, i did get bored at times with all the descriptions of the city and it seemed repetitive after awhile. but overall, i did find myself not wanting to put the book down in order to find out what the outcome was going to be for durfee and chris herron.

This was one of the best sports books I've read in a while. I really enjoyed Friday Night Lights, and think that this book is it's equal. Thought I am slightly biased, growing up in the Fall River area, and personally watching several Durfee games. But no one can deny the honest and genuine nature of the emotionally charged characters in this story. The relationship between Skippy Karam and Chris Herren is one of a kind. Skip being the living legend trying to go out on top one last time, and Chris trying to live up to all the expectations put on him by the media, colleges, and his family, even though he cleary isn't ready to grow up. The interaction between these two is usually confrontational, but often hilarious as Chris continues to push Skippy to his limit.
Another great character that seems to almost get lost in the mix is Jeff Caron. Jeff is the second best player on the team, but would be a stand out at any other high school in the area. He seems a little jealous at times, but always remains a team player. He is a sort of an outsider among his teammates and the book does a fine job of telling his story.

this new concept in exercise should sweep the nation - if we are smart enough to accept it. it will make you a better athlete and help your body to remain young as long as you do it regularly.

I have been utilizing the information in this book, and doing a number of the exercises, for about one month now. I did not want to review the book until I had some time in the trenches under my belt. I have found this book to be a superb addition to my workout programs. The exercises on the physioball are much harder than they appear. Especially when you start adding respectable amounts of weight. I was no slouch 30 days ago, but since I started elements of this program (as well as elements of Core Performance by Mark Verstegen), I find that I physically feel much healthier than before. ProBodX had added some great variety to my regimen. In my humble opinion you simply cannot go wrong including elements of the ProBodX system into your conditioning program. It is well worth the price.

It took me awhile to learn to do the exercises properly.
At first I was flopping all over and a bit nauseous when doing the "on your back" routines. I also was doubtful that I, at age 46, would ever be able to do the more advanced moves.
After doing the program twice to three times a week for the past month I am now free of chronic neck pain which has bothered me since I broke my collarbone at age 22. I can do the "on your back" exercises with no problems - it seems to be a neurological thing.
Best of all, I can balance on the disks and do all of the basic + routine, including the inverted V (bottoms up) with my toes on the top of the ball!
My coordination is better, I can feel my back muscles - those along the spine - at work, and I've gone from a 24% body fat to a 22% body fat.
The program DOES take work, and it takes a long time in the beginning while you are learning the workout, but it's well worth the effort.
It would be great if the authors would do a DVD, but in the meantime the book explains the exercises as thoroughly as possible. You don't feel the same "burn" as you do with weight training or aerobics, but you feel it the next day !
The equipment consists of a Swiss Ball, two balance disks (which we made for $10 a set), and a set of hand weights with handles. Not expensive or hard to come by at all, even here in the middle of the South Pacific.

I have actually read ProBodX and done the exercises (unlike the two "one star" reviewers below) and this is by far the best program I've ever done. The results are fast, the program is challenging, and the time needed is moderate (though it does take longer at first when you're learning how to do the exercises). My biggest complaint is the name "ProBodX" - it does nothing for me. The program is more of a "total" or "complete" or "comprehensive" body workout.

About those "one star" reviews. Normally I would let it slide but these two are so full of it I need to respond.

"Never read the book. Never did the exercises? Easy?" Need I say more. No, but I will. First, the authors have numerous examples of professional athletes who use ProBodX exclusively and get great, tangle results (without lifting more that 35 lbs.!) The authors beef with traditional weight training is simple: why only exercise 10-20 major muscles (out of 640 skeletal muscles) when we need all of them to operate optimally. And the reviewer claims that ProBodX is another "easy" program?! This is by far the most challenging program I've ever done or seen. You do all of the exercise on a unstable or uneven surface; you use your muscles on multiple planes (not just up and down or side to side); you reverse the exercise; and you use muscles that you didn't even know you had! Easy? Not unless you're just perusing.

1) Yes, the Forward is by Barry Sears, who uses the "Z" word four times - not 75% of the time. He mentions his "Z" diet because it`s part of the ProBodX program - taking up over 80 pages in the book!

2) "The bashing? The attacking?" The authors compare over 30 types of exercises/sports to ProBodX, including a very extensive comparative chart, like the ones used in Consumer Reports. The authors remind readers to continue their own exercise program if they want to - just understand that there may be some limitations not previously known.

3) "Merchandising?" There is ONE reference to purchasing ProBodX equipment in the book. Let's see, they've designed a new exercise program that requires an unusual set of equipment. How dare they tell us where we can buy it! I went online and found only one other company that sells all of the equipment needed to do ProBodX (Sissel-online.com). Personally, I shopped at both.

4) "The writing style? The attitude?" Just about everything they claim is backed by examples from real life professional and college athletes. Performance improves across the board. That's attitude?

Suggestion to reviewers like these two - please spare the rest of us your distorted opinions and half-truths - save that for talk radio.

I'm a professor, certified specialist in sports conditioning, and top level skier/alpine snowboarder. The progressive programs that Marinovich and Heus explain in this volume are basic yet sophisticated, energizing yet effective. I've done several exercise programs for general health and ski/snowboard fitness over the years: circuit training, yoga, pilates, anaerobic lifting, interval training and Tae-Bo. All of these, especially when combined into a yearly schedule with reasonable goals, are effective. Yet, the proprioceptive facilitation, core fitness and holistic body coordination that Marinovich and Heus present here are the best single program you could adopt. They give you several different programs, from beginners to elite athletes, that help your aerobic capacity, anaerobic strength, coordination, balance and agility - sometimes all within a single exercise! At the same time, they explain how this program avoids the burnout and overuse injuries that yoga, heavy power lifting and too much aerobic work can cause.

This book breaks down the concept of periodization which means periodic changes in training routines. If you're serious about bodybuilding this is a must read. Very useful if you are thinking about competing.

This book is focused on bodybuilding and powerlifting.

The author has different books about periodization for many other sports. He is one of the leading authors in the field of periodization. Check him out. Great info for athletes, coaches, trainer, teachers, etc. !!!

I had been lifting weights and working extremely hard with little to no results. I was getting extremely frustrated and discouraged. A gentleman that works out at the same gym I do told me about Periodization Training and this book. He let me borrow his old copy for a week to review and see what I had thought about it. Let's say I purchased my own copy the next day. I like the information content of this book. It made it easy for me to change my workout and become more effective. Others at the gym were so impressed with how I was doing with my "new" workout they have been asking and asking about this book. I have since bought two more copies to give to friends to try. It was the best $14 I have EVER spent!!!

This book is not a typical bodybuilder book since it is packed with (simplified) scientific expanations on how the body works and explanation of why the author's training method works the way it does. He goes into discussions of both diet and exercise using a method he developed called periodization - typically used to peak athletic performance and strength for contests, it can also be used to avoid overtraining and plateaus when applied to body building, power lifting, weight lifting as well as sports training. Successfully used by East Europeans in the 70's and 80's (though the record is besmirched by steriods) - the method should work when used by so-called 'natural bodybuilders.' To that end the author also goes into a discussion of legal supplements (creatine and so on) and attempts to suggest things that work and things that do not.

This book is lousy if you expect to be spoon fed an exercise routine, diet and supplement regime similar to many other books. But the book *isn't* lousy. It is an excellent resource to draw upon when creating an exercise program to utilize periodization and the sorts of diets you need to follow depending upon your goals.

This book is information packed, as well as having a typical large section on exercises and how to do them.

If you are going to reap the benefits of this book, you *will* have to read it, possibly several times, before trying to employ their methods. In that it is probably one of the more substantial books out there and useful if you think that understanding the theory behind your routine is important in your trianing regime.

Also the author mentions what he calls "recreational bodybuilders" which is 90% of those that train in the book - not in detail, but it has a mention and a few suggestions.

Even though this book wasn't expensive, it wasn't all I thought it was. It is mostly about hypertrophy and is totally geared to bodybuilding. The periodization part is usefull though.

This book is like reading a Flex magazine with more graphs and scientific data. You will be hard pressed to find any pages without a picture of a juiced up pro bodybuilder, and a caption with Bomap commenting on how great they look. And Bompa seems to neglect the idea that steriods play a role one sucsess. Good thing I only wasted $12.00.

It's not a bad book as such - but it's very basic. Pictures are good - but it needs a bit more content to make it worth the money.

MUST MUST read instruction for beginners... I recommend it to all amateurs in my trainer course!

The author packs an awful lot of information into the text; there's hardly any gratuitous fluff. She covers basic boxing equipment, how to wrap the hands (three different ways shown), basic stance & footwork, basic punches & combos, very basic defense, different styles & ring strategy, and physical training. That last part is given the most space in the book. That's what makes the book a little confusing; it's hard to tell if the author is trying to produce another "boxercise" book (as advertising indicates: "The Ultimate Workout!") or is trying to give an introduction to fight training. If it's the former, there's a lot of unneccessary sections on strategy & equipment that someone just doing a routine for excercise wouldn't need; if it's the latter, there's really not much info on the psychology of a fighter, on having the discipline to train for a fight, on finding the right gym & living the fighter's life. While the author highlights some very important points and corrects common mistakes that begginers make as she goes along, I just get the sense that in trying to cater to both the "I don't want to be hit" gym rat and the "where's the ring, lemme fight" potential boxer, she ends up taking away a little from both. Speaking as a martial artist and someone who trains for fights, I'd still recomend this book to anyone who wanted to learn the basics of boxing for fighting (and learn them WELL), or someone who wants to add a little recreational boxing into their workout routine. It could easily be a textbook for the physical aspects of boxing training, though I'd prefer Mark Hatmaker's "Boxing Mastery" for a concentration on the fight game and Ned Beaumont's "Championship Streetfighting" for the use of boxing in self-defense.

In my opinion, the best bang for the buck when it comes to boxing and martial art information is written by Ross Enamait. His products can be viewed at www.rossboxing.com. The forum there is also great. Check it out before you purchase anything else. I think you will be very impressed. I know for a fact that I was, and I own and have read countless boxing and martial arts "how to" books.

Todd Reinhard
ISSA--CFT

I picked this book up in the city library because I've boxed as an amateur for a few years. Understanding that this book only covered the basics, I was still disappointed. The outline of different training exercises was practical, but the notion that anyone could learn anything about stance; positioning and correct form from a book is simply stupid.

This book seemed superficial and had that cash-in-rush-it-on-the-market feel. Not only that, but you can find ALL of the information contained in this book, on the net. Put down the book and pick up the gloves folks and step into a gym, it's the only way to learn.

No one should write more than 50 pages about boxing technique unless they've boxed more than 50 rounds. Case closed.

Well written book on all the aspects of running. I highly recommend it for people just starting out or seasoned runners.

As other reviewers have stated, this is a good book for beginning runners. The tone is positive--in the introduction, the author states that she wants to be your cheerleader--and presents a "you can do it!" attitude throughout. One of the book's strengths is its emphasis on starting out gradually if you're a beginning runner. The author is well aware of the pitfalls of beginning runners, one of which is getting discouraged and ultimately abandoning running because of unrealistic expectations. She presents a clear running program that just about anyone should be able to start with. Inspirational stories--including a now-dated piece about Oprah's first marathon--support the idea that pretty much anyone can train to run competitively (or just for fun). Well, at least if they're millionaires who can train for a total of four hours a day.

Also included are the obligatory diet recommendations, including a curious plug for vegetarianism. This is where I think the book starts to lose its focus. I realize that many people reading about running are likely looking to lose weight and incorporate vigorous exercise into a healthier lifestyle, but how many times--and in how many publications--must we read about carbs and fats? We get a brief intro to healthy eating, and then the book jumps into diet choices of runners. The organization of the book suggests that you'll go from novice runner to carbo-loading marathoner in a matter of pages.

I think that the injury section, perhaps incorporated into a larger chapter about running and its effects on various body systems and health generally, could be expanded. How to best deal with shin splints, which affect nearly all beginning runners at some point and to some degree, is barely touched on. Compartment syndrome (which is uncommon, grated) isn't mentioned at all. I think that more could be said about strength training as a complement to running, as well as detailed information about effective stretching and cool-down techniques.

Major content gripe: An entire section in the Women's Running chapter (which constitutes about a quarter of the book, so male readers may want to keep this in mind!) is devoted to avoiding the various ways that you can become a crime victim if you're not careful. It's a tired rehashing of all the "safety and security" stuff that women are exposed to on a regular basis, usually in women's magazines or on freak-out local news reports. A cop's contribution to this section details how to avoid getting pulled into a car and ultimately murdered (his solution: don't get near the car). I'm not advocating a head-in-the-sand approach; any solo runner should be alert, particularly when running in an isolated area. But jeez, do we really need a whole section to remind us to run in well-lit, populated areas? The number of pages given to this subject suggests that you're more likely than not to be the victim of a bad-intentioned male at some point during your runs.

My main problem with the book is its format. It is heavy (literally), with a glossy format consisting of giant margins, big text, and dozens of pointless photos. I understand that the book is attempting to be true to its roots: it is published by Runner's World, after all, and its page design is similar to a magazine. But it's a book and should look like a book. Even though it's paperback, it's printed on heavy stock paper and isn't the type of book you'd toss into a beach or vacation bag. And the vast majority of pictures are completely unnecessary. Page after page of very fit people in 1990s running garb (it appears that the images weren't updated for the 2004 edition) are meant to be inspiring but get really old after the first chapter: three young chicks running on a track, a fit middle-aged guy energetically moving along in front of a sunset backdrop, a forty-something gal lacing up in a park. Most of us know what fit runners look like. Do we need to see full-color photos of them on every other page? In the nutrition section, literally half a page is taken up with the image of a banana and something that looks like oats. In the footwear section, we see generic pictures of white leather running shoes with the laces undone. Zzzz....

I realize that this review is a big negative, so you may be wondering why I've given the book three stars. There is a lot of good information for people new to running, and indeed fitness and nutrition. But I'm glad that I got this book out of the library--I'd be annoyed if I paid good money for this. The Complete Book of Running for Women by Claire Kowalchik, and the old standy, Jim Fixx's The Complete Book of Running, are better choices in my estimation.

Nice update to the hard copy version from several years ago. Well worth the $$

I'm training for my first half marathon and I picked this book up at the library. It's simple, easy to read and has excellent advice. It's easy to criticize books that are reader friendly--too many pictures and graphics, not much text per page. I find, though, that books like that are easier to pick up and read and keep reading. I recommend this book to everyone serious about running.

This is a very complete book that summarizes many aspects of running for beginners and intermediate runners. It is very well edited and is full of nice pictures which makes it a very pleasant reading experience. I only found it a little repetitive in the chapter about psychological aspects of running and a little bit shallow regarding the last chapter on marathon training. Overall, it is worth reading and buying. It should not be used as a reference book, but as a motivational tool to start, keep or improve your running experience.

Save your money, just do pushups, pullups, situps, and run or swim. You may enjoy the sections on the history of the Seals but over all the book was just the above mentioned exercises with workouts that changed the order of the exercises around on different days. I'm 50 years old and the workouts were not very tough at all.

Sorry to be negative on this review, but there just wasn't much to the book that you probably weren't already doing if you included body weight exercises into your normal workout regime.

Great work out, but its to darn hard to read the words, look at the pictures and do the stuff. Next time its a DVD

This is great book to have if you want to get fit but dont have a gym or weights. There are pictures of all the excercises.
The book has the Seal workouts phase 1& 2 and also phase 3 which is very tough. There is also a section about weight training if you want to add that in as well although most of these workouts centre around Pull-ups, push-ups and sit- ups and running. Nutrition is covered ,but not as well as i would like so thats why i give the book only 4 stars..but apart from that i would rate this book highly.

This is a good book for calisthenics and stretching exercises. The descriptions are easy to follow, and every exercise is illustrated with several photographs plus (what I really like) a drawing showing the muscles used in the exercise. Is it well known that stretching and certain exercises such as squats can be dangerous if done improperly. Perhaps the best feature of this book is that SPECIFIC warnings are given for a lot of these exercises about the dangers involved. I have already modified my strength training routine based on the advice given in this book. It is commendable that a book of this sort avoids "no pain, no gain" stupidities, and instead offers exercises that are founded on sound physiological grounds.

Navy SEALs (Team members of BUD/S which stands for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) are a group whose training physically and mentally is tough, demanding, and requires ability far above that of most men. Most men will quit before passing through the months of before being permitted to wear the SEAL insignia. For those who do make it through they are extremely skilled and have a right to be very proud.

This book is not an official workout programme or an official Navy SEAL document. However the man who put it together, Commander Master Chief Dennis C. Chalker, is a SEAL. Now retired, he reminds people that one don't stop being a Seal -- one is a member of the Team until he dies. One of the things that makes BUD/S training so hard is that in addition to being tough every minute he can quit simply by ringing the bell and saying 'I QUIT!' A lot like fitness in real life - you can quit, or you can succeed; it is up to you.

In this book there is a little bit here and there about the history of the Navy SEALs. Lots of their training is secret, and much of their routine is kept from public eyes because of the nature of their missions. BUD/S training is heavy on running and heavy on swimming. Most of the book is pretty standard exercise manual content, concentrating on particular exercises that are used in training. They have motivational quotes from SEALs throughout the text.

Warm-ups and Cool-downs
Warm-ups and cool-downs concentrate on big movements that involve large muscle groups, just to get the body tuned up and blood and oxygen flowing through the muscles. It also gets the heart pumping more to be ready for the coming exercise. These exercises also include stretches that limber up the muscles.

Stretches are often the most overlooked part of an exercise routine, but just from simply counting the pages in this book you can see the importance it should have. There are 40 pages of stretching exercises, and 60 pages of basic calisthenics, which is what people think of when they think of exercise.

One good thing about the descriptions of the stretches and exercises in this book is that they list advantages and disadvantages of the exercise, and warnings. What will this exercise help you do? What are the problems in doing it? What should you be warned about? For example, with the Achilles stretch, the warning is to not overdo it by overstretch, because that is easy to do.

Calisthenics
Calisthenics are the core of fitness programmes for most of the military, and that includes BUD/S. One thing that is needed is a place to do pull-ups.

Free Weight Training
This book shows very basic weight training exercises. This is not a body-builder book that will concentrate on each individual muscle to maximize each one, but it does concentrate on overall strength building. SEALs need to be strong, not necessarily good looking.

Running and Swimming
This book does not give much detail about these. There are just three pages on running and five pages on swimming. Swimming in BUD/S usually involves equipment and scuba kinds of events so it is difficult for the person at home to do these. For swimming, BUD/S training prefers the basic side-stroke. For running, it gives some distances and advice, but that's about it for running. One thing that anyone who really wants a taste of BUD/S training is to do sand running in boots. Don't try this without being in good shape.

Workout Schedules
This small section shows just how tough the training is. It starts out easy enough - low reps and low number of sets for basic exercises like push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups, not too much running or swimming, but within a matter of weeks the dedicated are pulling 20 sets of 25 sit-ups (and yes, the math makes that 500 sit-ups) and running 13 miles a week at a fast pace and more pull-ups than anyone would ever think possible!

Airborne, Nutrition, Team, Motivation
These small pieces at the end talk about the addition stuff that SEALs do. One advantage of working out so hard is that one can eat almost anything and still lose weight! SEALs during some weeks of training are shoveling in up to 6000 calories a day and still dropping weight. So SEAL nutrition isn't really what is called for in civilian life certainly. BUD/S graduates attend Basic Army Airborne School at Ft. Benning Georgia for basic parachuting, and this is talked about.

This is a tough book, and it is demanding. Because of that, it might actually be discouraging to an extent for people who can never reach the level of doing all that SEALs do. But don't let that discourage you - do your best, and this book will help.

If you are serious about running a marathon this book is very helpful. I may not have won anything but I did enter and finish.

This is a good option if you are plannig to run your firs marathon. I follow it on my trainnig for New York marathon wich I spent 4 hours 6 minutes.

Don't waste your time on this book, even for 1st timers this stuff is old and out of date. Get Jeff Galloway's Marathon instead.

This was the only book i had for my first marathon. i read it at least 20 times. i found her down to earth attitude refreashing. hey, anyone who encourages you to eat pizza is fabulous. the most helpful part for me was the lengthy sections on h ow to prepare for the marathon, a week before, a day before, day of, etc. not only was it my frist marathon, it was my first race (not smart). I felt very prepared and have recommended this book to many many people.

Laughably weak effort -- the "running book" equivalent of a 9 hr marathon. The advice is incredibly banal. I bought it used for the postage plus 1 cent and still felt cheated. Unreal that this kind of junk gets published!