Becoming a True Champion offers a path to achieving athletic excellence, longevity, and dignity through the values and hard work that once distinguished athletes as true role models. Providing an antidote to images of misbehaving athletes, this book guides readers through the ethics and standards that will set them apart both on and off the field.
Gymnastics Psychology takes a comprehensive look at the factors that are necessary for training champions while emphasizing concern for the athlete’s psychological status, regardless of the level of achievement. The easy-to-follow articles cover the interpersonal relationships of coaches and athletes, psychological issues pertaining to motivation and fear management, meet preparation and goal setting, as well as vital family, school and peer relationships. The authors provide definitive insight in the areas of psychological development and competitive behaviors that are critical to success.
An exciting and insightful account of the controversial world of gymnastics, the recent changes of the scoring system, and why those changes will drive American gymnasts to the top of the sport in the twenty-first century.
During the heat of competition, the slightest misstep in your floor exercise or a fall off the balance beam could cost you a trophy or your team a championship. Gymnastics is all about precision and technique. Would your readers like to perform like an Olympic gold medalist? Author Jeff Savage gives step-by-step instructions to many of the basic techniques in gymnastics, and provides readers with some fun tips from Olympic champions.
If there were such a thing as an "elder" stateswoman in women's gymnastics today, Nadia Comaneci would win that title as readily as she once won gold medals. Olga Korbut came before her, and many other medalists would follow, but none has ever been as dominant in winning the hearts of millions around the world. With grit and determination, Nadia Comaneci ushered in a new era for women's sports, one where young girls could vault into the arena of superstardom. Even today, almost thirty years after her greatest triumphs, you need only mention the name "Nadia" and gymnastics fans know instantly whom you are talking about. In Letters to a Young Gymnast, Nadia shows what it takes to achieve athletic perfection and become the best. With inspiring and dramatic stories from her own experience, she tells us how the young girl that Bela Karolyi discovered in a Romanian elementary school found the inner strength to become a world-class athlete at such a young age. This collection of Nadia's memories, anecdotes, and advice grants unique insights into the mind of a top competitor. From how to live after you've realized your dream, to the necessity of "a spirit forged with mettle," Nadia's thoughts on athleticism and sacrifice are eye-opening and surprisingly challenging.
In this searing and riveting New York Times bestseller, Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu reveals the dark underbelly of Olympic gymnastics, the true price of success…and the shocking secret about her past and her family that she only learned years later. At fourteen years old, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team, the first and only American women’s team to take gold at the Olympics. Her pixyish appearance and ferocious competitive drive quickly earned her the status of media darling. But behind the fame, the flawless floor routines, and the million-dollar smile, her life was a series of challenges and hardships. Off Balance vividly delineates each of the dominating characters who contributed to Moceanu’s rise to the top, from her stubborn father and long-suffering mother to her mercurial coach, Bela Karolyi. Here, Moceanu finally shares the haunting stories of competition, her years of hiding injuries and pain out of fear of retribution from her coaches, and how she hit rock bottom after a public battle with her parents. But medals, murder plots, drugs, and daring escapes aside (all of which figure into Moceanu’s incredible journey), the most unique aspect of her life is the family secret that Moceanu discovers, opening a new and unexpected chapter in her adult life. A mysterious letter from a stranger reveals that she has a second sister—born with a physical disability and given away at birth—who has nonetheless followed in Moceanu’s footsteps in an astonishing way. A multilayered memoir that transcends the world of sports, Off Balance will touch anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.
Perhaps no sporting event has told more amazing stories than the Olympic Games. Great Moments in Olympic Gymnastics tells the stories of surprise and dominance, of inspiration and determination, of persistence and overcoming adversity. Title includes colorful descriptions of memorable moments old and new, a list of great Olympic gymnasts, Great Moment sidebars, and frequent subheads. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
Many kids dream of being professional gymnasts, even from an early age. But they simply do not know what it really takes to get to that level. The elite gymnasts that they see participating in competitions may seem glamorous and may make the sport look easy. But success comes from a lot of hard work and intense training. This introduction to gymnastics explains many of the aspects of training and exercise that are needed to become good at the sport. A young person who uses this information to become stronger and more flexible should be more likely to acquire the skills necessary to advance in gymnastics. If your child seems truly interested, you as the parent can let him or her read "Gymnastics: Mastering the Art of Flexibility." Or read it yourself so you can explain the types and level of training that is required and the dedication that it takes to succeed in the sport. Topics covered include these: - What Is Gymnastics- A Brief History - What Are the Types of Apparatus Used In Gymnastics? - What Are the Basics of Gymnastics Training? - What Is Physical Gymnastics Training? - What Is Gymnastics Strength Training? - What Is Endurance Training for Physical Gymnastics? - What Are the Best Foods to Optimize a Gymnast's Performance?
The Sports Book features the largest and most diverse range of sports of any comparable book--more than 200 in all--from basketball to bobsledding, karate to korfball, and synchronized swimming to ski-jumping. This up-to-date and authoritative guide presents information sourced from leading experts and sports governing bodies around the world to give you the most comprehensive book on sports to ever hit the market.