The 7 Secrets of World Class Athletes takes you into the minds of super-star athletes when they are on top of their game. The fascinating concept is that regardless of what sport they are playing, they have to be experiencing identical processes in their minds. That is because the mind-body connection works the same for everyone.
This user-friendly new edition is updated, expanded, and heavily illustrated, divided into 11 section headings that cover the legal, psychosocial, and practical aspects of sports activities in general and the injuries and benefits resulting from specific sports. Sections include medical supervision of the athlete, special populations, conditioning, environmental concerns, protective equipment, sports nutrition, behavioral and psychological problems, general medical problems, overuse and trauma, management approaches and techniques, and specific sports.
Real-life psychic, near-death, and paranormal experiences are combined with cutting-edge science and vivid adventure stories in this energetic look at why extreme athletes and mountaineers take the risks that allow them to push the limits of consciousness, and what they encounter there. In the life-or-death world of extreme adventure sports, there is one thing that athletes often keep quiet about: the “forbidden” territory of paranormal experiences. Ranging from fleeting moments of transcendence to full-blown encounters with ghosts and everything in between—visions, near-death experiences, psychic communication—many extreme athletes have experienced these moments of connection with the beyond, but have been reluctant to talk about them. In Explorers of the Infinite, award-winning outdoors journalist and lifelong adventure sports devotee Maria Coffey probes the mystical and paranormal experiences of mountaineers, snowboarders, surfers, and more. She reviews cutting-edge science, and consults the history of philosophy and spirituality to answer the question: Could the state of intense “aliveness” that is the allure of extreme sports for so many actually be a route to a connection with the beyond? Coffey investigates the scientific explanations for mystical phenomena, ranging from simple explanations to theories from consciousness studies and quantum physics, and leaves us wondering where science ends and spirituality begins. An energetic, you-are-there look at the spiritual lives of extreme athletes, Explorers of the Infinite asks why extreme athletes take the risks that allow them to push the limits of consciousness, what they encounter there, and what we can learn from them.
Why does a football spiral? How do some athletes jump so high? The answer is science! The Secret Science of Sports helps kids better understand concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math through the sports they love to play and watch. Every sport -- from baseball to basketball, to football and soccer, to wrestling, tennis, and lacrosse -- involves a bit of science, technology, engineering, and math. You can't throw a ball without Newton's Law of Motion, and you can't calculate a player's stats without math. And every type of sports equipment -- a helmet, cleats, shoulder or knee pads -- were designed with the latest engineering and technology. The Secret Science of Sports breaks down normally difficult STEM concepts like forces of motion, gravity, algebra, and even neuroscience, in a language kids can -- and will want to -- understand. Divided into sections like chemistry, biology, physics, technology, and more, this handy guide uses examples from sports like soccer, baseball, softball, football, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, and others to explain important STEM concepts for kids ages 8 to 12. They'll learn how to use math to calculate a batter's average, why a tennis racket is shaped the way it is, how biology affects athletic performance, the aerodynamics behind competitive swimsuits, and much more. With dozens of original, captivating illustrations to engage young readers, kids will have fun while learning about key STEM ideas that will prepare them for years of schooling to come.
A New York Times bestseller “A smart and important book.”—Gretchen Reynolds, author of The First 20 Minutes Publications as varied as Wired, Men’s Fitness, and The New Yorker are abuzz over the New York Times bestseller Faster, Higher, Stronger. In it, veteran journalist Mark McClusky explains how today’s top athletes are turning to advanced technology and savvy science to improve their performance. Sports buffs and readers of David Epstein and Gretchen Reynolds will want to join McClusky as he goes behind the scenes everywhere from the Olympics to the NBA Finals, from the World Series to the Tour de France, and from high-tech labs to neighborhood gyms to show how athletes at every level can incorporate cutting-edge science into their own workouts.
Zen Athlete demystifies the art of mental training, flow and peak performance. At it's core Zen Athlete is a practical guide to self mastery. It is designed to empower world class athletes, leaders, executives, peak performance junkies and knowledge seekers with tried and tested strategies for achieving your highest potential in all areas of life. The code to super human performance has been cracked! Learn the secrets to using your passion as a catalyst to develop your mind, body and spirit. Here are some of the powerful and timeless lessons that are contained within: -How to use the Zen Performance model to achieve excellence in sport and life-How to get into the "Zone" or "Flow" state quickly and easily -How to quickly and easily uncover your limiting beliefs and program new empowering beliefs-How to program your mind to achieve anything you want-Little known techniques for unlocking dormant potential, achieving mental clarity and inner knowing-Simple and practical wisdom for taking care of the body, building super human strength, focus and sensory abilities-Learn the blueprint for harnessing the power of visualization to learn skills, heal your body and manifest your reality-19 Powerful questions to uncover who you truly are-Timeless Zen principles for living a balanced life, knowing yourself, and reaching enlightenmentThis is just the tip of the iceberg. View the chapters and head to www.ZenAthlete.com to experience more training"Within a month of reading and applying Zen Athlete's practical and user-friendly techniques, I set two world records!"-Brodie Carmichael (Freestyle Motocross Rider)
Based on the wildly popular segments broadcast during the Vancouver Olympics, Superbodies explores how genetics and DNA, the brain, muscles, lungs, heart and blood work together in extreme conditions. It’s an inside look that draws on Dr. Greg Wells’ research at Sick Kids Hospital and the University of Toronto and more than fifteen years’ experience working with Olympic athletes. Superbodies is a fascinating explanation of the human body and an easy-to-follow plan that shows how everyone can learn from the pros to improve their health and performance. Dr. Wells explains How the same training techniques that elite athletes follow can be even more effective for most people What’s happening inside your body when you’re exercising, and fighting illness What makes elite athletes such as pro-hockey players successful, and what you can learn from them Why little things can add up, and how simple choices can make a huge difference. Fascinating, easy-to-read and packed with full-colour illustrations and photographs, Superbodies shows how people of all ages and abilities can improve their own health and performance.
A New York Times bestseller 'A sensation ... a rollicking tale well told' - The Times At the heart of Born to Run lies a mysterious tribe of Mexican Indians, the Tarahumara, who live quietly in canyons and are reputed to be the best distance runners in the world; in 1993, one of them, aged 57, came first in a prestigious 100-mile race wearing a toga and sandals. A small group of the world's top ultra-runners (and the awe-inspiring author) make the treacherous journey into the canyons to try to learn the tribe's secrets and then take them on over a course 50 miles long. With incredible energy and smart observation, McDougall tells this story while asking what the secrets are to being an incredible runner. Travelling to labs at Harvard, Nike, and elsewhere, he comes across an incredible cast of characters, including the woman who recently broke the world record for 100 miles and for her encore ran a 2:50 marathon in a bikini, pausing to down a beer at the 20 mile mark.
“George helped me understand the art of mindfulness. To be neither distracted or focused, rigid or flexible, passive or aggressive. I learned just to be." —Kobe Bryant Michael Jordan credits George Mumford with transforming his on-court leadership of the Bulls, helping Jordan lead the team to six NBA championships. Mumford also helped Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom and countless other NBA players turn around their games. A widely respected public speaker and coach, Mumford is sharing his own story and the strategies that have made these athletes into stars in The Mindful Athlete: The Secret to Pure Performance. His proven, gentle but groundbreaking mindfulness techniques can transform the performance of anyone with a goal, be they an Olympian, weekend warrior, executive, hacker, or artist. When Michael Jordan left the Chicago Bulls to play baseball in 1993, the team was in crisis. Coach Phil Jackson, a long-time mindfulness practitioner, contacted Dr. Kabat-Zinn to find someone who could teach mindfulness techniques to the struggling team—someone who would have credibility and could speak the language of his players. Kabat-Zinn led Jackson to Mumford and their partnership began. Mumford has worked with Jackson and each of the eleven teams he coached to become NBA champions. His roster of champion clients has since blossomed way beyond basketball to include corporate executives, Olympians, and athletes in many different sports. With a charismatic teaching style that combines techniques of engaged mindfulness with lessons from popular culture icons such as Yoda, Indiana Jones, and Bruce Lee, Mumford tells illuminating stories about his larger than life clients. His writing is down-to-earth and easy to understand and apply. The Mindful Athlete is an engrossing story and an invaluable resource for anyone looking to elevate their game, no matter what the pursuit, and includes a foreword by Phil Jackson. "Self-consciousness is when you’re focused on how you’re doing instead of what you’re doing. We have to learn how to push and challenge ourselves, but not in an insensitive way. Honing your performance really comes down to being comfortable with being uncomfortable."—George Mumford