In college, I ran against Kenyans, and wondered whether endurance genes might have traveled with them from East Africa. At the same time, I began to notice that a training group on my team could consist of five men who run next to one another, stride for stride, day after day, and nonetheless turn out five entirely different runners. How could this be?We all knew a star athlete in high school. The one who made it look so easy. He was the starting quarterback and shortstop; she was the all-state point guard and high-jumper. Naturals. Or were they?The debate is as old as physical competition. Are stars like Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, and Serena Williams genetic freaks put on Earth to dominate their respective sports? Or are they simply normal people who overcame their biological limits through sheer force of will and obsessive training?The truth is far messier than a simple dichotomy between nature and nurture. In the decade since the sequencing of the human genome, researchers have slowly begun to uncover how the relationship between biological endowments and a competitor’s training environment affects athleticism. Sports scientists have gradually entered the era of modern genetic research.In this controversial and engaging exploration of athletic success, Sports Illustrated senior writer David Epstein tackles the great nature vs. nurture debate and traces how far science has come in solving this great riddle. He investigates the so-called 10,000-hour rule to uncover whether rigorous and consistent practice from a young age is the only route to athletic excellence.Along the way, Epstein dispels many of our perceptions about why top athletes excel. He shows why some skills that we assume are innate, like the bullet-fast reactions of a baseball or cricket batter, are not, and why other characteristics that we assume are entirely voluntary, like an athlete’s will to train, might in fact have important genetic components.This subject necessarily involves digging deep into sensitive topics like race and gender. Epstein explores controversial questions such as:Are black athletes genetically predetermined to dominate both sprinting and distance running, and are their abilities influenced by Africa’s geography?Are there genetic reasons to separate male and female athletes in competition?Should we test the genes of young children to determine if they are destined for stardom?Can genetic testing determine who is at risk of injury, brain damage, or even death on the field?Through on-the-ground reporting from below the equator and above the Arctic Circle, revealing conversations with leading scientists and Olympic champions, and interviews with athletes who have rare genetic mutations or physical traits, Epstein forces us to rethink the very nature of athleticism.

    And they perform miracles. Suffering a career-ending, potentially crippling injury to her back and right leg, a young dancer named Elaine Petrone tried ...

    Stephen Gundry believes that these defense strategies make the seemingly virtuous plants that we consume every day--fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds--far less "good for us" than we assume. Dr. Gundry outlines the health hazards posed by lectins. The main sources of lectins in the American diet include conventionally-raised dairy products, beans, and other legumes, wheat and grains, and specific vegetables and fruitsWith a full list of lectin-containing foods and simple substitutes for each; a step-by-step detox and eating plan; and easy lectin-free recipes, The Plant Paradox illuminates the hidden dangers lurking in your salad bowl—and shows you how to eat whole foods in a whole new way.

    Arguing that most of what our culture has taught us about posture is misguided—even unhealthy—and exploring the current epidemic of back pain, many of the commonly cited reasons for the degeneration of spinal discs and the stress on muscles that leads to back pain are examined and debunked. The historical and anthropological roots of poor posture in Western cultures are studied as is the absence of back pain complaints in the cultures of Africa, Asia, South America, and rural Europe. Eight detailed chapters provide illustrated step-by-step instructions for making simple, powerful changes to seated, standing, and sleeping positions. No special equipment or exercise is required, and effects are often immediate.

    They are taking part in a visionary approach to weight loss that combines goal setting, nutrition, exercise, motivation, and community that has a proven track record of ten million pounds lost.From the experts who created SparkPeople.com, one of the most successful online weight-loss programs to date, comes The Spark, a ground-breaking book that focuses on what you can do, instead of what you can’t do. The Spark is about transforming your life and your idea of what dieting means.With dozens of photos—including stunning before-and-after shots and easy-to-follow exercise images—this book distills the best of SparkPeople’s medically accepted nutrition and fitness plan and infuses it with a program of personal empowerment. In this book, you’ll discover:·         Secrets of Success—the best habits of SparkPeople’s most successful members ·         A 28-day program that brings together the most effective practices from SparkPeople into an innovative 4-stage plan, available only in this book ·         Dozens of success stories that show the power of this transformational program The Spark delivers inspirational health and weight-loss advice that will surely spark countless lives.

    A new coauthor, Dr. William Kraemer, joins Dr. Vladimir Zatsiorsky in expanding on the principles and concepts needed for training athletes. Among Dr. Kraemer's contributions are three new chapters targeting specific populations--women, young athletes, and seniors--plus the integration of new concepts into the other chapters.Together the authors have trained more than 1,000 elite athletes, including Olympic, world, continental, and national champions and record holders. The concepts they divulge are influenced by both Eastern European and North American perspectives. The authors integrate those concepts in solid principles, practical insights, coaching experiences, and directions based on scientific findings. This edition is much more practical than its predecessor; to this end, the book provides the practitioner with the understanding to craft strength training programs based on individuals' needs.Science and Practice of Strength Training, Second Edition, shows that there is no one program that works for any one person at all times or for all conditions. This book addresses the complexity of strength training programs while providing straightforward approaches to take under specific circumstances. Those approaches are applied to new physiological concepts and training practices, which provide readers with the most current information in the science and practice of strength training. The approaches are also applied to the three new chapters, which will help readers design safe and effective strength training programs for women, young athletes, and seniors. In addition, the authors provide examples of strength training programs to demonstrate the principles and concepts they explain in the book.The book is divided into three parts. Part I focuses on the basis of strength training, detailing concepts, task-specific strength, and athlete-specific strength. Part II covers methods of strength conditioning, delving into training intensity, timing, strength exercises, injury prevention, and goals. Part III explores training for specific populations. The book also includes suggested readings that can further aid readers in developing strength training programs.This expanded and updated coverage of strength training concepts will ground readers in the understanding they need in order to develop appropriate strength training programs for each person that they work with.

    If there’s a hardcore, super-functional tool or tactic for maximizing strength, speed or muscle, it’s here—bodyweight, kettlebells, barbells, tires, ropes, sandbags, kegs and sleds. The bodyweight section alone is worth more than the price of the book—it’s a ‘must read’ for calisthenics fans. No book combines the old-school methods of strength training and muscle-building with the new science of performance enhancement and athletic conditioning better than The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning. And no author delivers his knowledge with more heart and passion than Zach Even-Esh. This 'bible of strength' is an inspiring must-read for every athlete, coach and fitness enthusiast of any age who wants to help themselves or others get an edge on the competition and become bigger, stronger, faster and tougher.Zach Even-Esh has filled his book with the kind of wisdom that can only be obtained from years in the trenches making mistakes and learning from them. Zach outlines techniques and tactics to build not only useable strength, but well-rounded athleticism that enhances performance and provides resilience from injury. The ultimate report card for a coach is results, not knowledge of theory. Zach gets results for real people.•Become the Total Athletic Package, with a farm boy’s all-around power and a gladiator’s whipcord resilience…•Develop the mental toughness, durability and spiritual fortitude that would do a hardened Spec Ops proud…•Develop the steely, never-ever-quit endurance capacity of a true champion…•Become fully prepped to overcome the rigors and uncertainties of your combat-sport—or whatever else gets thrown at you…•Combine the horsepower of a Ferrari with the grinding strength of a tow truck…•Get stacked with righteous cords of “GO! GO! GO!” hyper-powerful, hyper-functional muscle…•Make relentless progress in your physical prowess—without sacrificing your health…•Develop a tigrish self-confidence that guarantees you NEVER surrender to any set back or apparent obstacle…You CAN have all of this—and a whole lot more—because master-athletic coach Zach Even-Esh, has already delivered on these promises to literally thousands of real-world athletes over the last 25 years…Zach has spent over 25 years figuring out what REALLY works in the REAL world to be utterly devastating athletically. And he is ready to share ALL of this hard-won know-how with you…Zach’s sole mission in life is to pass on to the world what truly does work to produce an EFFECTIVELY strong and powerful human being.Punch a ticket to ride with Zach—and enter the exalted territory of the “Soul Athlete”…“Soul Athletes” see the whole world as their physical-transformation playground. Doesn’t matter where you are—you work with what you got…trees, sand, tires, sledgehammers, kettlebells, barbells, ropes, trucks, sandbags, ocean, kegs, stones, sleds, bodyweight, free weights, training partners, playgr

    As a newcomer to the sport and a complete unknown to the press, Chrissie's win shook up the sport. A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS is the story of her rise to the top, a journey that has taken her around the world, from a childhood in England, to the mountains of Nepal, to the oceans of New Zealand, and the trails of Argentina, and first across the finish line.Wellington's first-hand, inspiring story includes all the incredible challenges she has faced--from anorexia to near--drowning to training with a controversial coach. But to Wellington, the drama of the sports also presents an opportunity to use sports to improve people's lives.A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS reveals the heart behind Wellington's success, along with the diet, training and motivational techniques that keep her going through one of the world's most grueling events.

    Watch yourself move with the fluidity and grace of a great dancer. Feel your strength as you power into and hold the most challenging of bodyweight exercise moves. See yourself ripple with the muscular, toned, symmetrical physique that signals the perfect marriage of form and function. All of this could be yours—with the right mindset, the right knowledge, the right mentor and the right blueprint for success. Enter Al Kavadlo—and his hard-earned skills in the world of bodyweight exercise training. This is a man who walks the walk of his talk—and then some. A man who models the capabilities and qualities of a bodyweight master—while also being able to teach and inspire others in the most practical of manners. In Stretching Your Boundaries, Al provides a blueprint that anyone can follow to achieve supreme physical elegance, mobility and strength—and to amp up their game in any aspect of physical performance. Stretching Your Boundaries could have been called “Yoga Meets Calisthenics”. Or “Zen and the Art of Stretch”. Because—as with the best of the physical culturists—there is a deep, yet lightly-carried spiritual “vibe” to Al’s teachings. There is a humble joy and a sense of well-being emanating from the man—that speaks volumes about his program. If you really want to succeed as a physical culturist—and if you really want to live a healthy, happy, long life—then the right combination of spirit, wisdom and hard, skilled practice is the essential recipe, or template if you will. In Stretching Your Boundaries you will find the time-tested tools you need to continue cultivating yourself as a magnificent human artwork. Fitting Al Kavadlo’s message is the medium: the book has gorgeous design and stunning photography—that will inspire you for years to come. “The ultimate bodyweight mobility manual is here! Al Kavadlo’s previous two Dragon Door books, Raising the Bar and Pushing the Limits, are the most valuable bodyweight strength training manuals in the world. But strength without mobility is meaningless. Al has used his many years of training and coaching to fuse bodyweight disciplines such as yoga, martial arts, rehabilitative therapy and bar athletics into the ultimate calisthenics stretching compendium. Stretching Your Boundaries belongs on the shelf of any serious athlete—it’s bodyweight mobility dynamite!—"COACH" PAUL WADE, author of Convict Conditioning "An absolutely masterful follow up to Raising the Bar and Pushing the Limits, Stretching Your Boundaries really completes the picture. Both easy to understand and fully applicable, Al's integration of traditional flexibility techniques with his own unique spin makes this a must have. The explanation of how each stretch will benefit your calisthenics practice is brilliant. Not only stunning in its color and design, this book also gives you the true feeling of New York City, both gritty and euphoric, much like Al's personality." —MIKE FITCH, creator of Global Bodyweight Training “Stretching Your Boundaries is a terrific resource that will unlock your joints so you can build more muscle, strength and athleticism. Al's passion for human performance radiates in this beautifully constructed book. Whether you're stiff as a board, or an elite gymnast, this book outlines the progressions to take your body and performance to a new level." —CHAD WATERBURY, M.S.

    As a result, over 100 million of them experience some form of adverse health effect, ranging from minor rashes and high blood sugar to the unattractive stomach bulges that preventive cardiologist William Davis calls "wheat bellies." According to Davis, that excess fat has nothing to do with gluttony, sloth, or too much butter: It's due to the whole grain wraps we eat for lunch.After witnessing over 2,000 patients regain their health after giving up wheat, Davis reached the disturbing conclusion that wheat is the single largest contributor to the nationwide obesity epidemic—and its elimination is key to dramatic weight loss and optimal health. In Wheat Belly, Davis exposes the harmful effects of what is actually a product of genetic tinkering and agribusiness being sold to the American public as "wheat"—and provides readers with a user-friendly, step-by-step plan to navigate a new, wheat-free lifestyle.Informed by cutting-edge science and nutrition, along with case studies from men and women who have experienced life-changing transformations in their health after waving goodbye to wheat, WheatBelly is an illuminating look at what is truly making Americans sick and an action plan to clear our plates of this seemingly benign ingredient.

    ________Fitness expert Bob Glover has trained thousands of runners, and in The Runners Handbook he shares his knowledge and shows you how to devise a training program and keep at the top of your form.This comprehensive guide includes information on: · How to get started· Running style· Warm ups and stretching · Weight training· Choosing equipment e.g. running shoes· Diet and nutrition · Training plans for beginners, advanced beginners and intermediateThis really is the ultimate handbook for runners at any level. _________'Anyone starting to run will find this an invaluable reference book. My brother in law has been running over 20 years but still uses it' - 5* Reader Review 'It is well organised and covers all the points I wanted advice on, plus those things I didn't realise I need to know. I've found it uasy to look up topics and it's all written in an easy and good-humoured style.' - 5* Reader Review

    Reaching the top of any sport, or any aspect of life, takes years upon years of dedication and proper preparation. But if there's a huge pool of individuals who have undertaken the same commitment and steps towards becoming the best, what truly separates the winners from everyone else? Joanna Zeiger believes proper mental preparation is the answer.The Champion Mindset is a much-needed and long overdue look into how to program a competitor's mind to achieve optimal success. Changing behaviors and ways of thinking are never easy, but the chapters in this book aim to simplify this process to make it manageable and achievable. This book is for every athlete--from the weekend warrior, who wants to complete in his or her first 5k running race, to those who have aspirations of one day becoming Olympians and world champions.The Champion Mindset is a compendium of Zeiger's own personal journey from struggling novice swimmer to Olympian and World Champion. Through steps including: Proper Goal Setting, Keeping it Fun, Building Your Team, Intention in Training, Improving Motivation, Promoting Self-Confidence, and Mind/Body Cohesion, among others, Zeiger uses her decades of personal experience, doctoral-level research, and professional success, to prepare readers to go all-in with their mental game.

    This book will identify YOUR individual needs and teach you how to address issues that may be preventing you from looking and feeling your best. Follow this proven four-step program that has helped thousands of people look and feel their best. Step 1. Fill in the Questionnaires. Step 2. Develop a Unique Eating Plan for YOU. Step 3. Build a Personalized Exercise Program that Fits YOUR Needs. Step 4. Fine-tune a Healthier Lifestyle that Fits YOUR Routine. Whether you want to lose weight, change your body shape, overcome a health challenge, or optimize an already healthy lifestyle, this book will teach you how to achieve all your goals!

    Highly recommended!”–Nicholas Perricone, M.D., New York Times bestselling author The most efficient and effective workout you’ll ever do!Imagine an exercise program that requires no equipment, no weights, and no bands. There is no jumping or stress to your joints. Yet everyone gets results regardless of fitness level! Created by renowned fitness expert Teresa Tapp, the revolutionary T-Tapp Workout reshapes your body while it fires up your metabolism. All you need is four square feet of space and just 15 minutes a day in order to see a dramatic loss of inches. How does it work? T-Tapp’s unique sequence of comprehensive, compound muscle movements works the muscles layer by layer, from the inside out, to cinch, tighten, and tone them and burn fat better. Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes is the complete introduction to this amazing program. By doing Teresa Tapp’s signature 15-minute workout, or the extended 45-minute workout, you can:• lose a clothing size–in just two weeks • flatten your belly without doing a single crunch• develop strength and improve bone density without lifting a single weight• build sleek muscles and improve posture• lower blood pressure and cholesterol the natural way• improve blood-sugar levels in type 2 diabetesThe no-impact workout is safe for those with shoulder, hip, knee, neck, and back concerns, and is also effective for those with conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, and multiple sclerosis. With T-Tapp you’re building a better body–inside and out.Completely illustrated with step-by-step photographs that show how to do the exercises, Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes also includes inspiring testimonials and an easy-to-follow food plan. If you want real results–real fast–tap into the power of T-Tapp!

    But people who think of Shaun T as just a workout force are missing something. He has always focused on building inner strength first, then moving to the exterior. And that inner focus started in his own life. He became the man and motivator he is today after escaping from the abuse he suffered as a child, and fighting his way back from a 50-pound weight gain in his early 20s. He knows firsthand that you can’t drop weight or enjoy better health until you overcome the mental obstacles that cause bad choices in the first place.In T is for Transformation, Shaun T unveils the 7 transformational principles that guided his progress through life and that are at the core of his incredibly successful workouts. T is for Transformation is a motivational master class as Shaun shows you how to become more flexible and resourceful, give everything you've got, and, most importantly, trust and believe in your path to success. The only real obstacles in life are the mental ones, and T is for Transformation can train you to achieve astonishing results in your own life, just as Shaun T has in his.