Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner


Dean Karnazes - 2005
    He has run over mountains, across Death Valley, and to the South Pole-and is probably the first person to eat an entire pizza while running. With an insight, candor, and humor rarely seen in sports memoirs (and written without the aid of a ghostwriter or cowriter), Ultramarathon Man has inspired tens of thousands of people-nonrunners and runners alike-to push themselves beyond their comfort zones and be reminded of what it feels like to be truly alive, says Sam Fussell, author of Muscle.Ultramarathon Man answers the questions Karnazes is continually asked:- Why do you do it?- How do you do it?- Are you insane?And in the new paperback edition, Karnazes answers the two questions he was most asked on his book tour:- What, exactly, do you eat?- How do you train to stay in such good shape?

Science and Practice of Strength Training


Vladimir M. Zatsiorsky - 1995
    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.

What Doesn't Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength


Scott Carney - 2017
    Our ancestors crossed the Alps in animal skins and colonized the New World in loin cloths. They evaded predators and built civilizations with just their raw brainpower and inner grit. But things have changed and now comfort is king. Today we live in the thrall of constant climate control and exercise only when our office schedules permit. The technologies that we use to make us comfortable are so all-encompassing that they sever the biological link to a changing environment. Now we hate the cold and the heat. We suffer from autoimmune diseases. And many of us are chronically overweight. Most of us don't even realize that natural variation—sweating and shivering—is actually good for us. What Doesn't Kill Us uncovers how just about anyone can reclaim a measure of our species' evolutionary strength by tapping into the things that feel uncomfortable. When we slightly reimagine how our body fits into the world, we can condition ourselves to find resilience in unfamiliar environments. The feeling that something is missing from our daily routines is growing and has spawned a movement. Every year, millions of people forgo traditional gyms and push the limits of human endurance by doing boot camp style workouts in raw conditions. These extreme athletes train in CrossFit boxes, compete in Tough Mudders and challenge themselves in Spartan races. They are connecting with their environment and, whether they realize it or not, are changing their bodies. No one exemplifies this better than Dutch fitness guru Wim Hof, whose remarkable ability to control his body temperature in extreme cold has sparked a whirlwind of scientific study. Because of him, scientists in the United States and Europe are just beginning to understand how cold adaptation might help combat autoimmune diseases and chronic pains and, in some cases, even reverse diabetes. Award winning investigative journalist, Scott Carney dives into the fundamental philosophy at the root of this movement in three interlocking narratives. His own journey culminates in a record bending 28-hour climb up to the snowy peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro wearing nothing but a pair of running shorts and sneakers.

Squat Every Day


Matt Perryman - 2013
    Thoughts on Overtraining and Recovery in Strength Training.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen


Christopher McDougall - 2009
    For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning: How to Get Stronger and Tougher--In the Gym and in Life--Using the Training Secrets of the Athletic Elite


Zach Even-Esh - 2014
    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

You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises for Men and Women


Mark Lauren - 2010
    Providing the most effective, efficient, inexpensive, and convenient routine for exercise available, this simple program requires no gym or weights—only the human body. For thousands of years—from Ancient Greece’s Olympic athletes to tomorrow’s U.S. Special Forces—humanity’s greatest physical specimens have not relied on fitness centers or dumbbells, but have rather utilized their own bodies as the most advanced fitness machines ever created. These 107 exercises are presented in a clear, concise, and complete manner for men and women of all athletic ability levels.

Dynamic Stretching: The Revolutionary New Warm-up Method to Improve Power, Performance and Range of Motion


Mark Kovacs - 2009
    That is why so many top trainers recommend dynamic stretches.Dynamic Stretching teaches how to effectively prepare your body for physical activity while simultaneously improving strength, power, speed, agility and endurance. With more than 50 exercises—fully illustrated with step-by-step photos—this book shows how to take your workouts and abilities to the next level:•Develop full-body range of motion•Enhance full-body motor control•Increase flexibility, balance and muscular endurance•Improve force generation and reaction time•Correct major and minor muscle imbalances

Men's Health: Book of Muscle - The World's Most Complete Guide to Building Your Body


Ian King - 2003
    You know which curl is the best for your biceps, you do every possible exercise for your abdominals, and your 20-set bench-press routine is the envy of everyone in the gym. So why haven't you gotten the results you want?This book has the answer. In fact, it probably answers every question you've ever asked about how your muscles work: What makes them grow? What makes them show? Why didn't that champion bodybuilder's routine work for you?But The Book of Muscle does more than just explain how your muscles work. It also gives you comprehensive muscle-building programs from a world-class trainer.Ian King has spent 2 decades as strength coach to world-champion and Olympic athletes. He is in wide demand as a lecturer on athletic preparation and physique development, and he is a popular contributor to Men's Health magazine and T-mag.com, the most popular bodybuilding Web site on the planet. Now, for the first time, he brings his extraordinary knowledge and unique muscle-building systems to a book meant for regular guys who like to work out and want to see better results than they've gotten from conventional programs.Here's what you get from The Book of Muscle that you can't get from any other book:Three complete 6-month, progressive workout programs created by Ian King to optimize muscle growth by juxtaposing opposing muscle actionsIan King's revolutionary training-age system to help you determine which program is right for youComplete abdominal training that ensures you'll not only get that coveted six-pack but also develop the muscles that prevent injuries and produce better performance on the field--any fieldVital advice on warming up, stretching, and recovering between workoutsThe latest and best information on how you need to eat to make your muscles growIf you've never before bought a workout book, this should be your first. And if you've tried all the others, this is the one that finally delivers everything you have ever wanted to know but couldn't find in one place.

Body For Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength


Bill Phillips - 1999
    These people include:Hundreds of thousands of men and women who read his magazine for guidance and straightforward information about exercise, nutrition, and living with strength.Elite professional athletes, among them John Elway, Karl Malone, Mike Piazza, and Terrell Davis ?ho have turned to Phillips for clear–cut information to enhance their energy and performance.People once plagued by obesity, alcoholism, and life–threatening ailments who accepted a personal challenge from Bill Phillips and, with his help, have regained control of their bodies and their lives.When you begin to apply the information in this book, you will be proving to yourself that astounding changes are within your grasp too. And, you will discover Body –for–LIFE is much more than a book about physical fitness ?t's a gateway to a new and better life, a life of rewarding and fulfilling moments, perhaps more spectacular than you've ever dared to dream before.Within 12 weeks, you too are going to know ?ot believe, but know : that the transformation you've created with your body is merely an example of the power you have to transform everything else in your world. In language that is vivid and down–to–earth, Bill Phillips guides you, step by step, through the integrated Body –for–LIFE Program, which reveals:How to lose fat and increase your strength by exercising less, not more;How to tap into an endless source of energy by living with the Power MindsetTM;How to create more time for everything meaningful in your life;How to trade hours of aerobics for minutes of weight training ?ith dramatic results;How to make continual progress by using the High–Point TechniqueTM;How to feed your muscles while starving fat with the Nutrition–for–LIFE MethodTM;How thousands of ordinary people have now become extraordinary and how you can, too;How to gain control of your body and life, once and for all.The principles of the Body –for–LIFE Program are surprisingly simple but remarkably powerful. So allow yourself to experience the force of the information in this book, allow yourself to take your mind, your body, your life to a higher point than you may have ever dreamed you could. All in as little as 12 weeks.

Convict Conditioning 2: Advanced Prison Training Tactics for Muscle Gain, Fat Loss, and Bulletproof Joints


Paul Wade - 2011
    With an amazing understanding of anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology, Coach Wade explains very simply how to work the smaller but just as important areas of the body such as the hands and forearms, neck and calves and obliques in serious functional ways.His minimalist approach to exercise belies the complexity of his system and the deep insight into exactly how the body works and the best way to get from A to Z in the shortest time possible. Paul teaches us how to strengthen our bodies with the simplest of movements while at the same time balancing our structures in the same way: simple exercises that work the whole body.Sprinkled throughout the entire book are too-many-to-count insights and advice from a man who has come to his knowledge the hard way and knows exactly of what he speaks. But what Coach Wade does better than any before him is his unbelievable progressions on every exercise and stretch. He breaks things down and tells you exactly how to proceed to get to whatever level of strength and development you want. and gives you the exact metrics you need to know when to go to the next level.

Strength Rules: How to Get Stronger Than Almost Anyone--And The Proven Plan to Make It Real


Danny Kavadlo - 2015
    Want to get classically strong--in every dimension of your life--gut, heart and mind…? In other words, do you want to be: More than just gym-strong? More than just functionally strong? More than just sport-specifically strong? Do you demand instead to be: Tensile Strong? Versatile Strong? Pound-for-Pound Strong? The Ultimate Physical Dynamo? A Mental Powerhouse? Then welcome to Danny’s World… the world of Strength Rules--where you can stand tall on a rock-solid foundation of classic strength principles…Arm-in-arm with a world leader in the modern calisthenics movement…Then… with Danny as your constant guide, grow taller and ever-stronger--in all aspects of your life and being--with a Master Blueprint of progressive calisthenic training where the sky’s the limit on your possible progress…Do Danny’s classical Strength Rules--and, for sure, you can own the keys to the strength kingdom… “I have been waiting for a book to be written on strength training that I can recommend to all of my patients, and Danny Kavadlo has delivered with Strength Rules. Danny has written a stripped down approach to strength that is accessible to everyone. He has distilled his wealth of knowledge and experience in coaching and bodyweight strength training into a program that is cohesive, scalable, and instantly applicable to all comers. He has also added a rock solid approach to nutrition and ample doses of inspirational story telling and philosophy, resulting in the gem that is Strength Rules. I dare anyone to read this book and still give me an excuse why they can’t strengthen their body and improve their health. No excuses. Get the book and get to work!”--DR. CHRISTOPHER HARDY, author of Strong Medicine “Strength Rules is one of the finest books on strength I've ever read. No ifs, ands or buts. Not just ‘bodyweight strength’--strength, period. If you want to learn how to unleash ferocious strength and power while also improving your health and ridding yourself of extra fat and joint pain, THIS is the book you need to own. If you are a bodyweight master, this is the bible you will want to go back to again and again, to keep you on the straight and narrow. If you are raw beginner--then get this book right now, follow the rules, and save yourself years of wasted effort! Strength Rules is as good as it gets!--PAUL WADE, author of Convict Conditioning Almost every strength exercise comes down to the basics. Essentially, Squat, Push and Pull. These three broad, essential movements are the granddaddies of ‘em all. Throw in some Flexion, Transverse Bends and Extension, and you’ve got yourself the tools for a lifetime of full body strength training. That’s why the exercises contained in Strength Rules are divided into these few, broad categories. Everything else is a variation. There is no reason to overcomplicate it. The Strength Rules mission is to help anybody and everybody get in the best shape of their lives Strength Rules lays out the truth clearly and succinctly, giving you the tools you need to grow stronger and persevere in this mad world—with your head held high and your body lean and powerful… The exercise portion of Strength Rules (titled ACTIONS) is split into three levels: Basic Training (Starting Out), Beast Mode (Classic Strength) and Like A Boss (Advanced Moves). Naturally, not everyone will fall 100% into one of these groups for all exercises in all categories and that’s fine. “Strength Rules by Danny Kavadlo is so good you can’t ignore it. It’s minimalistic. It’s low tech. It’s simple. It’s right.

Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning


Thomas R. Baechle - 2000
    In this text, 30 expert contributors explore the scientific principles, concepts, and theories of strength training and conditioning as well as their applications to athletic performance.Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the most-preferred preparation text for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam. The research-based approach, extensive exercise technique section, and unbeatable accuracy of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning make it the text readers have come to rely on for CSCS exam preparation.The third edition presents the most current strength training and conditioning research and applications in a logical format designed for increased retention of key concepts. The text is organized into five sections. The first three sections provide a theoretical framework for application in section 4, the program design portion of the book. The final section offers practical strategies for administration and management of strength and conditioning facilities.-Section 1 (chapters 1 through 10) presents key topics and current research in exercise physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, biomechanics, endocrinology, sport nutrition, and sport psychology and discusses applications for the design of safe and effective strength and conditioning programs.-Section 2 (chapters 11 and 12) discusses testing and evaluation, including the principles of test selection and administration as well as the scoring and interpretation of results.-Section 3 (chapters 13 and 14) provides techniques for warm-up, stretching, and resistance training exercises. For each exercise, accompanying photos and instructions guide readers in the correct execution and teaching of stretching and resistance training exercises. This section also includes a set of eight new dynamic stretching exercises.-Section 4 examines the design of strength training and conditioning programs. The information is divided into three parts: anaerobic exercise prescription (chapters 15 through 17), aerobic endurance exercise prescription (chapter 18), and periodization and rehabilitation (chapters 19 and 20). Step-by-step guidelines for designing resistance, plyometric, speed, agility, and aerobic endurance training programs are shared. Section 4 also includes detailed descriptions of how principles of program design and periodization can be applied to athletes of various sports and experience levels. Within the text, special sidebars illustrate how program design variables can be applied to help athletes attain specific training goals.-Section 5 (chapters 21 and 22) addresses organization and administration concerns of the strength training and conditioning facility manager, including facility design, scheduling, policies and procedures, maintenance, and risk management.Chapter objectives, key points, key terms, and self-study questions provide a structure to help readers organize and conceptualize the information. Unique application sidebars demonstrate how scientific facts can be translated into principles that assist athletes in their strength training and conditioning goals.Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning also offers new lecture preparation materials. A product specific Web site includes new student lab activities that instructors can assign to students. Students can visit this Web site to print the forms and charts for completing lab activities, or they can complete the activities electronically and email their results to the instructor. The instructor guide provides a course description and schedule, chapter objectives and outlines, chapter-specific Web sites and additional resources, definitions of primary key terms, application questions with recommended answers, and links to the lab activities. The presentation package and image bank, delivered in Microsoft PowerPoint, offers instructors a presentation package containing over 1,000 slides to help augment lectures and class discussions. In addition to outlines and key points, the resource also contains over 450 figures, tables, and photos from the textbook, which can be used as an image bank by instructors who need to customize their own presentations. Easy-to-follow instructions help guide instructors on how to reuse the images within their own PowerPoint templates. These tools can be downloaded online and are free to instructors who adopt the text for use in their courses.Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Third Edition, provides the latest and most comprehensive information on the structure and function of body systems, training adaptations, testing and evaluation, exercise techniques, program design, and organization and administration of facilities. Its accuracy and reliability make it not only the leading preparation resource for the CSCS exam but also the definitive reference that strength and conditioning professionals and sports medicine specialists depend on to fine-tune their practice.

The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance


David Epstein - 2013
    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.

ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running


Danny Dreyer - 2004
    This new edition is fully updated with fresh insights and innovative training techniques from one of the sport's leading voices. Danny Dreyer teaches us how to heal and prevent injuries and also to run faster, farther, and with much less effort at any age or ability.With more than 150,000 copies in print, this groundbreaking program makes running safe and fun for beginning and seasoned runners, while also giving competitive runners the edge they seek. ChiRunning employs the deep power reserves in the core muscles, an approach found in disciplines such as yoga, Pilates, and in this case T'ai Chi. Make knee pain and shin splints a thing of the past Experience the natural efficiency of the midfoot strike Dramatically reduce your potential for injury Transform your running with our new 10-step training program ChiRunning provides powerful insight and transforms running from a high-injury sport to a body-friendly fitness phenomenon. Join the revolution!