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

    Jeffry Life before. And if you have, you might have thought, How can this seventy-two-year-old doctor have the body of a thirty-year-old? But his photos are very real, and you can look just as good as he does when you take control of your health. Back in 1998, Dr. Life was sixty years old and a stereotype of the aging man: he was overweight with a noticeable gut and little muscle tone. Even though his own medical practice was thriving, and he thought he knew everything about men’s health, the facts proved differently. His libido was low, which was ruining his self-esteem. He felt tired all the time, yet no amount of sleep made him feel well rested. It wasn’t until a cardiologist read him the riot act that he even considered that change was possible. He then decided to make critical adjustments to his diet and lifestyle, and the results have been nothing short of astounding. More than a decade later, Dr. Life continues to look and feel younger than ever. He knows that if he can make these changes to his body, his sex life, and his health, any man can. In this revolutionary book, he’ll show how you can turn around yourhealth by using the very same program he success-fully created and follows to this day. The Life Plan introduces a healthy aging lifestyle that any man can master, no matter what shape he may be in. It offers: • An action-packed exercise program designed to make working out entertaining as well as improve heart health and increase muscle mass. His program taps into various disciplines—cardio workouts, resistance training, balance and core conditioning, martial arts, and Pilates. • An easy diet, featuring delicious choices, that any man can follow, along with rules for eating out and sample recipes for the single or married guy. • A simple nutrient supplement regimen highlighting the top supplements men may need to halt, and even reverse, the aging process. • A prudent guide to male hormone replacement therapies based on the most up-to-date research.  • Lessons on how to get your doctor to provide the care you deserve. • How to sidestep America’s disease-based approach to medicine and fuel optimal health. • And much more. By following this program you can once again enjoy an active, clear-headed, sexually satisfying, vigorous, and health-filled life, while avoiding late-onset diabetes, heart disease, and other common illnesses and complaints of aging. For men seeking to make over their bodies and turn back the clock, The Life Plan delivers the keys to a fitter body, a stronger immune system, and a richer, fuller life.

    Longtime running writer Scott Douglas marshals expert advice (especially his own, cultivated from more than 110,000 miles of personal experience), and a growing body of scientific research to show how running can make us happier. How? Everyone knows that running builds stronger muscles and a healthier heart; science now shows it also helps develop a healthier brain. For those struggling with depression and anxiety, a consistent running routine can enhance the mental-health benefits of talk therapy, antidepressants, and cognitive behavioral therapy. The key to running’s therapeutic power lies in its lasting physiological effects, inducing changes in brain structure and chemistry that other forms of exercise don’t—including the best mood boost in all of sports, thanks to the body’s release of natural pain-relievers.Running is my therapy is no longer just a mantra for seasoned runners; with science behind him, Douglas presents proven methods so that we can all use running to improve our mental health and live happier—in and out of running shoes.

    His struggles with heroin addiction led him to jail, and he eventually hit rock bottom. Soon, his two pack a day cigarette habit was the healthiest thing he did. One dark night in jail, his suicide attempt failed. What happened next transcends the term recovery.The Hurt Artist is the searing yet luminous travelogue of Shane's powerful journey from suicidal addict to Ironman. He vividly depicts the landscape of pain in which he's lived his life—emotional and physical pain inflicted upon him and that he inflicts upon himself, pain that pulls him down, and, in detailing his training, the pain he harnesses to lift himself up. Ultimately, Shane's story is one of redemption and triumph, a lesson in the value of second chances and a clear reminder that nobody, regardless of how seemingly desperate their circumstances, is beyond the reach of salvation.From inmate #71768 to Ironman Triathlon World Championship competitor #1419, Shane paints a stirring self-portrait in this hilarious, horrifying, and hopeful account that is sure to hook readers of edgy sports biographies.

    Forget sit-ups. Eat when you want but don’t snack. Breakfast? Who needs it. Spend less than two hours a week in the gym to double your results in half the time, because less is more. Sound like a reasonable diet and exercise advice? To most people, it doesn’t. But as crazy as it sounds, these statements are part of the winning formula behind Martin Berkhan’s controversial Leangains method—as evidenced by hundreds of clients and thousands of success stories from Leangains devotees all over the world. The Leangains Method: The Art of Getting Ripped. Researched, Practiced, Perfected is the definitive fat loss manual and body transformation plan for people who are tired of gimmicks, BS, and the same old spiels they’ve heard countless times before. Tired tropes like “Eat Breakfast Like a King, Lunch Like a Prince, and Dinner Like a Pauper,” conventional “wisdom” about our eating habits and other nonsensical beliefs has no place in this book - but they are dealt with accordingly, which is to say that The Leangains Method is the perfect gift for the dabbler who can’t tell right from wrong and is highly educational for beginners or scholars alike. Conceived and outlined on www.leangains.com over a decade ago, the Leangains diet is commonly known as the “16:8" diet in mainstream media. The popular diet that shook the foundation of the fitness industry, kickstarted the intermittent fasting craze and caused a nutritional paradigm shift has been plagiarized more than any other diet in recent history. But its secrets have eluded everyone, and its efficiency has never been reproduced. Until now. And when its elusive creator pulls the curtain apart and reveals the treasured terroir of the Method, you will bask at its flavors and laugh at its imitators. Rest assured. People are often told that there are no secrets left. That statement was wrong a decade ago when Martin Berkhan introduced intermittent fasting and made breakfast skipping a thing. And in The Leangains Method: The Art of Getting Ripped. Researched, Practiced, Perfected he does it again. But he doesn’t make these outlandish claims casually, and skeptics will be delighted to know that the book and its methods are fully referenced, evidence-based, and peer-reviewed by fitness industry watchdog Alan Aragon. The Leangains Method: The Art of Getting Ripped. Researched, Practiced, Perfected is chock-full of insider secrets and cutting-edge science revealed for the very first time. You’ll learn why a calorie isn’t a calorie, and how to use this knowledge to your advantage. You’ll be taught the ingredients of the most efficient legal fat-burning stack in existence—and, should you decide to use it, be able to accelerate fat loss by up to half a pound per week. After that and much more, you’ll witness the unveiling of the greatest diet secret of them all. The magic bullet, the one thing that makes all the difference. Don’t listen to what they say. It exists. The Leangains Method: The Art of Getting Ripped. Researched, Practiced, Perfected is the alpha and omega of fat loss, conceived at the crossroads of lived experience and brutal honesty, the everyday practicalities of dieting, and the bleeding edge of science. It’s a body transformation plan that reaches beyond bodies and into minds, perceptions, and priorities. Its author makes a single promise. You’ve never read a book like this before, and you’ll never read its like again. Author’s note: The Leangains Method extols the benefits of a high-protein diet, and the nutritional recommendations in the book reflect this. It’s therefore unsuitable for vegans and—to a lesser extent—vegetarians.

    In Let Your Mind Run, the vaunted Olympic medalist and marathon and half-marathon record holder, will reveal how she incorporated the benefits of positive psychology into her already-dedicated running practice, setting her on a course to conquer women's distance running. Blending both narrative running insights and deep-dive brain science, this book will appeal to and motivate steadfast athletes, determined runners, and tough-as-nails coaches, and beyond. This memoir, written by perhaps the most famous American woman active in the competitive world of distance running, will appeal to the pragmatic athletic population, and jointly to fans of engaging sports narratives, inspirational memoirs, and uplifiting biographies.

    That's not hype. Cal Dietz, strength coach at the University of Minnesota, has the results to back up this claim - a Hobey Baker Award winner, two Big Ten Athletes of the Year, over 400 All-Americans, 28 Big Ten/WCHA championship teams, 7 NCAA National Team Champions, and 13 teams that finished in the top four in the nation.Over the past decade, Coach Dietz has worked with thousands of collegiate and professional athletes, incorporating the latest scientific research into developing his Triphasic Training method. His approach breaks down athletic movements into their three components -- eccentric, isometric, and concentric -- allowing for the continuous development of athletes, maximizing their strength, speed, and power.In this easy-to-understand book, Coach Dietz has teamed up with exercise physiologist, Ben Peterson, to explain the physiological foundations of Triphasic Training and how they can be applied to training, making athletes bigger, stronger and faster than ever before. The authors give examples of complete programs, as well as examples of how to incorporate the Triphasic method into existing programs, with descriptions on adapting it to virtually any scenario.The digital edition of this book contains over 3,000 hyperlinks to video clips that demonstrate how to properly perform every exercise, as well as six hours of video lectures by Coach Dietz from his national speaking tour. In this book, these hyperlinks are indicated by words or phrases that are underlined. In order for you to take advantage of these features, included in the book is a web link to a downloadable PDF that contains the hyperlinks and videos from the original digital book.Included in the book: - 5 complete 24-week training programs designed for 6-day, 5-day, 4-day, 3-day, or 2-day training models.- Over two dozen tables showing when and how to modify exercises to ensure continuous improvement in athletes.- Peaking programs for football lineman and skill players; swimmers; baseball, volleyball, and hockey players (among others).- A complete 52-week training program for football."Awesomeness! Finally someone has done it right. If you want to challenge yourself, open your mind and just get better at your craft, I suggest you read this book." - Kevin Ziegler Former NHL Strength Coach for the Phoenix Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning"Triphasic Training is a down-to-earth, raw, bare bones book on training. No B.S., just honest facts. It gives you methods and ideas that have been proven to make athletes better. A must have book for any coach's or athlete's library."- Buddy MorrisWorld Renown Performance Coach"Triphasic Training is a game-changer! I integrated the Triphasic Method with many collegiate and professional athletes at IMG. The results were outstanding! It's a "must have" for anyone trying to get better!"- Jeff DillmanDirector of Strength and ConditioningUniversity of Florida Football"Amazing book! One of the best books I have read on strength and conditioning. You two have touched upon so many key topics and principles that few discuss to any extent. Awesome work!"- Jonas SahratianStrength and Conditioning CoordinatorUniversity of North Carolina Basketball"I have to congratulate you as Triphasic Training is one of the best books in strength and conditioning I have read. Extremely practical with very well-presented arguments and logic behind your practical tools and templates. A good blend of innovation, science/research and experience throughout."- Scott WilliamsExercise PhysiologistGolf Australia and PGA of Australia

    In 2014 there will be a race every other day in 15 countries on five continents. What do these Spartans know that you don’t? They know that we all have a fire burning within us to prove ourselves. Joe De Sena has captured that invincible Spartan spirit in his manifesto for bold living, SPARTAN UP! A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; May 13, 2014; $24). De Sena’s prescription for life’s insurmountable obstacles is to get off the couch and crush them through hard work and force of will. A legend in the ultramarathon community, he created Spartan Race, extreme obstacle races where no one knows what to expect, but to finish is to be transformed. Spartan Race drives participants to their very limit to learn what they are capable of and to set a new frame of reference; one they can draw upon in the face of life’s harshest challenges. Everyday disappointments and setbacks seem small when you’ve been to the other side of hell and made it back as a victor. In SPARTAN UP! De Sena paints a picture of how he created the Spartan way of life, beginning with an unexpected challenge by a friend that got him back into shape through endurance racing. After that first race, De Sena completed more than 50 ultramarathons (in conditions ranging from -30 to 120 degrees) and 14 Ironman events, including the 135-mile Badwater ultramarathon, the 140.6 Lake Placid Ironman, and a 100-mile Vermont trail run—in a single week. The harder the race the more he loved it; he was hooked.SPARTAN UP! is more than an insider’s view of the world of obstacle racing, it’s a manual for the Spartan way of life, including :• Finding the will to succeed: The first half of a race you run with your legs; the second half you run with your mind. Turn your pain into an outboard motor to drive you forward. • Tossing your cookies: The Cookie Test can teach you how to overcome the need for immediate gratification and help you prosper in the long term. • Changing your frame of reference: Reset your inner default as an antidote to dissatisfaction and the insatiable need for “more.” • Getting Spartan fit: Survival of the Fittest means training outside the gym for strength, endurance and flexibility throughout the entire body—and don’t forget those burpees! • Moving mountains: Whether metaphorical mountains or the ones on which Spartans race, what you think are your limits can be a mere starting point for transformation. Age, gender, and physical ability are no barrier and finishers become entirely new people, without limitations, living life to the fullest. That’s why the Spartans say: “You’ll know at the finish line.” JOE DE SENA is a cofounder of Spartan Race, which began as an obstacle race based on the extreme spirit of the legendary Death Race, and has become a multi-million dollar global lifestyle company in less than 10 years. It was voted Outside magazine’s Best Obstacle Race. In one year’s time he competed in the Raid International Ukatak in Canada; the IditaSport in Alaska; the Odyssey Adventure Race and the OAR Beast of the East, both in Virginia; the Raid the North Extreme in Newfoundland, the Adrenaline Rush in Ireland and the Discovery Channel World Championships in Switzerland. He resides in Vermont with his family. For more information, please visit www.spartanupthebook.com.

    Aaron Horschig began to notice the same patterns in athletes over and over. Many of them seemed to pushed themselves as athletes in the same ways they push themselves out in the real world. Living in a performance-based society, Dr. Horschig saw many athletes who seemed to not only want to be bigger and stronger but to get there faster. This mentality ultimately led to injuries and setbacks, preventing athletes from reaching their full potential. Now, after developing unique and easy-to-use techniques on how to train and move well, Dr. Horschig shares his invaluable insights with readers in The Squat Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering the Squat and Finding Your True Strength. This detailed plan enables you to unearth the various weak spots within your body—the areas that leave you in pain and hinder your ability to perform—and completely change your approach to athleticism. Discover new strength, new power, and astounding potential you never knew you possessed. As the founder of SquatUniversity.com, Dr. Horschig knows that when you transform the way you work out, you transform your body—and your life.

    Belisa Vranich's ground-breaking second book teaches the science, techniques, and benefits of breathing correctly and efficiently for warriors in all walks of life.People are less in touch with their bodies—and especially their breathing—than ever before. Ironically, athletes and others who pride themselves on taking care of their bodies actually put themselves at greater risk. Why? Because they’re asking their body to take on next-level demands, but failing at life’s most essential skill: efficient breathing.Proper breathing is the world’s most powerful biohack. Learning it will help you feel better, avoid injury, and perform at your very best (including in bed!). Champion gladiators, master martial artists, even spearfishers all had one thing in common: efficient breathing to achieve flawless execution.An elite few still understand: Navy SEALs who need to make the perfect shot, super-elite weightlifters who truly understand how to harness and channel their energy, free-divers who can spend seemingly impossible amounts of time underwater, and high-profile execs who keep calm before multi-billion-dollar presentations.You can learn their secrets.From the corporate athlete to the tactical ninja, Breathing for Warriors is a practical, science-forward book that focuses on everything related to breathing and performance—from muscles and workouts to an impenetrable inner game.

    Aspiring or veteran marathoners will benefit enormously from its proven guidance."This new edition focuses on first marathoners, women runners, and those new to the sport; and as always, Higdon shows how to build up mileage and gives advice on running long, speedwork for distance runners, defensive running strategies, and planning for peak performance.

    Every topic is covered in almost 600 pages. * Strength and the muscular system * Philosophy of physical training * The muscle complex * Adaptation and the training effect * Sport specific strength training * Factors influencing strength production * The means of special strength training * The methods of special strength training * Organization of training * Strength training methods * Designing sports specific strength programs * Restoration and stress management * Combination of resistance methods * The use of testing * Overtraining * PNF as a training system * Models for structuring the annual training * Preparedness and the training load * Periodisation as a form of organization * Plyometric

    Step-by-step skill drills are provided which include how to: improve strokes to speed up conditioning; eliminate drag and create more propulsion with less energy; burn off fat through swimming; and use dry-land exercises to improve results in the water.

    In The Grace to Race, she shares the no-nonsense spirit and deep faith that inspired her extraordinary journey from a prominent St. Louis family to a Catholic Convent and finally to championship finish lines all over the world. As a beautiful young woman, she became an elegant equestrian and accomplished amateur actress. But as she describes in this intimate memoir, she had a secret plan as early as 14: she wanted to devote her life to God. After being courted by the most eligible bachelors in her hometown, she chose a different path and became a Sister of the Good Shepherd. She lived a mostly cloistered life as a Nun until her late forties, when a Priest suggested she take a run on the beach. She dug up a pair of shorts in a pile of donated clothes, found a pair of second-hand tennis shoes, and had a second epiphany. This time, she discovered the spiritual joy of pushing her body to the limit and of seeing God’s natural world in all its splendor. More than thirty years later, she is known as the Iron Nun for all the triathlons she has won. Just five years ago, the age 75–79 category was created for her at the Hawaiian Ironman in Kona, where she completed a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a full 26.2-mile marathon in record time. Now she has set her sights on a new goal: inaugurating another new Ironman age group, 80–84, in 2010. Sister Madonna holds dozens of records, has broken dozens of bones, and tells of dozens of miracles and angels that propelled her to a far-flung race. "It is my faith that has carried me through life’s ups and downs," she writes. "Whenever injured, I wait for the Lord to pick me up again and set me on my feet, confidently reminding Him, ‘God, you know, my intent is to keep running toward you.’" The Grace to Race is the courageous story of a woman who broke with convention, followed her heart, and found her higher mission.

    In Discipline Equals Freedom, the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Extreme Ownership describes how he lives that mantra: the mental and physical disciplines he imposes on himself in order to achieve freedom in all aspects of life. Many books offer advice on how to overcome obstacles and reach your goals—but that advice often misses the most critical ingredient: discipline. Without discipline, there will be no real progress. Discipline Equals Freedom covers it all, including strategies and tactics for conquering weakness, procrastination, and fear, and specific physical training presented in workouts for beginner, intermediate, and advanced athletes, and even the best sleep habits and food intake recommended to optimize performance.Within these pages discover the keys to becoming stronger, smarter, faster, and healthier. There is only one way to achieve true freedom: The Way of Discipline. Read this book and find The Way.