We swim in freezing Arctic waters and piranha-infested rivers to test our limits. We swim for pleasure, for exercise, for healing. But humans, unlike other animals that are drawn to water, are not natural-born swimmers. We must be taught. Our evolutionary ancestors learned for survival; now, in the twenty-first century, swimming is one of the most popular activities in the world.Why We Swim is propelled by stories of Olympic champions, a Baghdad swim club that meets in Saddam Hussein’s palace pool, modern-day Japanese samurai swimmers, and even an Icelandic fisherman who improbably survives a wintry six-hour swim after a shipwreck. New York Times contributor Bonnie Tsui, a swimmer herself, dives into the deep, from the San Francisco Bay to the South China Sea, investigating what about water—despite its dangers—seduces us and why we come back to it again and again.

    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.

    Handbook for experienced climbers covers all the physical and psychological aspects of climbing training.

    In Focus, he delves into the science of attention in all its varieties, presenting a long overdue discussion of this little-noticed and under-rated mental asset that matters enormously for how we navigate life. Attention works much like a muscle: use it poorly and it can wither; work it well and it grows. In an era of unstoppable distractions, Goleman persuasively argues that now more than ever we must learn to sharpen focus if we are to contend with, let alone thrive, in a complex world.Goleman boils down attention research into a threesome: inner, other, and outer focus. A well-lived life demands we be nimble at each. Goleman shows why high-achievers need all three kinds of focus, as demonstrated by rich case studies from fields as diverse as competitive sports, education, the arts, and business. Those who excel rely on what he calls Smart Practices such as mindfulness meditation, focused preparation and recovery, positive emotions and connections, and mental "prosthetics" that help them improve habits, add new skills, and sustain excellence. Combining cutting-edge research with practical findings, Focus reveals what distinguishes experts from amateurs and stars from average performers. Ultimately, Focus calls upon readers not only to pay attention to what matters most to them personally, but also to turn their attention to the pressing problems of the wider world, to the powerless and the poor, and to the future, not just to the seductively simple demands of here-and-now.

    Learn how to design your own personal Epic Quest of Awesome through advice on health, fitness, travel, and finance.Author Steven Kamb, the founder/creator of NerdFitness.com, leads you on a journey to discover the kind of game you want to play, including how to:* Develop a leveling structure* Create a personal Origin Story (every hero has a great origin story)* Determine what your Level 50 character will look like* Build your own quest lists * Hack your productivity, habits, and willpower to build momentum* Build in rewards and accountability* Add members to your party, expanding your community* Find your own personal Yoda or Morpheus (i.e. mentor) to help you along the way* Restart and earn Extra Lives (how to keep going when you get scared or stuck)

    It is a scientifically proven way of taking control of your life by taking control of your mind. With Meditation for Beginners - How to Relieve Stress, Anxiety and Depression and Return to a State of Inner Peace and Happiness you’re going to learn exactly how to meditate, how to use meditation techniques to calm your mind and how to practice meditation daily. Meditation for Beginners Learning how to meditate and developing a regular meditation practice doesn’t have to be difficult. Yes, meditation can seem difficult at first and learning how to take control of your mind can be a challenge, but meditating for only a few minutes a day can help you significantly reduce stress, improve your physical and mental health, maximize your ability to focus and increase productivity. Buddhism teaches that taking control of your mind through meditation is the only real antidote to stress, anxiety and depression. Scientific studies have validated this and offer proof that meditation CAN in fact change brain chemistry and alter brain waves.If your meditation efforts have been frustrating, don’t worry. Meditation for Beginners will help you overcome the common obstacles to developing a long term meditation habit. Meditation is like riding a bike. You fall at first but eventually your ability to meditate becomes easier and your meditation practice becomes the most refreshing and life-giving part of your day. Meditation for Beginners teaches you: The science behind the amazing benefits of meditation How to meditate in a way that works for you How to create a meditating routine How to make meditation a habit How mindfulness meditation can help you become aware of the present moment How to make meditation the most important activity in your day How to provoke a meditative state How to create an ongoing state of inner peace and happiness How to find time to meditate Guided meditation Mantra meditation Mindfulness meditation Body scan meditation Candle meditation Walking meditation Prayer meditation ….and much more!In a step by step way, Meditation for Beginners will walk you through everything you need to know about meditation and how to successfully meditate every day. Here’s a Preview of What You’ll Learn... What is meditation The history of meditation The benefits of meditation for the body The benefits of meditation for the mind How meditation works The healing power of meditation Common obstacles to meditation Types and elements of meditation How to prepare for meditation How to practice meditation every day

    This journal chronicles Ryan Hall’s 14-week preparation for the 2010 Boston Marathon, providing practical insights into the daily regimen of someone training at the absolute peak of human performance. It also reveals the spiritual journey of an elite athlete who is a follower of Jesus Christ.Readers will discover how Ryan deals with nagging injuries and illness, bad weather, disappointing workouts, and a slavish focus on results that can take the fun out of running. Ryan runs 140 miles a week, often at altitude and a blistering pace. Yet millions of everyday runners will identify with and appreciate his intentional return to running with joy and his lifelong goal of glorifying Christ on and off the racecourse.

    In this practical ebook, wellness expert Brett Blumenthal reveals how to hone in on the mind as the foundation of overall health and well-being. She presents one small, achievable change every week—from developing music appreciation to eating brain-boosting foods, practicing mono-tasking, incorporating play, and more. The accumulation of these lifestyle changes ultimately leads to improved memory, less stress, increased productivity, and sustained happiness. Backed by research from leading experts and full of helpful charts and worksheets, 52 Small Changes for the Mind provides a road map to a better life—and proves that the journey can be as rewarding as the destination.

    Essential Essays highlights essays from the first nine months of their journey into minimalism.Essential Essays is an edited collection of 29 of The Minimalists' favorite essays about living a more meaningful life with less stuff. This collection also contains a special forward by Joshua and Ryan, as well as two bonus essays you can't find anywhere else: "Dealing with Overwhelm" and "Focus On What's Important."The book is organized into seven interconnected themes: Living in the Moment, Emotional Health, Growth, Contribution, Taking Action, Passion and Mission, and Change and Experimentation. The order of this collection is deliberate; it is meant to be read from beginning to end. Doing so will result in a better overall experience--a different experience from reading these essays all over the web--connecting various concepts that might otherwise seem unconnected.

    Every woman should know the feelings of being loved and radiating those feelings back to her mate. This is a beautiful expression of heartfelt emotion using short, gratifying sentiments. If there is a lover in you, you will not get enough of "Her."

    The text is published in full color and contains striking sailing photography from well-known photographer Billy Black, and world-class illustrations from award-winning illustrator Peter Bull. One of the text's most distinguishing features is its user friendly "spreads" in which instructional topics are self-contained on opposing pages throughout the book. This easy to read learning tool follows the critically acclaimed Sailing Made Easy, which Sailing Magazine called "best in class" upon its release in 2010. Sailing Made Easy is the #1 resource in basic sailing education, and Coastal Cruising Made Easy is poised to become the industry standard in intermediate sailing education.

    Until recently he held the American 24-hour record and he was one of the elite runners profiled in the runaway bestseller Born to Run.In Eat and Run, Jurek opens up about his life and career as a champion athlete with a plant-based diet and inspires runners at every level. From his Midwestern childhood hunting, fishing, and cooking for his meat-and-potatoes family to his slow transition to ultrarunning and veganism, Scott’s story shows the power of an iron will and blows apart the stereotypes of what athletes should eat to fuel optimal performance. Full of stories of competition as well as science and practical advice—including his own recipes—Eat and Run will motivate readers and expand their food horizons.

    From suburban Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to the center of metropolitan Boston, the author takes the reader through the mile-by-mile sights and sounds experienced by the runners, past and present. For this new edition, author and lifetime Bostonian Michael Connelly conducts interviews with runners of the 2013 Marathon and those preparing to run in 2014 – which will prove to be the Marathon’s most historic, celebrated, and highly attended. While still containing the wonderful trivia, history, and traditions from the original edition, this updated edition will bring a wider point of view, weaving in the shocking events surrounding the 2013 race, the aftermath, and Boston’s resilience and commitment to make the 2014 race something special.

    Every athlete ought to have the ability to take the first steps at addressing these minor injuries. They shouldn’t have to wait weeks for a doctor’s appointment, only to be prescribed pain medications and told to “take two weeks off lifting” or, even worse, to “stop lifting so heavy.” Dr. Aaron Horschig knows your pain and frustration. He’s been there. For over a decade, Dr. Horschig has been a competitive weightlifter, and he understands how discouraging it is to tweak your back three weeks out from a huge weightlifting competition, to have knee pain limit your ability to squat heavy for weeks, and to suffer from chronic shoulder issues that keep you from reaching your goals. Rebuilding Milo is the culmination of Dr. Horschig’s life’s work as a sports physical therapist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and Olympic weightlifting coach. It contains all of the knowledge he has amassed over the past decade while helping some of the best athletes in the world. Now he wants to share that knowledge with you. This book, designed by a strength athlete for anyone who spends time in the weight room, is the solution to your struggles with injury and pain. It walks you through simple tests and screens to uncover the movement problem at the root of your pain. After discovering the cause of your injury, you’ll be able to create an individualized rehab program as laid out in this book. Finally, you’ll be on the right path to eliminate your pain and return to the activities you love.

    Following a career-threatening injury in 2018, Ross was forced to reassess his training and take the next steps in a lifelong journey of redefining what the human body is capable of. In Blueprint , Ross shares the cutting-edge training program that empowered him to rebuild his body from surgery and a doctor’s gloomy prognosis in just 365 days to complete a world record swim. Whether it’s climbing a mountain, swimming the English Channel, or a gruelling triathlon, Blueprint  will teach you the tried and tested principles of sports science that have been used for decades by Olympians, explorers and adventurers at the limits of peak physical endurance.Blueprint is Ross Edgley's complete training journey that shows you how to:• Divide a 365-day training plan into seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn)• Rebuild your body using evolutionary medicine• Build a superhuman work capacity with forgotten Spartan-style training• Gain bulletproof resilience through Soviet-inspired strength training• Boost your aerobic base with Olympian techniques. Blueprint applies the exact same principles that enabled Ross to complete extreme feats such as the World's Longest Sea Swim, World's Longest Rope Climb, World's Heaviest Triathlon and World's Strongest Marathon.Ross is your elite guide to achieving the impossible in the gym and beyond. Featuring almost 30 tailored workouts for different phases of training, packed with digestible sports science to help you optimise your workouts, and interspersed with Ross' own daring adventures across the world, Blueprint is the ultimate guide to optimising your time and training to make the impossible possible.