Jog On: How Running Saved My Life
Bella Mackie - 2018
She could barely find the strength to get off the sofa, let alone piece her life back together. Until one day she did something she had never done of her own free will – she pulled on a pair of trainers and went for a run.That first attempt didn’t last very long. But to her surprise, she was back out there the next day. And the day after that. She began to set herself achievable goals – to run 5k in under 30 minutes, to walk to work every day for a week, to attempt 10 push-ups in a row. Before she knew it, her mood was lifting for the first time in years.In Jog On, Bella explains with hilarious and unfiltered honesty how she used running to battle crippling anxiety and depression, without having to sacrifice her main loves: booze, cigarettes and ice cream. With the help of a supporting cast of doctors, psychologists, sportspeople and friends, she shares a wealth of inspirational stories, research and tips that show how exercise often can be the best medicine. This funny, moving and motivational book will encourage you to say ‘jog on’ to your problems and get your life back on track – no matter how small those first steps may be.
New Functional Training for Sports
Michael Boyle - 2016
New Functional Training for Sports, Second Edition produces the best results on the court, field, track, and mat, not just in the weight room.Michael Boyle, one of the world's leading sport performance coaches, presents the concepts, methods, exercises, and programs that maximize athletes' movements in competition. A series of functional assessments help in determining the design of a specific plan for each athlete. Self-reinforcing progressions in exercises for the lower body, core, upper body, and ultimately total body give athletes the balance, proprioception, stability, strength, and power they require for excelling in their sports. Sample programs assist in the customization process and ensure each aspect of preparation for physical performance.Boyle also draws on the latest research and his wealth of experience to offer programming advice and recommendations on foam rolling, stretching, and dynamic warm-ups.New Functional Training for Sports goes beyond traditional exercise descriptions and explanations, incorporating full-color, high-definition composites of foundational movements as well as online access to video demonstrations, commentary, and analysis of key exercises.New Functional Training for Sports is a refined and expanded version of Boyle's original work published more than a decade previously. This edition offers the most current functional training expertise to apply to your specific purposes.
HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training Explained
James Driver - 2012
When compared side by side to other forms of cardiovascular training, HIIT repeatedly comes out on top. Not only that, but it does so in a fraction of the time when compared to continuous cardio training or steady state cardio. With HIIT, you will achieve superior gains over other forms of training in all the following areas: - Weight loss - Improving the body’s capacity to burn fat - Increasing the anaerobic threshold, enabling you to work harder before the burn sets in - Improving maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), a popular indicator of fitness - Improving athletic performance - Releasing beta-endorphins, providing a feeling of well-being - Exercise enjoyment - And much more HIIT works by using short duration high intensity sprints together with nice and easy recovery periods such as walks or slow jogs. This makes the sprints extremely tolerable and enjoyable. Yet few people use or even know about HIIT and its incredible power! Find out just how effective interval training is and how it can be used in only a fraction of the time when compared to continuous training such as jogging at the same speed for up to an hour at a time. Discover the different forms of HIIT training such as Tabata, Fartlek, the Little Method and how best to use them. For the first time – Learn a range of high intensity exercises and training modes which are perfect for HIIT - Exercises you can perform either at the gym, in the park or at home. Learn how to craft and make use of your own HIIT training designs and workout routines, specifically to help you achieve your exercise goals in an incredibly quick time. The science is conclusive - HIIT will change your life!
The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards
William J. Broad - 2012
He reveals what is real and what is illusory, in the process exposing moves that can harm or even kill. Five years in the making, The Science of Yoga draws on a hidden wealth of discovery, drama, and surprising fact to cut through the fog that surrounds contemporary yoga and to show—for the first time—what is uplifting and beneficial and what is delusional, flaky, and dangerous. At heart, it illuminates the risks and rewards.Broad describes yoga as a burgeoning global industry that attracts not only curious scientists but millions of true believers and charismatic hustlers. He takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of unknown yoga that goes from old archives in Calcutta to world capitals of medical research, from storied ashrams to spotless laboratories, from sweaty yoga studios with master teachers to the cozy offices of yoga healers. In the process, he shatters myths, lays out unexpected benefits, and offers a compelling vision of how the discipline can be improved.
Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing
Timothy Mccall - 2007
Beginning with an overview of the history and science of yoga, Dr. McCall describes the many different techniques in the yoga tool kit; explains what yoga does and who can benefit from it (virtually everyone!); and provides lavishly illustrated and minutely detailed instructions on starting a yoga practice geared to your fitness level and your health status. Yoga as Medicine offers a wealth of practical information, including how to:•Utilize yogic tools, including postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, for both prevention and healing of illness•Master the art of becoming more in tune with your body•Communicate more effectively with your doctor•Adopt therapeutic yoga practices as either an alternative or a complement to surgery and to expensive, sometimes dangerous medications•Practice safely Find an instructor and a style of yoga that are right for you. With twenty chapters devoted to the work of individual master teachers, including such well-known figures as Patricia Walden, John Friend, and Rodney Yee, Yoga as Medicine shows how these experts have applied the wisdom of this ancient holistic practice to twenty different conditions, ranging from arthritis to chronic fatigue, depression, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, infertility, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, and obesity. Defining yoga as “a systematic technology to improve the body, understand the mind, and free the spirit,“ Dr. McCall shows the way to a path that can truly alter your life. An indispensable guide for the millions who now practice yoga or would like to begin, as well as for yoga teachers, body workers, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals.
Running with Lydiard
Arthur Lydiard - 2000
Instructing runners in Finland, Mexico, Venezuela, Denmark, Japan, the USA and New Zealand, Lydiard has continued to refine his methods, and this manual contains information on exercise physiology, diet, injury prevention and cure, discussion of Lydiard's methods and revised training schedules.
The Super Carb Diet: Shed Pounds, Build Strength, Eat Real Food
Bob Harper - 2017
Harper focuses on nutrient-dense foods that are big in flavor and allow certain kinds of carbohydrates at targeted times during the day.In The Super Carb Diet you'll find: - How to eat carbs earlier in the day for sustained energy- A list of super-carb foods- Limited snacks but larger and more varied meals- A way of eating that's sustainable- Super-charged weight lossThe Super Carb Diet will keep millions of dieters from giving up after Week One. The program leads you through precise plate proportions, balancing good protein, low fat, high fiber, and nutrient density. Not only will you lose significant weight and whittle your waistline, you'll walk away from the table feeling happy and full.
Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding
Daniel E. Lieberman - 2021
Using his own research and experiences throughout the world, Lieberman recounts without jargon how and why humans evolved to walk, run, dig, and do other necessary and rewarding physical activities while avoiding needless exertion.Exercised is entertaining and enlightening but also constructive. As our increasingly sedentary lifestyles have contributed to skyrocketing rates of obesity and diseases such as diabetes, Lieberman audaciously argues that to become more active we need to do more than medicalize and commodify exercise.Drawing on insights from evolutionary biology and anthropology, Lieberman suggests how we can make exercise more enjoyable, rather than shaming and blaming people for avoiding it. He also tackles the question of whether you can exercise too much, even as he explains why exercise can reduce our vulnerability to the diseases mostly likely to make us sick and kill us.
The Science of Running: How to find your limit and train to maximize your performance
Steve Magness - 2014
The Science of Running is written for those of us looking to maximize our performance, get as close to our limits as possible, and more than anything find out how good we can be, or how good our athletes can be. In The Science of Running, elite coach and exercise physiologist Steve Magness integrates the latest research with the training processes of the world's best runners, to deliver an in depth look at how to maximize your performance. It is a unique book that conquers both the scientific and practical points of running in two different sections. The first is aimed at identifying what limits running performance from a scientific standpoint. You will take a tour through the inside of the body, learning what causes fatigue, how we produce energy to run, and how the brain functions to hold you back from super-human performance. In section two, we turn to the practical application of this information and focus on the process of training to achieve your goals. You will learn how to develop training plans and to look at training in a completely different way. The Science of Running does not hold back information and is sure to challenge you to become a better athlete, coach, or exercise scientist in covering such topics as:· What is fatigue? The latest research on looking at fatigue from a brain centered view.· Why VO2max is the most overrated and misunderstood concept in both the lab and on the track· Why "zone" training leads to suboptimal performance.· How to properly individualize training for your own unique physiology.· How to look at the training process in a unique way in terms of stimulus and adaptation.· Full sample training programs from 800m to the marathon.
Anatomy for Runners: Unlocking Your Athletic Potential for Health, Speed, and Injury Prevention
Jay Dicharry - 2012
Unfortunately, with running comes injuries, as a result of wrong information and improper training.Along with clear and thorough explanations of how running influences the body, and how the body influences your running, this book answers many of the common questions that athletes have:Do runners need to stretch?What is the best way to run?What causes injuries?Which shoes are best for running?Is running barefoot beneficial?And much moreThe mobility and stability tests will assess your form, and the corrective exercises, along with step-by-step photos, will improve your core and overall performance, so that you can train and run with confidence, knowing how to avoid injuries!
The Champion's Comeback: How Great Athletes Recover, Reflect, and Re-Ignite
Jim Afremow - 2016
Making a comeback isn’t just about raw talent or athletic ability—it’s the mental game that counts most.In The Champion’s Comeback, he offers winning strategies for athletes of any age or skill level to get mentally psyched for competition, quickly rebound after a loss, and overcome injuries (and the fear of re-injury). Afremow explores the psychology of commitment and shows you how to develop the core confidence of repeat champions.Featuring unique tips and advice, including guided imagery scripts, easy-to-follow mental training exercises, and motivating stories of famous “comeback” athletes, The Champion’s Comeback is the ultimate athlete’s handbook, encouraging you to not only stay in the game but also achieve greatness, no matter what.
The Renaissance Diet 2.0
Mike Israetel - 2019
The Renaissance Diet 2.0 provides the most up to date scientific information to help you Understand how many calories you need to eat to maximize performance and burn fat Correctly balance your macronutrient intake for your training and physique goals Time your meals to get the most out of your nutrition Select optimal food types to fuel performance Understand which supplements actually work and why Improve your health with proper micronutrient intake and hydration Periodize your diets for long term effectiveness How to develop reasonable goals for performance and physique improvement Step-by-step how to design and implement a diet plan to fit your goals How to adapt your diet for special circumstances such as training multiple times per day How to adapt the diet principles for a vegan diet The most current data on gut health and its practical application How to nutritionally prepare for competition in various types of sports including strength, combat, endurance, and physique sports The reality about the effect of alcohol on physique and sport performance How to recognize and dispel diet myths, fads, and fallacies For more from Renaissance Periodization follow us at : https://renaissanceperiodization.com/ Instagram @rpstrength
Run Your Butt Off!: A Breakthrough Plan to Shed Pounds and Start Running (No Experience Necessary!)
Sarah Lorge Butler - 2011
The Run Your Butt Off! program is founded on the simple concept that in order to lose weight, calories burned must exceed calories consumed. No gimmicks, no shortcuts, no silver bullets can circumvent that reality. With this program, you'll learn to burn fat from both sides of the weight-loss equation—the calories in and the calories out—at the same time. Run Your Butt Off! by Sarah Lorge Butler with Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, and Budd Coates, MS will make you fitter, stronger, and leaner.
Strength Training for Fat Loss
Nick Tumminello - 2013
Just science-based programming, sensible strategies, and the results you desire.In Strength Training for Fat Loss, Nick Tumminello, renowned trainer and innovator in the field of human performance, explains how to use the 3 Cs of metabolic strength training--circuits, combinations, and complexes--to accelerate your metabolism, maximize fat loss, and maintain muscle.Inside you'll find these features:- More than 150 exercises using barbells, dumbbells, resistance bands, machines, and body weight- Realistic nutrition recommendations for staying healthy, maintaining muscle, and regulating your metabolism- Step-by-step instructions, photos, and advice for performing and sequencing the most effective fat-loss circuits, combinations, and complexes- Warm-up and cool-down exercises that include stretches and self-massage techniques to activate or restore muscles- Home-, gym-, and body-weight-based workouts along with comprehensive programming for losing fat quickly and keeping it offWhether you're a beginner looking for a step-by-step guide to fat loss or a seasoned fitness professional looking for new exercises to spice up existing routines, Strength Training for Fat Loss is the safe program that produces results.
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.