5 comments about The Naked Warrior.

1. I review Pavel's book with my irresistible personal prejudice that stems from resenting unreal mentoring. Yet, Pavel proved himself by appealing to a majority of people who have been left out of the athletic world by virtue of the commercially motivated health clubs. Pavel benefits from the great opportunity of having a vast majority of customers hungry for motivation and challenge.
   
   Many people have found a niche in Pavel's Kettlebell contests and exercises that enhance the upper body. It would be unfair to deny him such contribution to the field of folklore fitness. If left to my own device, I would give the book one star for poor planning and exposing readers to injurious activity. I opted for the four stars in crediting the highly motivated and innovative work of the author.
   
   This book, published in 2003, shares the other criticized features of Pavel's books such as poor referencing, unscientific and unproven advices, commercially driven motives, and high risk and injury prone routines. The new features particular to this book that deserve criticism follow.
   
   The book plunges into high-yield and high-risk bodyweight tensioning exercises from the get go. Push up, one leg squat, and pull ups assortments are principal routines described in the book. No single exercise will address the spinal erectors nor does any exercise address the spinal posture during squatting in particular.
   
   The three exercises could cause life-long injury to the rotator cuffs, knees, and spines since the author admittedly states that "no routine is required". With no routine, the reader is left to believe in inconsistent training and quick short cut.
   
   The author erroneously claims that "the harder you contract your muscles, the stronger they get". That defies the basic principle of physiology that muscles require external resistance in order to develop strength. Strength, the author claims, is a skill. The author further claims that only "tension" advances strength and bouncing and momentum motions is a form of cheating.
   
   First, you could not get stronger by mere contracting your own muscles; otherwise the astronauts would have done that without resistance machines. Second, bouncing and momentum are essential in creating virtual forces that exceed static forces. All natural movements such as walking, running, and jumping require bouncing, impact, and inertia utilization. Without jerking motions, the fast muscle fibers would not develop strength, the tendons and ligaments would not toughen up, and the neural responses would not adapt to fast reaction.
   
   A classic example of bouncing strength exercise is hand-hopping on horizontal parallel bars or the sides of a horizontally suspended ladder. That is an exercise which many top lifters have learned would strengthen the arms and upper body beyond any known weight training. It simply mimics what chimpanzees do on trees.
   
   Pavel's light bodyweight enables him to do the one-leg squat, one arm push ups, and chin-ups far beyond the majority of the chubby and fluid-loaded American population. The limbs of the vast American population could easily buckle and incur permanent injuries with Pavel's macho routine of unsystematic and unorganized training. Of course, there is no one-hand pull-up in this book since that requires extreme power beyond what bodyweight training could offer.
   
   The author's reliance on testimonial approval from participants of his web site does not lend credence to their objectivity or lack of conflict of interest.
   
   Mohamed F. El-Hewie
   Author of
   Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training



2. Although a good treatise on one arm pushups and one leg squats, this "book" is really nothing more than a "pamphlet" with VERY big pictures and VERY big letters. Dowse this lack of content with some "secret Soviet Spetznaz" hoo-ha and you have an instant hit for the low, low price of.......well you get the picture. Oh, and if that is not enough hoo-ha, there are plenty of pages dedicated to all of the other "secret soviet" programs that Pavel peddles for ridiculous amounts of money. Unless you are simply a die-hard Pavel fan, your cash would be better spent on.....lets see...anything.



3. As in most of Pavel's books, there is a lot of empty space, generalities and relatively useless motivational writing (comrade). There is no real workout outlined here, no routine template to go by.
   
   Furthermore, I question the safety of the 'pistols' one legged squat, regardless of one's age (and definitely not for those of us over 50!). Be especially careful of his advocating holding one's breath during the lift or the ValSalva technique! This could dangerously raise your blood pressure and in an extreme cause a stroke and even death!
   
   Save your money and get Jeff Martone's Pullups for Tactical Athletes. I am sure Pavel is a great presenter, as well as being a gifted strength athlete, however his books could be condensed into perhaps 10 pages each.



4. For those of you who read my hat goes off to you. For those of you who actually apply what you read are priceless actions from noble spirits. Especially Fitness Training books. The Naked Warrior is a book for True Warriors not you people who thought that they could get results by just reading. Buying a book or training equipment and not applying them DOES NOT produce results to write a review. (Enter poor reviews here) You actually have to train to get those results. This book is by far second to none. (Yet I have yet to read Beyond Bodybuilding; Pavels most recent book) The Naked Warrior focuses on meat and potatoes to increase your strength not getting big. Face it if you have a bigger body, your heart has to pump harder causing more stress.(research for your own benifit) For the record true warriors need to be as strong, slim and trim as you can yet not huge. We have to be full of fight, violence of action, all the time everytime. (low-weight is a HUGE factor in the Special Operations World / Airborne. Hence, we can hold so much gear factored into the lift capabilities of the aircraft we are deployed in) Think about it would you like to have the same power as a guy that is 3 times your size? I challenge you to apply what you read and honestly following the training faithfully before submitting any review. We dont have time to train wrong. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to improve their power/strength without the hype.



5. This was my first book by Pavel. I accidentally happened upon it in a bookstore and bought a copy for a friend. Naturally; I read it first, decided to keep it, and bought a second copy as the gift. The excersizes are tough; but they improve balance, total body tension, and useful strength. A chronic shoulder injury is currently retarding my progress in the one armed push up, but the principles in "The Naked Warrior", "Power to the People", and "Relax into Stretch" are helping me with other excersizes that I can do despite my rotator cuff tear. I have found the deadlift especially rewarding. There is some overlap in each of these books, but each of them have been undeniably instrumental in my motivation, technique and continued strength gains.

5 comments about When Pride Still Mattered : A Life Of Vince Lombardi.

1. This is the best sports biography that I've ever read, and is the gold standard by which I rate every other sports bio. I originally read the book when it was published in 1999 and decided to read it again. I didn't realize that I had forgotten so many details. Many of the games discussed I remember like it was yesterday. If you were a Packer's or NFL fan from the 60s this is a must read book.
   
   I'm very skeptical of Amazon's public reviews as I find 80% +++ of the reviewers are too easily impressed (especially business/investment books). Most grossly overrate books. With such skepticism, I did scan through a page or two of the now 138 reviews to see why anybody would give this book < 5. Two compliants said it had too much minutia and wrote too much about Vince's early life. I find that most if not all biographies talk too much about the person's early life and the person's lineage. I usually scan the early chapters of a biography until I get into the person's adult years. On my second reading of this book I picked it up around Vince's time at West Point.
   
   One last point about the author. I've also read First in His Class & his book about Roberto Clemente. Both were excellent books. However, Maraniss did co-author a book with a younger woman, who's title I forget. It was obvious from the reading that the woman had written most of the book and Maraniss wrote little of the book. His name may have been listed as a co-author to sell books.



2. Presidential biographer David Maraniss ("First in His Class") turned his attentions away from Washington, D.C., and towards Lambeau Field in this remarkable book. His subject was Coach Vince Lombardi, who took over a losing program and turned Green Bay, Wisconsin, the smallest market in professional sports, into "Title Town, U.S.A."
   
   Immediately prior to Lombardi's acceptance of the head coaching position, the Packers managed to win only a single game in an entire season. In short order, Lombardi made Green Bay synonymous with victory. The trophy given to the team that wins the Super Bowl is now named for Lombardi. The Packers won the inaugural Super Bowl and repeated the following year under their celebrated head coach.
   
   Lombardi was a star player for Fordham when that university still had a football program. He developed and refined his coaching abilities at the high school level and he was promoted to assistant coaching positions at the United States Military Academy (West Point) and with the New York Giants of the NFL.
   
   As Maraniss demonstrates, Lombardi enjoyed influence throughout the country during the Sixties: he became a much sought after business conference speaker and Richard M. Nixon even contemplated offering him a place on the political ticket of the Republican Party for a brief time.
   
   This is a superior biography and a document of a time that now has gone.



3. This is the complete Vince Lombardi book. The author has left no stone unturned it seems and goes into great depth in looking at what made Lombardi tick.
   
   It is not a shrine to the greatness of Lombardi book, the author does write about the Coach's flaws (lack of attention to family) but it is so engrossing that I was upset when the final chapters on Lombardi's death were being read.
   
   Maybe the book is a smidgen too long, there were times that it seemed to drag a little but all in all, a great book.



4. I read Maraniss' Clemente book a few months ago, which was unbelievable. Looking for more I picked up this book and have yet to be disappointed.



5. Was Vince Lombardi the greatest NFL coach? Some might agree, while others might look at the wins and losses and championships to answer this question. This book is not solely focused on this question, but rather tells the story of the man behind the legend. This book is also a slice of history in America during the fifties and sixties The author, David Maraniss, does a very fine job to provide substantial detail to color Vince Lombardi's life during this time. Why did I read this book? I was born in the fifties and grew up, not seeing the legendary games played at Lambeau field but became a participant and fan of the sport. Anyone who calls themselves a football fan will want to know the history of Vince Lombardi through Maraniss' book.

5 comments about A Good Man: The Pete Newell Story.

1. First, I must confess I know Pete Newell and family. One normally expects an author to explore the pros and cons of a man. But this book is biased in exploring Pete Newell's life and his coaching. Anyone who explores Pete Newell could only write in this fashion. I have never found anyone who had a problem dealing with Pete and the book in my opinion is accurate and truthful. Thank you Mr. Jenkins for documenting one of the best and most popular basketball minds ever. Pete has a saying in basketball, you are either a giver or taker. Pete in life, has been a big giver. I will always cherish that part of my life which included Pete and Florence Newell. This from someone who is not easily impressed. I played at UCLA for John Wooden.



2. To Anyone Interested in this Book...Let me qualify myself as totally biased; yet truthful in my perception of this man, my Father. Pete Newell is both my Father and my 'celebrity' Uncle. I've been Blessed by being his son and a part of 'my' family of brothers (3), who ALL have influenced my life in incredible ways. My Father has a saying that, in fact he has many, but this one pretty much tells the story. "The fish stinks from the head down." Vice/Versa, in this case. Point being: if it's good, it starts at the top; if it's bad....well you can follow 'it' from here. My Father is just one of the most incredible people I'll ever know and I am reinforced on this by the countless souls who I run into on a daily, weekly and monthly basis...that's why I refer to him as "The celebrity Uncle." He touches people in a way, with his amazing perceptions and thoughts that strike people as.....AMAZING; yet his totally down to earth style..... blows people away. I attribute MOST of this skill that he posesses to my Mom, Florence. Now THAT was an amazing women. I can't EVER imagine having grown up in a BETTER home, than the one I was VERY fortunate to grow up in. 3 incredible brothers, all independent, smart and loving of their little brother (me) and two of the greatest parents a child could EVER have.......read the book, you'll get the program and if you don't.......it's on YOU



3. I really liked this book. I have followed some of the stuff that Pete has done with the Big Man's camps over the years, but didn't know much about Pete as a coach and his history of the game. After reading the book, I feel like I am a more knowledgeable student of the game, hoping it will make me a better coach in the long run.

   So much history is covered, I liked reading the comments of other players, coaches, Pete's players. I have been a Wooden fan, but this book makes me appreciate so much more about Pete. I also liked reading the stories, the practical jokes, and just the background. Seeing how things were done 40-50 years ago, the players/athletes Pete influenced, his connections with people like Pete Rozelle, Joe Kapp, Bobby Knight, Jerry West, Cap Lavin, etc.

   The title of the book is quite appropriate for such a great coach. I think the only thing I was looking for was the relationships he shares with his sons, especially after he retired from coaching.

   Good book, a must read for those who love the game!




4. As a former Pete Newell, Jr. player, I eagerly anticipated the printing of this book. I had heard plenty about his father that I knew he was not only a "Good Man," but a great man as well. Coach Newell, Jr. was my inspiration to join the coaching ranks, and still is. However, knowing your past helps you know your future. This book sheds light on, who I biasly feel is the greatest college basketball mind. In all the research and studying I've done over the years to prepare myself for coaching, I feel this book has given me so much more than what I have read to date. The book is enlightening, philosophical, saddening and amazingly funny. I recommend this for any college basketball fan or basketball coach. You won't regret it.



5. SITE WAS NOT CLEAR ABOUT THIS BOOK, WE ASK FOR A GOLF BOOK, THEY DID NOT TELL US IT WAS A BASKET BALL BOOK, WE WILL RETURNING IT AS SOON AS WE ARE CONTACTED, CAN NOT SAY WILL RETURN TO THIS SEL FOR FUTURE BUYS OF THIS SORT, NEED TO CLARIFY BEFORE WE PLACE ORDER THK YOU M. COLOMBO

No comments about BILL SELF: At Home in the Phog.

2 comments about Full Court Quest: The Girls from Fort Shaw Indian School Basketball Champions of the World.

1. A find of several arrowheads on our land in western NY sparked my interest in reading Full Court Quest: The Girls from Fort Shaw Indian School: Basketball Champions of the World by Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith. Once the authors introduced me to the players on the basketball team named world champions at the 1904 World's Fair, I found myself immersed in the players' lives as they transitioned from life on reservations and farms with their families to their coming of age at a boarding school, separated from their own cultures.
   
   Because different tribes had been settled in one location at the Fort Shaw Indian School, there existed the potential for conflict, but instead these girls supported one another while negotiating the illnesses that plagued them from time to time, as well as surviving the deaths of parents, siblings, and friends. Starting with a soccer ball and a basket nailed to the wall, they progressed through and over many obstacles to become the "champions of the St. Louis world's fair." Not only did they play two twenty-minute, full-court basketball halves, several times a week and sometimes twice in a day, they also performed pantomime, played musical instruments, and recited poetry as part of their "demonstration" of how Indian girls could become "civilized." They raced up and down the court and through the Northwest exhibiting their talents, recruiting new students, accepting challenges from whites who could barely score against them, showing grace and modesty each time they won.
   
   Even though they were exploited to gain money for their school budgets, these diligent young women put all their efforts into perfecting their performances and heroically presenting a positive view of Native Americans at a time when the whites who lived on their native lands ridiculed, criticized, and denigrated them.
   
   Through newspaper and magazine articles, BIA reports, letters, and oral history from their descendents, the Fort Shaw Girls' Basketball team emerges from the pages as a group of unique individuals, each with her own distinct personality. Numerous photos of the girls and extensive notes add to the details of their lives.
   
   The 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, originally intended to celebrate the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, became the showcase for Native American crafts and lifestyles that were quickly disappearing. The Fort Shaw girls represented the future with their recitations, dance, and exhibition basketball games just as the exhibits represented the past. Their biographers and descendents deserve our praise. Recommended for women's, multicultural, and regional history collections.
   
   by Susan Andrus
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



2. Had enough of football, can't wait for basketball? Full-Court Quest is the perfect gift book for any sports fan who loves inspirational stories this time featuring young women who played full court basketball and won while wearing dresses.

2 comments about Ohio State University Football Vault (College Vault).

1. This is an interesting collection of Buckeye memorabilia that you will see nowhere else but a museum.



2. This is, by far, the most imaginative and compelling collection of Buckeye football trivia and memorablia around. This has provided endless hours of joy and is the PERFECT gift for any Buckeye fan. The same "vault" series is also available for Michigan and Notre Dame fans --- but why would you ever be caught buying that?!!!!
   
   GO BUCKS!!!!

No comments about Formula 1 2007-2008: Technical Analysis.

5 comments about Byrne's New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards.

1. I read the book page by page and practiced with it. My game is 300% better. This book is for every tipe of player.



2. The Chilton Book of pool, Byrne's New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards is a must have for anyone who plays pool.



3. Hey, it may be a good book, I don't own it. But looking at the cover page, should not the 8 ball be in place of the 10?



4. When this book came out 30 years ago it raised the bar for pool and three cushion billiards instruction manuals. Earlier books, such as Ray Martin' 99 Critical Shots, were badly flawed by the gross inaccuracies of their diagrams. Byrne introduced large and accurate scale diagrams, even including parabolic paths for cue balls struck with draw or follow. The last half of the book covers the elegant game of 3-cushion, which is now enjoying a renaissance. It contains by far the best, and nearly the only, explanation of "the diamond system" for calculating multiple rail bank shots. Even a rudimentary familiarity with it should help virtually any pool player. The entire book is leavened with Byrne's characteristic dry wit. I've been recommending this book to students for decades.



5. Bought this book used from amazon. It is an exceelent and easy read that will improve your game immediately. I am still plowing through it but already I see improvement. Some of the photos could be a little sharper but none are so bad that you can't determine what it depicts. Highly recommend it.

5 comments about Triathlete Magazine's Complete Triathlon Book: The Training, Diet, Health, Equipment, and Safety Tips You Need to Do Your Best.

1. I found this book very good. I first got it from the Library and then decided it was a book I wanted on my shelf. It covers all the bases for learning about, training for and performing in Triathlons. It is very up to date and very practical in it's approach. I am a novice and this book has made me feel quite competent in how to approach, prepare for and perform in triathlons. It is chock full of information and I highly recommend it if you're at all serious about improving your performance.



2. This book is full of information about training for any kind of a triathlon, from sprint to ironman. Very informative



3. A decent book. I wish they would have left out a lot of the mind mumbo jumbo stuff. Was looking for a basic training/equipment quide.



4. I bought my Complete Triathlon Book ( Matt fitzgerald) in 2007. I compete in many Duathlons and a few Triathlons.I also run competively 1 or 2 times per week. In general im pretty competitive, like to be near the front, so was looking for lots of new tips etc . I would rate the book as ok. The cover looks great. To get my higher rating I would hope to see many more pictures ' preferably in color' to illustrate various beneficial tri techniques, equipment and ways to save those vital seconds.
   I'm still looking for the perfect Tri Book.
   To date I have found my best advice in seperate swim , bike and run books.
   Gerry K



5. This book covers all the basics of equipment,training, and diet that you need. Great intro to all the facets of triathlons. Sample workouts, tips on saving $$ on gear, how to shop for quality gear, and lists of all you need to successfully complete a triathlon. A must have book.

4 comments about Diabetic Athlete's Handbook.

1. "Diabetic" is such an archaic word. We need to be labeling the disease "diabetes" not the person who has it. We do not call those suffering from cancer -- cancerous. As a Mom of a child with type 1 diabetes, I appreciate the authors attempt to help us manage the disease, but wish she would have put more thought into the title. Some of those suffering from this disease have had it since they were babies. I think it is very important to send the message that they have the disease vs. they are the disease.



2. I read the first version of this book cover to cover. Just got the newer version, and this is full of great practical information that will help my son during his middle school and high school years of playing sports (and beyond!)
   This book also reinforces the message that my son can play any sport with his diabetes!
   Thanks Ms. Colberg!



3. Energizing! In one word, that is how to describe this book. As a proponent of exercise for people with diabetes, I have found this book and Colberg-Ochs previous edition of it the best book out there to inspire us folks with this condition. What it is most powerful in this book is it gives real life stories and solutions to people with diabetes by people with diabetes. In our foundation, we always recommended Colberg-Ochs's Diabetic Athlete's Handbook as the "answer" book for athletes (and those who want to get active) and will continue to with this edition.
   
   Jay Handy, Founder, Diabetes Sports and Wellness Foundation



4. I am waiting for a copy of this book to arrive in the mail! I look forward to the updated content and the contributions by the diabetic athletes. I have lived with diabetes almost 20 years and Colberg's book, "The Diabetic Athlete" changed my life. I was a competitive XC runner in high school and was diagnosed at age 17. At the time I was not presented with ANY resources pertaining to diabetes and athletics. It was like I was all of the sudden running blind. A handful of years after my diagnosis I found Colberg's book. The information was specific and I could read that plenty of accomplished athletes were living and competing with this disease. I was able to update my diabetes management toolbox and begin pushing my athletic limits like never before. I will post a review specific to this book once I read it. Thank you Sheri for continuing to provide updated information on this topic!