5 comments about Going Long: Training for Triathlon's Ultimate Challenge (Ultrafit Multisport Training Series).

1. This book is not for the beginner. You should have a base to start with... and not talking about the base talked about in the book, but if you are just starting out, probably not the book for you. However, if you a recreational or competitive tri athlete this book has many good tips for breaking into the next level.



2. Good balanced book suitable for an experienced triathlete seeking to improve on a training plan.



3. I really enjoyed this book. It helped me decide to do a half an ironman in August 2010.
   Thank You
   Kathy Johnson



4. Really, two stars might be a bit generous. If you've ever subscribed to Runner's World, or Triathlete Magazine, or read another book on triathlon, you are not going to get much new from this book. It merely re-inforces what you already know, so don't hope for any breakthrough information.



5. A must have if you are thinking about going long. I have looked everywhere and read a lot. This is the bible of triathlon information!

5 comments about Complete Conditioning for Swimming.

1. I'm a masters swimmer inspired by Dara Torres. This book provides a smart and thorough approach to swim conditioning. It helps you to identify weak areas and includes great exercises (for in and out of the pool).



2. I coach high school swimming and we've been building our dryland program for a few years. This book has really focused our work and I'm looking forward for some big results this winter.



3. The book has some excellent pieces of information about dryland training. The parts which were a necessity with my swimmers were the rotator cuff prevention strategies. As an ASCA Level III swim coach and an NSCA-CSCS I find myself gaining new ideas from this book.
   
   Don't think it's ONLY about dryland. There are some strength and power building exercises that the author advocates bringing to the pool. For example, using a medicine ball, or elastic tubing in the water to generate power through a specific range of motion for the stroke or for the core.
   
   The DVD was an excellent addition to the book, and many of the exercises are shown in standard form. Variations of the exercises for more difficulty or simplicity are also added throughout the book. The author does not give you a set workout plan, so if you are new to periodizing I would suggest: "Championship Swim Training" by Bill Sweetenham. The book does not go into detail about sprint vs. middle vs. distance training methodology. I think I was expecting a little more info on that.
   
   But if you are a swimmer, a swim coach, a strength trainer, of a sports conditioner who's involved with a population of athletes who swim, I would suggest buying this book and using it as a reference and incorporating some of the things into your programming.



4. The training techniques are very cutting-edge, and I love the way the information is organized. Modules are organized by target area (core, etc) with beginner, intermediate, and advanced techniques. An extremely useful book/dvd. Great for the serious swimmer.



5. I had this shipped to my brother in Seattle for Christmas, and we were very much looking forward to working out together while I visited. I am in hopes that this will be remedied, as I can not rate this item from never seeing it

5 comments about Workouts in a Binder: Swim Workouts for Triathletes.

1. I bought this book after I mistakenly bought the newer, updated version that had workouts more geared for swimmers (different strokes, really high volume, etc). I am very pleased with the book, it offers direction and a plan for those who previously just jump in, swim 1500 and leave. The book has different types of workouts (endurance, speed, strength, etc)and has 2 versions per workout (one usually 500M less than the other). Each workout is 2000M-3500M, so it can be done in a reasonable amount of time. Waterproof pages are key as well



2. There's almost too much information here to pick and choose from. The codes and 'coach-talk' can be difficult to follow.
   
   This book would be more helpful if it were organized along the lines of what you want to accomplish as a triathlete. For example: (1) Sprint Tri: do 'these swim workouts.' (2) Same with Olympic and Ironman distances.
   
   She states '10 new workouts for Ironman distances' but then doesn't really state which workouts those are in the book.



3. Waterproof easy to use. Meant for serious swimming distances. Lots of codes to refer to-but does come in handy by the wet pool!



4. This little water-proof book is fantastic. I keep it right at the gym and simply pick one of the many workouts (endurance, speed, form, force, etc...)and then hit the water. Each workout has a long and a short version so you can select based on how you are feeling that day or the event you are training for. One problem, running and biking have taken back seats to swimming!



5. I see people at the pool with workouts on a piece of paper and stuff then I pull out my handy book and goto the next workout! If you like to swim but would like a structured workout I would recommend this!

5 comments about Jumping into Plyometrics: 100 Exercises For Power & Strength.

1. Hi im suresh from india, im a certified PT from Ace. This book was introduced to me by my ceo. i bought this book and found it very useful. each exercises is explained clearly with relevant usage for particular sport. Don chu is certainly the DON of plyometics, so look no furhter, don waste time jus buy this. i am also thinking of buying the dvd version of the same.



2. Great resource for any and all types of athletes. Informative and quick to buzz through. There is a ton of info. for the novice and pro. It's not organized perfectly, but the content is worth the purchase.



3. Gives a very concise and great intro to the use of plyometrics. I whole heartedly recommend.



4. Awesome book !
   Sport specific exercises that really apply to each sport.
   A definite must have.



5. I liked the simplicity of the book, the outline, the programming outlines, and the list of exercises. My favorite plyometric-specific book to date.

5 comments about Fifty Places to Dive Before You Die: Diving Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations.

1. This book is very informative and the pics are beautiful. I bought this for my husband who is very interested in scuba diving. He enjoys the book very much. The shipping was fast also.



2. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it cover to cover within 2 days. It's a fast read. Each dive site gets about a 2 and 1/2 page description (some destinations get slightly more) with a dive expert giving a brief vignette on some of the highlights they have encountered at the site. The sites range from novice-friendly to much more complicated (for example, the first site listed is in Antarctica... not exactly luxury warm weather diving!!), but there is enough here to entertain divers of all levels.
   
   If you are looking for an in depth analysis of a dive site, this probably isnt the right book for you. The descriptions are just too brief to use the book for that purpose. But if you're just looking for ideas... or if you have a particular large sea creature you are dying to sea (i.e. mola molas, humpbacks, various shark species), the book does a good job of pointing out places where you are more-likely to encounter them. It also hits on dive spots where the macro life is the highlight.
   
   In response to one other's reviewers comments about not having a Red Sea or a Cuba destination, that comment is inaccurate. The Red Sea destination mentioned is Sha'ab Rumi, a location off the coast of Sudan. The author recommends a live aboard boat for this trip. For Cuba, the author recommends Jardines de la Reina, though he cautions US citizens who travel there that they do so at their own risk.
   
   All in all, a fun book to read on a chilly winter day with a cup of coffee and a tired dog asleep at your feet (at least that's how I did it!).



3. I am enjoying reading about places I have been and places I want to dive. Great compilation of dive reviews from around the world.



4. I love this book. It has some wonderful details not normally found in dive books, such as suggested dive operators and little bits of information that you normally wouldn't know about unless you'd traveled to that spot previously. Great photography! Of the places I've been that are in the book, I found the information the book provided to be accurate as well. Nice coffee-table book. Everyone who visits picks it up and has to read a few pages.



5. my son seemed to like it- i am not a diver. he actually re-gited it to his dad (my ex), hoping his dad will take him to some of these places.

5 comments about Swimming Anatomy.

1. This book is an answered prayer! I have been using a specific dryland program which I designed based on my knowledge of human anatomy, but could not find a resource to corroborate my ideas...until THIS WONDERFUL BOOK ARRIVED! Each muscle group has several exercises with a drawing of the portion of the muscular system which the exercise works, the exercises for this specific muscle group and some alternative ways of performing the exercises. Excellent resource. My only complaint is the binding should be spiral so I can lay the book out flat, or even fold it in half.



2. Ian McLeod's "Swimming Anatomy" provides a comprehensive guide to dry-land and weight room exercises which will benefit swimmers of all ages. This book is a user-friendly resource for swimmers looking to increase their strength, power, and speed. It will also be helpful for anyone who helps train swimming athletes - swim coaches, strength coaches, athletic trainers or physical therapists. Broken down by body part, "Swimming Anatomy" describes each exercise in step-by-step, easy to understand instructions. Readers will learn which exercises are important for developing each stroke and/or starts and turns. Drawing on his background as an experienced athletic trainer working with world class and Olympic swimmers, McLeod provides important information on injury prevention and exercise modification for injured swimmers. He also describes exercise progression for swimmers of all ages.



3. Ian McLeod's SWIMMING ANATOMY packs in color exercises and drills perfect for swimmers seeking to strengthen their performance. Over seventy of the most effective swimming exercises are illustrated in color and offer insights into competition with illustrations of active muscles for starts, turns and the four competitive strokes.



4. I highly recommend this book for fitness and competitive swimmers. It is well laid out covering each part of the body and different strokes/start & turns. The "variation" for most dryland exercise allows you to use tubes, weights or physioball - going to a "gym" or expensive equipment is optional.
   
   This is a good book for the injury prone swimmer. The dryland exercises in the book will keep you swimming.



5. Ok swim coaches, go ahead and buy this book. The description of the exercises is good, the anatomical diagrams of the muscles worked in each exercise, and how it relates to swimming is worth every dime this book costs.
   
   I've read weight lifting books for swimmers, and they are usually generic in content, or they are written by coaches who don't explain the "why's".
   
   I've got a former swimmer who consults this book before every session in the gym; her personal trainer saw the book and ordered one for his center. Use the "Look Inside" feature here on Amazon, and the content will impress you.
   
   Coaches should coach, and by that they should be able to explain the "why's" of what they want the kids to do, too many coaches abdicate that role of teacher. If you get the athlete to buy into what they are doing and why they are doing it, they have longer term success. This book will help take a step towards that goal of being a better coach.

5 comments about Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook.

1. Very informative and easy to understand. A MUST read for nutritionists, dietitions, and personal trainers. I also recommend for anyone curious about nutrition from the casual exerciser to seasoned athlete.



2. I was a pretty picky eater until I read this book. After understanding the importance of so many nutrients (and where to find them), I changed my eating habits and exposed myself to several new foods that I now love! I feel so much more educated in nutrition than I ever was before.



3. This is a great book for introducing you to overall nutrition concepts - even for those who are not focused on sports nutrition. One of my goals is to get a better understanding of how to eat right for my running and I used this book to get started.
   
   Clark sites study after study to support her overall thesis and presents a very well support thesis. The major points that I got from this book were: (1) eat the right combination of nutrients by aiming for 3 of the 5 food groups at each meal and (2) the key to loosing or controlling weights in calories - not carb-protein ratios.
   
   Clark first goes through each of the food groups and goes over what quantities and types we should be aiming for in each. Throughout the book she debunks various fad diets. She also spends a lot of time looking at eating disorders, which I did not find quite a useful. The final section of the book goes over numerous recipes.



4. I paid for the fastest form of Federal Express delivery because my son needed it for a class that he was taking in New Zealand. He was leaving in a week. The book did not arrive until after he left!!!! I would have thought that the book would have arrived on time. Instead it arrived the day after he left. It would have cost over $100 to then try to mail it to him in New Zealland which I obviously was not going to do so I bought a book that he will never use. The bottom line --- I have no opinion about the book, but the delivery service was horrible!!!! I have received items faster using regular deliver. I found this very disappointing!!!!



5. I was looking for a book that would teach me well grounded, scientific nutrition. The kind of book where I could learn what a nutritionist might learn in school. This book does just that. No fad stuff in here. She actually has a small section where she talks about the most common fad diets today, and points out their short comings(and even their strengths if they have any). I love how the book was organized to teach how to eat daily, before an event, during events, and after events. Some info on eating to lose weight, but this is not really a "diet" book, though I think even those looking to lose weight could benefit from this book. There is also info on how to gain weight if that is what you are looking for.

5 comments about Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff.

1. I could have saved over $1500 in doctor and physical therapy bills had I read this book after the first Dr visit. If you have shoulder pain, please don't hesitate, buy this book! I now have an immense respect for Jim Johnson.
   
   After 5 months of little progress, I finally found this book and about 6 weeks later I'm back to all my normal sports, full tilt.
   
   The research on strength building and stretching in general was mind blowing! Wow, how could this information be so hidden? Unfortunately, too many people profit from non-health.
   
   JJ will show you the absolute fastest and most efficient way to fix your shoulder. By all means, get several opinions before getting surgery. Both doctors left surgery on the table when my tear was very minor.
   
   Yes, they do not want you to read this book!
   
   Jim, if you're reading this, thank you from the bottom of my heart! You are a great man.
   
   P.S. Even if you never had any back issues, buy his back book. After you build up core strength in your back (2 minutes, 3 times a week, yes, really) then you only need to do it once a week to maintain that strength. And no stretching needed. A small price to pay to avoid back pain.



2. Unlike another critical reviewer here, I think that there is great benefit to understanding how your rotator cuff works before detailing exercises for strengthening it. To this aim, Wikipedia can help greatly. If you can't seem to grasp the information on Wikipedia, maybe this book would be a good bet.
   
   However, I, for one, didn't care for having to sort through pages substance-anemic content to cherry-pick the useful bits; it took me a day to review what I should have been able to glean in one hour.
   
   For example, do I need, in my book on rotator cuffs, to read three pages about how a randomized controlled trial works? IF I don't already know, then I can look it up. Or put it in a glossary; that's what glossaries are for. Do I need to read wordy, precise details of each study? Cite the study, describe the outcome, and be done with it. _Maybe_ put the details in an appendix; either way, I can look it up later if I like. Do I need constant repetition, reminding, and teaching that appears to be geared toward a child? If you read each of these critiques thinking, "that's exactly what I need!" then you won't be disappointed.
   
   "Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff" is not a cheap book, and there honestly isn't a whole lot of content. It _does_ contain some useful information, but getting to this information with the limited table of contents, without section references, with no table of diagrams, with random pointless tangents, and with NO INDEX, can be frustrating.



3. I BOUGHT THIS TO HELP ME WITH SHOULDER PAIN FROM TOO MUCH SQUASH THE BOOK IS FULL OF GREAT EXERCISES AND I WAS ENCOUAGED TO USE IT MORE AND MORE WITH THE EXERCISES AND SOME MASSAGE THERAPY I WAS BACK ON THE SQUASH COURT WITHIN 8 WEEKS I FOUND IT EASY TO READ AND VERY HELPFUL I SUGGEST ANYONE WHO USES IT WITH MASSAGE THERAPY WILL HAVE POSITIVE RESULTS



4. This book gives great insight as to the working of the shoulder,as well as all of the connecting tissues. This is not written on such a level that you will not understand the text, it is clear cut with direct ideas, that will save you having to go to a rehab center and pay big bucks to learn. I would suggest buying this book if you ever had a shoulder injury.



5. A thousand thank yous to Mr. Johnson for being one of the very few self-help-book authors to base all of his recommendations on well-designed scientific studies. On this point alone, Mr. Johnson's book stands head-and-shoulders above nearly all others of its ilk. A job very-well done!
   The next reason that I really like this book is that it only takes a few minutes per day to do the exercises. Yes, folks, rehabilitating your shoulders can really be done without needing to place the rest of your life on hold to make time for endless physical-therapy visits and countless mind-numbingly-boring exercises. While the exercises are still mind-numbingly-boring, you can finish them up well before your favorite news program has finished its coverage of the war in Afghanistan and moved on to the war in Iraq!
   And are the exercises in the book effective? I have to admit that as soon as I realized that they were based on actual scientific evidence, my placebo response went into full swing, and my shoulders felt better before I had even started the exercises!
   However, I've now been doing the exercises for around three months, long-enough for the placebo response to wear off, and my shoulders have definitely improved. The trick for me is to be consistent and do the exercises as specified. I found that it helped to read the book a second time, because I had missed and forgotten important details.
   I highly recommend this book!

5 comments about Mind Gym : An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence.

1. This book includes many of the basic mental concepts discussed in sports: staying positive, etc. Although there were some helpful tips, it was a task to sort through the excessive name dropping. As an athlete, I don't need to know the names of everyone the author has ever helped. I assume, since I am buying and reading the book, that I will at least somewhat trust what is being said and that I will be willing to try it myself. If you need the 150/224 pages of professional athlete anecdotes, then this book is for you. If, like most athletes, you don't have time to sit and read fluff, find another book.



2. I am an 1,90 and 120kg marathon runner. When I announced that I intend to run a marathon the reactions varied from amusement to worry that I will not survive. That might have been the case if I wouldn't have had THIS book. It made all the difference in the world. Maybe half of the training time was "mind gym".
   The result? Not only I have finished alive but I made quite a good time (3h44). This performance changed not my weight (I am still 120kg) but my self-image. I know now that the only limits are in my head. I changed. A lot. From the introvertit obese to the cocky, confident obese :) I fired my boss. Actually, the company fired him for mobbing. I got a fat settlement. I switched careers. I took one sabbatical year and focused on learning trading. Here, again, the "Mind gym" made a huge difference. I become profitable and then ... very profitable. I don't own a Porsche but I am free (of worries, schedules, bosses)
   
   If you intend to buy only one book for the next year: BUY THIS ONE !!



3. Pretty good book if you need some general motivation... The author knows the topic and gives some good examples, but doesn't really get into specific actions to help resolve issues. Also, alot of baseball and golf examples, I found it hard to relate it to the sports I am involved in. Tons of great quotes, etc to get you amped.



4. This book is tough to review because people have different expectations with sport psychology books. If you are looking for a neatly organized system of beliefs, principles, and exercises to begin applying to your game tomorrow this might not be the book for you. Maybe you should check out With Winning In Mind or 10-Minute Mental Toughness? With that said, I loved this book. Once you start it you might not be able to put it down. Its a motivational book that weaves sports psychology principles into stories to illustrate the importance of each principle. This book inspired me to write down an effective system of beliefs and checklists I can go through before a game. The important part is the system and beliefs are mine.



5. This book was recommended to me get over issues I had playing racquetball. I kept making mental mistakes and things got worse as the match progressed. This book has taught me how to stay focus and keep moving forward. My game has improved quite a bit and I have beaten players that I have never beaten before. When things go wrong I use the techniques in this book. I highly recommend this book for anyone who needs to take the next step. This is one of those books that you will read more than once and make notes of certain chapters.

5 comments about Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way To Swim Better, Faster, and Easier.

1. I am not a triathlete, I do not swim competitively although I used to in High School. But I love being in the water. (My real background is dancing.) I am about 30 lbs overweight and have been steadily and slowly shedding pounds through swimming. When I was on a swim team, I became the fastest sprinter in a short time and after training only 2 months with the slowest swimmers on the team. 20 years later I have begun to use the drills and concepts in this book and now I am even faster than ever with fewer strokes.
   
   This is not as important to me as how I feel in the water, how I relate to it and how I feel after my TI practice. As a sprinter who has always shirked long distance training regimes, I can now swim nonstop for much longer periods than I ever had before. I used to jump in the water and just swim without paying any attention to how I moved. Now swimming is more like a meditation practice or a dance class where the energy of mindfulness is the source of movement (and stillness), not willpower or habit. I also love leaving the kickboards, pullboys, paddles etc. out of my swimming and out to rot in the sun - I never liked them to begin with! I give a a close to excellent rating for this book because it has rocked my world and I have fallen in love with water (again) in a way I didn't know was possible. I have been telling my friends that this is like doing a yoga practice in water.
   
   I know that the author wants to reach a wide audience. My only criticism of the book is that it is oriented a little too much towards triathletes and males at that, and not enough towards other types of folks who love to be physical - like dancers. I am guessing much of what Terry Laughlin has come up against in the form of resistance to this totally new 'outside the box' approach to swimming justifies the many pages spent trying to convince nay sayers that the old way is inferior. I do not need to be convinced.
   
   This book is totally awesome and TI will be known through history as the turning point in the evolution of all swimmer's' relationship to water.



2. This book is an essential for any coach wanting to assist individuals with open water swimming. Individuals will benefit greatly from the use of this book but will find greater value when complimented by an experienced coach. The video is also of real value



3. I always loved the water, but I'd never been taught to swim freestyle and I wanted to compete in a triathlon. I tried going to some Masters swim classes but after months of trying I was still exhausted after only 100 meters, and the 1/2 mile ocean swim looked increasingly impossible. This book, in combination with video clips on the Total Immersion website, taught me how to swim comfortably, with fewer strokes and less exertion than some of the tri-fanatics I trained with. Now I easily swim long distances for fun, breathing comfortably on both sides - and believe me, it never would have happened without this book! I love this book and find myself recommending it frequently to people who ask me for advice at the pool.



4. It works. It must be complemented watching videos (type the title of the book on youtube). I use also a snorkel that works perfectly with this technique.



5. I taught myself the basic swimming about 7 years back. However I could never improve my stroke from a certain level, because it was not efficient. I always used to get out of breath after doing a lap or two. I got frustrated and didn't swim for next 6 years, till my wife forced me to get back to swimming last year.
   
   That is when I got this book, and in one year, my stroke has improved so much that I can do 30-40 laps non stop without tiring or getting out of breath. So I am very satisfied for the money I spent, comparing it to the lessons from a professional trainer.
   
   Now for the book, you can skip all the initial chapters and go straight to the drills, it is the drills that make the difference, rest of the book can be ignored barring some training plans mentioned later in the book. Some reviewers mention that it is lacking the pictures, well the drills section has images and of-course everyone is a little different, so some effort from the reader's side to experiment is needed to make their stroke better.