Best Skateboarding
“Skate, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll!”—Kat Von D, LA Ink Forward by Tony Hawk Skateboarder and Jackass star Brandon Novak comes clean about his crazy rise to fame, tailspin into addiction, and other death-defying stunts on the road to recovery... Discovered by skate legends Bucky Lasek and Tony Hawk. Soon the up-and-coming star was living a down-and-out life in a garage, begging for change, and hustling to score his next fix. With the help of his celebrity buddy Bam Margera of Jackass fame, Brandon joined the cast of MTV’s Viva La Bam and made an honest reach for sobriety. Eventually repudiating the abject life of a junkie, he entered rehab and subsequently recovered with the help of fellow star skateboarder Bam Margera. This would be most powerful for an audience weaned on the X-Games; also a forthcoming film of the same name.—Lynne Maxwell. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Very good book with many crazy stories."
"One of the best books I've read."
"I read it twice and then went and read my favorite parts for the third time!"
"was addicted to this book couldnt stop reading it."
"I never thought brandon novak had this much potential to write such a good heartfelt book that literally sent me to tears."
"This book was very good and inspiring. I need more words I'm giving it 5 stars cause I want the second one to come out sooner and Brandon Novak Facebook page said this would help."
He starts high school and, along with his group of misfit friends, soon becomes a contender on the Cincinnati skateboard scene. It deals in themes any young adult, skateboarder or not, can relate to and leaves you pondering your life when you’re done.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was interested just from reding the description on the back of the book."
"He is an honest, respectful person that can serve as a role model while keeping it real."
"Good read."
"I want to see the next chapter of his life, although I know that might be to personal:( Reading the end made me think a lot about life."
"This is the greatest book I've ever read."
"The emotions I felt while reading this book were so raw and heavy."
"I loved the book."
"I just loved this book so much,I wish there was another one,Andy did a great job mixing life and skating together it was a 10/10."
The increasing number of followers of the two movement cultures, Parkour and Freerunning, have given rise to the need for safe, methodical orientation, which the reader finds in this book. Having grown up with soccer, tennis, basketball and aggressive inline skating, he discovered the Move Artistic platform in 2003, and, two years later, Parkour and Freerunning. After his career as an artistic gymnast and his studies at the German Sports University in Cologne, he went on to teach there as a visiting lecturer.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For instance, if your feet scrape the top of an obstacle during a kong vault, lower your center of gravity during approach, take off closer to the wall, etc... Outside of "How To" areas,other sections cover the history and origin of Parkour, how it differs from Freerunning and some interviews with some of the world's top Traceurs."
"I have been interested in Parkour and Free Running for sometime and recently found the time to devote to it. This book is comprehensive in it's history of Parkour and Free Running, basic exercise physiology and a break-down of the movements required for certain maneuvers. Having a layman's knowledge of physiology and nutrition, I found the section covering muscles and exercise to be most educational."
"It is definitely aimed more towards beginners.... however, even advanced parkour practitioners can find some very useful information."
"i started getting into parkour last year and was looking for resources to help me train. but now that i have this book i am so much more excited to teach gymnastics and slip some parkour in there."
"But with the built in table of context its much easier to navigate because i simply select the segment i would like to read and continue from there."
"I am looking to start training Parkour, but there aren't any instructors or really anyone who practices where I live, so I thought the next best thing would be a book."
"This book takes you from beginning stage Parkour and free-running to advanced and expert techniques and gives you online resources to continue your training."
Best Boxing
To possess the skills, techniques and attitude of the true practitioner of aikido, one must achieve a very high level of integration of the powers of mind and body, the harmonious combination of physical means and ethical motives. "It has been a most useful reference for me over the years, and I'd highly encourage any adult to make it a part of your personal Aikido library." If you're not a student of Aikido, this book can still be a useful way to familiarize yourself with the art on a theoretical level. It's also an interesting resource for anyone who wants to do some serious thinking about their martial art.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The original hardbound edition with slip cover was gorgeous."
"If you have been in this form of martial arts for a while it's still a good way to brush up on your understanding."
"Again, a main feature of the book, as contrasted with most others on Aikido, is that it makes deep analyses of the various aspects of the art, from ethics and theoretical underpinnings to the techniques that are practiced in training, and even touching on the highest levels, though it is by nature an introductory book."
"Answers all your question - one will always continue on life's journey but The Dynamic Sphere gives you a great foundation to motivate you-get you started."
"I am returning to Aikido after a three year recovery from an auto accident and even though I have my original copy in story I am happy to be shopping for a second."
"This is the best Aikido manual period."
"Second, the book addresses both the philosophy of aikido (its tenets, values, and meditative characteristics), as well as the technique of aikido (its movements and defensive tactics), and it explains the link between the philosophy and technique in an especially coherent way. Notably, the book acknowledges up front that it provides only a limited introduction to the techniques (at ~370 pages): given its intent as an aikido handbook, rather than an aikido encyclopedia, I don't see that as a flaw. If you are interested in either aikido or martial arts generally, this book is worth picking up."
"i received the product in good condition."
Best Wrestling
Gary's lessons and David's writing provide examples of the importance of the mental game." Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--you will learn the same techniques and exercises Mack uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." In Mind Gym , noted sports psychology consultant Gary Mack teaches athletes the lessons he's learned about how the mind influences athletic performance as much as physical skill does, if not more so. Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--Mack shares the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great book-easy to read and provides a lot of good insight into mental training and imagery."
"This has some good stuff in it but it is very redundant in its content."
"This is my go-to sports psychology book for encouragement."
"I have always tried to emphasize the importance of mental training to my athletes and clients."
"Great book."
"They will let me know whether or not the books were good reads."
"Actually, the book was recommended by one of my former athletes, a state champion."
"Excellent book to get an athlete to consider the mental aspect of sport."
Best Bowling
One of the world’s most highly sought-after bowling instructors provides bowlers with comprehensive coverage on the essential equipment, techniques, lane play and spare-shooting strategies, and mental training necessary for success on the lanes. “In the second edition of Bowling Fundamentals , Michelle combines her vast knowledge of the game and almost three decades of experience as a world-class player and premier coach to help bowlers of all ages and levels advance their skills and techniques.”. Regardless of your skill level, this great book provides the technique instruction and motivational tips so you can learn and enjoy the game.”. She and Sill run an annual fundraising event, called “Bowl-4-Animal Rescue” (bowl4animalrescue.org), with 100% of the proceeds benefitting local animal charities. Mullen is from Chicago and lives in Livonia, Michigan, along with her 3 dogs and four cats, who insist that “rescued is her favorite breed”.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Really,I am at square 2 of 10 and developing due to my lessons and the book, but my understanding of bowling as a physical art vs a "chuck it and hope" game is due to this book."
"I had to get the 2nd edition to get updated on reactive and newer balls and techniques as I was getting back into bowling after many years of not participating."
"This is a useful text."
"Well, i'm still a crap bowler but now I know exactly what i'm doing wrong and how to fix it."
"I highly recommend this book."
"Good book, but could use some updated pictures."
"Has a lot of helpful hints in bowling for all ages."
"This is an old dog with ingrained habit who has already learned some new tricks and improved his delivery and pin count just by practicing what has been preached."
Best Fencing
Using clear and concise explanations and highly detailed illustrations, this book takes you step by step through the body mechanics of the sword, from foundations to essential elements. The Practice Module provides advice on choosing training equipment as well as a comprehensive array of drills and exercises designed to put everything you learned in the previous module into practice. Finally, the Calibration module gives you all of the information you need to put your skills to the test by cutting targets with a sharp sword, from advice on choosing a sword to how to purchase, prepare and set up tatami and other targets. If I were to list everything I like about the book, my list would have more bullet points than the book has pages. "This book is a MUST HAVE for any Historical European Martial Arts enthusiast! "Edelson's book is singular in its attempts to inform and guide the practitioner through a synthesis of centuries-old knowledge and modern science, to foster realistic sword training, in a clear methodical manner. "Michael Edelson's decades of training in sword arts has given him not only the knowledge of how to use these weapons, but also the knowledge of how to pass on these skills to other people. This book is a valuable resource for the historical martial arts community and to anyone wanting to understand in clear terms the proper ways in which to use medieval swords." He is a world renowned practitioner and teacher of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) and is the founder and principal instructor of the New York Historical Fencing Association.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book is excellent at explaining the key points of proper body mechanics not only for cutting, but also for improving proper body mechanics as they translate to martial practice."
"I bought this as a gift for a medieval sword combat snob and it was very well received."
"Michael Edelson has made a text that is easy to follow, informative and makes crystal clear the key aspects of medieval martial swordsmanship."
"This book presents the key concepts of body mechanics in a clear and straightforward way, and provides drills and exercises for developing those mechanics."
"The information presented is extremely easy to navigate and helpful for those, like myself, who want to delve deeper into the art of cutting with European style swords."
"Edelson's book is singular in its attempts to inform and guide the practitioner through a synthesis of centuries-old knowledge and modern science, to foster realistic sword training, in a clear methodical manner."
"Even as I consider myself an advanced practitioner of historical fencing and a cutting medalist, I shall be spending quite a bit more time reading and digesting this material. This is a must-have book for any historical fencer. I suspect great advances in understanding the fullness of historical European swordplay will be made as researchers apply these fundamental biomechanical principles laid out by the author and apply them to the challenging questions and technique descriptions left to us by the original masters."
"This is a fantastic book that gets at the heart of what makes a sword a sword, and what makes swordsmanship different from sport/olympic fencing and "sword-tag"."
Best Cycling
Plunging into a new way of eating that made processed foods off-limits and that prioritized plant nutrition, and vowing to train daily, Rich morphed—in a matter of mere months —from out-of-shape midlifer to endurance machine . Finding Ultra recounts Rich’s remarkable journey to the starting line of the elite Ultraman competition, which pits the world’s fittest humans against each other in a 320-mile ordeal of swimming, biking, and running. ''Rich Roll's Finding Ultra is a testament to the power of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle, break down walls, and redefine what's possible.''. --John Brenkus, creator and host of ESPN's Sport Science and New York Times bestselling author. ''You walk away from reading this book knowing you have the total power to transform your life on every level . '' Finding Ultra'' is about a journey we all take as human beings, when we decide to pursue the impossible and live a life of mission. --Sanjay Gupta, MD, Emmy Award-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN and New York Times bestselling author. -- Mel Stewart, fourteen-time national champion, former world record holder, and winner of two Olympic gold medals in swimming. ''Roll has accomplished amazing things, but it is his ability to draw inspiring and uniquely insightful lessons from his experiences that sets him apart from other extreme athletes. '' Finding Ultra is an inspired first-person account of fast living and even faster swimming, biking, and running that will leave you convinced of the power of your own will.''. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and four children and, when he isn't training or competing, manages the entertainment boutique Independent Law Group.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book will make the impossible possible for you."
"A great read and very inspirational."
"Very inspiring."
"I enjoyed this book and you will too if you are a runner or interested in nutrition or veganism. Also on the edge when it comes to nutrition."
"This isn't a how-to manual or preachy sermon about "living right", it's just about one mans journey from lazy to amazing."
"This book is one of the most fascinating and well written books that I have read."
"The only thing I didn't like about the audio CD was that there was no additional list information of the foods he mentions in his book, so I bought the book to see the lists."
"But I see this book as more than that. And of course if you're reading the book it's a good bet that you're an endurance athlete, vegan, married to one or both of those, etc..."
Best Juggling
Learn exactly how working professionals eat fire in this tell-all book, written in an easy-to-follow "how-to" format. 172 pages - 208 illustrations - 24 effects - 8 spin flourishes - PLUS sections on material safety, torch construction, health risks, tips for the working professional, the history of fire eating, and more! See page 101. What can you do to save your life in the event of a fire eating mishap? The Professional's Guide to Fire Eating gets you detailed facts you need to know about fire eating, including one section NEVER BEFORE included in ANY fire eating manual to date. Johnson, Magician and Hypnotist. "This is The Bible of fire eating books."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Know your fuels know your mediums, know your surroundings, get to know your pain and discomfort tolerance levels and safety safety safety always. Get this book but in the name of all things common sense do not do any of this without the supervision of an experienced fire performer and safety crew."
"I have since learned how to eat fire properly, and can do plenty of very impressive fire tricks using this book as an instruction."
"Very informative, covers everything you need to know before trying this skill, lots of quality safety information, good variety of tricks and some interesting history."
"By far this is the best fire eating book out there."
"Awsome book."
"The price tag held me off on purchasing it for a few weeks while I tried to justify the 40 bucks or so on a book for a hobby, but once I received it, it was obvious why it's not the average Amazon paperback price, this thing is a text book."
"Great book."
"Brian not only gives you the down & dirty - he tells you his horror stories....if you want to perform this crazy stunt and are a chicken head eating geek like myself....it's a great place to start....warmest wishes to all !"
Best Triathlons
Plunging into a new way of eating that made processed foods off-limits and that prioritized plant nutrition, and vowing to train daily, Rich morphed—in a matter of mere months —from out-of-shape midlifer to endurance machine . Finding Ultra recounts Rich’s remarkable journey to the starting line of the elite Ultraman competition, which pits the world’s fittest humans against each other in a 320-mile ordeal of swimming, biking, and running. ''Rich Roll's Finding Ultra is a testament to the power of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle, break down walls, and redefine what's possible.''. --John Brenkus, creator and host of ESPN's Sport Science and New York Times bestselling author. ''You walk away from reading this book knowing you have the total power to transform your life on every level . '' Finding Ultra'' is about a journey we all take as human beings, when we decide to pursue the impossible and live a life of mission. --Sanjay Gupta, MD, Emmy Award-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN and New York Times bestselling author. -- Mel Stewart, fourteen-time national champion, former world record holder, and winner of two Olympic gold medals in swimming. ''Roll has accomplished amazing things, but it is his ability to draw inspiring and uniquely insightful lessons from his experiences that sets him apart from other extreme athletes. '' Finding Ultra is an inspired first-person account of fast living and even faster swimming, biking, and running that will leave you convinced of the power of your own will.''. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and four children and, when he isn't training or competing, manages the entertainment boutique Independent Law Group.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book will make the impossible possible for you."
"I really liked this book."
"A great read and very inspirational."
"Very inspiring."
"I enjoyed this book and you will too if you are a runner or interested in nutrition or veganism. Also on the edge when it comes to nutrition."
"This isn't a how-to manual or preachy sermon about "living right", it's just about one mans journey from lazy to amazing."
"This book is one of the most fascinating and well written books that I have read."
"The only thing I didn't like about the audio CD was that there was no additional list information of the foods he mentions in his book, so I bought the book to see the lists."
Best Rollerskating & Rollerblading
Informative, entertaining, and executed with the same tough, sassy, DIY attitude leavened with plenty of humor that the sport is known for, Down and Derby is the first and last book on derby you’ll ever need. Praise for Down and Derby As someone who has witnessed the many transitions of roller derby almost from the beginning, I can say that this chronicle isn’t just for fans of all the stages of the game, but for anyone who wants to enjoy an inspiring story about truly fascinating people.” Jerry Seltzer, derby pioneer and owner of the original Roller Derby league. Veterans in the world of roller derby, Axles and Kasey are an inspiration to derby girls everywhere, myself included. Part manifesto, part how-to-guide, Down and Derby demystifies the world of roller derby, showing readers it’s as inclusive as it is cool. As the author of an old Roller Derby book, let me just say this to the new kid on the rink: up with Down and Derby .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"An absolutely necessary, fun, well-written, and especially encouraging book on starting, learning more about, supporting and playing roller derby!"
"As a coach for my local roller derby league, I have recommended this book to each and every league mate at least three or four times to each person in the time it took me to read it in it entirety."
"Awesome look at history of the sport to where it is now."
"A little cheesy at times, but overall it was a decent read."
"As someone who has been around roller derby all of about 8 weeks, I wanted to learn whatever I could about the sport and its revival."
"I have been in Roller Derby for just under a year and so many of the comment, interviews etc in this book just made me smile (and maybe get nearly teary) as this book is so perfectly real."
"Down and Derby is comprehensive narrative of the sport -- its rules, history, cultural impact, personalities and evolution -- written in an intelligent and light style."
"I let my derby wife borrow this book and I still havent gotten it back."
Best Gymnastics
Gary's lessons and David's writing provide examples of the importance of the mental game." Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--you will learn the same techniques and exercises Mack uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." In Mind Gym , noted sports psychology consultant Gary Mack teaches athletes the lessons he's learned about how the mind influences athletic performance as much as physical skill does, if not more so. Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--Mack shares the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great book-easy to read and provides a lot of good insight into mental training and imagery."
"This has some good stuff in it but it is very redundant in its content."
"Great book."
"They will let me know whether or not the books were good reads."
"Actually, the book was recommended by one of my former athletes, a state champion."
"Some parts of this book are really interesting but I was expecting more theory and more exercises."
"Excellent book to get an athlete to consider the mental aspect of sport."
"Best book ever for mental strength on any sport and just all around confidence in life."
Best Archery
The book sets forth theories about motor learning and control that provide lessons for learning any sport or physical activity. So many books have been written about the meditation side of Zen and the everyday, chop wood/carry water side of Zen. But few books have approached Zen the way that most Japanese actually do--through ritualized arts of discipline and beauty--and perhaps that is why Eugen Herrigel's Zen in the Art of Archery is still popular so long after it first publication in 1953.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The idea and thought is wonderful - for anyone curious about beyond what it is immediately presented as daily life."
"Easily one of the most impactful books I have read in my life."
"Very informative--easily generalizable to pistol marksmanship."
"A book written in the 1920s aimed at today."
"This book is very good for the target archer who has difficulty getting out of their head when shooting."
"You can look it that way but it is really about basic human stability and how that is derived from always coming back to fundamentals and simplicity. We tend to get caught up in our own drama and, at least from my view, the ideas here help me remember to start from breathing and steadying my foundation, and from there you have the best shot to get out of the soup and get some answers."
Best Horse Sports
In Bloodlines, Emmy and National Magazine Award-winning journalist Melissa del Bosque follows Lawson and Perez's harrowing attempt to dismantle a cartel leader’s American racing dynasty built on extortion and blood money. ''Through suspense, excellent reporting and impeccable writing, Melissa del Bosque tells a fascinating tale of corruption, extortion, and the intricacies of money laundering by a drug cartel that transformed the face of organized crime in the Western Hemisphere.''. Until one day he was asked to check out a tip from a source: a horse was sold at an Oklahoma auction for a record-topping price, and the buyer was Miguel Treviño, one of the leaders of the Zetas, Mexico’s most brutal drug cartel. In Bloodlines, Emmy and National Magazine Award–winning journalist Melissa del Bosque follows Lawson and Perez’s harrowing attempt to dismantle a cartel leader’s American racing dynasty built on extortion and blood money. With extensive access to investigative evidence and in-depth interviews with key players, del Bosque turns more than three years of research and her decades of reporting on Mexico and the border into a gripping narrative about greed and corruption.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I learn again how the ties between Mexico and the US are forever."
"Fascinating look into the lengthy process of discovering potential crimes and then working undercover to develop the facts required to prosecute the criminals."
"A very interesting look at the trials and tribulations relating to a real life investigation by the FBI and other agencies and how they tend to conflict with each other."
"Very well written, from the beginning to the end!"
"This book will take its place alongside "El Narco" for being an authoritive resource on the border war on drugs."
"Delivered on time and was exactly as advertised."
"Great Read ."
"GREAT READ, HIGHLY RECOMMEND."