Other books that might interest you

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  Barefoot Zen - The Shaolin Roots...

  Nathan J. Johnson

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  Most books about Kung Fu or Karate deal with techniques or history. Few examine the underlying purpose of these arts, or approach them as a tool for spiritual, rather than physical, development. Barefoot Zen is a brave new approach to the martial arts, which clearly demonstrates that the traditional movements of both Kung Fu and Karate, contained in the solo choreographed sequences of movements known as forms (or kata), grew out of the spiritual practices of the Shaolin order of Buddhist monks and nuns. Nathan Johnson explains that this mystical and non-violent teaching is a profound and beautiful expression of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and its pur-suit of wisdom, peace, and enlightenment. Contrary to popular assumption, he contends that it was never intended to be an actual means of self-defense. Barefoot Zen bridges the gap between Kung Fu and Karate, and reveals their common origin through the disclosure of vital research material on three of the world's most important Karate kata. Part I explains the spiritual disciplines that contributed to what we know as the martial arts.Part II explains the creation of the art along with practical instruction for performing kata.Part III explains the formation of many of the world's Kung Fu styles. We learn that the original "empty hand art" was used as a method of kinetic meditation between pairs and was designed as a practical tool to assist practitioners in transcending the fear and insecurity of everyday living. Barefoot Zen makes the legacy of the Shaolin way accessible to all, releasing the art from the clutches of popular images and painful concerns about self-defense. The legendary courage of the Shaolin (Chan/Zen) order was not developed by fighting with enemies, but by not fighting!The Shaolin teaching was designed to free us from fear, the only true enemy.

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  Miracle Men - How Rassie's...

  Lloyd Burnard

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  When Rassie Erasmus took over as coach of the Springboks in 2018, few thought they had a chance of winning the Rugby World Cup. The Boks had slipped to seventh in the world rankings and lost the faith of the rugby-loving public. Less than two years later, jubilant crowds lined the streets of South Africa's cities to welcome back the victorious team.
  Sportswriter Lloyd Burnard takes the reader on the thrilling journey of a team that went from no-hopers to world champions. He examines how exactly this turnaround was achieved. Interviews with players, coaches and support staff reveal how the principles of inclusion, openness and focus, as well as careful planning and superb physical conditioning, became the basis for a winning formula. The key roles played by Rassie Erasmus and Siya Kolisi shine through.
  There were ups and downs along the way: beating the All Blacks in Wellington during the Rugby Championship was a high point, but then came Kolisi's injury, while in Japan the distractions of a volatile support base sometimes shook the players' focus. Miracle Men is filled with marvellous anecdotes and sharp insights. It is also inspiring testimony to what can be achieved when a group of South Africans from all backgrounds come together as a team.

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  Golf Beneath the Surface - The...

  Raymond Prior

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  An essential resource for golfers who want to play a smarter, more fulfilling game on the greenFor as long as golf has existed, the game's greatest players and instructors have lauded the importance of mental resilience. However, while golfing equipment and course strategy have evolved over time, the field of golf psychology has not kept pace. Many outdated, unscientific notions remain widespread, despite the fact that they actually lead to repetitive, harmful patterns that impair golfer gameplay and create mental barriers to success.In Golf Beneath the Surface, performance consultant Dr. Raymond Prior expertly debunks these "surface-level" psychology myths and explains psychological predictors that encourage long-term growth and skillful performance under pressure. Backed by rigorously researched neuroscience and psychology and drawing on years of experience working with some of the world's best players, Dr. Prior shares fresh, practical insights into how golfers think, train, and play, both on and off the course.Accessible and entertaining, Golf Beneath the Surface challenges the status quo and brings a long-overdue update to modern performance psychology.

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  Running Outside the Comfort Zone...

  Susan Lacke

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  Running offers much more than road racing! 
  After a decade of writing about running, sports columnist Susan Lacke found herself in a serious running rut. The runners around her seemed to be thriving, setting goals, and having fun, but her own interest in running was lackluster. 
  Seeking to reengage with the sport she once loved, Lacke spent a year exploring running in its many shapes and forms, taking on running challenges that scared her, pushed her, and downright embarrassed her. From races with giant cheese wheels to a regional wife-carrying competition, a naked 5K to climbing the dark stairwells of the Empire State Building, Lacke's brave forays and misadventures are chronicled in wondrous and funny stories. 
  Running Outside the Comfort Zone uncovers the brash, bold, and very human sides of running, and along the way Susan rekindles her own crush on America's favorite all-comers sport.

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  Force of Nature - Mind Body Soul...

  Laird Hamilton

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  Laird Hamilton has been hailed as the world's greatest big-wave surfer. His first book, Force of Nature, allows listeners a rare glimpse inside the unique philosophy that has created his circumstances, and not the other way around. After all, this is a man whose biological father abandoned him shortly after he was born; whose first job was working on a pig farm; who dropped out of school in 11th grade. And then the career decision: surfer. Though earning enough to pay the rent as any kind of surfer is next to impossible, Hamilton has ended up in the place we all desire to be: doing exactly what he loves, becoming the world's best in the process, making a great living, being surrounded by nature and family, and radiating peak health and fitness.How did he get there? And, more importantly, how can the rest of us join him?Force of Nature is a detailed map to that destination, with Laird Hamilton as the listener's guide. It's not about chasing trophies or accolades or cash. It's about quality over quantity, soul, and being true to your physical, mental, and spiritual roots. Not only is it possible to thrive in the modern world without adopting its harmful habits, it's essential. And not only has Hamilton mastered this balance, he makes a compelling and articulate case that anyone who wants to can do the same.

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  Adolph Rupp and the Rise of...

  James Duane Bolin

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  An in-depth look at the life of the influential University of Kentucky basketball coach and his legacy. 
   
  Known as the “Man in the Brown Suit” and the “Baron of the Bluegrass,” Adolph Rupp (1901–1977) is a towering figure in the history of college athletics. In Adolph Rupp and the Rise of Kentucky Basketball, historian James Duane Bolin goes beyond the wins and losses to present the fullest account of Rupp’s life to date based on more than one-hundred interviews with Rupp, his assistant coaches, former players, University of Kentucky presidents and faculty members, and his admirers and critics, as well as court transcripts, newspaper accounts, and other archival materials. His teams won four NCAA championships (1948, 1949, 1951, and 1958), the 1946 National Invitation Tournament title, and twenty-seven Southeastern Conference regular season titles. Rupp’s influence on the game of college basketball and his impact on Kentucky culture are both much broader than his impressive record on the court. 
   
  Bolin covers Rupp’s early years?from his rural upbringing in a German Mennonite family in Halstead, Kansas, through his undergraduate years at the University of Kansas playing on teams coached by Phog Allen and taking classes with James Naismith, the inventor of basketball?to his success at Kentucky. This revealing portrait of a pivotal figure in American sports also exposes how college basketball changed, for better or worse, in the twentieth century. 
   
  Praise for Adolph Rupp and the Rise of Kentucky Basketball 
   
  “This detailed and richly researched biography is written in a clear and engaging manner that reflects the work of a historian at the top of his game. Bolin is definitely fully engaged with Adolph Rupp’s multi-faceted life and has demonstrated his mastery of his wide-ranging sources. An excellent book!” —Richard O. Davies, Distinguished Profess or History, Emeritus, University of Nevada, Reno 
   
  “An incisive analysis of Adolph Rupp’s role in creating the Big Blue Nation . . . . An unvarnished and well-sourced examination of a flawed human being . . . . A must-read for any true Kentucky fan.” —Roberta Schultz, WVXU Radio Cincinnati

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