Most of us want to tone up and get fitter, and there’s plenty of advice out there to help us; a never-ending avalanche of books, magazines, websites and TV programmes. But who’s got the time to wade through this lot to sift the stuff that works from the rubbish? What we need are failsafe short cuts to increased fitness and an improved sense of well-being. Get fit! is the indispensable guide to improving general fitness and getting the most out of your workouts. Packed with down-to-earth, simple and effective advice, Get fit! will help you find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, develop a healthier and more balanced lifestyle and take your first steps towards a fitter, healthier and happier way of life.

Starting Strength has been called the best and most useful of fitness books. The second edition, Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, has sold over 80,000 copies in a competitive global market for fitness education. Along with Practical Programming for Strength Training 2nd Edition, they form a simple, logical, and practical approach to strength training. Now, after four more years of testing and adjustment with thousands of athletes in seminars all over the country, this third edition expands and improves on the previous teaching methods and biomechanical analysis. No other book on barbell training ever written provides the detailed instruction on every aspect of the basic barbell exercises found in SS:BBT3. And while the methods for implementing barbell training detailed in the book are primarily aimed at young athletes, they have been successfully applied to everyone: young and old, male and female, fit and flabby, sick and healthy, weak and already strong. Many people all over the world have used the simple biological principle of stress/recovery/adaptation on which this method is based to improve their performance, their appearance, and their quality of life. SS:BBT3 is your complete guide to developing strength -- the foundation of athletic performance and the key to long-term health. -- Why barbells are the most effective tools for strength training. -- The mechanical basis of barbell training, concisely and logically explained. -- All new photographs and improved illustrations of all the lifts, and the biomechanics behind them. -- Complete, easy-to-follow instructions for performing the basic barbell exercises: the squat, press, deadlift, bench press, power clean, and the power snatch. -- Revised instruction methods for all six lifts, proven effective in four years of seminar, military, and group instruction. -- How the human body adapts to stress through recovery, and why this is the foundation of the development of strength and lifetime health. -- How to program the basic exercises into the most effective program for long-term progress. -- Completely indexed. -- The most productive method in existence for anyone beginning a strength training program.

With new exercises, additional stretches, and more of Frédéric Delavier’s signature illustrations, you’ll gain a whole new understanding of how muscles perform during strength exercises. This one-of-a-kind best-seller combines the visual detail of top anatomy texts with the best of strength training advice. Many books explain what muscles are used during exercise, but no other resource brings the anatomy to life like Strength Training Anatomy. Over 600 full-color illustrations reveal the primary muscles worked along with all the relevant surrounding structures, including bones, ligaments, tendons, and connective tissue. Like having an X-ray for each exercise, the anatomical depictions show both superficial and deep layers and detail how various setup positions affect muscle recruitment and emphasize underlying structures. New pages show common strength training injuries in a fascinating light and offer precautions to help you exercise safely. Author and illustrator Frédéric Delavier is the former editor in chief of the French publication PowerMag. He is a journalist for Le Monde du Muscle and a contributor to Men’s Health Germany and several other strength training publications.

As running's popularity soars, millions are taking the marathon challenge. Let Hal Higdon, veteran of more than 100 marathons, guide you through the training and preparations to ensure that you cross the finish line in triumph.

Loren Cordain, Ph.D., follows his success of The Paleo Diet with the first book ever to detail the exercise-enhancing effects of a diet similar to that of our Stone Age ancestors.When The Paleo Diet was published, advocating a return to the diet of our ancestors (high protein, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables), the book received brilliant reviews from the medical and nutritional communities. Jennie Brand-Miller, coauthor of the bestselling Glucose Revolution, called it "without a doubt the most nutritious diet on the planet." Doctors Michael and Mary Dan Eades, authors of Protein Power, said, "We can't recommend The Paleo Diet highly enough."Now Dr. Cordain joins with USA triathlon and cycling elite coach Joe Friel to adapt the Paleo Diet to the needs of athletes. The authors show:o Why the typical athletic diet (top-heavy with grains, starches, and refined sugars) is detrimental to recovery, performance, and healtho How the glycemic load and acid-base balance impact performanceo Why consumption of starches and simple sugars is only beneficial in the immediate post-exercise periodAt every level of competition, The Paleo Diet for Athletes can maximize performance in a range of endurance sports.

Building muscle has never been faster or easier than with this revolutionary once-a-week training program In Body By Science, bodybuilding powerhouse John Little teams up with fitness medicine expert Dr. Doug McGuff to present a scientifically proven formula for maximizing muscle development in just 12 minutes a week. Backed by rigorous research, the authors prescribe a weekly high-intensity program for increasing strength, revving metabolism, and building muscle for a total fitness experience.

Endurance athletes are weight-conscious and given the miles and hours spent training, there’s a lot at stake. Weighing in just five or ten pounds over the ideal weight can dramatically impact race results. Author Matt Fitzgerald shows athletes how to identify their optimal weight and body composition to realize their goals. This 5-step plan to get lean is the key to faster racing and better health. With tools to improve diet, manage appetite, and time important nutrients, Racing Weight will inspire and equip athletes to make the subtle changes they need to start their next race at their optimal weight.

Finally, runners at all levels can improve their race times while training less, with the revolutionary Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) program.Hailed by the Wall Street Journal and featured twice in six months in cover stories in Runner's World magazine, FIRST's unique training philosophy makes running easier and more accessible, limits overtraining and burnout, and substantially cuts the risk of injury, while producing faster race times.The key feature is the "3 plus 2" program, which each week consists of:-3 quality runs, including track repeats, the tempo run, and the long run, which are designed to work together to improve endurance, lactate-threshold running pace, and leg speed-2 aerobic cross-training workouts, such as swimming, rowing, or pedaling a stationary bike, which are designed to improve endurance while helping to avoid burnoutWith detailed training plans for 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon, plus tips for goal-setting, rest, recovery, injury rehab and prevention, strength training, and nutrition, this program will change the way runners think about and train for competitive races.Amby Burfoot, Runner's World executive editor and Boston Marathon winner, calls the FIRST training program "the most detailed, well-organized, and scientific training program for runners that I have ever seen."

Drawing on his work with some of the top teams in professional sports, noted sport psychology consultant Gary Mack shares with you the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." These 40 accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes will help you gain the "head edge" over the competition.

This is Pilates as you’ve never seen it before. With detailed descriptions, step-by-step instruction, and stunning full-color anatomical illustrations, Pilates Anatomy takes you inside the exercises and programs that will tone the body, stabilize the core, improve balance, and increase flexibility. Using the original mat work of Joseph Pilates, you’ll see how key muscles are used, how variations and minor adjustments can influence effectiveness, and how breathing, alignment, posture, and movement are all fundamentally linked. Choosing from over 45 exercises, you can target a particular body region and delve deeper to stretch, strengthen, and finely coordinate specific muscles. You’ll also find techniques for breathing, concentration, and self-awareness for a unique exercise experience that enhances your mind and your body. Whether you are just beginning to explore the beauty and benefits of Pilates or have been practicing for years, Pilates Anatomy is a one-of-a-kind resource that you’ll refer to again and again.