Sports Books

This is one of the best jiu jitsu books ever it gives in great detail insight to Eddie Bravo's game.

I got this book because I really liked how Mastering the Rubber guard was set up and hoped that Mastering the Twister would be just as useful and enjoyable. I can honestly say that it was and that I was very pleased with the purchase. What I liked about both products was that they both teach a System of techniques that all link together and include "go to" moves for when things don't go according to plan. I also liked the personal stories that Mr. Bravo included; I felt that the combination of these two elements took these books well beyond what most martial arts books provide. The value of these books is that they are useful as reference, good for new ideas as they contain an unorthodox BJJ game, and they are highly entertaining. Definitely well worth the purchase. Keep up the good work!

Just like his book on the Rubber Guard, Eddie Bravo's 'Mastering the Twister' is an innovative, effective and insightful system of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu without the gi, that both intermediate and longtime practitioners will benefit in many ways from.

Like 'Mastering the Rubber Guard', this isn't just an encyclopedia of moves and positions, but a complete gameplan and system. There is a flow-chart that details each position as it transitions to the next, and Eddie goes into excellent detail on the intricacies of each technique. Like other Victory Belt published books, this is as good an instructional you will get short of a DVD video release. Highly recommended.

This is advanced BJJ however, so beginners will be adviced not to just jump in without a firm grasp of the basics. It should also be noted that Mastering the Twister is a direct "sequel" if you will to Mastering the Rubber Guard, so it will be good to start with that book first, though not totally necessary. What MTRG did for the bottom game, MTTwister does for the top game.

Eddie's system is freaking awesome! I am an accomplished grappler and have always been interested in new techniques, etc. I was already familiar with the twister and a couple of the setups, but Eddie's book blew me away. My top game is so sick right now, that not one of my fellow students, nor my coach, can touch me!
If you have some grappling experience, this book will revolutionize your top game.
If you are new, this will help you, but you might get lost in some of the more complex transitions.
Either way, Eddie Bravo and his system kick butt!

Anyone interested in no gi grappling should buy this book. This book is very clear and well organized. There are some different and new ideas in this book that should expand your game. This book as well as EB first book Mastering the Rubber Guard are two of the best bjj books you can buy.

One of the best and most enjoyable books I have read in years. Anybody remotely interested in racing or cars should read this.

This is simply a great book. I am familiar with Stewart's excellence as a speaker so it should come as no surprise that he tells great stories in print too. What comes through beyond the details of his life is his committment to integrity and thoughtfulness above all else in human nature. Jackie is as concerned about a gameskeeper in rural Scotland as the Royal person or CEO in his next meeting.

The book is full of wonderful anecdotes about his career but what is truly remarkable are the powerful recollections he brings to each tale. It's not enough for Jackie to remember the date he drove X or met with Y, he also recalls the weather, what everyone was wearing and what they had for dinner. These memories create a lush background for the storyteller to act upon.

If there is a downside to the book it is Stewart's need to name everyone associated with even trivial events in his life. I think this is just Jacklie's way of being inclusive and thanking all, and is at best a small defect in what is otherwise a warm and readable story about an extraordinary life. Highly recommended.

I found this in my local book store and was surprised that it has not been released by Amazon yet. Being a formula one fan may make me a bit biased but i can say with sincere honesty that this is the best autobiography i have ever read. For a person to be ridiculed at school for suffering from dyslexia and then going on to become a true ambassador for the sport of f1 and others, Jackie Stewart is a truly remarkable man and i cannot rate this book more highly. A must for anybody's library.

This story is not only impressive in the athletic achievement; it is noteworthy that she refuses to abandon her goals even when faced with the impenetrable wall of the Kremlin's closed border mindset.

Well worth reading.

For the first 150+ pages I was intrigued with Ms.Cox's swims.....her amazing endurance and determination. But then...page after page after page....more or less the same....far more than I ever needed or wanted to know about long distance swimming particularly in icy cold waters. When.....at the last chapter...she actually did swim in Antartica waters, although I was sitting in my warm office, I shivered.

This is one of the best books I've read. It's an incredible story of a girl who was inspired to do something painful and difficult -- both to test herself and for the thrill and love of the cold water. It's very well written and hard to put down. I have recommended this book to friends and family members who swim, as well as other people who enjoy reading about accomplished women. I found myself cheering her on in each swim and feeling what she felt. After reading this I can never complain again about getting tired from swimming a few laps! Go Lynne!

Lynne Cox is a somewhat gifted writer ; an astonishingly gifted swimmer. Put them together and you get this very solid book. Lynne lovingly and with stunning clinical accuracy reports on her experiences of achieving the impossible. She shows us just how human a superhuman person can be, if that makes sense. (hey, did I say *I* was a writer??)

I felt that by reading this book, I had a bit more understanding of what it might feel like to have a gift. Lynne shares that with us, along with her honest frustration at the beginning of her 'career' when she was not super fast or super buff. Talk about finding one's niche!

It was interesting to read in the USMS journal this month, that more studies are being done to learn about certain people who can tolerate cold; Lynne's experiences pioneered these studies.

I would refrain from judging her for what she did or did not contribute to world peace. She certainly harmed nobody, and as mentioned above, kickstarted some studies which may benefit us all in the future. Yes, I too would have enjoyed some photos and some more personal information about Lynne Cox. (Reading her next book, Grayson, did nothing to satisfy this curiosity.)

I'm not sure you have to be a swimmer per se to enjoy this book, but it is hard to imagine a non athlete devouring it with quite as much gusto....That said I do not know a single Masters swimmer who hasn't read it. I do know that the next time Lynne Cox comes to speak in my area, I will drop everything to be there and listen.

Based on the other reviews, I was quite excited about reading this book as I generally enjoy books about athletic exploits by unusual athletes. However, Lynne Cox never quite explained why she was doing what she did. By the time she was swimming to Antarctica, I was left asking why??

Unlike, say, Lance Armstrong's book, Lynne lacked a central goal, and so the book was really a series of short stories about the various swims she tackled. As one other reviewer pointed out, it became somewhat repetitive. The early stories about swimming in California and the English Channel were to me more interesting simply because it was the first time I heard the tale.

The book isn't bad, but it's also not great.

This book is a must for any Jiu Jitsu practioner wanting to take his or her ground game to the next level.

This is the best martial arts book I have ever read. Very entertaining and informative. Descriptions, and transitions are thoroughly and thoughtfully laid out with great pictures of the positions. The quality of this book, the shear volume of valuable information, make this edition an absolute steal at the price offered here.

Bravo attributes pot smoking with much of his success at BJJ. I am not convinced, but Kudos to this gappling Genius in any case. If you have any fragile sensibilities then you might be offended by his introduction. If you can look past this then you will love what this information can do to your grappling game.

If you always find yourself getting demolished on your back, or you just can't seem to maintain a solid guard system whilst defending, then you definitely need this book. It is a problem solving manual, that presents many clear and succint tools that work a HIGH PERCENTAGE of the time. I think this point is critical when learning any system, that is, you want the technique to be effective most of the time with most opponents.

Bravo starts off teaching you his half guard defense game, which when you apply his methods, becomes an extremely offensive approach for sweeping, submitting, and transitioning to other positions.

He also covers his butterfly guard, pyramid guard (which I have never seen anywhere else), and also half guard dog fight positions (very wrestling orientated).

Later he walks you through his Rubber Guard game which is just amazing. I have tried his lock down methods and they really work. However it will still take me time and practice to get the techniques really tight and to improve my flexibility. I would say the Rubber Guard techniques may be a bit beyond some peoples anatomy at first (i.e. flexibility plays a big part here). However Bravo does outline some very good stretches to slowly develop this flexibility over time.

I think Bravo's methods are cutting edge and possibly revolutionary. If you do not take the time to learn this stuff now, then you will surely find yourself on the receiving end of it at some stage in the near future. I say get in there now before everyone else, and make it an integral part of your grappling game.

Eddie Bravo may be the most eccentric BJJ teacher and practitioner on the planet, but his system is fascinating.

The book starts with an introduction unlike anything you are likely to find in a martial arts book. Eddie is passionate about three things: Music, BJJ and weed. The rather long introduction to this book is a true believers bible on why everyone should smoke dope in which he ends the intro with: "Be smart, smoke weed", and references his beloved Mary Jane as the "Green brain food". Eddie peppers the intro with stories of his sex life, music career and a little about Jiu Jitsu and how it was all enhanced by toking gonja. All this colorfully described with the liberal use of the F-bomb and interesting, creative slang terms for female reproductive anatomy.

If you don't take yourself (or Eddie) too seriously this is just a kick...sort of a "Tommy Chong does submissions" sort of intro. I found it refreshingly honest and goofy. What does all of the dope smoking have to do with BJJ? Not a lot on it's surface. It's my view that Eddie Bravo has found a way to get his ego out of the way (by lighting up)and reach a "flow state" during practice. Marijuana is his tool, but there are many other paths and Ways that can bring a martial artist and athlete to the same place. If you look at the intro as a description of one man's journey, than there is no need to take it personally and get your undies in a bunch about his pro-marijuana stance.

Now on to the technical aspects of the teaching. Eddie's rubber guard is not for everyone and requires a tremendous amount of hip flexibility which some body types will just never develop. However if you have decent flexiblity and are willing and patient enough to deepen your flexibility into something really special, than Eddie's system is a good one for your to play with. The book's technical quality is outstanding as are he descriptions of the transitions (in my view transitioning is 90% of the game). In the beginning of the book is a Flow Chart for Ground work; I think this is a great idea and have not seen it used in an instructional book before.

A couple of other reviewers have mentioned the difficulty in following the technical aspects of this book; that the instruction is too difficult. I would counter that view with the idea that as in mastering any skill one cannot "dabble"; rather a martial artist must be willing to practice slowly without being focused on the end product. In this way the Journey is the destination and personal insights can be developed from the practice. In other words, There is no short way to developing skill; a willingness to fail and fail again must be cultivated until success is eventually reached. This is a book that is (to use an overused Bruce Lee Cliche') "a finger pointing it's way to the moon".

I stopped reading this book because the moves are too hard to master and I have since learned many counters to the rubber guard. (sorry I can't tell you) Just like Eddie says.. you better dedicate 2 years to this or forget it. Good pics. I would toke a bowl and roll with him though...he seems like a cool guy.

Most people in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu know who Eddie Bravo is. There's a pretty obvious "love him or hate him" feel around. I'm happy to note, though that I'm one of the less boisterous people who fall into neither category. I just like anyone who can explain a concept to me so that I pick it up. And Eddie does that for me in this book.

A quick word, firstly, on Eddie's first book - 'Jiu-Jitsu Unleashed'. I was going to give it a separate review until I received 'Mastering the Rubber Guard'. 'Jiu Jitsu Unleashed' was a reasonable book until the new one came along. 'Jiu Jitsu Unleashed' is a collection of techniques that Bravo uses in his game. It's got a good collection of anecdotes and shows Eddie's game and how it has come to be quite well. That said, the overlap with 'Mastering the Rubber Guard' is too much to warrant buying both - if you were wondering about that.

In fact, I felt quite disappointed in myself when 'Mastering' turned up. Why? Because I'd paid good money for 'Unleashed' just a couple of months before and this was so much better. Ultimately, though, I got a book that was twice as good, anyway. The exception is tht 'Unleashed' takes a bigger look at the Twister and Eddie's top game. Hold on, though. Victory Belt (the publishers) have 'Mastering the Twister' on the horizon.

Like 'Unleashed', 'Mastering' covers the main areas of Bravo's game. There are sections on the half guard and, obviously, the rubber guard. This time, however,we get sections on the butterfly guard, recovering the guard, Bravo's "Spider Web" control and a section on stretching.

Kudos to Bravo for realising not everyone has his flexibility and that they need to develop that attribute to make all the techniques work. Putting my S&C coach hat on (especially with my knees), I shake my head in disapproval of some of the stretches. Still, it's what Bravo does and they are all applicable to his game and the book. Just exercise some critical thinking. If you're in the group the stretches are likely to injure - don't do them.

I'm not going to get into details of the moves. What I am going to say is that they work for Bravo and his guys. They work for a lot of others, too. They might even work for you. The technique names have always been a bone of contention for some, too. Bravo is quick to explain that the names are devloped for coaching in competitions, so the opponent doesn't understand advice being given. I do the same thing with my guys to a large extent.

The book flows well, with a strategy for each position and a series of ideas to help achieve the techniques. For example, the "Whip Up" has been a bit of a boon for my half guard, depite it not being a technique, per se.

The book also contains a flow chart to help guide you through the Rubber Guard game. I've beeen flow charting for a couple of years now and can attest to the improvement and insights it gives you. Eddie gives you his own, personal flowchart.

I'm never going to use Eddie's whole game. I'm 6'7" and weigh the best part of 300 inflexible pounds. I bought the book to help my students and training partners. I've been pleasantly surprised to take some techniques and insights away, along with a better understanding of the 10th Planet system.

Insofar as production, it's good. It's colourful with good quality stock. Photographs are clear and plentiful. Since I'm a bit anal, I picked up some spelling and grammar errors and I hope they'll be picked up with better editing in future Victory Belt productions. But, ultimately, it's content I care about and this book has plenty of it.

Victory Belt's 'Mastering the Rubber Guard' Page

After giving this review to a couple of friends to look over for me, one pointed out the obvious philosophical differences between Eddie and myself and expressed surprise I'd give such a flattering review. Especially due to the drug references.

Let me say this..... Some of the language in the anecdotes is foreign to me and I find some analogies a little trite. I have never taken any illicit drug, including marijuana and am strictly anti-drug.

If you can't put these things behind you and they stand in the way of you buying the book, then too bad. You'll miss out on some quality instruction.

I have attended minor league baseball for 15 years. It is amazing what I didn't know.

The illustrations in this book are excellent. The visual layouts of all the major league fields alone is worth the price of admission. All of the visulas are excellent. Makes the book enjoyable to peruse even if you know the rule. The book is smart enough to know the difference between the official and actual strike zone too.

This book is full of interesting information for beginners and long-time fans. But what makes it especially appealing to read is the design and the layout of the book. It's beautifully done. I've given away many copies to serious fans.

I love baseball and this answers all the questions I've ever had. Read this cover to cover and you can not only sound smart about baseball but be smart :)

Very well orgaized and easily read. I wish I had bought this long ago.

Sophie Jordan is a play by the rules kind of girl. She's highly organized and constantly tries to manage the lives of everybody around her. The recent article exposing sports agent Spencer Atkins as gay and his subsequent disappearance has thrown Sophie's neat orderly life into chaos. She's frantically trying to regain control of her own life, the sports players the Hot Zone represents, and in a race against time to find Spencer before the football draft.

Riley Nash has done everything he could think of to garner his birth father, Spencer Atkins's, approval. Not once has Spencer ever acknowledged Riley as his son. With Spencer sexual preference being exposed by the media, Riley's concerned that the reporters will dig into Spencer's past and uncover the truth about Riley's parentage which could be disastrous to his stepfather's political campaign. Riley's also concerned about what his teenage daughter's reaction to the news would be. Riley will just have to find Spencer before the media does and convince him to maintain his silence about their connection.

Spencer had been missing for three days before Sophie decided to try to track him down. She can fully understand and appreciate his need to hide out for a while but his clients are demanding to speak with him and the only way to appease everyone and get her own life back to semi-normalcy is to find Spencer. No way would Sophie ever have guessed that quarterback Riley Nash would show up in her office demanding to speak with Spencer. He's not even one of Spencer's clients and Sophie has no idea that Riley is Spencer's son until Riley told her. What started out as a stressful situation has suddenly gotten much worse because Sophie has been fighting her attraction to Riley for a very long time and looks like they'll be in close contact until Spencer is found. Thanks to Spencer's personal secretary, Sophie now has the address and telephone number of Spencer's eccentric sisters in Fort Lauderdale and nobody's answering the phone when she tries calling, Sophie intends to make the trip to speak with them in person. She wasn't counting on Riley accompanying her or the uncontrollable desire that flares to life between them.

HOT ITEM is the final book in Carly Phillips HOT ZONE trilogy. As with every book by Ms. Phillips I've read, this one promises to be a hit as well. In addition to the romance between the two main characters (which is highly entertaining to read), there is an interesting subplot involving Riley's relationship with his daughter as well as his ex-wife. I have to confess, I love how anal-retentive and highly controlled Sophie is, it's quite interesting to imagine her trying to function outside her normal constraints.

If you're like me and haven't read the first two books in the HOT ZONE series, don't worry, this book can stand alone but, after reading this one I will be buying both HOT NUMBER and HOT STUFF. I need to know how Sophie's sisters end up with the hunks they've married.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

for a modern novel - this one was actually really fun! I enjoyed the "sporty" aspect to it - although the part with the "villain" seems a bit one-sided and bizarre but hey at least the plot line seemed unique (I don't want to spoil too much!) Just know that if you get this it will be an interesting/unique/fun/sporty/steamy read!!!!

Hot Item is the third novel the Hot Zone Series. Sophie Jordan is the middle sister who always is in control and never takes risks especially with her heart. Riley Nash is the Football player who just found out his biological father is gay and Sophie is the key to the whole solution. Check out the whole series Hot Stuff (2004), Hot Number (2005) and Hot Item (2006).

If you want a great sports romance try See Jane Score. This was not enjoyable. The characters were not likeable. Riley was a self absorbed weanie, and Sophie anal and uptight. There was no courtship, just two people who have nothing in common arguing about how they have nothing in common.

Successful sports PR agent Sophie falls finds herself in hot water when she is flying solo at the agency during the NFL draft and her "uncle" Spence is outed by a reporter and goes on the lam. Further complicating matters is her attraction to star quarterback Riley Nash who is Spence's long lost son and wants his parentage kept secret to protect his adoptive father's political career. When the two take a road trip, sparks fly with the most unlikely duo.

"Item" marks the third installment in Phillip's "Hot Zone" trio featuring a family run sports PR agency owned by orphaned sisters raised by their bachelor uncle. It's also the best of the series, packing an emotional wallop that started in the first ("Stuff") was lacking in the last one ("Number").

This book appealed on so many levels. Want a good surf adventure, you got it. Like a nice travelogue, it hits there too. Want an excellent character study, absolutely. If you want to shake your head while laughing out loud, you get that here also. It was a book that was fun and yet thought provoking, strongly recommended.

If you are unfamiliar with the works of A.C. Weisbecker, you might consider skiping this if you are looking for an impulse buy. "In Search of Captain Zero" is a memoir of Weisbecker's trip through South America in the mid-1990's. If you are looking for a fictional tale with a good story I recommend "Cosmic Banditos" by the same author.

If you are familiar with Weisbecker's works that I highly recommend "In Search of Captain Zero." The story is considerably slower than with "Cosmic Banditos," but the real treat with "Captain Zero" is its insight into his first work. "Cosmic Banditos" was loosely based off of Weisbecker's real life experiences and here we are told the real stories that inspired the cult classic.

Aside from the connection to the previous book, the story of "Captain Zero" revolves mostly around Weisbeckers quest to find his long lost surf-buddy and partner in crime "Christopher." Christopher headed to South America some five years earlier in search of "his own piece of Paradise" and the perfect coast with the perfect wave. As Weisbecker's own life takes a turn for the worse, he gets rid of all of his belongings and takes a road trip with only his dog, his memories and an old photograph of his friend, in the hopes of making some sense of his life.

A.C. Weisbecker's style of writing can be very coarse and in-your-face. He seldom writes in a tone to please his readers, but rather he effectively puts his emotions in the context of his worldview on paper. A genuinely unique storyteller, Weisbecker brings you into his world without becoming longwinded.

If you enjoyed "Cosmic Banditos" you owe it to yourself to pick this book up. You will either love it or hate it.

I bought this book for my boyfriend who lives for surfing. I ended up reading it myself and it's a good book about a man surfing for great waves (isn't that the way it always is?!) in Costa Rica and Central America. It's entertaining and interesting.

There's nothing like a surfing trip to Costa Rica with flashbacks to drug dealing days to make for a great literary achievement.

The book may be $10.00, but the chapter on "The Boat" is priceless! I've bought at least 10 copies to give to my friends to read. It is a true classic.

How this book has gone this long without being made into a movie is incomprehensible.

A very different kind of surfing story. For those that that are into surfing and travel it's pretty cool. It's a good adventure surfing story. I started reading it on an island in Panama durring a surf trip which gives me a different perspective. It definetly made me want to keep traveling/surfing. For the non surfing types, I have no idea how it would be recieved....

Have only read the first half and flipped through the second, but Marcelo does a great job showing his X-guard. If you liked the Eddie Bravo books you will really like this.

This is a must have for anyone willing to think outside the box when it comes to BJJ. The introduction itself is worth its purchase. Marcelo defines what it means to sacrifice for any goal or passion we all have inside. The detailed pictures and explaination leave no room for error. Get this ASAP.

It's no secret that I really enjoy Victory Belt's books. I think they've nailed the format for describing individuals' games and their specialities. They are definitely the market leader in the arena of working with a fighter to extract the information they need and put it into print.

It shouldn't surprise any readers, then, that I really liked the X-Guard by Marcelo Garcia.

The book has all the hallmarks of Victory Belt's previous works. The large format and detailed colour photography don't disappoint and actually go one better with this edition.

Not resting on their laurels, the guys at VB have introduced detailed inset photos where warranted. This is not a completely original concept by any means, but it is done as well here as with any other publisher.

One of the problems I thought I might have with the book is that I wouldn't be able to identify with Marcelo and the X-Guard. This was an issue with Eddie Bravo's books on the Rubber Guard. I don't really use the Rubber Guard and am not built well for it. I pretty much have had the same problem with the X-Guard.

That was until I read through this book. You see, my butterfly guard is a little...... agricultural. And that, it seems , is my problem with the X-Guard. Not my long legs and extraordinary height - my previous excuses.

The book is split into two sections. The first is on the butterfly guard and the second on the X-Guard, itself. Both are split into three subsections each. The butterfly guard section is the most detailed treatment I've seen of the topic in a book. The three subsections are titled "Basic Positioning & Grip Defense", "Sweeps & Transitions" and "Submissions".

Now, Marcelo Garcia can work his butterfly guard in a way I find amazing. It's something I'd never been able to do terribly well. I could work it well enough against white belts, but always had to let it go against people nearer my own skill level. This book, though, gives solutions to most of the problems I'd encountered in the past.

I had the same problem with the X-Guard. There was just no way known I was ever going to get my giant legs in position. It shouldn't surprise you to find I was doing it wrong, though. The details shown for the X-Guard helped me a great deal, but I believe it's my better understanding of the butterfly guard that has ealed the deal for me.

The X-Guard section is is split up in a similar way to the butterfly guard section with subsections called "Establishing the X-Guard", "Sweeps" and "Submissions".

All-in-all, I'd say this is one of those rare $24 books that have made a heck of a lot more than $24 worth of effect on my game.

It just keeps getting better, too. Erich Krauss and Glen Cordoza have been getting steadily better at writing, too. In the past, I've criticised their spelling and grammar in the introduction sections. Is it better in this book? The truth is, I don't know. I got so engrossed in Marcelo's story, I never bothered to check.

That's got to be a big tick in the box.

After a review like this, I like to put a little disclaimer to it......

I am no Marcelo Garcia fanboy. I've not watched his DVDs all the way through and I've seen maybe three of his matches. I have also been known to give Victory Belt some very pedestrian reviews, but they do impress me with their ability to improve with each publication. This book is the second of their catalogue to go in the Best of the Best category, but probably not the last if the quality continues this way.

I was excited to get this book and it completely lived up to my expectations. Like the other Krauss-Cordoza collaborations from Victory Belt publishing this is a very well put together book printed on high grade glossy paper, with detailed high quality multiple-angle shots of the techniques and very good explanation including the physical mechanics of the movement and advice on strategy of when to use it, how to get there, mistakes to avoid, and what your opponent is likely to do. Marcelo Garcia is probably the best grappler in the world and his system is unique and effective and works for all body types, and unlike Eddie Bravo's very good system doesn't require crazy flexibility. The book provides info on gi and no gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It's comparable to Eddie Bravo's Rubber guard book in terms of quality and production value. It has a color coded easy to use system that makes it very easy to quickly find sections and whether the technique is appropriate for gi and no gi competition.
The introduction includes a short biography that shows you the determination and dedication that has made him the champion he is. From 3 hour commutes to training, to cleaning the mats so he could afford to train 4 times a day. The first section on technique is 78 pages dedicated to the butterfly guard including basic stance and grip work, sweeps and transitions, and submissions all with detailed advice on how to establish and properly adjust the technique so you can make it work in high level competition ( e.g. 7 pages just on the guillotine choke, most books give it only 2). He constantly emphasizes drilling the technique to really get it down and learning the fundamentals of the butterfly guard before moving to the X guard. This sort of guard requires very good timing and sense of balance that can only be developed through many hours on the mat. The X guard is detailed in the final 149 pages of the book (264 pages all together). 63 pages on establishing the X guard from standing, sitting, elbow control, underhooks, full guard, half guard, omoplata, mount and headlocks. Then a section with 18 sweeps from X guard from different kids of control (e.g. from hands, sleeve, or collar). Then 15 pages detailing 7 submissions for X guard including omoplata, triangle, gi and no gi inverted arm bar, knee bar, foot lock, and heel hook. Again filled with tips on when to use it, positions to transitions from, your opponents likely reactions, and common mistakes. If you perfect even just a few of the techniques in this book your game will improve dramatically. This book is more for intermediate to advanced students of BJJ, though the section on butterfly guard is fairly accessible and very useful to beginners. Those starting out (and intermediates too) should check out Kid Peligro's book "the Essential Guard" or the Joe Moreira /Ed Beneville 3 part series on the Guard, these focus are more on the fundamentals. If you're looking to improve your guard and your overall game, I highly recommend this book, it's a steal at this price, I would have paid more for it. I look forward to his next book on arm drags and mastering the back.

I purchased this book with the intention of using it as a study guide for SailNY course in Basic Keelboat. The book told me all of the basic information I needed to be ready to intelligently discuss and put into practice basic knowledge about the parts of a boat, the parts of a sail, points of sail, rigging, water safety and rules of the "road."

I recommend this book for any beginning sailor. I was learning on old olympic racing boats with a jib and a mainsail, which were very responsive, so if I could learn what I needed, this book should be appropriate for smaller, slower craft without a doubt.

Geared toward adult new sailors. Not a bad book at all...

This is a compact book with lots of diagrams. Makes for a nice complement to a beginner's keelboat sailing course. More detailed information can be found in the Colgates' "Fast Track to Cruising."

The illustrations in this book really are outstanding; especially compared to the ASA Sailing Fundamentals book. However, the Sailing Fundamentals book is more complete when it comes to regulations and safety. I recommend using both books.

This was a great book to learn from. It made the whole learning to sail process easy.

really well thought out book, explaining the different training zones inherent in our physiology and how they relate to practical methods of utilizing them to train better and understand the need for recovery and useful training levels.

If you have a power meter this book will make sense out of all the numbers, will give you real insight in the newest training way out there.

Very technical book, but easy for the layman to understand. Will please 99% of the racers out there.

Simply the most comprhensive book out there on the subject. A little biased in favor of "TrainingPeaks" software but still very, very good. If you are looking for simple answers about training effectively you might want to look elsewhere. Training with power takes a little thought and consideration.

This book clearly explains training based on power meter data & has been especially useful to me as a novis to power meter use in triathlon training. The book outlines training zones based on individual abilities & self testing, plus their effect on training stress. Most usewful & highly recommended.

This is a fine book and tells some cool thing about bicycle powermeters. It introduces some usefull concepts, like the normalized power, TSS. You'll understand some capabilities of the limit-less tool called powermeter. It shows how to use an powermeter beyond the ordinary. You'll learn some nice stuff.

But the author doesn't give away their gold. It looks like their real secret - the training sessions - are kept away. They begin to show some exercise sessions for some kind of purpose, but they don't show you a lot. I felt like they were writing an teaser, not the full movie.

They also tell a lot about the Cycling Peaks software, which is good, but not all that great. I prefer to combine the Cycling Peaks with the original SRM or Powertap softwares to get the most juice.

They tried to keep this book from being an big ad and they pretty much accomplished that. I didn't get angry, nor got crazy to go buy their software after reading the book.