Buy Used
Used - Good See details
$3.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
The Athlete's Way: Sweat and the Biology of Bliss
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

The Athlete's Way: Sweat and the Biology of Bliss [Hardcover]

Christopher Bergland (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover, Bargain Price $10.38  
Hardcover, June 12, 2007 --  

Book Description

June 12, 2007
Make Exercise a Pleasurable Habit
 
The Athlete's Way presents a practical, motivational fitness program by an ultra-endurance athlete that incorporates brain science, positive psychology and behaviorism to transform lives from the inside out.  It is the antidote to the imbalances created by living a sedentary, inactive existence.  Christopher Bergland, the son of a neurosurgeon, has created a program that uses neurobiology and behavioral models to help improve life through exercise.
 
The Athlete's Way program, focusing on cardio, strength, stretching, nutrition and sleep, uses neurobiology and behavioral models to enable you to think, train and behave like an athlete, making you more optimistic, resilient, and intense. You will want to get a glow on every day to increase your daily bliss quotient. Exercise will no longer be something to dread but something to enjoy and experience to the fullest.
 
The Athlete's Way teaches you how to make exercise a source of joy and something you will want to engage in daily. Sweat will become a symbol of your striving for a standard of excellence and a solid work ethic that is synonymous with peak performance. The stamina, tenacity, and drive fortified through athletics--and this program--can be applied to any dream, obstacle, or goal you aspire to achieve.
 
Christopher Bergland is a Manhattan-based world-class endurance athlete. He holds a Guinness World Record for treadmill running (153.76 miles in 24 hours) and has won the longest nonstop triathlon in the world three times. He completed The Triple Ironman, a 7.2-mile swim, 336-mile bike, followed by a 78.6-mile run (done consecutively) in a record breaking time of 38 hours and 46 minutes. He directs the triathlon program at Chelsea Piers and has been sponsored by Kiehl's since 1996. He has been featured in dozens of TV, magazine, and newspaper articles including CNN, PBS, ABC, CBS, Fox, Men's Journal, ESPN magazine, and the L.A. Times.  He currently manages a specialty sporting goods shop in New York City called "JackRabbit Sports."
 
Inspiring Lessons from a World-class Endurance Athlete
"I love to sweat.  All told, I have run distance equal to four trips around the world on a treadmill and on the streets of Manhattan where I live.  I have biked to the moon and back, dueling it out with a red, blinking pacer light on a LifeCycle control panel or logging countless laps in Central Park.  I've even crossed the Atlantic a few times - in the pool - and I've swum in almost every ocean around the world competing in Ironman triathlons.  When I am running, biking, or swimming, happiness pours out of me.  I am not alone.  Everyone who exercises regularly experiences this bliss.  And it is available to you, too, anytime you break a sweat.  The Athlete's Way is an individual process but ultimately a universal experience.  We feel good when we sweat.  I have learned how to find Nirvana on the treadmill, and I am going to teach you my secrets."
            --Christopher Bergland

 
 
 
 
 


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. A Triple Iron Man record-breaker and the son of a neuroscience researcher, Bergland argues that exercise is as much about the mind as it is about the body, making athletes not just healthier, but happier, smarter and more well-adjusted. An overview of Bergland's own story, "The Brain Science of Sport" and positive psychology provide a detailed but easy-to-follow foundation for his 8-week exercise program and the concepts that shape it, such as "flow" (that "in the zone" state) and "cross talk" (the dialogue between the cerebrum and the cerebellum). Bergland shares his workout secrets, illustrates simple exercises and stretches targeting the major muscle groups, but emphasizes that the most significant challenge is in committing to the full 56-day regimen; consistency will cause the brain to become "restructured," literally, giving readers not just a life-long appetite for exercise but a "happier, more agile, sharper, and less stressed out" mind. Bergland's sincerity, enthusiasm and experience are beyond question, though readers might at times question his sanity (as when chronicling his record-breaking, near-fatal 24 hour treadmill run). Fortunately, Bergland has more realistic expectations for the reader, and provides common sense tips on everything from eating to sleeping to gearing up to developing a positive mindset. Friendly, heartfelt writing, uncompromising attention to detail and flagless enthusiasm make this book both a comprehensive plan and an encouraging partner for long-term, life-changing fitness goals.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"The Athlete's Way is amazingly informative and complete with a program to get and keep you off the couch. Bravo, for another exercising zealot who has written a book that should be read on your elliptical or stationary bike. He pushed me to go farther on a sleepy Sunday."
- John J. Ratey, M.D., author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science in Exercise and the Brain, and co-author of Driven to Distraction
 
 

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 351 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (June 12, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312355866
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312355869
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #908,102 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

 

Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
5 star:
 (10)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweat is Blissful, July 5, 2007
This review is from: The Athlete's Way: Sweat and the Biology of Bliss (Hardcover)
As an amature Ironman competitor and an Exercise Physiologist I was inspired by this book. The unique format and personal approach by Christopher Bergland hooked me from the first page. I especially liked the quotes throughout the book and will incorporate many of those mantras into my own training. Also, the no-nonsense application of training principles will be helpful for every level athlete from a complete novice to a well seasoned veteran. I found so many parallels in my own training and am excited to be able to compare myself with such an accomplished athlete. Christopher's story is one that is amazingly simple and I am sure relates to many people on many levels. I highly reccommend this book for everyone looking to make a connection with their body, mind, and spirit.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars More suited to the budding/beginning athlete., October 29, 2007
By 
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Athlete's Way: Sweat and the Biology of Bliss (Hardcover)
There's some intellectual highs in this book, similar to diamonds in the rough... but there are too many insipid and trite passages to make this a good book. More suited for the novice or budding athlete; if this defines you - I recommend this book - it's worth your time. A few gems for the experienced athlete, but you'll spend a lot of time digging through the book to find it. Basic health and fitness information in most parts of the book, as well as basic sport psychology; the introduction was the best part of the book for the experienced athlete; read that and pass on the rest of the book. Unless you're having trouble sticking with an exercise program... read the introduction only.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, June 20, 2007
This review is from: The Athlete's Way: Sweat and the Biology of Bliss (Hardcover)
The Athlete's Way is a fascinating trip into the mind of an ultra-endurance athlete. For me, the book was an inspiration to continue training and pushing myself. I am by no means the super athlete that the author is but found it very easy to relate to. The Athlete's Way provokes a new way of looking at exercise that hopefully will stick with me and keep me motivated.

The author's use of quotations and personal stories makes this book something way beyond a standard exercise manual. I can't say enough good things about it!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews











Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
I have spent the past two decades exploring my own motivation and what motivates other people, and I am excited to share everything I have learned here. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
volition switch, athletic bliss, athletic process, bliss molecule, tonic level, athletic mind, fluid performance, mirror cells, mirror neurons, prime motivating force, rejection sensitivity, four reps, anaerobic work
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Roger Bannister, Central Park, United States, Death Valley, Hawaii Ironman, Lance Armstrong, Tai Chi, Chuck Yeager, Joseph Campbell, Double Iron Man, Serena Williams, Paula Newby-Fraser
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Create a Listmania! list

So You'd Like to...


Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject