Customer Reviews

Body Mind Mastery: Creating Success in Sport and Life

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The book has 166 pages of content and can be divided into three main parts. The first part is fairly abstract, Millman calls it "Understanding the Larger Game". The first chapter is about natural laws that Millman sees as being helpful to understand; the next has to do with bringing awareness to our activities as a way to see what we are doing wrong, what we are doing right, and then learning from our mistakes; last chapter of part 1 is about preparation, about slow and steady progress. Personally, having read alot of self help and mind body I didn't really find this first part very helpful. The second part and the first chapter of the third part are, to me, the meat and bones of the book, where the concrete content is. He has chapters on Mental, Emotional, and Physical talent and how to cultivate all three. He talks about the self concept, fear of failure, about breathing, and then about strength, suppleness, stamina, and sensitivity. Then there is a chapter with specific advice for working on skills, like hitting a golf ball or diving or gymnastics. The third part of the book criticizes the focus on results and urges more focus on focus, concentration and personal growth and the last chapter is about new sports, less competitive, that Millman sees developing in the future. Again, this part is more abstract and it is very normative, criticizing competition, though he does recognize that it can bring out the best in people, and then naming some new sports he sees as good developments. He also suggests requiring athletes in asymettrical sports such as golf, tennis, bowling and baseball to "use both arms equally" (pg 143). I found that a little annoying and I also didn't really see it as having a place in this book. Overall, there are a bunch of good points in here, it is clear that Millman understands how to pursue excellence and growth, but I felt the book was a bit unfocused and there was nothing really new for someone who has done some reading in this area. Greg ...

Dan Millman is definetly one of my favorite authors and speakers. Ever since I read his book, Way of the Peaceful Warrior, almost 15 years ago, I have gravitated towards his work. I even translated one of his books, The Laws of Spirit, from English to Icelandic a few years back. My review might therefore be tainted with my admiration : )

Body Mind Mastery is a great book for athletes and Millmans approach is balanced and invigorating. He challenges the athletes training routines and mindset with a perfect blend of information and practical guidlines.

Many coaches in Iceland have used this book with good outcomes as a result of my recommending it to them.

It has even come in handy for people I know that are not professional athletes. The philosophy expounded on can be used in varied situations in life.

"Millman's work combines the best of the human potential movement with the practical tools needed to reach that goal. It features sections on the "Peaceful Warrior Warm-Up", the aging athlete, and instructions for creating a daily exercise routine. This work is as much about mastering life as it is about the game itself." - NAPRA REVIEW

I am a personal trainer and natural competitive bodybuilder, so I'm always on the hunt for new material about the mental aspect of physical performance. Body Mind Mastery was one of the first books I'd ever read on the subject, so I wasn't expecting a whole lot. Little did I know that the book would change my life and the lives of my clients.

It's really amazing how "mental" everything we do really is. It seems as if it would be a no-brainer (ha, no pun intended), but when you are in a position of physical discomfort, you tend to blame the pain on your failing muscles and disregard the fact that the mind is actually what's "quiting" first. Yes, there are physiological things happening as your muscle tissue is filling with lactic acid and screaming at you to quit, but there's also that mental voice telling you to "STOP!" because it has no familiarity with this newfound pain. It's only after you push past the regular pain barriers consistently that you make changes and start seeing results both mentally and physically.

I recommend this book to everyone who is interested in more of the sports/physical aspects of mental mastery. I even wrote a blog about how much I loved the book at www.adn.com/strongbodies because I try to get the word out as much as possible. I hope you pick it up, practice the basic drills and are as inspired as I have been. You won't regret this purchase.

Dan Millman does a master job of explaining a lot of very important techniques needed in developing skills (in sport). I just wish I could have read this book many years ago... It is well explained, funny at times, enjoyable, well structured and with plenty of examples from many sports so everyone (almost) can related to situations similar to the ones described.

This is a must have book for any sportsman(woman)

This is a very solid book to read in your quest of mastery. Not quite the total package. I think the book on Mastery by George Leonard covers the whole realm of mastery a little better. This book does make a couple of great points, like when your practicing a skill to over compensate by doing the complete oppsoite. If your shooting a basketball & keep missing to the right then practice missing a couple to left so you can find balance & make the shot down the middle. This also teaches you mentally to that you can control balance by being unbalanced, which will make help you see being balanced more clearly. A little weird but works. But this is only one of many good points I think Millman gives. Its a great start for mastery & is highly recommend

Excellent book. It is filled with a wealth of information and a multitude of useful stategies which I'll be able to put to use both in my personal life and in my coaching.

An athlete's bible that should be required reading for anyone serious about their performance and improvement.

He's got a lot to say, but I didn't find it at all inspiring. I guess if I had a coach the helped me practice these principles it would work. But it's tough and boring to learn from a book.