Customer Reviews

Body, Mind, and Sport: The Mind/Body Guide to Lifelong Fitness and Your Personal Best

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Your body is supposed to enjoy getting and staying fit! The author gives a number of instructions on how to do just that. His argument for nasal breathing, even at top exertion, is alone worth the price of the book. The many testamonials from athletes who've used the author's instructions successfully shows that I'm not the only one it's worked for.

I picked up this book at a relatives house and could not put it down. After reading it, I have to own it. If you are a serious athlete who has ever over-trained, this book is for you(or, if you simply want to avoid overtraining in the future...) John combines Auyervedic principles with Yoga, creating a way to perform better while straining yourself even less. So far I have only incorporated his principles in one workout, but with complete success. I'll know better as the next few weeks progress how easy it is to follow the principles in the book. I read a different book on Auyervedic principles(Quantam Health?), which was good but not too extremely easy to follow. John has laid out how to live the Auyervedic way, and specifically how to apply it to athletic training, in a simple and easy to follow manner.

I am an elite coach based in Melbourne ,Australia. I have used the principles behind this book with great success with many people. I cannot recommend it highly enough, buy it read it follow it and you will change the way you train and finally enjoy exercise the way it was supposed to be. Good luck and enjoy.

I first read this book back in the early nineties after hearing an interview of Mr. Douillard on NPR. The introduction to his book explains that he is looking to make participation in sport more accessible to all people, not just the elite athletes. The breathing techniques he discusses sound nuts at first, and are a little trick to master (especially if you have a cold!) but once you get used to them, they really really work. I was never athletic growing up, but since reading this book, I have used the techniques and completed 17 marathons, including 4 ultramarathons. I never finish first - but I really enjoy participating. Before being exposed to these techniques, I never would have thought I could run a mile - much less 50! If you are looking to start an exercise program, get into shape, or have a specific fitness goal, this is a really worthwhile book.

I have read many fitness books over the years, but this is the first one that addresses the needs and differences of the mind/body types, or doshas, according to ayurvedic teachings.

I have been guilty in the past of pushing myself too hard in order to achieve a certain level of fitness. I'd just burnout, quit, gain weight, and start over again. This program helped me to PAINLESSLY and JOYFULLY attain a fitness level higher than I had previously thought possible.

This book is mixed for me. There's some interesting thinking on the role of fitness in our lives. The author is persuasive and draws on many sources to conclude that exercise should be pleasant and aligned with body type.

However, the core of his teaching is slow nasal breathing during exercise using a breathing technique from yoga - ujjayi breath. He advises building up from a very slow warm up and gradually stretching your capacity. Essentially he never wants you to exercise higher than 50% of your heart rate reserve. He quotes Kenneth Cooper to show that this low level of exertion is enough, but it's not cited and I have been unable to find anything to back it up.

This is a very low level of exercise according to most experts. I've found in the several months I've tried it out, that nasal breathing is too constricting to do during real conditioning exercise. If you exercise at a rate where experts consider you're getting some benefit - anything over 50-60% of your heart rate reserve - it's very distracting to nose breathe. There are many parts of the book that are appealing, but the application doesn't seem to be there.

This book is fantastic. I got it because I wanted to get more from my work outs. I didn't want to learn new exercises, just optimize what I was doing. It offered so much more! It looks at your whole life, body rhythms, etc. I personally didn't care for Ayurveda and have never really been into Yoga (didn't even know it was a part of the book), but I see now there is a lot to learn there, and it isn't so hokey. It has really opened my mind to a new way of thinking about the human body. The most major thing I learned was about our daily body rhythms like when it is good to exercise, wake up, sleep, think, etc. I also love the Sun Salute information (who knew you could stretch your entire body and massage your internal organs at the same time?!), and breathing (what he calls the Darth Vadar Breathing, which was totally new to me). What he says makes sense. It works. If you want to perform better in your life, and you are open-minded, this book is for you. Read it from front to back-it is packed with information! It has impacted all areas of my life. Worth every penny!

I bought this book 8 years ago, I use what I learned form it and have never looked back. I am a mountain runner, and found new power speed and recovery using this book. It's a winner!! I also combine this book with " The Zone " by barry seares and I have to say its works, no messing no sales pitch.

John Doullard's Body, Mind, and Sport is excellent for exposure to basic yoga, breathing techniques, and overall well-being. In it, he persuasively and clearly describes the benefits of nasal breathing by comparing performance levels during "conventional" and "body, mind, sport" training methods followed by an explanation of how to apply the techniques.

His methods allow you to ascertain your body type, learn the best times to train, relearn how to train, and most importantly to enjoy it. Personally, I don't feel right breathing through my mouth anymore and I've seen my recreational cycling levels improve drastically by following John's prescribed method.

However, for all the benefits, it is relatively difficult to apply the techniques. That may be because someone isn't actively showing you what to do, rather you are reading a description and trying to imitate it. It is especially hard to gauge your comfort level (he often says "Let comfort be your guide") when it comes to sports that require rapid bursts of energy like tennis or basketball.

To conclude:
- The techniques are effective and (coming from a family with background in yoga) and described very well for someone who is unfamiliar with yoga. A must read for anyone with personal wellness in mind!

- When it comes to applying the material, don't give up! At first it will be very difficult to understand what you are supposed to do or feel like.

- Attending a yoga class may help you with the breathing techniques. If that doesn't appeal to you, keep trying on a treadmill or exercise bike where it is easy to push yourself, but back off if you body isn't ready.

Good luck!

I'm a bit skeptical of some of the stuff in this book as its based on Ayurvedic medicine/traditions/whatever, but the argument for Nasal Breathing is powerful and well worth the price of the book on its own. I've been using Nasal Breathing on bike rides of 100 miles+ and have found less muscle pain than I would expect. Certainly not scientific proof that it works, but good enough for me. Your mileage may vary.

The Transplant Athlete