Cycling Anatomy (Sports Anatomy) [Paperback]

Shannon Sovndal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 4, 2009 | Series: Sports Anatomy

See what it takes to maximize cycling power, speed, and endurance! Cycling Anatomy will show you how to improve your performance by increasing muscular strength and optimizing the efficiency of every movement.

Cycling Anatomy features 74 of the most effective cycling exercises, each with clear, step-by-step descriptions and full-color anatomical illustrations highlighting the primary muscles in action.

Cycling Anatomy goes beyond exercises by placing you on the bike and into the throes of competition. Illustrations of the active muscles involved in cornering, climbing, descending, and sprinting show you how the exercises are fundamentally linked to cycling performance. From steep inclines to slick terrains, Cycling Anatomy will ensure you're prepared for any challenge that comes your way.

You'll also learn how to modify exercises to target specific areas, reduce muscle tension, and minimize common cycling injuries. You'll also learn ways to pull it all together to develop a training based on your individual needs and goals.

Whether you're training for an upcoming century ride or just want to top that killer hill with strength to spare, Cycling Anatomy will make sure you get the most out of every ride.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Cycling Anatomy answers the basic and complex questions and gives you an array of options for improving your training both on and off the bike."

Connie Carpenter Phinney
1984 Olympic Champion

About the Author

Shannon Sovndal, MD, is the owner and founder of Thrive Health and Fitness Medicine (Thrive HFM), an elite team of physicians, exercise physiologists, and athletes who provide clients with the highest level of personalized health care, life management, and fitness training. Most recently, he serves as a team physician for the Garmin-Slipstream professional cycling team. He also works as a board-certified emergency medicine physician at Boulder Community Hospital in Colorado and as a physician at the General Clinical Research Center at the University of Colorado. Before becoming a physician, Sovndal raced road bikes in the United States, winning the California/Nevada District Championship and many other road races and criteriums.

Sovndal is a coauthor of Fitness Cycling and has written numerous sports-related articles and lectured on exercise-related topics. He attended medical school at Columbia University in New York, completed his residency at Stanford University in California, and now lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics; 1 edition (May 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736075879
• ISBN-13: 978-0736075879
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Cycling > Bike Repair
  • #25 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Miscellaneous > Reference
  • #79 in Books > Medical Books > Basic Sciences > Anatomy

More About the Author

Dr. Sovndal attended medical school at Columbia University in New York City, and completed his residency at Stanford University. He is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians. He currently works as a Team Physician for the Garmin-Slipstream Professional Cycling Team, as a Staff Physician at the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) for the University of Colorado, and as an emergency physician.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Reference for Strength Training, November 10, 2009

By 

BTrain (Pioneer Square) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cycling Anatomy (Sports Anatomy) (Paperback)

This book is an excellent reference for cyclists looking to add strength training to their routines. It is very well organized into sections showing the different sections of the body the exercises are for. Each exercise itself is documented to show you exactly what it will be working and how it helps your cycling form. It also shows you variations of each exercise which are often easier versions of the original exercise.

The one area that could possibly be improved on is that it does not have a section that really gives you a workout program and the author calls this out in the first chapter and that the goal of the book is to help show you proper exercises and how to do them. This is good, but I find that, for beginners it might be helpful to have a small section showing how to use all these exercises in a routine to get maximum benefit. It is important to note that I said "for beginners" in that last sentence since this book is really for more advanced cyclists and as such the missing prescribed workouts section is not something I really miss that much. Personally I am looking at using these in a hybrid/modified version of the P-90X program combined with the The Cyclist's Training Bible

Buy this if you are a cyclist looking on taking your training up a notch. Particularly if you are looking to add exercises you can do in a gym, off the road, out of the dark in a season like the winter.
Don't buy this if you are a beginner looking for a book to help you get started in cycling or to get started on training a bit more seriously since this book is aimed at more serious cyclists.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!!!!, July 5, 2009

By 

Rich Aguirre (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cycling Anatomy (Sports Anatomy) (Paperback)

A must have for any cycling fan! Whether you're thinking about taking your first spin class at the gym or trying to move up in the GC in the next Tour stage, you'll want to read Cycling Anatomy. Dr. Sovndal lays out the necessary ground work for you to get the most out of your body no matter what your level of fitness. Even after 20 years of cycling, I couldn't believe how much I learned! Keep them coming!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CYCLING ANATOMY=EXCELLENT BOOK!!!, February 22, 2011

By 

Caroline McMASTER "LOVE TO READ" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cycling Anatomy (Sports Anatomy) (Paperback)

I bought this book based on the reviews that stated the pictures were well drawn and showed what muscle groups were being used for specific exercises. Well, they were not lying. The pictures are large, colorful, and show exactly what muscles you are stretching for a warm up or exercise. The writers give very short (to the point), but detailed advice on how to perform each exercise correctly. Sometimes, they give you an alternative way of performing an exercise if the first suggestion is too difficult for a novice to perform.

The one thing I wish they had done was to write, in layman's terms, the names of each muscle group. This would make it easier for me to talk about each group of muscles to others. The terms they use are for professionals, and they are sometimes hard to pronounce. Otherwise, the pictures do the trick for showing one what muscle or muscle groups one is working.

I'm very pleased with my purchase, and highly recommend buying this book if you want to strengthen you muscles for riding.