The Ergogenics Edge: Pushing the Limits of Sports Performance (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Play is basic to human nature..." (more)
Key Phrases: sports ergogenic, more aesthetic physical appearance, engineered dietary supplements, Sports Performance Factor Physical, International Olympic Committee, Sports Performance Factor Mechanical (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Get a training and performance advantage! The Ergogenics Edge will help you maximize your athletic potential by going beyond traditional sports conditioning while still staying within the rules.

Dr. Mel Williams presents nearly every current nutritional, pharmacological, physiological, biomechanical, and psychological means used to aid sports performance. He expertly rates more than 60 sports ergogenics based on the following criteria:

• Sport-specific effectiveness

• Safety

• Legal aspects

• Ethical concerns

• Recommendations

Also included is a complete listing of prohibited substances and treatments.

From supplements to streamlined equipment, the book examines and grades every way to maximize sports performance. Get The Ergogenics Edge before your opponents beat you to it.

From the Publisher

"The Ergogenics Edge is a book that can be thoroughly recommended in this day and age for athletes looking to maximize their potential but wishing to stay within legal limits."

Modern Athlete and Coach

"Melvin Williams, PhD, … devoted more than 30 years to research, much of it on sports ergogenics. It is a pleasure to have his thorough analysis, in easily readable language, of what is known in this field. The Ergogenics Edge is highly recommended for anyone interested in optimal performance and making sense of product claims."

Running & FitNews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 317 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers; illustrated edition edition (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0880115459
• ISBN-13: 978-0880115452
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #881,894 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ergogenic Edge, May 13, 2000

By	viktor marinkovic (Rome, Georgia) - See all my reviews

The increasing number of performance enhancing supplements on the shelves in the drug stores is increasing rapidly. Many people are buying those products without knowing their effectiveness or safety. This book can serve as excellent source to help athletes and coaches of all levels to get the necessary information that will help them make informed decisions regarding the use of sports ergogenics as a means to enhance performance in sport. This book discusses the effectiveness, safety concerns, legal status, and ethical issues of a specific sport ergogenic that should be considered by all the athletes prior to its use. Athletes can find excelent recommendations about what spplements to take or not to take depending of the sport they are participating. The Ergogenic Edge is organized in a way that it makes it very user friendly which makes for easy reading.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Money well spent!, December 3, 2001

By	Marcelo Iannini (Brasilia, BRAZIL) - See all my reviews

This book is a really nice book to help us all get most of the "misterious" ergogenics. How many times did we enter in a SNC/GNC store and got confused with so many options? What does creatin or anything else exactly does? Stop having false and biased advises. This book is a reliable database with good bibliographic references. First starting point before heading to any supplement store is to get your hands on this book. Guaranteed to help you spend your $$$ better there!

Only "drawback" (may I use this word?) is that many of the supplements are so "new" in terms of scientific research that even this book being recent there may be drastic changes in the knowledge of the product. Make sure you do your own researches (the internet is a good point to start) on the "newer" stuff where this book may become incomplete or vague.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best book of its kind, January 30, 2001

By	T. Gower (Harwich, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mel Williams is regarded as one of the leading sports physiologists in the US, and this book shows why. I've read many guides to using sports supplements and this is the only one I've come across that's balanced and well-researched. By far the best book of its kind on the market.