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Ancient Greek
and Chinese leaders have stressed it for centuries, but only in
the past decade have fitness and sports conditioning experts emphasized
the development of abdominal and back muscles. Now we have the science
to support the argument that the bodys stability and power
comes from its center.
Stronger Abs and
Back shows how to develop the bodys core musculature for maximum
fitness and athletic performance. Strong abdominal and torso muscles
will enhance physical appearance and mobility as well as contribute
to the prevention of low back pain--the most common physical ailment
in the industrialized world.
Because of its
extensive benefits, Stronger Abs and Back applies to a broad readership:
office workers who stiffen up while sitting at a desk all week;
weekend warriors who play 36 holes on a free day at the course;
serious athletes who want the utmost power to perform closer to
their potential; and coaches who develop training programs with
the best and most comprehensive fitness level of their athletes
in mind.
The book features
165 exercises for developing flexibility, strength, and power. It
also shows how to select and sequence these exercises in a 24-week
sample program for abs and back development.
About
the Author
Dean Brittenham
is the athletic director at the Shiley Athletic Elite Program at
Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California. He also is CEO of S.P.O.R.T.
Elite, Ltd., an organization that promotes athletic performance,
human health, and physical fitness through education, research,
training, and service.
Dean Brittenhams
background includes more than 40 years of teaching, training, and
coaching athletes of all ability levels in many different sports.
As a recognized expert in strength and conditioning, he is a popular
speaker at camps, clinics, and symposia around the world. He has
served as the strength and conditioning coach for both the Indiana
Pacers and the New England Patriots, and he has trained a number
of top-ranked tennis, volleyball, and cycling athletes.
Dean enjoys traveling,
reading, and gardening. He lives in Escondido, California, with
his wife, Beverly.
Greg Brittenham,
Deans son, is the strength and conditioning coach of the New
York Knicks and has helped condition such NBA basketball pros as
Patrick Ewing, Doc Rivers, and Derek Harper as well as players from
the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers. He also is the president
of S.P.O.R.T. Elite, Ltd.
Greg has been
a leader in athletic conditioning since 1978. He and his father
were codirectors of the Center for Athletic Development at the National
Institute for Fitness and Sport in Indianapolis. Greg holds a masters
degree in kinesiology from Indiana University and is author of Complete
Conditioning for Basketball.
An avid spokesperson
for the importance of athletic conditioning, Greg has presented
and demonstrated his training methods and programs to several prominent
athletic groups, including the United States Tennis Association
and the United States Olympic Committee.
Greg lives in
Stamford, Connecticut, with his wife, Luann, and their two children,
Max and Rachel.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. A Strong
Core for Sports Performance
Chapter 2. A Strong Core for Fitness
Chapter 3. Warm-Up, Stretching, and Cooldown
Chapter 4. Training Guidelines
Chapter 5. Trunk Stabilization and Balance Exercises
Chapter 6. Ab Fitness Exercises
Chapter 7. Ab Strength Exercises
Chapter 8. Ab Power Exercises
Chapter 9. Abs and Back Training Program
Words
of Praise
"Despite
their importance, the abdominals, obliques, and back muscles have
been shortchanged in most exercise books. But Stronger Abs and Back,
written by two experts, offers nine chapters, over 100 exercises,
and many routines to improve sports performance."
Edmund R. Burke, PhD
Director of Exercise Science Program
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Author
"This
is an extremely practical guide to training the bodys midsection.
Its a must for athletes at every level from weekend warriors
to elite competitors. A great resource for both injury prevention
and performance enhancement."
E. Paul Roetert, PhD
Sport Science Administrator
United States Tennis Association
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