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

A prominent athletic performance expert integrates the stress-reducing techniques of mind-body medicine into a lifelong fitness program that calls for a new ideal of physical and mental balance. 25,000 first printing.

When a baseball player gets five hits in a row or a basketball player can't miss, they're said to be in a "zone." The zone is a nebulous state, thought to be brought on willy-nilly, not willfully. Drawing on numerous Eastern disciplines, but especially on India's Vedic literature, Douillard says no, the zone can be brought on consciously. His program for physical training begins with a psychophysiological profile that will determine one's individual nature, which, in turn, will help one choose a sport in which to compete and determine the appropriate diet and exercise regimen. He also provides two levels of fitness programs: one for the elite, competitive athlete and another for the person who simply wants a healthier lifestyle. Although much of this may sound like a combination of astrology and New Age philosophy, it is firmly based on common sense. If there is a cornerstone to Douillard's ideology, it is, listen to your body and let your exercise program be guided by its signals. "No pain, no gain" is a phrase Douillard would like to eliminate from athletics. If it hurts, he says, don't do it anymore. Good advice. Wes Lukowsky

In an era of increased body awareness, this book encourages lasting health and fitness through fun. Using many of Douillard's recommendations, children and adults can learn to maximize their physical abilities and enjoy recreational and competitive sports. The author integrates Yoga, Tao, Zen, diet, and various training programs as guides to greater enjoyment and success in sport. He focuses upon three mind-body types that reflect the governing principles of nature: Vata (space/air), Pitta (fire/water), and Kapha (water/earth). The premise is that each of us has primary characteristics in one of these psychophysiological mind-body types that influence how we think, eat, and sleep. This enjoyable book is recommended for health and fitness collections.
- Albert Spencer, Coll. of Education, Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.