This is the first book to examine the body in training in the context of religion, sport and wider physical culture, offering important insight into the performative, social, cultural and gendered aspects of somatic discipline and exercise. The book presents a series of fascinating thematic and case-study led chapters from around the world, examining topics including the martial discipline and symbolism of artistic gymnastics; religious interpretations of body vulnerability in the context of marathons; the religious language of corporeal training in sport and martial arts. Drawing on multi-disciplinary perspectives, from sport, religion, history and philosophy, the book explores the often contested and sometimes over-zealous application of training in both sport and religion and the ways in which this can cause harm to athletes or adherents. This is fascinating reading for any advanced student or researcher with an interest in the body, physical cultural studies, the ethics and philosophy of sport, the sociology of sport, religious studies, Asian studies or philosophy.

Demonstrates how to use exercise to heal back pain, arthritis, bursitis, stress, headaches, and more serious ailments, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Building muscle has never been faster or easier than with this revolutionary once-a-week training program In Body By Science, bodybuilding powerhouse John Little teams up with fitness medicine expert Dr. Doug McGuff to present a scientifically proven formula for maximizing muscle development in just 12 minutes a week. Backed by rigorous research, the authors prescribe a weekly high-intensity program for increasing strength, revving metabolism, and building muscle for a total fitness experience.

Competing in the 1986 National College Games of the People's Republic of China, Susan Brownell earned both a gold medal in the heptathlon and fame throughout China as "the American girl who won glory for Beijing University." Now an anthropologist, Brownell draws on her direct experience of Chinese athletics in this fascinating look at the culture of sports and the body in China. Training the Body for China is the first book on Chinese sports based on extended fieldwork by a Westerner. Brownell introduces the notion of "body culture" to analyze Olympic sports as one element in a whole set of Chinese body practices: the "old people's disco dancing" craze, the new popularity of bodybuilding (following reluctant official acceptance of the bikini), mass calisthenics, martial arts, military discipline, and more. Translating official and dissident materials into English for the first time and drawing on performance theory and histories of the body, Brownell uses the culture of the body as a focal point to explore the tensions between local and global organizations, the traditional and the modern, men and women. Her intimate knowledge of Chinese social and cultural life and her wide range of historic examples make Training the Body for China a unique illustration of how gender, the body, and the nation are interlinked in Chinese culture.

Is it time to lose weight, gain muscle, and speed up your metabolism? Discover the hard science needed to perfect each exercise and build your strongest body – at home or in the gym Packed with research that supports the notion that bodyweight exercises help you reach your weight and fitness goals, this simple to follow guide also gives you valuable insight into how nutrition and exercise can improve your health. Inside the pages of this strength training book, you’ll discover: • The physiology and benefits of strength training • Workout plans for beginners, enthusiasts, and personal trainers • The hard dietary science that debunks common myths and important information to properly fuel your body • Depictions of 33 exercises: how to do them, common mistakes, and the benefits of each Work towards your strength goals In this book, Author Austin Current takes readers through the science of strength training, weight loss, nutrition, and overall health. The book looks at why many people fear strength training, why they shouldn’t, and how they can incorporate it into their daily lives. Filled with CGI artwork and science-backed information, this exercise book will help you transform your body and improve your well-being. Not only that, but this title also includes full workout plans and over 100 individual exercises. You’ll learn how your muscles engage at each stage, how to do movements properly and without injury, and it shows you different variations for home and gym. This book is also packed with nutritional information and includes dietary advice for vegans and vegetarians. Discover more in the series DK's Science of series dives into the science of various types of exercises such as weight training, running, and yoga. Each book discusses the benefits of the specific type of workout and how you can transform your outlook about health and fitness. How The Book Works The first section — human physiology — introduces you to the wonder that is skeletal muscle and the mechanisms that underpin strength training’s demands on the body. It will help you understand how muscles work and grow, and how the resistance work stimulates muscles to develop strength and size, alongside its positive impacts on bones and connective tissue. It also explains how the body powers muscular work and shows you how to calculate your own daily macronutrient requirements. Lastly, you’re given an overview of the benefits to the brain, and the crucial role it plays in attitude and mental health. The second section — strength exercises — is devoted to a comprehensive collection of strength training exercises to perform, along with many variations offered to compliment your available training equipment, personal preferences, and level of challenge — at home or in the gym. Each exercise displays the muscles being used throughout the movement with detailed instruction on how to achieve proper form and technique; common mistakes are covered, too. The third section — preventing injury — explores common injuries related to resistance training, with explanations on how to avoid them and how to return to training if you do suffer an injury. A consistent and structured routine, including a proper warm-up, prepares the body for work, and the various mobility exercises and stretches given will help you tune in to how your body is responding to the training. The final section — how to train — outlines everything you need to know about the variables of effective strength training, such as training volume and fatigue management. Whether you want to build muscle, strength, or endurance, you’ll find an easy-to-follow program to suit, as well as alternatives for those wanting to workout more often. Then programs form the base of your training and can be adjusted in the months and years to come.

Men's Health magazine's #1 personal trainer delivers cutting-edge, high-intensity workouts to help you pack serious muscle and become unstoppably fit. From the man responsible for the gym that trained the actors in the movie 300 comes cutting-edge fitness strategies, 100 workouts, and a training plan that has successfully transformed A-list actors and actresses, elite special-forces soldiers, all-star athletes, and everyday men and women. With Bobby Maximus’s guidance you too can become one of the most insanely fit people the world has ever seen. The diets and workouts that promise easy results in minutes per day have tricked masses into wasting their money on false promises. Supplements, smoothies, and 4-minute workouts aren’t getting people any fitter. Getting that shredded body requires real commitment and real work—and Bobby can show you how. Maximus Body features circuit-style workouts that will push you to your limits and work your whole body. With a plethora of exercises like “Don’t Ask Me About Your Abs,” that work your core with a combination of sit ups, push ups, pull ups, and even leg raises, you can develop an exercise routine that fits your needs. Whether you are overweight and trying to get back into shape, or a high-level athlete trying to gain that extra edge, Maximus Body offers up thousands of once-secret ways to burn fat, add lean muscle, reveal a shredded 8-pack, and build mind-bending physical fitness.