Best Winter Skiing
Winter recreation in the backcountry has increased steadily over the years and so has the number of deaths and injuries caused by avalanches. "This new edition of Bruce Temper's seminal book, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrrain, maintains the easy-to-understand style of its first edition, making the information accessible even for snow-sport novices, yet also technically insightful for snow safety veterans."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A must read if you're traveling in the backcountry during winter."
"Well worth grabbing this book if you are learning about avalanche terrain for snowshoeing, mountaineering or backcountry skiing."
"If you are going to be playing in the backcountry do your friends, family, and yourself a favor and buy and read this book."
"While the book does give you some quick checklists, it also presses home the point that evaluating avalanche risks reliably requires years of experience (and even then can fail you), so you definitely can't accuse the author of leaving you with a false sense of security."
"Wow, everybody who rides should read this, the first chapter alone made me rethink some backcountry choices."
"I have had a copy for several years and have read it numerous times, read it before I took my Level 1, read it again before my Level II, and had it with me on my desk at the National Avalanche School."
"His tone is one of respectful caution, perhaps borne of his losing friends and colleagues to avalanches - a reality that he mentions repeatedly."
"While I'll never be 100% comfortable with him going I feel better knowing he's well informed about how to avoid avalanches and stay safe."
This video demonstrates the use of the Primary Movements Teaching System, from the novice to the World Cup racer. I have learned a lot from Harb....This book could spark a long overdue revolution in American ski instruction.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"IMO what works best for books is to limit the diagrams and use words to describe what you want done (admittedly difficult for sporting activities)."
"Great way to learn the details of a beginner skier."
"Beginners and intermediate skiers who read this book will be able to develop expert movements from the outset and will learn a solid foundation for skiing off-piste. Advanced skiers and "psuedo experts" who can ski black or double black terrain, but have no understanding of ski technique would be better served by "Anyone Can Be an Expert Skier 2"."
"HH makes things simple and understandable with his great explanations and graphics."
"BUT, I have read several ski books since I have started skiing (Feb. 2013), and one thing I have noticed about ski champions is that while they may be good skiers, they suck at teaching."
"He is an imprtant contributor, but old school when he lifts up th einside, non-stance leg."
"I've skied for years with incremental improvement only until finding the PMTS system."
"I'm not a professional instructor, but every year I will find someone on the mountain, struggling to get down a simple Green run using the wedge. I'll offer a few tips straight from Harald's teaching methods, and usually I'll have the person skiing parallel and in control after 15 minutes of instruction!"
Renowned instructor, coach, and ski technique expert Ron LeMaster takes you beyond The Skier's Edge by improving, expanding, and enhancing that seminal work. These phenomenal images capture some of the world's greatest skiers while illustrating the correct techniques for every condition and terrain. Certified and accredited by the Professional Ski Instructors of America, LeMaster is a technical advisor to the U.S. ski team and Vail Ski School, and he lectures frequently about technique and biomechanics to ski schools and teams around North America, South America, and Europe. A regular contributor to skiing magazines, LeMaster also has written technical guides for the Professional Ski Instructors of America.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The author speaks from decades of experience, competently discusses the details of the angles and forces involved in skiing, explains many common skiing faults and how to fix them, describes quite a few exercises to help you improve your technique, and includes many stunning color montages of skiers to back up his points. I read the Kindle version on my color iPad mini, and absolutely loved zooming in on the beautiful color montages to see the fine points."
"I was able to grasp all of the concepts in the book from a technical perspective (most of which have to do with force and angles) and was curious as to if my limited experience would allow me to use them on the mountain. I wouldn't say it made me an expert, but it certainly increased my comfort on blue runs, allowed me to understand how the way I positioned my body altered the way the skis interacted with the snow, and gave me a good idea of how all of my (rental) equipment should fit/feel."
"No, you won't learn to ski from this alone, no book will teach you a physical activity like that, but as a complement to lessons and practice, it is excellent."
"LeMaster's detailed explanations of the forces and movements involved in advanced skiing and his photo collages illustrating the concepts he is covering are a wealth of knowledge for anyone who wants to move beyond schralping down the black diamonds and to begin to really ski with balance and precision."
"I would not advise this for someone who wants a book to learn to ski (actually, I know of no such books, you really need a good instructor), but for a ski instructor, this book is invaluable."
"well written, quite technical but well supported, good job!"
"This may be THE definitive reference book for upper level skiers."
Best Ice Skating & Figure Skating
Gary's lessons and David's writing provide examples of the importance of the mental game." Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--you will learn the same techniques and exercises Mack uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." In Mind Gym , noted sports psychology consultant Gary Mack teaches athletes the lessons he's learned about how the mind influences athletic performance as much as physical skill does, if not more so. Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--Mack shares the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great book-easy to read and provides a lot of good insight into mental training and imagery."
"This is my go-to sports psychology book for encouragement."
"I have always tried to emphasize the importance of mental training to my athletes and clients."
"Great book."
"Actually, the book was recommended by one of my former athletes, a state champion."
"Excellent book to get an athlete to consider the mental aspect of sport."
"Best book ever for mental strength on any sport and just all around confidence in life."
"Athletes at all levels could benefit from the advice and the author knows how to tell a good story. Another story about staying calm while being fired was much more applicable and we didn't need this second story to illustrate the same point."
Best Polar Regions Sports
One of Sports Illustrated ’s Top 100 Sports Books of All Time: A gripping firsthand account of one of the most daring climbing expeditions in history. “Those who have never seen the Himalayas, those who never care to risk an assault, will know when they finish this book that they have been a companion of greatness.” — TheNew York Times Book Review “The most influential mountaineering book of all time.” — National Geographic Adventure.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book became long and wordy in places but these were no doubt hardy, tough and smart men, with courage to spare."
"This book was fascinating."
"This book is a good glimpse of all the stuff that can go wrong, and how a self-reportedly conservative risk-taker nearly got his entire team killed, and lost major chunks of his body in the process."
"I thought it was a good read full of insights about the mentality of adventurers and mountaineers."
"Also, the extensive use of Sherpas and others natives hired to carry equipment make one realize what a monumental task this was in 1950."
"It was not as "gripping" as "Into Thin Air", but had its own sense of adventure, along with all of the risks involved, especially at that early time in mountaineering in the Himalayas."
"This was an amazing story of unbelievable courage under very difficult conditions."
"A vibrant, visual and interesting story of the hardships while climbing Annapurna."