cover image The New Toughness Training for Sports: Mental Emotional Physical Conditioning from 1 World's Premier Sports Psychologis

The New Toughness Training for Sports: Mental Emotional Physical Conditioning from 1 World's Premier Sports Psychologis

James E. Loehr. Dutton Books, $21.95 (224pp) ISBN 978-0-525-93839-2

Loehr (Mental Toughness Training for Sports), who has helped train athletes for sports ranging from tennis to hockey, here concentrates on the emotional element of training, pointing out that toughness has nothing to do with the reputed killer instinct or insensitivity of the athlete. Rather, he believes that toughness depends on emotional flexibility, responsiveness and strength, and demonstrates itself in an athlete's ability to perform consistently in the upper ranges of his or her skill. Loehr discusses in detail the problems of stress, innate in any competitive endeavor, and recovery from it. Striking a balance between stress and recovery, he maintains, is a constant must-win battle. The text is supplemented by self-analysis charts and questionnaires. This book should help nearly any athlete at any level. (Nov.)