Secrets of Soviet Sports Fitness and Training

""In almost all sports, athletes from the Soviet Union and other socialist-bloc nations have consistently outperformed Western competitors,'' maintains Yessis, a physical education professor at California State University, Fullerton, who publishes Soviet Sports Review, a quarterly English-language journal for coaches in the West. Extolling the virtues of Soviet prowess, he advocates the separation of sports and politics, credits Soviet sports physicians with generosity and openness, and maintains that the ``secrets'' of their superiority are accessible to Americans. Soviet success is due, he says, to a scientifically based system that includes sophisticated sports research, novel physical and psychological training regimens, innovative equipment and new competitive tactics. Coaches and serious athletes will find this multifaceted overview thought-provoking, if controversial, although some may be put off by the single-mindedness of the Soviet approach. Trubo is a veteran health writer. Illustrations. Author tour. (July 24)