As one of the country's best and most consistently inspiring motivational speakers, Frank W. Dick OBE is the current President of the European Athletics Coaches Association, Member of the IAAF Coaches Commission, as well as Chair (and architect) of the IAAF Academy.

From 1979 to 1994 he was the British Athletics Federation's Director of Coaching, where he was widely acknowledged as and remains one of the outstanding sports coaches and coach mentors in the world. With a history of sporting excellence through coaching some of the best talent, he has coached tennis star Boris Becker, German figure skater Katrina Witt, golfer Justin Rose and racing driver Gerhard Berger and is now a motivational speaker.

With contributions from: Professor John Brewer (St Mary's University, Twickenham, UK), Professor Timothy Noakes (University of Cape Town, South Africa), Dr Penny Werthner (University of Calgary, Canada), Dr Scott Drawer (RFU, UK), Vern Gambetta (Sports Training Systems), and Dr Cliff Mallett and Dr David Jenkins (University of Queensland, Australia).

Covers all the key areas of knowledge needed in sports science.

PrefaceIntroductionPART 1: RODS TO LEVERS1 The working parts
Axes
Joint actions
Basic structure
The upper limbs
Spine
The lower limbs
Male/female body variations
Summary

2 Structural change in the growing child
Stages of growth
Summary

3 Basic mechanics
Definitions
Laws of motion
Summary

Summary of part 1

PART 2: THE LIVING MACHINE4 Nutrition
Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Vitamins
Minerals
Water
Nutritional supplements
Food allergies
Nutritional guidelines for athletes
Summary

5 The oxygen transporting system
Definition, functions and effects
Maximal oxygen uptake
Acclimatisation to altitude
Summary

6 The working muscle
The energy pathways
The muscle

7 The fluid systems
Homeostasis
Specific fluids: composition and function
Temperature regulation
Summary

8 The hormones
Local hormones
General hormones
Gonadotrophic hormones
The secreting glands
The immune system
Summary

9 Physiological differences in the growing child
Effects of stress
Summary

Summary of part 2

PART 3: MISSION CONTROL10 Victor in mente, victor in corpore
Intellectual preparation of the athlete
Personality of the athlete
Relationship between athlete and coach
Summary

11 Perceptual-motor learning
Perceptual-motor skills training
The learning concept
Aims of technical training
Summary

12 Psychological changes and the growing child
General patterns
Motor learning characteristics
Summary

Summary of part 3

PART 4: THE LANGUAGE OF TRAINING THEORY13 Fitness
The general picture
Basic principles in training
Effect of training
Basic physical characteristics
Points on fitness and training
Summary

14 Theory and practice of strength development
Strength
Strength relative to movement
Development of strength
Summary

15 Theory and practice of speed development
Speed in sport
Speed development
Summary

16 Theory and practice of endurance development
Training methods
Altitude training in practice
Summary

17 Theory and practice of mobility development
Mobility classification
Mobility training
Summary

18 Evaluation in sport
Status classification
Summary

Summary of part 4

Part 5: Planning the programme
19 Periodising the year
Preparation macrocycle
Competition macrocycle
Transition macrocycle
Year-round adaptations
Summary

20 Variations in periodisation
Setting out the timescale
Single and double periodisation
Summary

21 Units, microcycles, mesocycles and macrocycles
The training unit
The microcycle
Macrocycles and mesocycles
Summary

22 Adaptation to loading
Definition
Summary

23 Training v straining
Summary

24 Competition period
Competition
Summary

25 Coachworks: principles in practice
Performance
Developments
Results
Systems
Summary

Summary of part 5

Index