This new book by Steve Ilg isn't for everybody, but chances are if you've gotten this far, it's for you. Steve told me when I approached him about becoming an online Wholistic Fitness student in 1997, while he was tucked away in seclusion in New Mexico, that, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." For you, the teacher has appeared manifested in book form.
For the outdoor athlete this book is a wealthy smorgasbord of knowledge. Steve has written two other books about outdoor sport, The Outdoor Athlete and The Winter Athlete. This book takes the next and highest step, and is the most comprehensive of all. One of the best things about Ilg is that he doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk. He's a superior athlete in many sports, with numerous wins to his credit.....he cycles, both mountain bike and road, he runs trails, he snowshoes, nordic skis, snowboards, in-line skates, climbs etc. If you want to ride in the Leadville 100 or the grueling Furnace Creek 508, Ilg has done them. Whatever gnarly goal you have for yourself, Ilg can help you accomplish it, survive it, and thrive while doing it. In this book are the programs he uses to discipline his mind and body.
Aside from being an outdoor athlete, Steve is an amazing yogi and yoga teacher. He owns a successful studio in California where he teaches High Performance Yoga. This is the only book, to my knowledge, that blends the power of yoga with the power of the gym. Using Steve's Wholistic Fitness programs you grow strong and flexible.
Beyond strength training in the gym and sweating on the yoga mat, Ilg also lays out his philosophy concerning cardiovascular training, nutrition and meditation. Ilg trains the whole athlete, and this is a total fitness book. As Ilg often says, "Your workout is everywhere." Never again will you just stand in the checkout counter at the grocery store or sit at your desk.......under ilg's guidance you'll be working out and working within.
The dynamic movements in his strength training programs, every asana in his High Performance Yoga, all are illustrated with step by step photos. His wisdom in cardiovascular training, his rich storehouse of nutrition information, all are brought into the light.
The one thing this book requires is an open mind. Whatever beliefs you may have about your current fitness or training programs, whatever you thought you knew about yoga, strength training or cardio work, will be challenged. Steve is the kind of trainer that says, "Free the chains of your mind and the body will follow," when you're struggling with some aspect of one of his programs. To overcome pain in a long distance running or cycling event, he teaches the use of breathing techniques, meditation and mantras.
Buy this book and for less then the cost of a good dinner, you'll have the opportunity to transform your life. Not just the fitness part of your life, your whole life. Despite my bias towards Steve, despite my intimate knowledge of his programs, I am still reading this book and learning, learning, learning.
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