The Ergogenics Edge: Pushing the Limits of Sports Performance Book (Copyright 1998, 328 pages)
In sports, faster, higher, stronger, longer, and better is what everyone wants. Athletes and coaches seek out sports ergogenics that will give them a training and performance advantage over their competition. For more than 30 years, Mel Williams' has researched and explained the nutritional, pharmacological, psychological, and physiological ergogenics that should and should not be used in sports. The Ergogenics Edge is Dr. Williams' fifth and definitive book on the topic. It provides the most recent information on a wide variety of ergogenics and analyzes their positive and negative effects on sports performance factors (SPFs). Williams rates more than 60 sports ergogenics based on the following criteria: Classification and usage: What is it and how is it used? Sports performance factors: Which athletes may benefit from its use? Theory: How is it supposed to work? Effectiveness: Does it work? May it actually impair performance? Safety: Are any health risks associated with its use? Legal aspects: Is its use legal in training or competition? Ethical concerns: Are there any ethical issues associated with its use? Recommendations: Are there sufficient grounds to recommend its use for training or competition? From supplements to stress management techniques, Williams weighs the effectiveness, safety, and legality of each aid. He also identifies which ergogenics work best for each major sport. About the Author Dr. Mel Williams is a professor in the Department of Exercise Science, Physical Education, and Recreation at Old Dominion University. With more than 30 years of research experience with sports ergogenics, Dr. Williams is both a highly respected scientist and a renowned author. His first book, published in 1974, was one of the first to focus specifically on drugs and sport. His definitive college text, Nutrition for Fitness and Sport, is entering its fifth edition. Dr. Williams is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD). Apart from his scientific achievements, Williams has coached football and wrestling at the high school level and cross-country at the college level. A competitive road racer for more than 20 years, his most significant performance came in winning the 50 to 59 age group in the 1989 Boston Marathon. Dr. Williams lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His leisure activities include running and training for road racing, traveling to his