Book Description
Drain three pointers, slam dunk easily, and sink that buzzer beater from half court with the help of simple science. Your coach, physicist John J. Fontanella, shows how you can improve your game if you take advice from Isaac Newton. As you read, relive some of the great moments in the game -- this time with a scientist and diehard basketball fan as your color analyst.
Find out why you ought to put spin on the ball. Get tips on how to improve your free throw and increase your percentage from the charity stripe. You'll even learn how to shatter the backboard, if that's something you've always dreamed of doing. With photographs and simple high school formulas, physics professor Fontanella -- who played in college against Pittsburgh and Syracuse -- reveals the key pieces of physics that underscore basketball. He covers almost every aspect of the game, weaving in stories from games he's played and games he's seen, and tales from basketball history and folklore. Physics comes alive as you see how Kobe Bryant, Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Becky Hammon, and J. J. Reddick do naturally the things that Isaac Newton says they should.Steve Watkins, International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching
Customer Reviews:
Shoot da Rock, Baby!!!.......2007-06-12
This is a great book for delving deeper into the game of basketball and getting the low down on practical physics. Highly recommend this.
Font size.......2007-05-14
I gave the book as a gift and was disappointed when I got a glimpse of the print on the page ... it was very small (to save cost of printing?) and did not look like it would be easy to read....however, I did not read the book so I will have to talk to the giftee to find that info
The true science of basketball.......2007-05-13
Over the years, I have found it fascinating to read books on the physics of baseball. Curve balls do curve, knuckle balls do knuckle and scientists have come to admit to the facts that the experimentalists (baseball players) have known for decades. In this book, Fontanella, a physics professor at the United States Naval Academy and a former college basketball player, analyzes the many ways a basketball can bounce. It is very detailed yet extremely entertaining. It is so specific that he points out how much less a basketball weighs as a consequence of air buoyancy. Even to the point where he compares the differences in the weights between the balls used in the women's game versus the men's game. While that part was not of great interest, the rest certainly was.
Like the baseball players, the basketball players have carried out a lot of empirical research. However, not to the extent that Fontanella has. He is very specific about the best angle for a shot, where the "sweet spot" is on the backboard when attempting a lay up and even to the distortion affects on a basketball when it is bounced. While the latter may not appear significant, it is critical for shooting percentages. As the author points out, very few shots are "nothing but net." Most make some contact with the rim and many bounce off the rim before going through the net. The manner in which the ball bounces off the rim is critical. If you have ever played, you know the difference between a soft shot and a "brick."
This is not a book where the author expresses his love for the game and then throws in a bit of physics. It is a serious treatise on basketball with enough formulas so that it could be used in a high school or college physics class. That part was impressive, many coaches would find an examination of this book time well spent.
Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission
Physics + Basketball.......2007-04-10
Physics teachers can add some pizzazz to their lectures with these great basketball stories used to explain physics.
The Physics of Basketball.......2007-01-11
Make no mistake about it, this is not an introductory book. This is for people who know basketball and a little physics or know physics and a little basketball. It tells basketball stories to illustrate physics and physics stories to illustrate basketball.
I would recommend this book to high school and college physics teachers to add interest to their discussions. It could even be used as text for a college course on physics of sports. Not only does sport interest students, they already know something about 'how it works' and with the help of this book, an instructor can use physics to introduce them to 'why it works'.
I found of the sequence of explanation of the four force model of the flight of the ball exceptionally well done. As with a good scienctist, he started with data. Then he took one force, gravity, explained how it works, what effect it will have on a shot ball and compared the effect to data. He showed how gravity was necessary but insufficient to explain the ball's motion. Through three more forces: buoynacy, drag (air resistance) and Magnus force, he methodically discussed the force, performed measurements, then added the force to the model. Now that he had the four force model, he used it to explain how a good shooter chooses his shot angle to make a shot 'softer' not, as one might expect, easier. Marvelous -- data, theory (or theories), model, prediction, repeat until it matches nature, and finally use the model to explain something not originally in the model. How much more accurate a view of the method of scientist than the "scientific method".
As the motion of the ball gets more complicated, following the physics does get a bit challenging. Through the discussion of deflections off the rim and backboard, I admit I read for a while and then let it sink in before I returned to it. I was however rewarded in discovering how correct I was in trying to use the board when close to the hoop -- only thirty years too late.
As with any good rock concert, one should be left wanting more, and I wished that the discussion of breaking the glass was given a bit more space. I think a figure or two more showing the effect of compression and tension and how this leads to an explosive break would have helped.
Finally, in addition to instructors, this book would be a good read for your scientist friend or science dabbler who would like good basketball stories along with some good stories of scientific inquiry.
Book Description
Blending scientific fact and sports trivia, Robert Adair examines what a baseball or player in motion does-and why. How fast can a batted ball go? What effect do stitch patterns have on wind resistance? How far does a curve ball break? Who reaches first base faster after a bunt, a right- or left-handed batter? The answers are often surprising -- and always illuminating.
This newly revised third edition considers recent developments in the science of sport such as the neurophysiology of batting, bat vibration, and the character of the "sweet spot." Faster pitchers, longer hitters, and enclosed stadiums also get a good, hard scientific look to determine their effects on the game.
Filled with anecdotes about famous players and incidents, The Physics of Baseball provides fans with fascinating insights into America's favorite pastime.
Customer Reviews:
Too heavy on the math.......2007-02-18
I know this book is about the "physics" of baseball, but for the average fan/baseball enthusiast, it is a little too heavy on the theory side of explaining the mechanics of baseball. Overall an interesting read.
You need to know a significant amount of math and physics to understand it.......2006-11-23
This book is one that the serious fan will enjoy, but only if you understand a good deal of physics. Some of the problems considered are which bat is best, considering variable length, shape, weight and the type of wood. To determine which of each is best, it is necessary to understand the physics of compressible bodies and how that will change the distance the ball will travel.
The physics of a pitched ball is also covered in detail. Understanding this requires knowledge of turbulence, and differential forces on a moving object. Knowing this, it is possible to explain how a baseball can be made to curve, how a fastball hops and how a knuckle ball knuckles. Some of the most interesting results were:
*) A batted ball should only be able to travel at most 545 feet in standard meteorological conditions.
*) The contact between a baseball and a bat lasts approximately 1/1000th of a second.
*) A 10-mile per hour headwind will turn a 400-foot drive into a 370 foot one.
Each chapter ends with a collection of technical notes that extend the topic of the chapter. This material is where the mathematics gets the heaviest.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is that none of the "common knowledge" accrued by baseball players was proven false. Curve balls do curve, and sometimes quite a bit. While a fast ball does not really hop, it does sink less than it otherwise would due to wind resistance, which to human experience, makes it appear to hop. I really enjoyed this book, as a mathematician it was fun to read the formulas that make the curve ball that I could never hit possible.
Science of baseball.......2005-10-17
It taught you the science behind pitching and hitting a baseball. However it does not make the next step which is how to apply the science of the game to actual play.
Enjoyable read because it gave scientific reasons as to why coaches teach players what they do.
Great learning.......2004-11-30
This is a good book for baseball players so they can learn more about how the game is played in technical, and physics way.
I was a little confused with all the formulas in calculating pitches, but that's just me.
people will like this book because of how interesting it is, and how it explains the physics of america's past time.
Jamaal's Advertisement of "The Physics of Baseball".......2004-11-28
This book technically describes the physics of baseball. It contains descriptions of techniques of how you pitch and hit the ball. The book goes into every single detail of what angle the bat could hit the ball. If you are interested in baseball and you think you know the game, you don't because this book provides information that you could not have thought of. For the serious baseball player, I recommend reading this book.
Book Description
Helping coaches and players streamline their learning systems, improve their performance, and further their understanding and enjoyment of the game, this book provides an entertaining and enlightening look at the physics behind how to use a racquet to change the speed and direction of a tennis ball. Distinguishing the science from the folklore and myth, it makes the physics of tennis understandable to players of all skill levels. Important issues such as the role of string tension, the meaning of power, the importance of swing weight, and the relevance of the various sweet spots are addressed. Athletes are shown how to play better tennis by obeying the laws of the universe, optimizing equipment for ultimate performance, and understanding the dynamics of tennis events. From speed-to-spin ratios and shock vibration scales to choosing string on a moist day, this guide covers it all.
Customer Reviews:
Great Analysis of Subject.......2006-03-28
This is an excellent review of every conceivable aspect of tennis and the colliding forces on the ball. It covers frames, spin, deceleration... about the only thing I can think of that was not covered was differences in altitude and high altitude vs. regular tennis balls. Mathematical formulas are provided throughout describing the physical phenomenon that is being explored. I loved the section of the rate of deceleration of the ball, which helped me to understand why my serves seemed to be quite fast, but only registered 95-100 mph at the net. This was good stuff!
My review did not earn 5 stars because the book is a little bit dated in terms of current racquet choices, and because it appears that a little bit of material is redundant from chapter to chapter, and I wonder if this could be either justified or eliminated in a subsequent edition.
If you have ever wondered if a coach/friend was giving you factual information about your game, read this book!
Viewpoint from Avid Tennis Player & Engineer.......2006-02-21
It was very interesting to read technical explanations for tennis realities... Since the book is filled with obtuse scientific concepts such as Vertical Angular Acceptance, Coefficient of Restitution, etc., most readers may find the material difficult. I've summarized some of the finer points from the book at my blog site:
http://www.sokol-blog.com/
The BEST Book on the Science of Tennis.......2004-01-19
Simply put... this beautiful book is the best book on the technology of tennis and should be read by every MANUFACTURER of tennis gear, as well as those serious about increasing every aspect of their game! This is well written, beautifully designed and packed with information that any tennis player will enjoy and benefit from!
Get the real scoop based on scientific facts.......2003-12-19
This is an excellent book that dismisses many myths regarding tennis equipment. The three coauthors include two physicists and one tennis pro. They are all avid tennis players. They also have incredibly investigative minds. The book consists of about 40 different articles covering many different technical subjects regarding stroke mechanics, ball bounce, racquets, and strings. All these articles represent serious investigation and research from a physicist standpoint. These articles stand on their own independently. As a result, you do not need to read them in sequential order. You also don't need to read them all to extract the information you care about. For my part, I skipped some of the articles on the physics of ball bounce, but was very interested on all the articles regarding strings and racquets properties. Depending on your own personal interest, you may read or focus on different sets of articles. Given the rather dry subject, the writing style of the authors make the information easy to digest.
Contrary to what players believe, racquets have very similar power. Strings, regardless of tension and type have also very similar power. But, different strings can feel very different based on their respective stiffness. Gut and high quality nylon strings feel soft because they are relatively flexible. Kevlar does not feel so good, because they are the stiffest strings.
According to the authors, the pros don't use any of the high-tech latest models, including oversize, and widebody frames. They use older models customized with lead tape to add swingweight. Oversize racquets are not maneuverable enough at their playing speed.
The authors state throughout the book that racquets that are stiff strung at low tension feel better. A stiff racquet vibrates less. Its vibrations have a faster frequency. The ball sits longer on low tension strings than the fast vibration of a stiff racquet. As a result, both string and frame vibrations are dampened by the longer impact time of the ball. Thus, the least amount of vibration occurs in stiff racquets strung at low tension.
The book has a whole lot more of interesting information about tennis than I share in the above paragraphs. If you love the game, and are somewhat of a quantitative type, you will love this book.
The truth about tennis rackets.......2002-12-18
Don't buy your next racket until you read this book. This book, by 2 physicists and a tennis specialist, sets forth what they have found scientifically about tennis rackets and technology. The book takes considerable concentration to mine the lessons learned for your game. But here are a few of the nuggets I found:
1) All rackets have essentially the same power!
2) Stiff rackets vibrate less and feel better.
3) Soft strings and lower tension feel better.
4) String tension has little effect on power.
5) No one knows how to measure "control".
6) Perimeter weighting drastically reduces shock.
7) Backspin groundstrokes are easier to hit than topspin, but have much less tolerance for error.
8) Stand inside the baseline when receiving a slow serve and bash it at the netman. He'll have no time to react.
On the downside, the authors should have done a much better job of summarizing the findings. The chapters are written in sort of a mystery fashion, where you have to wait until the end to get the lessons. The first book by Dr. Brody did a much better job of summarizing the findings for the general tennis player.
Finally, a book that helps you sort through tennis rackets! Unfortunately, the authors conclude that your skill and arm make the difference in how good you are. No racket will take you directly to Flushing Meadows.
Book Description
Dr. Armenti puts to rest a number of popular sports-related misconceptions and accounts for phenomena that, for many, have been a source of wonder since childhood. Why does a golf ball have dimples? How can a sailboat travel almost directly into the wind? Readers will find the answers eye-opening. For general science readers and students and teachers of either physics or sports.
Book Description
Understanding the properties of snow and how it changes and interacts with the skis will help you appreciate the special phenomena that occur at the triple point, where the solid, liquid, and vapor phases coexist. You'll learn about alpine, cross-country, and speed skiing techniques, wax performance, and you'll get scientific data that is not readily available on the technical specifications and performance of ski equipment. The new edition will include a chapter on biomechanics & physiology of skiing. Other chapters will be revised & brought up to date. The discussion of Alpine skiing will include an extensive discussion of the new "turning" skis.
Customer Reviews:
lots of data; lack of concept; slightly out-of-date.......2003-01-25
I am a firm believer that understanding of the mechanics of a carving ski and of the forces transferred between the skis and the skier as he makes his way down the slope are necessary to better understand why one or another skier's action may help to intiate a turn, or shorten its radius, or, in contrast, will lead to a skidded turn. "The physics of skiing" is the only book I could find which addresses the mechanics and physics of skiing. It starts with the physical properties of snow and its formation in the atmosphere, then discusses the properties of snow equipment (mostly downhill skis, briefly snowboards and cross-country skis), and then goes into dynamics of gliding, wedging, and carving. The book is written as a college textbook with numerous (although fairly simple) equations and diagrams of forces. It requires a sufficiently strong background in physics. Although it contains a large amount of interesting data, I was not quite satisfied with it for two reasons. First, it lacks a concept. It is more a review of different literature sources on skiing-related topics than an analysis combining understanding of physics of skiing with a discussion of how this knowledge is applicable to modern skiing techniques. It provides the readers with the background theory, but does not lead to any suggestions how to benefit from this understanding and improve their skiing technique. Too bad that the authors did not have a good ski instructor in their company to make the book more useful and down-to-earth. Secondly, since it is based on references published between 1977 and 1997, part of the discussion is more applicable to the old almost straight skis than to modern supersidecut skis.
Want to Know about Skiis and Snow? This book will tell you.......2001-09-30
As a ski instructor the subject of how and why these damn things work as well as how to set up your skiis has always been of interest. This book will give you 95% of the answers to those questions. The book covers down hill, cross country as well as a catagory called adventure skiing. I will be ordering extra copies to give to my skiing friends
W. E. M.
Book Description
You'll never view a football game in quite the same way again--the ultimate guide for the millions of impassioned fans who have turned football into America's most watched sportWhat effect does altitude have on the flight of a kicked ball? How do Newton's laws of motion apply to blocking and tackling? What does the science of physics reveal to us about the optimal chase strategies for defensive backs? In this illuminating , enormously entertaining book, a physics professor with a rare gift for making science easy to understand-and fun-for the lay reader reveals the unseen natural laws that govern football. And in so doing, Dr. Timothy Gay broadens and deepens our appreciation for the strategic nuances of this deceptively simple game.The success of such well received titles as The Physics of Baseball and The Physics of Golf has already demonstrated fans' fascination with the science underlying their favorite sport. But never before have basic physical principles been explained so clearly for sports fans with no scientific background. Readers will relive the game's enthralling moments and legendary feats-Franco Harris's Immaculate Reception, Joe Montana's scrambling pass for The Catch, Dick Butkus's bone-crunching, game-saving tackles, and many more-as they gain new insight into the dynamics of blocking and tackling, open field running, kicking, passing, the line of scrimmage, and the role played by equipment, turf, and the decibels of sound in stadiums. Illustrated with classic black-and-white NFL action photos along with engaging popular-science diagrams, the book is an outgrowth of Dr. Gay's playful, brilliant lectures on the physics of football that have been adapted by the NFL for videos shown on the TV show Blast! which airs in 190 foreign countries.
Customer Reviews:
Good Book for the Sports Fan Who Likes Science.......2005-09-07
From start to finish this was a fascinating book. There is also a great deal of football history sprinkled throughout.
It does a great job introducing the football portion of the topic, then the physics lesson, and then combines them to understand how the physics principle is implemented in real life. It does take a basic understanding of physics to really grasp the concepts since the book does not go into a great deal of detail on the principles.
It starts with the fundamentals of blocking a tackling and you gain a much greater understanding of the forces an NFL player can generate. Then you get to understand the precision required to run a passing and kicking game. I especially enjoyed the section on pursuit angles and maximizing the yardage gain.
A very fast read that was very enjoyable.
I Wish I'd Had This for a Physics Textbook.......2004-10-14
If Thmothy Gay doesn't rewrite this book into a high school level physics text he's really missing a bet. Of course I don't know anything about selling textbooks, but boy, I sure wish I'd had something like this when I was first taking physics in high school.
Dr. Gay is both a professor (atomic physics) and a football fan. What happens when a heavy, fast moving player (like Warren Sapp) hits a much lighter quarterback (Doug Flutie)who is standing still? This is such a better question than a mass of blah with a speed of blah-blah, and so on. Or what was the accuracy required of Joe Montana in throwing to Jerry Rice in The Catch during SuperBown XXIII. Montana had to throw the ball at just the right speed, just the right direction, and just the right time. But how fast, how accurately, and what was the margin of error on his timing.
The book is a delightful read on aspects of the game of football rarely seen.
Great book for football fans and science students..........2004-10-05
If you're a football fan but don't know anything about physics, this book will teach you some things about physics you probably don't know but will enjoy learning. If you're a student of physics but don't know anything about football, this book will teach you some things about football you probably don't know but will enjoy learning. But if you're both a football fan and a student of physics well, then, this book will be a delightful read for you and you will learn some things about the "physics of football" you may not know but should know, if for no other reason than you can now show your family and friends how the principles and methods of physics are applicable to a popular human activity and one of our favorite pastimes. Now, don't get me wrong. You don't have to be a football fan or a student of physics to enjoy this book. In fact, if you don't fall into either of these categories, you may enjoy reading the book even more because you'll be learning about two unfamiliar subjects instead of just one. Consider it an exciting journey into the unknown.
The author of "Football Physics: The Science of the Game" is eminently qualified to write the book. Dr. Timothy Gay played football at Caltech and earned a doctorate in atomic physics at the University of Chicago, and it is obvious from his writing that he remains a loyal fan of the game. Furthermore, there is no question about his talent in applying the principles of physics to an activity that most of us probably never realized had much in the way of scientific principles attached to it. Well, I was certainly surprised to learn just how much physics is involved in a game that hundreds of thousands of fans watch each week during the football season. And I suggest that all those high-school football players out there might profit immensely from taking some time out of practice to spend some time with Dr. Gay's book.
Initially, we are introduced to Newton's First Law. Don't recall who Isaac Newton was? No matter. You'll know who he was and why he is important before you get to Chapter Two. Anyway, Newton's First Law simply says that "mass wants to continue doing what it's doing, whether it's at rest or in motion." What's that got to do with the game of football? Well, for one thing, it "provides the reasoning behind why quarterback sneak plays work if well timed." There's more involved here, of course, but you'll have to read the book to find out what. Then, there is Newton's Second Law which states that "the force applied to an object is the product of the object's mass and its acceleration." When you think of "mass" in the context of football, think Refrigerator Perry. The author explains how this great football player can be used to illustrate this second physical law. You'll also learn a lot about acceleration, speed, and velocity and why these are important to a scientific understanding of football. Finally, there is Newton's Third Law which says that "whenever two objects collide, no matter what their individual masses, no matter how fast they're going, they always exert the same amount of force on each other, but in opposite directions." Are you beginning to see how this might apply to football? Think of all those objects colliding at and beyond the line of scrimmage. At this point in the book, by the way, we haven't even reached Chapter Two yet.
Since it is impossible for me to even begin to condense what the rest of the book holds, just let me tell you that you'll learn much about the "science" of blocking and tackling, about what effect altitude has on the flight of a kicked ball, about the ins and outs of football gear (do you know how helmets work?), what scientific principles are involved in kicking and passing a football, how and why the advent of artificial playing surfaces has changed the game, and a lot more. Do you know anything about the science behind the so-called "West Coast Offense" which was perfected by Joe Montana and Jerry Rice? No? You will after you read "Football Physics."
This is a serious book, to be sure. After all, it is about a basic empirical science, physics, and the application of its principles and methods to a human activity. But it is a fun book, too. It is entertaining and easy to read and understand. Furthermore, Dr. Gay has provided numerous diagrams and charts to help illustrate the principles of physics as they apply to football. There are also some classic photographs of famous NLF players in action which aid in visualizing certain important points that the author is trying to make. Also included are a bibliography and notes, as well as a handy index, which even includes page references to the illustrations and photographs.
The author also provides an appendix where he takes a more in-depth look at some important physics concepts and tools, and how they apply within the context of the game of football, including the Cartesian grid, the Pythagorean theorem, and vectors. Students of philosophy and mathematics please pay attention! You'll discover that philosophy and mathematics can be very practical pursuits indeed. Those who are not familiar with either philosophy or mathematics will be surprised to learn how things considered so "abstract" can also be so "practical."
Without hesitation, I recommend "Football Physics" to all readers who like to explore new territory or investigate new fields of inquiry. You don't have to be a football fan to enjoy it. You don't have to be a student of physics to enjoy it. You just have to be an inquisitive reader who desires to learn more about how the discoveries of science impact our ordinary activities or, conversely, how our ordinary activities are better illuminated by understanding them in the light of scientific principles.
Great way to learn applied Newtonian physics.......2004-09-30
If you are a football fan but could never really quite get a grip on physics Timothy Gay may have the answer for you. Basic Newtonian physics are used to explain what happens when two players of different mass collide, the best pursuit patterns, ball spiral, and even why passes go further in the Denver Broncos stadium when compared to Giants Stadium. Or conversely, he uses football to explain Newtonian physics. Either way, by approaching the subject from the standpoint of a common background (football) the author makes basic physics easy to comprehend.
Football Physics: The Science of the Game is a thoroughly enjoyable book and a great way to introduce students to physics in a way that illustrates its application in every day life. I wish a book like this had been available when I was first learning physics, it would have been a lot more fun.
Book Description
This book is an revision and expansion of the best selling AIP Press title, Physics of Golf. It includes a new chapter on putting, a new appendix on the fundamental physics covered in the book, increased coverage of modern club design, and an updated reference section. As in the previous book, most of the mathematics is relegated to a technical appendix. The first edition of this book sold 8500 units USP and was reviewed enthusiastically by the both the sciece press in Physics Today, IEEE Spectrum, and Nature and the golf world in American Golf Pro and Golf Week. Excerpts from reviews: "Jorgensen's book may be about the last word on the golf swing... for anyone who has swung a golf club, the book is fun to read." Physics Today, 6/94, by Bob Adair, author of Physics of Baseball."...(book) gives us new insights and precise views into the forces and torques developed in the downswing...Thank you, Dr. Jorgensen. We will all treasure your book." American Golf Pro, winter 1996 "Jorgensen writes for a wide readership ranging from nongolfing fellow physicists... to nonscientific golfers..." Nature, 1994 "Daly's book is in the bucket; my sporting future is assured due to the Physics of Golf". Contemporary Physics, 1994
Customer Reviews:
shipping charge.......2007-07-18
I ordered two books at a same time to save international shipping charge. As you know, international shipping charge is very expensive. The price of two books was $25, but intenational shipping charge was $22 for two packages.
If you sent books in a package, I could save my money.
Now a bit of why.......2005-09-26
Golf instruction booklets tend to focus on a series of movements that are either "right" or "wrong", and then set you back on track. Few actually even attempt to go in-depth into why or how things work. This also has something to do with the fact that most golf instructors are not physicists.
If you want the physics behind golf, you get it here. Not that this should scare the layman away: the explanations are plain and easy to follow, with appendixes containing the technical details. The main topics covered are the physics of impact and ball aerodynamics, but a small amount of added information on putting is included.
The main gem for some people will be the new method for club matching offered. It will be interesting to see the product of this area of research in the future.
The one thing I wish there had been more detail on is in regards to the physics surrounding how clubheads transfer energy at impact, and how this effects off-center hits. The assumptions made throughout is that the perfect strike is made, which is needed for theoretical exploration, but in terms of understanding more regarding how balls and clubs work in total, this work falls somewhat short.
It's what you know for certain that's not true; that's bad.......2004-06-24
Some time ago I dicsovered this genius. His work on golf is the best coaching book ever. It is aslo based on research, theory and common sense. No sport has been written about more with little result. This book is the exception.
This book can certainly make you a better golfer. It also explains what gives a golf swing its power and consistency.
We are lucky in America to have such a person working for us as a physicist, educator, and now as an author.
He book is easy to read if you want information. A little more difficult if you want proof...but he has it in depth.
Where do you find enough muscle in the human body to create two horsepower in less than a second. The answer is there and if you can execute what he tells you, you too, can shoot par after a little work.
The book is a steel at $30.00; but is even better if you buy it from Amazon. The going price used shows that the book gives advise to the harried golfer which results in some incredible stores of good golf.
Thank you Ted for your work and thank you Amazon for letting me give praise to my new Ghuru.
Dan Burke
There's women and there's golf, and the rest is foolishness.......2004-06-17
I am now 65. I received the "Physics of Golf" five years ago. I was so taken aback, I put it down for three years. Then I read it one page at a time, experimented with each paragraph, and have improved steadily ever since. Once, in my coordinated youth, I played to an eight. Then in my middle fifties I could not break one hundred if I counted all my shots and penalties. Golf became expensive...and I didn't even show up at the club...
Now after two years with Theodore P Jorgensen my game again is fun. I have shot a 37 for nine holes on a tought golf course from the tiger tees and yesterday parred nine holes in a row.
I have met "Doctor J" and if you do, as he suggests, each experiment and try each part of all the things covered, you will find yourself in golf heaven. It's like playing a "Country and Western" song backwayds and getting all you have lost back...but in addition you will understand why you lost it and how you can, now improve even more. As I grew older, the things I knew about golf that just are NOT true ended up distroying my weekends. Now, I play less, score better, (without even warming up), and go home with a positive attitude. That's a good day.
The Physics of Golf is one of the best books on sports ever written and Ted Jorgensen is Nebraska's best kept secret. Imagine reading a book on your favorite hobby and improving your skills. If you can read, you, too, will find you can hit the ball as well as Anika and certainly better than Tiger when he doesn't finish first...but you have to buy and read the book stopping to experiement often as you cover each fact. DON'T JUST READ IT. You will almost certainly fail...but you will understand physics and it's disciplines better; thus all won't be lost. This exact science "GOLF" needs such attention.
Give this book to the youth of your family, boys and girls alike, and watch them appreciate THE WORLD OF PHYSICS which explains so much about what we see, hear, experience and do. There is no better way to learn golf fundamentals than at the kitchen table...before you practice.
All the best to the wonderful customers, employees, and owners of Amazon who made this purchase possible. With the money I'm making on the golf cours I can now afford to support Amazon even even more. Dan Burke who was 18 and is now headed for single digits and is 65 years old going on 66. If you are in Cleveland, we may meet; and on the links, you may let me back up what I say.
Another great exemple of how scientist fools people........2002-07-27
I actually intended to rate this book a minus 5. What a sloppy work!!!
The book was motivated by the author's intention to improve his golf game (imagine how bad he could be to have such strong motivation), although he didn't mention the outcome (sounds like it worked at least on two folks). Why? I can assure you that it doesn't work and he is still searching for the answers, just like all those reviewers and the majority of the readers are.
I'm just wondering how much time the author really spent on swinging the club (probably not much) or watching others (maybe some, but whom?) do? If not, how did he come up with the idea of what the golf swing is and even study it? I know, from reading a lot of literatures just like every scientist does. Then a model he believed the closest to the real swing was proposed, so that a lot of equations and computer works can be done to support the ideas (from reading the literatures) he believed, although not all of them were explained, which are either current unknown or more work needs to be done in the future. A typical example of how science is being conducted? Will the resultant information help? God knows! My question is, if the initial ideas (from others) are unquestionable, then why studied them again? What's the hypothesis? I mention these because I am a scientist and know the tricks, too. Scientists are humans just like everybody. Don't believe whatever they say (at least not until they become single-digit handicaps)!
The book is merely another version of the existing ideas about golf swing decorated with some terms in physics, mathematical equations and computer generated data, using selected opinions to support selected results and conclusions. Sorry, good try!
Golf swing becomes such a difficult stuff simply because nearly all of the concepts we are getting are far from the reality. People who master it can maybe describe it or the feel about it but hardly explain it. "Why bother? I can do it well?" Others see what's going on here and there but has no idea how they happen? Most of the time, we only see the results but not the causes, and work so hard to make the results happed.
Instructions on golf swing have existed ever since the game was invented. If they work (does not have to be all of them), why people still have trouble getting it? Most of the teaching pros should have been out of jobs. But people are still reading the same stories over and over again and keep struggling. The real experts (with some talents) gain their swings, most of the time (or with a bit help from other experts), by trial-and-error and experimenting through various methods and hard practice. Until the real principle being revealed, these are still the best ways to build a golf swing. This is also how I figure out my way, which is totally different from what the "mainstream" says, to swing the club. Being 5'6" and weight 110 lb., I hit my driver consistently dead straight for ~240 yards.
Will you buy the book? It's totally up to you!! At least it will make you think harder. I would rather spend my effort on the driving range to experiment it more.
Book Description
Do you cringe when a linebacker flattens a quarterback? Hold your breath when a field goal sails toward the goalpost? Watch in amazement as a touchdown pass spirals down the field? Behind those big hits, long kicks, and sensational throws is a science that will give you a whole new perspective on the game of football.
A combination of Stephen Hawking and Mike Ditka, physicist and football fan
Timothy Gay breaks down the fundamental laws of physics that govern America's most exciting spectator sport. To illustrate the science behind the game, he highlights some of football's recent memorable moments, along with legendary feats from the likes of Franco Harris and Joe Montana.
Did you Know?
- Newton's Second Law of Physics proves that Dick Butkus hit running backs with the force of a small killer whale.
- The average force with which a football must be kicked during kickoff is 450 lbs. But for an instant, the force may be as much as a ton.
- Shaun Rogers, firing off the line of scrimmage, can develop as much as four horsepower by himself.
Book Description
Size and strength will take you only so far in martial arts. If you want to reach your maximum potential on the street or in the ring, you need to go beyond conditioning and focus on getting the most out of every technique. In Fighting Science, Martina Sprague teaches you everything you need to know to successfully apply the laws of physics for maximum power in every technique.
Start with ten fundamental fighting concepts to exploit your opponent's weaknesses and identify your strengths. Once you have a solid overview of these strategic concepts, move on to a detailed look at how things like momentum, rotational speed, friction, direction, impulse and conservation of energy can work for or against you. Not a science whiz? Don't worry about it. Martina breaks down each idea, giving you easy to understand examples and hundreds of practical applications for stances, striking, kicking, defenses, footwork, movement, throws, takedowns and grappling. This book is supplemented by hundreds of photos, detailed glossaries, summary and review sections and even quizzes to test yourself on what you've learned. Whether you'd like to gain a detailed understanding of the laws of physics for martial artists or just want a few hundred ways to get the edge on your next opponent, this is a must-have book.
Customer Reviews:
Knowing 'why' a technique works makes it work better.......2005-01-05
Most martial artists know that Miyamoto Musashi, arguably the greatest swordsman of all time, advocated quickness and power as superior to strength and speed. As a practitioner, I have known for years that sheer size and brute strength meant very little to accomplished martial artists, yet I never truly understood why. Having finished this excellent book, now I know.
Sprague's tome helps us reach our full potential in the fighting arts, martial sports, and even in every day conditioning by successfully explaining in straightforward terms how the laws of physics can be applied to generating maximum power from martial technique. She describes how things like balance, momentum, rotational speed, friction, direction, impulse, and conservation of energy can work for or against us in executing striking, kicking, throwing, grappling, and joint manipulating techniques. That pretty much covers all the bases, huh? There are tons of great illustrations, summaries, and even quizzes to supplement the materials. This is an easy to read, easy to implement text that can only help you become a better martial artist.
Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction
Disappointing... and sometimes wrong.......2004-12-28
This book was generally disappointing. It explains in a very qualitative way why certain martial arts strategies are effective. Although the book purports to be 'The Laws of Physics for Martial Artists' (front cover), there isn't a single numerical physics example. Chapter headings such as 'Conservation of Energy' may sound very scientific, but I'd hardly call dominating the center of the ring a scientific strategy.
What is even worse is that some of the science is wrong. For example, at the bottom of p.42 (top of p.43) the author advises keeping your hands and feet far apart when doing push-ups because this will 'spread your weight over a large surface area with less force per square inch.' - thus making the push-ups easier. Anyone with a decent knowledge of high school physics knows that this is entirely spurious; the force per unit area depends upon the area in contact with the floor and not how far apart your hands or feet are kept. The fact that such a simple concept is lost on the author casts serious doubts on her credibility.
I agree that this might be a useful ideas book for the newcomer to the martial arts who has a decent knowledge of physics and who is therefore able to spot the scientific mistakes. It is also worth noting that one of the 5-star reviews is by the author. The review by 'Zuelquorneen' is worth a read too...
A note from the author.......2004-11-12
As the author of Fighting Science, I would like to comment on the review titled "Fight with questionable physics?" from Quasi-recluse. This book is not about fighting strategy primarily, but about applying the laws of physics to your martial art. It is important that information seekers in any area understand that failing to agree on a definition often leads to misunderstandings. For example, the reviewer states that the title of the book is a misnomer, and that the techniques are not about fighting, but more about tournament fighting. But that is only true if we define fighting ONLY as self-defense, and science ONLY as strategy. It is equally possible that fighting means karate, kung-fu, Thai-boxing, grappling, or modern wars. So if a person desires to buy a book that deals primarily with self-defense, he might be disappointed if he finds that the book is more about martial arts in general. The same is true regarding the word science. Science could mean tournament fighting tactics or street tactics, but it could equally much mean equations in physics. Whether or not the title is a misnomer therefore depends on the meaning you assign it based on what you are seeking. However, the meaning intended has been clarified through the subtitle: The Laws of Physics for Martial Artists.
The reviewer also states that he is more concerned with someone pummeling him than a person who trains in throws, grappling, or is flexible enough to kick to the head, and that he wouldn't teach his mom many of the techniques in the book. But the book is not about specific martial arts techniques; it is about the concepts of physics, which the reader is supposed to correlate to the techniques of his or her choosing. Although I have included a variety of examples from kickboxing, grappling, joint locks, throws, and demonstrations in breaking or other feats of power, the principles of physics are not limited to these techniques only. The book was not written primarily for somebody's mom in a self-defense scenario; it was equally much written for young and energetic karate people on the competition circuit in a multitude of arts and demonstrations, or for the everyday karate practitioner who practices for no other reason than his own enjoyment. And, yes, the models wear Thai-shorts in some of the photos, but they also wear karate gis, jeans, or long pants and T-shirts in other photos.
Regarding whether it is "better" to throw a strike to the chest or to the head, again, the reader must remember that it is not techniques we are talking about, but concepts of physics. There is a difference between being more powerful and being more effective. For example, a strike thrown straight out from the shoulder has the potential to be more powerful than a strike thrown at an angle upward or downward, because it allows the fighter to place his or her body mass behind the strike without running as great a risk of splitting the resultant force (it is still possible to throw an angled strike at full force and make up for lack of reach in other ways, but one must be aware of the pitfalls). This is not the same as saying that I suggest a person will be more effective if he strikes his opponent in the chest rather than the head (in fact, I don't even suggest that he strikes to the chest, that is an assumption the reviewer is making). But he could be more effective if his opponent were shorter than him, or was off balance and inadvertently brought his head to the level of the punch. If you are much shorter than your opponent or kneeling, you might also land a good blow to the groin if you strike straight out from the shoulder. It should therefore not be assumed that a strike straight from the shoulder always lands on the chest. Again, the intent of the book is not to teach techniques, but to show how one can correlate the concepts of physics to the martial arts, regardless of which art one studies. Avoiding assumptions and making an effort to determine the intent of the material in a book will help any reader collect more purposeful information.
Martina Sprague
Fight with questionable physics?.......2004-11-12
The book is 269 pages, with a nice readable print and many illustrates. It is separated in 8 chapters, which somehow correlate to the "10 fundamental fighting concepts" referred to on the back cover. Each chapter focuses on the application of a single physics concept, ie. momentum, conservation of energy, etc. This crude classification does not fit all of the concepts discussed in the chapter. I will give two examples. First, the chapter on direction seems more about how to use inertia than the physics of F=ma. Second, the last chapter on "ki-netic energy" is simply a hodgepodge of topics related more to mindset than the physics rule KE=1/2mv^2. I can see how having the correct mindset is a form of potential energy, but I feel that her application of physics is gross and imprecise. Physics in its most simplistic form: F=ma, KE=1/2mv^2, etc.. deals with solid objects moving in a simple space. Her analysis fails to make a true consideration of body kinematics. I bought this book with that expectation. How else can a smaller person defeat a larger opponent? The human form is the result of thousands of years of development. There is purpose to the human form. I didn't find much discussion of it in this book.
I also think the title "Fighting Science" is a misnomer. While she does have some good theory on basic fighting guidelines, her techniques are not about fighting, but more so on tournament fighting. She provides one example where a kick is used to setup a leg takedown. If you shock your opponent, why would you waste your time to then reach down and grab his legs? Why not kick him again or just hit him? Basically, she spends a good amount of each chapter focusing on throws, take- downs, grappling. As a normal individual, I am more concerned about someone pummeling me than a person who trains throws, grappling, or is flexible enough to kick my head. More simply, I would not teach my mom many of the techniques in the book. And why do have the pictures show someone wearing muay thai shorts?
She does touch on several important concepts in the eight chapters, but fails to connect these concepts to make a meaningful analysis. For instance, in one chapter she talks about how controlling an opponent's head restricts his movement, and in another chapter, she says optimal reach occurs when you punch straight from your shoulder. Usually this means you will hit someone in the chest. I'll take a punch in the chest. Now if you hit me in the head, I would be on the defensive. Compare this to other books that discuss vital points to attack. Of course, knowing the point means nothing without the means to attack it.
In summary, I think this book covers a wealth of concepts that a novice may find interesting. However, do not get blind-sighted by all the imprecise physics justifications. You have to understand human kinematics to be able to apply physics to the human body. This is true in any sport. Think about gymnastics. F=ma is important, but what is more important is how the gymnast can manipulate her body to provide the optimal application of F=ma to achieve her goal.
I read a earlier review comparing this book to the quality of other Martial Arts books on the market. I would have to agree- Most books dont provide a well organized and informative discussion of self-defense. This book is mostly the same. Remember, the author Martina Sprague has black belts in kickboxing and modern freestyle as well as a BS in Aviation.
not very good.......2003-12-27
I thought "hey... this should be good if it's well done..." but it's not... I paid money for this and wish I hadn't... I could have bought lunch... I certainly didn't finish reading this book, but I slogged through more of it than necessary to "give it a chance"... You'd be better off with "Physics for Dummies" and a beginners class in boxing or wrestling...
Customer Reviews:
Sports Science Projects: The Physics of Balls in Motion.......1999-12-16
Lots and lots of experiments in this science book. It contains black and white illustrations. I especially liked the ideas for projects and further investigations at the end of some of the experiments. Recommeded for the 4th grade through the 10th grade class. Teachers should read this one, also.
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