A British Library reprint of a physical fitness manual from the Edwardian Age which is both refreshingly practical and amusingly eccentric. 'The exercises herewith given are so arranged as to meet the needs of the young, the middle-aged, and the aged of both sexes. One is never too old to reap some benefit. The system is complete in itself as it brings into healthful action every joint and every muscle of the body, and all this without the use of apparatus. It will give strength, health and confidence.' Beginning with how to stand, the correct carriage of the body and how to retain it: 'Carry your heart high is metaphorical; but to carry your stomach high is practical.' Stand against the wall, first touching the heels, then as much of the body as possible, drawing back the head to the wall, with the chin slightly drawn in. You will observe that the chest is expanded and in a firm position muscularly, thereby enabling you to retain the chest position independently of the breath.' How to walk, sit, rest, sleeping at will, self-magnetising, active chest, breathing through the diaphragm and abdomen, costal, dorsal and belt breathing, the shoulder brace, and the freedom of the joints of the fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck with very careful twists and gentle turns and a word about muscles, thighs, and elasticity of one's step, there are suggestions for gentle exercises using the back of a chair and how many repetitions. Devoted to the sedentary workforce, dynamic good health is the aim, not giant muscles, and much attention is given to the crucial abilities of relaxation, flexibility and good breathing as well as specific instructions for strengthening of the arms, legs, hips and shoulders. 74pp, line art.

Sub-titled 'The Evolution of the Highest Individual Score in Test Cricket' from Charles Bannerman who scored 165 for Australia against England in the inaugural Test Match in 1877, to Brian Lara, who made 400 not out for the West Indies against England in 2004, the record has changed hands ten times. Chris Waters charts the growth of the record through nearly 150 years in a journey that takes in a legendary line of famous names including Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Leonard Hutton, Sir Garfield Sobers and Walter Hammond, along with less heralded players whose stories are brought back into the light. They include Billy Murdoch at the Oval in 1884, 'Tip' Foster Sydney 1903, Andy Sandham Jamaica 1930, Len Hutton the Oval 1938, Matthew Haydon Perth 2003 in these profiles of the men who raised the bar and their historic performances. The jacket colour chosen is the livery of Wisden, the publisher. Well illustrated, 264pp.

Thai body work, massage and medicine, herbal medicine and spiritual meditation has been in the process of constant evolution for over 1,000 years. Thai massage at its most basic is a complex sequence of soft tissue pressing, stretching, twisting and joint manipulations and the techniques presented here are essentially a pot pourri of those taken from various regions of Thailand. Beginners will find them flowing and harmonious and very similar to what you could expect to receive at the hands of a Thai master. Ayurvedic and Thai massage historically refer to 72,000 theoretical lines, called Sen, based on drawings from the Wat Pho tablets. There are 60 carved epigraphs that depict the ten Sen lines and pressure points and in this book sections of the Chinese Meridians are used where they correspond to similar positions of the Thai Sen lines. This is where the body's vital life energy flows - physical, mental and emotional processes where any imbalance or blockage in the distribution of this energy can cause pain and disease. The book shows lessons with dots and arrows superimposed over photographs to show the techniques and clear direction and the range of movement involved in all the manipulations. The tenet is that ageing is often more to do with how we feel than with the passage of time. Organised by muscles, the mechanics, the Thai body work programme explains with big clear step-by-step colour photographs and bullet points and fact boxes the feet, legs, both legs and back, chest and abdomen, arms, hands, neck and face, lying on either side, lying face down and the sitting position, followed by tailormade treatments and massage routines to ease chronic pain. Thai massage can help maintain health and useful vitality and improve sports performance with powerful healing forces. Large softback, 160pp, colour.

Over the last century, Britain has become one of the major centres of motorsport, with many of the greatest names in the business such as Maclaren based in the UK. Beginning prior to WWII, competitive motorsport has been very popular amongst spectators and since the creation of Formula 1 Championship in the post-war years, the British Grand Prix has been one of the most important fixtures on the calendar. Racing in Britain has taken place over a number of circuits, and the author examines the history from its relatively humble origins through to the 1970s when the buccaneering spirit of those early days was replaced by the rise of corporate sponsorship. Britain has become a pioneer in the growth of off-road motorsport with the development of the famous circuit at Brooklands and its dramatic banking. Captured in splendid colour artworks, contemporary drawings, photographs, the rough and ready approach to early motorsport is all too evident in this fantastic nostalgic handbook. Colour and black and white illus. throughout with appendices listing winners, European Grand Prix events and non-championship Formula 1 races held in Britain. 64 page paperback, colour.

'The Epic Journey of The Man They Couldn't Stop' is the sub-title of this brilliantly told tragic story of a man condemned not only by authority but also by his own stubbornness. John Tarrant was an extraordinary man whom nobody could stop. As a hapless teenage boxer in the 1950s, he had been paid £15 in expenses. When he wanted to run, he was banned for life. His amateur status had been compromised forever, but now he was fighting back, gate-crashing races all over Britain. No number on his shirt, no friends in high places, soon he would be a record breaker, one of the greatest long-distance runners the world had ever seen. This is his incredible story, a cross between 'Once A Runner' and 'Chariots of Fire'. The author is an award-winning documentary maker who was researching a film about the centenary of the Manchester running club the Salford Harriers when he first came across the story of John Tarrant, a former Harriers member. 352pp, 16 pages of archive photos.

In the summer of 2019, Ben Stokes was batting in the Third Test against Australia at Headingley. England had lost the first match, drawn the second, and were about to lose this one too, and with it in any chance of winning back the Ashes. The penultimate wicket had fallen with England still 73 runs short of their target of 359, which was more than the entire team had made in the first innings when they'd been skittled for 67. With Stokes was Jack Leach, a left-arm spinner from Somerset playing his seventh Test, who'd become a cult hero at Lord's earlier in the summer when he'd gone in against Ireland as nightwatchman and made 92. They were an odd couple." Chronicling the evolution of cricket since its earliest days, and highlighting transcendent memories as well as tragedies, the author lifts the seemingly impregnable veil from the Laws, batting strokes, types of bowling, and the sometimes absurd names given to where fielders stand, allowing anyone a pathway into enjoying the sport, and an introductory immersion into its long history. Is divided into three parts - Bat, Ball and Field. Their harmony produces cricket's unique environment; the centuries-long conflict provides its innovation, adaptability, and vast psychological hinterland. These sections unite to map out in a completely original way the story of cricket that began as a country pursuit and which is now followed by billions across the world. Find out which laws of cricket remain unchanged since Elizabeth I ruled, what a reverse sweep is and what a googly is! As summer approaches, we can now understand this wonderful game and enjoy watching it more. 272 pages, many diagrams, including a cross-section of a cricket ball, links and lines in diagrams and touching on many of the heroes like W.G. Grace, plus a note on women's cricket. With map.

Paul Brown is primarily known for his wonderful paintings, drawings and sketches of horses and equestrian sports as well as for his elegant and prolific illustrations for Brooks Brothers catalogues over three decades from the 1920s onwards. Born in Mapleton, Minnesota in 1893, Paul Desmond Brown's family was of Scottish-Irish-German descent. 'One day in 1904, I got 50 cents some place and went over to the National Horse Show at the old Maddison Square Garden and saw 'fine leppers' as we call them, and Thoroughbreds for the first time.' From then on he appeared to be hooked on drawing horses and filled dozens of childhood sketchbooks from 1905 to 1908 with pencil drawings. Brown worked steadily in commercial art in the time leading up to the First World War, attempting to get newspaper or magazines to publish his drawings. He travelled six times to Aintree, the English steeplechase course, in 1933 and kept a diary, written for his daughter Nancy, excerpts of which are reproduced here faithfully, day by day. His illustrations graced the cover of Time magazine in 1929 and he published many books about golf and shooting and illustrated juvenile and adult biographies, dust jacket frontispieces and vignettes for books, plus hundreds of illustrations for show programmes, postcards, advertising calendars, bookplates and the like. In his early polo and steeplechasing books, Brown drew strong recognisable portraits and gave character to both men's and women's faces. But when it comes to animals, no one can touch Brown in capturing action and expression in a few fluid lines. We know what will happen when a colt barges into the back of Lady Anne's mount in Black Beauty, and we know just as surely that every dosing puppy is a little rocket in disguise. A lazy cocked hoof, a breeze-ruffled mane can fill the calmest scene with immense energy. Technically brilliant, this is a full listing with eight pages of colour plates. 149pp, large softback import.

In the words of the Daily Mail, 'a worthy testament to a fine man and a simply marvellous footballer', this is the new edition of the bestselling definitive and authorised biography. Yet another World Cup has come and gone but still Bobby Moore remains the only England captain whose hands have reached out to grasp football's Holy Grail and raise it aloft. Mexico 1970 saw him captain England in an epic duel in the sun against the greatest of Brazil teams, then in a quarter-final thriller, lose to the Germans in extra time. Bobby, the blonde Adonis was, with Franz Beckenbauer, one of the greatest defenders football has ever seen, and each had a deep reading and profound understanding of the game. They pitted wits in 1966 and 1970, becoming close friends. Bobby Moore was the embodiment of all that was great in English football leading England to glory in 1966 and West Ham to victory in several major tournaments. He was loved and respected throughout the world as football's golden boy. His extraordinary story includes exciting accounts of his World Cup triumph to candid memories of his friendships with Beckenbauer, Eusébio and Pelé. The East End war baby with his fresh-faced universal appeal and his upright bearing in defiance of the class system transcended all barriers to become the champion not just of the working class, but of all the people. He had the style, the charm and the intelligence to walk with kings and retained his compassion for others and attachment to his roots. Bobby died 47 days short of his 52nd birthday of bowel cancer, and an acute sense of loss swept the length and breadth of England. Award winning sportswriter Jeff Powell was a close friend and confidante to the Moore family and here has created a powerful and fitting tribute to this great sporting hero. 336pp, paperback, eight pages of photos.

For every Gaelic football fan here is a book offering fascinating insight into the egos, dressing room divides and bad habits from unwelcoming veterans to arseboxing and collapsing human pyramids, to marching to the Hill to startled earwigs and champions, Cotter has it all covered in his well written and insightful read. The raw and hardnosed nature of Gaelic football and the Dublin dressing room at the end of the 1990s jumps from the page. It was a time when Ireland's biggest, richest county went through such a barren period, from political squabbles to general mismanagement behind the scenes which kept the Dubs from taking Sam home for so long. There are also great snippets from interviews with former players and coaches from Bertie Ahern to a host of managers which add great colour to the stories. Dublin has become the dominant force in Gaelic football, setting new standards of skill and efficiency, but it was not very long ago that the county was a byword for underachievement and disorganisation. Every year from 1996 to 2010 the Dubs found new and creative ways of losing, of causing their fans to suffer, and of earning the scorn of the wider GAA public. The book is full of frank, witty and sometimes outrageous stories and analysis from those in the know. 256pp, paperback, colour photos.

Ditch the gym! It costs too much anyway and Paul Mumford is a highly experienced fitness and nutrition coach. These workouts get tougher as you get fitter in this new workout plan that combines body-weight movements with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to get you fit and fabulous in just one month. Designed to build strength and endurance day by day, the workout steps up the pace as you learn new skills and increase your fitness. Day one starts with a single exercise that takes just one minute to complete and each day a new exercise is introduced, culminating in a challenging workout in under 30 minutes to help increase your metabolism and burn fat. Each is clearly explained with photos and alternative exercises plus healthy eating habits and suggestions to improve your diet. We love that there are rest days built into the workout plan - time to get over your soreness! For all levels of fitness with suggestions to keep a diary, walking barefoot, and diagrams showing each muscle named from the front and back so you exactly what's working where. 192pp, large softback, colour photos.