Popular Mechanics Why a Curveball Curves: The Incredible Science of Sports

An absorbing and enlightening inside look at sports secrets--now in an updated and expanded edition What makes an athlete successful? Why do some players excel? In this new, expanded edition, the experts at Popular Mechanics, along with top athletes, coaches, and sports journalists, explore the science behind everything from the perfect curveball and Phelps's kick to gene doping. There's great new coverage on the recent doping scandals that rocked the Tour de France, as well as a new chapter on lacrosse, and the clear, understandable explanations come from people who really love their game. You'll even learn how to bend it like Beckham--or at least how Beckham did it. This book is for both the player and the fan, helping athletes become better prepared and giving enthusiasts a more complete appreciation of the subtle nuances of competition.

Frank Vizard is a sports and technology writer who has worked for Scientific American, Popular Science, and Popular Mechanics, where he wrote many of the magazine’s science of sports articles. He lives in Dobbs Ferry, NY. Popular Mechanics inspires, instructs, and influences nine million curious minds that read the magazine every month. The magazine features breakthroughs in the latest innovations in science and technology.