For fans of Netflix's The Last Dance, this is the definitive account of Michael Jordan's spectacular and disastrous return to basketball. As one of the greatest, most celebrated athletes in history, Michael Jordan conquered professional basketball as no one before. Powered by a potent mix of charisma, near superhuman abilities and a ferocious drive to dominate the game, he achieved every award and accolade conceivable before retiring from the Chicago Bulls and taking an executive post with the Washington Wizards. But retirement didn't suit the man who was once king, and at the advanced age of thirty-eight Michael Jordan decided it was time to reclaim the court that was once his. Having closely followed Jordan's final two seasons, Michael Leahy draws a fascinating portrait of an intensely complex man hampered by injuries and assaulted by younger players eager to usurp his throne. In this enthralling book Jordan emerges as an ambitious, at times deeply unattractive character with, unsurprisingly, a monstrous ego. WHEN NOTHING ELSE MATTERS is an absorbing portrait not only of one athlete's overriding ambition, but also of a society so in thrall to its sports stars that it is blind to all their faults.

Finally, a conditioning program for figure skaters that meets today's competitive requirements of the sport. Figure skating has evolved dramatically in the past few years, with a greater emphasis on triple and quadruple jumps, jump combinations, and dramatic lifts. And to stay competitive, skaters must spend hours developing their strength, power, flexibility, and endurance to perform these maneuvers. "Conditioning for Figure Skating" is a technical, user-friendly guide that teaches you how to improve your strength, increase your power, and condition your body off the ice to improve your on-ice performance. Appropriate for skaters at all levels and all disciplines - singles, pairs, and ice dance - this manual explains the physical preparation needed to excel at the sport. Whether you are a skater, coach, trainer, or parent, you can use this book to establish a training structure to maximize your or the skater's potential.You will find in-depth analysis of: the physical components of figure skating; proper warm-up and cool-down techniques; sport-specific strength training; injury prevention exercises; drills to enhance speed, strength, and power; flexibility training; balance and body awareness; and, muscle endurance conditioning "Periodization," a yearly conditioning plan that creates a peak in physical performance coinciding with the competitive figure skating season.