Author: Jackie McBroom
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 143966692X
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 213
Book Description
For generations of small-town Texans, the school gymnasium was the hub of the community. If it was a Tuesday night in Texline, most folks could be found in the old tin barn of a gym, rooting for their Tornadoes against the arch-rival Adrian Matadors. Transcending the role of a sports arena, the gym also provided a place to gather in celebration or shelter in crisis. Sadly, with the dramatic reduction of school districts around the state, many of the polished floorboards that once hosted graduations and beauty pageants now splinter beneath the weight of storage, farm equipment and guano-covered junk. From the pickup basketball game Elvis played in Hawkins to the tragic account of four Ennis war heroes, Jackie McBroom recounts stories from these beloved halls.
Historic Texas Gyms
Author: Jackie McBroom
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 143966692X
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 213
Book Description
For generations of small-town Texans, the school gymnasium was the hub of the community. If it was a Tuesday night in Texline, most folks could be found in the old tin barn of a gym, rooting for their Tornadoes against the arch-rival Adrian Matadors. Transcending the role of a sports arena, the gym also provided a place to gather in celebration or shelter in crisis. Sadly, with the dramatic reduction of school districts around the state, many of the polished floorboards that once hosted graduations and beauty pageants now splinter beneath the weight of storage, farm equipment and guano-covered junk. From the pickup basketball game Elvis played in Hawkins to the tragic account of four Ennis war heroes, Jackie McBroom recounts stories from these beloved halls.
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 143966692X
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 213
Book Description
For generations of small-town Texans, the school gymnasium was the hub of the community. If it was a Tuesday night in Texline, most folks could be found in the old tin barn of a gym, rooting for their Tornadoes against the arch-rival Adrian Matadors. Transcending the role of a sports arena, the gym also provided a place to gather in celebration or shelter in crisis. Sadly, with the dramatic reduction of school districts around the state, many of the polished floorboards that once hosted graduations and beauty pageants now splinter beneath the weight of storage, farm equipment and guano-covered junk. From the pickup basketball game Elvis played in Hawkins to the tragic account of four Ennis war heroes, Jackie McBroom recounts stories from these beloved halls.
Historic Texas Gyms: A Tribute to Vanishing Traditions
Author: Jackie McBroom
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467141593
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 176
Book Description
"For generations of small-town Texans, the school gymnasium was the hub of the community. If it was a Tuesday night in Texline, most folks could be found in the old tin barn of a gym, rooting for their Tornadoes against the arch-rival Adrian Matadors. Transcending the role of a sports arena, the gym also provided a place to gather in celebration or shelter in crisis. Sadly, with the dramatic reduction of school districts around the state, many of the polished floorboards that once hosted graduations and beauty pageants now splinter beneath the weight of storage, farm equipment and guano-covered junk. From the pickup basketball game Elvis played in Hawkins to the tragic account of four Ennis war heroes, Jackie McBroom recounts stories from these beloved halls."--Cover.
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467141593
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 176
Book Description
"For generations of small-town Texans, the school gymnasium was the hub of the community. If it was a Tuesday night in Texline, most folks could be found in the old tin barn of a gym, rooting for their Tornadoes against the arch-rival Adrian Matadors. Transcending the role of a sports arena, the gym also provided a place to gather in celebration or shelter in crisis. Sadly, with the dramatic reduction of school districts around the state, many of the polished floorboards that once hosted graduations and beauty pageants now splinter beneath the weight of storage, farm equipment and guano-covered junk. From the pickup basketball game Elvis played in Hawkins to the tragic account of four Ennis war heroes, Jackie McBroom recounts stories from these beloved halls."--Cover.
Doug's Gym
Author: Norm Diamond
Publisher: Kehrer Verlag
ISBN: 9783868289480
Category : Gymnasiums
Languages : en
Pages : 112
Book Description
Norm Diamond photographed the last months of a dilapidated, yet beautiful old gym in Dallas, Texas. These stark images could have come from another era. They evoke themes of memory and loss. No modern gym looks like this. The owner, Doug Eidd, a grizzled 87-year-old, opened the gym in 1962. He could have emerged from a time capsule as well. In the spring of 2018 when he was forced to close the gym on short notice, Diamond stayed to photograph the removal of the equipment as Doug's Gym drifted into memory.
Publisher: Kehrer Verlag
ISBN: 9783868289480
Category : Gymnasiums
Languages : en
Pages : 112
Book Description
Norm Diamond photographed the last months of a dilapidated, yet beautiful old gym in Dallas, Texas. These stark images could have come from another era. They evoke themes of memory and loss. No modern gym looks like this. The owner, Doug Eidd, a grizzled 87-year-old, opened the gym in 1962. He could have emerged from a time capsule as well. In the spring of 2018 when he was forced to close the gym on short notice, Diamond stayed to photograph the removal of the equipment as Doug's Gym drifted into memory.
Million Dollar Muscle
Author: Adrian James Tan
Publisher: Cognella Academic Publishing
ISBN: 9781609278502
Category : Bodybuilding
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Million Dollar Muscle is a unique anthology, co-authored by a "gym rat" with a Ph.D. in Sociology and a former competitive bodybuilder, fitness expert, and entrepreneur. The book offers a sociological perspective on the fitness industry, discussing how it is driven both by market forces and the culture of individual consumerism. Within a capitalist system the fitness industry is driven by the need to earn profits. From a small sub-culture it has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. The market is now flooded with gyms, nutritional supplements, workout apparel, exercise equipment, and health and fitness magazines. With massive advertisements, and aided by the Hollywood culture and its emphasis on appearance, the fitness industry has grown to new dimensions, influencing individual choices and behaviors. Million Dollar Muscle discusses this evolution, along with what motivates people to make the choices they do. The material recognizes that these choices have important social implications. By combining an academic and theoretical approach with an "in the trenches" point of view, the book is able to bridge micro-macro aspects of the industry. It provides a comprehensive exploration of the individual choices regarding fitness, and why this is an important topic for sociological consideration. The following topics are discussed: - Market forces and the power these forces have to shape perceptions of reality; - The mechanics of capitalism and how these have changed traditional norms and customs which previously served practical purposes; - The danger of conforming to social norms; - Individual choices and how they are, in reality, driven by social forces Million Dollar Muscle is an unusual and intriguing text that successfully combines the thoughtful consideration of the social sciences with the "in-the-know" sensibility of an industry insider. Dr. Adrian James Tan, a Singapore-born American, is currently a faculty member at Southern Methodist University in the Sociology Department. He teaches courses in Introduction to Sociology, Marriage and Family, Sociological Theory, and Person vs. Society. Adrian obtained a bachelor's degree majoring in English and philosophy, and master's degrees in sociology and international affairs at Ohio University. Specializing in social psychology and ethnic identity, Adrian earned a Ph.D. in sociology at the University of North Texas, submitting his dissertation on the ethnic identity of Mexican-American children. Doug Brignole is a 37-year veteran of the fitness industry and a former Mr. California, Mr. America, and Mr. Universe winner. His competitive career spanned from the age of 16 until the age of 51. Doug is also a former gym owner, lecturer, author, fitness TV show host, and personal trainer. He writes for Iron Man Magazine, appears on MuscleXL (an iPad app) where he gives video tips on biomechanics, and is currently working on a biomechanics book that explains the physics of exercise and how one can assess which exercises are productive and which ones pose a risk of injury. He has been certified by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise.
Publisher: Cognella Academic Publishing
ISBN: 9781609278502
Category : Bodybuilding
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Million Dollar Muscle is a unique anthology, co-authored by a "gym rat" with a Ph.D. in Sociology and a former competitive bodybuilder, fitness expert, and entrepreneur. The book offers a sociological perspective on the fitness industry, discussing how it is driven both by market forces and the culture of individual consumerism. Within a capitalist system the fitness industry is driven by the need to earn profits. From a small sub-culture it has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. The market is now flooded with gyms, nutritional supplements, workout apparel, exercise equipment, and health and fitness magazines. With massive advertisements, and aided by the Hollywood culture and its emphasis on appearance, the fitness industry has grown to new dimensions, influencing individual choices and behaviors. Million Dollar Muscle discusses this evolution, along with what motivates people to make the choices they do. The material recognizes that these choices have important social implications. By combining an academic and theoretical approach with an "in the trenches" point of view, the book is able to bridge micro-macro aspects of the industry. It provides a comprehensive exploration of the individual choices regarding fitness, and why this is an important topic for sociological consideration. The following topics are discussed: - Market forces and the power these forces have to shape perceptions of reality; - The mechanics of capitalism and how these have changed traditional norms and customs which previously served practical purposes; - The danger of conforming to social norms; - Individual choices and how they are, in reality, driven by social forces Million Dollar Muscle is an unusual and intriguing text that successfully combines the thoughtful consideration of the social sciences with the "in-the-know" sensibility of an industry insider. Dr. Adrian James Tan, a Singapore-born American, is currently a faculty member at Southern Methodist University in the Sociology Department. He teaches courses in Introduction to Sociology, Marriage and Family, Sociological Theory, and Person vs. Society. Adrian obtained a bachelor's degree majoring in English and philosophy, and master's degrees in sociology and international affairs at Ohio University. Specializing in social psychology and ethnic identity, Adrian earned a Ph.D. in sociology at the University of North Texas, submitting his dissertation on the ethnic identity of Mexican-American children. Doug Brignole is a 37-year veteran of the fitness industry and a former Mr. California, Mr. America, and Mr. Universe winner. His competitive career spanned from the age of 16 until the age of 51. Doug is also a former gym owner, lecturer, author, fitness TV show host, and personal trainer. He writes for Iron Man Magazine, appears on MuscleXL (an iPad app) where he gives video tips on biomechanics, and is currently working on a biomechanics book that explains the physics of exercise and how one can assess which exercises are productive and which ones pose a risk of injury. He has been certified by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise.
High Drama
Author: John Burgman
Publisher: Triumph Books
ISBN: 1641254092
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 325
Book Description
One afternoon in 1987, two renegade climbers in Berkeley, California, hatched an ambitious plan: under the cover of darkness, they would rappel down from a carefully scouted highway on-ramp, gluing artificial handholds onto the load-bearing concrete pillars underneath. Equipped with ingenuity, strong adhesive, and an urban guerilla attitude, Jim Thornburg and Scott Frye created a serviceable climbing wall. But what they were part of was a greater development: the expansion and reimagining of a sport now slated for a highly anticipated Olympic debut in 2020. High Drama explores rock climbing's transformation from a pursuit of select anti-establishment vagabonds to a sport embraced by competitors of all ages, social classes, and backgrounds. Climbing magazine's John Burgman weaves a multi-layered story of traditionalists and opportunists, grassroots organizers and business-minded developers, free-spirited rebels and rigorously coached athletes.
Publisher: Triumph Books
ISBN: 1641254092
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 325
Book Description
One afternoon in 1987, two renegade climbers in Berkeley, California, hatched an ambitious plan: under the cover of darkness, they would rappel down from a carefully scouted highway on-ramp, gluing artificial handholds onto the load-bearing concrete pillars underneath. Equipped with ingenuity, strong adhesive, and an urban guerilla attitude, Jim Thornburg and Scott Frye created a serviceable climbing wall. But what they were part of was a greater development: the expansion and reimagining of a sport now slated for a highly anticipated Olympic debut in 2020. High Drama explores rock climbing's transformation from a pursuit of select anti-establishment vagabonds to a sport embraced by competitors of all ages, social classes, and backgrounds. Climbing magazine's John Burgman weaves a multi-layered story of traditionalists and opportunists, grassroots organizers and business-minded developers, free-spirited rebels and rigorously coached athletes.
Strong Like Her
Author: Haley Shapley
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 1982120851
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 272
Book Description
Beautiful and powerful, Strong Like Her presents the awe-inspiring account of women’s athleticism throughout history. Journalist Haley Shapley takes us through the delightful untold history of female strength to understand how we can better encourage—and celebrate—the physical power of women. Part group biography, part cultural history, Strong Like Her delves into the fascinating stories of our muscular foremothers. From the first female Olympian (who entered the chariot race through a loophole) to the circus stars who could lift their husbands above their heads and make it look like “a little light housework with a feather duster,” these brave and brawny women paved the way for the generations to follow. Filled with Sophy Holland’s beautiful portraits of some of today’s most awe-inspiring athletes, including Peloton instructor Robin Arzón, bodybuilder Dana Linn Bailey, actress/dancer Patina Miller, and many others, Strong Like Her celebrates strength in all its forms. Illuminating the lives and accomplishments of storied female sports stars—whose contributions to society go far beyond their entries in record books—Shapley challenges us to rethink everything we thought we knew about the power of women.
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 1982120851
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 272
Book Description
Beautiful and powerful, Strong Like Her presents the awe-inspiring account of women’s athleticism throughout history. Journalist Haley Shapley takes us through the delightful untold history of female strength to understand how we can better encourage—and celebrate—the physical power of women. Part group biography, part cultural history, Strong Like Her delves into the fascinating stories of our muscular foremothers. From the first female Olympian (who entered the chariot race through a loophole) to the circus stars who could lift their husbands above their heads and make it look like “a little light housework with a feather duster,” these brave and brawny women paved the way for the generations to follow. Filled with Sophy Holland’s beautiful portraits of some of today’s most awe-inspiring athletes, including Peloton instructor Robin Arzón, bodybuilder Dana Linn Bailey, actress/dancer Patina Miller, and many others, Strong Like Her celebrates strength in all its forms. Illuminating the lives and accomplishments of storied female sports stars—whose contributions to society go far beyond their entries in record books—Shapley challenges us to rethink everything we thought we knew about the power of women.
Mind Gym
Author: Gary Mack
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 0071504648
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 238
Book Description
Praise for Mind Gym "Believing in yourself is paramount to success for any athlete. Gary's lessons and David's writing provide examples of the importance of the mental game." --Ben Crenshaw, two-time Masters champion and former Ryder Cup captain "Mind Gym hits a home run. If you want to build mental muscle for the major leagues, read this book." --Ken Griffey Jr., Major League Baseball MVP "I read Mind Gym on my way to the Sydney Olympics and really got a lot out of it. Gary has important lessons to teach, and you'll find the exercises fun and beneficial." --Jason Kidd, NBA All-Star and Olympic gold-medal winner In Mind Gym, noted sports psychology consultant Gary Mack explains how your mind influences your performance on the field or on the court as much as your physical skill does, if not more so. Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--you will learn the same techniques and exercises Mack uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." Mind Gym will give you the "head edge" over the competition.
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 0071504648
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 238
Book Description
Praise for Mind Gym "Believing in yourself is paramount to success for any athlete. Gary's lessons and David's writing provide examples of the importance of the mental game." --Ben Crenshaw, two-time Masters champion and former Ryder Cup captain "Mind Gym hits a home run. If you want to build mental muscle for the major leagues, read this book." --Ken Griffey Jr., Major League Baseball MVP "I read Mind Gym on my way to the Sydney Olympics and really got a lot out of it. Gary has important lessons to teach, and you'll find the exercises fun and beneficial." --Jason Kidd, NBA All-Star and Olympic gold-medal winner In Mind Gym, noted sports psychology consultant Gary Mack explains how your mind influences your performance on the field or on the court as much as your physical skill does, if not more so. Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--you will learn the same techniques and exercises Mack uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." Mind Gym will give you the "head edge" over the competition.
Getting Physical
Author: Shelly McKenzie
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
ISBN: 0700623043
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 264
Book Description
From Charles Atlas to Jane Fonda, the fitness movement has been a driving force in American culture for more than half a century. What started as a means of Cold War preparedness now sees 45 million Americans spend more than $20 billion a year on gym memberships, running shoes, and other fitness-related products. In this first book on the modern history of exercise in America, Shelly McKenzie chronicles the governmental, scientific, commercial, and cultural forces that united-sometimes unintentionally--to make exercise an all-American habit. She tracks the development of a new industry that gentrified exercise and made the pursuit of fitness the hallmark of a middle-class lifestyle. Along the way she scrutinizes a number of widely held beliefs about Americans and their exercise routines, such as the link between diet and exercise and the importance of workplace fitness programs. While Americans have always been keen on cultivating health and fitness, before the 1950s people who were preoccupied with their health or physique were often suspected of being homosexual or simply odd. As McKenzie reveals, it took a national panic about children's health to galvanize the populace and launch President Eisenhower's Council on Youth Fitness. She traces this newborn era through TV trailblazer Jack La Lanne's popularization of fitness in the '60s, the jogging craze of the '70s, and the transformation of the fitness movement in the '80s, when the emphasis shifted from the individual act of running to the shared health-club experience. She also considers the new popularity of yoga and Pilates, reflecting today's emphasis on leanness and flexibility in body image. In providing the first real cultural history of the fitness movement, McKenzie goes beyond simply recounting exercise trends to reveal what these choices say about the people who embrace them. Her examination also encompasses battles over food politics, nutrition problems like our current obesity epidemic, and people left behind by the fitness movement because they are too poor to afford gym memberships or basic equipment. In a country where most of us claim to be regular exercisers, McKenzie's study challenges us to look at why we exercise-or at least why we think we should-and shows how fitness has become a vitally important part of our American identity.
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
ISBN: 0700623043
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 264
Book Description
From Charles Atlas to Jane Fonda, the fitness movement has been a driving force in American culture for more than half a century. What started as a means of Cold War preparedness now sees 45 million Americans spend more than $20 billion a year on gym memberships, running shoes, and other fitness-related products. In this first book on the modern history of exercise in America, Shelly McKenzie chronicles the governmental, scientific, commercial, and cultural forces that united-sometimes unintentionally--to make exercise an all-American habit. She tracks the development of a new industry that gentrified exercise and made the pursuit of fitness the hallmark of a middle-class lifestyle. Along the way she scrutinizes a number of widely held beliefs about Americans and their exercise routines, such as the link between diet and exercise and the importance of workplace fitness programs. While Americans have always been keen on cultivating health and fitness, before the 1950s people who were preoccupied with their health or physique were often suspected of being homosexual or simply odd. As McKenzie reveals, it took a national panic about children's health to galvanize the populace and launch President Eisenhower's Council on Youth Fitness. She traces this newborn era through TV trailblazer Jack La Lanne's popularization of fitness in the '60s, the jogging craze of the '70s, and the transformation of the fitness movement in the '80s, when the emphasis shifted from the individual act of running to the shared health-club experience. She also considers the new popularity of yoga and Pilates, reflecting today's emphasis on leanness and flexibility in body image. In providing the first real cultural history of the fitness movement, McKenzie goes beyond simply recounting exercise trends to reveal what these choices say about the people who embrace them. Her examination also encompasses battles over food politics, nutrition problems like our current obesity epidemic, and people left behind by the fitness movement because they are too poor to afford gym memberships or basic equipment. In a country where most of us claim to be regular exercisers, McKenzie's study challenges us to look at why we exercise-or at least why we think we should-and shows how fitness has become a vitally important part of our American identity.
Metroflex Powerbuilding Basics
Author: Josh M. Bryant
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781494773724
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 310
Book Description
Tired of busting your butt in the gym without seeing the benefits of your hours of toil? For less than half the price of a personal training session at a corporate box gym, you can unlock the secrets of the two most successful Metroflex Gym trainers. Josh Bryant and Brian Dobson have put their heads together to bring you there closely guarded training secrets in an easy to understand format. Metroflex Gym, in the heart of Arlington, Texas, is the breeding ground to scores of bodybuilding and strength champions including Ronnie Coleman and Branch Warren. Both of whom have trained under the tutelage of Josh or Brian. Not only does this book contain over 50 different routines and 170 exercises that Josh and Brian have used to build champions, but it also gives you the tools necessary to build and execute your own program. You will learn how to incorporate strongman training, interval fat-loss conditioning, and assistance exercises into your workouts. Whether you are a novice bodybuilder, elite powerlifter, or just want to gain some muscle, this 300+ page book will benefit your training. You will see how old school training methodologies can be combined with cutting edge techniques to create a bigger, more powerful you.
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781494773724
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 310
Book Description
Tired of busting your butt in the gym without seeing the benefits of your hours of toil? For less than half the price of a personal training session at a corporate box gym, you can unlock the secrets of the two most successful Metroflex Gym trainers. Josh Bryant and Brian Dobson have put their heads together to bring you there closely guarded training secrets in an easy to understand format. Metroflex Gym, in the heart of Arlington, Texas, is the breeding ground to scores of bodybuilding and strength champions including Ronnie Coleman and Branch Warren. Both of whom have trained under the tutelage of Josh or Brian. Not only does this book contain over 50 different routines and 170 exercises that Josh and Brian have used to build champions, but it also gives you the tools necessary to build and execute your own program. You will learn how to incorporate strongman training, interval fat-loss conditioning, and assistance exercises into your workouts. Whether you are a novice bodybuilder, elite powerlifter, or just want to gain some muscle, this 300+ page book will benefit your training. You will see how old school training methodologies can be combined with cutting edge techniques to create a bigger, more powerful you.
Off Balance
Author: Dominique Moceanu
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451608675
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 285
Book Description
In this searing and riveting New York Times bestseller, Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu reveals the dark underbelly of Olympic gymnastics, the true price of success…and the shocking secret about her past and her family that she only learned years later. At fourteen years old, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team, the first and only American women’s team to take gold at the Olympics. Her pixyish appearance and ferocious competitive drive quickly earned her the status of media darling. But behind the fame, the flawless floor routines, and the million-dollar smile, her life was a series of challenges and hardships. Off Balance vividly delineates each of the dominating characters who contributed to Moceanu’s rise to the top, from her stubborn father and long-suffering mother to her mercurial coach, Bela Karolyi. Here, Moceanu finally shares the haunting stories of competition, her years of hiding injuries and pain out of fear of retribution from her coaches, and how she hit rock bottom after a public battle with her parents. But medals, murder plots, drugs, and daring escapes aside (all of which figure into Moceanu’s incredible journey), the most unique aspect of her life is the family secret that Moceanu discovers, opening a new and unexpected chapter in her adult life. A mysterious letter from a stranger reveals that she has a second sister—born with a physical disability and given away at birth—who has nonetheless followed in Moceanu’s footsteps in an astonishing way. A multilayered memoir that transcends the world of sports, Off Balance will touch anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451608675
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 285
Book Description
In this searing and riveting New York Times bestseller, Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu reveals the dark underbelly of Olympic gymnastics, the true price of success…and the shocking secret about her past and her family that she only learned years later. At fourteen years old, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team, the first and only American women’s team to take gold at the Olympics. Her pixyish appearance and ferocious competitive drive quickly earned her the status of media darling. But behind the fame, the flawless floor routines, and the million-dollar smile, her life was a series of challenges and hardships. Off Balance vividly delineates each of the dominating characters who contributed to Moceanu’s rise to the top, from her stubborn father and long-suffering mother to her mercurial coach, Bela Karolyi. Here, Moceanu finally shares the haunting stories of competition, her years of hiding injuries and pain out of fear of retribution from her coaches, and how she hit rock bottom after a public battle with her parents. But medals, murder plots, drugs, and daring escapes aside (all of which figure into Moceanu’s incredible journey), the most unique aspect of her life is the family secret that Moceanu discovers, opening a new and unexpected chapter in her adult life. A mysterious letter from a stranger reveals that she has a second sister—born with a physical disability and given away at birth—who has nonetheless followed in Moceanu’s footsteps in an astonishing way. A multilayered memoir that transcends the world of sports, Off Balance will touch anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.