The Great Life: A Man's Guide to Sports, Skills, Fitness, and Serious Fun

by Men's Journal (Author); Evans, Sid (Editor/introduction); George-Warren, Holly (Editor/introduction)

• ISBN13: 9780140296266
• ISBN10: 0140296263
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-10-01
• Publisher: Penguin Group USA

Summary

From the editors of Men's Journal comes a manual for the modern man who believes that life is, or should be, an adventure.

At once entertaining and comprehensive, this book covers Adventure, Competitive Sports, Fitness and Health, Women, Skills, and Vices, with over 150 essays offering the best advice and inspiration from the leading experts in their fields. From learning to skydive to tightening those abs to picking just the right wine -- The Great Life is a smart, fast-paced, and user-friendly roadmap to life beyond work and money. Each section is enhanced with sidebars, photos, quotes, charts, quizzes, step-by-step instructions, and pithy cartoons.

The Great Life features some of the smartest and funniest writers to have picked up a pen, including P. J. O'Rourke, George Plimpton, Kurt Vonnegut, and Sebastian Junger, as well as seasoned Men's Journal journalists, such as Jim Thornton and Jim Harrison.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
P.J. O'Rourke
Introduction	xii
Sid Evans
Adventure
Introduction	2	(1)
Rock Climbing	3	(1)
Mountain Biking	4	(2)
City Biking	6	(2)
Whitewater Kayaking	8	(1)
Sea-Kayaking	9	(2)
Flying a Plane	11	(1)
Skydiving	12	(2)
Diving	14	(1)
Surfing	15	(1)
Windsurfing	16	(2)
Fly-fishing	18	(3)
Sailing	21	(1)
Ice-Climbing	22	(2)
Skiing	24	(2)
Snowboarding	26	(1)
Three Days to Live or Die	27	(5)
Animal Attacks	32	(3)
Surviving Whitewater	35	(2)
Avalanche!	37	(2)
Fire in the Sky	39	(1)
The Lowdown on Altitude Sickness	40	(2)
Crash Course	42	(1)
Test Yourself	43	(6)
Competitive Sports
Introduction	48	(1)
The Mental Game	49	(2)
Basketball	51	(4)
Pro-Tips from Stephon Marbury	53	(2)
Football	55	(3)
Pro-Tips from Jerome Bettis	57	(1)
Golf	58	(2)
Tennis	60	(3)
Softball	63	(2)
Baseball	65	(2)
Pro-Tips from Tim McCarver	66	(1)
Cycling	67	(2)
Running	69	(3)
Boxing	72	(2)
Billiards	74	(2)
Get Wired Up	76	(3)
Sport-Specific Diets	79	(25)
Fitness and Health
Introduction	86	(1)
Fitness The MJ Regimen
Posture	87	(3)
Cardio	90	(2)
Strength	92	(2)
Nutrition	94	(3)
Regimen	97	(3)
Flexibility	100	(4)
Bench Press	104	(1)
Sit-ups	105	(2)
Dips	107	(2)
Push-ups	109	(1)
Jump-roping	110	(2)
The Weight-Free Workout	112	(2)
Prevent Injury	114	(2)
Give It a Rest	116	(2)
The MJ Diet
Lean Machine	118	(10)
Dieting Myths	128	(4)
Yoga	132	(5)
Tai Chi	137	(3)
Pilates	140	(1)
Health
100 Quick Fixes	141	(7)
Checkups	148	(3)
Heart Health	151	(3)
Seminal Health	154	(5)
Remedies	159	(4)
Vitamins and Supplements	163	(6)
Alcohol	169	(3)
Depression	172	(9)
Women
Introduction	180	(1)
Science of Attraction	181	(3)
Woo Her With Words	184	(1)
He Said, She Said	185	(1)
The PMS Playbook	186	(3)
Man the Kitchen	189	(2)
Cook with Passion	190	(1)
Risk-Free Lingerie Buying	191	(2)
Curse of the Bedroom Blahs	193	(1)
The Sensual Rubdown	194	(4)
Eight Big Myths	198	(2)
Her Orgasm	200	(3)
The Sapphic Report	203	(2)
Build a Better Orgasm	205	(1)
Tantric Moves	206	(7)
Skills
Introduction	212	(1)
Build Your Dream House	213	(1)
Camping: Bring What You Need	214	(2)
Gear Up for an Expedition	216	(1)
Get Your Bearings	217	(1)
Land a Plane	218	(1)
Locked Up in a Foreign Country	219	(2)
Survive a Bullet	221	(2)
Be Cool in a Stickup	223	(1)
Throw a Good Punch	224	(2)
Motorcycles: The Appetite for Thrill	226	(2)
How to Ride a Hog	227	(1)
Land: Stake Your Claim	228	(1)
Build a Doghouse	229	(3)
What Should Be in Everyman's Tool Set	232	(2)
Find a Good (and Honest) Mechanic	234	(1)
Grill to Perfection	235	(1)
Open a Beer Bottle	236	(1)
Know One Bar Trick	237	(1)
Always Get a Great Table	237	(1)
Say It With Class	238	(2)
Be Right About Everything	239	(1)
Joke Telling	240	(1)
Photography: Get the Shot	241	(1)
Meditation	242	(1)
Changing a Diaper	243	(1)
Look Sharp	244	(1)
Suiting Up	245	(1)
Nice Shoes	246	(1)
65 Things Every Man Should Own	247	(4)
The 50 Best Books, Music, and Movies of the Century	251	(16)
Vices
Introduction	266	(1)
Brew Your Own Beer	267	(3)
Wine: A Very Fine Year	270	(2)
The Whisky Trail	272	(1)
Get Ripped, Sauced, Blind	273	(2)
Duck a Hangover	274	(1)
Make Your Own Moonshine	275	(1)
Know Your Sake	276	(2)
Cigars: Blowing Smoke	278	(1)
Blackjack: Stack the Deck	279	(2)
Poker: Deal With the Big Dogs	281	(5)
Double Your Raise	284	(2)
Going to a Bordello	286	(3)
Contributors	289	(6)
Acknowledgments	295	(2)
Index	297