Review of "You Just Can't Teach That!"

Those who follow this blog regularly will notice that I have not posted in awhile - there is a combination of reasons at work here - one IS work, one is being away at a conference and one is that I have been watching the postseason baseball games.  But since there was a short gap between the end of the league championships and the World Series, it gave me a chance to read a quick book between conference sessions. Finding one that was provided to me by the author a LONG time ago (thank you for your patience, Mr. Taylor), I decided to finally take one of the large pile of books that I meant to read but never did.  Here is my review of "You Can't Teach That!"

Title/Author:

“You Just Can’t Teach That! Or Can You?” by Kenneth D. Taylor

Tags:

Training, running, psychological, injuries

Publish date:

April 5, 2013

Length:

150 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (Very Good)

Review:

There are sports clichés that mention speed, such as “You can’t teach speed.” However, this book by Kenneth Taylor (who was a player on the 1985 Chicago Bears, winners of Super Bowl XX) puts that cliché to the test as he provides training tips and other useful information on how an athlete can improve his or her speed.

This is much more than another training book, as Taylor uses kinesiology, psychology and good old sweat to illustrate what speed does for an athlete.  While of course, the training and the emphasis is on running, I think the best passages of the book are when Taylor takes away the negativity of running and makes an athlete actually enjoy it.  Think of a boxer doing his “road work.”  How many of them say they love that part of their training?  After reading this book, they just might!

There is also valuable information on the body and some of the changes that can be made internally with this training to increase one’s speed.  A fascinating chapter is titled “Myelin Skill Training”, that explains how myelin, the insulating layer around nerve cells, helps in developing physical speed when it increases the frequency of impulses in the nerves.  This in turn will help the runner or athlete become even better.  There is a chain of thought to the logic which is explained in that particular chapter.

This is not a book that can be read like a story or biography.  Some of the sections can be very technical and require careful reading to fully comprehend.  Also, there are aspects of self-confidence and one’s individual beliefs that will make the reader stop and think, even if the reader is not an athlete.  However, this is a very good book to add to one’s library if one wants to get better at his or her game by improving one’s speed.

I wish to thank Mr. Taylor for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Format Read

Paperback

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/You-Just-Cant-Teach-That/dp/1482078910/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1477440390&sr=1-1&keywords=you+just+can%27t+teach+that

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/you-just-cant-teach-that-kenneth-d-taylor/1115658116?ean=9781482078916