The New York Times bestseller – with a new afterword about early specialization in youth sports – by the author of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. The debate is as old as physical competition. Are stars like Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, and Serena Williams genetic freaks put on Earth to dominate their respective sports? Or are they simply normal people who overcame their biological limits through sheer force of will and obsessive training? In this controversial and engaging exploration of athletic success and the so-called 10,000-hour rule, David Epstein tackles the great nature vs. nurture debate and traces how far science has come in solving it. Through on-the-ground reporting from below the equator and above the Arctic Circle, revealing conversations with leading scientists and Olympic champions, and interviews with athletes who have rare genetic mutations or physical traits, Epstein forces us to rethink the very nature of athleticism.

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The American League team was down 9–1 in the fifth inning, so they called on Jennie Finch, a retired baseball player, to pitch. She had been invited only as a member of the American League coaching staff until the American League stars went down 9–1 in the fifth inning. #2 Finch was a regular segment on Fox’s This Week in Baseball in which she would travel to major league training camps and transform the best baseball hitters in the world into clumsy hacks. She struck out both hitters she faced in 2004 and 2005. #3 The only way to hit a ball traveling at high speed is to be able to see into the future, and when a baseball player faces a softball pitcher, he is stripped of his crystal ball. #4 The modern sports occlusion test was invented by Janet Starkes in 1975. It involves gathering thousands of photographs of women’s volleyball games and making slides of pictures where the volleyball is in the frame and others where the ball has just left the frame. The orientation and action of players’ bodies is nearly identical regardless of whether the ball is in the frame, since little changes in the instant when the ball leaves the picture.

‘A wonderful book. Thoughtful...fascinating’ Malcolm Gladwell Do you believe some people are born athletes? Is sporting talent innate or something that can be achieved through endurance and practise? In this ground-breaking and entertaining exploration of athletic success, award-winning writer David Epstein gets to the heart of the great nature vs. nurture debate, and explodes myths about how and why humans excel. Along the way, Epstein: - Exposes the flaws in the so-called 10,000-hour rule that states that rigorous practice from a young age is the only route to success. - Shows why some skills that we imagine are innate are not – like the bullet-fast reactions of a baseball player. - Uncovers why other characteristics that we assume are entirely voluntary, like the motivation to practice, might in fact have important genetic components. Throughout, The Sports Gene forces us to rethink the very nature of success.

Abby Wambach has always pushed the limits of what is possible. Named by Time magazine as one of the most influential people of 2015, the iconic soccer player captured the nation’s heart when she led her team to its recent World Cup Championship. Admired for her fearlessness and passion, Abby is a vocal advocate for women’s rights and equal opportunity, pushing to translate the success of her team to the real world. She has become a heavily requested speaker to a wide a range of audiences, from college students to executives at Fortune 500 companies. In this edition of Forward that’s been adapted for young readers, Abby recounts her own decisions, wins, losses, and the pivotal moments that helped her become the world class athlete and leader she is today. Wambach’s book goes beyond the soccer field to reveal a soulful person grappling with universal questions about how we can live our best lives and become our truest selves. Written with honesty and heart, Forward is an inspiring blueprint for individual growth and a rousing call to action.