Maximize Return on Your Aerobic Investment

• Why do you train and race? 
• Are you a slave to the watch and the metrics of power and pace?  Are you lost without them?
• Are you dissatisfied with your times and slowing with age? 
• Have you lost sight of the journey and forgotten that swimming, biking and running – activities from childhood – are supposed to be fun with the added benefit of improved mental and physical health? 

From Andrew Getzin MD, Head Team Physician USA triathlon:

“Shane Eversfield’s new Kaizen-durance book series may be the elixir you need.  Shane draws upon his background as a modern dancer, ultra-endurance triathlete and his 40-plus years of deep T’ai Chi practice to share his Zen wisdom with the reader.  Kaizen-Durance guides the endurance athlete to focus not just on “hitting the numbers”, but on what is happening HERE and NOW – in your body. 

“He explains the vast potential of neural training to connect the brain with the intelligence of the body – a phenomenon he calls “Kinetic Intelligence”, truly the wisdom of the aging athlete.   With KI, we can move through the water and over land more efficiently.  Readers discover that kinetic intelligence is the awareness and the skill to occupy and animate our bodies with precision, grace and ease.  His book is more than just concepts.  Shane provides mindfulness exercises that will help you develop your kinetic intelligence.

“The insights, techniques and exercises are applicable to the elite triathlete, the middle of the pack racer, and for all of us who seek to maximize return on our aerobic investment for healthy functional and fulfilling lives.   And they are compatible with any conventional training program.

“The injury rate among runners is up to 70% per year.  With Kaizen-Durance, we can foster a body-mind union to increase awareness of every stride, every stroke, and thereby potentially decrease injury rate.  I recommend Shane’s series of six books to anyone open-minded enough to explore new ways to approach our passion for endurance,  for anyone who wants to grow as a triathlete or recreational exerciser and as a whole person. 

“Book One, “An Introduction to Kaizen-durance, Your Aerobic Path to Mastery” opens the door to celebrate aging as the acquisition of wisdom rather than the decline of aerobic fitness.   As Shane says, ‘It’s not mind over matter, it’s mind IN matter.  Finesse is stronger than force.'”

Andrew Getzin, MD
Clinical Director of Sports Medicine and Athletic Performance
Cayuga Medical Center
Ithaca, NY
Head Team Physician USA triathlon

Excellent Introduction to Efficient Movement From a Kinetic Master

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Shane as an athlete and as a physical therapist treating endurance athletes for many years, so I am familiar with his approach to mindful movement. We share some common ideas about this concept, so I was excited to see his book project come to fruition. I was hopeful that he would be able to share his wealth of knowledge in an accessible and inviting way, and he does this skillfully.

Shane’s understanding of “kinetic intelligence” is outstanding, but what he also does quite well with this first installment is to lay the foundation for the reader interested in perfecting their own practice of efficient movement. The writing is insightful and approachable, and the “PAGES” are a weapon in the arsenal of any athlete.

Everybody benefits from “being HERE now”. If you’re interested in becoming better at what you do as an athlete, this book will help you get there by learning how to be “HERE” every step or stroke of the way. – Brian Lee, PT, OCS, CSCS, Competitive Ironman and Spartan Finisher

Matt Fitzgerald, Renown Sports Writer & Endurance Coach

Author Shane Eversfield takes a quasi-spiritual approach to endurance training that I find quite appealing. His core concept is something called kinetic intelligence, which is essentially the body’s innate wisdom concerning movement. It may sound far out, but the book is actually science-based and practical, offering readers concrete techniques they can use to unlock this wisdom and learn to move with “effortless power.”

Finesse is Stronger Than Force:

“Though I highly value physicality, I’ve always had an aversion to the competitiveness and egoistic nature of most sports.  Meeting Shane was a breath of fresh air.  Here was a guy whose formal education was in dance, practiced Tai Chi for decades, and had applied these principles to competing in ultra endurance races [now] into his 60s.  His approach to endurance sports is more of a mindfulness practice – more a form of yoga – than anything else. But its not all Eastern influenced woo woo. His approach is backed up by the latest scientific research in neurobiology and biomechanics and the man himself is living proof that this is a highly valid means to fitness at any age.

“This book is a great summary of Shane’s method, what he calls “Kaizen-durance”.  It is a short, accessible, but potent description of how to use kinetic intelligence to improve in endurance sports; to avoid injury, be more at peace, to become an “artist”.  It contains a very appropriate balance of science, philosophy, and wisdom.

“As more and more people look for alternatives to sedentary culture, sports like triathlon are becoming more popular every year. There are a lot of books that can assist people in this journey. But I believe this one is a unique, vital contribution that could help countless people, not just finish a race, but flourish in these sports AND in life.

If you aren’t fortunate to be able to train with this guy, this book is highly recommended.”  – Brad Dingman, Recreational athlete

A Hidden Gem

I am giving this book five star because six stars are not available. Shane has captured the essence of endurance sports.
His approach to honing one’s instrument is spot on. I am an aging endurance athlete entering his seventh decade and still
performing at a high level. Much of my success is due to Shane’s teachings of mind in matter rather than mind over matter. Whether you are a seasoned competitor or new to athletics, Shane has much to teach.

Michael Bryant – 6X Ironman, Acclaimed Motivational Speaker, Business Management Consultant

 Crystal Clear Guide to Mindful Training

“This book is remarkable, like its author, the philosopher and passionate practitioner of movement Shane Eversfield.  In it Eversfield shares insights developed over a lifetime practice of various kinds of movement and more than two decades of triathlon competition to help readers to sustain, perfect, and enjoy their own athletic pursuits.

“If you’re like me and see youth in the rearview mirror (I’m 72) while still trying to stay in the game—whatever that game is—this introduction to Kaizen-durance will be very useful.  It will refresh your approach to sport and movement and renew your confidence while you’re at it.

“Mindful is a much overused word in a trend of muddy thinking and too little understanding. But Eversfield imparts a very clear understanding of mindful, how to get there, and how to use it to keep improving your athletic efforts. This volume is the first of [six] that develop Eversfield’s thinking, and it lays the groundwork for his philosophical approach with logic and precision. You will find him extremely articulate and focused. You won’t lose your place, and you won’t wonder where to go next.

“You’ll be on your way to perfection, and the beauty of this is that you’ll never reach it. Because it’s all about play you’ll enjoy the process as you work toward perfecting your movements. You’ll forgive yourself for your inadequacies. And trust me, you’ll perform better.”  Holly Menino Barry – Author and masters swimmer

Very enlightening and so worth the investment!!

As an age grouper endurance athlete this book really has been a great insight and resource for learning and discovering new ways to practice. I’m looking forward to reading Book 2 as I continue on this infinite path of learning and growth.  George Randall – Total Immersion Swim Coach, Ironman

Ready to read?

• Book One Order print edition here.
• Order digital formats here.

A Much Need Paradigm Shift I Didn’t Know I Needed

This summer I went to a swim lesson hoping to get a few quick tips to help me take a couple of minutes of my swim in an upcoming September 70.3 triathlon. I was totally obsessed with the outcome of that race (and the other races I entered). I had no idea who my swim instructor would be.

When I got there I met Shane. I was immediately impressed with his knowledge, experience in swimming and triathlons and the incredible clarity with which he communicated with me during the lesson. By the end of the 90 minute lesson my obsession on the two minutes I went there to take off the swim had begun to shift into thinking of my swimming and training more holistically.

When he mentioned he had this book available I enthusiastically purchased it. In the next week I read it, re-read it, and studied it, focusing on every well selected word and masterfully crafted chapter. By the end of that week with Shane’s book, my perspective on training and racing had profoundly shifted. His masterful words and wisdom helped me shift the goal-obsessed approach to training and racing I had been following to a healthier and more effective paradigm. The shift has been life changing.

Although I always enjoyed the bike and run training, I used to get frustrated if my workout fell short of the planned power and pace measurements. Now I get much less attached and enjoy the workouts and journey MUCH more AND paradoxically get better results!

The wisdom in this book has been truly transformative for me! Although I still strive for racing goals and outcomes, Shane’s mindfulness wisdom helps pull me back from obsessing on these goals. Although I still spend some of my mental energy focusing on the data from my power meter and heart rate monitor, there isn’t a workout where I don’t balance that with wisdom from Shane on being in the moment, in the journey. Whether it is synchronizing my breath with my run cadence, or allowing gravity to move me forward, or observing each sensation in my body with each swim and petal stroke, or another of the multitude of pearls of wisdom from Shane’s book, I am now “in the now” when I train and am enjoying it SO much more!

Shane’s incredibly well written words help me shift away from my tendency to obsess on my goals (which for me easily translates to over-training and injury) to striving for them but letting go of the attachment of reaching them. Paradoxically this shift has actually increased my performance more than I ever imagined!! Not only did I improve more than the two minutes on the swim I had originally hoped to get, I improved so much on the whole race that I qualified for the Age Group Nationals knocking 18 minutes of my 70.3 time on a day that was much hotter and harder.   – Mikko M.  Competitive Age-Group Triathlete 

Not Your Normal Self-Help Book

Shane provided me a copy of his book to read through and I gladly accepted. He has been a loyal member and follower of the Endurance for Everyone group and podcast, so I eagerly waited for this book to arrive and I was not disappointed.

As a Six Sigma Green Belt I am well versed in the terms Shane uses such as Kaizen and always felt it could be incorporated into triathlon, running, cycling, and swimming. Shane does a great job of explaining the concept and the terms and links them to best practices within your chosen athletic endeavor with humor and outstanding examples.

Incorporating these principles into your training, and into your life in general, will undoubtedly help you. I highly recommend picking this book up. And hell, if you need to chat with him, come on into the group and drop him a question. He’s always happy to answer a question or two. 🙂  John C. Harris, Founder, Endurance 4 Everyone