Duncan MacDougall and Digby Sale are Professors Emeriti at McMaster University, where they have taught exercise physiology and conducted research into the physiology of training for almost 40 years. They are internationally renowned exercise scientists who have collectively authored more than 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals, in addition to dozens of book chapters and several hundred abstracts and lay publications. Both are former athletes and coaches (MacDougall in football, track and field and hockey and Sale in track and gymnastics) and have worked extensively as training consultants for a number of Olympic and professional teams

Duncan MacDougall came to McMaster in 1970 and was the founder and director of the Human Performance Laboratory until his retirement. He is a former president of the Canadian Association of Sports Sciences (now the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology) and a recipient of that organization's Honour Award. He has served on the editorial boards of a number of journals, including the Journal of Applied Physiology and the Canadian Journal of Applied Sports Sciences (now the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism). He is the senior author of the book Physiological Testing of the High Performance Athlete, and over the years has been a fitness and training consultant to such teams as the Canadian National Ski Team (both alpine and cross-country), the Canadian Rowing Team and the Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League.

Digby Sale began his career at McMaster in 1967 and over the years has served as head gymnastics coach (for 6 years), vice-president of the Canadian Intercollegiate Gymnastic Coaches' Association, chair of the graduate program in the Department of Kinesiology and chair of the Department of Kinesiology. He has also served on the Board of Governors of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology and on the editorial boards for a number of journals, including the International Journal of Sports Medicine and the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. He has collaborated extensively with Dr. MacDougall in the testing of athletes in a number of different sports, including hockey, soccer, judo, rowing and skiing. Dr. Sale received his undergraduate training at the University of Toronto, his Master's degree at the University of Western Ontario and his Ph.D. at McMaster University.

• Part I: Physiological bases for athletic training


• 1: Introduction to training for high performance


• 2: Biochemical bases for performance


• 3: Cardiorespiratory bases for performance


• 4: Muscle physiology


• 5: Neuromuscular bases for performance


• Part II: Training for different sports and activities


• 6: Training for endurance sports


• 7: Training for anaerobic events and team sports


• 8: Training for strength, power and speed


• Part III: Additional factors affecting performance


• 9: Peaking, tapering and overtraining


• 10: Stretching and flexibility


• 11: Other considerations