The Perfection Point: Predicting the Absolute Limits of Human Performance - Softcover

What's the fastest a human can run the 100-meter sprint?
What's the longest a human can hold his breath?
What are the limits of human performance?

Until 1954, common wisdom and scientific knowledge considered a sub-four-minute mile an impossible feat for a human. But then Roger Bannister broke that mark, followed quickly by a host of other athletes. Today the world record stands at 3 minutes, 43 seconds, yet even that number doesn't tell the full story of how fast humans can run a mile—records are a mark of how well people have done, not how well they can do.

In this fascinating and thought-provoking book, John Brenkus ventures across the sports world to provide an in-depth look at the absolute limits of human performance. For years, coaches, pundits, and experts have speculated about the extremes of human ability. The Perfection Point finally provides the answers.

John Brenkus has spent the last decade studying the unique characteristics of the world's greatest athletes. He cocreated the groundbreaking series Fight Science for the National Geographic Channel, and he serves as the on-air host, cocreator, and executive producer of ESPN's Emmy Award-winning show Sport Science.