The #1 Mental Toughness Books In Sports
Steve Knight
The Trailblazer Who Made Mental Toughness Trainable
A 2x national champion, startup visionary, and bestselling author, Steve wasn't born mentally tough, he built his grit and resilience over decades of performing under pressure.
These defining accomplishments shaped his game-changing approach to training mental toughness.
On the trail, Enterprise, OR
2x National Champion
Steve’s start with mental toughness came in 1974 at the University of Hawaii, when he met Bill Starr — the father of modern strength training. Under Starr’s mentorship, Steve learned how to grind in the weightroom, optimize recovery, and mentally prepare for competition.
He competed in powerlifting for over a decade — winning multiple state titles and two national championships.
Steve's first tournament in 1974 was a disaster. He grossly missed attempts and placed last, but was bitten by the performance bug.
Steve winning nationals in 1980, with a no-miss performance and four PRs. His breakthrough mental toughness tactics had him pushing the boundaries of mental performance.
At the 1982 U.S. National Powerlifting Championships Steve set an Oregon state record in the squat of 722 pounds that still stands today.
At his peak, Steve was ranked second in the world.
Cutting-Edge Mental Toughness Books
In 2002, Steve knew he had the secret sauce in his back pocket. He turned his experience into WINNING STATE Wrestling. The first book to deliver tactical, sport-specific mental toughness training.
Steve went on to write mental toughness books for 16 different sports, putting mental toughness training on the map. There have been many imitators, but all stand on the foundation of Steve's pioneering books.
Over 350,000 copies of WINNING STATE have been sold.
Health Club Pioneer
In 1979, Steve opened his first health club—a bold, visionary facility that was a forerunner to today’s “CrossFit boxes.”
Built in the garage of a former auto dealership, Steve's raw, no-frills gym had one purpose—deliver results.
The club pioneered free-weight circuit training for average folks and offered world-class strength training amenities that attracted the region’s elite weightlifters and powerlifters.
Designer and Manufacturer of Game-Changing Strength Equipment
In 1983, recognizing a gap in the strength equipment industry, Steve founded IN-SHAPE International. The first supplier of premium free-weight equipment.
Before IN-SHAPE free-weight equipment was primitive “black iron” with little attention to artistic design or premium craftsmanship. IN-SHAPE joined the ranks of industry giants like Lifecycle (now Life Fitness), Eagle (now Cybex), and Nautilus—who all revolutionized gym equipment design.
The first of it's kind, a multi-station "jungle" system; now common in the commercial strength equipment industry.
IN-SHAPE’s innovations remain foundational across the strength training industry. The company installed equipment in over 3,500 facilities across seven countries, generating more than $15 million in sales.
Next-Level Instructor
Long before the tile of "personal trainer" existed, Steve was already in the trenches — helping people push their limits and discover the grit and resilience they didn't know they had. Since 1975, Steve has worked one-on-one with thousands of competitive athletes — and non-athletes alike — guiding them to handle pressure and crush their performance goals.
Explore working with Steve on our Masterclass pages.
Chasing Academic Rigor, Not Credentials
In 2002, Steve made a bold choice that most wouldn’t dare making — he went back to school. At 48, he wasn’t chasing a degree, he was chasing rigor and growth. He wanted to experience the demands of higher education. He goal was to broaden his writing skills to better communicate the difficult subjects of strength, health, and mental performance.
Steve majored in communication theory with a focus on media effects, propaganda, and persuasion. He graduated magna cum laude from Portland State University.
Steve describes his gutsy decision to go to college as an “old dude” as one of the best decisions he ever made.
A Simple Life in Wallowa County
Steve lives a low-key life in Enterprise, Oregon, a remote town in Wallowa County. The entire county has only 7,000 residents and not a single stoplight. This rugged corner of eastern Oregon is home to one of the state’s “Seven Wonders” — the stunning Wallowa Mountains. With Hells Canyon (the deepest river gorge in North America), crystal-clear lakes, and snow-capped peaks, the area is a hiker’s paradise — and perfect backdrop of nature for someone dedicated to simple ways of living.
Captivating Joseph, Oregon at the foot of Wallowa Lake.
Steve stays out of the media. He only agreed to publicly sharing the details on this “About” page to offer credibility for what he teaches — not as a means for self-promotion.
Out of the many advancements Steve has brought to the mental toughness space, he is most proud of busting the ridiculous myth that “some have it, some don’t.” With that fossil out of the way every athlete can build the tactics that will strengthen their mental game.
Handle pressure and believe.
For more information on training with Steve Knight go to our Masterclass pages.