Saturday, June 11, 2011

Dangers of Amateur Drift Racing

Have you seen Formula D Racing, otherwise known as Formula Drifting, on television before?  If you are lucky, there is even a chance that you have seen a live event. If this is the case, you may be more interested in Formula D Racing. In fact, in addition to becoming a fan of the sport, there is also a chance that you would like to participate in it. If this is the case, there are a number of important things that you must keep in mind.

Although Formula D Racing using judges to score a driver, it is still often considered a form of racing.  This is because, in addition to the drifting techniques used, speed is also taken into consideration; thus, racing becomes involved.  If you are interested in participating in Formula D Racing, there is a good chance that you will start out on your own or at an amateur level. When participating on your own, it is important to remember one thing. Street racing, in many areas of the United States, is considered illegal.  In the event that you try your hand at drifting, on a public street, you may be subject to arrest or numerous fines.  To prevent that from happening, you will want to find a safe place to practice.

When it comes to finding a place to practice or participate in Formula Drifting, you may have a difficult time. Unless you are considered a professional driver, you may find it difficult, or even impossible, to gain access to a track.  Although there are some local tracks that allow drifting, not all tracks do. In fact, even the tracks that do allow this type of competition are fairly hard to find.  As previously mentioned, instead of racing on the street, you will want to find a safe place to race. Depending on where you live and the size of your property, you may be able to create own your own drifting track or surface.

Whether you make the decision to find a local track, that will allow you to participate in a form of Formula D Racing, or you choose to race on your own property, you need to be careful.  Formula Drifting is a popular, but dangerous sport. This sport is even dangerous for professionals, and they know what they are doing.  Essentially, this means that if you are considered an amateur drifter, you are at an increased risk for injury.  That is why it is best that you practice safely and learn as much about the sport as you can. 

Perhaps, the best way to learn about drifting is to first familiarize yourself with the cars that can be used. Not all cars are safe for drifting.  Using the wrong car is the quickest way to crash or suffer an injury. Once you have acquired a car, that is safe to use for drifting, you will want to familiarize yourself with that car. You may want to drive it a lot before you automatically start drifting. This should help to ensure that you know how the car likes to handle; thus making your drifting experience safer.

As previously mentioned, you may also want to take the time to famialrize yourself with the sport. You should be able to do this a number of different ways.  One of those ways is by using the internet to your advantage.  Online, you should be able to find a decent amount of information on Formula D Racing, including how to get started in it.  By familiarizing yourself with popular drifting techniques, as well as watching demonstrations of those techniques, you may learn how to make the most out of your drifting experience.  Similar information should also be able to be found in books or in videos, such as instructional videos.

Although it may be best to leave the sport to professionals, you may not want to.  By keeping the above mentioned information in mind, you should be able to enjoy this popular, but potentially dangerous sport. 

The Drifting Pretty Programs

Are you a female is who interested in drifting?  Drifting is a popular sport that is centered on cars. Although drifting existed before 2003, it was relatively unheard of in the United States. In fact, only a limited number of areas, mainly in California, had events that were focused on drifting. It really wasn’t until 2003, when professional Formula Drifting was developed that the sport sparked in popularity.

You were previously asked whether or not you were a female who is interested in the sport of drifting. If you are like many other Americans, you may be wondering what your gender has anything to do with it.  Honestly, it shouldn’t, but, in some cases it does.  Unfortunately, Formula Drifting, both on a professional and amateur level has typically been perceived as a male dominated sport. Despite this perception, there are a fairly large number of women who also enjoy the sport and would like to participate in it.  Thanks to the development of a number of different programs, you can, if you choose to do so.

As previously mentioned, the development of a number of programs has made it easier for women to not only learn about the sport of drifting, but participate in it as well. Those programs are in a way, instructional programs, but many also work like social networks. These programs tend to create a group of women who are interested in learning as much as they can about drifting.  Since these programs, are almost always, just designed for women, many find that it is easier to learn and concentrate on the sport.

Although Formula Drifting has increased in popularity, as well as the training courses, you may have a difficult time finding a drifting program or course that is designed solely with women in mind.  Not all areas in the United States have them, but in the future, there is a good chance that they will.  In fact, in 2007, it is planned that the Drifting Pretty Program will expand on a national level. Drifting Pretty is one of the most well known drifting programs for women. 

When further examining the drifting programs offered by Drifting Pretty, you will find that you do not need to have any drifting or racing experience to join. This is important because many women are too afraid to enter a drifting program, especially if they have never participated in the sport before.  If this was what was preventing you from joining one of these educational programs, you are advised to eliminate it as a factor. In fact, you may even be better off than those who do have experience drifting. Not only may you find it easier to learn, but many have been taught the wrong or improper driving techniques.  With the right training, you will not have to worry about your past experiences negatively impacting your learning experience.

With Drifting Pretty, it is encouraged that you have a car, which should be a rear wheel drive, but it is not necessary right away.  However, to participate in the course, you will have to agree to purchase one, in at least three months.  In addition to taking part in Drifting Pretty’s training program, you may even be able to become a part of their team.  This team is the team that is used in competition. Only qualified individuals are able to become a part of this team, but with membership, hard work, and determination, there is a good chance that you may make it.

If you would like more information on the Drifting Pretty Program, you are advised to visit their online website. That online website can be found at www.driftingpretty.com. In addition to learning more about their program, you also express interest in having a chapter developed in your area; this is great, especially if you do not reside in the California area.  Although your request for a local Drifting Pretty Program may be denied, it is still worth a shot.  You and other female drifters, in and around your area, you could benefit immensely from a drifting training program, such as the program offered by Drifting Pretty.

Formula Fans

Are you a fan of Formula D, otherwise known as Formula Drifting?  If you have a love for cars, racing, or anything else along those lines, there is a good chance that you are. Drifting has always been a relatively popular sport in the United States, but its popularity climaxed with the development of a professional Formula D series.  Despite that popularity, the sport is still unknown by many.  Formula D needs your help to keep its popularity on the rise.  If you are wondering how you can go about doing this, you are not alone.

When it comes to helping Formula Drifting increase in popularity, there are many individuals who over analyze the situation. There are even others who think it is too much work. Well, this is simply not true. If you want to help Formula D become all that it can be, all that you have to do is be a fan. Sounds simple enough doesn’t it?  While it is important to be a fan, you want to be more than just a fan.  You want to be a fan that has a love and a passion for the sport. There are a number of different ways that you can go about accomplishing this.

Perhaps, the easiest way is to watch television programming that is focused on Formula D, including coverage of live events.  To do this, you will need to have access to G4TV. G4TV is one of the few television networks that airs Formula D programs. The only problem with this is that the network has recently scaled back their coverage.  Not as many programs are shown as they were in the past and many are being repeated, without cycling through old repeats first.  To not only keep newer Formula D programs featured on G4TV, but to ensure that they keep their partnership with Formula Drift, you are advised to tune in as much as possible.

When it comes to television and the programming that airs on it, networks will not air programs that no one watches. Of course, in a way, this defeats the purpose of repeats.  Most individuals can only watch a certain program a couple of times before it becomes too much to handle.  Although these may prevent you from tuning into the Formula D coverage offered on G4TV, you are advised to think about the bigger picture.  High ratings are the only way that a network will know that their viewers are interested.  By tuning in or writing to the G4TV staff, you may help to keep the sport of drifting alive and interesting, at least on television.

In addition to watching Formula D events on television, you are also encouraged to watch them live, in person.  The only problem with this is that there are a select number of locations in which Formula D events take places. These locations tend to include California, Georgia, Washington, Illinois, and New Jersey. If you are in the area, when one of these events are taking place, you are advised to attend one.  In addition to having an exciting day, full of action, you will also find that these events are fairly easy to afford.  Many venues only charge an admission fee of around twenty dollars per person. This means that you could easily afford to attend a Formula D event on your own or with your family.
When it comes to attending a live Formula D event, many fans are unsure exactly how it may help to increase the popularity of the sport.  When a large number of fans turn out for a particular event, the event promoters are usually pleased.  A large fan turnout will almost always guarantee that the event will occur again, often at a later date. A large fan turn out may also help to spark new Formula D event venues. If and when this does occur, they will likely be in new areas; thus giving fans, who were previously unable to attend an event the opportunity to do so.

As you can easily see, there are a number of different ways that you can go about supporting Formula Drifting.  In fact, as a fan, it is likely that you already attend live events or watch sports coverage on television.  If so, did you know that you are helping out the sport, likely in more ways than one?

Formula Drifting

Formula D drifting is a popular sport. In fact, for being relatively new to the United States, on a professional level, the sport has a pretty good fan following. In addition to cheering on their favorite drifters, there are many fans who want more. Some of those fans want to become professional drifters, themselves.  Are you one of those individuals?  If so, there are a number of factors that you should first examine. These factors will not only help to ensure that you have a fun time while drifting, but that you also have a safe time. 

Perhaps, the most important thing to consider is that not everyone makes it to professional drifting.  Formula D Racing is like a wide variety of other sports. A lot of individuals want to participate in it, but, unfortunately, there are only a limited number of opportunities.  While there is a chance that you may be able to make it in professional drifting, the chances are slim. However, this does not mean that you have to give up on your drifting dream.  Instead, it means that you need to find alternatives. For instance, one of those alternatives is drifting at an amateur level.

When it comes to amateur drifting, you will find that you have a number of different options. An amateur is often a way to describe someone who participates in an activity at a recreational level, instead of doing so for income.  Essentially, this means that you may be drifting in your time, but you can also do so at local tracks. There are a number of tracks in the United States, as well as other venues, that host amateur drifting events.  These events typically involve everyday individuals, just like yourself.  While you and the other drivers may not be professional drifters, you do have a love for the sport. The only problem with this is that there are only a limited number of locations in the United States that sponsor these types of events. 

As previously mentioned, you could participate in drifting on your own. In a way, this is considered an underground activity. Since drifting, along with many other motor sport activities, is considered illegal on city streets, you need to proceed with caution.  Not only is this type of drifting considered illegal, but it is also considered dangerous.  If at all possible, you are advised to avoid this type of competition.  It may be a safer this way, not to mention a better experience, especially if you are a beginner.  In fact, if you are a beginner, it may be a good idea to take a drifting training course before you proceed any further.

Drifting training courses are offered in select areas, all across the United States. You will find that many of these training courses are located in California, where underground drifting first got its start.  Training courses are offered for both men and women, anyone who has a love for the sport.  By performing a standard internet search, you should be able to determine whether or not any of these training courses are offered in your area.  If they are offered, you are advised to take one.  After completion, you will find that you know more about the sport of drifting, often more than you ever could have imagined. 

In addition to performing a standard internet search, to find a drifting training course, you are also advised to use that same type of search to look for local drifting venues or amateur organizations. While they may not exist in your area, they are the best way to prepare for your next drifting experience, whether that experience remains on the amateur level or you graduate to the professional level.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Anaerobic and Aerobic Workouts

Although the two types of exercise--anaerobic and aerobic--sound similar, they are actually quite different--and the controversy over which type of exercise is best continues.

“Aerobic” literally means in the presence of oxygen. In general, any activity that allows oxygen to release energy through metabolism and that is performed at a low to moderate intensity for more than 90 seconds is usually considered to be an aerobic activity. Because aerobic exercise increases your need for oxygen and requires your heart and lungs to work harder, the benefits of aerobic activity include increased cardiovascular capability and a decrease in body fat. The disadvantages of aerobic activity include a decrease in muscle mass, strength, power, speed and anaerobic capacity. Aerobic exercise is typically longer in duration than anaerobic exercise and involves such activities as running, walking, swimming and cycling.

On the other hand, “anaerobic” means in the absence of oxygen--any activity where energy is produced without oxygen and is performed at a medium to high intensity level for less than two minutes, is usually called an anaerobic activity. Anaerobic exercise is exercise that has a lower impact on your cardiovascular system and generally lasts for shorter periods of time than aerobic exercise. Although anaerobic activity requires an aerobic foundation, it provides the benefits of a decrease in body fat, an increase in muscle mass as well as improved strength, power and speed. Examples of anaerobic exercise include such activities as weight lifting and sprints.

So, which type of exercise is best? The answer is that to achieve optimum physical fitness, you must train to improve your performance in both aerobic and anaerobic abilities and not focus your performance on one type of exercise at the expense of all others. In other words, fitness is a compromise.

However, many people fail to realize that by focusing exclusively on prolonged aerobic or anaerobic training that they may be actually decreasing their overall fitness level. The best solution is to combine both types of training at varying levels of intensity and duration. For example, you can periodically switch from high intensity, short duration to medium intensity, medium duration and low intensity, long duration workouts.
The truth is that unless you are training to be an endurance athlete, there is no need to train like one and that most activities encountered in sport, work and life are a combination of aerobic and anaerobic movements flowing in a seamless continuum.

Exercise At Home Or Gym

Making the decision of where you will go to exercise is a very important step in reaching your goals of fitness.  A lot of factors will go into this  decision, and each one should be evaluated well before you start exercising.  Once you have made  a decision on where you will go to exercise, you can move on to deciding how you plan to work out.

As you probably know, exercising at home has many advantages.  The finance department is one of the best advantages.  With the gas prices being what they are today, it is quite obvious that you'll save money on fuel as well as wear and tear on your vehicle by choosing to exercise at home.

Memberships to a gym can often be quite expensive and may include other things that you don't need such as child care or swimming pools.  You also won't need to be concerned about the latest  trends of exercise gear as you most likely will be exercising by yourself at home.

Keep in mind that working out at home does  require a bit of financial obligation.  Even  though you may plan to run, it is very important that you have high quality running shoes.  This statment applies to any type of equipment that  you may purchase to use at home.  If you go out and buy cheap equipment, you'll probably end up getting hurt or getting frustrated because you aren't making any progress.

Along with the financial gains, exercising at  home may also help those who don't like to work out in public.  If you are worried about how you look in gym clothes, it is very comforting to know that the only person who has to be with you when you exercise at home is you.  Also, when you exercise at home, you don't need to worry about time at all.

Those of you who are motivated by being with people you know or come to know while working out away from home, a gym may be a better idea than working out at home.  At the gym, you'll  also more of a selection of equipment as well, far more than you'll have at home.

If you need other services than just weights and equipment, the gym may have just what you need. If you plan to swim a triathlon, you'll find the swimming pool at the gym to be just what you need to prepare yourself.  Swimming is also a great  exercise for your body and cardio, as it will work muscles in your body that you probably didn't even know you had.

Gyms will also offer you classes that you may find very motivating.  If you attend class on a regular basis, you may be motivated enough to continue so you don't have to defend yourself when asked where you've been or what you have been doing. You can also meet new people in class, or just help others along if you choose.

All in all, making the choice of exercising at  home or at the gym is a choice you should make based on your goals and personal preference.  The most important decision you'll need to make is to determine what type of environment you want to be in and how you want to accomplish the fitness goals in your life.

Once you have given it some thought and weighed out the pros and cons, you'll have no problem making the choice.  Always keep in mind that once you've made your choice, you can always switch if you aren't happy with the choice you made.

Exercise And Sleeping Better

The amount of physical exercise that you exert during the day is one of the key ingredients to helping you get a good sleep at night.  The more active your body is during the day, the more likely you are to relax at night and fall asleep faster.

With regular exercise you'll notice that your quality of sleep is improved and the transition between the cycles and phases of sleep will become smoother and more regular.  By keeping up your physical activity during the day, you may find it easier to deal with the stress and worries of your life.

Research and studies indicate that there is a direct correlation between how much we exercise and how we feel afterwards.

You should try and increase your physical activity during the day.  The goal here is to give your body enough stimulation during the day so that you aren't full of energy at night.  

Your body requires a certain amount of physical  activity in order to keep functioning in a healthy manner.  It is also important to note that you should not be exercising three or four hours before you go to bed.

The ideal exercise time is in the late afternoon or early evening.  You want to make sure you expend your physical energy long before it is time for  your body to rest and ready itself for sleep.

You should attempt to exercise at least three or four times a week for a period of 30 minutes or so. You can include walking or something simple.  If you prefer, you can include strenuous activities such as running as well.

The goal here is to increase your heart rate and strengthen the capacity of your lungs.  By adding a regular exercise activity to your daily schedule will help you to improve your overall health and help you emotionally as well.  

Along with running and walking there are several other physical activities that you can add to your daily life to increase your level of physical activity.  If you are battling not sleeping, you'll find aerobic exercise to be the best.

Your goal with exercise is to increase the amount of oxygen that reaches your blood stream.  Overall, there are many types of aerobic exercise for you to choose from.  The activities include running, biking, using a treadmill, dancing, and jumping rope.

There are some non aerobic exercises that you may find beneficial to help you solve your amnesia  problem.  

Yoga Yoga is an exercise that has a stimulatory effect on your nervous system, especially the brain.  Yoga utilizes breathing techniques and yoga postures to increase the blood circulation to the brain, promoting regular and restful sleeping patterns.  The regular practice of yoga will help you to relax as well as relieve tension and stress.

Tai Chi Tai Chi is an ancient art of breathing and movement that was developed by the Chinese monks.  The  movements involved are slow and precise, which is ideal if you have joint pains or you are unable to participate in high aerobic exercises.  Research has shown that Tai Chi can help with insomnia by promoting relaxation.

If you discover that you don't have any time to  exercise on a regular basis, you should try to  sneak moments of activity into your schedule.   Whenever possible, you should take the stairs instead of the elevator, as little things like that will do wonders for your body.

You should also park your car around the corner and walk that extra block or two to get to your  destination.  As you may know, there are many small things you can add to increase the activity in  your life.  Your overall goal here is to have a healthy and well balanced life - with plenty of sleep.

Alcohol And Exercisee

On Friday afternoon after you leave work, you probably think about going out and having a few drinks with  friends to relax and wind down.  Even though you  may think you deserve to go out and have a few drinks, there are some things that you should certainly keep in mind.

Like any other day, tomorrow is going to be a day for exercise, and since you are exercising on a  regular basis, a few drinks of alcohol won't really hurt anything, right?  Before you decide to rush out to the local bar, there are a few things below that you should think about before you make your choice about going out to drink some alcohol.

Research has proven that even small amounts of  alcohol with increase muscular endurance and the output of strength, although these types of benefits are very short lived.  After 20 minutes or so, the  problems will begin to surface.  All of the negative side effects associated with alcohol will easily outweigh any possible benefits that it can have.   No matter how you look at it, alcohol is a poison that can really harm your body if you aren't careful.

The negative side of alcohol can reduce your  strength, endurance, aerobic capability, recovery time, ability to metabolize fat, and even your muscle growth as well.  Alcohol will also have an effect on your nervous system and brain.  If you use it long term, you can cause severe deterioration of your central nervous system.   Even with short term use, nerve muscle interaction can be reduced  which will result in a loss of strength.

Once alcohol reaches the blood cells, it can and probably will damage them.  With alcohol users,  inflammation of the muscle cells is a very common thing.  Over periods of time, some of these cells that have been damaged can die which will result in less functional muscle contractions.  Drinking alcohol will also leave you with more soreness of your muscles after you exercise, which means that it will take you a lot longer to recuperate.

Alcohol will also have many different effects on your heart and circulatory system as well.  When you drink any type of alcohol, you may begin to see a reduction in your endurance capabilities. Anytime you drink, your heat loss will increase, due to the alcohol simulating your blood vessels to dilate.  The loss in heat can cause your muscles to become quite cold, therefore become slower and weaker during your muscle contractions.

Drinking alcohol can also lead to digestive and nutrition problems as well.  Alcohol cause a  release of insulin that will increase the metabolism of glycogen, which spares fat and makes the loss of fat very hard.  Due to alcohol interfering  with the absorption of several key nutrients, you can also become anemic and deficient with B type vitamins.  

Because your liver is the organ that detoxifies  alcohol, the more you drink, the harder your liver has to work.  The extra stress alcohol places on your liver can cause serious damage and even destroy some of your liver cells.

Since alcohol is diuretic, drinking large amounts can put a lot of stress on your kidneys as well. During diuretic action, the hormones are secreted. This can lead to heightened water retention and no one who exercises will want this to happen.

If you must drink alcohol, you should do it in moderation and never drink before you exercise, as this will impair your balance, coordination, and also your judgement.  Think about your health and how you exercise - and you may begin to look at things from a whole new prospective.

Great Exercise Program

With the busy lifestyles today few adults with families can afford to take the time necessary to go the health club or neighborhood gym on a regular basis.  Heck, even if it's within a short distance, we're talking about several hours commitment per session.  Who has time for that!?

Still, we all recognize that exercise is just downright good for you.  If you name any random 10 medical conditions and diseases, I'm willing to bet money that some form of frequent exercise is a good treatment or preventative measure for at least 9 of them.  Diet and exercise pop up as treatments and preventative measures in so many of the diseases that ail us today, and both of these areas are a good place to focus on if your concerned about your health.  Even just some simple walking for exercise can go a long way to improving your health.  Walking for exercise is fun, easy, and is a great stress reducer but more on that in a minute.

Another idea is that of home gym equipment.  now we're not talking about enough equipment to fill up the basement or several bedrooms.  What you want is something that you enjoy that can be done in the privacy of your home whenever you desire.  My son, who's working on his muscle tone has a resistance weight training program with 1 piece of equipment.  The wife likes the aerobic action of a small trampoline and treadmill.  The idea of home gym equipment need not be a daunting enterprise, just something that will save hours and allow the exercise program that your desire right from your own home.  Another great workout however is simply walking! 



The great thing about walking for exercise is that you can do it anywhere.  You have absolutely no excuse for not getting up and walking around for at least 30 minutes a day.  So it’s raining out?  Take an umbrella!  Seriously, just get out for a short walk around the block a couple times and you'll thank yourself for it later.  If its absolutely miserable out, just walking around your house or apartment a while is better than nothing.

Walking for exercise is extremely low impact, and so anyone of any age can do it safely and frequently without worrying about damaging themselves.  Running and other more strenuous forms of exercise can cause all kinds of joint pain and soreness, and isn't recommended unless you are in otherwise good shape. 

A lot of recent studies into different forms of exercise are showing that walking is every bit as good for you as running or other more vigorous exercises, you just need to do it longer.  If you are walking for exercise, go for at least 30 minutes or even an hour.  The more the better, as you can't hurt yourself by walking too much. 

There are a lot of exercise programs that are beginning to realize the benefits of walking for exercise.  As it is something virtually anyone that can walk can do, there is a huge target market for walking programs.  I'd recommend any program that motivates you to walk frequently.  Even without one, there are hiking and walking clubs all over the place to join.  Not only can walking for exercise be a way to maintain good health, but it can be a good way to meet new people and form new networks. 

With so many benefits and virtually no cons, you can't go wrong with walking for exercise.  Its only drawback is that it takes time to do, but it is time well spent.  What is the value of good health and longevity?  Add on a favorite piece of gym equipment and you have everything needed to develop a healthy workout and exercise program without the inconvenience of going to the gym all the time.

20 Minute Home Work Out

If you are busy, not able to get up early morning or have no time for gym just follow this 20 minute home work out to stay healthy and fit.

1) Jog : in one place for 3 minutes

2) Jumping jacks: 25 repeats  
When landing, bend your knees slightly to reduce the impact on knee joints.

3) Crunches : 15 repeats
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head with elbows pointing outwards. Support your neck with your hands. Keep your neck in a straight line with your spine. Flex your waist to raise the upper torso from the mat. Lower yourself until the back of your shoulders touches the mat.
Muscle worked: rectus abdominis

4) Hip Bridges : 10 repeats
Lie on your back. With your hands at a 90 degree angle to the floor, lift your body off the floor to form a straight line, a sort of a bridge, from the shoulders to the knee. The position should resemble a table … your hands and legs as the legs of the table and your upper body to your knees as the surface. Hold this position for two seconds. Squeeze your gluteus (butt muscles) and then lower yourself.
Muscle worked: Lower back, hamstrings and gluteus.

5) Step – up’s : 1 minute
You will need a stepper for this.
Muscle worked: hamstrings, gluteus, quards.

6) Reverse crunches: 15 repeats
Lie on your back with your hands on your sides. Keep you knees bent. Bring your knees towards your head, till your hips come slightly off the floor. Hold this position for a second, and then lower your knees.
Muscle worked: lower abs and obliques.

7) Mountain climbers : 1 minute
Get your hands and knees and raise your knees like a starting block sprinter. Run in that position, supporting your upper body with the palms of your hands. Keep your back straight.
Muscle worked: triceps, deltoid muscle, gluteus, quards, hamstrings, calves.

8) Push – ups : 15 repeats
Muscle worked: triceps, deltoids, pectorals.

9) Squat thrusts: 1 minute
Stand straight. Now, drop to a crouch position. Immediately thrust your legs out straight behind on your toes, in push up position, now jump to pull legs  back to the chest, in crouching position , then  stand up straight,
Muscle worked: arms, legs, chest, and lower back.

Cool down by walking around, till your heart rate starts getting back to normal, stretch.

A minutes rest is needed in between exercise. Proper form is important. Do not hold breath. Sip water during the workout. This workout targets the whole body, improves cardiovascular efficiency and tones and strengthens the body.

Fitness Success

Getting fit is on the minds of most people.  However, many people are not consistent and fail in the first three months of an exercise program.  But if it becomes a habit and they stick to it, something magical happens after four months.  You are finally getting the results you expect and chances are you will continue with the exercise program.

Here a 10 simple tips to help you with your fitness success.

1.   Get Moving.  Resolve to be active in a variety of physical activities on a regular basis that will develop strength, cardiovascular capacity and flexibility.

2.   Prime the Pump.  Resolve to participate in physical activities that involve the large muscle groups of the body.

3.   Let Your Muscles do the Work.  Resolve to lift weight or use resistant exercises to place demands and challenge your muscles.

4.   Loosen Up.  Resolve to stretch regularly – before and after or during exercise.  Remember to move your muscles through their full range of motion on a regular basis.

5.   Win the Losing Game.  Resolve to maintain your weight at an appropriate level.  If you need to lose weight, a general rule to follow is to eat less and exercise more (both in moderation).

6.   Watch What You Eat.  Resolve to eat a healthy diet.  Good nutrition equates to good health.  Good nutrition involves providing your body with the required nutrients in appropriate amounts.

7.   Chill Out.  Resolve to keep matters of your life in proper perspective.  Know what factors you can and cannot control in your life.  Don’t “stress out” over those things beyond your control.  See change as an opportunity, not a threat.

8.   Get Plenty of Rest.  Resolve to get enough sleep.  The basic guideline concerning how much sleep you need is whatever enables you to feel refreshed, alert and in relative good spirits the next day.  Sleep helps to rest and restore your body – both physically and mentally.

9.   Keep Your Focus on the Task at Hand.  Resolve to make time to exercise on a regular basis.  Consistency gets results.  Focus on the muscle you are exercising.  Don’t just go through the motions.

10. Keep in Mind that “There is no Free Lunch.”  Resolve to commit to sound lifestyle choices.  For example, don’t smoke.  Maintain an appropriate level of body fat.  Avoid the latest fitness and diet fads, magic potions and exercise gadgets that seem too good to be true (they always are).

Fitness Women

Would you like to be a fitness woman? Or are you a fitness woman but would like to be effective? Here are 7 great tips on how to become an effective fitness woman:

1. Get a program that will best suit you. Every fitness woman is different. You may have surgical history where a program may not be suited for you. Always consult a qualified trainer to make sure that the fitness program will not hurt you. If the fitness program is not for you, it will only be a cause of frustration and injuries.

2. Set realistic targets. Wouldn't you be frustrated if you set your mind into reshaping your body in month? Make sure that the body you prefer in a period of time is achievable and realistic. The program should also be practical and will not give you false hopes. It is important to be aware of the blocks you encounter in your daily living. This will help you know what program is satisfactory. And once a program has been reached, then you can set goals and timelines that are realistic.

3. Exercises should work on the parts of your body where muscles are. The reason mainly is, when you develop muscles, you burn more calories and then you lessen the fats in your body. Multi-joint exercises and weight lifting are recommended. Learn what exercises work on certain parts of your body. Multi-joint exercises are also said to be effective but time saving.

4. Be systematic on working on your muscles. Your muscles should be working harder over time. Repeating the same sets of exercises and same weight without getting your muscles to work harder will not give satisfactory results. You can record your daily results and make the progression based on your previous data. A daily log will also motivate you since you are able to track how far you have gone. It builds confidence since there is a written proof something that was successfully accomplished.

5. Perform a set of exercises in 10 repetitions. Every number that was accomplished is called a repetition. Try to make every repetition with less momentum as much as possible. The lesser the momentum, the harder your muscles work. And the harder they work, the bigger they become. To check if there is much momentum when lifting, see if the arm is floating. If the arm does float, then there is much momentum.

6. Be flexible and perform a variety of exercises.  Every exercise program should have a variety. You can change your exercises, goals and sets every month to keep you motivated and on the go. Doing this will help you prevent being bored and losing energy physically and mentally.

7. Be Motivated! The best way to keep the energy levels of trainees is to allow a healthy competition and allow them to have a sense of control. Having control is having the sense ownership where everybody gets a part in implementing a program. To do this you also need to be consistent in demonstrating your skills.

Not all programs work for all types of people. There is no workout that is best for everyone. But you learn from experienced people. Learn to acknowledge blocks and demonstrate self-discipline, keep yourself motivated and work harder everyday and add variety. Doing these things, you will discover that a lot of programs will work for you.

Simple Exercise Tips

With each New Year comes the determination to begin exercising. Perhaps even you made a promise to add more exercise into your day. If your efforts at exercising are not going as well as you had planned, take a look at these tips. They might help get you back on track.

Tip #1 – Do Something You Enjoy

Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym peddling away on a stationary bike. It doesn’t mean you have to spend money on exercise gadgets you will likely never use, either. Anything you do to get your body moving is going to be better than doing nothing. Walking is an easy exercise that you can do just about anywhere, in any climate. Bike riding, dancing, gardening, weight lifting, swimming, playing a favorite sport, house cleaning and even playing in the yard with your children are just some of the ways you can add exercise into your daily routine.

Tip #2 – Schedule Time for Exercise

As you would a meeting or a doctor appointment, sometimes the only way to make time to exercise is to put it on your daily schedule. We’ve all got busy lives and we’re often so busy taking care of others that we never seem to make time for ourselves. Once exercise becomes part of your daily To-Do list, you’re more likely to do it. Some people have only a certain time during the day available for exercise while others will have to vary the time each day. Some people need a nudge and for them, exercising with a friend is a good solution. Choose whichever way works best for you. Just remember to actually go and do it!

Tip #3 – Remember that Exercise Can Energize

Even though you might feel too tired to exercise, give it a try anyway. You might be surprised to find how energized you feel while you’re at it and afterwards, when you’re finished. Exercise is a great stress-reliever too and if you know anything about stress, you know that it is one of the body’s biggest energy-sappers.

Tip #4 – Don’t be Afraid to Mix it up

Like anything that is done over and over again, exercise can become mundane. When you get bored with exercising, you’re less likely to keep at it. To keep from getting bored with your workout routine, change it. If you’re tired of walking, try cycling. If you’re into weight lifting, try alternating this with cardiovascular exercises throughout the week. Go bowling or play a game of tennis once in a while, and if you find you enjoy these types of activities, join up with a team.

Tip #5 – Always Begin by Warming up

Regardless of the type of exercise you choose, it is very important that you begin each session by warming up your muscles. Stretching helps prevent damage to muscle tissue and it gets your blood flowing. It gets your heart pumping, too. Just five minutes is all it takes to get your exercise session off to a good start.

Maximum Muscle Gains

There is so much conflicting information out there when it comes to the topic of building muscle, and sometimes it can be very difficult to know where to start. If you’re an average beginner looking for some basic guidelines to follow in the gym, the following 8 points will start you off on the right track.

1) Train With Weights and Focus On Compound, Free Weight Movements.

If you want to make solid, noteworthy gains in muscle size and strength, you absolutely must train with free weights and focus on basic, compound exercises. A compound exercise is any lift that stimulates more than one muscle group at a time. Examples of these lifts are the squat, deadlift, bench press, chin up, barbell row, overhead press, dip and lunge. Compound movements allow you to handle the most weight and will stimulate the greatest amount of total muscle fibers.

2) Be Prepared To Train Hard.

One of the biggest factors that separates those who make modest gains from those who make serious gains is their level of training intensity. In order to stimulate your muscle fibers to their utmost potential, you must be willing to take every set you perform in the gym to the point of muscular failure.

Muscular Failure: The point at which no further repetitions can be completed using proper form.

Sub-maximal training intensity will leave you with sub-maximal results, plain and simple.

3) Track Your Progress In The Gym From Week To Week.

Our bodies build muscle because of an adaptive response to the environment. When you go to the gym, you break down your muscle fibers by training with weights. Your body senses this as a potential threat to its survival and will react accordingly by rebuilding the damaged fibers larger and stronger in order to protect against any possible future threat. Therefore, in order to make continual gains in muscle size and strength, you must always focus on progressing in the gym from week to week. This could mean performing 1 or 2 more reps for each exercise or adding more weight to the bar. Keep a detailed training log to track your progress as your strength increases over time.

4) Avoid Overtraining.

Overtraining is your number one enemy when it comes to building muscle size and strength. When most people begin a workout program, they are stuck with the misguided notion that more is better. They naturally assume that the more time they spend in the gym, the better results they will achieve. When it comes to building muscle, nothing could be farther from the truth! If you spend too much time in the gym, you will actually take yourself farther away from your goals rather than closer to them. Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym; they grow out of the gym, while you are resting and eating. Recovery is absolutely vital to the muscle growth process. If you don't provide your body with the proper recovery time in between workouts, your muscles will never have a chance to grow.

5) Eat More Frequently.

The main area where most people fail miserably on their muscle-building mission is on the all-too important task of proper nutrition. Training with weights is only half of the equation! You break down your muscle fibers in the gym, but if you don't provide your body with the proper nutrients at the proper times, the muscle growth process will be next to impossible. You should be eating anywhere from 5-7 meals per day, spaced every 2-3 hours in order to keep your body in an anabolic, muscle-building state at all times. Each meal should consist of high quality protein and complex carbohydrates.

6) Increase Your Protein Intake.

Of the 3 major nutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) protein is without a doubt the most important for those who are looking to gain muscle size and strength. Protein is found in literally every single one of the 30 trillion cells that your body is made up of and its main role is to build and repair body tissues. Without sufficient protein intake, it will be physically impossible for your body to synthesize a significant amount of lean muscle mass. If your body were a house, think of protein as the bricks. A general guideline is to consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day from high quality sources such as fish, poultry, eggs, beef, milk, peanut butter and cottage cheese.

7) Increase Your Water Intake.

If you want a simple, easy and highly effective way to maximize your muscle gains, drinking more water is it. Water plays so many vital roles in the body and its importance cannot be overstated. In fact, your muscles alone are made up of 70% water! Not only will drinking more water cause your muscles to appear fuller and more vascular, but it will also increase your strength as well. Research has shown that merely a 3-4% drop in your body's water levels can impact muscle contractions by 10-20%! Aim to consume 0.6 ounces for every pound of bodyweight each day for optimal gains.

8) Be Consistent!

Consistency is everything. Those who make the greatest gains in muscular size and strength are the ones who are able to implement the proper techniques on a highly consistent basis. Simply knowing is not enough, you must apply!

Building muscle is a result of the cumulative effect of small steps. Sure, performing 1 extra rep on your bench press will not make a huge difference to your overall results, and neither will consuming a single meal. However, over the long haul, all of those extra reps you perform and all of those small meals you consume will decide your overall success. If you work hard and complete all of your muscle-building tasks in a consistent fashion, all of those individual steps will equate to massive gains in overall size and strength.

Muscles Stop Growing

Have ever wondered why your muscles stopped growing after a few months of training even though you are training very hard? Here are 7 reasons why your muscles stopped growing and how to get your muscle to grow again.

• You are training too hard – Every time when you train your muscles intensely, you are actually breaking down your muscles. So your muscles need to recover from the damages you inflicted on them. So train each muscle group only once or at most twice a week.

• You are training too long – Keep your workout intense but do not workout more than an hour each time. After 45 minutes of intensive training, your cortisol level will increase. This hormone is known to destroy muscle cells.

• You are sleeping too little – You need to sleep more for good muscle growth. Your muscles grow when you sleep. So sleep more than 8 hours a day and watch those muscles growing fast.

• You are abusing alcohol – Alcohol is known to break down muscle mass plus many other body destruction ability.

• You do not change your workout routine – You must change your workout routine every 6-8 weeks. Your muscles adapt to your routine and stops growing.

• You do not progressively overload your muscles – You must try to increase your reps or weight every time you next train a particular muscle group. Otherwise, there is no reason for your muscles to grow.

• You do not eat sufficient protein – If you want to build bigger muscles, you must eat more protein. Protein is the building block for your muscles. It is recommended that you need 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight equivalent. If not enough protein is consumed with your normal diet, do supplement with protein shakes.

There you are, the 7 reasons why your muscles stopped growing even though you are training hard. There are many more methods on how to grow your muscles bigger but these 7 reasons and how to overcome them will be sufficient for an average bodybuilding beginner.

Harmful Muscle Building

If you’re serious about making a solid commitment to a muscle-building program, you need to be very careful of who you take advice from. Bodybuilding and fitness is literally a multi-billion dollar industry with new websites popping up every single day. Many of the so-called “experts” out there really don’t have a clue of what they’re talking about and are only motivated by pushing expensive pills, powders and “miracle programs” on you that you don’t really need. If you don’t watch your step you may end up falling for some fatal muscle-building pitfalls that will literally destroy your gains and prevent you from ever achieving the impressive, muscular physique you desire. In this article I’m going to expose 4 very common muscle-building myths in order to keep you on the proper path to the mind-blowing muscle and strength gains you deserve.

Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your workout. The greater the pump you achieve, the more muscle you will build.

For those of you who are just starting out, a “pump” is the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped inside the muscle tissue when you train with weights. The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling bigger, tighter, stronger and more powerful. While a pump does feel fantastic, it has very little, if anything to do with properly stimulating your muscles to grow. A pump is simply the result of increased bloodflow to the muscle tissue and is certainly not indicative of a successful workout. A successful workout should only be gauged by the concept of progression. If you were able to lift more weight or perform more reps than you did in the previous week, then you did your job.

Myth #2: Building muscle will cause you to become slower and less flexible.

This one goes back to the old days when people described bodybuilders as being “muscle bound” and “bulky”. Contrary to what you may think, building a significant amount of lean muscle mass will actually speed you up rather than slow you down. Muscles are responsible for every movement that your body makes, from running to jumping to throwing. The bottom line is that the stronger a muscle is, the more force it can apply. Having stronger, more muscular legs means increased foot speed, just as having stronger and more muscular shoulders means the ability to throw farther. Strong muscles are able muscles, not the other way around.

Myth #3: You must always use perfect, textbook form on all exercises.

While using good form in the gym is always important, obsessing over perfect form is an entirely different matter. If you are always attempting to perform every exercise using flawless, textbook form, you will actually increase your chances of injury and simultaneously decrease the total amount of muscle stimulation you can achieve. Remember, we are not robots! It’s very important that you always move naturally when you exercise. This could mean adding a very slight sway in your back when you perform bicep curls, or using a tiny bit of body momentum when executing barbell rows. Loosen yourself up a bit and move the way your body was meant to be moved. Obsessing over perfect form will actually work against you rather than for you.

Myth #4: If you want your muscles to grow you must “feel the burn!”

This is another huge misconception in the gym. The “burning” sensation that results from intense weight training is simply the result of lactic acid (a metabolic waste product) that is secreted inside the muscle tissue as you exercise. Increased levels of lactic acid have nothing to do with muscle growth and may actually slow down your gains rather than speed them up. You can limit lactic acid production by training in a lower rep range of 5-7, rather than the traditional range of 10 and above.

Summertime Muscles

Summer is on the horizon, and the time has come to kick back and relax under the sun. It’s time for beach days, barbecues and pool parties, and for any serious weightlifter these activities also mean one thing: it’s time for the shirts to come off and to showcase that rock-solid physique they’ve been working on all year. No one wants to be walking around with a soft, smooth and flabby body, and for the next month or two, all of those serious lifters will be shifting into “get ripped” mode.

How do they usually go about this?

They lighten up the weights and perform higher reps.

This has always been a widely accepted method of “cutting down” and if you ask most trainers in the gym they’ll tell you that “heavy weights bulk up the muscle and lighter weights define the muscle”.

Do you want to know the reality behind the “light weight and high reps” method of obtaining a ripped and defined physique?

It is completely, totally and utterly DEAD WRONG.

It couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, there is no logical basis for this way of training whatsoever, and whoever dreamt up this downright ridiculous way of thinking has caused the vast majority of lifters to waste their time and impede their progress in the gym.

Let me clear this up once and for all: you CANNOT spot reduce. In other words, it is physically impossible to target fat loss from a specific area on your body. Performing bench presses with light resistance and high repetitions will not magically burn fat off of your chest or cause it to appear harder and more defined.

Every single time you wrap your hands around a barbell, dumbbell or cable, your goal is to stimulate as much muscle growth as you possibly can. There are no special, secret weightlifting exercises that will “define” your muscles or cause them to become more “ripped”.

Training with weights builds muscle mass, end of story.

So how exactly do you “define” a muscle?

The only way to “define” a muscle is by lowering your body fat level in order to make your muscles more visible. Body fat reduction can be achieved in two ways:

1) Modify your diet.

You should lower your overall caloric intake to around 15x your bodyweight and focus on consuming smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. This will keep your metabolism naturally raised at all times and will keep your body in a constant fat burning state. Limit your intake of saturated fats and simple sugars, and focus instead on consuming lean sources of protein and low glycemic carbohydrates. It is also very important to keep your water intake high at a level of around 0.6 ounces per pound of bodyweight.

2) Perform proper cardio workouts.

Let go of the traditional method of moderate intensity cardio in 30-45 minute durations. If you want to maximize your body’s fat burning capacity and also minimize the muscle loss that inevitably accompanies a fat burning cycle, focus on shorter cardio workouts performed at a high level of intensity. These types of workouts will shoot your resting metabolism through the roof and will allow you to burn maximum amounts of fat even when you are at rest. I recommend 3-5 high intensity cardio sessions per week, spaced at least 8 hours away from your weight workouts.

That’s all there is to it, folks. Take the notion of “light weight and higher reps” and throw it right out the window, down the street and around the corner. Following this misguided method will only cause you to lose muscle mass and strength, and will not assist you in burning fat or defining your physique.

All you need to do to mold those rock-solid muscles for the summer time is this:

1) Train with heavy weights and low repetitions to build maximum muscle mass.

2) Modify your diet and implement cardio workouts to eliminate body fat and create visibly harder and more defined muscles.

General Health and Sexual Abilities

A healthy anal and genital area is of great importance both for the general well-being and for the sexual abilities. The same is thrue about a healthy respiratory tract and breathing apparatus. Here are presented three poses and three breathing exercises that have the following effects when done together in a series:

-They stimulate the physiological functions of the genital and anal area.
-They correct muscle weakness and anatomical problems of the anal and genital region. -They increase the sexual drive and abilities.
-They produce a stimulating response that spreads upwords along the spine and revitalizes the whole body.
-They stimulate the physiological functions of the respiratory tract and help against infections in the airways.
-The exercises are very good to start each day with, or to do before going to bed in the night.


POSE 1

Stand on your hands and knees upon the floor. Kneel backword so that your buttocks go backword and down towords your feet and stretch your arms foreword. Breath out and then take a deep breath in, filling your lungs totally with air. Hold your breath with the air inside.

Squeeze your anal muscles and pull your anal opening as deeply inword as you can. However do not strain when squeezing. This exercise shall not be exhausting.Relax your anal muscles compleetely again. Repeat the sqeesing and relaxing 3-5 times, but not so long that you go out of oxygen in your body.

Empty your lungs. Rize up on your hands and knees again. Relax a while in this position and then you can repeat the exercise if you wish.


POSE 2

Lie on your back upon a carpet on the floor with your arms along your sides and relax. Breath out. Then breath inn deeply while relaxing all the muscles you do not need for the breathing.

Then breath out. When breathing out, squeeze your anal muscles and pull your anal opening as deeply inword as you can. However do not strain when squeezing. This exercise shall not be exhausting. After having breathed out, relax your anal muscles again.

Repeat the breathing in and breathing out whiile squeezing 3-8 times, but not som much that you get exhausted. Then relax again.


POSE 3

Lie on your back upon a carpet on the floor. Breath out completely.
Swing your armes in an arch over your head and down to the floor over your head so that your whole body is stretched from top to toe. When swinging your arms, take a deep breath filling your lungs totally with air. Hold your breath with the air inside.

Squeeze your anal muscles and pull your anal opening as deeply inword as you can. However do not strain when squeezing. This exercise shall not be exhausting. Relax your anal muscles compleetely again.
Repeat the sqeezing and relaxing 3-5 times.

Swing your arms back at the same time as you empty your lungs. Relax some while and then you can repeat the exercise if you wish.


BREATHING EXERCISE 1

Sit upon a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed and the back streight.
Empty your lungs completely. Breath in counting to 4. When breathing in, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other:

Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves out.Then fill further by using your chest muscles. And then complete the filling by using the muscles around your shoulders.

Hold your breath counting to 16. Then breath out counting to 8. When breathing out, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other:Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves in. Then empty further by using your chest muscles.And then complete emptying by using the muscles around your shoulders.


BREATHING EXERCISE 2

Sit upon a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed and your back streight. Take 10 rapid deep breathes in and out after another, but not so rapid that you get strained or breath uncompleetely.

When breathing in, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other: Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves out. Then fill further by using your chest muscles.And then complete the filling by using the muscles around your shoulders.

When breathing out, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other: Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves in.Then empty further by using your chest muscles. And then complete emptying by using the muscles around your shoulders. After the last in-breath , hold your breath with your lungs filled counting to 10. Then breath out.


BREATHING EXERCISE 3

Sit upon a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed and your back streight.
Empty your lungs completely. Close your left nostril with the fingers of one of your hands. Breath in through your right nostril counting to 4.

When breathing in, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other:Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves out. Then fill further by using your chest musclesAnd then compleete the filling by using the muscles around your shoulders. Hold your breath counting to 16. Then close your right nostril with your fingers. Then breath out through your left nostril counting to 8.

When breathing out, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other: Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves in. Then empty further by using your chest muscles. And then complete emptying by using the muscles around your shoulders When you have breathed out, repeat the exercise, but this time begin by closing your right nostril first.


RELAXING AT THE END OF THE SERIES:

When the series is done, then lie down upon a carpet on the floor andrelax for 2-5 minutes. This relaxation will increase the effects of the exercises and make you recover if the exercises have made you tired.

Concetrate upon relaxing your legs first, then your lover body, then your upper body, then your arms and shoulders, and at last your head and face. When the whole body is relaxed, try not to think about anything, and relax your whole body even furter. Then lie some time in this relaxed state without thinking about anything.

Blood Pressure

If you didn’t know by now, yoga asanas can help you in the treatment of high blood pressure, and help you lower blood pressure. Yoga asanas make stable your blood pressure, so lower blood pressure when it’s abnormaly high. Asanas have favorable effects on the nervous system. By practicing certain yoga asanas you can not only lower your blood pressure, but also reduce the effects of hypertension on the other organs of the body.

There are a few categories of asanas which are recommended to lower blood pressure: forward bends, sitting, supine and inversions group.

Forward bends have the best effects on high blood pressure, so they can help you the most to lower your blood pressure. These exercises have a calming effect on the brain, the blood circulation to the brain is normalized, and they help you reduce the stress from the sense organs, things that lower blood pressure. So, the brain, the sympathetic nervous system and the sense organs are relaxed,  the cardiac output and the pulse rate decelerate  at the same time, and blood pressure stabilizes,  so it lowers blood pressure when it’s high. Other asanas which have beneficial effects on the nervous system and help you lower blood pressure are Uttanasana and Adhomukha Svanasana , which have to be practiced with the head resting on props, so the blood circulates more freely into the aortic arch. These help you lower blood pressure.

Baddhakonasana and Virasana are some of the sitting asanas which can be practiced in order to get a lower blood pressure by the hypertensives , which in most cases are hard breathing. These poses eliminate the tension from the ribs and the intercostal muscles, so they help you to breathe with no difficulty, and lower blood pressure.

Other poses which help you lower blood pressure are the supine poses, like Supta Baddhakonasana which, by relaxing the abdominal region, and so the entire body, bring calm on the nerves.

Inversions asanasas such as Viparita Karanti and Halasana revitalize the nerves, assure the control over the lungs and diaphragm, so if you practice these exercises constantly, you will get a lower blood pressure. There are also useful the Svanasana and pranayama, which provide the control over the automatic nervous system. As the senses and the mind are chilling, the blood pressure stabilizes, and in case of hypertension it leads to a lower blood pressure.

Benefits And Importance

When we take each word of this asana and look for the meaning it comes out to be a very simple word. “Adho Mukh” means facing downwards and “Svana” means a dog. This would mean facing downwards dog pose. This pose matches to a dog that stretches himself with its front and back legs. Therefore this name has been attached to this asana.

Many asanas has its importance and this asana can be termed as one of the most commonly done asanas. As we all know that every yoga asana has its benefits for specific or hidden problems we face. Most of the inverted poses which have been shown to us has good benefits which done regularly can boost your health tremendously.

The trick of doing any asana is to take it slow and steady. Every movement of this asana has to be done with proper precision. Inhaling and exhaling while doing this asana, is very important. These breathing exercises help in expanding the stomach muscles which helps in rejuvenating our muscles.

This asana can be similar to Surya Namaskar because it stretches the shoulders, hands, hamstring, calves and feet. Strengthening of all the muscles becomes an integral part of doing this asana. You can try variations with this exercise as it would be very useful for women who are having problems with their menstrual cycle. The menstrual pain gets diminished, making it very useful for all women.

It is one of the best asanas to do when you are tired and there is utter lack of joy in your life. This asana may help you get back that agility and vigor which has been missing out all your life. To achieve this goal, regular practice of this asana with proper balance and knowledge would help you to be a happy and calm person.

For beginners who would not be able to manage this asana in the first attempt can try their hand by using a rope, a wall or a pillow. This may seem to be easy for many but once you start doing this asana you may understand the complexities it carries along with it.

Having a partner along may prove to be very useful. It can help or guide you while doing this asana in a better manner. The presence of the partner can make things easier for you, in an attempt to achieve the right asana pose.

Adho Mukha Svanasana has many benefits showered upon us. It helps in energizing our body and could easily help you have a positive outlook to life. A state of complete calmness and balance can be achieved by doing this asana. The digestive system is stabilized while doing this asana.

It also helps in relieving your headache as well as problems of back and other health issues. It also prevents the development of osteoporosis problem. It is very useful and good for your feet too. If you are suffering from headache avoid doing this asana.

Workout With Some Yoga

Many who think of strength training equipment think of the massive muscles that many bodybuilders get and consequently show off in competitions. This can be a plus or a drawback for many consumers. The average consumer likes to be able to say feel good about themselves when they go swimming, but many are concerned about building too much muscle and suffering from stereotypical viewpoints. This needn’t be a worry for anyone considering strength training equipment.

The average body builder works out a lot in order to get the muscles they are famous for, plus they have to be on a very strict regimen with lots of protein and little or no fat. It would take you a lot of effort to become as built as the average bodybuilder. Many consumers can use simple free weights in order to maintain the muscle mass that they have or to add a little muscle strength. Some use strength training equipment to add a little tone or shape to certain areas of the body.

If you use them properly and alternate your strength training workout with some yoga or stretching exercises there is little risk of you bulking up too much. Many find that they enjoy the challenge of working out with strength training equipment. You can gradually increase the weight as you work out over a period of time and after your workout you really will feel the ‘burn’ in your muscles.

Though you should be careful of using too much weight at once. Its easy to sprain a muscle and hurt yourself, putting you out of commission for a few days or more. A good rule of thumb is that if you think you can start out with a certain weight begin about five or even ten pounds lighter and after a few repetitions move up to the next weight level. You can check out strength training equipment reviews online for an idea of what others are doing.

Yoga Success

Yoga has been proven to relieve stress by using exercises that unify the mind, body, and spirit. If you are new to yoga, these seven tips will start you on the road to a more centered life.

1. Talk to your doctor and explain what type of yoga poses you intend to practice. Show your doctor pictures of the poses for illustration. Your doctor may rule out specific poses if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, a history of retinal detachment, or heart disease. Make sure you follow your doctor’s recommendations.
2. Find a yoga class that best fits your abilities. Talk to prospective teachers, and decide whether of not you can handle a program before you sign up. It’s very important to take it one step at a time. Try a few beginner classes before you attempt more vigerous classes. Don’t move ahead too quickly. Allow your body to adjust to your exercises.

3. Listen to your body and be aware of your physical abilities. You don't want to hurt yourself. Make sure the instructor understands your level of experience and any limitations you may have. Don’t allow anyone to push you ahead too quickly. Remember, this is supposed to be fun and relaxing.

4. If you can’t find a class that meets your needs, you can always practice yoga at home. There are many books, programs, and tapes available to help you get started. Search for the best products on the Internet and read reviews. Talk to others for recommenations.

5. Why not try private lessons? You can book some one-on-one sessions with a teacher in your area. Most yoga instructors offer private classes or can help you design your own program. This is a good way to get started. You can always take group lessons or practice at home after you’ve had private lessons and learned the basics.

6. Find a yoga buddy. It’s nice to practice with someone and it will help reduce injuries. It’s also a great way to keep up your enthusiasm and interest.

7. Eat lightly before practice. Wait at least two hours after meals before yoga class or practice. An empty stomach is best, but don’t let yourself get too hungry to think. You won't be able to focus on the poses or enjoy yourself during the relaxation or meditation exercises.

Now it's time to grab your mat and a towel and get the most out of your yoga exercises.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Basketball History

Basketball History in the Making



The history of basketball paved the way to a lot of

significant events and people who made countless

contributions for the evolution of basketball. Thanks

to the very efforts of its founder, Dr. James

Naismith, an instructor and a student in a Canadian

school, basketball came into being.



Early History



It is said that the first court for basketball was

situated in a YMCA Training School now known as

Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. Dr.

Naismith needed something to pump up the energy level

of his students and put them in proper shape as winter

came.



He had numerous ideas but then after realizing how

poor it suited the gymnasiums, he decided to establish

the rules first. His idea of the first ring is a peach

basket that is nailed on a 10-foot elevated track. But

this peach basket didn’t have a hole at the bottom.



That’s why balls have to be manually retrieved every

once in a while every time the ball had hit a score.

However, this proved to be tiring and inefficient for

proper and fun gaming. Due to this, he decided to poke

a hole into the bottom for the ball to go down

whenever it is shot through it.



The ball that was used was the soccer ball. Whenever

the ball gets into the basket, a point is given to the

entire team. The team who has the most number of

points wins.



This basket was used until the year 1906. On that

year, they replaced the basket with hoops made of

metal and supported by backboards. As this proved to

be more convenient for the ball just literally passed

through the hoops, it was adapted until now.



According to the handwritten diary by Dr. Naismith, he

became nervous with his game for he fret that it would

fail like those that he did before. It also said that

he associated the rules from the game Duck on a Rock

that is typically a children’s game. After which he

named the game as Basket Ball.



Basketball’s Firsts



It was during January 20, 1892 that the first game was

officially played and was held at the gymnasium of

YMCA. The game comprised 9 players and had a 1-0

result. This winning shot was made at a 25 feet

measurement and the court was only half the size of

the present day NBA court.



Basketball was not only meant for men. Women also

indulged in the sport. The first women basketball game

was held in Smith College during the year 1892. Senda

Berenson, also a physical education teacher like

Naismith modified some of the rules that were intended

for women.



She also organized the first basketball women’s

collegiate game that was on March 1893. Her freshmen

women played against the sophomore women. She then

became fascinated by the values and skills the sport

could impart.



YMCA was wholly responsible for the development and

spread of the game. By 1895, it reached Canada and

parts of the US that was then adapted at some high

school for women.



The National Basketball League, known as the very

first pro basketball league, was established in 1898.

The league’s responsibility is to protect the players

from being exploited and make it safer for the benefit

of its members. However, this lasted for only 5 years.



Since these evolutions, basketball had been widely

accepted and had become the new trend in sports.

NCAA Tournament Pools

Bracket Strategies for the Basketball Season ‘08





There are a lot of predictions to get through the

trend of picking the right 16 teams to fill out the

brackets. Okay. Make a wild educated guess. Pick one

team. Any team. Make sure that it will come out after

March Madness ends. Can you do that? Of course you

can!



That is, if you make every decision a very precise

one. You can’t keep on trusting your instincts or toss

a coin and depend your answer on that. Well, science

was based on theories but they have allotted so much

time digging into those researches before constructing

an elaborate definition of one word that can still be

objected in due time. This can also be applied to NCAA

basketball.



So here’s the deal. You want to take home the big

bucks. And you have a really good team at the end of

your bracket. Question is, are those teams ideal? As a

lot of people say, wagers made for the sake of

entertainment are most likely illegal. And yet, who’s

talking? Think about that and reflect on these

strategies.



Think Before They Do



Go against time. Better yet, think as they would then

counter on it. Before the games begin, you have to

have a clear idea what will happen if you have chosen

the seeds who were appropriate enough to battle out

with the weaker ones. It is definitely a good choice

to make the good seeds go first just to settle the

odds. That would be a good move, and is definitely the

right decision because most people would think about

that kind of method.



But if you could’ve played it like a chess player

would, that might be the solution. Pick certain

upsets. Be sure these upsets won’t destroy the bracket

if guesses were wrong. In this manner, you are not

risking so much for so little.



Tournament pools are most likely to award points, with

every round, those points increases. From 2, you could

gain 16 every round once your bracket reached the

elite eight. If the following rounds are equivalent to

more points, you can accumulate them by trying to

maintain a team playing in the following weeks.



Know Your Opponent



You are not competing against the basketball team

themselves. It’s that accountant on 10th floor that

you made a deal with you have to look forward to. Know

what team he would prefer. This will enable you to

maximize chances of being one step ahead. Scouting the

opposition is not a bad idea.



Base on the History



If a particular team had been seeded to be in the

number one seed, there could’ve been a very good

reason why the top seeds remain on top. Look on the

brighter side; you have more chances of winning than

losing.



Note one more thing: luck would be on your side if you

have figured out the teams who have dominated the

enormous conferences.



Be confident and less intimidated



Being intimidated is a big downfall on your part. So

what if your opponent keeps on claiming that he knows

his team inside and out? People who have such a very,

very high level of self-confidence tends to over think

the situation thus not considering what problems may

come at hand.



Yes, be confident but not overconfident. Even though

you have known the team you have included in your

bracket, and even if you know how strong your team is

going, you never have to underestimate the bets of

your opponent. Do not be the person that was just

described above.

International Basketball Regulations

Basketball is a contact team sport played by 12-15

members but only 5 players each team are allowed to go

inside the court at a time and play the game. Others

who are left on the sides are substitutes. It was

first played in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891. It

can either be played indoors or outdoors. And the name

was derived from shooting the ball inside a basket

which is known as the ring.



Basketball, like every game, has its certain rules and

regulations that are needed to propel an exciting and

organized game. The time that was introduced varies

from one organization and tournament to another.

Wherein this article will discuss the rules and

regulations used during international section.



Objective



The main objective of the game is to outrun scores.

This is done by shooting the ball through the

opponent’s basket while preventing opposing team to

score or get a hold of the ball. Attempting to score

is called a shooting. Two points will be equivalent to

one shot while 3 points happens when a shot is taken

6.25 meters from the basket basing on the

international aspect.



Regulations



Time



An international basketball game lasts about 2 hours.

Within this time, there would be 4 quarters of playing

time of 10 minutes every quarter. Add the 15 minutes

that are allotted for half-time break and the other 2

minutes for the other quick breaks. At the end of the

second quarter, teams change baskets. Time is stopped

when the game is not active or when certain problems

arise while the game is at play.



Time-outs would typically last not more than a minute.

This also applies for clock stoppages. Time-outs are

used for short meet ups with players when the coach

wants to emphasize something important.



Team



A basketball roster is comprised of 12 players. And

the game is played by two opposing team. In each team,

out of the 12 members, only 5 are allowed to actually

play inside the court each time. So technically, you

would see 10 people inside the court battling it out

for one ball. Teams have their own coach who gives out

strategies and developments of the team. More like a

teacher at the side of the court. Aside from the

coach, the team also has its own personnel like

assistant coaches, statisticians, managers, trainers

and in case of emergency, a doctor.



Attire



This goes for both men and women. The standard uniform

that everyone should follow is a pair of comfortable

shorts and jersey. Printed at the front and back of

the jersey, the player’s number should be visible

enough for everyone to see. Sneakers are high-top to

provide ankle support. Aside from these, you’ll also

notice that the team’s name, sponsors and player’s

name is printed.



Game Officials



Officials calling the shots are consisted with the

referees, two umpires, and table officials. Table

officials are the ones who are responsible for

recording scoring, substitutions, timekeeping, team

and individual fouls, and the shot clock.



Equipment



Two of the most important equipments that are needed

for a basketball game to be in session are the court

and the ball itself. The court looks rectangular and

flat with two baskets at the opposite sides. This will

be enough for freestyle basketball. But in competitive

areas, the requirements are more complicated.

Equipments needed aside from the court and ball are

the score sheets, possession arrows, clocks,

scoreboards and clock systems that are operated by the

table officials.