Drills For Backward Rolls

 

Initial Drill: "Pizza Rocks"

Hold your hands, palms up, out to your sides at shoulder height, as if you are holding a pizza in each. Your fingertips should be pointed back and elbows pointed forward. Sit and roll back, keeping your eyes on your toes, to candlestick and "squash the pizzas" on the floor behind you. While pressing your palms into the floor by your ears, roll forward to stand. As you get more comfortable with the drill, you can push and begin to lift yourself a little off the floor.

Tucked Backward Roll

Start this skill standing stretched with arms straight up overhead, not allowing them to drop forward. Then sit and lift your feet to roll onto your back. As you rock onto your shoulders, "squash the pizzas." Keep driving your toes over your head in the direction you are rolling. Push on the floor with your hands as you roll over and stand up. Drive the roll by lifting your toes over your head, not by throwing your head or shoulders back. Keep your feet and knees together, and keep watching your toes throughout the motion. Do not allow your knees to land on the ground as you roll over.

Tucked Backward Roll with Lift

Perform a backward roll, but as your hands contact the floor, push aggressively to lift yourself well off the ground as you roll over. Maintain the tuck and continue to drive your toes over the roll.

Bent-Arm Back Extension Roll

Perform a backward roll but as you roll onto your shoulders, shoot your feet toward the ceiling and push into a handstand. Do not throw your hips up or let your head lift. Maintain a hollow body position, lead the skill with your toes, and keep watching your toes. Ideally, you will arrive in the handstand still looking at your toes. You can build more initial momentum by keeping pressure with your legs and pushing back aggressively just before you contact the floor with your butt. Keep your torso upright as you sit back; do not lean forward.


Straight-Arm Back Extension Roll
Positions are critical for a successful straight-arm back extension roll. If the bent-arm back extension roll is practiced properly, the "sit and roll back" phase should be dynamic. Start this skill standing with your arms up by your ears, palms turned away from your body and thumbs facing forward. Sit back into the roll trying to build as much momentum as possible. Maintaining a tight line and keeping your hips turned under is crucial for maximizing momentum. As you roll back, reach back to the ground. You want your hands to contact and begin pushing as soon as possible, but do not throw your arms, head, and/or shoulders back. As your feet leave the ground, drive them aggressively upward as you push back on your hands. Keep your body tight and hollow, look at your toes, and ride into the handstand. You will need to fight to keep your arms straight.

Drills for Straight-Arm Back Extension Roll

1. Work the straight-arm back extension roll by first locking your fingers together. This forces your arms to turn out and positions your hands properly.
2. Perform a straight-arm backward roll and end up in a hollow prone support.
3. Perform a straight-arm back extension roll, but instead of completing the handstand, aim short of the handstand and immediately roll forward to stand. A hollow, tight body should be maintained throughout this drill.
Backward Roll Variants

1. Straddled backward roll: Begin by standing in a straddle. Sit back and reach for the floor between your legs. Roll backward, maintaining the straddle to a straddle stand. Do not bend your legs.
2. Piked backward roll: Begin by standing with legs together and then sit back piked (i.e., bent at the hips), reaching for the floor. Drive your toes over the roll without bending your legs to stand.
3. Consecutive explosive rolls: Perform tucked backward rolls in series. Attempt to push off the floor so that when your feet contact the floor at the end of the roll they are already well in front of you, driving you into the next roll. The goal should be to pop up higher and rotate farther on each consecutive roll.
Backward Roll Common Mistakes

1. Throwing head and shoulders back to drive the roll. The roll should be driven by lifting your feet and legs.
2. Not enough push with the hands. A weak push will make the roll uncomfortable as it will allow a lot of weight to be placed on the head.

Possible Assists

1. Do consecutive backward rolls down an incline mat or grassy hill for gravity assist.
2. As the roll progresses, a spotter can place one hand just above each hip to lift and push the student over in the roll.


                 
           
           By/ Roger Harrell.

http://www.drillsandskills.com/article/9

                                                   Bass Fishing Techniques

 
I would like to cover every aspect of this topic. In order to keep things short I have only included the major topics detailed as good as possible.


In Bass fishing you will find that there are versatile Bass fishing techniques which can be employed to make certain that you have a chance of having a good time. These techniques will be ones like the types of fishing knots which will give you a good still on the rod bait or lure.


You will also find that some of these Bass fishing techniques are ones that anglers use in order to get a actually great catch. If you are a novitiate you will be told what these Bass fishing techniques are in brief, but the secrets to this fine art will stay with your mentor. You should not concern too much as there are many unlike fishing books of all sorts which will provide you with a healthy measure of Bass fishing techniques.


Once you have found the books, magazines and cyberspace sites which will provide you with the Bass fishing techniques that you need, it is up to you to start acquiring proficient at these. The best way to practice these Bass fishing techniques is to start at home. You will need to see how the hand movements are done and try these steps yourself.


You should realize that while these movements will seem effortless when the experts are Bass fishing it will take you some time. The assorted Bass fishing techniques can then be exploited with slight modifications for the black or white bass. You should practice making your casts quiet as the noise of a large splash will panic the fish away.


Once you have become good at Bass fishing techniques you can travel to a known Bass fishing spot. Make sure that you have other plans for dinner planned. Also make sure that the area you are practicing your Bass fishing techniques in is deserted. Other anglers - unless they are family – will not value having their fishing of Bass huffy by your beginner Bass fishing techniques.


You should not concern too much as the Bass fishing techniques that you have picked up will improve as time passes. The main thing to remember is that you should start out with small and slowly to use fishing techniques. In some cases these are the ones that you will remember long after you have get proficient.

                Author/ Michael Malega


http://www.softensive.com/show.php?cat=15&art=1758

               

    Top 10 Biggest Soccer Stadiums in the World

 

Are you a soccer fan? Then this article will take you on a quick trip across the globe, to find out the top 10 biggest soccer stadiums. Read through the article to know more...

 

If you go to Google and type in "Soccer as a Religion", you get pages and pages of results. Such is the hold soccer has on the masses. It is influential on such a deep level and magnitude, that where peace talks and other means of ensuring world peace fail, soccer is what diplomats and world leaders turn to, to dissipate the animosity and bring people together! Is it any wonder then, that there are hundreds of stadiums cropping up across the globe, in reverence to this cult-game?! And not just ordinary stadiums too. These are grand, mesmerizing shrines in keeping with the status of the sport they are built for. Let's take a look at the top 10 biggest soccer stadiums across the globe...

Number  /10/ : Borg El Arab Stadium - Alexandria, Egypt

Capacity - Around 86,000

                                      

                                                          
This grass-surface stadium is the largest in Egypt and the second largest in Africa. Egypt wanted to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which is the main reason this stadium was built, although only one match in the tournament was played in this stadium - the opening match between Egypt and Trinidad and Tobago. But it did host the opening ceremony. What makes this stadium unique is that it's designing and building was undertaken by the Egyptian Armed Forces Corps of Engineers (EAFCE). Among the features of this stadium, 2 training fields, 32 restaurants, 76 staircases, 68 restrooms, along with a 200 bed hotel for the players, are the important ones.

Number /9/ : Bukit Jalil National Stadium - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Capacity - Around 87,500

                                                                    

                                                                          
This bowl shaped stadium was built by United Engineers Malaysia, Bhd, in 1998. Although it was initially built for the 1998 Commonwealth Games, it is now a multipurpose stadium and also the 25th largest stadium in the world. The colorful seating arrangement makes a pattern representing the national flag in motion! It is also used to host music shows and concerts, and artists like Usher, Paramore and Kelly Clarkson have performed here.

Number /8/ : Gelora Bung Karno Stadium - Jakarta, Indonesia

Capacity - Around 88,500

                          

                                                                             
This stadium is named after the first President of Indonesia, Sukarno. It was opened in 1962 and has a range of facilities like a tennis stadium, an indoor gymnasium, an archery field, an aquatics arena, a softball and a hockey field as well! The temu gelang, which is the huge ring formed by the gigantic steel roof, is the main feature of this stadium. It enhances the grandeur of the stadium. It has a grass surface and cost an amazing $12,500,000 to build!

Number /7/ : Wembley Stadium - London, England

Capacity - Around 90,000

                                                                       

                                                                         
This stadium needed a mind-boggling 800 million pounds to build, making it the most expensive stadium in the world! Its most famous feature is the Wembly Arch which measures 134 meters in height and has a span of 137 meters, and is quite a sight at night when it is lit up. It is a bowl shaped structure with a partially retractable roof, and the only stadium which requires beacons for low flying aircraft! Besides football, it is used to host rugby matches and music concerts. This stadium actually is rebuilt; its original structure being the Empire Stadium, which was one of the most famous soccer stadiums in the world until its demolition in 2003.

Number  /6/ : FNB Stadium - Johannesburg, South Africa

Capacity - Around 95,000

      

                                                                           
                                                                          
FNB stands for First National Bank and it is named that, because of the deal with its sponsor, you guessed it right, the First National Bank! The largest stadium in Africa, its structure is similar to the African gourd/pot, which gives it the nickname "The Calabash". It was known as Soccer City during the FIFA World Cup 2010, and required around $450 million for its construction. There are a few unique things about this stadium that you may find interesting...

• Nelson Mandela gave his first speech, after his release from prison, in this stadium.
• There were originally 9 black vertical lines to align the stands in this stadium. A 10th line was added, because according to South African culture, 9 is an unlucky number.
• Chris Hani, who was a rival of the Apartheid Government in Africa, and also a leader of the South African Communist Party, was assassinated 10 April 1993. His funeral took place in this stadium.
• For special effects, it has mosaic lights in warm colors, along the bottom of the structure on the outside, to make it look like there is fire under the gourd!

Number / 5/ : Camp Nou - Barcelona, Spain

Capacity - Around 99,500

                                                                       

                                                                             
Camp Nou was constructed in 1957 and is the largest stadium in Europe. 'Camp Nou' is actually the nickname of the stadium! Its official name was Estadi del FC Barcelona, until 2000. An interesting fact about this stadium is that when it was remodeled in 1980, the funds came from thousands of supporters who paid donations to have their names inscribed on the bricks! The 1999 Champions League final, with the thrilling last minute Manchester United comeback against Bayern Munich, was held here! Other than soccer legends, Camp Nou has hosted celebrities like Michael Jackson, U2, Pope John Paul II, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, etc.

Number /4 / : Azadi Stadium - Tehran, Iran

Capacity - Around 1,00,000

 

                                                                           
                                                                             
This is the place where you can watch the match live as well as get the experience of watching it on a BIG screen - the original scoreboard was replaced by one of the biggest televisions in the world (20m X 7.5m)! This stadium, considered to be intimidating for visiting teams, was originally built to host the 1974 Asian Games. It's a beautiful structure, sloping downwards from the stands towards the stadium, in a bowl shape. Originally named Sad-Hezar Nefari Stadium, it was called Azadi Stadium after the Iranian Revolution, since in Persian, Azadi means Freedom. It is Iran's National Stadium, fifth biggest in the world, and the largest in the Middle East.

Number / 3/ : Estado Azteca - Mexico City, Mexico

Capacity - Around 1,05,000

                                                                          

                                                                          
                                                                          
This grass surface stadium, opened in May of 1996 is special for many reasons. Here are a few:

• This is the only stadium which has hosted two world cup finals! Brazil vs Italy in 1970 and Argentina vs West Germany in 1986.
• Maradona and Pele, considered to be the gods of soccer, lifted their last trophies in this stadium. Maradona lifted the FIFA World Cup Trophy, while Pele lifted The Jules Rimet Trophy.
• Maradona scored two scintillating goals of his career here, 'Goal of the Century' and 'Hand of God Goal' (yeah, the names say it all!).
• This is the largest stadium in the world which is specially dedicated to soccer.
• The 1970 semifinal (declared as the 'Match of the Century') where Italy beat West Germany(4-3) during extra time was played in this stadium.

There is also a plaque and a monument outside the stadium to immortalize the 'Goal of the century' and 'Game of the Century', respectively. Definitely deserving of its number 3 position, huh?

Number /2/ : Salt Lake Stadium - Kolkata, India

Capacity - Around 1,20,000

                                                                          
                                                                               
This stadium, although mainly used for football, is a multipurpose stadium. The surface is Astroturf and it has many facilities like 4 reservoirs fully equipped with fire fighting arrangements, diesel generation sets, its own water arrangement, and lighting arrangements for nocturnal sports! Also, Oliver Kahn played his last match for Bayern Munich in this stadium. The stadium is also used to host concerts, athletic events, derby matches and other important events. It also hosted the 1987 SAF Games.

Number /1/ : Rungrado May Day Stadium - Pyongyang, North Korea

Capacity - Around 1,50,000

                                                                           

This is the biggest stadium in the world that is used for soccer. It is a sprawling and humungous structure covering 2.2 million ft² of floor space and towering above the ground at 60 meters! But it is also an aesthetically pleasing stadium, with 16 arches forming a ring resembling the magnolia flower! An interesting fact about this stadium is that many North Korean army generals were burnt alive here, after being implicated for attempting to assassinate Kim Jong-II. This stadium is not dedicated only to soccer though, and it hosts many gymnastics events as well as other sports and cultural events.


Ever since the invention of soccer, it has won millions of fans for itself. Call a stadium a stadium in front of a true blue soccer fan, and you may be at the receiving end of a scornful, withering look! No people, it's not merely a stadium - it's a place where dreams are born, passions are ignited, and hearts are broken! Goose bumps, tempers, feverish chanting, absolutely crazy stuff - you gotta be there to have an indelible memory!

                By/ Gauri Huddar


 http://www.buzzle.com/articles/top10-biggest-soccer-stadiums-in-the-world.htmll

                                                            Sport Drinks

Sport drinks are electrolyte replacement beverages popular among athletes to replace water lost during exercise. It is important to drink plenty of fluids during strenuous exercise, especially during hot weather, because the body requires water for efficient cooling and for efficient operation of the kidneys in moving wastes from the blood. glucose sodium sport drinks provide extra sugar and sodium, which also promote rapid fluid uptake by the small intestine. Some beverages contain glucose polymers (maltodextrins), small fragment of srach. Glucose polymer beverages may be more effective than glucose drinks in replacing carbohydrates and in increasing blood sugar during endurance events (more than two hours in duration).

They do not slow the passage of liquid through the stomach as a high-glucose concentration does. Simple carbohydrates seem to provide their greatest benefit when exercise exceeds 60 minutes. A potential benefit of consuming glucose replacements during exercise is that fluid intake may increase if the taste is more appealing than plain water. The carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink should be mixed so that the carbohydrate concentration is less than 10 percent to minimize retention by the stomach. On the other hand, the carbohydrate concentration should be at least 6 percent to improve endurance. When fluid loss is reduced by a cold environment such as in crosscountry skiing, fluids with a carbohydrate concentration greater than 10 percent are appropriate.

Sport drinks often contain more sugar and salt than are needed for optimal absorption of fluids, and they often contain less potassium than a glass of orange juice. Plain water, which is both easily absorbed and palatable, effectively replaces water lost with strenuous exercise. In general, there does not seem to be any need to replace electrolytes lost through sweating by consuming expensive beverages. Sport drinks appear likely to improve performance only in endurance exercise or day-long events. Diluted fruit juices are usually adequate electrolyte replacements. Fruit juices should be diluted at least twofold from standard preparations to prevent delayed gastric emptying. Electrolytes and carbohydrates are readily replenished by eating a banana, fruit, or crackers with water. Many commercial soft drinks contain caffeine, which acts as a diuretic. Therefore, athletes are advised to limit their intake of such beverages.

     http://www.englisharticles.info/2012/04/08/sport-drinks/

  

           

                           Elements Of A Golf Swing

 

 There are 6 basic steps in the golf swing that each golfer should be aware prior to each golf shot. Step number 1 is body alignment relative to the target. Start by standing 2 to 3 yards behind the golf ball, with your body and the ball forming a straight line to the target. Pick out a guiding target directly behind and directly in front of the golf ball that is in the line your body and the golf make toward the target. These targets could be anything on the ground inches in front and behind the golf ball like leaves, grass, a broken tee, whatever. Focus on these ground targets that fall on the line you picked out to the target as you approach the golf ball.

Step number 2 of golf swing involves club face alignment. We already have our body aligned from the previous step. Now let's get our club face aligned. Set the golf club face behind the golf ball, aligning the middle of the golf clubs face with the targets you picked out on the ground directly in front and behind the golf ball. Gripping the golf clubs with a tension-free grip will allow you to be relaxed through out the duration of the golf swing. Line your feet up about shoulder width apart on a line parallel to the line made by your golf ball and the ground targets directly in front and behind the golf ball. As Tiger Woods has mentioned, you should have your knees slightly bent in an athletic stance. In order to allow your hips to rotate without restriction, the front foot should open a little toward the target.

Tilt your torso slightly towards the ball while keeping your back straight. The arms should now hang freely in front of the body to grip the club. The shoulders should be parallel with the ground targets and the toes, and your head should be tilted downward with your eyes on the ball. These motions described are known as the set-up, or addressing the ball.

This element of the golf swing is the back swing or take away. Your back elbow should remain closely tucked to your ribs as you slowly take the golf club back. The golf club should remain on a straight line along the plane of your alignment toward the target on the ground. The front arm should remain straight throughout this part of the swing and always keep your eye on the back of the golf ball where you want the club face to impact the ball. This back swing motion should instinctively place your chin into your front shoulder. Your hips should stay still and tilted a bit, while your front knee will turn in. At the top of your back swing, your wrists should cock a little. This allows for a more powerful down swing and more distance on your golf shot.

Step 5 of the golf swing is the down swing. During this element of the golf swing, you will be bringing the golf club down toward the ball on the same plane with the line formed by the ground targets you have setup directly in front and behind the golf ball. The wrists will start uncoiling and your weight will be shifting from the back foot to the front foot. This part of the golf swing will produce the speed and force to carry the golf ball toward the target. Keep the golf club face on the target line throughout the down swing and your eyes always on the back of the golf ball. The golf club face should strike the golf ball and then the ground directly in front of where the golf ball was resting. This will take a divot out of the ground approximately where your ground target was located directly in front of where the golf ball was resting.

Finish the golf swing with a nice, high follow through of the club. Your hips should be turned toward the target. Your weight should have shifted, and should now be firmly on your front foot. Smile and watch the ball fly toward the target.

 http://www.articlegold.com/article/elements-of-a-golf-swing/44096

   

 

                                                   How To Play Soccer 

 

Many youngsters want to know how to play Soccer when they start out young. Parents give their children the opportunities to try different things to see what they take a shine to when they are young. Many children, especially in soccer mad countries will want to learn how to play soccer more and more as they get older.

Soccer should be demonstrated and taught at a very basic and easy to understand level when first learning how to play Soccer. Learning how to play Soccer technically is what many coaches will instruct and work towards at the very beginning. These coaches could be your dads at a very early age as they will be the first people to introduce you to Soccer.

These technical skills consist of many different fundamentals of Soccer that we use throughout our Soccer experience from youth Soccer to adult Soccer. Passing and dribbling are the very first steps of learning how to play Soccer because these skills are what Soccer is based around most. Simply starting off by getting to grips with a Soccer ball and understanding how to kick the ball properly will be a great start with playing Soccer.

However, as you get older and more experienced with the basic skills of how to play Soccer then more new skills will be taught to you and you will get familiar with more skills associated with Soccer to develop your overall ability. Learning how to run and move on the ball will be developed further, as when you were learning how to dribble previously, this will be extended into much more correct techniques such as posture and dribbling with different parts of the foot.

You will also get to learn different technical skills as you progress through your child years and progress onto teenage years such as shooting, tackling, heading, control and loads of other different aspects of Soccer to help you become a better player overall. Different training methods will be used by people who coach and teach you these different skills to put your skill and ability to play Soccer under different types of situations to help you perform better when it comes to competitive matches.

As you get older into more young adult years your technical game will be at its peak and youll now be learning how to play Soccer tactically rather than technically. You can win Soccer matches by being technically better than someone but also if youre tactically better than another team this could give you an edge to defeat the opposition.

Tactical skills consist of different elements and some of us may be naturally better tactically than someone else because of our mental capacity to attain certain skills. Concentration and confidence are 2 tactical skills that are vital in playing Soccer because you need to be fully concentrated at all times so youre always alert for when youre involved and you need to have confidence in yourself and others around you. Playing Soccer is very fun and in the end practice makes perfect.

            Author / Samuel Evans

  http://articledesk.info/Article/14814/How-To-Play-Soccer.html

      

 History and Recent Track Record of Real Madrid



While Real Madrid may be feeling hard done by after losing the Spanish League and Champions League titles to FC Barcelona, but in some resects even the Catalans cannot compete. They are actually the most successful club in the history of Spanish football, and they were voted by FIFA as being the most successful club team from anywhere in the world for all of the 20th century.

 Certainly, those are very lofty achievements, and expectations are always high for Real Madrid to continue on with that, which is one of the reason Real Madrid tickets are in such demand.

What's behind this single club being voted the most successful of the last century? To begin with, Real Madrid was in existence right from the start, having been founded in 1902. In their history, they have won a total of 31 La Liga titles, while never being relegated from the top level of La Liga in Spanish football. As well as those 31 titles they also won the Copa del Rey 18 times, including in 2011, as well as taking the Spanish Supercup 8 times and a record-breaking 9 UEFA Championships.

Real Madrid won back to back La Liga titles in 1932 and 1933, but it was really in the 1950s and 1960s when a period of unprecedented success was enjoyed. They won four straight La Liga titles from 1955-1958, then won eight straight from 1961 through 1969! Imagine having that kind of success today.

Still, in the 1980s, Real Madrid really put on a dominant run that can equal to any single team's run in the history of global football. That team, often known as La Quinta del Buitre, won the Spanish League title in five successive years, and as well as various other cups and trophies won two UEFA championships too.

At the turn of the 21st century, Real Madrid had one of the most star-studded squads of all time. Called the "Galacticos", Real Madrid boasted David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, and Real Madrid's leading goal scorer ever, Raul. The team was able to bring home the La Liga championship in 2003, and the UEFA trophy in 2002, but after that didn't live up to their lofty expectations as it took several more years to win another major title.

Of course, today the club is still strong, and is one of the best not only in La Liga but also in all of Europe. Big names include Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazilian Kaka. And if it weren't for FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Ronaldo would possibly be regarded as the best player in the world right now.

So there you have it - Real Madrid has one of the most glorious track records in the world. FIFA's vote for the most successful club of the 20th century says an awful lot and with stars such as Ronaldo being attracted there the club retains much of its prestige.

 The competition with FC Barcelona is fiercer than ever, and that fuels the team and its fans to continue playing and cheering harder than ever before too. If you want to see what the club can do in the second year of Jose Mourinho's rule then order your Real Madrid tickets in advance and be sure for the match of your life!

      By/ Lance Lycett

   http://www.isnare.com/?aid=970784&ca=Sports

   

            

   How to Become a Real Sports Fan

 

      Following various sports such as basketball, can be a fun experience because of the sport and the players in general. People become fans because they like a particular sport, they either like to watch or like to play. Professional sports allows people to see who they want to be, how the best compete at something they love and much more. However, watching sports and playing it does not make you a true sports fan. It takes a while to be a real sports fan. Some people are die fan hard fans while others follow from time to time.
Here are several things that a real sports fan must do:

    1) Follow on a consistent basis: When you follow your favorite sport, team or player on a consistent basis, you learn more about the game and you show that you care about what happens day in and day out. If you do not, it isn't a matter of time because this can be done in a few minutes.

   2) Talk and think: When you are a real sports fan, you have to talk about the sport occasionally to others who share the same interest or who do not at all. Talking about sports shows that you really care about what happens. When you think about what happens as a result of certain events, it also proves that you are a real fan. Real fans are talkative about their sport when they have to be and take time to think about the sport.

   3) Play the sport: Believe it or not, if you are able and you do not play the sport, it shows that you have not really incorporated the sport into your life. By playing the sport, you can compare yourself to the best players in the world, which shows how much you want to be there as well. Following the sport is not good enough because it shows that you cannot do the same.

   4) Does something extra: When you really like a sport, you will also try to incorporate something different into your life. Such things include hobbies such as video games that have sports related themes and sports cards. When you participate in these activities, you also form a better bond. If you collect cards of your players, you will buy more occasionally from newer products. You will also follow the sport in further detail because your knowledge on the sport is vital to how well you do in these other activities. In the end, it keeps you another reason to love the game.

   5) Length: You can not become a real sports fan by simply saying that you are one. The only way to prove that you are a real sports fan is to follow the sport intensely for a while. This time period should be at least 5 years. In this time period, you should really know a lot about the sport.

   6) Learn: When you are a real sports fan, you are always learning new things about what is happening, such as rumors, games and much more. You should learn about various players, legends and stats because it helps you understand the game a little more.

   7) Never lose faith: As a person and a fan, you can never lose faith in your sport. If something bad happens, you have to learn to stick it out and to be happy for what has happened. Even you are mad at the event of something, you have to understand that the sport is something that should be loved no matter what.
Being a real sports fan takes a lot of dedication and discipline. If you really love your sport, you should be able to express it but still know that it isn't the most important thing in life.

           By/ Jonathan T Chin 

   http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Become-a-Real-Sports-Fan&id=619276

                             

         

     Why Sports Are Good for Kids?

  

 

Playing sports is an important element in the lives of many American children. More than 40 million kids between the ages of six and 17--both male and female--participate in athletics in the United States. Most engage in sports to simply have fun, but the benefits of such activities go far beyond the love of the game. Some benefits can be seen, others felt, while several occur without even being noticed at all.

Physical Health

The health benefits of sports are numerous, especially for kids. In 1997, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) published the "Guidelines for Schools and Communities for Promoting Lifelong Physical Activity," where the agency noted that regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence improves strength and endurance, helps build healthy bones and muscles, helps control weight, reduces anxiety and stress, increases self-esteem, and may improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Psychological Health

Children who are actively involved in a sport are more likely to describe themselves as being in good physical health than students who do not participate in sports, according to a 2006 article published in the "Journal of Community Health." A 2006 article published in the "Journal of School Health" found that the interaction a child has with her coach helps to improve self-esteem as well as lower the chance of depression.

Social Skills

Social responsibility and leadership skills are two other reasons why sports are good for children. According to "Youth Sports in America: An Overview," sports can provide excellent educational opportunities for social development because many of the social and moral requirements for participation in sports are parallels to how individuals must function in a law-abiding society. The "Handbook of Research on Sports Psychology" states that understanding the competitive process entails an appreciation of the social nature of competition, particularly with regard to the cooperative and strategic aspects of sports and an awareness of the nature of individual roles within a cooperating group.

Academic Benefits

Kids can also show the benefits of sports in the classroom. A 2002 study published in "Sociology of Education" concluded that participating in athletics helps high school students perform well academically more than any other extracurricular activity. A 2007 study published in "Educational Psychological Review" stated that systematic exercise programs may actually enhance the development of specific types of mental processing known to be important for meeting challenges encountered both in academics and later in life.

Future

The benefits of kids' participation in sports can long outlast their youth. Some can parlay their athletic prowess into scholarships for private schools and colleges. There are also the lucky few who are able to use their particular talent for sports as a career. Many adults credit their ongoing participation in sports to the love of the game they cultivated as kids.

              By /Thelma Gomez

http://www.livestrong.com/article/83947-sports-good-kids/

 Tennis Fitness Is Critical For Tennis Success                                                                                                                 

 Sporting activities require players and competitors to be in good shape at all times. You will not be able to compete with your rivals if you are not fit or healthy enough, as this might pose a health risk to you. That is why both players and competitors need to follow a strict training regimen of diet, fitness, and exercise. This keeps them, and their bodies, able to compete on these strenuous, but competitive, activities. Tennis, being another sport, is no exception; tennis players need to maintain their bodies physically and mentally fit. That is why they need to follow tennis fitness programs to keep themselves able to play their favorite sport.

Tennis fitness programs make the players (or those who simply want to play tennis) undergo strict and rigorous training sessions to keep their bodies fit and healthy. These training sessions also hone and enhance their skills and abilities as well, so that they can beat their opponents and rivals in the tennis court. By following these strict tennis fitness programs, not only do they ensure their victory in the tennis courts, but keep themselves healthy and strong so that they can do other activities they like besides playing tennis. Tennis fitness programs also try to enhance two of the most important attributes when playing tennis: speed and power.


As you may know, both these characteristics are needed to win a tennis match. Speed is very important as it determines your ability to catch the ball, and hit it back to your opponent. Tennis fitness programs aim to improve the quickness and agility of a player, so that they will be able to do the latter. Training for speed also gives him or her balance, agility, as well as able to think quickly in order to formulate a strategy in beating his or her opponent. With quick movements and able to think quickly, he or she will surely be victorious and will triumph over his or her opponents. So it is important for them to be able to move quickly, and tennis fitness programs will help them develop this characteristic.

But quick movements are not enough to win a tennis match; you also need strength and power in order to win the game. Power is equally important if you want to win a game. If you are not able to "serve" with full power, you are giving your opponent a chance to hit it back easily. Also, if you can't make shots with enough power or force, you will make your shots more predictable and easily countered by even the simplest shots. That is why it is important to improve your power as well so that you can make powerful shots that will, in turn, make you less predictable. Tennis fitness programs also include this in their training regimen.


Having both of these characteristics will surely make you a formidable opponent in the court. That is why it is important for you to train on tennis fitness programs that work on these characteristics, so that you can easily win against your opponents and rivals. There are many companies out there that offer these tennis fitness programs, but only a few are capable of delivering their promises. Make sure that you choose the right one for you, as well as the one that you are capable of doing. Some fitness programs may be too strenuous for you, so make sure that you pick the one your doctor(s) recommend.

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      NASCAR Still Looking For Second Black Champion

                   
In 1964 Wendell Smith became the first African American to win a race in what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, which is stock car racing’s major leagues. The race took place at Jacksonville’s Speedway Park.
Smith ran 495 big league races over 13 years with 147 top 10 finishes and the one win. His last race was in 1973. If one considers winning the primary measure of success in big time professional sports, there have been no successful Black NASCAR drivers since Smith stopped racing.
NASCAR is trying to address this with its Drive for Diversity (D4D) program, which Regal Magazine covered twice in 2009. The Orlando Sentinel says the NASCAR diversity program is making progress.
According to a Feb. 18 story, NASCAR officials started Drive for Diversity programs eight years ago to develop promising Black NASCAR drivers.
Talent from other racing series, such as Danica Patrick, who juggles her time between Indy Car and stock-car races, and Colombian-born Juan Pablo Montoya, who drove in Formula1, have crossed over.
Bringing new Black NASCAR drivers up the ranks has been the bigger challenge.
Though no one in the diversity program has made that breakthrough into NASCAR's lead racing series, this year's team offers some of the best prospects, said Max Siegel, CEO of Revolution Racing. As former president of Dale Earnhardt Inc., he is one of the highest-ranking African American executives in the sport's history.
"We've had tremendous success on the racetrack with our drivers," he said. "We had a rookie of the year. We had a bunch of firsts. "We're celebrating those successes and getting attention from pacesetters."
Siegel revamped the NASCAR diversity program in the past year and set up an academy-style system in which recruits learn more than driving. They build up their physical fitness and work on their own cars, while competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, a triple-A level of racing.
Still, there has been no breakthrough into Sprint Cup Series success for Black NASCAR drivers. “You win races and then hopefully, you can catch that break with the right sponsor to help you get to the next level," said African American driver Ryan Gifford, 21, of Winchester, Tenn. "It's just a matter of time and timing."
Gaining sponsorships is a significant issue. By itself, a car can cost $250,000. Supporting a team and travel can run into the tens of millions. A major sponsor can pay $20 million to put its name on a prime spot on the car. Owners and sponsors want a return on that investment, which means seasoned drivers with a track record or a pedigree have a significant advantage, as well known drivers can command higher sponsorship fees.
Still, there has been progress for Black NASCAR drivers in the D4D program.
Michael Cherry, 21, from the Tampa area, won a race at the Tri County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C., becoming the first African American winner at that small track, a venue similar to AA or AAA in minor league baseball.
"Keeping your name out there, winning is the number one priority, but they're giving us a great opportunity to race," Cherry said to the Sentinel. "Soon, maybe as soon as two years, you'll see one of us at the top. It might even be me."
Several factors are working in D4D’s favor: the desire to increase interest in NASCAR from non-traditional markets to increase attendance and ratings; the need to augment the pool of drivers in a sport with significant turnover; and the understanding that it does NASCAR no good to be seen as the province of southern good old boys taking care of their own. Big time teams which understand marketing and have the resources to think about the future, like Penske Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, are participating in D4D.
Bottom line: it should not be more difficult to have successful Black NASCAR drivers than it is to have an African American in the White House.
         
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List of Best Football Stadiums in America

 

Watching a live football match definitely gives a different experience than watching it on television. There are many huge and beautiful football stadiums in America. The upcoming article gives a list of best football stadiums in America.

In America, football is the second religion for many people and stadiums where the game is played are like the Duomos (The principal Christian church building of a bishop's diocese). The view of the field is 3D as opposed to the view on television. The experience of watching a football match sitting in the stadium is extra-ordinary because of the excited crowd and their exciting support. The enthusiasm among the fans almost touches the sky filling the stadium with a roar. The cheering and booing of the fans keep boosting the spirit of players as well as make them feel the pressure of do or die situation on field.

            Top Football Stadiums in America

Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor
It is the largest and one of the best stadiums in America. The stadium was inaugurated on 1st of October, 1927 and the opening game was played between UM (University of Michigan) and Ohio. Nearly, 21 acres of land was donated to the University by the Detroit native Dexter M. Ferry in 1902. After donation, the land was united comprising an athletics campus of the Michigan University. In return of the donation the entire complex was renamed as Ferry Field. The stadium could not accommodate a large number of fans hence, the need was felt to expand the stadium. A new complex was built closer to the site where the Michigan outdoor track lies. Though the new complex was constructed under the same name, Ferry Field was much more different from the older field. The older complex allotted the field for baseball, football and athletics whereas the new Ferry Field had grass that was exclusively used for football. Michigan had constructed separate practice fields so that Ferry Field was used only on game days.

Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin
It was opened in September 29, 1957. It is nicknamed as "The Frozen Tundra" as when the temperature falls extremely low, it freezes the field. The most famous game played in this stadium was the 1967 "Ice Bowl" when the temperatures dropped below -25 degrees. City of Green Bay and Green Bay/brown County Professional Football Stadium District owns the stadium and the operator of the stadium is Green Bay Packers. One of the unique things of this stadium is the "Lambeau Leap", where the packer players jump into the end zone stands as celebration. The Lambeau Leap was invented by LeRoy Butler in December 1993 which was later popularized by Robert Brooks. Another star feature of the stadium is its music. Lumberjack band played at the stadium. The live band was then replaced by recorded music. "Go! You Packers! Go!" was the theme song of the team. It was played immediately after the introduction of the packer players.

Memorial Stadium, Nebraska
In the year 1922, funds of around $430,000 were collected to build a new football stadium, by the faculty, students, and well wishers of the Nebraska University. The stadium is located on the campus of the university of Nebraska and has around 83,000 seating capacity. The name Memorial Stadium is given in the honor of all the Nebraskans who fought in the Civil and Spanish-American wars and 751 Nebraskans who died in the first World War. One interesting thing to know about the stadium is that the stadium is referred to as the "Sea of Red" because of the red apparel of the fans.

Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
It is one of the top college football stadiums belonging to the University of Tennessee. The stadium was built in the year 1921 and the owner of the stadium is the State of Tennessee. It is the 3rd largest stadium in the country with the capacity of around 102,000 seats. The Tennessee river flows close to the stadium which adds to the scenic look of the stadium. The stadium offers you an awesome view of the "sea of orange" because of the two tiers wrapped around with no openings. There is a tradition associated with the stadium. The band and the fans together form a walk way for the players through which they enter the stadium. It is called the Vol walk and it happens a few hours before the game. The band plays Rocky Top, loud and proud with the fans singing along.

Sanford Stadium, Georgia
The stadium is named after Dr. Steadman Vincent Sanford who was considered to be the early force behind UGA (University of Georgia Athletes). It is the fifth largest stadium in the country. The stadium saw its first game on October 12, 1929. The highlight of the stadium is the theft happened at the stadium. Three hall of fame certificates including photographs were stolen from the stadium. The certificates belonged to the three Bulldog legends, Herschel Walker, Fran Tarkenton and Vince Dooley.

Since it is impossible to talk about each and every important stadium in detail, here is a list of all other major stadiums apart from those mentioned above:

• Jordan Stadium, Alabama
• Kyle Field, Texas
• Rose Bowl, California
• Tiger Stadium, Louisiana
• Beaver Stadium, Pennsylvania
• Ohio Stadium, Ohio
• Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida
• Darell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas
• Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
• FedEx Field, Maryland

All the stadiums mentioned above are not only popular in America but also around the world. If you still have not watched a match in any of these stadiums, you have missed a worthy event. If you are a true football fan, go get yourself an opportunity to enjoy the exciting atmosphere on these stadiums. 

                  By/ Snehal Motkar
      


           http://www.buzzle.com/articles/list-of-best-football-stadiums-in-america.html
 

                           

          History of Chicago Bulls
 

The history of the Chicago Bulls goes back to the Chicago Stags (Bucks), one of 11 teams in the American Basketball Association (BAA, Basketball Association of America), one of the Predecessors of the NBA league. In 1949-50, and in the NBA, the Stags decided not to continue in the league.

After Several years of absence from professional basketball in 1961-1962 created the Chicago Packers, But after two seasons of failed Decided to change last name and move to historical another city, like Baltimore Zephyrs (Which would be the ancestors of the Washington Wizards) .

In 1966-1967, the city Creates a new basketball team to Represent Them and get future sporting success. So the Chicago Bulls are born, Whose name Referred to the power and strength of a city based Whose Was The meat packing. Were Considered other names like Matadors or Toreadors, But Were discarded by Shorter, as are other city teams (Bears, Cubs).

Arrival of Jordan

After years fighting in the mediocrity of the table, the fate of the team changed Windy City in 1984, When They get the third draft pick and choose the Promising star of the University of North Carolina, Michael Jordan. After an amazing debut year, Jordan Became one of the stars of the league and Chicago Began to form a competitive team around him. In 1987, the Bulls made a major change with your choice of getting the draft forward Scottie Pippen.

After years of adaptation, Jordan and Pippen marked with Before and After in the league, Being Considered one of the Most Successful duos in basketball history (they are the only two players who've Been to all the titles That got the Bulls).

With Jordan as a leader, the Bulls During The Decade of the 90s managed to break Many brands on the NBA's best record in the history of the league's best record in away games, the more local unbeaten streak, best start to season six NBA championships in8 years, Including Some Achievements, Considered one of the biggest teams in league history.

Following the "Step Jordan" (completed after second historical retirement in 1999), Chicago has never again be a team leader in the NBA, Reaching the postseason in only 6 of the next 12 years, and can get past the first round in just a chance.

In 2009, the Bulls get the first pick Suddenly in the draft at a rate of 1.37% to take it. The team selected point guard Derrick Rose, a player Known For His speed and offensive power, skills earned him That Rookie of the Year award and Became the new darling of the city of Chicago.

The 2010-2011 season, Means to bid for the Bulls. After Trying to keep the services of Any of the three major players ending contract (Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James), Chicago Decided to Complement the young core team Consisting of Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah forward post, With That players fill the gaps of equipment Such as power forward Carlos Boozer, Which would Provide domestic game and rebounds, and guard Kyle Korver triplero.  


Article Source:  http://www.everyonesarticles.com/Article/History-of-Chicago-Bulls/402523

 

 

First Time Training For A Half Marathon

Completing a half Marathon is not something you can do without some serious training. That said the training doesn't have to be that extreme or held to an any rigid regime. There are a few main points to follow to ensure you'll complete your first half marathon without any injuries or needs for medical attention during your first race.

If you can't already run 4km without stopping I wouldn't enter a half marathon to start with. If you can, and you have at least 3 months till the race day then it should be an easy task assuming you don't get any injuries during training. Avoiding injuries is always the number one priority.

Measure Your Progress

The most important motivator in my view is to record your runs and be able to see improvements over time as you analyse them later on graphs. The most popular fitness/running monitors based on the upgradeyourbody fitness directory are currently Garmin Watches, followed by iPhones with apps such as Runkeeper. Which ever you choose, the main thing is to be able to record your distance and average pace using GPS. There's no better motivator than watching these measurements improve over time, and in my opinion there's no better competitor than yourself.

Two Short Runs A Week

When training for my first half marathon I used to run twice through the week. These should be your shorter runs where you focus on improving speed. A short run can be anywhere from 4km minimun to around 8km. Try to run the same track each time so you can compare times and pace and make your goal to improve the overall pace. Running for at least 30 minutes should be the aim and it can be increased to anywhere up to an hour as the half marathon day approaches. Be careful though not to make your short runs so long where you'll become reluctant to do them at all. If you find yourself thinking it's too hard to go for a run consider shortening it or making it easier by making your front door the start and finish line.

One Long Run A Week

On the weekend pick either day, depending on other schedules. Keeping it flexible will keep you happy. This run should be an endurance run. The goal here is to run as far as you can without doing injury, or wearing yourself out so much that you can't perform your two weekly runs. For me I started my long weekend run at 8km and increased it by around 10% each week. The goal should be to get up to around 2 hours worth of running for your long run. Any longer than 2hrs and you'll find the recovery time is too long and painful. So the main point here is to remember it's not about pace its about endurance. Take it easy and most of all don't get injured. If you can work up to running for two hours, no matter the pace you can do a half marathon.

Supplements For Half Marathons

You'll soon notice during your long run each weekend that running after one hour becomes incredibly grueling. After the body has used up its readily available reserves of easy to burn carbohydrates, burning other sources of fuel is much harder. Your legs become tired, heavy and the psychology tells you to stop and walk or give up. At this stage it's greatly beneficial to consume any of the energy gels that are readily available on the market.

Energy gels usually come in plastic tubes which contain about 100 calories and some come with optional caffeine. Caffeine is more psychological, as its known to the professionals to aid in covering pain during extreme exercise and increase endurance. For me, around 10 minutes after consuming these 100 calories you feel your legs come back to life and the energy boost usually lasts for around 20 minutes. Everyone is different so experimentation with brands and frequency of use during your long runs will help you understand what to consume during your actual race.

Psychology Of Running A Half Marathon

The average time for a beginner to complete a half marathon will typically be 1:45 to 2:30 depending on age and fitness level. Running continuously for this length of time is not natural and you'll fight a constant battle to not stop and walk. That urge that keeps a successful runner going through the pain all comes down to psychology.

If you need to stop and walk, it's always OK, as long as you intend to get going again once recovered. The main thing is to keep focused that you'll keep going as fast as you can. Beating previous personal record paces or distance records always provides a great sense of achievement that keeps long distance runners satisfied and motivated.

Having said that if you ever feel sick or unwell during a training event it's important to stop and recover properly so you can resume training with the least downtime.

Two Weeks Before The Half Marathon

Now is the time to begin your training wind down. Nearly all half marathons are held on weekends so make your last long weekend run two weeks before the event. It takes two full weeks for the body to recover from a half marathon which is the reason this will be the last long training run. Be careful again to take it easy and focus only on running for 2 hours. As a beginner you should be able to now run at least 17kms in two hours, meaning you will probably run your half marathon in 2:30.

For your weekly shorter runs which are normally go as fast as you can, it's time to introduce tempo runs. Tempo runs are where you warm up for about 10 minutes, then run flat out giving it all you've got for 30 seconds, then run slow for a 1:30 or so to recover and do it again. This is repeated until the end of the run. I found the Runkeeper App on my iPhone was the best for programming this. After setting the intervals, it has voice prompts that tell when to run hard and when to recover. Overall, this technique will teach your body that it can run at a faster pace and has been proven to have significant results.

The goal of tempo running is to not have to stop and walk. You should feel what your body can do and push only so hard during the fast running that you don't need to walk during the recovery. Run as slow as you like to recover, but listen and feel to your fitness level so that when you run hard you won't be so exhausted that you need to walk to recover. Tempo running should teach you to feel how hard you can run, and how to run slow enough to recover without having to stop or walk.

On the last weekend you can actually take it off completely or go for half a long run. It's up to you.

During the last week do one more tempo run early in the week.

The day before the run you should be feeling heavy and lazy again. This is exactly what you want because it means your body has recovered from all the training, your muscles are recovered, and energy reserves are resupplied. If you're feeling keen you can do a quick 10 minute warm up just to get those legs moving again but don't over do it. You'll now be fully trained and recovered, ready at peak performance for race day.

The Night Before Your Half Marathon

Carb loading the night before a half marathon is key because carbs are the preferred fuel to burn during running. Eating processed carbs like white pasta will burn faster, but since it was the night before and still twelve until the race, I decided to eat wholemeal pasta with a little mince. 60% carbs, 30% meat and the rest as vegies should be fine. Home made spaghetti bolognese was my choice in the end. Obviously avoid alcohol at all costs and drink plenty of fluids all day.

Morning Of The Half Marathon

Eat a light breakfast based on white carbs. White toast with you're favorite spread or a banana but just enough to stop the hunger. You can also choose to have a good strong coffee as the caffeine will stay in your system for 6 hours and increase endurance. Pack your energy gels and head off to the event.

All the training and preparation above will ensure you finish comfortably and achieve your goal of completing your first half marathon!

 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joshua_M_White