Students Of Success

Each year the Sydney University Football Club selects a group of players for its Elite Development Squad to prepare for the next season. For 2005 a squad of 50 was chosen which did not include any of the Club’s seven Wallabies nor any of the players on Super 12 contracts. Players committed themselves to around fourteen weeks of intensive training involving six to seven sessions per week of weights, skills and fitness work despite either being full time students or working full time.

At the conclusion of the season the Club’s doctor, Katherine Rae, and physiotherapist, Keiran Cleary, jointly issued a Medical Report analysing the injury experience of the Club’s eight teams. They particularly highlighted the members of the Elite Development Squad, noting that during the season “the EDS squad suffered only two non contact injuries, both muscle strains, which resulted in only four games lost to injury.”

More specifically, among the 36 players who completed the full EDS program there was “only one calf strain and one hamstring strain … . They had no back pain or groin pain necessitating loss of game time.” By contrast, for the Club as a whole, there were 28 instances of low back pain, 27 hamstring injuries, 27 groin injuries and 6 quadriceps strains.

Two non contact injuries in over 1000 hours of playing time is an extraordinarily low figure in itself, and certainly by comparison with the Club’s other players who accumulated over 80 comparable injuries. The injury incidence for the Club as a whole seems to be broadly in line with that reported in various scientific studies including those focussed on professional players.

It is obviously unwise to attach too much significance to the experience of one club over a single season. However the disparity in injury rates between those in the EDS group and their team mates is so great that it is very unlikely to be attributable to mere chance. Therefore it is necessary to explore possible reasons for this very favorable outcome. I believe that there were three relevant factors at work:

Duration and intensity of the training program

An off-season involving around 90 uninterrupted training sessions creates a near ideal opportunity for players to enhance their basic strength and fitness for rugby.Very few non-professional players would have the commitment and dedication to stick to such an exacting schedule. And very few professional players would have such a large block of time available. For example, Australian full-time players normally participate in at least two of the three tiers of club, provincial and international rugby and are therefore playing through most of the year.

The EDS squad also had on-campus access to physiotherapists, doctors and nutritionists plus regular dietary supplementation. Thus, even though the squad members were not paid, they were training in a very professional environment.

Emphasis on basic strength development

Strength and conditioning in the EDS program was structured and administered by Martin Harland, a sports scientist who had previously worked with professional rugby league, Australian football and basketball teams. His programs for rugby players place a high degree of emphasis on basic strength development and rugby-specific fitness. A distinguishing feature of his approach is a concentration on heavy lower body work through exercises such as squats, deadlifts and cleans.

Use of the ScrumTruk

In addition to their free weights exercises the group regularly used the rugby specific MyoQuip ScrumTruk as a core component of their leg strength work. Certain unique attributes of this apparatus might be relevant to protection against injury. Although it works basically the same muscle groups as the barbell squat, the fact that the resistance is in the horizontal rather than the vertical plane means that there is no adverse loading on the lumbar spine. It is also more quadriceps specific than the squat and exercises effectively the muscles of the calf.

But its main benefit in injury minimization may be in relation to the hamstrings. The ScrumTruk specifically works this muscle group as well as adjacent areas such as the glutes, quadriceps and core stabilizers. But the most important effect might relate to the frequently observed importance of eccentric loading in developing the hamstrings. Both the barbell squat and the conventional leg press deliver constant resistance. When performing these movements concentrically the muscles involved are only under very partial load as the hip and knee joints move to full extension. By contrast the ScrumTruk’s operation provides continually increasing resistance throughout the exercise movement. Because of this, the muscles involved are strongly activated over the full exercise range and most critically are working at close to full load at the conclusion of the movement. It would seem to follow logically that the more that muscles are being activated concentrically, the greater the eccentric load when the movement is reversed. Thus there is heavy eccentric loading on the hamstrings when they are near fully extension.

The low injury incidence by Sydney University’s elite training squad seems to suggest that other teams might benefit similarly by implementing a long and intensive off-season training program concentrating on the development of basic lower body strength through complex free weight movements and the use of the ScrumTruk. The potential improved injury outcomes are additional to the very substantial strength gains from such a program.

Bruce Ross is CEO of MyoQuip, manufacturers of variable-resistance strength machines including the HipneeFlex and HipneeThrust, and the rugby-specific ScrumTruk and JumpTruk. MyoQuip exports worldwide from Australia.
MyoQuip - variable-resistance strength equipment
MyoQuip Blog - strength equipment, rugby football

Lowriding began as a cultural element of Chicano Americans, part
of the street culture of the American barrio where Mexican
immigrants maintained a lively urban culture.Lowrider bikes, one
of the most splendid and unique products of this culture, are a
cross between the Harley and the cruiser bike, decorated with
paint and chrome and streamers, found in any all-American
hometown parade.

As you might surmise, lo
wriding bikes hug the ground.The highest points on a
lowrider bike are almost always its two hand grips, just like
you might find on its motorized cousin, the Harley
motorcycle.The seat of a lowrider bike is down at wheel level
and its pedals are sometimes higher than the seat!These bikes
are typically a highly individualized creation.Most of them are
ridden with enormous pride by their creators, although you can
buy some standard models and a few elaborate models in a good
bike store, especially in cities of the American West.

Despite the fact that these bikes originated within the poverty
of the barrio, lowrider bikes are anything but cheap.Makers of
these one-of-a-kind creations regard their bicycles as much as
an artwork and a mechanical marvel as a means of transportation,
though part of the joy of creation has always been parading them
down the street when completed–these are not pieces of art
meant for life in dusty museums, for the most part.Each part is
usually carefully selected for its utility as well as its
beauty, with the resulting bike a breathtaking example of
technical and artistic ingenuity.

Lowrider bikes are becoming a presence in more and more cities,
perhaps made more “respectable” among the affluent bicyclists
who drive the market by the increasing popularity of their
cousin, the recumbent bicycle .As the baby boomer generation ages and
feels increasing twinges of back pain riding on the dropped
handlebars of road bikes, expect to see more and more lowrider
and recumbent bikes alike.

And once you get your first basic lowrider bike, don’t be too
surprised if you find yourself flipping through the real or
online pages of a lowrider parts catalog musing, “Hmm.I wonder
how that golden sprocket would look on my bike?”Lowrider bikes
have a tradition of creative embellishment and technical
improvisation that calls out the artist and the inventor in many
of us.

What, really, could be better to evoke, especially if you’re
already a bike rider?

You might be tempted to ask what golf has to do with inspiration. The inspiration in golf, for me, comes from playing it. It is a microcosm of life. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Every shot you take can either be a success or a failure. Each shot you play results in the next shot you have to play. Each shot a result of the shots up to this moment. You can love it (fairways) or you can hate it (out-of-bounds) or you can lie in all the grey areas in between (rough, sand, water).

It is said that once you know the basics of golf, the game is 90% mental. And so it is with life. If you think you can make the shot, you probably will. If you think you can’t, you’re right as well. To become a better player, you must learn what you can and can’t do. And if there are shots that you can’t make right now, practice them until you believe you can do it.

Most golfers will remember the best round they ever played. I’m no different: it was a round of 84 (at handicap of 18) on a par 72 course. And if I must say it myself, I played darn well! And so many of us relive the glory days. Instead of moving on and continually striving to improve, we just sit around and talk about the good old days.

But life, like golf, can and should be so much more than a good memory. Don’t ever stop and think that the best is behind you. Play every shot as if it is your last. Play every shot to the best of your ability. Accept that mistakes are part of the game, but don’t dwell on them. And remember that you aren’t playing alone, so do make a stop on the 19th hole.

Don’t be so focused on your own game that you don’t notice the good shots of your fellow players. Compliment and encourage them to play the game as it should and could be played. Try to forget about the things outside of the here and now. Focus on one shot at a time. Don’t just play on one course all your life. Get out of your comfort zone and go and see the scenery (hopefully not the bush and the sand and the water) on other courses. Learn from those more skilled than you are and if they are willing to learn, those less skilled than yourself.

We try to avoid the obstacles that are presented to us (sand, water, etc.) but once in a while - sometime more often than not - we have to face them. And how you face them tells something about your character. You could cheat, you could go for an impossible shot or you can go for safety. Whichever way you choose to go, remember that it is only you that will have to live with it. So make your choice something worthwhile.

So whether you are playing the best or the worst round of your life, do it in courage and truth. Courage to believe that you can always enjoy the game and truth so that you may know that whatever the result is, you are important in the big scheme of things. May your golf and your life hold fairways and greens and once in a while a hazard, just to mould your character!

About the Author

Leon van der Walt is an aspiring netrepreneur in the fields of inspiration and financial freedom. Leon has a masters degree in quantitative risk management and when not working on the Net is a bank employee. He strives to continually improve himself and is focussing on increasing financial literacy.

Copyright 2005 www.financial-inspiration.com, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Ondeck Sailing has been in operation as a Sailing and Powerboat School for more than 10 years. The recent investment Ondeck Sailing and Powerboat School have made on sailing yachts means the firm has built on top of the current sea training product to make available a whole choice of activities aboard high performance sailing boats, for skippered charter, company sailing, race charter, mile building opportunities, cruising, adventure yachting trips, ocean passages and Caribbean charter. Ondeck Sailing’s key office is based in Portsmouth at Gunwharf Quays Marina though they do operate from Greenwich as well.

Boating is an interesting sport, hobby, personal challenge or service tool. Boating is eminently satisfying for those participants that join in & Ondeck can provide for folk of all strengths from absolute beginners to boating specialists. Enjoy Sailing at first hand, with Ondeck’s Corporate Sailing Events.

Ondeck boating offers a fulfilling & modern collection of corporate packages, so that there can be a little for everyone to pick from. Ondeck Sailing & Powerboat School do not purely make available spectating & racing at all of the most important events in the corporate & group sailing chart, Ondeck Sailing & Powerboat School in addition have the potential to deal with electrifying racing or sailing events for corporate hospitality, rewards, celebrations, networking, team and individual building.

There are corporate and group sailing events which provides unsurpassed fun and is something everyone can participate in. In this sort of situation sailing allows each individual a chance to come together & resolve issues like that of morale, teamwork and leadership all of that can assist your business. Ondeck can manage for anything between six to six-hundred clients & can provide a large variety of ocean racing boats and racing yachts to choose from, depending on top of your parties wishes.

Ondeck Sailing & Powerboat School additionally focus on corporate Sailing trips, where you can do a full days corporate boating work, stopping for food rations and then climaxing in corporate yachting matches with quite a few of your team so you have the ability to see how much you have remembered.

We are honored to announce that we were granted a second interview with Former NFL Offensive Lineman, Duval Love. In order to get the perfect atmosphere for this follow-up, we chose a local sports bar and got together to watch the October 17th Monday Night Football game where Duval’s former team, the St. Louis Rams, took on the Indianapolis Colts. In this interview we covered the UCLA streak, Terrell Owens in the pre-season, the Minnesota Vikings boat ride and most important of all, Duval’s future as an Offensive Line Coach.

All right, let’s see how much you’re following the Indianapolis Colts and this year’s St. Louis Rams. Who’s got the better Offensive Line?
I would say the Indianapolis Colts. I like their line. They’re protecting Peyton pretty well. They’re running the ball with Edgerrin James. They’re 5-0 so they’re having a lot of success.

Who’s going to win this game?
My heart says the St. Louis Rams but my brain says the Colts. They have a better team, they have a better defense and they have Peyton Manning. St. Louis is missing their head coach and they’re not running on all cylinders right now.

How do you think missing their coach affected the St. Louis Rams?
It’s going to affect them a little bit because Mike Martz calls all the plays and that’s a big part of their offense. No one has the kind of timing he has but they’ll try and do their best but they still don’t have their head coach.

When we last spoke, you were pursuing an assistant coaching job in the NFL. I know you had some success this off-season. Fill us in.
I got an internship with the Philadelphia Eagles. Basically, I got in there from a recommendation from their head trainer, Rick Burkholder. He recommended I have an internship with Andy Reid. Andy Reid said okay and I was there for six weeks. I was there from the first day of training camp to the last day of cuts. It was a very interesting experience. Very valuable. I learned a lot and got my foot in the door.

You mentioned hopefully getting a call back. What’s the process now?
I think the process now is they like to hire their interns, so since I’ve been there and my foot’s in the door. I just have to wait and see what happens. I’m a lot further along than I was last year at this time.

Your UCLA Bruins are on fire this year. Have you been following them and what do you think is the biggest contributing factor to their success?
I’m back being a Bruin fan this year. I’m claiming them again. I didn’t get to see the game yesterday but I did get the opportunity to go to the game where they played Oklahoma. They had some of the old football players come back. We got a chance to sit on the sideline and watch them get fired up and take it to the Sooners. I think Karl Dorrell has had a chance to implement his system and he’s getting his players and you see the effect of that. They’re starting to win and these are his guys, so there are no excuses and they’re doing well. Good coaching can solve a lot of problems. Good players also make coaches look good.

This year’s UCLA / USC game should be a great one. What’s one moment that stands out in the games you played versus USC?
First of all, I made my first start versus the USC Trojans as a freshman. I played but it was my first start at the Coliseum, a game I watched as a kid. But actually starting as a freshman was a great experience.

Seems like one team or the other is usually the hotter team. Which was the hotter team around that time?
We were, most definitely. No question. Actually, we were playing for the Rose Bowl that year. It came down to the last 4 seconds and if we kick a field goal, we go to the Rose Bowl. What happened was we kicked the field goal and George Achica of USC blocked it and we lost the game. So we went to the Bluebonnet Bowl instead of the Rose Bowl. We definitely had a better team that year.

Let’s talk about the Good, the Bad and the Ugly in the NFL. Who’s the best team in the league right now? The team that is going to take it all?
Honestly, I’m going to say Philadelphia. I’m an Eagle fan now. I have to, I never know if Andy is going to read this or not. The Eagles are a very good football team. It’s kind of early to tell who the best is. There’s a certain parity throughout the league so it’s kind of tough. With Donovan being hurt, that’s not good for Philadelphia. He’s got to stay healthy for them to win. New England is at .500, Tampa Bay was horrible last year and now they’re one of the elite teams. It’s still too early, you just don’t know. We played Cincinnati in the pre-season and I didn’t think they were very good. I thought they were soft. The next thing you know they are 5-1. Who knows?

Do you think coaches scale back in the pre-season? Trying not to give away too much?
I think they give you the appetizer. They aren’t going to give you the whole 5-course meal. They give you a little bit, let you taste it and then they’ll be ready to go when the season starts. Pre-season games really don’t mean anything. They just want to fine tune it.

What, if anything, can you tell us about Terrell Owens?
Believe it or not, he’s a nice guy. A lot of those things you hear, it’s kind of hard to pin down why he does it. I’m sure he has his reasons. Everyone on the team likes him. Extremely hard working. You’d be surprised how hard he works. He’s a superstar and works harder than anyone on that team. He eats right, he’s healthy, and that’s why he has that stomach. He’s 30 years old and a well groomed machine, he’s awesome. He’s a great player that plays hard and anyone that sees him play would want him on their team.

Who’s the worst team in the league right now? Who’s not going to put it together this year?
Honestly, I think everyone would pick Minnesota. They’ve got the Love Boat incident. They made some poor judgments. A lot of guys do different things, they just got caught. You know, they’re out in the open and they got careless. It’s tough. Honestly, we don’t know the whole story and it’s hard to believe a lot of that stuff was going on. They’re high profile guys so everyone is trying to get a jab on them right now. It’s kind of hard to believe that 17 guys were out having sex. I’m only saying what I read. Who knows what was going on? Only the people on the boat know. Hopefully, they clean up their image and clean up the rest of their season. The spotlight is definitely on them right now.

Is Mike Tice going to survive the season?
I like him as a coach but if he doesn’t win, I doubt it because winning solves a lot of problems. If he doesn’t, it might be an ugly off-season. Someone is going to take the blow.

And now for the ugly. This off-season the Tennessee Titans saw 5 of their players including their #1 draft choice get in trouble with the law. How does this happen on a Professional Football team?
Guys will be guys. When these things happen, it’s magnified because of who they are. Anytime they get arrested, no matter who you are in the NFL, they see that NFL player. That’s who you work for, like the Minnesota Vikings. What’s going to hit the paper the next day could be a DUI, domestic violence or assault. Whatever it is, they’re going to be in the paper the next day because of who they are. When they are playing and even more so when they are done playing, because they are always going to have that label of being a former NFL player. That stuff is magnified. A lot of people go to jail every day but when you have a high profile job, everyone is going to know what happened to you. Duval Love or Pac Man Jones, everyone is going to know. They’re going to read it, email everyone, Google your name and everyone knows what happened. Trust me.

Back to Fantasy Football. Do you play?
Being a lineman, no. I don’t even know how the whole concept worked. I never asked. I didn’t care because it never involved lineman. Once again, lineman being left out again. There are a lot of people playing it though.

Mark Chalifoux, TheSportsCritics.com Featured Critic, recently wrote an article about the NFL’s demand that networks carrying their games should not air commercials for the movie “Two for the Money” because they don’t condone gambling. You and I both know that gambling is a huge part of professional sports. Do you feel gambling hurts or helps the NFL? Why?
I think for the NFL higher ups, they don’t want the image of betting and gambling associated with their sport because they don’t profit from that. That’s something that people do but the NFL wants to be clean cut. They don’t want their players to gamble so they don’t want that label on them. So on a Monday night you see that commercial, it’s not in their best interest to air it, it’s not the image they want to portray.

Other than pursuing a career in coaching, what else are you working on?
I’m working on a book right now but my main goal, my main vision, staying positive, I’m going to be a coach. That’s my number one goal. My number one focus and that’s it.

Watching, talking, reading, shopping and browsing sports is what I do and what I do best. If you see me, you’d know I never played a day of sports in my life which is ironic don’t you think? Regardless, we have opinions and I work for an Internet company so here’s TheSportsCritics.com.

For the first time since 2001, a full compliment of six players was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I’m 45 and was able to see and remember each during his career. In my opinion, four selections are solid (Reggie White, Warren Moon, John Madden, Rayfield Wright), one leaves me ambivalent (Harry Carson), and then there’s Troy Aikman.

Reggie White was the most dominant defensive lineman of his era and retired with most sacks (198) in NFL history at the time. The “Minister of Defense” started in the USFL but in his 15 year NFL career went to 13 Pro Bowls. No Brainer.

Madden and Wright were senior-committee selections and both have merit. Madden has the highest winning percentage (.759) of ANY coach with 100 wins and won a Super Bowl, probably long overdue. Rayfield Wright was considered the “linchpin” of the offensive line for the great Cowboy teams of the 70’s - no problem there.

Warren Moon’s NFL numbers are staggering. His CFL/NFL numbers are mindboggling! In 23 years of organized football, Warren Moon threw for 72,184 yards and 457 touchdowns, 51.061 and 313 in the NFL. By comparison, Dan Marino finished with 61,361 and 420. The hall didn’t hold Moon’s vagabond final years and lack of Super Bowl ring against him.

Harry Carson in my eyes was one of the parts of the sum in that great “Wrecking Crew” defense of the Giants Parcell’s Giant era. Lawrence Taylor deservedly got all the pub but lets not forget that Brian Kelly and Brad van Pelt were both excellent linebackers and Jim Burt and Leonard Marshall vastly underrated defensive linemen. Nitschke, Butkus, Lambert, Carson ???

Troy Aikman’s career stats: 61.5%, 32,942 yards, 165 TDs, 145 Ints, QB rating of 81.6

There have been six other quarterbacks inducted into the Hall of Fame since 2000 (Montana, Kelly, Elway. Marino, Young, and Moon), and everyone’s number other than Steve Young’s dwarf Troy Aikman’s. So lets start with Steve Young.

Steve Young is another I would consider good but not great yet compared to Aikman, Young is first ballot. Despite spending half his career in the USFL, Tampa bay, hurt, or sitting behind Montana, Young still threw for slight more yardage and 67 more touchdowns than Aikman. Young could also hurt you with his legs rushing for 4238 yards at 5.9 yards per carry with an additional 33 touchdowns.

Of the seven, Aikman’s completion percentage is lower than all but Kelly (60.1%) and Moon (NFL number 58.4%). Aikman’s 165 touchdowns pales in comparison to everyone else’s 237+. The others all threw for 40,000 plus yards and only Moon (80.1) and Elway (79.9) had lower quarterback ratings.

Call me old school but I think the Hall of Fame should be reserved for the truly greats of the game. I realize that HOF criteria is not strictly numbers based and involves many intangibles including leadership and winning but Troy Aikman was clearly not great. This is an argument generally reserved for baseball but applicable here.

Let’s look at some players that are coming up soon, just retired or will retire soon. Most I consider good but not great. Perhaps the closest analogy to Aikman is Scotty Pippin, decent numbers, 6 championships, Does he deserve to get in ??? In my eyes - No/Maybe. Regardless of situation, ANWHERE, Scotty Pippin was good 17/9 player that played excellent defense. He’s a slam dunk to go but if on fringe, the defense would send him through.

Jerome Bettis. The Bus. He’s top 10 rushing all-time but if Steeler’s hadn’t won, where’s Jerome. Does he deserve to go? A marginal yes, Will he get in? Maybe down the line during a thin year. Could anybody in good conscience mention his name in the same breath as Earl Campbell. I don’t think so.

Baseball is the most fun. In an age of Roids and Juiced balls, how about these guys, Juan Gonzalez (420+ HR’s), Jeff Bagwell (430+ HR’s), Tom Glavine (260 wins), Frank Thomas (420+ HR’s). Cobb, Ruth, DiMaggio, Aaron, Bagwell. Rolls right off your tongue doesn’t it

A lot of great players get dogged about their careers for not winning a championship, Ted Williams, Dan Marino, Maravich, Barkley, and Karl Malone. Some get dogged for not winning enough, Wilt Chamberlain. There are lots of good players considered great because they won and in this instance, Troy Aikman can step to the head of the class.

Dennis Macklin is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com/Dennis_Macklin.htm.

Copyright 2005 Gobala Krishnan

You toss and turn in bed trying to sleep but get up feeling frustrated. When you finally do get some sleep, it is o?nly for a few hours because it is time to get up and go to work. Then, you go through the day feeling groggy, depressed and extremely exhausted.

You try drinking cups and cups of coffee but instead of feeling awake, you feel even worse. A potentially disastrous headache starts drumming at the corner or your head. The drumbeats get louder and more persistent by each passing minute. As a last resort, you let nature take its course. You fall flat in front of your computer screen and start snoozing.

So, I might have exaggerated a little with the last sentence, but the fact is, many people do not get the proper amount of sleep they need everyday. As a direct result of this, they are not able to function optimally in their jobs, studies or even simple daily tasks.

There are many factors that can cause insomnia such as, stress, illness, a new sleeping environment and many more. Treatments can also vary depending o?n the type of insomnia you are suffering from. However, there are some basic things that you can do to practice healthy sleeping habits.

1) Set a conducive sleep environment

Regardless of how absurd it may sound, it is crucial to set the correct atmosphere in your bedroom. The most important rule is to remember that your bedroom is a place for you to sleep and rest. So, get rid of the television, radio or anything that can distract you from sleeping. People tend to sleep better in rooms that are a little bit cooler rather than a little bit warmer. So, make sure your room is cool and aired. Switch off all the lights, as it is easier for your brains to prepare your body to sleep in the dark. Aside from making sure that your mattress and pillows are comfortable, you also have to change the sheets often as cleanliness always promotes a pleasant environment.

2) Maintain a consistent sleeping and wake-up time

Everybody has a biological clock that records and keeps track of their sleeping pattern. Therefore, it is important to keep regular sleep hours, particularly the wake-up time. According to your wake-up time, your body then tires at the appropriate time enabling you to go to sleep. This also ensures that you will get the proper amount of sleep you need before you wake up. In other words, when you establish a regular bedtime routine, your brain automatically send a signal to your body to unwind and to go to sleep and to wake up after getting enough hours of sleep.

3) Stay away from any sleep-stealing stimulus

You should avoid consuming stimulus such as caffeine and nicotine late in the evening as these can disrupt your sleep later in the night. Caffeine is quite a strong stimulant that will keep your brain awake while nicotine activates your metabolism, thus keeping your body energetic. Instead, consume drinks that can aid you to sleep well, like warm milk, hot chocolate or even a glass of milk

4) Exercise regularly

Studies have shown that regular exercise approximately 4 to 6 hours before bedtime can actually help you fall asleep later in the night. So keep those abs burning and legs walking at least 20 minutes a day. However, avoid heavy exercises close to bedtime as that will raise your body temperature and keep you fully awake.

5) Cool off your body temperature

People tend to fall asleep as their body temperature falls. So, how can the old story of taking a hot bath before bed help you sleep? When you take a hot bath or a long hot shower, your body temperature goes up, but when you get into bed and the body temperature starts to fall, that helps you to sleep. Although this is something that happens naturally before sleep, a hot bath actually reinforces that physiological process.

6) Don?t force yourself to sleep!

If you cannot go to sleep, don?t force yourself by lying in bed and trying to sleep. Restrict the time in bed to the amount of time you are actually sleeping. If you are not asleep in 15 to 20 minutes, get out of bed, go into another room and engage in some sedentary activity until you begin to feel sleepy. Listen to some calm music, make a to-do list or read a really boring book. Then, return back to bed when you feel sleepy.

7) Avoid afternoon naps

Taking naps during the day directly interferes with your sleeping routine. Your ability to sleep at night gets affected because all those short power naps actually ensures that you get continual rest during the day. So, when it comes for you to sleep at night, you actually feel zippy and alert.

About the Author

Gobala Krishnan is a representative of Veriuni Nutritionals, a great solution for busy working adults who want a quick one-in-all nutritional fix. For more information on Veriuni Nutritionals and information on living a healthy lifestyle visit
http://www.veriuni-products-store.com

My family, friends, and I love camping and camp all summer long. I usually end up the one who does most of the cooking. While I love to do this, I have learned some tips that have helped me along the way.


1. Be prepared and have a backup plan for those rainy days.
I learned this lesson on a camping trip where it down poured everyday of our trip. I thought I had done a great job planning every meal. Unfortunately, almost all of my meals included a dish that needed to be cooked. Not to mention we really had no other place to eat but the tent. With the rain and nothing “good” to eat, everyone was miserable.


What I learned from this experience is to always have some food that is already prepared and is easy to eat while sitting in a tent. Some foods that I make sure I am never without while camping include: pop tarts, cheese and crackers, ingredients for sandwiches, fruits and vegetables (either fresh or dried), trail mix, granola bars. For drinking, juice boxes are a nice alternative for children. They are harder to spill while eating in a tent.


2. Cooking and storing chicken is easier if the chicken is parboiled before your trip.


What better way to eat chicken than cooked over a campfire. Sounds good but you need to be careful how you store and cook raw chicken. I have found that it is much easier to bring chicken along when it is parboiled at home. This eliminates the need to store it in a separate cooler. No more drippy raw chicken juices all over the bottom of your ice chest. Also, the chicken only needs to be reheated. No more worrying whether the chicken is cooked thoroughly. From a cook’s point of view, this makes life while camping much more pleasurable.


3. Bring oven mitts or pot holders.


I could not tell you how many times I forgot the potholders and I have the scars to prove it. I went out and bought the silicone oven mitts. Most of the silicone mitts can withstand temperatures up to 550 degrees. These are also great for doing anything around the camp fire: adding wood, roasting marshmallows, and putting out the fire to name a few.


4. Lighters or matches.


I guess this would be a matter of how you are camping or what you prefer. I prefer to use the long handled lighters rather than matches. I find it is easier to light either a fire or your charcoal with a lighter. I can control the lighter better and you don’t have to worry as much about a lighter getting damp.


These were just a few hints and tips that I have gathered over the years. I hope they have helped you make your camping experience a little less stressful and a lot more fun. Happy Camping!!

Pat Hogle is the owner of ACE Camp Gear: http://www.acecampgear.com. Ace Camp Gear is an online store with great camping equipment. Pat has been camping for 25 years and spends much time in the Adirondacks of New York.

It’s a good idea to consult your doctor before beginning any physical activity. The information in this article is not meant to be technical, it’s just a guideline. Use the information as you like.

With that said, let’s talk about running and its benefits.

The wonderful thing about running/jogging is that I can be done just about anywhere in the world. All you really need is a good pair of shoes and some determination.

Running is a great stress outlet and it promotes weight loss and fitness all at the same time. You are probably wondering why it’s not a part of everyone’s everyday life. That is the purpose of this article, to encourage running as a means of physical and mental health.

The challenge of getting out there and pushing yourself is the kicker for most people. When you decide to give it a try you’ll quickly see how enjoyable it really is. Every time you finish a run you’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment, this is because you’ve pushed yourself to your limits and you know what you’ve done is good for you.

The mental work out I refer to is the mental training and control it takes to make each stride and to push yourself. When you become tired your mind starts thinking of other things you’d rather be doing that are less strenuous. You tell yourself not to listen and to focus more. So you focus on your breathing and your form. You are training your mind not to give in. When you are focused before you know it you’ve conquered your run for another day. It’s a great sense of accomplishment!

I recommend having 3 or so different places to run, the variety will keep it interesting and more fun. The distance you cover is totally up to you, run distances you feel comfortable with. When you feel that you are ready to add more length to your sessions, then do so, in small increments.

Always remember to stretch out before you begin running, this will prevent injury and ensure your muscles are ready for the work ahead. You should be stretching for at least 4 to 5 minutes before starting. Don’t forget that running uses more than just your legs, so stretch everything, not just your legs. If it’s cold out, it’s a good idea to stretch more than regularly and to go for a quick warm-up walk.

Drinking water will keep you hydrated and help you go the distance. I like to drink 3 tall glasses of water before I go for a run and roughly the same amount immediately after I finish the run. You can even take water with you and drink it while running, keep in mind that you’ll need something to hold the water unless you don’t mind having the bottle/container in your hand.

Some key elements to think about and remember while on your run are good pace and proper form. These 2 factors will hugely affect your ability “keep going”. If you push yourself to much off the get go, you won’t have any energy left for the middle or end of your run. If you ever get the feeling that you NEED to stop, DON’T!. What I recommend is, slowing down your pace to almost walking speed, but keep the running form. Soon enough you’ll have your breath back and you can pick up the pace again. The importance of form is related to efficient use of your energy. You should try to keep your back reasonably straight, to keep from hunching over; this also helps in proper respiration. Also don’t move your arms excessively, this is a common mistake and it’s easily fixed. Try to keep your arms reasonably limber and if you move them while taking strides, try to move them in a forward-to-backward motion. Moving your arms side to side causes you to waste energy, keep your momentum going in the direction you want - forward.

When you’re finished, make sure you cool down properly. This will keep away muscle cramps and it’s all around easier on your body. Walk for a few minutes and remember to stretch well when you’re done. And remember you can never have too much water after a long run!

See you out there!

About The Author

Ryan Campbell

http://www.self-improvement-information.com

http://www.parenting-info.net

The first parachute jump in history is a bit debatable. While many seem to think that an extreme sport like parachuting has its roots in recent history, it has, in fact, been around for centuries.

In 852 A.D., Arman Firman, a Muslim holy man, jumped from a tower in Cordoba, Spain. At the time, he was wearing a billowy, large cloak. While in theory this should have slowed him down and allowed him to float gently to the earth (he also believed this to be true), it did little to help his jump. He crashed to the earth at a frightening speed, but lived to tell the tale of the first parachute jump.

A cloak, however, is not a true parachute. Most give credit to Leonardo Da Vinci for creating the first designs of parachutes. Da Vinci spent years studying birds. He truly believed human flight was possible. He, therefore, spent an extensive amount of time trying to create a vehicle that might help man fly. While Da Vinci never tried any of his ideas, he left behind sketches and instructional texts dealing with the first parachute jump.

Over the course of the next few hundred years, others tried to create the first parachute jump, but none succeeded. All were unrecorded events. Andre Jacques Garnerin, in 1797, jumped from a hot air balloon with a chute made of silk. It looked as if he were following Da Vinci’s designs. The first parachute jump was a success, but there was little use for the parachute. It was considered only for show.

However, with the creation of airplanes, parachutes became more useful vehicles. By World War II, they were standard issue equipment for pilots as life saving devices. Today, hundreds of people make their first parachute jump each day. Parachuting has become an extreme sport of magnificent popularity. First timers take several hours of training to complete the first parachute jump. They are trained in everything they need to know to make the jump safe including what equipment is used during a jump, how to leave the plane they’ll be jumping from, how to us a reserve chute in case the first doesn’t open, and how to land.Historically, the first parachute jump is in question, but thousands make their first parachute jump each year.

John Ewing is the author and editor of many reviews published at parachuting guide, an online magazine with information on skydiving, including equipment such as clothes and powered parachutes. Ewing used to add interesting skydiving equipment articles and powered parachutes reviews.