Students Of Success

Flexibility is quite often a misunderstood principle, but most
of us know it is important to golf. Before we discuss
flexibility and its relevance to golf we need to start with:
“What in the #$%#%$#% is flexibility anyways?”

It is a simple question yet one that is not easy to answer. I
imagine that most of you come up with some definition that is
something to the effect of “Flexibility is stretching, right?”
That answer is partially correct. Flexibility training
incorporates stretching techniques. However, it is NOT limited
to traditional stretching, and the two terms cannot be used
interchangeably.

We Should Talk About What Flexibility Means

According the National Academy of Sports Medicine, flexibility
can be defined as the normal extensibility of all soft tissues
that allow full range of motion of a joint. You will note that
nowhere in the definition of flexibility is the word stretching
used. To help further explain, understand, and clearly define
flexibility, let us take the definition and break it down into
three parts. The first part of the definition, “the normal
extensibility,” is best understood by thinking of the muscles in
your body. Each muscle in your body has what is termed a “normal
length-tension relationship.” When the muscle is at its “normal
length-tension relationship,” it functions correctly. When the
muscles contract and extend (i.e. when you “flex” your bicep in
the mirror, your bicep muscle is contracting and your tricep is
extending) they enable you to create movement of your skeleton.
Often, athletes cause a disruption of the “normal length-tension
relationship” through training, which leads to one muscle
becoming shorter or longer than its normal length-tension
relationship. When this happens, the body begins to have
difficulty moving the skeleton in a safe and efficient manner,
which will be magnified when trying to perform athletic
movements.

The second portion of the definition of flexibility discusses
“all soft tissues.” This part of the definition is quite easy.
As you know, the human body is comprised of numerous types of
cells and tissues. Soft tissues are simply a categorization of
certain types of tissues in your body including muscles,
ligaments, and tendons.

The final part of the definition reads: “that allow full range
of motion of a joint.” Every joint (where two bones are
connected in your body, i.e. shoulder, hip, elbow, etc.) moves
through a specified range of motion determined by the design of
the joint. The anatomical structure of a joint determines the
amount, direction and type of movement through which a joint
moves. This is known as the range of motion. To achieve a full
range of motion, the surrounding muscles and connective tissue
have to be flexible enough to allow the joint to move through
that range of motion. To demonstrate what a full range of motion
is, bend your elbow as much as you can (brining your hand as
close to your shoulder as possible) and then straighten it. Each
joint in the body has a range of motion that is unique to the
design of the joint. For example, the shoulder joint is
classified as a ball and socket joint, which has a range of
motion of 360 degrees (a much greater range of motion than the
elbow).

Once broken down, flexibility is simply defined as: every
ligament, tendon, and muscle (soft tissues) in your body, having
the correct length-tension relationship (normal extensibility)
to allow every joint in your body to move through its full range
of motion. This concludes the first part of this article. We now
have a pretty simple working definition of flexibility. In the
next section of this article we will discuss the question: “Why
is flexibility important to the golf swing?”

The Real Meat of the Article…Flexibility and the Golf Swing

So now we have a “working definition” of flexibility. We
probably need to discuss the golf swing briefly to create the
connection between “your” flexibility and “your” golf swing.

Breaking down the golf swing, we know that it is categorized
into different phases: address, take away, back swing,
transition, down swing, contact, and follow through. Your local
swing coach has probably discussed the importance of these
phases of the swing in order to create a good swing. I am sure
you also are aware that the body must “move through” these
phases in a certain sequence for a correct swing to occur. The
key phrase when it comes to the golf swing and flexibility is
“move through.”

Go back to the definition of flexibility. What does it tell you?
In general, it says that every muscle, ligament, and tendon in
your body must have the correct range of motion within itself to
perform the activity you ask of it. Take that definition and
place it upon what movements are required of the golf swing. It
essentially states that your individual body MUST have the
required flexibility parameters within every muscle, ligament,
and tendon to execute the golf swing correctly.

Now the kicker question: what happens if your body does not have
the needed flexibility parameters to swing a club on the correct
path? Is the answer, “Forget about golf and go grab your fishing
pole?” No, that is not the correct answer. Your body is a little
smarter than that one wise-crack answer. If you ask your body to
do something, nine out of ten times it will “try” to do what you
are asking it to do. When your brain tells your body to do this
and this and this in a certain order, your body is going to try
as hard as it possibly can to complete the task. The task (in
our case the golf swing) may get completed, but probably not
exactly as we would like. In the golf swing, this results in
shots that we are really not happy about (slices, hooks, blocks,
etc.)

When the body does not have the needed flexibility to swing a
club on the correct path is what we term “compensation.”
Compensation is the body’s way of making up for inefficiencies
it may have within it. If you do not have the flexibility
properties in, say, your hamstrings for the golf swing, your
body will create compensation patterns in your swing to “make
up” for the lack of flexibility in your lower body. So the
reality of the situation becomes that, regardless of how hard
you work on your swing and how much you practice, until you
correct the flexibility issues within your body it will be very
difficult to correct your swing. So there you have it! The
connection between flexibility and the golf swing is a very
important connection if you are looking to make good shots on
the course.

How do I get it?

We have discussed flexibility and the golf swing. You now have
an understanding about the definition of flexibility, the
importance of flexibility as it relates to the golf swing, and
what happens if you do not have it (flexibility for the golf
swing, that is). Now the final question to answer is: “How to I
get it if I don’t have it!” That is a question to answer in
another article, or take a look at our web site
www.bioforcegolf.com for more answers.

The first four teams were founded in South Bend, Indiana; Kenosha and Racine, Wisconsin; and Rockford, Illinois. The players were recruited wherever they could be found, but the best source seemed to be the Girls Athletic Association (GAA). The first season began in the summer of 1944. The league thrived the first few seasons garnering much popularity and fan support.

But when the war ended in 1945, things began to get hard. Especially the fact that when the men returned and took up their old jobs, forcing women out of the workplace and challenging the popularity of women’s baseball. The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League reached its peak in 1948, then began to fall. The teams eventually all went into debt, and between 1949 and 1951, it dwindled down to nothing. However, women’s baseball holds a special place in history, with a section of the Baseball Hall of Fame dedicated to this era.

With soccer becoming a hit among women in the United States, with their World Championships, baseball has taken a backseat. It will come to a point again in the future where baseball becomes a hit amongst the average woman. WNBA has become highly commercialized, and soccer extremely popular. Why not baseball?

Peter Portero contributes baseball news, betting tips, articles, systems for easybaseballbetting.com

Like so many millions of young sports-crazed boys, in my formative years I was a baseball card fanatic. But one thing that I never understood about baseball cards is why rookie cards were always worth more money than any other cards. I bring this up, because I’m equally confused when it comes to rookie contracts in the NFL.

Why is it that rookies — players who haven’t accomplished anything in the league are paid exorbitant sums of money and put in positions to hurt their teams by holding out? Case in point: two-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady signed a contract extension that included $32 million guaranteed, perennial All-Pro and future Hall of Famer Orlando Pace signed an extension with $18 million guaranteed, and rookie quarterback Alex Smith - who was a one-year wonder at the football factory that is Utah, and who hasn’t taken a single snap in a regular season game - signed a contract that guarantees him $24 million. Curious.

This year featured more first-round holdouts and more acrimony in NFL rookie negotiations than any in recent memory. At one point, players like David Pollack, Adam Jones, Roddy White and Cedric Benson were projected starters for their respective teams. However, due in part to their extended holdouts, as of right now none of those players figure to crack the starting lineup come Week One.

The irony here is that these players are squabbling over a slight increase in money now - and by slight I mean in percentages, not in actual figures - and by doing so jeopardizing their long-term earning potential. By holding out, these rookies are missing valuable acclimation time in training camp, they’re alienating themselves from their coaches, teammates and fans, and earning reputations as people who are difficult to work with. Furthermore, the track record for rookies that hold out more than 10 days is a train wreck.

The NFL is in the middle of negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement. I wouldn’t be surprised (and am actually hoping for) a change that institutes a rookie pay scale, similar to what the NBA has in place. In the NBA system the contracts’ length and worth are figured on a graduated scale and preset based on when players are picked. Starting this in the league would effectively end NFL rookie holdouts, and help ensure that more money is invested in accomplished NFL players as opposed to the potential-laden first-round picks that have a hit-or-miss history in the league. I don’t see where the NFLPA would have a problem with this, given that about 80 percent of the players in the league weren’t No. 1 picks and a pay scale would mean more money for them.

Here’s a list of 10 rookies that I expect to have a definite, tangible impact on their team’s fortunes this season, for good or ill. I would wager that of the 10 teams that these players represent, the ones that get the most production from their first-year players will be the ones still alive in January.

J.J. Arrington, RB, Arizona

The Cardinals are the trendy sleeper pick this season in the weak NFC West. Arrington follows in the footsteps of the NFL’s leading rusher, Emmitt Smith, who retired after the 2004 season. That sounds more dramatic than it really is, since it’s not like Smith actually did anything in Arizona. Arrington topped the 2,000-yard mark at Cal last fall, and has the speed and shake to be a productive scat back. However, he is small (5′9” 214 lbs.), he has fumbled twice in two preseason games, and it remains to be seen whether he can take an NFL pounding.

Derrick Johnson, LB, Kansas City

So far I’ve heard from several sources that this kid is just an animal. He was by far and away the best defensive player in the draft, but he slipped to No. 15 and fell into the Chiefs’ lap. Johnson will join Sammy Knight, Patrick Surtain and Kendrell Bell in a retooled K.C. defense. If you can find anyone dumb enough to take your wager, bet your mortgage on Johnson as the Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh

The Steelers have never really utilized the tight end in the passing game (average of 18 catches a year since 1998). In fact, they’d rather have a sixth lineman than a pass catcher in the TE slot. Miller could change all of that. With sure hands and outstanding speed, Miller could slice up some seams in the defense this fall. Plexico Burress is gone so Pittsburgh is going to need other playmakers to step up. Also his size (6′5” 256) will make him an inviting red zone target.

Mike Nugent, K, New York Jets

Doug Brien converted 83 percent of his kicks in 2004, but was exposed the after a pair of missed game winning field goals missed against Pittsburgh last January. Tough crowd. Enter the kid. Nugent won the Lou Groza Award last fall and was prolific at Ohio State. He was deemed worthy of a second round pick by New York, the third highest a kicker has ever been drafted. New York’s style lends itself to a lot of close games. That means Nugent will face plenty of clutch kicks this season.

Matt Jones, WR, Jacksonville

The Jags pick of Jones 21st overall may have been the shocker of the first round in April. He is a converted quarterback out of Arkansas, and will be expected to step right in and contribute. Last year’s No. 1 pick Reggie Williams had an awful rookie season, and besides 36-year-old Jimmy Smith the Jags don’t have much of a receiving corps. Byron Leftwich could be ready for a breakout year, but if that’s going to happen than Jones is going to have to take advantage of the mismatches (he’s 6′6”, 242) he’ll most likely face.

David Pollack, LB, Cincinnati

When Pollack was at Georgia, the coaches used to have to take him off the practice field because the offense just couldn’t get anything done when he was out there. He was that dominant. The Bengals are hoping that he can make the adjustment to linebacker in their 3-4 alignment. Pollack held out for 20 days, which could stunt his growth in the early part of this season. However, he will have the benefit of playing alongside college teammate Odell Thurman. Thurman was picked up in the second round by Cincinnati and is also projected as a starting linebacker for the league’s 26th-rated run defense.

Alex Barron, OT, St. Louis

What a spot for Barron, college football’s Outland Trophy winner last fall, to be in. He gets to apprentice next to Adam Timmerman and on the same line as Orlando Pace. Barron not only held out, which pissed off head coach Mike Martz, but he missed his first practice after he signed with the team - unexcused. You don’t want to get in Martz’s doghouse. Just ask Kyle Turley.

Cedric Benson, RB, Chicago

As a Bears fan I’m disgusted with this whole situation. As if it wasn’t bad enough that we had to stare in horror at his freak out on draft day (you know, when he started panting, sweating, babbling and sobbing during his interview with Suzy Kolber after he was selected fourth by the Bears) now we have to wait for him to put his avarice aside and become a team player. He can make it up to me with 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Roddy White, WR, Atlanta

White held out for the first two weeks of camp and, wouldn’t you know it, he got injured (ankle) in his first preseason game after his return. I’m not saying that his injury had any physical link to his hold out I’m just saying it’s bad karma. Some in Falcons camp insist that Peerless Price is still the No. 1 receiver in Atlanta, but still others surmise that he’s going to get cut to free up cap space. The jury is still out. But it’s clear that big things are expected from White, the second wideout Atlanta has taken in the first round in two years (Michael Jenkins in 2004).

Fred Gibson, WR, Philadelphia

OK, so T.O. being back in camp takes the onus off Gibson. However, who knows how long that whine ass will hold up this season. Regardless, the Eagles lack a No. 2 option, and rumor has it that Gibson has looked really good this August in camp. He was labeled as soft during his time at Georgia, but he could blossom under the guidance of a team player like Owens (just kidding).

Honorable mention: Cadillac Williams, RB, Tampa Bay; Erasmus James, DE, Minnesota; Jammal Brown, OG, New Orleans; Daryl Blackstock, LB, Arizona; Roscoe Parrish, WR, Buffalo, Chris Henry, WR, Cincinnati.

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Since 1971 Doc’s Sports has been recognized as one of the leaders and most trusted names in sports handicapping information. Visit Doc’s website for free college and NFL picks and predictions as well as updated articles and free game matchup reports.

If you are gathering information regarding ice hockey skates then read on. Some of the most popular choices are Bauer, CCM, and Nide hockey skates. This has been a brand of choice for many years by some of the NHL’s fastest skaters. Top brands like CCM, Nike, Graf, Mission, and Easton are all good choices too. The most important features for hockey skates are heel support, graphite base, break in period, comfort latex ankle pads, durability, optimal lateral stability, insole and outsole for tighter turning ability, and Tuuk stainless steel blades for proven performance and speed.

If you want to be great at striding you will want to buy the best hockey skates you can find. Fitting your foot is very important when selecting a brand. For instance when you are standing straight up in Bauer hockey skates your toes should be touching the edges at the front. When you bend your knees into a hockey stance your toes should come off the front a little complimented by your heel staying tight in the back and the sides of the skate keeping your foot locked into position. This is known as a Bauer hockey professional custom fit that all serious players should follow.

I cannot stress enough the importance of the fitting of the skate. When you are shopping ask the person selling you on the skates if they play any competitive hockey. Get a feel if they know what they are talking about and do not get sold by someone who has been through “training” with the skate manufacturer. If they have not been in any fast paced hockey games at a competitive level then how can they possibly recommend anything that is good at all? I recommend searching for local stores that are smaller and have time to spend with you. Avoid department or outlet stores as most of these companies hire students and the cheapest labor possible and not an “expert”.

http://www.hockey-equipment-sticks.com/index.html

Gregg Makarowski - is an ex professional hockey player and successful internet publisher.

Ring tones are simply a computer program stored in your cell phone’s memory and with most phones, you can change it. You can have a unique sound that only you want. Here’s the deal on ring tones - you get the cooler sounding rings on the newer, more expensive phones. For example, if you have an old Nokia phone, it can play a monophonic ring tone, which means simple tunes with one sound. But the newer phones can handle polyphonic ring tones. They can play several sounds at the same time, giving the ringing quality a more pleasing sound.

Ring tones can be customized the way your phone rings, from a popular song to a classical hit. Find a ring tones that you like. Don’t be stuck with the standard ring sounds that come with your phone. Everybody has those! Stand out with your favorite song or band you love. Once you find a ring tone you like, you have to get it on your phone. Most people just upload the ring tone to their phone with a data cable or they can send it to themselves with a simple phone call.

Ring tones of your new favorite song do serve some purpose, of course — it lets you distinguish your own phone’s ring from other phones ringing around you. It’s incredibly easy to find and add a song you like and load it up.

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-cell-phones-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

IF YOU are a bodybuilder you now doubt know how stubborn your
calves are to build. Because of all the training that the calves
receive on a daily basis, such as walking, running or even
standing, the calves are especially tough and stubborn to grow,
so the solution according to most experts is as follows:
“bombard them with more training and more work”

I am here to tell you that this is Wrong! Wrong ! wrong!

Here is some common sense that most “experts forget” to analyze,
you see if the calves are already over worked by daily activity
, what is the rational in going to the gym and performing more
work?

Wouldn’t all that “extra exercise” make the situation
worse…and send them into a state of over training with the end
result that you make zero gains in your calf’s?

The solution is not more work but harder work! This means you
actually should train your calves less and more intensely

Walking and running are low intensity exercises for the calf
muscles, and performing 20 sets in the gym for calves is also a
low intensity workout for the calves…

To try to build your calve muscles with high rep -low intensity
training is like trying to put out a fire with gas….it is
nonsensical…

Your Solution! Pick the donkey calf raise exercise and perform
no more than one set of this calf exercise, use heavy weights
and use perfect form, using an absolute full range of motion,
making sure you take the set to full positive failure, which is
the point in a set where completing another repetition is
impossible… That is it! And you may ask! What is the ideal
number of sets to perform? Just one How many exercises? Just
one! How often should you train your calves no more than once a
week…once every two weeks is even better it is that simple
folks…try it and see it work!

There is not such thing as a sure bet. The beauty of sports competition is that no matter what team is the favorite and has probabilities on their side, one score of the other team can change the outcome of a game.

Basketball picks are popular today with all the games that have been going around on the NBA playoffs. Thousands of bettors search into basketball picks website trying to find light to their judgment and making sure they make the right bet.

Though, the basketball picks are useful to analyze different situations and reading a different and experienced perspective of the game, they shall not be taken totally. Since NBA picks are made by personal judgments you can take these to make up your own picks and opinion. Mixing various basketball picks that predict games results in different ways helps in considering or rejecting certain opinions or predictions.

You may find several basketball picks in the internet. Some of these websites are pay-to-see, so you have to pay an amount of money so you can receive picks from expert handicappers that have been long enough watching and betting the sport to make a good judgment. But they are not perfect and they may fail from time to time, there is not such thing as 100% games predicted. But these basketball picks are great and beneficial for your own picks.

There is also free basketball picks you may find in some websites. Though, they may not come from recognized handicappers, they still are a personal prediction of someone who is analyzing the sport. Do not discard free basketball picks because they still help you and they are free!

Remember basketball picks must be taken consideration but they are not what the outcome will be, sports games are so unexpected that the best handicapper that can give you the best advice is your own personal judgment.

Professional SEO Copywriter. He helps a number of sportsbooks like:

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After a few weeks and with some surprises, the NL Central has begun to look a lot more as expected, particularly at the very top.

With a lineup containing the best player on the planet, the Cardinals have recently started to pull away and
seem well on their way to their third straight division title. Pujols’ numbers are mind-boggling (22 homers and 54 RBI). Barring an injury or a stunning slump, he’s practically locked up the MVP Award in May. Underrated David Eckstein has an OBP of .390 and provides the kind of spark few leadoff hitters can match. While injuries and age have slowed Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen to some degree, they are both still dangerous hitters. Juan Encarcion and Yadier Molina have been disappointments, but the rest of the lineup has picked them up so far. Chris Carpenter has continued to pitch like an ace and starters Mark Mulder, Jeff Suppan, and Jason Marquis form a solid rotation that always keeps the Cardinals in the game. After a slow start, closer Jason Isringhausen has rounded into form. Only injuries will keep the Cards from playing in October.

Losers of 10 of their last 15, the “Big Red Mirage” are starting to play like their talent level indicates they should. Bronson Arroyo has been an outstanding acquisition and is obviously thrilled not to have to face those tough NL lineups, but you simply can’t send out such a mediocre starting rotation and expect to stay in the race. I told you a few weeks back to bet against them and those who listened are a bit richer today.

The Astros got off to a hot start before their starting pitching went through a horrid stretch. Roy Oswalt remains one of the league’s top pitchers and Wayne Rodriguez has been a nice surprise, but Andy Pettitte has struggled, Brandon Backe is out for the year, and the rest of the rotation has been inconsistent. Brad Lidge has struggled (mostly with his control), but expect him to turn things around. Morgan Ensberg hit home runs in six straight games early in the year and Lance Berkman would be an MVP candidate in a league without Pujols. Also, very quietly, Brad Ausmus has put together a very good year (.418 OBP). The Astros could stay in the wildcard race and may soon get the kind of help that could rocket them to the finish line. 

The Brewers are fun to watch. They lead the majors in home runs, and youngsters Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and Bill Hall mix nicely with veterans Geoff Jenkins, Carlos Lee, and Corey Koskie. The only thing is they may be too dependent on getting home runs and they strike out too much. A bit of small ball might help them at times. Getting Ben Sheets healthy would help a rotation that has one underrated star (Chris Capuano) and mostly back-of-the-rotation types. Derrick Turnbow is showing he’s no fluke, but the bullpen lacks depth. This year’s trendy sleeper pick will stay around a while, but ultimately doesn’t have enough for the playoffs.

First the Red Sox, then the White Sox, now the Cu … stop right there. Derrek Lee’s injury has revealed just how impotent the rest of the Cubs lineup is. Juan Pierre has an OBP of .271. Aramis Ramirez is hitting only .231. It’s ugly on the North Side. Greg Maddux’s May has been very different than his April and still no sign of Mark Prior. Dusty Baker must be on edge. No playoffs here, folks.

The Pirates were expected to be an improved team this year, but their starting pitching has failed them. Zach Duke has hit a bit of a tougher time facing teams the second time around, and whatever happened to Oliver Perez, who was thought to be a fast rising star? Not much hope in the Steel City either.

So early on, it looks like it’s the Cards division to lose and the Astros waiting for Roger Clemens to make them serious wildcard contenders.

Jonathan Wachs
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Can a golf exercise routine be useful to a golfer who is happy
with the current quality of their game?

You bet it can. While there are many useful benefits of a golf
exercise routine to a person’s game even when they are happy
with their current form, exercises have many other benefits that
a golfer can enjoy and benefit from.

For example, lower back pains are fairly common on the course.
And so is fatigue hence you will see some golfers form
deteriorate as the game proceeds.

They are simply getting more and more tired. The more tired they
get, the worse their game gets because they even start to lose
concentration at critical moments.

Did you know that just a single exercise within a good golf
exercise routine can greatly strengthen your back to the extent
where you will be able to play 18 holes without breaking a
sweat? Or even hit balls the whole day without feeling that
lower back pain.

This lower back pain could either be caused by strain and
fatigue as the golf swing usually utilizes the lower back
muscles to a great exetent.

Or it could easily be an injury. Golf exercise routines will
deal with both instances in that they greatly help a golfer
reduce on their risk of getting injured in the first place.

Many golf injuries are caused by the golfer over-straining
certain muscles as they desperately try to get the swing
technique right and improve their scores.

The muscles and body are not prepared to be stretched to the
limit and the result for a golfer not involved in any golf
exercise routine can be a nagging injury that will keep them off
the course for a long time. It could even be the dreaded injury
that will tend to recur the moment they think they are healed
and start to play the game again.

Golf exercise routines will help you avoid these situations.

I grew up as an unathletic kid. My mother was unathletic, so she just assumed I was too. You see, our family has weak ankles and no coordination. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized that all this was a lie. I wasn’t unathletic - I just hated team sports. I discovered I actually had a flair for dance, which takes quite a bit of athleticism and coordination. Weak ankles? Of course they’re weak if you don’t do anything to build up their strength. A lot of the physical deficiencies that I thought I’d inherited were really born out of laziness and blind acceptance - those were the real deficiencies. Once I worked on overcoming those, my body got stronger and I started enjoying physical activities.

On the positive side, we don’t have weight problems in our family. As a matter of fact, my dad’s weight is within 10 pounds of what he weighed in high school. Is that due to genetics? Not really. We’re just very moderate in our eating habits. More than once I’ve visited friends whose relatives were on the plus side and found that their meals were also plus sized. What am I trying to say here? Maybe you won’t like this, but I’m trying to pull the security blanket called “blame” out of your grasp. It’s necessary if you ever want to make any changes in your life. You have to let go so your hands are open to receive new ideas, information and attitudes.

It’s a favorite family game to blame genetics for a lot of problems. Weight issues, weak knees, heart disease, fallen arches - if you’ve got it, chances are so does someone else in your family. People often assume that means it - whatever “it” happens to be - is hereditary. And yes, certain conditions are hereditary. Heart disease and obesity do run in families and doctors do find genetic links. But not always. And there are also times when a family’s lifestyle choices can make a genetic condition worse. So before assuming you are destined to suffer from any particular physical affliction just because your father or grandmother did, examine family habits. They’re just as telling as genetics.

One of the easiest habits to dissect is eating habits. Every family has its own approach to food, and it is often handed down from generation to generation. What types of meals run in your family? How big are the portions? Does your family serve up hefty amounts of meat and potatoes? Are comfort foods like macaroni and cheese frequent visitors to the dining table? Are there a lot of chips or homemade cookies available all the time for snacking, and do most meals end with a rich dessert? Then it’s no surprise if many of your family members might have a weight or cholesterol problem. While nothing can match the taste of your mother’s home cooking, you may have inherited some poor eating habits along with the heirloom recipes. Consider creating light versions of those rich recipes, cutting down on those huge portions of mashed potatoes and adding more vegetables to the dinner plate (and to lunch too, for that matter). There are many ways to lean down your menu without completely forsaking family fare.

What other habits run in your family? Do any of your relatives smoke or drink excessively? Do most of them turn into couch potatoes once they get out of school? These are sure setups for health problems later in life. While it’s tough enough to quit a bad habit like smoking (it’s really better to never start at all), it may be even tougher to begin a good habit and stick to it. The effort is worthwhile, however - regular exercise lowers your risk of developing, among other things, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and osteoporosis. If any of these diseases run in your family, it should be a good incentive to get moving. Exercise will enhance your health, no matter what type of genetics you may have been born with.

Perhaps the most insidious family trait is mental attitude. If you come from a family that, as a whole, presents a youthful, positive attitude towards life, you are probably the same way. On the other hand, if the older members of your family seem to age prematurely, or if they let life drag them down, then it’s possible their attitudes are dragging you down, too. A negative mental attitude is one of the hardest habits to break away from - to do so requires a high level of awareness. If you observe your family and yourself for a while you’ll realize that you are all talking yourselves into certain behaviors. Someone who blames his aches and pains on “getting old” is actually giving himself permission to have those aches and pains since it is impossible to stop time. If the same person decides to take up Yoga to deal with, say, morning stiffness or minor back pain, he is taking control of the situation and being an active participant in his wellbeing. When it comes to your health - and many other aspects of life - it’s important to think actively. To think passively is to give up, to find excuses to be less active, less of a participant in life. We all have limitations, of course, but how do we know what our limits are if we don’t test them? And the only way to test them is to first drop your preconceived notions of what is and what isn’t.

All of us carry some sort of baggage left over from the atmosphere we grew up in. That doesn’t mean you should disinherit your family - you no doubt inherited quite a few good qualities and values from them too - but do disinherit the bad habits and negative mental attitudes that may have been handed down through the generations. No matter where you come from, ultimately you create your own destiny. Taking charge of your wellbeing and your life could even rub off on some of your relatives, creating a legacy you can be proud of.

About the Author

Janiss Garza is editor-in-chief of All Spirit Fitness - http://www.allspiritfitness.com. All Spirit Fitness looks at all forms of exercise and health, from weight training to dieting to yoga, from a mind-body-spirit perspective.