Monday, October 29, 2007

TENNIS STROKES

Strokes In Table Tennis

Mastering the strokes of the game is a must for any player that wants to do more than just hit the ball and hit the net. There are several strokes that can be used and there are also more advanced strokes that can be used.

Here we will go through several of the most important strokes that you need to play the game.

The Forehand Counterhit
This is perhaps the first stroke that you should learn when playing the game. Once you learn this basic stroke you will be able to learn more complex and advanced strokes that can offer more extreme levels of play.

In this hit, the goal is to hit the ball with medium levels of speed with some topspin to it. This will bring the ball down on the other side of the table. This works well against a light to a medium level of topspin.

Place your feet so that the right foot is just slightly further back than the left. Place your weight on the balls of your feet to allow you to move faster, but keep your weight evenly distributed. Your knees should be bent and the feet are your legs should be spread father than shoulder length. Your shoulders should be in line with your legs and you should hold your arms at shoulder width apart.

The ball is coming towards you and you need to use this stroke to hit it. You will begin with the backswing on the stroke. Your right foot and your leg will turn to the right and your body has turned to the right in general while keeping your head facing forward. Your bat should only have moved slightly backwards at this point because you are not putting a lot of force into the stroke.

As the ball bounces on the table coming towards you, your backswing will be completed. This means that most of your weight is on your right leg and your body should move to the right and then back to the left without losing your balance. Your shoulders should move to the position of being parallel to the end of the table. Your right hand should be at the height that is just lower than what you expect the bounce of the ball to be.

Now, you begin your forward swing. Your head must remain centered so that you can watch the ball easily. The angle of the bat is about 45 degrees. Your body should be turning forwards at this point.


Now that ball is in contact with you. You watch this contact happening. Your body is moved towards the left as this will provide additional power when you do hit the ball.

The ball should hit about 10 o'clock on the back with the bat moving forward and slightly up in direction. The angle of the bat should still be at 45 degrees.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

BOXING FITNESS

Whip Yourself into Shape with Boxing Fitness

by: Morgan Hamilton



Everyone seems to be concerned with their health these days. And with good reason, since the advent of processed foods and the degree of pollution in our cities, people’s health can really be in danger. To help combat these problems, health improvement facilities like gyms and spas have popped up on every street. But since traditional exercises are not really enjoyable many people prefer activities that allow them to have fun while keeping fit.

Hiking, ballroom dancing, rock climbing, and biking are just a few examples of recreational activities that can also be enjoyable. Sports, weight training, and martial arts have also become popular ways of trimming down. One type of martial art type of exercise program which you might want to try is boxing fitness.

You might think of boxing as a violent sport. Professional boxing as seen in television is a dangerous sport reserved for athletes who train extensively to get in shape for their bouts. But unknown to most it can also be a satisfying and effective form of workout.

Boxing fitness involves hours of diligent training, cardio workout out and can even teach you additional self-defense. Boxing fitness improves your, flexibility, agility, stamina and coordination. You don’t necessarily have to go as far as fighting in the ring but a little sparring mixed in your routine can make for a fantastic workout.

Besides being a lot of fun boxing fitness also improves your self-defense skills. One look at professional boxers shows you that training allows you withstand punishment and give back as much as well. Today’s world can be quite dangerous and learning a practical martial art like boxing can really be useful. While you might not turn into the next Mike Tyson you can be good enough to keep your self safe on the street.

If you want to try it you can try local gyms to see if they have a boxing fitness program. If none are available you can hop online and do a search for “boxing fitness” to find a program and gym that are convenient for you. Put on those boxing gloves now and punch your way into an exciting way to be healthy.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Body Type 2 & 3

BODY TYPE # 2: MESOMORPH

HOW TO TELL – YOUR DIAGNOSTIC CHEATSHEET

- Burn calories quickly and lose weight when want to
- CAN easily lose fat
- Hips smaller than shoulder dimension – yet in proportion
- Medium to large frames
- Wide shoulders

Some initial exercise suggestions for this body type or shape:

- 3 exercises per body part
- 3-4 sets with 12-15 repetitions.
- Circuit training
- High-intensity cardio often
- Moderate weights
- Strength training

Result: Strength Training/sculpting top priority and outcome, with persistence and disciplined work

Recommended work could include:
- Athletics
- Circuit Training
- Core Training
- Cross-trainer
- Crunch Cardio
- Pilates and Yoga
- Rope Jumping
- Running
- Stairmaster
- Step Class

What to eat and how to adjust your diet somewhat to accommodate and support some of the work that you are doing on the exercise front to let the shape come to its full potential:

DO:

- EAT more when you are working out
- TAKE IN protein on a regular basis for muscle maintenance and tone
- EAT healthy fats and oils in moderation (20-30% of intake and total calories)

BODY TYPE # 3: ECTOMORPH

HOW TO TELL – YOUR DIAGNOSTIC CHEATSHEET

- Hard time building any muscle
- Shoulders and hips are the same size (with little variation)
- Slim
- Smallish build
- Tendency to ‘over-train’ somewhat
- Thin
- Weight fluctuates a lot and significantly


Some initial exercise suggestions for this body type or shape:

- Heavy weight workouts
- All muscle groups need work (regularly and frequently)
- Cardio
- 2-3 exercises per body part
- 3-4 sets with 6-10 repetitions

Results: strength and muscle added top priorities and outcomes, with persistence and disciplined work

Recommended work could include:

- Core Training
- Kickboxing Class
- Martial Arts
- Tae-Bo
- Treadmill
- Walking
- Work on buttock and thigh area

What to eat and how to adjust your diet somewhat to accommodate and support some of the work that you are doing on the exercise front to let the shape come to its full potential:

DO NOT:

- EAT or consume lots of empty calories - convenience, junk, fried or fast food
- Have trans-fats in your diet
- Skip any of your meals

DO:

- Eat lots of protein and carbohydrates (grains, granola, nuts, dried fruits)
- Fats and healthy oils (as much as 30% of total intake calories)

It follows that many feel that your body type, shape and physical characteristics and feature can oftentimes greatly affect the nature, intensity, type and duration, frequency and effectiveness of your exercise routines, workouts and regimen overall.

Body types can also refer to the appearance of the body shape, namely pear (fat stored below, lower waist, hips and thigh areas), apple (fat stored in mid-section, above waist) or ‘banana’ (more slender – fat evenly distributed).

Body shape or type are just parts of the large puzzle in question here for either fitness training, weight loss and management and overall toning, sculpting and functioning.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Sports Fitness Basics

Sports Basics
by: Robert D’Souza


Sports are fun but if you are really serious about making it a part of your life and excel then the importance of sports nutrition is not new to you.

Many sportsmen believe that proper nutrition is a key factor in making those rapid improvements in their performance.

Almost all of the professional sportsmen have a diet specifically written for them and customized. You can do the same to excel in your chosen sports.

The statement “You are what you eat” is perfect for sportsmen.

A properly customized diet will help you increase your energy reserves, train harder,

and compete better at all levels.

Energy

Carbohydrates are the number. 1 fuel your body needs. Supplying it in sufficient amounts both before and after sports routines will help you perform a lot better and increases you stamina.

Use of simple carbohydrates is recommended. Avoid simple sugars which provides

Waste calories.

Proteins are a great way to improve your muscle building process. Almost all sports require you to have strong muscles. Protein is the king in the kingdom of muscle building.

A few tips

1—Focus on high carbohydrate foods. Your muscles depend on carbohydrates for glycogen synthesis.

2—Eat a high protein meal after your sports routine. This helps you build muscles and make them stronger for the next sports training session.

3—Drink adequate amounts of water. Keep away from soft drinks for quenching your thirst. They will eat your system away. Slowly but surely.

4—Eat foods rich in potassium, such as bananas, oranges, potatoes and raisins.

5—Take adequate rest in the form of 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

Before a sports competition

· 2-3 days prior increase your carbohydrate intake.

Also creatine is a very useful supplement. Enough reserves help you develop amazing endurance.

· Drink plenty of fluids. 2-3 cups of water with every meal and keep sipping in between meals. Never go thirsty.

Keep track of your weight as well. Losing weight on vigorous sports routines is well documented and therefore regular checking is very essential.

Keep the above points in mind and your performance will sky rocket.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

OFF THE ICE

By: Tal Dunker

Have you ever tried matching up a hockey player of our time, with the NHL player of 20 or 30 years ago? Just looking at the way they are built tells the story of how important off-ice training has become for the performance of hockey players.

In the past, ice hockey players used to train almost entirely on the ice; the awareness for how important off-ice training is was close to zero. Nowadays, this has changed dramatically. Ice hockey training has spread off the ice to build muscle mass, develop speed and agility, increase stamina, increase slapshot power, and avoid injuries.

Awareness has also risen for offseason training. It's not enough to come to training camp after lazing all summer, and start your conditioning from there; Training camp is the platform that decides the fate of players for the entire season, as teams select their rosters. In this day and age, players have to come to training camp in shape.

So what's the difference between ice hockey and other sports when it comes to conditioning?

Well, ice hockey is almost like no other sport in the variety of skills it demands - skills that are so different in nature. It's played on a different surface from other sports, which in itself requires adjustments in training and conditioning programs. It requires great stamina and power in the lower body for good skating - the bread and butter of the game; Quick hands for stick-handling; Strong arms for powerful shots; and massive upper-body to take and (preferably) dish out hits, while doing all the other things.

That's why ice hockey needs its own system of conditioning off the ice; in order to bring all these skills to their peak, you need a training and conditioning program that is specifically designed for ice hockey. If you go wrong and neglect one of these skills, your performance will suffer.

And what about ice hockey training for children? If you are a parent of a hockey-playing child, you should know that just like in anything else in life, an investment in him on her during childhood will influence his or her entire life later. If your child is conditioned properly at a young age, it will affect his or her entire ice hockey career.

of course, conditioning a child has its own set of rules; it's not the same as conditioning a teenager or an adult. The training program should be not only hockey-specific, but also match the trainee's age.

Now such a program exists in the form of an ebook. Written by a former NHL player who is also a certified fitness coach, and divided into different age groups, it provides you with everything an ice hockey player needs in order to be properly trained and conditioned off-ice.

www.squidoo.com/train-for-hockey
Tal Dunker

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, ANGLE and APPROACH TO FITNESS, MOVEMENT and EXERCISE

There are numerous exercise programs customized for and around the three body types, even customized for combination-type bodies and needs. We will take a couple of quick overviews of how these two things EXERCISE and BODY TYPES work together effectively to get you success and results.

THE WONDER OF OUR HUMAN BODIES

We are designed and put together to move. The human system and body works with and through balance and equilibrium, to function optimally. It has to be in motion to be at its best. We need to burn calories and be on the move to stay in shape and optimal health. This premise and argument, makes exercise a necessity, not a luxury!
The dynamics and activity range of motion and workouts that we put our bodies through can affect a lot of aspects, like health, longevity and even fitness levels.

Exercise is one of the most natural, if not the main way we have to:

Build muscles

Get rid of excess weight

Improve your appearance (physique)

Let your body be all that it can be

Optimize our body’s full potential

Overall well-being

Regularly burns calories

Vary our routines to get the best from every aspect and characteristic of our body/type
Where we can put what nature has given and provided us to great use!
Customized fitness plan and diet/nutrition based on body type, are great ways to get and stay in shape.

Each and every one of us needs a variety and variation in our exercise plans, a wide range, or specific types of workouts and diets, fit to our physical characteristics.
If you have to look at yourself in the mirror, find the characteristics that are the closest to what you/others see, observe and think fits you to a tee:


BODY TYPE # 1: ENDOMORPH

HOW TO TELL – YOUR DIAGNOSTIC CHEATSHEET

Cannot lose weight or fat easily, Curves (visible), Fear of bulking up if doing too much exercise or weight training, Gaining muscle quickly, Look fit overall, No weight training typically done , Pear-shaped physique and appearance, Round,Soft, Some initial exercise suggestions for this body type or shape:

1 exercise per body part

2 sets with a weight with 10-12 repetitions.

Boosting metabolism

Burning calories and fat (aerobic/high cardio)

Cardiovascular workout

Circuit and full body strength training

Compound exercises might also to the trick

Exercise with rest periods in-between

Light weight training will do wonders for this type of physique

Priorities include building strength/muscle, changing the shape a bit for optimal functioning

Regimen or workout frequency:

Result: Body Shaping, toning and sculpting are top priorities and outcomes with persistence and disciplined work

Recommended work could include:
20 Minute Full-out Aerobic Body Workout

Cross-trainer
High Low Sculpt Class
Interval Step Class
Spinning Class
Tae-Bo or kickboxing classes
Treadmill Walking w/Incline
Walking Uphill
Weight loss Workouts
What to eat and how to adjust your diet somewhat to accommodate and support some of the work that you are doing on the exercise front to let the shape come to its full potential:

DO NOT:
eat a lot of sugar, starch and carbohydrates

DO:
TAKE IN LOTS OF FIBER AND STAY HYDRATED
LOWER all fat consumption to less than 20% of your total intake
LOAD UP on fresh foods, fruits and vegetables
EAT smaller meals throughout the day to keep your bodily functioning at its optimal level.

GOLF BASICS

FREE GOLF BASICS

Learning the basics of playing golf for free is very simple. As a means of getting you started, I will give you a few quick ideas right now on getting your golf game for free. It is not as difficult as you might think and you do not necessarily have to be a celebrity to enjoy this benefit.

First of all, you can become a professional golf ‘escort’. This method is not new to the average golfer. You can actually play golf for free doing something that businessmen and women do every day. This is one of the ways that you can actually get paid to play golf every day. If it pleases you, you can use this method as a full time business.

Golf is becoming one of the most important and most profitable sports in the United States right now. This is a trend that excellent golfers like Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia have helped spur on. Young golfers like them have ushered in a brand new era of young golfers, and with them a great deal more popularity.

Did you know for instance, that around 40% of all of the money that is spent on sports in the United States is given to golf? It’s true; in fact, golf has become so popular that businesses across the world are using golf as a marketing tool.

What this means is that businesses also have a responsibility to make golf more entertaining for the golfers that are playing. Today’s businessmen don’t really have time to play a few games with their clients like they used to. The days when business people played a few holes for their high end clients are gone. This is where the professional golf escort comes in handy.

How many times have you heard or seen someone say that they like to mull over their business decisions over a game of golf? This is quite common, however today’s business person often have enough on their plates just conducting business.

Golf is just something that they don’t have time for. This market is gigantic in the business world because as so many decisions are made over a game of golf, so business people need someone who can spend the time in the day to play the game.

That’s where you come in. How it works is that these businesses will hire you to play the golf games with their clients when they can’t do it. Not only will you get to play golf on the business’ dime, but you will actually get paid to do it.

Does this sound too good to be true? Not even close. This is how I earn my living, and you can too! It’s very simple; you just set yourself up as a person who will provide an escort to business clients.

Let's Hit It

Hitting The Ball

There are rules about how you are allowed to hit the ball as well. It is legal to hit the ball with your fingers or with your racket hand as long as it is below the wrist. You can hit the ball with any part of the racket as well.

This allows for several ways to return the ball to the other player including returning it by hitting it with the back of your racket hand as well as hitting it with the handle of the bat. In addition, hitting it with the edge of the racket instead of the rubber is allowable.

Yet, you do have to make sure of a few key details. For example, your racket must be in your hand when you touch the ball. If you drop the racket and then hit the ball with your hand, this is not allowed.

It is considered a double hit if the ball hits your racket and then hits your fingers or vice versa. If this happens, you will lose a point. But, if they hit at the same time, it is allowable. The umpires have to be very clear on this!

You also must maintain control over the racket. That means that you can not throw the racket at the ball. Your hand must stay in contact with the racket at all times.

The free hand or the hand that does not hold the racket can be troublesome for many to control. That's because, often, it is the free hand that can be ruled in violation of the game play.

There is no rule that says that both hands can not be used to hold the racket, although some believe that only one hand is allowable. The only time when this is not allowed is during the service when you must have a free hand. The free hand must be used to hold the ball before you can service it.

As part of the game, you are allowed only one rest period that can be as long as one minute and happens only between games. During this time, you must leave the racket on the table unless the umpire allows you to remove it from the table.

In addition, you are allowed one time out period of up to one minute during a match. If you are part of a team, only one time out is allowed per team. But, both teams are allowed one time out each.

Finally, you should also be given a warm up period prior to the start of play. This warm up period should be about two minutes of practice time on the table. You do not have to play this time against your opponents. You can not warm up any longer than this.

Did you know that during a competition it will be necessary for you to dress appropriate and according to the rules? This means you are not allowed to wear any type of tracksuit during the match unless the umpire allows for it. In addition, it is considered okay to wear bike shorts under others but they should be the same color and this too is up to the referee or umpire to decide on.

These are the basic rules of the game of table tennis. There are much more in depth rules to consider as well. For a full list, visit the ITTF Handbook which is found on their website. This provides a full amount of instruction for you to use. Yet, with these rules you are ready to go!

Monday, October 8, 2007

Exercise And Body Type

A PRACTICAL APPROACH USING EXERCISE AND BODY-TYPE
A personal exercise plan- customized according to body-type – HOW TO GO ABOUT IT


It becomes quite apparent that body type and exercise are intrinsically linked and correlated.

DO NOT TRY AND HIDE OR DENY IT!

It does not matter what our age, culture, dimensions, weight, conditioning, physique, we are one of or a combination of these basic ‘body types’. It is inherent in all of us, and in our genetic coding and heritage!

Get to know your own type and preferences – it is of utmost importance that your self-awareness and knowledge about what works and what does not for you figure into any fitness routine or exercise regimen that you undertake.

The classification system might be old, yet it is highly general and applicable, with individualization and customization to your specific needs paramount and quite possible (we would argue essential!).

We have to appreciate our strenghts and weaknesses, natures natural bounty and not need to be something we are not likely to be or achieve or strive to look like somebody else , which is highly unlikely too! Being realistic in our own expectation is key too. Skinny, beefy or ripped – it might not all be destined for you!

A combination approach to diet, exercise and even weight, core or strength-training is the best approach for a balanced process and realistic outcome that is best of you, regardless of your condition today!

You are born with and pre-dispositioned, endowed with certain physical properties and generics, which you can neither deny, fight or change! Your inherent ‘structure’ or frame will remain the same. What you put and accumulate on that frame is where your action-plan comes in, combining in its essence both exercise and body type, to get the best results, from synergy from both elements and dimensions.

You need to start of by also asking the right type of questions, like, what is it that your body in fact needs? This will guide you as to what types of exercises will in fact be best for your case, needs and circumstances.

There are different types of exercises with different types of outcomes.

Cardio, aerobics, burn fat better (walking, running, rowing) Low effort for long periods – to lose fat, the endomorphs might actaully consider doing more for longer to get the desired result or effect. Slow metabolisms and excess weight make it harder to do, bringing their overall fitness levels down a notch or two.

Muscle toning burns carboydrates, not fat, strengthening and sculpting. More repetitions and intensity is required for short periods of time to get the optimal result, (push ups, chin ups, squat thrusts, power jumps).

Weight training good for all three the types – buildling muscle and burning fat (the perfect balance and combination for optimal result(s).

Effective fat and weight loss will only occur with realization, recognition and awareness, focused work based on these categorizations, cues, clues and body types characterizations out there. It helps you think differently about what to do, when, how often, for how long to get the results that you ultimately want, need, desire and deserve!

WHAT THIS ALL MEANS FOR A PERSONAL EXERCISE REGIMEN

For ENDOMORPHS who sport a solid bone-structure, are big boned and larger in stature, a chubby, roundish face, larger than normal lower, thicker trunk and thighs MORE work and patience will be required to get to the visible desireable results from exercise, diet and weight loss, maintenance and toning.

This type is particularly challenged in that they carry around a high percentage of bodily FAT. They are most challenged losing it around the midsection portions of their bodies.
Weight maintenance and contol will always be an ongoing battle and if you know that, you can plan and work with and around it.

ONE WORD: DETERMINATION = prerequisite!

The good news for ALL body types – YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND USE/TRAIN YOUR BODY TO LOSE WHEN AND WHERE IS HAS TO EFFECTIVELY BY TARGETING IT SPECIFICALLY AND WORKING IN A PARTICULAR MANNER TO GET THE RESULTS NEEDED.


Your Ad Here

Sunday, October 7, 2007

GOLFER'S MONEY

MAKE MONEY WHILE OTHERS PLAY GOLF

You can be the most hardcore golfer on the planet, but eventually even you will be burned out and have to take a break. Sooner or later you are going to have to let others play the game while you take a rest. This is when you will need to get others to play with the clients on your behalf.

A good example of time when you will need to have someone else play for you is if you have two or more clients who will need you to play on the same day at the same time. This can be complicated.

Now you can get someone else to play on your behalf. This will ensure that you don’t have to turn down any clients and you will also not loose any potential future business from these people.

You may have to search around for a bit, but you can certainly find many people who love golf just as much as you do that will be happy to play for free. My suggestions for this would be to do the following when looking for the right candidate:

· Play a few rounds with potentials to get a feel for their skills and etiquette when playing golf
· Be sure that you know that you can trust the hopefuls and that you establish 100% confidence with them
· Ask if they require payment for their services. (Make sure that if they do you do not offer more than half of what you get for the services. After all, you brought the client in you should get something.)

If you can find the right person or people to represent you, it will guarantee you the time off that you may need. You can take time off for vacations etc and still make some money. This will ensure that your life will be more than a happy one! Of course, that is not all that you can do to get paid while watching others play golf. There is much more. Let’s look at those next.

Becoming a mystery golfer
Have you ever heard of a mystery shopper? These are people who receive many perks that allow them to shop for free while being paid for their services at the same time. Mystery golfing is very similar to this. Let’s look at the FAQ about mystery golfers.

Q: What is a mystery golfer?
A: A mystery golfer is someone who loves the game of golf. They are hired to monitor the staff and players while playing a round. They monitor the pro shops, the staff, and the player’s experiences.

When the day is done, the mystery golfer will fill out a report about what they saw and experienced while at the club or on the course. Some of the perks to doing this are that you get paid to be on the course and you can free things as well such as: merchandise, meals, hotel stays, golf games, and more; depending on the services that the club offers.

Q: Why would they pay me to play golf?
A: Golf club owners are more than willing to pay for mystery golfers because it will help them to learn from a behind the scenes perspective just what their players, and staff think about their services and how their business is being run. The services that you provide for them will be invaluable to them.

Staff members and players are never told of what you are doing for the club owners and you are always assured anonymity. You may also be evaluating a club for an outside source which means that no one at the club will know about what you are doing. Many clubs do not even have a clue that they are being evaluated.

This way it is guaranteed that you will get a real perspective of the club and not a show that they staff puts on for you. Mystery golfing is meant to provide you with a real experience of a particular club in an unbiased way.

It is your job as a mystery golfer to give a full and complete assessment of the club and its staff and services. Doing so will keep the clubs working to maintain its popularity with guests and keep staff doing their jobs. They will never be alerted to your presence so you can conduct your job in peace. And in return club owners will get much needed critique of their clubs from an unbiased and inside perspective.

Q: How do I know if I qualify to be a mystery golfer?
A: First of all, you have to love golf. Of course, you will also have to be willing to view this job as a way to improve a club’s services and not just as a way to play free golf and get some money.

You should also be an experienced golfer if you really want to do well. Of course it helps to have the following qualities be a part of your overall make-up so that you can be asked back again. These qualities are:

· Objectivity

· Reliability

· Consistency

· Punctuality

· Detail oriented

· Unbiased

· Confidentiality

In order to perform this job well, you need to be a professional and behave as one. You will also need to fair and honest in your critiques. There is no need to be rude or overly critical. You will get more work if you are proven to be dependable.

Cure Athlete's Foot

5 Killer Ways To Treat Athlete’s Foot by: Daphne Cameron

If you’ve got an itch on your foot that you can’t help scratching, then you might have a dreaded case of athlete’s foot. But there’s no need to worry because here are five ways that you can treat yourself—no doctor and no prescriptions needed.

Head over to the store

Your best cure for athlete’s foot might be available at your local grocery mart or drug store. Look for creams and ointments that contain clotrimazole or miconazole as their active ingredient. These are topical creams that can be directly applied to the feet.
All you need to do is reapply the cream after you shower to clean, dry feet and then cover with a pair of cotton socks. The cream should be reapplied two to three times a day after that for about two to three weeks.

Going the natural route

Another great way to treat athlete’s foot is similar to the store method, but with a more natural oil. Tea tree oil is known for its antifungal properties and works to destroy the fungus on the feet.

You’ll need to start with clean and dry feet and then apply the oil to the affected areas. You can do this several times a day for as long as it takes to cure the symptoms.
And it makes your feet smell great.

Cures from the kitchen

When you want to get rid of your athlete’s foot, you may just have to open up a few cupboards. Both baking soda and vinegar have been shown to help with treating this fungal condition—though not at the same time.
For the baking soda, you can soak the feet in a mixture of the powder and warm water. And if you have apple cider vinegar around, use that instead of the baking soda.

Getting your feet clean of fungus

Some will tell you that soaking your feet in bleach is also a good alternative for treating athlete’s foot. However, this has to be done carefully or you might injure your feet. You should only use two tablespoons of regular laundry bleach in a gallon of warm water.
Soak your feet for ten minutes and you can see results within a week’s time.

Scaring away the itchiness and redness

And while garlic is great for vampires, it’s even better for athlete’s foot. This is because the antibiotic ingredients in the garlic help to cure the infection. Just rub a clove of garlic (one that’s been cut in half) over the affected area a few times per day.
But with all of these ways of treating athlete’s foot, the best advice is to avoid getting it in the first place. Make sure that your feet are kept dry and avoid walking on your bare feet in conditions that are likely to harbor the fungus—public showers and shoe stores where you try on the shoes without a barrier.

And of course, good hygiene will always keep your feet clean and happy, and hopefully free from itching.

About The Author
Daphne Cameron is a fitness and wellness coach and owner of http://www.athletes-foot-info.info and http://www.athletes-foot-info.info where you can find useful tips and guides on athletes foot.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

GOOD GOLF EQUIPMENT

HOW TO GET CHEAP GOLF EQUIPMENT

It is one thing to get free golf, but what about your golfing equipment? This can get to be extremely expensive. The golf clubs are the most expensive, but considering how much money you spend on tees, balls, gloves and clothing etc. you can wind up broke before you know it. That is why this section is going to show you how to get discounts on all of these things.

The fact of the matter is that there are five major ways that you can get discounts on your golfing equipment. These are: wholesale shopping, finding discount store chains, golf clubs, auctions and buying your equipment online. These are the most popular ways to getting discount golfing equipment. Let’s have a closer look at them.

Wholesale Shopping

This is perhaps the most common method for getting anything at a discount, and golf equipment is not an exception. Buying things at wholesale prices basically just means that you will be paying less than the retail asking price. Many stores as well as sellers will give you this discount price because the merchandise is out of season.

When a product is considered out of date or season it is often harder to sell, since many golfers take the game very seriously; they want the top of the line in equipment. This means that they will be looking to buy seasonal items. However, for the thrifty buyer, like you; seasonal is not a necessity as much as discounts are.

This is when you can get the best buy for your money. Of course there is a disadvantage to buying items wholesale which is that sometimes the equipment is slightly irregular or has a defect of some sort. For example, your clubs might have scratches or dents in them.

This is a part of the buyer beware section of wholesale shopping. If these small defects are ok with you, you can really enjoy the money you will save with this method. That can often make the entire process of buying wholesale equipment worth the small risk.

Discount Store Chains

There are many discounting store chains and separate places that offer great clearance and discount prices on golfing equipment. Just about ever store nowadays has to offer you some sort of discount option, but these stores specialize in discounts. Consider them the “Wal-Mart” of golf equipment.

You can find most of these stores in your area yellow pages or online. There are many great deals that you can come across for getting good discounts on new and name brand equipment. You can find excellent deals on great high end products that are priced at a fraction of what they would cost you at a high end retailer.

Online shopping

You can find some of the best deals on golfing equipment from a variety of online resources. There are millions of golfing websites that are offering you tools and tips on golfing. You can get all of the name brand equipment at extremely competitive prices.

All you need to is type in what you are looking for and a variety of websites will appear. You can often get deals on rental fees as well when you shop at certain online resources. I will be providing you with a directory of great golfing resources and links to getting cheap and discount golfing equipment at the end of this guide.

When you shop online I will advise you that you have some advantages and disadvantages; I will let you see them right now:

Advantages

- You can shop in the privacy of your own home

- You have a wider selection of equipment and brands to choose from

- You can get reviews on the products from other consumers like you

- You often will receive extra tips and even free services or discounts from shopping online

- You can review many different stores at once

Disadvantages

- There is the possibility that you might not get what you ordered

- You may not receive your item

- They may not have a return policy

- Shipping costs may outweigh the discount

- The website may not be legitimate

As you can see there are both high points and low points in shopping online. There are some very useful methods that you can use to ensure that when you shop online, you will be getting the best deals as well as the right equipment. These tips are invaluable in ensuring that you enjoy your online shopping experience and to ensure that you are completely satisfied. The tips can be found below:

Make sure that you buy from sites that offer secure buying. Check for the Verisign logo

Be sure to read the fine print such as ‘privacy, terms of service etc.’

Be sure to read the return policy

Check the shipping costs so that you will know if the discount is worth more than the shipping costs and handling fees

Try to check out sites that offer consumer reviews
Beijing Plays Energy Cleanup for 2008 Olympics by: James Finch

In Seoul, South Korea, public officials pressured food vendors to stop selling roasted canines during the 1988 Olympiad to avoid giving the city and country a bad name among the tourists. Beijing has a more serious problem. It is one of the more toxic and polluted cities in the world. This calls for a different recipe – using more natural gas in the ramp up time before the 2008 Olympics, which will be held about 13 months from now. Our sources had suggested coalbed methane gas might be used to light the Olympic flame. Boldly, we included a ‘fantasy’ photo of this in the introduction to our publication, “Investing in China’s Energy Crisis.” How close to the truth we came! Further research pointed to a widespread substitution of coal for natural gas in Beijing over the course of the next year. Now it appears official. Earlier this week, China Petroleum Daily reported that state-owned China National Petroleum Corp is hoping to increase Beijing’s supply of natural gas by 5.5 billion cubic meters by next year. Crude oil refiner Sinopec hopes to provide low-sulfur gasoline, through its Yanshan refinery, to help reduce smog levels from Beijing's explosive growth in automobile use. Natural gas will be used instead of coal to fuel Beijing’s electric power plants, water heaters and cookers. Some cabs and buses will be running on natural gas and coalbed methane gas. This won’t be a first for China. We covered CBM-powered taxicabs in a previous article and later discovered the practice has been spreading across China. Not only did Jiangxi first connect its coalbed methane to its power station in early June, but (as we have been forecasting) the big China energy companies have made CBM a top priority. China National Petroleum (CNPC) has begun exploring a new CBM field in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region earlier this week. This has little to do with the Olympics, because the well fields won’t be producing before the games commence, but it confirms CBM is quickly becoming an integral strategy in China’s energy mix. The Olympics is just a reminder that Beijing and China are getting serious about using cleaner fuels to power the country’s rapid GDP growth while also getting even more serious about reducing the country’s abysmal pollution. COPYRIGHT © 2007 by http://StockInterview.com

About The Author
James Finch contributes to http://StockInterview.com and other publications. He has contributed to the widely popular “Investing in the Great Uranium Bull Market,” and “Uranium Outlook 2007 - 2008.” His recent work, “Investing in China’s Energy Crisis,” is now available at http://bookstore.stockinterview.com/


This article was posted on July 06, 2007
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Table Tennis For Beginners

Basic Concepts Of The Game

Now that you have the equipment that you need to play the game you can move on to playing the game. The good news is that it doesn't have to be hard to play.
The first thing to do is to get out on your table and give it a try. Get used to the amount of pressure and movements that it takes to get the ball over the net. You'll want to try and control the ball with each movement that you make. While you will not master the game like this, you will get an idea of the feel of the ball hitting the paddle and the way in which you need to hold the paddle.

The Rules

All games have rules and the rules of table tennis can become quite complex. Yet, there are several rules that are the most important to learn. Once you have learned the rules of the game, you'll be able to develop strategies to win it using those rules.

One element that makes the game of table tennis so confusing in the terms of rules is that the ITTF, the governing body over the sport, actually changes the rules quite often. You can learn more about rule changes by visiting their website, of course.

Let's start with the rules on the Racket. As mentioned, the racket must be black on one side and red on the other side. You can have a racket that only has one rubber side. If this is the case, you can not use that side of the racket to hit the ball during game play. Still, both sides should be contrasting colors.

In addition, if you are competing through the league, you will need to show that the rubber has been ITTF approved, and therefore you should be sure to purchase a paddle that has this marking.

The edges of the rubber must be free from tears or damage. But, small tears and chips in the other parts of the rubber are okay. These rips and tears can not be so bad that they can cause any disruption of the game play. The umpire of the game will make the call as to how much is too much damage on your racket before competition begins.

At the start of the game, both players have the right to ask to look at the others bat. At that time you must show it to him. If during the game play the bat is damaged beyond repair you can request that the umpire allow you to switch to a new racket, but they do not have to do this.

In order to score a point, you must not make the wrong move. For example, you are not allowed to move the table in any way. In addition, you can not touch the net assembly. You can not put your free hand on the playing surface during any part of game play. If you do not move the table, you can jump on the table or sit on it, as long as the table remains steady. Your free hand can touch the end of the table so long as you touch only the side and not the top of the table.

Services Rules

Service rules are one element of the game that changes the most in terms of the ITTF. The goal is to give the receiver of the serve the best opportunity to hit the ball and then return it. What is important here is that the receiver of the ball has to see how the ball is being placed, spun or otherwise notice what is happening to the ball.

One key rule then is that the ball must be clearly visible to the receiver of the ball the whole time that the ball is being served. It can not be hidden. It is illegal to place your hand below the table when service or any other part of your ball. The receiver must be able to see the ball.

For a ball toss, the ball must be thrown upwards without any type of spin to it. It should be virtually vertical. It must rise at least 16cm from where your hand releases it, not by raising the ball higher with your hand first.

When the ball is on the way down from the toss, the ball can be hit. It can not be hit on the way up. In addition, the ball has to be above the playing surface and it must be behind the endline during the service. You do have to do this including the time of contact. You can have the bat out of view, though.

Warnings And Faults

The umpire is free to make warnings when he needs to but there is no requirement that he must issue a warning before calling a fault. Usually this is only when the umpire is doubtful that the serve was legal that a warning will be issued. When there is a fault, the fault will be called, without any warning.

Generally, when a warning is called, it is one warning per match, meaning that it is not one type of warning per type of incident that is called. One warning only is given.

Another problem area to know about is obstruction of the ball. The only time that this happens is if the player touches the ball when the ball is above the playing surface, or when the ball is traveling towards the playing service and hasn't yet touched the side of the court.