A Great Question!
July 31, 2006
It’s a question that we went back and forth with for awhile ourselves many moons ago. The “how” and “why” of our conclusions may be of some interest. Whether or not anyone agrees with them, well at the least you’ll fully understand the basis for them.
The question is this:
Why does Fairbairn stress the straight thumb in line with the barrel, even for one handed shooting?
Years ago when we first began our attempt to sort out the mechanics, methods and reasoning behind this type of shooting we had the exact same question! It really is an excellent question.
We need a little history here. When a group of us started to “experiement” with this method of shooting we had all been indoctrinated and trained in one or both of the prevailing “practical” shooting methods extant. One being the “cutting edge method” of the time, that owing to Jeff Cooper and the methods being taught at Gunsite. The other being the fairly standard FBI clone known as the “Practical Pistol Course”. Most police recruit training of this period emphasized the PPC tactical course of fire over any other method, including the much touted “Weaver”. Full sight alignment, “positive” grip with a two-hand “isoceles”, barricade firing with both single and double action(most departments carried wheel guns) all done at varying distancesand various battery firing positions. The only time ANYTHING approaching “instinct” shooting was even mentioed was at the six foot range distance when passing commentary went something like…….”Maybe you won’t be able to get the gun all the way up, so……………”
Your Health is Important Get Fit For Life
July 31, 2006
Choosing fitness equipment for your personal use can be a rather daunting task. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing ads that promise or imply that if you buy their exercise product and use it for 10-20 minutes a day you will have a slimmer trimmer body. We all want to look better but be wary, check around, and see if you can find any test results on this product.
Before embarking on a fitness or exercise program check with your physician to be sure the program or equipment you are considering, is safe for you. Find out what the makers of a particular piece of fitness equipment claims it can do and check it out. There are web sites where you can find the results of testing, often these tests use several brands of say stationary bikes, for durability ease of use, and performance. Ask other users, a personal trainer or a coach at your local gym.
When you go out shopping for fitness equipment, wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Be sure to " take a test drive’ on any piece of equipment that you are considering. Any retailer that refuses to let you try out a piece of equipment that you may want to buy, is not one you want to do business with.
3 Simple Golf Tips To Quickly Improve Your Distance
July 30, 2006
Every golfer wants to know the secret golf tip to improve their distance. The secret, is there is NO secret. It’s common sense, and treating golf like a sport. The golf swing is not for the weak and feeble anymore.
Any golf tips you hear to improve distance should somehow be directly or indirectly related to the physical side of the golf swing. I mean?don’t you think the swing puts a tremendous amount of pressure on your body, especially your lower back?
To alleviate this pain and quickly improve your distance takes strength and stretching, specific to your body and your golf swing.
So the quick fixes (band aides) you hear in all the magazines and on the golf channel are short-term fixes. You won’t be able to consistently duplicate it until you improve your physical limitations.
So let’s get to these simple, yet valuable tips.
Tip #1:
Perform a dynamic warm-up prior to the first tee. Don’t ever skip it. It is more important than hitting balls before you play. How many times do you see a professional athlete go on the field and start playing? Never. That’s my point.
Are You Making This Cardio Mistake?
July 30, 2006
Are you exercising for long periods of time to try to burn fat? If you’re like most people you probably are, but there is a better way. It’s called "high intensity interval training" (HIIT) and lately it has started to become pretty famous for its obvious health benefits.
–So What Exactly Are The Benefits?
1. Major Increase in Fat Loss. In a study done by Tremblay et al, two groups were assigned different training regimines. Group A performed the regular moderate intensity cardio (like jogging or bicycling) for 20 weeks and Group B performed a HIIT routine for 15 weeks. In the end the results of each group were recorded. Group B lost nine times more fat than Group A and in 5 weeks less (1)!
2. Increased Lactic Acid Threshold. Lactic acid is that burning sensation you feel when you work a muscle really hard. You’re lactic acid threshold is how fast your body can remove the lactic acid in your muscles. The higher the lactic acid threshold, the harder you can work your muscles before they get tired.
3. Increased peak power, or the maximum amount of energy available for a sustained period of time (2)(3)(4).
Fitness the Goddess Way: Movement vs. Exercise
July 29, 2006
I was excited to hear the esteemed speakers at the Fall 2004 Omega Institute Conference. The "biggies" of the women’s movement such as Gloria Steinem, today’s best-selling authors and who’s who of empowering women doing inspiring work were. Lucky me!
During one of the panels on body-image, Jane Fonda, the American icon of fitness, who we all look at and wonder what it must be like to have such a "perfect" body, said it has taken her until age 61 to grow to love her body.
I was dumbfounded. "Good God, I don’t want to wait that long!" I thought. And hot damn! If SHE has body image issues, and her body is "perfect" by today’s standards, then this is really pointless.
(By the way, Ms. Fonda doesn’t look a day over 44 with a body of a 20 year old aerobics instructor)
Powerful and successful women of all ages shared the same thing; their complete lack of love and gentleness toward their body leads them to spend a large part of their lives in a constant struggle and battle with it.
3 Easy Changes to Shave Strokes from Your Golf Game
July 29, 2006
Here are 3 easy golf tips that will immediately give you a better swing and improve your hitting! It did for me almost instantly once I got the feel of it.
I went from hitting maybe one fairway per round and not being able to hit my driver to hitting the vast majority of fairways off the tee while still enjoying the extra distance of using my driver. This is exciting stuff for a mid to high handicapper…so read on.
Golf Tip #1 - Be certain that you are taking the club back by turning your shoulders NOT picking up your hands.
By taking the club back in a “one piece” takeaway, which only means that your shoulders start the turn back and your arms, hands and thus club follow in one piece - by doing this you will automatically put the golf club on the proper swing plane. So long as you do not try to help the club do its job, you will be well down the path to a more solid swing and consistent hits with this tip alone.
Are You Willing To Follow Eight Yoga Exercises For the Lower Back?
July 28, 2006
EXERCISES FOR BACK RELIEF
Many people believe that rest is best for a painful back, but actually, what your back really needs when it’s hurt is exercise. Regular exercise relieves back pain by strengthening and stretching the muscles that support the spine and helps to prevent future injury. This is a use it or lose it situation: the more you rest, the weaker your back gets, even if it is hurt. Studies have actually shown that you can heal your back pain faster and get back to your regular activities with just two days of rest. This article will focus on Yoga Exercises. Remember to contact your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
YOGA EXERCISES FOR YOUR BACK
The Importance Of Sets In Your Muscle Building Program
July 28, 2006
In an earlier article we looked at how repetitions contribute to the muscle building process, but is the position regarding sets just as clear cut? Unfortunately, the answer to this is no as some experts feel one set to failure is sufficient, whereas others argue that multiple sets are needed to ensure maximum muscle gains.
Research to date suggests that, when using six to eight repetitions to failure at 75-80% 1RM, there is little significant difference between training with single and multiple sets in terms of increasing either strength or muscle size. Any small differences that have been recorded indicate that a single set completed to failure encourages strength gains but subsequent sets have a slightly greater impact on muscle size. What is clear is that the law of diminishing returns applies, so you have to question if the marginal improvements in size justify the extra time and effort expended.
Like everything else in life, bodybuilding does not remain static and several cutting edge experts have redefined the boundaries of achievement. Increasingly, serious athletes are using methods that extend the set beyond the point of failure. This involves forcing the muscle to perform more work despite having experienced failure in the previous rep. In practice, you perform one last forced repetition with the help of a training partner.
How Do The Golf Pros Train?
July 27, 2006
Many of the top touring professionals know that winning on the tour today takes much more than a great game of golf. It means understanding every aspect of their physical and mental being and what factors influence their performance.
Before any golfer, pro or otherwise, picks up a club, they look at the capability of their body versus the requirements of the swing.
What exactly does this mean?
Most of us are aware that golf requires rotation at the hip joints, shoulder joints and spine. So, what if a golfer has a very tight low back or any restrictions in their shoulders? Well, the obvious answer is that any loss of range of motion creates swing flaws in addition to injuries. This is a fact based on human performance and movement. It is also necessary to create a fluid and natural golf swing. Not only does golf require good rotation at each joint, but it must be efficient and explosive.
Last fall I had the opportunity to visit such a human performance center where some of the more famous tour players train. I was able to explore the same tests they take as part of their initial assessment period. Remember since we are all built differently and have different strengths and weaknesses, we all test differently.
Treadmill Training!
July 27, 2006
According to the Sports Goods Manufacturers Association, treadmills are the #1 home-fitness item, outdistancing stair-climbers, stationery bicycles, rowing machines and cross-country skiers. In fact, some surveys indicate that nearly 40 million Americans run on treadmills.
Marathoners use treadmills, so do collegiate runners, soccer moms, lunchtime joggers and legions of senior citizens who are eager to get in shape and keep in shape. And according to the research firm American Sports Data, women, forever dedicated to self-improvement, are purchasing 75% of the new home treadmills being sold. It’s easy for women to incorporate a home treadmill into an existing exercise program as an alternative to outdoor running. Or, a treadmill can easily be the centerpiece of a fitness plan, providing excellent cardio-vascular benefits all by itself.
The "smart money" knows that an investment in a good home treadmill will pay off with big dividends in a variety of areas:
IT’S A SURE THING
It doesn’t matter if you’re weathering a snowstorm in Nome, Alaska or a heat wave in Tallahassee, Florida, your treadmill is always ready to take you a few miles closer to good health. Let the mailman worry about snow, or rain or dark of night, with a treadmill, you can run whenever you like.
