Golf Injury Prevention
April 25, 2008
A golf injury is one of the most common issues with all amateur golfers. But having adequate strength and flexibility of muscles and joints and participating in effective training technique, can also prevent a golf injury.
Well-conditioned limbs and joints that are under control when the stresses of the swing are encountered will greatly reduce risk of a golf injury.
If your body motion is out of control when you execute the swing, the muscles and tendons have little room for error. The result is likely a tear or strained tendon or ligament?keeping you off the course indefinitely.
The golf swing is a complicated movement (skill). In order to maximize your distance and power, you must have a high level of flexibility (range of motion) and force in the joints involved. This would include the shoulders, back and hips.
And when looking at the areas of a golf injury, the above mentioned areas are at the top of the list. Go figure!
Keep in mind that with an above average level of strength and flexibility and swing technique, you will not only reduce the occurrence of a golf injury, but also enhance the quality of your game.
5 Big Reasons to Buy Adjustable Dumbbells
April 25, 2008
Just imagine if you could replace a room full of weight machines with one piece of fitness equipment without it costing you an arm or a leg! Well adjustable dumbbells might just be the solution you’ve been looking for.
Adjustable dumbbells are one of the best investments you can make in your home gym. If you still need convincing, check out the following 5 reasons why you need to grab your own adjustable dumbbell set.
1. Range of exercises
One of the main advantages of dumbbells over traditional weight machines is that you can perform a number of different exercises without changing machines. You can easily change from doing bicep curls to tricep kickbacks just by changing your body position. So instead of buying 4 different machines to get a total body workout you just need one adjustable dumbbell set.
2. Price
If you look around today you could easily spend $1000’s of dollars on different pieces of exercise equipment just to work different muscle groups. Surprisingly you can get a set of adjustable dumbbells for only $200-$300 depending on the weight of the set. Considering the range of exercises you can perform this is fantastic value for money!
Tai Chi, NOT Chai Tea!
April 24, 2008
Those of you that have either completed a one-on-one program, purchased an on-line program or have read anything else that I have written in the past have most likely determined by now and realize it is quite evident… I am a huge supporter and advocate of integrated and phase-based training as optimized methods of health and fitness technologies/systemologies. And it wasn’t until I started researching Tai Chi as an alternative form of exercise (I have been exercising for three-and-a-half decades consistently) did I understand how such a slow-velocity activity can help decrease blood pressure, reduce stress, help develop a greater degree of coordination and diminish the number of falls experienced by the elderly. The affects of resistance and aerobic type activities and their impact on health is unequivocal. Resistance training improves strength and the development of lean muscle mass, as well as an increase in bone-density and cardiovascular training improves the efficiently of the heart, lungs and circulatory function while decreasing mortality rates. However, over the past few decades, Eastern practices such as Tai Chi and Yoga have complimented mainstream fitness training programs by demonstrating comparable health benefits to traditional fitness training. A closer look at Tai Chi is warranted and yes this is coming from a fitness coach who intrinsically knows and has meticulously practiced and has been the recipient of the absolute benefits of weight bearing exercise for over 30 years.
Golf Strength Training Slows The Aging Process
April 24, 2008
Golf strength training is critical in slowing down the effects of aging. Issues like rapidly declining strength, flexibility, and endurance. The number of golfers who are middle age or older is growing and they all want to play as long as possible.
In order to both slow the aging process AND play longer, you need adequate levels of strength, flexibility, and other physical abilities.
Golfers (and most others) lose as they age. The cause is quite simple. They do not partake in any form of golf strength training exercises to maintain the fitness levels they had early on in life.
It is NEVER too late to improve strength and flexibility. I have worked with golfers in person and via my websites that are in their 70’s and 80’s that have almost doubled their current strength and dramatically improved their flexibility (specific to golf).
Just by doing a simple golf strength training routine a couple of times a week, you will increase the level of strength and other important aspects, and not be as aware of the changes that come with aging. You can’t stop it, but you can slow it down and even reverse it depending on your current level of fitness.
Get Rid of Cellulite, Once and For All!
April 23, 2008
Get Fit At Home With Ailsa : Get Rid of Cellulite
Had it up to here with Cellulite? Want to get rid of it forever, and make your body all lovely and sleek? Yeah, me too, so I when one of my old ‘Gym Boys’ showed me this Exercise years ago, I started doing it al the time, and changed it up a bit to make it work more effectively for me. This is a great Exercise for Women, but I know for a fact that ‘manly men’ do it, too! ha,ha! (Oh, and in case you are thinking something ‘innaccurate’ about the ‘Gym Boy’ thing, that’s just what I used to call all the guys at the gym where I used to work out a lot — it’s a term of endearment, but in no way a reference to anyone I went out with — I either call those guys “that crazy old jerk” or “one of my great old friends”…usually one or the other — sometimes both! ha,ha!)
Get rid of Cellulite once and for all with this very easy and incredibly inexpensive Exercise. It takes about 20 minutes, or so, depending on how many Reps you do (repetitions — ‘Reps’ in Weight Lifting Language…). Pop into www.buildyourownhouse.ca to see pictures of me doing these ‘Anti-Cellulite’ Exercises!
Driving the Distance with Quality Golf Equipment
April 23, 2008
Possibly the most important pieces of golf equipment are your clubs. The official rules declare that a player can have no more than 14 of them in his or her bag, one of which is your putter. That leaves you with only 13 weapons to go to war with, so you better make sure they work.
When it comes to arming yourself with the right clubs, you ought to be honest with yourself about your playing level, the quality of your swing, and exactly what kind of player you are.
Not only will this help you pick irons and woods that match your game. You’ll also end up saving yourself money. For instance, you an save hundreds if you are a beginner golfer, realize this, and buy a cheap starter set of clubs.
To match your golf equipment with your skill level, determine first which category of player you are. There is the low-handicap, mid-handicap, and high-handicap golfer. So you know, a handicap measures how well you typically shoot compared to the average par of an 18-hole golf course.
Experts classify a low-handicap golfer as somebody who shoots, on average, less than an 82 on an average course. That equals 9 or few strokes over par, or a handicap in the single digits
An Alternate Fitness Tool
April 22, 2008
Any competitive or recreational athlete will use a variety of cross-training methods or tools to complement their particular sport or to meet their fitness needs. One such tool that is becoming increasing popular is the Kickbike. The Kickbike is a high end adult version of a scooter. Although new to North America, the Kickbike has been around for about 20 years in Europe and the Netherlands where national and international Eurocups are held yearly establishing national and world records for distances ranging from 200m to 30km.
How does one train on a Kickbike?
The Kickbike is propelled forward by kicking back as you would on any scooter. The only new skill needed is learning how to switch kicking legs. There are two techniques that can be used for switching kicking legs. One is called the "Heel Roll" and the second the "Hop- Step" technique. How often you switch kicking legs is dependant on the person but usually a cadence of 3 to 10 kicks before you switch is normal. When attacking hills your cadence will increase. When descending hills you are best to just stop kicking and enjoy the ride. For those who would like to see both techniques you are invited to visit Kickbike Ontario’s website at www.kickbikeontario.ca were a short 36 second video clip is available.
Arthritis Exercise for All Levels
April 22, 2008
Exercise can be very beneficial for arthritis sufferers, often relieving stiffness in joints, strengthening muscles thereby reducing stress on joints, keeping bone and cartilage tissue strong and healthy, and increasing flexibility. A recommended 30-minute minimum of daily activity is the norm. Before starting any exercise program, it is vital that one speak to their doctor to ensure there are no unseen risks, however you will find that most doctors recommend exercise for their arthritis patients either on their own initiative or when asked.
The types of exercises suggested vary; however, with all types of exercise the warm-up is the starting point. Warming up is best started with applying warm compresses to the joints, followed by mild stretching. Range of motion exercises, such as dance, are a very good start, as are low-impact aerobics. These can relieve stiffness and increase flexibility. Never discount the effectiveness of walking as an exercise. Walking is a great exercise to improve the arthritic condition, and carrying weights as light as one pound and using your arms as you walk can involve the whole body. The "trick" is to make walking interesting enough as an exercise to stay motivated. Try walking in different settings, alternating walking with dance on different days, and of course including a partner can be much more interesting than going at it alone.
Golf Carts — A Surprisingly Large Industry
April 21, 2008
You probably just take them for granted when you play golf, and never think about their origin. I’m talking about golf carts, those miniature vehicles dotting every golf course. However, golf cart production is a multi-million dollar industry and different models abound. They are treated as small cars, and golf-cart companies provide leasing and financing options just as the big car companies do.
Golf originates from a medieval game played on the coast of Scotland during the 15th century. Golfers would hit a pebble instead on a ball around the sand dunes using a stick or club. As time passed, stones were exchanged for man-made balls, the earliest of which were thin leather bags stuffed with feathers. The gutta-percha ball was not invented until 1848 and could be hit a maximum distance of 225 yards. In 1899 rubber balls were invented that could reach distances of 430 yards. Golf sticks evolved into carefully weighted golf clubs, and in the 1880’s golf club bags first became fashionable. The caddie, a servant who carted all the player’s gear aound the golf course, had his burden lessened by the invention of the golf car in the early 1950’s.
What To Do Before Buying A Treadmill
April 21, 2008
Considering buying a treadmill? There are several factors to consider before deciding on which treadmill make and model.
Belt size, speed, horsepower, displays, deck cushioning - all of these aspects can influence your choice from the large number of models available.
A Treadmill can take a real pounding, if you are a serious indoor runner. Runner’s World selected the heavy-duty Precor M9.33 Treadmill as top of its class. Its sturdy construction makes it feel like a treadmill you may find in a health-club, earning the model high marks for ergonomics, an oversized running surface, and an array of features that includes a heart-rate program.
A Precor Treadmill will give you an inch-thick deck and no weight limit, as well as controls that are so touch-sensitive that you don’t have to push on them. Precor’s frame has a lifetime warranty, with a ten-year warranty on all parts and a one-year warranty on labor.
If you have a limited budget, the Smooth 5.0P Treadmill is an outstanding value. Its display panel is highly readable, and it folds up to save space. Incline and speed controls are on the handgrips, which makes adjustments safe and easy. A Smooth Treadmill has a running surface, which is smaller than the Precor’s, however, its 10-year motor warranty is twice as long as the motor warranty on Precor’s.
