We all know that for some reason there are a lot of people that volunteer to be responsible for the grilling and barbecue at every event that has this option, and many times the barbecue is destroyed for a wide variety of reasons, the fire was too strong, the wind increased the fire, the meat was not right etc.
To know how to grill successfully is not about being an expert at all kind of meat grilling and fire building, it is simply keeping some very basic rules to the way you use the grill and some advice regarding the fire. Control of the fire is a basic rule you must keep if you want a better chance of eating a nicely grilled meat, and if fact it is the most difficult to keep, you need to be slow and conscience of what you are doing.
Most people discover that grilling takes much longer than they thought it would, this brings a lot of problems to the barbecue table, the person in charge of the barbecue gets hungry, people come to visit the grill and offer a lot of advice and tips and some people just visit to see how it is doing, because they start getting hungry. The best thing to do is know your plan, find out the time that the meat is expected to be ready, and start the fire 20 minutes ahead of time since increasing the fire is not a problem, but decreasing it might be a very big problem.
Have a little something to eat before you start, or throughout the cooking to keep you focused on the quality and not the time it take to cook, take the meat out from anything that keeps it cool about 30 minutes before you will load it on the grill, this will help the meat to cook ideally.
In most cases you would want the barbecue not to have any fire but only heat and at that point you need to decide if its warm enough, or needs more heat. To increase the heat you can simply blow into the fire or use something you can wave to make it grow, if you want to decrease the fire you can use a small amount of water to kill some extra warm places and reduce the heat, do not use a lot of water because if you do you run a very good chance of killing the fire altogether. If you are unsure about the heat you can place a small piece of meat and wait 10 minutes to see the effect.
Take the fat off the meat before you cook it, the fat can increase the fire when it starts to drip into the barbecue, and in some cases, if the fire is too strong it can result in the meat actually catching fire which is a catastrophe for the person who is about to eat that piece of meat. In any case, when cooking some kind of meat you never had cooked before you should always test the fire before you introduce all the meat to the grill, so start the grill ahead of time, test the meat for about 15 minutes and see if it’s the right heat for it.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Your Personal Fitness Regime
Everybody knows that it is important to be fit. Your level of fitness is a major factor in your lifespan, and getting in shape should be a priority. There are plenty of celebrities, whether qualified or not, offering to sell you their latest fitness video or book, and more and more articles in newspapers and magazines about the cost of not having a daily workout; the impact on your health, the social effects of being unfit, and of course the fact that most fashionable clothes don’t come in plus sizes. Getting fit should be on your ‘to-do’ list all year round, and not just a New Year’s resolution that doesn’t make it past the first few days of January.
It is easy to start a fitness regime, and then run out of enthusiasm. With a busy work schedule, and an equally busy social life, it’s a common enough occurrence that people drop out of exercising on the basis that they don’t have enough time. The most obvious answer to this, and something that most fitness instructors will suggest, is just to get out of bed a bit earlier, and use that time to exercise. Of course, to some this may seem like a nightmare, and not something to inspire them; nightowls should look for something to do in the evening, perhaps a late workout session at the gym, or installing some home exercise equipment so that you can watch TV as the same time as working out.
Not everyone is suited to a traditional fitness regime of steps and ‘dancercise’. You might find it rewarding to try other methods to keep fit, such as martial arts. It is not important how you get fit: only the results matter. If you find that you enjoy fencing, for example, then that will extend your enthusiasm for your fitness regime. Doing something that you hate, or which you feel stupid doing, won’t last very long.
Keep your enthusiasm up in other ways, by working out to favourite tracks, or by keeping a log of how well you’ve done. You can work out with a friend and have a competition; or you can set yourself goals in your fitness regime, and reward yourself when you achieve them.
Fitness should be something that you work towards for all of your life, and a daily exercise routine will certainly help you achieve that goal. Even if your exercising consists of a short run everyday, and you never end up with a full six-pack, that does not matter. Fitness is not about getting the perfect body, it is about a general physical state where you feel more energetic, and you feel good about the way your body looks and works.
It is easy to start a fitness regime, and then run out of enthusiasm. With a busy work schedule, and an equally busy social life, it’s a common enough occurrence that people drop out of exercising on the basis that they don’t have enough time. The most obvious answer to this, and something that most fitness instructors will suggest, is just to get out of bed a bit earlier, and use that time to exercise. Of course, to some this may seem like a nightmare, and not something to inspire them; nightowls should look for something to do in the evening, perhaps a late workout session at the gym, or installing some home exercise equipment so that you can watch TV as the same time as working out.
Not everyone is suited to a traditional fitness regime of steps and ‘dancercise’. You might find it rewarding to try other methods to keep fit, such as martial arts. It is not important how you get fit: only the results matter. If you find that you enjoy fencing, for example, then that will extend your enthusiasm for your fitness regime. Doing something that you hate, or which you feel stupid doing, won’t last very long.
Keep your enthusiasm up in other ways, by working out to favourite tracks, or by keeping a log of how well you’ve done. You can work out with a friend and have a competition; or you can set yourself goals in your fitness regime, and reward yourself when you achieve them.
Fitness should be something that you work towards for all of your life, and a daily exercise routine will certainly help you achieve that goal. Even if your exercising consists of a short run everyday, and you never end up with a full six-pack, that does not matter. Fitness is not about getting the perfect body, it is about a general physical state where you feel more energetic, and you feel good about the way your body looks and works.
Friday, January 29, 2010
World’s Hottest Hot Sauce Is A Pepper Extract That Can Kill
This Hot Sauce is so hot, you'd have to gulp 250,000 gallons of water just to put out the fire.
"We live in an extreme world," describes Blair Lazar, a hot sauce inventor. "And I make extreme foods. ' In his palm of his hand is the most blistering pepper extract in the world, an over-the-top version of pepper concentrate so blistering that customers must sign a waiver clearing him of any liability if they are crazy enough to try it.
Locked in a crystal bottle sealed with wax and a tiny skull, Mr Lazar's lip-scorching concoction is pure capsaicin - the chemical that gives habanero and jalapeno peppers their atomic heat. Blair Lazar claims to try his sauce is to encounter ‘pure heat’ His "16 Million Reserve", which is released to the public in 2006, is the brass ring of hot sauces, the most blistering pepper extract that chemistry can create. It is 30 times hotter than the hottest pepper, the Red Savina from Mexico, and 8,000 times more powerful than Tabasco sauce.
To put the smallest dot on the tip of your tongue is to encounter "pure heat", Mr Lazar says. Although capsaicin does not actually burn - it tricks your brain into thinking that you are in pain by exciting nerve endings in your mouth - some health specialists think that it might kill an asthmatic or hospitalize a user who touched his eyes or different susceptible parts of the anatomy. Mr Lazar has trained his taste buds to endure the feeling, but he remembers the instant he decided to try his "16 Million Reserve" himself. "The pain was exquisite," he said. "It was like having your tongue hit with a hammer. Man, it hurt. My tongue swelled up and it hurt like hell for days. " The Scoville Scale measures the heat of peppers. The eye-watering merits of peppers are measured in globally Scoville units, established by Wilbur Scoville, an American chemist who, in 1912, asked panelists to evaluate how many parts of sugar water it took to remove the heat.
Today, capsaicin content is measured in parts per million, using a procedure recognized as high-performance liquid chromatography; one part being equivalent to 15 Scoville units. Benign bell peppers rate zero Scoville units and the Red Savina joined Guinness World Records at 570,000 units. Pure capsaicin, meanwhile, has a heat score of 16 million units - moving the name for Mr Lazar's latest innovation. Each of the 999 limited-issue bottles, priced at $289, comprises of just a few crystals. The concentrate is so strong, though, that Mr Lazar approximates that it would have to be dissipated in 250,000 gallons of water before it might no longer be tasted.
His calling as a hot sauce inventor began when he established that the best way to remove people under the influence out of his seaside bar was to give them free chicken wings immersed in an eye-watering home-made hot sauce. Now he owns and manages Extreme Foods in New Jersey, marketing his existing assortment of sauces, including "Mega Death" and "Jersey Death", the second, according to Mr Lazar, being the world's most blistering usable hot sauce. He maintains a refrigerator full of purified water in his headquarters for those courageous enough to try some of the sauces. Most testers sweat severely and are powerless to see through their tears for up to half an hour. It takes many tons of crisp peppers to produce 1lb of capsaicin for the 16 Million Reserve, and the work takes months. First, wetness is separated from the crisp peppers until a thick tar-like substance is left. The process by which all additional impurities are removed, leaving pure capsaicin concentrate, is classified, but the work takes place in a research laboratory where Mr Lazar and his team wear sealed outfits with masks to steer clear of inhaling the dust. Several years ago Mr Lazar developed "2am Reserve" in of the hour at which he once closed his bar. It was hotter than any other hot sauce creation on the market, measuring up to 900,000 Scoville units. He then distilled even more powerful extracts, including the scorching "6am Reserve" at 10 million units. Most of the signed and numbered bottles of "16 Million Reserve" will be purchased by hot sauce addicts recognized as chile heads.
Buyers have to agree to a rider cautioning that any handling "must be under a controlled environment using protective and protective eye wear". "It can’t be used for flavor," says Mr Lazar. "The only purpose is its heat value." He prefers not to guess on what might happen should anyone be crazy enough to down a whole flask. Rinsing the mouth with milk is among the best cures as it binds to fat molecules; it will also dissipate in alcohol.
"We live in an extreme world," describes Blair Lazar, a hot sauce inventor. "And I make extreme foods. ' In his palm of his hand is the most blistering pepper extract in the world, an over-the-top version of pepper concentrate so blistering that customers must sign a waiver clearing him of any liability if they are crazy enough to try it.
Locked in a crystal bottle sealed with wax and a tiny skull, Mr Lazar's lip-scorching concoction is pure capsaicin - the chemical that gives habanero and jalapeno peppers their atomic heat. Blair Lazar claims to try his sauce is to encounter ‘pure heat’ His "16 Million Reserve", which is released to the public in 2006, is the brass ring of hot sauces, the most blistering pepper extract that chemistry can create. It is 30 times hotter than the hottest pepper, the Red Savina from Mexico, and 8,000 times more powerful than Tabasco sauce.
To put the smallest dot on the tip of your tongue is to encounter "pure heat", Mr Lazar says. Although capsaicin does not actually burn - it tricks your brain into thinking that you are in pain by exciting nerve endings in your mouth - some health specialists think that it might kill an asthmatic or hospitalize a user who touched his eyes or different susceptible parts of the anatomy. Mr Lazar has trained his taste buds to endure the feeling, but he remembers the instant he decided to try his "16 Million Reserve" himself. "The pain was exquisite," he said. "It was like having your tongue hit with a hammer. Man, it hurt. My tongue swelled up and it hurt like hell for days. " The Scoville Scale measures the heat of peppers. The eye-watering merits of peppers are measured in globally Scoville units, established by Wilbur Scoville, an American chemist who, in 1912, asked panelists to evaluate how many parts of sugar water it took to remove the heat.
Today, capsaicin content is measured in parts per million, using a procedure recognized as high-performance liquid chromatography; one part being equivalent to 15 Scoville units. Benign bell peppers rate zero Scoville units and the Red Savina joined Guinness World Records at 570,000 units. Pure capsaicin, meanwhile, has a heat score of 16 million units - moving the name for Mr Lazar's latest innovation. Each of the 999 limited-issue bottles, priced at $289, comprises of just a few crystals. The concentrate is so strong, though, that Mr Lazar approximates that it would have to be dissipated in 250,000 gallons of water before it might no longer be tasted.
His calling as a hot sauce inventor began when he established that the best way to remove people under the influence out of his seaside bar was to give them free chicken wings immersed in an eye-watering home-made hot sauce. Now he owns and manages Extreme Foods in New Jersey, marketing his existing assortment of sauces, including "Mega Death" and "Jersey Death", the second, according to Mr Lazar, being the world's most blistering usable hot sauce. He maintains a refrigerator full of purified water in his headquarters for those courageous enough to try some of the sauces. Most testers sweat severely and are powerless to see through their tears for up to half an hour. It takes many tons of crisp peppers to produce 1lb of capsaicin for the 16 Million Reserve, and the work takes months. First, wetness is separated from the crisp peppers until a thick tar-like substance is left. The process by which all additional impurities are removed, leaving pure capsaicin concentrate, is classified, but the work takes place in a research laboratory where Mr Lazar and his team wear sealed outfits with masks to steer clear of inhaling the dust. Several years ago Mr Lazar developed "2am Reserve" in of the hour at which he once closed his bar. It was hotter than any other hot sauce creation on the market, measuring up to 900,000 Scoville units. He then distilled even more powerful extracts, including the scorching "6am Reserve" at 10 million units. Most of the signed and numbered bottles of "16 Million Reserve" will be purchased by hot sauce addicts recognized as chile heads.
Buyers have to agree to a rider cautioning that any handling "must be under a controlled environment using protective and protective eye wear". "It can’t be used for flavor," says Mr Lazar. "The only purpose is its heat value." He prefers not to guess on what might happen should anyone be crazy enough to down a whole flask. Rinsing the mouth with milk is among the best cures as it binds to fat molecules; it will also dissipate in alcohol.
3 Benefits Of Home Tanning Beds
Some people love the idea of owning tanning beds. A bed in your home will allow you to tan whenever you want, day or night. You won’t have to drive across town or rush to get to the salon before they close. Although they can be expensive, if you tan regularly, the investment may be well worth the money in the long run.
3 Things to Look for in Tanning Beds
The Style of the Bed
You basically have two choices in the style of your bed: a traditional horizontal bed and a standing booth. Unless you have a room or large space to devote to a horizontal bed, you may want to consider a standing booth. These take up less space in your home and can be placed in a corner. Basically, your preference and the amount of space you have available will dictate this choice.
The Bulbs Used in the Bed
The type of tanning bed bulbs used in a bed are the most important feature. Beds use either UVA and UVB rays or UVA only. There is controversy over which bulbs are safer for your skin. There really is no safe way to tan, and you should take precautions to protect yourself from damage to your skin, regardless of the bulbs used.
You need to know exactly which kinds of bulbs are used in your bed when it is time to replace them. Bulbs aren’t interchangeable and you need to be sure to buy the right ones. Also, look at the placement of the bulbs. How easy will they be to replace? You will most likely be performing this task yourself and you want to be sure it will be easy to do.
Extra Features
The best extra features to look for include a face tanner and a cooling system. The face tanner will help you get the ultimate tan all over your body. These have specially placed bulbs in the facial area that direct light to this area, which is difficult to tan for some people.
A cooling system is important if you get easily over heated inside a bed. The cooling fan will keep your skin from getting too hot. Make sure you don’t overdo it in the bed with this feature. Just because you don’t feel the heat, doesn’t mean you aren’t tanning. Staying in the bed too long contributes to over exposure and can be dangerous for your skin.
Choices in Home Tanning Beds
Most home beds are traditional tan beds. These use typical bulbs that resemble fluorescent tubes. Another choice in beds are known as High Pressure Beds. These use high pressure quartz bulbs, rather than the traditional lamps. They are called high pressure because the gas in the bulb is slightly higher than the pressure in the atmosphere.
These beds allow you to tan on only one side at a time. You will need to turn over half way through your session. Many people find these to be more comfortable than traditional beds. These are normally found in salons, but you may come across one if you shop for used equipment.
Purchasing Used Tanning Beds
A used bed can be an affordable option to an expensive new home bed. In many cases, you can find a high quality bed at the price of a cheap bed. There are some things you should consider before purchasing a new bed:
o Make sure the bed you are considering meets the current federal and state safety regulations. These change often and you want to make sure the bed you buy is safe. A tanning salon owner is a good source of information regarding safety regulations. The internet is another good source of information, as most states post regulations for salon owners.
o Find out how often the bed was used. If it was originally used in a salon, it has probably gotten quite a bit of use. Sometimes beds that have been purchased for home use end up getting very little use. These can be great, giving you a little used bed at a substantially reduced price.
o Compare the price difference of the used bed with a brand new bed. The bigger the difference, the better for you.
o Ask about the working condition and any repairs that have been done. Also ask when the bulbs were last replaced and about the maintenance that has been done. You want a bed that has been properly maintained.
o Ask if there is any time left on the warranty.
3 Things to Look for in Tanning Beds
The Style of the Bed
You basically have two choices in the style of your bed: a traditional horizontal bed and a standing booth. Unless you have a room or large space to devote to a horizontal bed, you may want to consider a standing booth. These take up less space in your home and can be placed in a corner. Basically, your preference and the amount of space you have available will dictate this choice.
The Bulbs Used in the Bed
The type of tanning bed bulbs used in a bed are the most important feature. Beds use either UVA and UVB rays or UVA only. There is controversy over which bulbs are safer for your skin. There really is no safe way to tan, and you should take precautions to protect yourself from damage to your skin, regardless of the bulbs used.
You need to know exactly which kinds of bulbs are used in your bed when it is time to replace them. Bulbs aren’t interchangeable and you need to be sure to buy the right ones. Also, look at the placement of the bulbs. How easy will they be to replace? You will most likely be performing this task yourself and you want to be sure it will be easy to do.
Extra Features
The best extra features to look for include a face tanner and a cooling system. The face tanner will help you get the ultimate tan all over your body. These have specially placed bulbs in the facial area that direct light to this area, which is difficult to tan for some people.
A cooling system is important if you get easily over heated inside a bed. The cooling fan will keep your skin from getting too hot. Make sure you don’t overdo it in the bed with this feature. Just because you don’t feel the heat, doesn’t mean you aren’t tanning. Staying in the bed too long contributes to over exposure and can be dangerous for your skin.
Choices in Home Tanning Beds
Most home beds are traditional tan beds. These use typical bulbs that resemble fluorescent tubes. Another choice in beds are known as High Pressure Beds. These use high pressure quartz bulbs, rather than the traditional lamps. They are called high pressure because the gas in the bulb is slightly higher than the pressure in the atmosphere.
These beds allow you to tan on only one side at a time. You will need to turn over half way through your session. Many people find these to be more comfortable than traditional beds. These are normally found in salons, but you may come across one if you shop for used equipment.
Purchasing Used Tanning Beds
A used bed can be an affordable option to an expensive new home bed. In many cases, you can find a high quality bed at the price of a cheap bed. There are some things you should consider before purchasing a new bed:
o Make sure the bed you are considering meets the current federal and state safety regulations. These change often and you want to make sure the bed you buy is safe. A tanning salon owner is a good source of information regarding safety regulations. The internet is another good source of information, as most states post regulations for salon owners.
o Find out how often the bed was used. If it was originally used in a salon, it has probably gotten quite a bit of use. Sometimes beds that have been purchased for home use end up getting very little use. These can be great, giving you a little used bed at a substantially reduced price.
o Compare the price difference of the used bed with a brand new bed. The bigger the difference, the better for you.
o Ask about the working condition and any repairs that have been done. Also ask when the bulbs were last replaced and about the maintenance that has been done. You want a bed that has been properly maintained.
o Ask if there is any time left on the warranty.
A Golf Driver Tip To Remember
Every golfer wants to know the best golf driver tip. I hate to disappoint you but there are many great golf driver tips that could be the key to unlocking monster drives for you. Every month the golf magazines have dozens of tips in them, but none of them get to the root of the problem.
If I were to get the opportunity to write a golf driver tip for a magazine, I’d say something against the norm. Something teaching instructors wouldn’t want to hear. Do you want to know what it is? It’s not some quick fix, because they never work long-term. The “only” thing that works long-term is working on you.
Your body has a current level of physical ability. I don’t care how many balls you hit at the range; how many lessons you take; and what driver you’re swinging. Hitting the ball further takes an increase in clubhead speed. Period. So hitting more balls or taking more lessons won’t improve this.
The only thing that can improve clubhead speed is strengthening your core rotational strength and flexibility. Your core is the engine to your swing. A weak or inflexible core will not give you the results you are looking for.
The golf swing a turn back and a turn through. Isn’t that about as simple as you can make it? If that’s true, why wouldn’t you improve your body’s ability to rotate quicker and more powerfully? This is the ticket to longer drives!
There are many simple, yet effective core rotational exercises you can do in your home, or even office to greatly improve your clubhead speed and driving distance.
Do you want an easy one you can do right in your chair?
Cross your arms in front of your chest. Sit up tall and erect. With a fixed head position, rotate to the right and left slowly. See how far you can go. Do this without stopping. As you feel a loosening of the core, start to rotate faster and faster. Do this 20 or 30 times when you think about it and I guarantee you’ll feel it.
Since time is such a valuable commodity, you’ve got to get creative. I’ve put together a complete section of my manual that covers simples stretches and exercises you can do right in your chair in your office. You can’t get more convenient than that.
I hope I didn’t disappoint you with this golf driver tip.
If I were to get the opportunity to write a golf driver tip for a magazine, I’d say something against the norm. Something teaching instructors wouldn’t want to hear. Do you want to know what it is? It’s not some quick fix, because they never work long-term. The “only” thing that works long-term is working on you.
Your body has a current level of physical ability. I don’t care how many balls you hit at the range; how many lessons you take; and what driver you’re swinging. Hitting the ball further takes an increase in clubhead speed. Period. So hitting more balls or taking more lessons won’t improve this.
The only thing that can improve clubhead speed is strengthening your core rotational strength and flexibility. Your core is the engine to your swing. A weak or inflexible core will not give you the results you are looking for.
The golf swing a turn back and a turn through. Isn’t that about as simple as you can make it? If that’s true, why wouldn’t you improve your body’s ability to rotate quicker and more powerfully? This is the ticket to longer drives!
There are many simple, yet effective core rotational exercises you can do in your home, or even office to greatly improve your clubhead speed and driving distance.
Do you want an easy one you can do right in your chair?
Cross your arms in front of your chest. Sit up tall and erect. With a fixed head position, rotate to the right and left slowly. See how far you can go. Do this without stopping. As you feel a loosening of the core, start to rotate faster and faster. Do this 20 or 30 times when you think about it and I guarantee you’ll feel it.
Since time is such a valuable commodity, you’ve got to get creative. I’ve put together a complete section of my manual that covers simples stretches and exercises you can do right in your chair in your office. You can’t get more convenient than that.
I hope I didn’t disappoint you with this golf driver tip.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Baby Birth Announcements—Announcing a New Addition
Getting ready for a new addition to the family is a very busy time. New or experienced parents would like nothing more for everything to go smoothly. However, there is a long list of tasks to complete before baby arrives. If parents want to share their excitement with friends and family, a baby birth announcement is one of the most important tasks to complete.
It may be difficult to decide the style of baby birth announcement to send out. One great idea is to choose a style that coordinates with your nursery. Lots of work has already gone into making the nursery ready for baby. Choose a similar style for the baby birth announcement and save time deciding on a theme.
Another great idea for the birth announcement is to include a photo-that is if the parents have time. It can be difficult to get a great picture and can take some time. It is important to be patient when taking pictures but eventually a shot worthy of the baby birth announcement will be taken. A photo taken with parents and new baby are a great way to share with everyone the new family entity. If it is too difficult or too time consuming to take a picture right after baby birth, send the announcement first and then send pictures at a later date.
There is a standard for what type of information should be included in the baby
birth announcement. First the parents names and then the new baby’s name should be included. Information about the baby that should be put in the announcement includes birthday, birth weight and height. This should all the information friends and family need to learn about the new baby.
It is important to remember that birth announcements are not a request for gifts. Gifts are something that should be taken care of with the baby shower before baby’s birth. However, some friends and family will send gifts, and may even send them before the announcements are sent. When ordering baby birth announcements, it is a good idea to order thank you notes that coordinate with the theme. This way the parents will be ready to send thank you notes when gifts arrive.
A new baby is such a happy and busy time. Choosing the right baby birth announcement is the perfect way to share the happiness with friends and family. For a wonderful selection of baby birth announcements and baby shower invitations, as well as thank you notes, visit Dependable Printing.
It may be difficult to decide the style of baby birth announcement to send out. One great idea is to choose a style that coordinates with your nursery. Lots of work has already gone into making the nursery ready for baby. Choose a similar style for the baby birth announcement and save time deciding on a theme.
Another great idea for the birth announcement is to include a photo-that is if the parents have time. It can be difficult to get a great picture and can take some time. It is important to be patient when taking pictures but eventually a shot worthy of the baby birth announcement will be taken. A photo taken with parents and new baby are a great way to share with everyone the new family entity. If it is too difficult or too time consuming to take a picture right after baby birth, send the announcement first and then send pictures at a later date.
There is a standard for what type of information should be included in the baby
birth announcement. First the parents names and then the new baby’s name should be included. Information about the baby that should be put in the announcement includes birthday, birth weight and height. This should all the information friends and family need to learn about the new baby.
It is important to remember that birth announcements are not a request for gifts. Gifts are something that should be taken care of with the baby shower before baby’s birth. However, some friends and family will send gifts, and may even send them before the announcements are sent. When ordering baby birth announcements, it is a good idea to order thank you notes that coordinate with the theme. This way the parents will be ready to send thank you notes when gifts arrive.
A new baby is such a happy and busy time. Choosing the right baby birth announcement is the perfect way to share the happiness with friends and family. For a wonderful selection of baby birth announcements and baby shower invitations, as well as thank you notes, visit Dependable Printing.
Baby bedding can be exciting to shop for
Many baby bedding; quilts and blankets that you can find for your baby are made with polyester or acrylic, plastics that, when heated by the baby's body, can emit gases that irritate the baby's sensitive skin and eyes!
As parents we understand how much you love your children and want the best for them. Walk into any baby supply store, or open any catalogue offering baby supplies, and you'll be hit with adorable baby bedding designs: bedding with tiny flowers; little animals; and Disney characters, stripes, zigzags, or bugs.
Your baby will spend 60% of its first year sleeping. There is no better environment for your baby, than one provided with natural fibers, warm, comfortable, and safe baby bedding! This sounds crazy, especially when we are talking about a newborn baby who spends even more time in bed than we do!
Your baby's nursery can be completed with a choice from a variety of different sleeping arrangements and baby bedding, including beautiful bedding sets with matching sheets, comforters, pillows, bumpers, and dust ruffles. All, of course, must be chosen with your baby's safety and comfort as priorities. Babies should always be put to sleep on their backs.
When trying to plan for nursery decorating, it is very important to make a safe selection of baby bedding. Children are not stain-proof, but we know you'll feel better knowing they'll have restful sleep. Happy babies come from happy parents. But what does your baby really need beyond the most important consideration safety!
As parents we understand how much you love your children and want the best for them. Walk into any baby supply store, or open any catalogue offering baby supplies, and you'll be hit with adorable baby bedding designs: bedding with tiny flowers; little animals; and Disney characters, stripes, zigzags, or bugs.
Your baby will spend 60% of its first year sleeping. There is no better environment for your baby, than one provided with natural fibers, warm, comfortable, and safe baby bedding! This sounds crazy, especially when we are talking about a newborn baby who spends even more time in bed than we do!
Your baby's nursery can be completed with a choice from a variety of different sleeping arrangements and baby bedding, including beautiful bedding sets with matching sheets, comforters, pillows, bumpers, and dust ruffles. All, of course, must be chosen with your baby's safety and comfort as priorities. Babies should always be put to sleep on their backs.
When trying to plan for nursery decorating, it is very important to make a safe selection of baby bedding. Children are not stain-proof, but we know you'll feel better knowing they'll have restful sleep. Happy babies come from happy parents. But what does your baby really need beyond the most important consideration safety!
Simple Steps To Bulging Biceps And Horseshoe Triceps
It’s no secret that every serious lifter out there desires an impressive pair of strong, muscular arms. Who wouldn’t be happy with tall, peaking biceps sitting on top of rock-hard, horse-shoe-shaped triceps? Who wouldn’t love to have a pair of ripped, well-developed guns forcefully bursting through the sleeves of their shirt? While developing muscular arms is usually at the top of many peoples’ agenda, the reality is that the majority of lifters out there have a very poor understanding of how to properly train their arms for maximum gains. In order to gain the proper insight into effectively stimulating arm growth, we must first recognize three basic truths:
1) Relatively speaking, the biceps and triceps are small muscle groups.
2) The biceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pulling movements for the back.
3) The triceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pressing movements for the chest and shoulders.
What do these 3 points tell us about effective arm training? The most important thing for you to realize is this:
For maximum gains in muscle size and strength, the biceps and triceps require only a very small amount of direct stimulation!
So why is it that every time I enter the gym I see the same misinformed people, week in and week out, slaving away on endless sets of bicep curls and tricep extensions?
It’s very important to understand that the biceps and triceps receive a very large amount of stimulation from all of your chest and back training. In fact, a lot of the time when you reach muscular failure on a chest or back movement, it is actually your biceps or triceps that give out first! Couple this with the fact that your biceps and triceps are already small muscle groups to begin with and it becomes quite clear that direct arm training is of minor importance.
Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym. The work that you accomplish as you train with weights is merely the “spark” that sets the wheels of the muscle growth process into motion. The real magic takes place out of the gym while you are resting and eating, as this is the time when your body will actually be synthesizing new muscle tissue. Because of this, it is vital that you do not overtrain your muscles. You must always make sure to provide them with sufficient recovery time if you want to see impressive results. Overtraining can actually make your muscles smaller and weaker.
If you’re looking to achieve serious arm growth, you must stop placing so much emphasis on direct arm movements. Forget about performing endless sets of concentration curls and tricep pressdowns. Strong, muscular arms are mostly a product of heavy chest and back training. If you are able to accept this basic truth and place the majority of your focus on building up the muscle size and strength in your major muscle groups, you will prevent yourself from overtraining your arms and will therefore yield greater overall gains in bicep and tricep size.
This is not to say that no direct arm training is necessary, just not very much. Here is a sample arm routine that you can use as a part of your program:
Barbell Curls – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Dumbbell Curls – 1 set of 5-7 reps
Close-Grip Bench Press – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Cable Pushdowns – 1 set of 5-7 reps
Take all sets to complete muscular failure and focus on progressing each week by using slightly more weight or performing an extra rep or 2.
If you can incorporate this way of thinking into your arm training, you will achieve arm size beyond anything you previously thought possible!
1) Relatively speaking, the biceps and triceps are small muscle groups.
2) The biceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pulling movements for the back.
3) The triceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pressing movements for the chest and shoulders.
What do these 3 points tell us about effective arm training? The most important thing for you to realize is this:
For maximum gains in muscle size and strength, the biceps and triceps require only a very small amount of direct stimulation!
So why is it that every time I enter the gym I see the same misinformed people, week in and week out, slaving away on endless sets of bicep curls and tricep extensions?
It’s very important to understand that the biceps and triceps receive a very large amount of stimulation from all of your chest and back training. In fact, a lot of the time when you reach muscular failure on a chest or back movement, it is actually your biceps or triceps that give out first! Couple this with the fact that your biceps and triceps are already small muscle groups to begin with and it becomes quite clear that direct arm training is of minor importance.
Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym. The work that you accomplish as you train with weights is merely the “spark” that sets the wheels of the muscle growth process into motion. The real magic takes place out of the gym while you are resting and eating, as this is the time when your body will actually be synthesizing new muscle tissue. Because of this, it is vital that you do not overtrain your muscles. You must always make sure to provide them with sufficient recovery time if you want to see impressive results. Overtraining can actually make your muscles smaller and weaker.
If you’re looking to achieve serious arm growth, you must stop placing so much emphasis on direct arm movements. Forget about performing endless sets of concentration curls and tricep pressdowns. Strong, muscular arms are mostly a product of heavy chest and back training. If you are able to accept this basic truth and place the majority of your focus on building up the muscle size and strength in your major muscle groups, you will prevent yourself from overtraining your arms and will therefore yield greater overall gains in bicep and tricep size.
This is not to say that no direct arm training is necessary, just not very much. Here is a sample arm routine that you can use as a part of your program:
Barbell Curls – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Dumbbell Curls – 1 set of 5-7 reps
Close-Grip Bench Press – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Cable Pushdowns – 1 set of 5-7 reps
Take all sets to complete muscular failure and focus on progressing each week by using slightly more weight or performing an extra rep or 2.
If you can incorporate this way of thinking into your arm training, you will achieve arm size beyond anything you previously thought possible!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Review: Are ProForm Treadmills a Good Value?
ProForm is the largest seller of treadmills in the world. They focus on budget models and sell through mass merchants, large sporting good chains and the home shopping networks. ProForm is owned by Icon Fitness. In addition to selling ProForm fitness equipment, they also sell Weslo, Nordic Track, Reebok, Image and HealthRider. ProForm along with the other Icon brands dominate the sub $1,000 market.
We know that ProForm offers an attractive price, with treadmills selling as low as $400. The question is, are they a good value? From strictly a price perspective they are an excellent value. When you factor in durability and maintenance, their value may come into question.
Why are ProForm treadmills so popular?
When you compare the price and features, ProForm treadmills appear to be an exceptional deal. Most have numerous bells and whistle, including built-in televisions. And from an outward appearance they appear to be a substantial machine, but it is what is under the hood that is most important.
The majority of ProForm treadmills come with a 90 day parts and labor warranty. Now what does that say about their products? I find treadmill warranties very revealing. It would seem apparent that treadmill companies using inexpensive components would offer short-term warranties. In contrast, those manufacturers that build durable treadmills can afford to offer extended warranties, like 2-5 years on the parts and 1 year labor. Although it should be mentioned that ProForm is now offering a 12-15 year motor warranty on select models.
Recently I was at a fitness specialty store in Wilmington, NC, and was talking to the person in charge of servicing. Although this particular retailer did not sell ProForm, they often service them. He mentioned they were considering discontinuing service on the ProForm treadmills. The problem was once they fixed one problem often the owners would soon came back with the same problem or another service issue.
It should be noted that there are literally tens of thousands of ProForm treadmills sold every year, and the majority of owners are satisfied with their purchase (See www.epinions.com for customer reviews). Furthermore, Consumer Reports rated one of the ProForm treadmills as “Very Good” for quality. But it is a numbers game, and whereby other brands may have a minute percentage of mechanical problems, you can expect that percentage to be higher for budget treadmills. When you sell treadmills at budget prices you have to use budget components, and on average those treadmills are more likely to breakdown.
I recommend ProForm treadmills for primarily walking and moderate use. Their high-end models can probably handle light jogging. But if you plan to use the treadmill on a frequent basis, or have multiple users, you may want to consider other brands in the $1,500+ price range.
If your budget is tight, at least spend in excess of $700 for a ProForm Treadmill, and I highly recommend you put out a few extra dollars for an extended warranty. Treadmill repairs can potentially be costly.
For those that have a limited budget ProForm may be your best bet, but as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.”
We know that ProForm offers an attractive price, with treadmills selling as low as $400. The question is, are they a good value? From strictly a price perspective they are an excellent value. When you factor in durability and maintenance, their value may come into question.
Why are ProForm treadmills so popular?
When you compare the price and features, ProForm treadmills appear to be an exceptional deal. Most have numerous bells and whistle, including built-in televisions. And from an outward appearance they appear to be a substantial machine, but it is what is under the hood that is most important.
The majority of ProForm treadmills come with a 90 day parts and labor warranty. Now what does that say about their products? I find treadmill warranties very revealing. It would seem apparent that treadmill companies using inexpensive components would offer short-term warranties. In contrast, those manufacturers that build durable treadmills can afford to offer extended warranties, like 2-5 years on the parts and 1 year labor. Although it should be mentioned that ProForm is now offering a 12-15 year motor warranty on select models.
Recently I was at a fitness specialty store in Wilmington, NC, and was talking to the person in charge of servicing. Although this particular retailer did not sell ProForm, they often service them. He mentioned they were considering discontinuing service on the ProForm treadmills. The problem was once they fixed one problem often the owners would soon came back with the same problem or another service issue.
It should be noted that there are literally tens of thousands of ProForm treadmills sold every year, and the majority of owners are satisfied with their purchase (See www.epinions.com for customer reviews). Furthermore, Consumer Reports rated one of the ProForm treadmills as “Very Good” for quality. But it is a numbers game, and whereby other brands may have a minute percentage of mechanical problems, you can expect that percentage to be higher for budget treadmills. When you sell treadmills at budget prices you have to use budget components, and on average those treadmills are more likely to breakdown.
I recommend ProForm treadmills for primarily walking and moderate use. Their high-end models can probably handle light jogging. But if you plan to use the treadmill on a frequent basis, or have multiple users, you may want to consider other brands in the $1,500+ price range.
If your budget is tight, at least spend in excess of $700 for a ProForm Treadmill, and I highly recommend you put out a few extra dollars for an extended warranty. Treadmill repairs can potentially be costly.
For those that have a limited budget ProForm may be your best bet, but as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.”
Recumbent Exercise Bikes - Advantages
There are so many exercise bikes available that it's easy to be overwhelmed. Spinning bikes, stationary bikes, dual action bikes, and recumbent bikes are probably some of the terms you've heard. It's almost as though you have to be a fitness equipment engineer to understand the differences! Here's a quick summary of these confusing terms.
Spinning Bikes
You've probably heard about the spin craze that has become so popular in health clubs. Spinning bikes usually have at least a front wheel that spins (which is why they are so brilliantly named spinning bikes). These bikes might be the current fad, but they aren't very comfortable. The seats are small and hard. The classes make these boring bikes more interesting, but as home exercise bikes, they quickly become tedious.
Stationary Bikes
Stationary bikes (or upright bikes) are the exercise bikes that most people can identify. It's the same basic model as in the 1980's. Once again, it's fairly uncomfortable. You can't really do anything like read or watch TV because you're leaning left and right and bouncing, so it, too, quickly gets boring.
Dual Action Bikes
Dual action bikes are aptly named, as they give you both an upper and lower body workout. There are handles that move independently - much like an elliptical machine. It's a good workout, but a bit tough for beginners, and as usual, the time on the bike will eventually get boring.
You can also get dual action bikes that allow you to adjust the machine to create an arm-pedaling workout. It's usually fairly difficult to make the adjustments. It's also two separate exercises, which create a longer workout. Most people aren't as likely to keep up such a routine.
Recumbent Bikes
Recumbent bikes are the exercise bikes with the comfortable bucket seats. You sit back and lower to the ground as you pedal. These exercise bikes are easy enough for even the most sedentary beginners, and they usually offer workout programs to keep the workouts from becoming mundane.
The Experts Recognize the Advantages of Recumbent Bikes
Most physicians and personal trainers recommend recumbent bikes. Recumbent bikes are better for people of all different fitness levels. You are more likely to keep up a recumbent bike routine over time, the bikes are safer, and there are different benefits for both men and women.
Recumbent Bikes for All Fitness Levels
Even the most sedentary person will find a recumbent exercise bike easy to use. You can adjust the settings to offer little or no resistance as you pedal. People who are overweight will definitely find the seat much larger and more comfortable than other exercise bikes.
Athletes will find the recumbent exercise bike a challenge. The resistance can become incredibly difficult. The bike can simulate pedaling up hills. Most recumbent bikes offer various programs that will require you to sprint and tackle hills. If you want an upper body workout as you pedal, you can easily add weights and do repetitions as you sit back in the recumbent bike seat.
Recumbent Bikes Offer a Sustainable Workout
The programs offered by most recumbent exercise bikes definitely keep the workout from becoming boring. You can simulate a course that is easy or difficult, flat or hilly. When shopping for exercise bikes, it's better to get a bike with as many variations as possible.
The fact that a recumbent bike is suitable for all levels will keep you getting back on the bike. If you're feeling particularly tired or lazy one day, you can have an easy workout where you can read a book or newspaper. If you really want to test your limits, you can crank up the music, set the machine to more difficult levels, and add some weights for an upper body workout.
Recumbent Bikes are Safer
Because you sit back and lower to the ground in a recumbent bike, it is better for your body. Most exercise bikes force you to hunch over, causing a stiff back. Some dual action bikes are back injuries waiting to happen. Recumbent bikes require that you sit with good posture as you pedal.
Recumbent bikes also offer one of the few cardio workouts that put no pressure on your knees and other joints. You can't "cheat" on a recumbent bike and stand up when you're finding it more difficult to pedal. Standing like that on other types of exercise bikes puts unnecessary pressure on your knees and ankles. Recumbent bikes let your body exercise at an angle where your body weight is not stressing your joints. Even people with back and knee problems will find a recumbent bike easy to use.
Why Men Should Choose Recumbent Exercise Bikes
So many men neglect their lower bodies when they workout, especially in strength training. It's common to see buffed out men with giant biceps and tiny little bird legs. That's because it's easier to get an upper body workout at home. If you just invest in a recumbent bike, you can set the machine to high resistance. You will build leg muscle, and you can even do curls while you pedal.
Recumbent bikes can also allow men to get a great cardio workout without the discomfort that only a man knows on regular bikes or other types of exercise bikes. With the large, comfortable seats of recumbent bikes, you are much more likely to enjoy your workout pain-free.
If you move the seat of a recumbent bike up a bit to bring your legs higher, you can even target the lower abs and have to do less crunches to get the bottom of your six-pack!
Things Women Should Know About Recumbent Bikes
Two words, ladies: legs and bottoms. Recumbent exercise bikes are so comfortable and easy to use that eventually you can do workouts giving you results like you've spent hours a day on a stair-stepper.
Recumbent bikes can give you a fat burning cardio workout with enough resistance to help you build long, lean muscle. Picture Tina Turner legs. Recumbent bikes also are great for your inner thighs. Using different programs and settings, you will be able to target different muscle areas in your legs for longer looking, leaner legs.
According to most polls, women claim in higher numbers to not have time for exercise because of more responsibilities in the home. With the positioning of a recumbent bike, you can multi-task to more easily fit in a workout. You are able to read, catch the news, and even use a phone or your handheld organizer.
Finding a Recumbent Exercise Bike
With prices between $200 and $3000, there is quite a variety of recumbent bikes available. Use the Internet to find great deals (including free shipping most of the time). Because the bikes are great for any level and help you to finally be able to stick with a safe and effective workout routine, you can splurge a little. This is definitely one of the best investments you can make for your health.
Spinning Bikes
You've probably heard about the spin craze that has become so popular in health clubs. Spinning bikes usually have at least a front wheel that spins (which is why they are so brilliantly named spinning bikes). These bikes might be the current fad, but they aren't very comfortable. The seats are small and hard. The classes make these boring bikes more interesting, but as home exercise bikes, they quickly become tedious.
Stationary Bikes
Stationary bikes (or upright bikes) are the exercise bikes that most people can identify. It's the same basic model as in the 1980's. Once again, it's fairly uncomfortable. You can't really do anything like read or watch TV because you're leaning left and right and bouncing, so it, too, quickly gets boring.
Dual Action Bikes
Dual action bikes are aptly named, as they give you both an upper and lower body workout. There are handles that move independently - much like an elliptical machine. It's a good workout, but a bit tough for beginners, and as usual, the time on the bike will eventually get boring.
You can also get dual action bikes that allow you to adjust the machine to create an arm-pedaling workout. It's usually fairly difficult to make the adjustments. It's also two separate exercises, which create a longer workout. Most people aren't as likely to keep up such a routine.
Recumbent Bikes
Recumbent bikes are the exercise bikes with the comfortable bucket seats. You sit back and lower to the ground as you pedal. These exercise bikes are easy enough for even the most sedentary beginners, and they usually offer workout programs to keep the workouts from becoming mundane.
The Experts Recognize the Advantages of Recumbent Bikes
Most physicians and personal trainers recommend recumbent bikes. Recumbent bikes are better for people of all different fitness levels. You are more likely to keep up a recumbent bike routine over time, the bikes are safer, and there are different benefits for both men and women.
Recumbent Bikes for All Fitness Levels
Even the most sedentary person will find a recumbent exercise bike easy to use. You can adjust the settings to offer little or no resistance as you pedal. People who are overweight will definitely find the seat much larger and more comfortable than other exercise bikes.
Athletes will find the recumbent exercise bike a challenge. The resistance can become incredibly difficult. The bike can simulate pedaling up hills. Most recumbent bikes offer various programs that will require you to sprint and tackle hills. If you want an upper body workout as you pedal, you can easily add weights and do repetitions as you sit back in the recumbent bike seat.
Recumbent Bikes Offer a Sustainable Workout
The programs offered by most recumbent exercise bikes definitely keep the workout from becoming boring. You can simulate a course that is easy or difficult, flat or hilly. When shopping for exercise bikes, it's better to get a bike with as many variations as possible.
The fact that a recumbent bike is suitable for all levels will keep you getting back on the bike. If you're feeling particularly tired or lazy one day, you can have an easy workout where you can read a book or newspaper. If you really want to test your limits, you can crank up the music, set the machine to more difficult levels, and add some weights for an upper body workout.
Recumbent Bikes are Safer
Because you sit back and lower to the ground in a recumbent bike, it is better for your body. Most exercise bikes force you to hunch over, causing a stiff back. Some dual action bikes are back injuries waiting to happen. Recumbent bikes require that you sit with good posture as you pedal.
Recumbent bikes also offer one of the few cardio workouts that put no pressure on your knees and other joints. You can't "cheat" on a recumbent bike and stand up when you're finding it more difficult to pedal. Standing like that on other types of exercise bikes puts unnecessary pressure on your knees and ankles. Recumbent bikes let your body exercise at an angle where your body weight is not stressing your joints. Even people with back and knee problems will find a recumbent bike easy to use.
Why Men Should Choose Recumbent Exercise Bikes
So many men neglect their lower bodies when they workout, especially in strength training. It's common to see buffed out men with giant biceps and tiny little bird legs. That's because it's easier to get an upper body workout at home. If you just invest in a recumbent bike, you can set the machine to high resistance. You will build leg muscle, and you can even do curls while you pedal.
Recumbent bikes can also allow men to get a great cardio workout without the discomfort that only a man knows on regular bikes or other types of exercise bikes. With the large, comfortable seats of recumbent bikes, you are much more likely to enjoy your workout pain-free.
If you move the seat of a recumbent bike up a bit to bring your legs higher, you can even target the lower abs and have to do less crunches to get the bottom of your six-pack!
Things Women Should Know About Recumbent Bikes
Two words, ladies: legs and bottoms. Recumbent exercise bikes are so comfortable and easy to use that eventually you can do workouts giving you results like you've spent hours a day on a stair-stepper.
Recumbent bikes can give you a fat burning cardio workout with enough resistance to help you build long, lean muscle. Picture Tina Turner legs. Recumbent bikes also are great for your inner thighs. Using different programs and settings, you will be able to target different muscle areas in your legs for longer looking, leaner legs.
According to most polls, women claim in higher numbers to not have time for exercise because of more responsibilities in the home. With the positioning of a recumbent bike, you can multi-task to more easily fit in a workout. You are able to read, catch the news, and even use a phone or your handheld organizer.
Finding a Recumbent Exercise Bike
With prices between $200 and $3000, there is quite a variety of recumbent bikes available. Use the Internet to find great deals (including free shipping most of the time). Because the bikes are great for any level and help you to finally be able to stick with a safe and effective workout routine, you can splurge a little. This is definitely one of the best investments you can make for your health.
How to replace your treadmill belt
Is your treadmill belt worn, torn or curling up on the edges? Does your treadmill slow down after you step on the belt and begin your workout?
If this is the case then it may be time to replace the belt.
Here are some thing to check before replacing your belt.
*1. You need to make sure the deck of the treadmill is in good shape. If it looks good then it may only need to be waxed or lubricated.
*2. If the deck shows obvious signs of wear, or has grooves worn into it then you may need to replace the belt and the deck.
*3. If the deck looks good, and the belt is worn or starting to turn up on the edges then it is time to replace the belt. Here are the instructions for doing that. Most treadmills are basically the same so this is a generic set of instructions. If you have an owners manual please follow the manufacturers instructions.
To begin the belt replacement unplug the POWER Cord and remove the motor cover or hood. Then locate the screws or bolts that are used to adjust the belt tension. They are normally on either side at the rear of the treadmill. Loosen both sides and push the rear roller toward the deck.
Now loosen and remove the front roller. If your treadmill inclines, turn on the power and raise the treadmill a few degrees so the roller can be removed. After the front roller is removed, remove the rear roller. Now you are ready to remove the belt.
I know it would be easier to just cut the old belt off, but if you take it off in one piece then you will remember how to put the new one on. Along the sides of the treadmill you will find bolts or screws that hold the deck in place. Remove these and lift the deck and old belt out together. Now is the time to wax or lubricate the deck.
Look at the old belt and the new belt. There will probably be a visible seam on the belt. Normally the belt should be installed so that the seam goes downward from left to right, much like a backward slash. Some belt manufacturers will mark the belt on the inside with an arrow pointing in the direction the belt should travel.
Slide the belt over the deck in the proper alignment and lay the belt and deck together back onto the treadmill. Start all of the screws or bolts before tightening them securely. Decks tend to get warped after a while so you may need to push or pull a little to get the screws started. I have found that it is a good idea to install the rollers before securely fastening the deck to the frame.
Pull the belt to the rear of the treadmill and slide the rear roller through it. Start the adjusting screws in the roller just enough so they do not fall out. Now slide the front roller inside the belt and replace the drive motor belt over the drive gear. Do this before you tighten the roller. After you get the front roller tight, then tighten the rear roller with the adjusting screws. Tighten each side equally until the belt feels snug on the deck.
Now turn the treadmill on. If the belt starts moving, carefully step on the treadmill while holding the side rails. If the belt stops then you need to adjust more. Step off the treadmill,and tighten each screw one full turn and step on the belt again. Repeat this process until the belt does not stop.
Now increase the speed to a fast walk, hold the handrails and apply downward pressure as you walk on the treadmill. If the belt stops or hesitates then adjust some more. Now increase the speed to a jog, probably around five m.p.h. Once again if you feel hesitation in the belt when your foot hits it, adjust it some more. Continue this process until you are satisfied that the belt is not slipping.
PLEASE be careful, if you do not think you can do this then pay someone to do it for you.
Please follow these directions for safe and efficient use of your treadmill for you and your family.
The procedures for checking these items are all in the Free Treadmill Report! http://www.treadmills.cc
If this is the case then it may be time to replace the belt.
Here are some thing to check before replacing your belt.
*1. You need to make sure the deck of the treadmill is in good shape. If it looks good then it may only need to be waxed or lubricated.
*2. If the deck shows obvious signs of wear, or has grooves worn into it then you may need to replace the belt and the deck.
*3. If the deck looks good, and the belt is worn or starting to turn up on the edges then it is time to replace the belt. Here are the instructions for doing that. Most treadmills are basically the same so this is a generic set of instructions. If you have an owners manual please follow the manufacturers instructions.
To begin the belt replacement unplug the POWER Cord and remove the motor cover or hood. Then locate the screws or bolts that are used to adjust the belt tension. They are normally on either side at the rear of the treadmill. Loosen both sides and push the rear roller toward the deck.
Now loosen and remove the front roller. If your treadmill inclines, turn on the power and raise the treadmill a few degrees so the roller can be removed. After the front roller is removed, remove the rear roller. Now you are ready to remove the belt.
I know it would be easier to just cut the old belt off, but if you take it off in one piece then you will remember how to put the new one on. Along the sides of the treadmill you will find bolts or screws that hold the deck in place. Remove these and lift the deck and old belt out together. Now is the time to wax or lubricate the deck.
Look at the old belt and the new belt. There will probably be a visible seam on the belt. Normally the belt should be installed so that the seam goes downward from left to right, much like a backward slash. Some belt manufacturers will mark the belt on the inside with an arrow pointing in the direction the belt should travel.
Slide the belt over the deck in the proper alignment and lay the belt and deck together back onto the treadmill. Start all of the screws or bolts before tightening them securely. Decks tend to get warped after a while so you may need to push or pull a little to get the screws started. I have found that it is a good idea to install the rollers before securely fastening the deck to the frame.
Pull the belt to the rear of the treadmill and slide the rear roller through it. Start the adjusting screws in the roller just enough so they do not fall out. Now slide the front roller inside the belt and replace the drive motor belt over the drive gear. Do this before you tighten the roller. After you get the front roller tight, then tighten the rear roller with the adjusting screws. Tighten each side equally until the belt feels snug on the deck.
Now turn the treadmill on. If the belt starts moving, carefully step on the treadmill while holding the side rails. If the belt stops then you need to adjust more. Step off the treadmill,and tighten each screw one full turn and step on the belt again. Repeat this process until the belt does not stop.
Now increase the speed to a fast walk, hold the handrails and apply downward pressure as you walk on the treadmill. If the belt stops or hesitates then adjust some more. Now increase the speed to a jog, probably around five m.p.h. Once again if you feel hesitation in the belt when your foot hits it, adjust it some more. Continue this process until you are satisfied that the belt is not slipping.
PLEASE be careful, if you do not think you can do this then pay someone to do it for you.
Please follow these directions for safe and efficient use of your treadmill for you and your family.
The procedures for checking these items are all in the Free Treadmill Report! http://www.treadmills.cc
Benefits Of Owning Motor Homes
Why would you want to own one of the many different motorhomes that are available for sale from many motorhomes dealers? The main reason for this is the fact that you gain access to multiple benefits that motorhomes offer. For example, you will be able to use motorhomes to travel to many outside locations for a long vacation or just a simple weekend getaway. There is no more need to spend all this time planning where you are going to stay, where you will eat and cook food and what car you will have to rent. Motorhomes will provide you with the simple solution for all these dilemmas.
With the help of motorhomes you will have access to basic household items, appliances and amenities and will not have to deal with the uncomfortable hotel stays or even more unpleasant stays in tents. Owners of motorhomes can prepare them in such way that everything that is needed for the enjoyable trip is available at all times. You don’t have many limits to what you can take with you. You can cook food, sleep and even shower in most of the motorhomes. You can even attach other equipment and vehicles (boats, jet skies and other sport equipment, for example) to your motor home.
Motorhomes can be helpful not only for vacation purposes. Even if you are traveling to a different city on a business trip or to visit your friends or family, motorhome will make the ride more enjoyable for you and your family. You will have more freedom to change destinations and will even save money on hotels and restaurants. You can choose which one of the many available motorhomes to purchase depending on your personal needs, size of your family and your travel plans. Motorhomes come in different sizes and variations and will have different amenities and equipment installed. Different types of motorhomes will have different prices so it is up to you to decide which motorhome to purchase.
For more information on Motor Homes please click through to our site.
With the help of motorhomes you will have access to basic household items, appliances and amenities and will not have to deal with the uncomfortable hotel stays or even more unpleasant stays in tents. Owners of motorhomes can prepare them in such way that everything that is needed for the enjoyable trip is available at all times. You don’t have many limits to what you can take with you. You can cook food, sleep and even shower in most of the motorhomes. You can even attach other equipment and vehicles (boats, jet skies and other sport equipment, for example) to your motor home.
Motorhomes can be helpful not only for vacation purposes. Even if you are traveling to a different city on a business trip or to visit your friends or family, motorhome will make the ride more enjoyable for you and your family. You will have more freedom to change destinations and will even save money on hotels and restaurants. You can choose which one of the many available motorhomes to purchase depending on your personal needs, size of your family and your travel plans. Motorhomes come in different sizes and variations and will have different amenities and equipment installed. Different types of motorhomes will have different prices so it is up to you to decide which motorhome to purchase.
For more information on Motor Homes please click through to our site.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
How To Practice Meditation
Meditation is the most important practice for calming the mind. A calm mind can lead to a healthy, happy and successful life. It can cure diseases and speed up healing processes. We describe the simple technique below called prana-dharana. Prana in Sanskrit stands for the air that we breathe. It is the most basic act of life which starts from birth and goes on till death. But generally, we are not aware of the breath till our attention is drawn close to it. Dharana means its awareness. Prana-dharana means applying the mind to the flow of air when we breathe. The method is as described below:
Sit in a posture suitable for meditation. The common postures are Siddhasana, Padmasana and Swastikasana. But if you cannot do this, just sit cross-legged. Your back should be straight and eyes closed. Your knees should be placed well on the ground. Do not stoop your shoulders back. The whole body should be relaxed and the whole frame steady without exerting any pull or pressure on the thighs, feet, knees, spine or neck. There should be no stretch on tension along the abdominal wall. Let the abdominal wall sway gently back and forth very smoothly and effortlessly with each respiration. Facial muscles should be relaxed and mouth closed with a small gap between the two jaws such that the upper and lower teeth do not exert pressure on each other. Your tongue should touch the palate with tip touching the back of the upper front teeth. Ensure that the lips, tongue or the lower jaws do not move. Your eyeballs and eyelids should be steady and the muscles of the forehead relaxed.
Your entire posture should be comfortable, steady and relaxed. You should not feel strain on any part of the body. Now start developing the awareness of breathing. The flow of air should be uniform, slow and smooth. Do not make any effort or exercise any control. Never hold breath. Do not utter any word or see any image. This will calm your mind and help you achieve peace.
Sit in a posture suitable for meditation. The common postures are Siddhasana, Padmasana and Swastikasana. But if you cannot do this, just sit cross-legged. Your back should be straight and eyes closed. Your knees should be placed well on the ground. Do not stoop your shoulders back. The whole body should be relaxed and the whole frame steady without exerting any pull or pressure on the thighs, feet, knees, spine or neck. There should be no stretch on tension along the abdominal wall. Let the abdominal wall sway gently back and forth very smoothly and effortlessly with each respiration. Facial muscles should be relaxed and mouth closed with a small gap between the two jaws such that the upper and lower teeth do not exert pressure on each other. Your tongue should touch the palate with tip touching the back of the upper front teeth. Ensure that the lips, tongue or the lower jaws do not move. Your eyeballs and eyelids should be steady and the muscles of the forehead relaxed.
Your entire posture should be comfortable, steady and relaxed. You should not feel strain on any part of the body. Now start developing the awareness of breathing. The flow of air should be uniform, slow and smooth. Do not make any effort or exercise any control. Never hold breath. Do not utter any word or see any image. This will calm your mind and help you achieve peace.
How to Improve Your Body, Mind and Spirit By Practicing Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is a 5000 year old system that is used to improve the health of your body, mind and spirit. Hatha yoga combines the stretching exercises of the asanas. Breathing techniques and mental concentration are included in hatha yoga.
The lotus position of the asanas is used in hatha yoga. The goal of hatha yoga remains the same as that of the other types of yoga. The goal of hatha yoga is to blend the spirit of the universe with that of the human spirit. The spiritual, mental and physical health aspects are improved amazingly with the practice of the Hatha yoga. It also gives you peace of mind and improves your concentration. Concentration is the root ingredient of any yoga and its success.
In some ways all the types of yoga are related. Preparing the body to give in is the main goal of hatha yoga. If the mind is relaxed and the spirit within you is enlightened you won’t feel the pain and the stress that you are experiencing. This is achieved with the practice of hatha yoga. You need to understand the relation between your body and the spirit. If you do not understand the relation between them you might get confused. You spirit is responsible to accomplish any task.
If your body is not fit then your spirit may not accomplish what is wants. Hatha yoga helps you to maintain your body and the hence the spirit positively. This positive attitude keeps your mind healthy with good concentration. Hatha yoga comes to the mind of the people when they hear Yoga, since it is the popular branch of yoga. The other types of yoga that gave rise from hatha yoga are the Kundalini, Ashtanga, Bikram, and power yoga.
Hatha yoga is considered and known as the vehicle of the soul. Hatha yoga is so relaxing that it drives both you body and spirit into the universe. This feeling can be compared to a person floating with no gravity at all. Many people are easily distracted by the outward forces and may not be able to focus on a particular task. Such people can get benefited with the hatha yoga. By constantly practicing hatha yoga you can find the divinity in yourself. This helps you to become stronger, relaxed and flexible apart from enlightening you.
With harmony between your mind, body and spirit the spiritual energy will flow through the open energy channels. This is achieved only with Hatha yoga. A healthy body is necessary for you mind and spirit to be strong. This is done by the practice of hatha yoga. It is easy to handle stress and get relieved of your pain and passion with the constant practice of hatha yoga. If you are exhausted with your work, hatha yoga makes you relax.
The lotus position of the asanas is used in hatha yoga. The goal of hatha yoga remains the same as that of the other types of yoga. The goal of hatha yoga is to blend the spirit of the universe with that of the human spirit. The spiritual, mental and physical health aspects are improved amazingly with the practice of the Hatha yoga. It also gives you peace of mind and improves your concentration. Concentration is the root ingredient of any yoga and its success.
In some ways all the types of yoga are related. Preparing the body to give in is the main goal of hatha yoga. If the mind is relaxed and the spirit within you is enlightened you won’t feel the pain and the stress that you are experiencing. This is achieved with the practice of hatha yoga. You need to understand the relation between your body and the spirit. If you do not understand the relation between them you might get confused. You spirit is responsible to accomplish any task.
If your body is not fit then your spirit may not accomplish what is wants. Hatha yoga helps you to maintain your body and the hence the spirit positively. This positive attitude keeps your mind healthy with good concentration. Hatha yoga comes to the mind of the people when they hear Yoga, since it is the popular branch of yoga. The other types of yoga that gave rise from hatha yoga are the Kundalini, Ashtanga, Bikram, and power yoga.
Hatha yoga is considered and known as the vehicle of the soul. Hatha yoga is so relaxing that it drives both you body and spirit into the universe. This feeling can be compared to a person floating with no gravity at all. Many people are easily distracted by the outward forces and may not be able to focus on a particular task. Such people can get benefited with the hatha yoga. By constantly practicing hatha yoga you can find the divinity in yourself. This helps you to become stronger, relaxed and flexible apart from enlightening you.
With harmony between your mind, body and spirit the spiritual energy will flow through the open energy channels. This is achieved only with Hatha yoga. A healthy body is necessary for you mind and spirit to be strong. This is done by the practice of hatha yoga. It is easy to handle stress and get relieved of your pain and passion with the constant practice of hatha yoga. If you are exhausted with your work, hatha yoga makes you relax.
Confessions of a Yoga Teacher
The following are questions that Yoga teachers still need to answer, despite overwhelming evidence that Yoga is “the mother of all health maintenance systems.” Mainstream thought is finally catching up, with the progress Yoga is making, but it has taken 5,000 years for us to get this far.
Seriously, How Can Yoga Make You Lose Weight?
Finally, some of the “Yoga and Weight Loss” studies have come in, and even, a little bit of Yoga is much better, than none, for weight control, but there are a number of reasons why. Yoga is a lifestyle change that includes a safe diet; exercise, adjusting posture, breathing, and a whole lot more. Most of the
Yoga practitioners, I know, consume more water, eat more moderately, and take more care of their bodies, in comparison to the many who don’t want to leave the couch.
Aren’t you supposed to jump up and down for at least a half-hour per day to exercise enough to lose weight?
Maybe the masses have been “brain washed” into thinking that you have to feel the pain, suffer, starve, and have a near death experience, to lose weight. Depending upon your size, the average person, in a moderate Hatha yoga class, is burning in the neighborhood of 200 calories per hour. There are Vinyasa Yoga classes, that will burn more calories, with much more flowing and active movement. Just remember, that your safety is top priority, and you will be fine.
There are also Yoga classes where you can feel the pain, heat, and suffer.
This is great for those who feel the need to “pay for their sins.” Maybe this is considered “penance,” for years of consuming excessive pizza, burgers, and buffets. If you feel you must suffer, you may even find a Yoga teacher who missed his or her calling as an interrogator.
If you search hard enough, you will find a Yoga class for every niche. More moderate Yoga classes look easy on the outside of the class, but I have seen many people find them to be a challenge, on the inside of the class. The real benefit of steady Yoga practice is training for longevity. Long-term practice will yield optimum health benefits in mind, body, and spirit.
Couldn’t you just invent a Yoga pill?
This has been the ultimate dream of “couch potatoes,” but every time a weight loss pill comes out, there is a down side. Just look at the health problems that resulted from fen phen and ephedra. This should wake people up, but someone will always put their life at risk, no matter how many warning labels are printed.
In summary, the benefits of Yoga practice have always existed, through steady and safe practice. Seek out a safe teacher and go from there. Never push yourself to the point of strain. Moderation is key, so it is wise to avoid extremes.
Seriously, How Can Yoga Make You Lose Weight?
Finally, some of the “Yoga and Weight Loss” studies have come in, and even, a little bit of Yoga is much better, than none, for weight control, but there are a number of reasons why. Yoga is a lifestyle change that includes a safe diet; exercise, adjusting posture, breathing, and a whole lot more. Most of the
Yoga practitioners, I know, consume more water, eat more moderately, and take more care of their bodies, in comparison to the many who don’t want to leave the couch.
Aren’t you supposed to jump up and down for at least a half-hour per day to exercise enough to lose weight?
Maybe the masses have been “brain washed” into thinking that you have to feel the pain, suffer, starve, and have a near death experience, to lose weight. Depending upon your size, the average person, in a moderate Hatha yoga class, is burning in the neighborhood of 200 calories per hour. There are Vinyasa Yoga classes, that will burn more calories, with much more flowing and active movement. Just remember, that your safety is top priority, and you will be fine.
There are also Yoga classes where you can feel the pain, heat, and suffer.
This is great for those who feel the need to “pay for their sins.” Maybe this is considered “penance,” for years of consuming excessive pizza, burgers, and buffets. If you feel you must suffer, you may even find a Yoga teacher who missed his or her calling as an interrogator.
If you search hard enough, you will find a Yoga class for every niche. More moderate Yoga classes look easy on the outside of the class, but I have seen many people find them to be a challenge, on the inside of the class. The real benefit of steady Yoga practice is training for longevity. Long-term practice will yield optimum health benefits in mind, body, and spirit.
Couldn’t you just invent a Yoga pill?
This has been the ultimate dream of “couch potatoes,” but every time a weight loss pill comes out, there is a down side. Just look at the health problems that resulted from fen phen and ephedra. This should wake people up, but someone will always put their life at risk, no matter how many warning labels are printed.
In summary, the benefits of Yoga practice have always existed, through steady and safe practice. Seek out a safe teacher and go from there. Never push yourself to the point of strain. Moderation is key, so it is wise to avoid extremes.
7 Tips on How to Not Let Stress Affect Your Weight
Is stress affecting your weight loss battle?
Stress brought on by dieting is added to the personal and work life stresses that we face every day, often resulting in a "vicious cycle" of increased stress and increased food intake. People under stress tend to engage in self-defeating and unhealthy behaviors such as binge eating and there is strong biologic evidence that stressed-out people may tend to put on the pounds faster. "I'm stressed, therefore I eat." Many people complain that they overeat in response to workplace or personal stress. If this sounds like you, read the following tips for managing stress-related overeating to help you check this unhealthy habit.
1. Practice waiting. Postpone your instant gratification when hunger hits. Tell yourself you'll wait 10 to 30, minutes to eat. Chances are good if your cravings are only stress-related, they'll disappear when you allow yourself to become distracted.
2. Keep a food journal of what you eat each day. Knowing you have to write down every snack or nibble can be a good way to remind yourself to think before eating.
3. Enlist a friend's help - ideally one who also is tempted by stress-related cravings. When you feel like eating, write him/her a quick note or make a phone call.
4. Keep yourself nourished. Eat regular, healthy snacks to maintain your energy level. Skipping meals while under stress only prompts you to eat more, and unhealthily, when you do get around to eating.
5. Post some reminder messages wherever you're likely to see them when stress-related cravings begin. Use any message that works for you. Examples might be "Are you really hungry?" or "Think about why you're eating."
6. Physically remove tempting food items from your home or office. Never go shopping while hungry and always make a list of food items prior to shopping; bring home only what you feel good about eating.
7. Take time for yourself every day. Whether it's 10 minutes to reflect and relax, or whether it's some fun activity that will revitalize you, it's critical to do it. Health is not just physical, mental well-being is just as important, you deserve to mentally de-stress everyday!
Stress brought on by dieting is added to the personal and work life stresses that we face every day, often resulting in a "vicious cycle" of increased stress and increased food intake. People under stress tend to engage in self-defeating and unhealthy behaviors such as binge eating and there is strong biologic evidence that stressed-out people may tend to put on the pounds faster. "I'm stressed, therefore I eat." Many people complain that they overeat in response to workplace or personal stress. If this sounds like you, read the following tips for managing stress-related overeating to help you check this unhealthy habit.
1. Practice waiting. Postpone your instant gratification when hunger hits. Tell yourself you'll wait 10 to 30, minutes to eat. Chances are good if your cravings are only stress-related, they'll disappear when you allow yourself to become distracted.
2. Keep a food journal of what you eat each day. Knowing you have to write down every snack or nibble can be a good way to remind yourself to think before eating.
3. Enlist a friend's help - ideally one who also is tempted by stress-related cravings. When you feel like eating, write him/her a quick note or make a phone call.
4. Keep yourself nourished. Eat regular, healthy snacks to maintain your energy level. Skipping meals while under stress only prompts you to eat more, and unhealthily, when you do get around to eating.
5. Post some reminder messages wherever you're likely to see them when stress-related cravings begin. Use any message that works for you. Examples might be "Are you really hungry?" or "Think about why you're eating."
6. Physically remove tempting food items from your home or office. Never go shopping while hungry and always make a list of food items prior to shopping; bring home only what you feel good about eating.
7. Take time for yourself every day. Whether it's 10 minutes to reflect and relax, or whether it's some fun activity that will revitalize you, it's critical to do it. Health is not just physical, mental well-being is just as important, you deserve to mentally de-stress everyday!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Are Robotic Lawn Mowers Safe?
You’re standing in your front yard minding your own business when a robot with three razor sharp blades spinning at 5,800 rpm starts racing toward you. What do you do?
Is this some kind of nightmare? No, you’re awake and this is really happening, so once again, what do you do?
The answer is nothing. It will just bounce off you and go another direction. Rather anti-climatic ending wasn’t it? That is just the way the robotic lawn mower companies want it to be.
The greatest concern most people have about robotic lawn mowers is safety. ‘Bots with Blades’ just can’t be safe. According to Ames Tiedeman, National Sales Manager for Systems Trading Corp., the US distributor for the Friendly Robotics Robomower, over 72,000 emergency room visits involved lawn mowers in 2005. ZERO involved robotic lawn mowers.
These mowers have so many safety features and shut-off triggers that it is amazing that they are actually functional.
The Friendly Robotics Robomower turns the blades off at 16 degrees, not even high enough to get a hand under. Even if a small hand could get under, the blades are far back and recessed into a chamber in the body. It would take creativity, not stupidity, to get to the blades while they are still turning.
Unlike push and riding lawn mower safety devices, robotic lawn mower features are not easily disabled. The tilt detection devices are soldered on to the main boards. Even the resistance against the blades and the ability of the software to stop them is measured in thousandths of seconds.
Since these robotic lawn mowers are designed to mulch there is no easy outlet for flying debris. Pebbles and pine cones do not get tossed very far and at low velocity.
Some robotic lawn mowers have sonar detection systems that if any moving objects get close they’ll slow down and at another point stop the blade before even being touched. All have some sort of touch sensors that when they lightly bump into a stationary object that they change direction. So actually getting run over is unlikely.
Another big concern is pets getting chopped to bits, again, no reported accidents involving robotic lawn mowers. Dogs have a tendency to chase and bark, but not attack. A dog actually chewing up a robotic lawn mower is more feasible than a robotic lawn mower chewing up a dog.
Robotic lawn mowers move relatively slow, people and animals can easily move out of the way. Although it takes a lot longer to mow, if everyone used them there would be 72,000 fewer hospital visits this year.
This article was written to educate people that robotic mowers under intended circumstances are safe. There has been a great deal of thought and engineering involved to make robotic lawn mowers safe for public use.
Is this some kind of nightmare? No, you’re awake and this is really happening, so once again, what do you do?
The answer is nothing. It will just bounce off you and go another direction. Rather anti-climatic ending wasn’t it? That is just the way the robotic lawn mower companies want it to be.
The greatest concern most people have about robotic lawn mowers is safety. ‘Bots with Blades’ just can’t be safe. According to Ames Tiedeman, National Sales Manager for Systems Trading Corp., the US distributor for the Friendly Robotics Robomower, over 72,000 emergency room visits involved lawn mowers in 2005. ZERO involved robotic lawn mowers.
These mowers have so many safety features and shut-off triggers that it is amazing that they are actually functional.
The Friendly Robotics Robomower turns the blades off at 16 degrees, not even high enough to get a hand under. Even if a small hand could get under, the blades are far back and recessed into a chamber in the body. It would take creativity, not stupidity, to get to the blades while they are still turning.
Unlike push and riding lawn mower safety devices, robotic lawn mower features are not easily disabled. The tilt detection devices are soldered on to the main boards. Even the resistance against the blades and the ability of the software to stop them is measured in thousandths of seconds.
Since these robotic lawn mowers are designed to mulch there is no easy outlet for flying debris. Pebbles and pine cones do not get tossed very far and at low velocity.
Some robotic lawn mowers have sonar detection systems that if any moving objects get close they’ll slow down and at another point stop the blade before even being touched. All have some sort of touch sensors that when they lightly bump into a stationary object that they change direction. So actually getting run over is unlikely.
Another big concern is pets getting chopped to bits, again, no reported accidents involving robotic lawn mowers. Dogs have a tendency to chase and bark, but not attack. A dog actually chewing up a robotic lawn mower is more feasible than a robotic lawn mower chewing up a dog.
Robotic lawn mowers move relatively slow, people and animals can easily move out of the way. Although it takes a lot longer to mow, if everyone used them there would be 72,000 fewer hospital visits this year.
This article was written to educate people that robotic mowers under intended circumstances are safe. There has been a great deal of thought and engineering involved to make robotic lawn mowers safe for public use.
Aerating Your Customers’ Lawns
If your customers don’t have the thick, lush lawns they’ve imagined, you can rack your brain trying to figure out the cause. While you interrogate them about their watering practices and second guess yourself on fertilization, the problem might be a lot simpler. It might be time to aerate.
Are there tracks in the lawn? Are there tons of weeds despite a good fertilizer with weed prevention? Are pests becoming a problem? Is water pooling in the lawn after heavy rains? Are there bare spots that you haven’t been able to help? The soil might have compacted, and it might just take a little aerating to make the lawn thrive. If the customer has clay soil or it’s a dry area, you’ll need to aerate more frequently. There’s a simple and pretty unscientific way to tell when it’s time to aerate. Grab a stick. If the soil is difficult to penetrate with the stick, you should aerate.
You should choose a nice, clear day to aerate. If the soil is wet, you will have a huge mess and a lot of explaining to do to customers. You’re also going to get compacted soil much more quickly if it’s wet. If it’s too dry, you won’t be able to penetrate the soil with an aerator. Pay attention to the weather. You should have nice weather for as long as possible (a week at least) after you aerate for maximum benefits.
If you don’t yet have an aerator attachment for your mowers, you can rent one. I recommend renting them before you buy one anyway. There are different types of aerators with different features, and the best way to determine which you prefer is to try them out. Aerators with spreaders allow the plugs (or cores) of soil to be spread throughout the lawn. It’s fine to leave them, but they should be raked to make the lawn look better right away. If you have a lot of clay soil yards or live in a dry area, you want longer spikes on your aerator. You also want more spikes to play the odds. The more spikes you have, the more likely at least some will penetrate harder, dryer soils. In particularly dry areas, it’s a good idea to water a day or two before aeration, just to promote penetration. Then simply mow in the same pattern you were going to mow anyway, with the aerator attached.
Aerating a lawn allows air, water, and nutrients to get to the roots of the grass. It allows earthworms to move about. Other good little organisms that take care of pests and naturally fertilize the lawn will thrive. You’ll also break through some weed roots, and the healthier lawn will have a better fighting chance against the weeds. You’ll have fewer problems with flooding, and the lawn will be more drought-tolerant. Bare spots will fill in much better.
Right after aerating is the perfect time to overseed if you are trying to repair bare spots or filling in during fall for a green winter lawn. By core aerating the lawn, you’ve perfectly prepared the soil to thrive on the seeds. This should be done as soon as possible after aerating, and it’s best to remove the pulled plugs from the lawn if you’re going to seed. It’s also a great time for water to get deep into the soil in dry areas, so watering after aeration is preferable. If it’s fertilization time, it’s also a good idea to aerate first if it’s needed.
In hot, dry climates, you might need to aerate in summer, fall, and at the beginning of spring, depending on how dry the winter was. Cooler weather grasses are better aerated early in fall. They are too fragile and will recover more slowly if aerated in the summer, and fall is the perfect time to prepare them for winter. If the soil is heavy with clay, you might need to aerate more often. It’s a good idea to keep your stick (knife, screwdriver, etc) handy to check if the soil has compacted.
Aerating will save your customers time and money watering in the summer as their lawns will be better able to withstand drought, and they will be thrilled with their healthier, fuller lawns. It’s well worth investing in a good aerator.
Are there tracks in the lawn? Are there tons of weeds despite a good fertilizer with weed prevention? Are pests becoming a problem? Is water pooling in the lawn after heavy rains? Are there bare spots that you haven’t been able to help? The soil might have compacted, and it might just take a little aerating to make the lawn thrive. If the customer has clay soil or it’s a dry area, you’ll need to aerate more frequently. There’s a simple and pretty unscientific way to tell when it’s time to aerate. Grab a stick. If the soil is difficult to penetrate with the stick, you should aerate.
You should choose a nice, clear day to aerate. If the soil is wet, you will have a huge mess and a lot of explaining to do to customers. You’re also going to get compacted soil much more quickly if it’s wet. If it’s too dry, you won’t be able to penetrate the soil with an aerator. Pay attention to the weather. You should have nice weather for as long as possible (a week at least) after you aerate for maximum benefits.
If you don’t yet have an aerator attachment for your mowers, you can rent one. I recommend renting them before you buy one anyway. There are different types of aerators with different features, and the best way to determine which you prefer is to try them out. Aerators with spreaders allow the plugs (or cores) of soil to be spread throughout the lawn. It’s fine to leave them, but they should be raked to make the lawn look better right away. If you have a lot of clay soil yards or live in a dry area, you want longer spikes on your aerator. You also want more spikes to play the odds. The more spikes you have, the more likely at least some will penetrate harder, dryer soils. In particularly dry areas, it’s a good idea to water a day or two before aeration, just to promote penetration. Then simply mow in the same pattern you were going to mow anyway, with the aerator attached.
Aerating a lawn allows air, water, and nutrients to get to the roots of the grass. It allows earthworms to move about. Other good little organisms that take care of pests and naturally fertilize the lawn will thrive. You’ll also break through some weed roots, and the healthier lawn will have a better fighting chance against the weeds. You’ll have fewer problems with flooding, and the lawn will be more drought-tolerant. Bare spots will fill in much better.
Right after aerating is the perfect time to overseed if you are trying to repair bare spots or filling in during fall for a green winter lawn. By core aerating the lawn, you’ve perfectly prepared the soil to thrive on the seeds. This should be done as soon as possible after aerating, and it’s best to remove the pulled plugs from the lawn if you’re going to seed. It’s also a great time for water to get deep into the soil in dry areas, so watering after aeration is preferable. If it’s fertilization time, it’s also a good idea to aerate first if it’s needed.
In hot, dry climates, you might need to aerate in summer, fall, and at the beginning of spring, depending on how dry the winter was. Cooler weather grasses are better aerated early in fall. They are too fragile and will recover more slowly if aerated in the summer, and fall is the perfect time to prepare them for winter. If the soil is heavy with clay, you might need to aerate more often. It’s a good idea to keep your stick (knife, screwdriver, etc) handy to check if the soil has compacted.
Aerating will save your customers time and money watering in the summer as their lawns will be better able to withstand drought, and they will be thrilled with their healthier, fuller lawns. It’s well worth investing in a good aerator.
A Mini Landscaping Lesson
Landscaping has often been likened to the painting of a picture. Your art-work teacher has doubtless told you that a good picture should have a point of chief interest, and the rest of the points simply go to make more beautiful the central idea, or to form a fine setting for it. So in landscaping there must be in the gardener's mind a picture of what he desires the whole to be when he completes his landscaping project.
Should you include lots of bare open lawn in your landscaping theme? A large extent of open lusious green lawn space is always beautiful. It is restful.
This type of open landscaping adds a feeling of space to even small grounds. If you cover your lawn space with many trees, with little flower beds here and there, the general effect is choppy and fussy. A bit like an over-dressed person. Not the most visual appealing result from your landscaping efforts.
When landscaping, a single tree or a small group is not a bad arrangement on the lawn. Do not centre the tree or trees. Let them drop a bit into the background. Make a pleasing side feature of them. In choosing trees for your landscaping project, keep in mind a number of things. You should not choose an overpowering tree. The tree should have a good shape, with something interesting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit.
For the beauty of landscaping, the catalpa is quite lovely by itself. Its leaves are broad, its flowers attractive, the seed pods which cling to the tree until way into the winter, add a bit of picturesqueness. The bright berries of the ash, the brilliant foliage of the sugar maple, the blossoms of the tulip tree, the bark of the white birch, and the leaves of the copper beech all these are beauty points to consider when planning your overall landscaping arrangement.
Landscaping may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines. The first would have straight paths, straight rows in stiff beds, everything, as the name tells, perfectly formal. The other method is, of course, the exact opposite. You should consider the advantages and danger points in each.
In conclusion, plan for open lawn spaces in your overall landscaping design and keep a visually appealing tree to blend in the background. Think balance and you will come up with a beautiful landscaping design for your yard.
Should you include lots of bare open lawn in your landscaping theme? A large extent of open lusious green lawn space is always beautiful. It is restful.
This type of open landscaping adds a feeling of space to even small grounds. If you cover your lawn space with many trees, with little flower beds here and there, the general effect is choppy and fussy. A bit like an over-dressed person. Not the most visual appealing result from your landscaping efforts.
When landscaping, a single tree or a small group is not a bad arrangement on the lawn. Do not centre the tree or trees. Let them drop a bit into the background. Make a pleasing side feature of them. In choosing trees for your landscaping project, keep in mind a number of things. You should not choose an overpowering tree. The tree should have a good shape, with something interesting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit.
For the beauty of landscaping, the catalpa is quite lovely by itself. Its leaves are broad, its flowers attractive, the seed pods which cling to the tree until way into the winter, add a bit of picturesqueness. The bright berries of the ash, the brilliant foliage of the sugar maple, the blossoms of the tulip tree, the bark of the white birch, and the leaves of the copper beech all these are beauty points to consider when planning your overall landscaping arrangement.
Landscaping may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines. The first would have straight paths, straight rows in stiff beds, everything, as the name tells, perfectly formal. The other method is, of course, the exact opposite. You should consider the advantages and danger points in each.
In conclusion, plan for open lawn spaces in your overall landscaping design and keep a visually appealing tree to blend in the background. Think balance and you will come up with a beautiful landscaping design for your yard.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A Look at Metal Gazebos
If you’re looking for the strength, stability, sturdiness, and longevity of a metal gazebo, you have plenty of options to fit your needs. They come as 4-sided structures, all the way to 12-sided structures, as well as irregular structures like rectangles, ovals, and multi-sectioned shapes. They often boast many flourishes, such as swirling, plant-like shapes. Despite their not being made of wood, they have a very graceful feel to them capable of complimenting any outdoor setting.
Most metal gazebos come in aluminum, or steel and wrought iron. Aluminum is the less expensive and more lightweight material. It will do just fine under most circumstances. But if you’re looking for a much more permanent structure, steel or wrought iron is your best bet. These metals are much heavier than aluminum and therefore stand up better to hard winds.
Another consideration for some consumers is that steel and iron are not likely to be damaged by vandalism. So while steel and iron are more expensive than aluminum, you might save money in the long run, because they will last.
Most metal gazebos don’t have a contiguous roof to keep off rain or snow. You can either leave your metal gazebo that way and appreciate it for its aesthetic value, or you can add a fitted canopy. These are often made out of a heavy canvass or polymers. This open design means metal gazebos are great for displaying plants that hang in pots from the roof or climb like vines up the sides. Adding plants to a metal gazebo will bring more shade and beauty to the area.
The best part about any metal gazebo is its ability to withstand everything that a wood gazebo is prone to. Rot, termites, fading, warping, twisting, chipping, checking, discoloring – these elements are nothing to a metal gazebo.
Most metal gazebos come in aluminum, or steel and wrought iron. Aluminum is the less expensive and more lightweight material. It will do just fine under most circumstances. But if you’re looking for a much more permanent structure, steel or wrought iron is your best bet. These metals are much heavier than aluminum and therefore stand up better to hard winds.
Another consideration for some consumers is that steel and iron are not likely to be damaged by vandalism. So while steel and iron are more expensive than aluminum, you might save money in the long run, because they will last.
Most metal gazebos don’t have a contiguous roof to keep off rain or snow. You can either leave your metal gazebo that way and appreciate it for its aesthetic value, or you can add a fitted canopy. These are often made out of a heavy canvass or polymers. This open design means metal gazebos are great for displaying plants that hang in pots from the roof or climb like vines up the sides. Adding plants to a metal gazebo will bring more shade and beauty to the area.
The best part about any metal gazebo is its ability to withstand everything that a wood gazebo is prone to. Rot, termites, fading, warping, twisting, chipping, checking, discoloring – these elements are nothing to a metal gazebo.
5 Must Know Tips For A Better Looking Landscape
There is no doubt that when landscaping one wants to save money, as well as have an attractive property. Not only can landscaping help you beautify your home, but it can also provide a source of satisfying exercise in the fresh air. When you take care of your yard on your own, it is possible to save money and to improve your physical conditioning. But if the landscape turns out to look bad, then that is so much time and money wasted. However, it is possible to ensure a better-looking landscape by following a few tips that can help you take better care of your yard.
Know your soil type. Some plants thrive in soil with more acidity, and others prefer a little more alkali. Additionally, sandy soil and clay soil, as well as the presence of a loamy soil, can make a difference in what types of plants will thrive in a landscape. You should have your soil evaluated in order to determine what types of vegetation should be planted on your property. When you purchase plants that will succeed in the soil conditions present in your yard, then you make a wiser money decision, and you end up with a more attractive landscape. If there are plants that you would like to use in your soil, but the soil is not quite ideal, it is possible to improve the soil to proper conditions. You need only add mulch or peat, or to add crushed limestone or clamshells, depending upon what you hope to accomplish. As long as there is not a great difference in what you have and what you hope to achieve, it is possible to make soil adjustments to be more accommodating.
Understand how much space each of the plants need. There are some plants that require more room for their root systems than others. If you choose one plant that tends to grow everywhere, and you do not have adequate space, you will find that your other plants may be crowded out or that they may choke and die. Also, make sure you understand the spacing requirements for between plants. Many shrubs and small trees need to be planted at least three to four feet apart to have enough room to grow.
Use native plants in your landscape design. One of the most effective things you can do to ensure a good-looking yard is to make use of native plants. Find out what plants grow best in your area, and what plants are indigenous to the region. This way you will already be ahead, in that you know that the plants you choose are adapted to the climate. You will not have to struggle against natural inclinations to keep your landscape looking beautiful. If you due use non-native plants, assure yourself that they come from a place that shares a climate similar to the one in which you live.
Plan your landscape around different blooming times. Different plants bloom at various times throughout the year. If all of the plants in your landscape are at their most attractive all at the same time, then your yard will look beautiful for a few weeks each year, but quite possible ugly the rest of the year. One way to help avoid this is to choose attractive bushes and shrubs that look good green, but also have some sort flower. However, it is a good idea to stagger plants among each other. Plant tulips and crocus among later-blooming plants so that in early spring the bulbs bloom, and then when those flowers’ time is up, the next plants will be in bloom. In this way the cycle of your landscape is in keeping with the seasons, and looks attractive all year round.
Use wood chips around shrubs, bushes and trees. Wood chips can help the ground around shrubs, bushes, and trees look more attractive. Not only do the chips cover the ground (often looking better than dirt), but they also help keep in moisture, repel weeds, and provide natural food as they break down. Likewise, attractive groundcover like chicks and hens placed around trees and shrubs can make the area more interesting and pleasing to the eye.
Know your soil type. Some plants thrive in soil with more acidity, and others prefer a little more alkali. Additionally, sandy soil and clay soil, as well as the presence of a loamy soil, can make a difference in what types of plants will thrive in a landscape. You should have your soil evaluated in order to determine what types of vegetation should be planted on your property. When you purchase plants that will succeed in the soil conditions present in your yard, then you make a wiser money decision, and you end up with a more attractive landscape. If there are plants that you would like to use in your soil, but the soil is not quite ideal, it is possible to improve the soil to proper conditions. You need only add mulch or peat, or to add crushed limestone or clamshells, depending upon what you hope to accomplish. As long as there is not a great difference in what you have and what you hope to achieve, it is possible to make soil adjustments to be more accommodating.
Understand how much space each of the plants need. There are some plants that require more room for their root systems than others. If you choose one plant that tends to grow everywhere, and you do not have adequate space, you will find that your other plants may be crowded out or that they may choke and die. Also, make sure you understand the spacing requirements for between plants. Many shrubs and small trees need to be planted at least three to four feet apart to have enough room to grow.
Use native plants in your landscape design. One of the most effective things you can do to ensure a good-looking yard is to make use of native plants. Find out what plants grow best in your area, and what plants are indigenous to the region. This way you will already be ahead, in that you know that the plants you choose are adapted to the climate. You will not have to struggle against natural inclinations to keep your landscape looking beautiful. If you due use non-native plants, assure yourself that they come from a place that shares a climate similar to the one in which you live.
Plan your landscape around different blooming times. Different plants bloom at various times throughout the year. If all of the plants in your landscape are at their most attractive all at the same time, then your yard will look beautiful for a few weeks each year, but quite possible ugly the rest of the year. One way to help avoid this is to choose attractive bushes and shrubs that look good green, but also have some sort flower. However, it is a good idea to stagger plants among each other. Plant tulips and crocus among later-blooming plants so that in early spring the bulbs bloom, and then when those flowers’ time is up, the next plants will be in bloom. In this way the cycle of your landscape is in keeping with the seasons, and looks attractive all year round.
Use wood chips around shrubs, bushes and trees. Wood chips can help the ground around shrubs, bushes, and trees look more attractive. Not only do the chips cover the ground (often looking better than dirt), but they also help keep in moisture, repel weeds, and provide natural food as they break down. Likewise, attractive groundcover like chicks and hens placed around trees and shrubs can make the area more interesting and pleasing to the eye.
Friday, January 22, 2010
The Fastest Nation
It’s quite usual for us to get to know that some American athlete wins another world or Olympic title in sprint event. Last time it was news from Helsinki World Championships, where the Americans had clear superiority over others in individual sprint disciplines. They won more titles than all other nations taken together. Of course, that’s not every time that it happens, but the advantage of American athletes which is due to their high level is obvious. While athletes from other countries come to sport elite and go away, Americans always stay in. Moreover, it’s impossible to imagine the sprint elite without Americans. They dominate short-distance running championships now. They have been dominating for all history of modern athletics since the first Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.
To prove this point of view I’m giving the so-called rating of all nations’ Olympic performance athletes of which ever took prices at the modern Olympic Games. A nation gets 3 points for every gold medal, silver is 2 points and bronze is 1 point. For example, at the 2004 Olympics the Americans won all medals in men’s 200 meters dash. In women’s 200 meters dash a Jamaican won gold, an American got silver and a Bahamian got bronze. Thus Americans get 8 points, Jamaicans - 2 point, Bahamians – 1 point. Summing up points for all years we get following statistics:
100 meters:
USA – 120
Germany – 22
Great Britain – 20
Canada – 14
Australia – 13
Other countries – 69
200 meters:
USA – 117
Germany – 18
Jamaica – 16
Australia – 14
Great Britain – 12
Other countries - 63
400 meters:
USA – 97
Germany – 22
Great Britain 20
Jamaica – 13
Australia – 12
Other countries – 52
In every event Americans are far ahead of others. However, even if we take into consideration such a huge advantage, it might be still wrong to say that other countries’ athletes are much worse trained. During the twentieth century there were stars among British, Canadian, Caribbean and other sprinters whose achievements have become part of sports history. Many of them are Olympic and world champions. There also world record holders among them. Now we talk about Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell and Tonique Williams-Darling. We also remember Linford Christie, Donovan Bailey, Marita Koch and Marie-Jose Perec from the past.
However, the point is that they are the only representatives of their nations. They come into sports, show outstanding performance and go away followed by no compatriots matching their level. But only the USA athletes show high-level performance constantly. It’s quite hard to find reasons for it taking into account that the level of training process is also high in many other countries. Actually it is not the training process itself that differs the States from other countries. It is rather sports system organization which selects, raises and motivates athletes.
Prevalent approach to athletics
There are two models of sports system organization in the world.
The first one is the system of state financing developed in most countries. State Sports Department exercises supervision over Sports Federations which provide athletes with good conditions for trainings, medicine care, opportunities for preparations and so on. The State takes care of athletes from the beginning of their career and they feel comfortable in such conditions.
Many of them come into athletics and train like for fun, considering running from this point of view: “I have an opportunity for training. First I will train for fun and will see if I am good in running. If I’m good, I will pay more attention to trainings. If I’m not, I will just enjoy the achieved level. My country will take care of me and will give me an opportunity to afford such “pleasure” trainings.” For some of them sprint is a hobby. Some of them achieve good results at the local level performing time of 10.4-10.2 seconds in 100-meters dash, and think that it is good enough. Those who are highly motivated progress further and sometimes take prizes at international level. But most of such sprinters don’t even reach a 10-second barrier let alone 9.8-9.7 second time which is necessary for major competitions.
So there are no good selection process and no high competing environment in such a system.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association
One more model is when business interferes with sports and government doesn’t take part in the process simply providing the athletes with conditions. Such model is developed in the USA. Besides professional sports, there is a unique system of university sports organization which gives birth to a huge amount of world-famous stars in athletics. The National Collegiate Athletic Association sports are fantastically popular and widely covered on television and in press. Even world-known bookmakers provide lines for bets on NCAA leagues. No country in the world can boast of such situation. College teams receive huge money from their team sponsors and are interested in achieving high results attracting well-trained athletes. It means that skilled athletes receive scholarships which cover expenses on study and living. For many of them such way is the only chance to enter a university. Thus athletes who competed for a university team are highly motivated in achieving good results. They don’t just train, they secure stability of their lives. Very often at NCAA championships college athletes achieve higher results than professional athletes of other countries.
There is one more positive aspect of the USA model. Several sport events are extremely popular in the United States. These are football, basketball, baseball, hockey, track and field and some others. Almost all universities have their own teams for participating in these sports. If an athlete at the beginning of his career chooses some event, and some time later it turns out that he is much better in some other event, he can simply change an event within the same university. There are many such examples among Olympic champions at sprint events. Marion Jones who was member of her university basketball team, later became the fastest woman in the world. Famous sprinter Ato Boldon started his career playing soccer. Jim Hines used to be a baseball player in his early years. Eddie Tolan won Michigan state football championships as a high school boy. Much more examples could be mentioned.
Such conditions give an opportunity to find out really talented athletes, and hard competition compels them to develop their skills very fast. Yesterday’s NCAA champions become top world athletes today. Now it is John Capel, Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin, Jeremy Wariner and Lauryn Williams. In future there will be new stars and the National Collegiate Athletic Association model will never fail.
It’s worth mentioning that Caribbean athletes are good too. But note that many of them studied in American universities.
One might ask why American athletes are not so good at long distance running as they are at sprint events. The answer is simple – they like action. It’s much more interesting for them to watch a 100-meter race during 10 seconds than wait for the end of a 10-kilometers race for a half of an hour. They are crazy about eye-catching shows. And what could be more eye-catching than short-distance running? It’s not just a part of running or athletics, it’s another kind of sport, where limits of human body performance come out. That’s why they just go and grab world and Olympic titles in sprint and left the rest of events for the others.
To prove this point of view I’m giving the so-called rating of all nations’ Olympic performance athletes of which ever took prices at the modern Olympic Games. A nation gets 3 points for every gold medal, silver is 2 points and bronze is 1 point. For example, at the 2004 Olympics the Americans won all medals in men’s 200 meters dash. In women’s 200 meters dash a Jamaican won gold, an American got silver and a Bahamian got bronze. Thus Americans get 8 points, Jamaicans - 2 point, Bahamians – 1 point. Summing up points for all years we get following statistics:
100 meters:
USA – 120
Germany – 22
Great Britain – 20
Canada – 14
Australia – 13
Other countries – 69
200 meters:
USA – 117
Germany – 18
Jamaica – 16
Australia – 14
Great Britain – 12
Other countries - 63
400 meters:
USA – 97
Germany – 22
Great Britain 20
Jamaica – 13
Australia – 12
Other countries – 52
In every event Americans are far ahead of others. However, even if we take into consideration such a huge advantage, it might be still wrong to say that other countries’ athletes are much worse trained. During the twentieth century there were stars among British, Canadian, Caribbean and other sprinters whose achievements have become part of sports history. Many of them are Olympic and world champions. There also world record holders among them. Now we talk about Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell and Tonique Williams-Darling. We also remember Linford Christie, Donovan Bailey, Marita Koch and Marie-Jose Perec from the past.
However, the point is that they are the only representatives of their nations. They come into sports, show outstanding performance and go away followed by no compatriots matching their level. But only the USA athletes show high-level performance constantly. It’s quite hard to find reasons for it taking into account that the level of training process is also high in many other countries. Actually it is not the training process itself that differs the States from other countries. It is rather sports system organization which selects, raises and motivates athletes.
Prevalent approach to athletics
There are two models of sports system organization in the world.
The first one is the system of state financing developed in most countries. State Sports Department exercises supervision over Sports Federations which provide athletes with good conditions for trainings, medicine care, opportunities for preparations and so on. The State takes care of athletes from the beginning of their career and they feel comfortable in such conditions.
Many of them come into athletics and train like for fun, considering running from this point of view: “I have an opportunity for training. First I will train for fun and will see if I am good in running. If I’m good, I will pay more attention to trainings. If I’m not, I will just enjoy the achieved level. My country will take care of me and will give me an opportunity to afford such “pleasure” trainings.” For some of them sprint is a hobby. Some of them achieve good results at the local level performing time of 10.4-10.2 seconds in 100-meters dash, and think that it is good enough. Those who are highly motivated progress further and sometimes take prizes at international level. But most of such sprinters don’t even reach a 10-second barrier let alone 9.8-9.7 second time which is necessary for major competitions.
So there are no good selection process and no high competing environment in such a system.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association
One more model is when business interferes with sports and government doesn’t take part in the process simply providing the athletes with conditions. Such model is developed in the USA. Besides professional sports, there is a unique system of university sports organization which gives birth to a huge amount of world-famous stars in athletics. The National Collegiate Athletic Association sports are fantastically popular and widely covered on television and in press. Even world-known bookmakers provide lines for bets on NCAA leagues. No country in the world can boast of such situation. College teams receive huge money from their team sponsors and are interested in achieving high results attracting well-trained athletes. It means that skilled athletes receive scholarships which cover expenses on study and living. For many of them such way is the only chance to enter a university. Thus athletes who competed for a university team are highly motivated in achieving good results. They don’t just train, they secure stability of their lives. Very often at NCAA championships college athletes achieve higher results than professional athletes of other countries.
There is one more positive aspect of the USA model. Several sport events are extremely popular in the United States. These are football, basketball, baseball, hockey, track and field and some others. Almost all universities have their own teams for participating in these sports. If an athlete at the beginning of his career chooses some event, and some time later it turns out that he is much better in some other event, he can simply change an event within the same university. There are many such examples among Olympic champions at sprint events. Marion Jones who was member of her university basketball team, later became the fastest woman in the world. Famous sprinter Ato Boldon started his career playing soccer. Jim Hines used to be a baseball player in his early years. Eddie Tolan won Michigan state football championships as a high school boy. Much more examples could be mentioned.
Such conditions give an opportunity to find out really talented athletes, and hard competition compels them to develop their skills very fast. Yesterday’s NCAA champions become top world athletes today. Now it is John Capel, Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin, Jeremy Wariner and Lauryn Williams. In future there will be new stars and the National Collegiate Athletic Association model will never fail.
It’s worth mentioning that Caribbean athletes are good too. But note that many of them studied in American universities.
One might ask why American athletes are not so good at long distance running as they are at sprint events. The answer is simple – they like action. It’s much more interesting for them to watch a 100-meter race during 10 seconds than wait for the end of a 10-kilometers race for a half of an hour. They are crazy about eye-catching shows. And what could be more eye-catching than short-distance running? It’s not just a part of running or athletics, it’s another kind of sport, where limits of human body performance come out. That’s why they just go and grab world and Olympic titles in sprint and left the rest of events for the others.
Running Indoors has its advantages
Treadmills have many advantages over real running and walking. Sure, you don’t get to go outdoors in the nature, but you can also avoid bad weather and all the other hazards that come with going out of your house, such as cars and passers-by. It’s much more relaxing to not have to keep your mind and one eye on the potential problems, and just concentrate on your running.
Apart from that, though, there are many more serious benefits. The ground remains at the same level for the whole run, which avoids you having to constantly adjust the way you’re running – you can build up a pace and then keep going. Also, the run is always at the speed you’re most comfortable with, and you can change it whenever you like. If you do want to run uphill, though, you can simulate that too, by adjusting the gradient of the machine.
Another advantage is in all the statistics you can collect about your running: because the machine is setting the pace of the run, it can calculate all sorts of things automatically, such as the amount of energy (calories) you have burned. You can also hook yourself to various monitors – heart rate monitors, breathing monitors, and so on – to check all the different aspects of your health when you run.
One of the best things about running indoors is that you don’t have to be bored while you’re doing it – you can watch TV or read a book while you’re using it. Even though it can be quite relaxing, though, treadmills are still a more effective form of exercise than some complex cardiovascular exercises. Faced with a choice between getting into all sorts of strange positions and contorting my body into odd shapes or just running on a treadmill, I know which one I’d choose.
Apart from that, though, there are many more serious benefits. The ground remains at the same level for the whole run, which avoids you having to constantly adjust the way you’re running – you can build up a pace and then keep going. Also, the run is always at the speed you’re most comfortable with, and you can change it whenever you like. If you do want to run uphill, though, you can simulate that too, by adjusting the gradient of the machine.
Another advantage is in all the statistics you can collect about your running: because the machine is setting the pace of the run, it can calculate all sorts of things automatically, such as the amount of energy (calories) you have burned. You can also hook yourself to various monitors – heart rate monitors, breathing monitors, and so on – to check all the different aspects of your health when you run.
One of the best things about running indoors is that you don’t have to be bored while you’re doing it – you can watch TV or read a book while you’re using it. Even though it can be quite relaxing, though, treadmills are still a more effective form of exercise than some complex cardiovascular exercises. Faced with a choice between getting into all sorts of strange positions and contorting my body into odd shapes or just running on a treadmill, I know which one I’d choose.
Dream About A Marathon
A marathon is the ultimate dream for many runners. People who have been running for years and some that have never run a day in their life love the idea of finishing a marathon. There seems to be something magical about the concept of a marathon, almost as if it seems super-human to compete in one or even to complete one.
Have you been pondering the idea of running a marathon for fun or for competition? If so, you must know that it takes months of hard and consistent preparation before the dream can become a reality because a marathon is no walk in the park.
One of the best strategies for making the dream of a marathon possible for you is to find a partner. Talk to your friends and find someone who is willing to begin the journey of marathon training with you. Figure out a way to mesh your schedules so that you can train together, at least on your long runs. You've heard it said that 'no man is an island,' and that concept it certainly true when it comes to preparing for your first marathon. Most people last a few weeks at best when they have no one to train with and no one to hold them accountable as the training schedule becomes more intense.
Once you've found the perfect marathon partner you should also take time to research the best training schedule for your time, needs and running goals. Getting on a specific schedule for marathon training will prevent you from overworking yourself or underworking yourself. It is no easy thing to get your body in shape for a twenty-six mile run, so make it a priority to find a schedule and then stick to it.
Talk to your physician about your dream of running a marathon. It is never a bad idea to check with a healthcare professional for any warnings or advice. See if your physician has any suggestions for ways to supplement your training with adjustments to your eating or sleeping habits. Proper eating and sleeping will only benefit the physical training you do to prepare for the marathon.
Running a marathon is something that many people dream about but far fewer people actually accomplish it. With some careful planning and a lot of dedication you can be one of the few that makes the dream of running a marathon a reality.
Have you been pondering the idea of running a marathon for fun or for competition? If so, you must know that it takes months of hard and consistent preparation before the dream can become a reality because a marathon is no walk in the park.
One of the best strategies for making the dream of a marathon possible for you is to find a partner. Talk to your friends and find someone who is willing to begin the journey of marathon training with you. Figure out a way to mesh your schedules so that you can train together, at least on your long runs. You've heard it said that 'no man is an island,' and that concept it certainly true when it comes to preparing for your first marathon. Most people last a few weeks at best when they have no one to train with and no one to hold them accountable as the training schedule becomes more intense.
Once you've found the perfect marathon partner you should also take time to research the best training schedule for your time, needs and running goals. Getting on a specific schedule for marathon training will prevent you from overworking yourself or underworking yourself. It is no easy thing to get your body in shape for a twenty-six mile run, so make it a priority to find a schedule and then stick to it.
Talk to your physician about your dream of running a marathon. It is never a bad idea to check with a healthcare professional for any warnings or advice. See if your physician has any suggestions for ways to supplement your training with adjustments to your eating or sleeping habits. Proper eating and sleeping will only benefit the physical training you do to prepare for the marathon.
Running a marathon is something that many people dream about but far fewer people actually accomplish it. With some careful planning and a lot of dedication you can be one of the few that makes the dream of running a marathon a reality.
Benefits of a good training journal
Most of us have trained at one part in our lives. Chances are if you’ve ever taken your training seriously you’ve used a training journal or a training log.
The main difference between training journals and training logs, is what you document in them after each workout or day, etc. Training journals are just that. They are more of a journal rather than a log. They will normally include things like mental health and how you felt during the day or your workout. They can reach a bit into some statistical information but this is normally saved for a training log.
Training logs are generally created of off some kind of a template. For example. Everyday you fill out a form that has the same fields. Things like current weight, daily workout, diet information, are all things that can be put in a training Log on a day to day basis.
I wouldn’t recommend going all one route or all the other, both journaling and logging are important to keep an effective history of your past. I’ve found out through experience and that for convenience sake it’s nice to have two combined together in some way. This way it’s always easy to remember to do both.
Benefits of recording your training
The number one benefit of recoding your training is to have a detailed history to look back on. This can be very useful in times of planning. For example to figure out what has worked for you and what hasn’t. It’s very useful for figuring out reasons for injuries or for times of burnout.
Have you ever sat down and tried to plan out training with nothing to work with? If you have something to look back upon a detailed account of what you’ve done over the past few weeks it’s easy to plan ahead, and to effectively increase your workout intensity, etc to improve for the future.
A detailed journal is also really nice to have just for personal use, and to be able to look back on past months and years, to remember different accounts.
Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.
The main difference between training journals and training logs, is what you document in them after each workout or day, etc. Training journals are just that. They are more of a journal rather than a log. They will normally include things like mental health and how you felt during the day or your workout. They can reach a bit into some statistical information but this is normally saved for a training log.
Training logs are generally created of off some kind of a template. For example. Everyday you fill out a form that has the same fields. Things like current weight, daily workout, diet information, are all things that can be put in a training Log on a day to day basis.
I wouldn’t recommend going all one route or all the other, both journaling and logging are important to keep an effective history of your past. I’ve found out through experience and that for convenience sake it’s nice to have two combined together in some way. This way it’s always easy to remember to do both.
Benefits of recording your training
The number one benefit of recoding your training is to have a detailed history to look back on. This can be very useful in times of planning. For example to figure out what has worked for you and what hasn’t. It’s very useful for figuring out reasons for injuries or for times of burnout.
Have you ever sat down and tried to plan out training with nothing to work with? If you have something to look back upon a detailed account of what you’ve done over the past few weeks it’s easy to plan ahead, and to effectively increase your workout intensity, etc to improve for the future.
A detailed journal is also really nice to have just for personal use, and to be able to look back on past months and years, to remember different accounts.
Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Easy Solutions For Transporting Your Power Wheelchair
Mobility aids are definitely required when you have an elderly member in your family, or you have in your care a person who has become immobile to some extent for whatever reason. Now, there are so many available choices for mobility aids. In the past, you would think as the wheelchair of the only mobility aid that you can get for the person concerned. But today, there are many products you can choose from! You can choose to get a power wheelchair, for starters. You can also choose the mobility scooter! Both of these options tackle to problem of immobility in a more fashionable manner.
And when you get any of these, another problem inevitably surfaces. This is the problem of transporting these mobility aids from one place to another. Fortunately, there are also a lot of products that can help you deal with this problem. You have the scooter lift, mobility lifts, wheelchair carriers, and wheelchair ramps. The concept of mobility is not too difficult to grasp for these aids. Carriers for vehicles have even been designed for the safe transport of a whole vehicle from one place to another. Surely the transport of wheelchairs and mobility scooters are easier, right? Indeed, it is!
What's more, you are actually given a lot of options for these as well! For instance, with wheelchair carriers, you can choose to get one with automatic features. This wheelchair carrier comes with a drive lift that is operated by a motor. This lift easily picks the wheelchair to any direction, to provide you easier access to it. The automatic wheelchair carrier can also be placed right on top of your vehicle, without giving you any worries about the gadget falling off. This is because it comes with automatic locking mechanisms as well.
Scooter lifts can be effortlessly attached at the back of your vehicle, which in turn, provides easier storage of your mobility scooter. Thus, wherever your destination may be, you can conveniently mount the mobility scooter at the back of your vehicle. Most scooter lifts also come with locking mechanisms, so falling off would never be an issue here.
As for wheelchair ramps, the popular choices are actually the portable ones. One particular favorite is the roll up ramp. By the name itself, this ramp can actually be rolled up via its specially designed hinges, making it very portable. What's more, most roll up ramps are made of aluminum, so weight is not a problem here at all. Now, this is a pretty cool mobility solution for the problem of immobility.
And when you get any of these, another problem inevitably surfaces. This is the problem of transporting these mobility aids from one place to another. Fortunately, there are also a lot of products that can help you deal with this problem. You have the scooter lift, mobility lifts, wheelchair carriers, and wheelchair ramps. The concept of mobility is not too difficult to grasp for these aids. Carriers for vehicles have even been designed for the safe transport of a whole vehicle from one place to another. Surely the transport of wheelchairs and mobility scooters are easier, right? Indeed, it is!
What's more, you are actually given a lot of options for these as well! For instance, with wheelchair carriers, you can choose to get one with automatic features. This wheelchair carrier comes with a drive lift that is operated by a motor. This lift easily picks the wheelchair to any direction, to provide you easier access to it. The automatic wheelchair carrier can also be placed right on top of your vehicle, without giving you any worries about the gadget falling off. This is because it comes with automatic locking mechanisms as well.
Scooter lifts can be effortlessly attached at the back of your vehicle, which in turn, provides easier storage of your mobility scooter. Thus, wherever your destination may be, you can conveniently mount the mobility scooter at the back of your vehicle. Most scooter lifts also come with locking mechanisms, so falling off would never be an issue here.
As for wheelchair ramps, the popular choices are actually the portable ones. One particular favorite is the roll up ramp. By the name itself, this ramp can actually be rolled up via its specially designed hinges, making it very portable. What's more, most roll up ramps are made of aluminum, so weight is not a problem here at all. Now, this is a pretty cool mobility solution for the problem of immobility.
Getting the Most Out of Your Treadmill Workout
You know what makes exercising on a treadmill so effective in losing weight and getting in shape – the ability to adjust the incline. With the push of a button you can adjust the intensity level of your workout to any degree.
If you live in a flatlander state like Illinois and you run or walk outside, you’re stuck at one level. With a treadmill you can simulate running or walk on hills or mountains, and that is where you start getting the heart beating and the calories burning.
Breaking Out of the Exercise Rut
For those of us who exercise regularly, we tend to get into a rut. And once you get stuck in a rut you reach a plateau. You find that you are not losing any more weight, and you are not getting in better shape. By changing up your routine and the intensity of your workout you can reach new highs in your personal fitness.
That is why hill and interval training are such popular programs on the treadmill. In fact, one of the hottest trends in exercising and weigh loss is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This new form of aerobic exercising manages to get the maximum results in less time. And for us who struggle to find the time to exercise, this type of workout is very attractive.
Treadmill Are Ideal for Interval Training
High Intensity Interval Training requires exercising at high intensity levels for 1-3 minutes, and follow-up with a recovery period that is approximately 2 to 3 times longer. HIIT can apply whether you run or walk. It just is a matter of raising the incline level and getting the heart beating faster.
Treadmills are ideal for aerobic workouts like High Intensity Interval Training. You crank the treadmill up to a high incline for several minutes then reduce the level and slow down to a walk or slow jog. You can either use existing hill or interval programs on the treadmill (most at least have hill training), or you can manually control the workout to a level you feel comfortable with.
The important point is get out of the rut. Experiment with different speeds and incline levels. As you start getting comfortable at a certain level for a certain period, increase both the incline and the period of time. The benefits of breaking out of the rut is burning more calories, getting in better shape and breaking up the boredom of your exercise routine.
If you plan to increase your level of exercising, make sure you are physically in shape to handle the intensity. You may want to check with your physician first, particularly if you are just starting back into a fitness routine.
If you live in a flatlander state like Illinois and you run or walk outside, you’re stuck at one level. With a treadmill you can simulate running or walk on hills or mountains, and that is where you start getting the heart beating and the calories burning.
Breaking Out of the Exercise Rut
For those of us who exercise regularly, we tend to get into a rut. And once you get stuck in a rut you reach a plateau. You find that you are not losing any more weight, and you are not getting in better shape. By changing up your routine and the intensity of your workout you can reach new highs in your personal fitness.
That is why hill and interval training are such popular programs on the treadmill. In fact, one of the hottest trends in exercising and weigh loss is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This new form of aerobic exercising manages to get the maximum results in less time. And for us who struggle to find the time to exercise, this type of workout is very attractive.
Treadmill Are Ideal for Interval Training
High Intensity Interval Training requires exercising at high intensity levels for 1-3 minutes, and follow-up with a recovery period that is approximately 2 to 3 times longer. HIIT can apply whether you run or walk. It just is a matter of raising the incline level and getting the heart beating faster.
Treadmills are ideal for aerobic workouts like High Intensity Interval Training. You crank the treadmill up to a high incline for several minutes then reduce the level and slow down to a walk or slow jog. You can either use existing hill or interval programs on the treadmill (most at least have hill training), or you can manually control the workout to a level you feel comfortable with.
The important point is get out of the rut. Experiment with different speeds and incline levels. As you start getting comfortable at a certain level for a certain period, increase both the incline and the period of time. The benefits of breaking out of the rut is burning more calories, getting in better shape and breaking up the boredom of your exercise routine.
If you plan to increase your level of exercising, make sure you are physically in shape to handle the intensity. You may want to check with your physician first, particularly if you are just starting back into a fitness routine.
Get Fit - Choose the Right Treadmill
Today everybody has become health conscious and wants to stay fit, but going to the gym can be a luxury which many people do not enjoy because of time constraint. You can solve this problem by getting a treadmill for your home. Not only can you workout at home without having to go anywhere, you can also exercise at your convenience anytime you want. A treadmill is a piece of exercise equipment where you run on the spot, without moving any distance. You can exercise while watching TV, or even read while you run. Even when there is bad weather you can run indoors.
The working system of a treadmill is the belt system. The top of the belt moves to the rear, allowing you to run an equal and necessarily opposite speed. The speed and the distance covered can be set or measured. You can also change the rate of speed when you need. Because all factors of the run are known, the exact energy spend is able to be calculated. Some treadmills also have special built-in features such as heart rate monitors, step count, amount of calories burnt, etc.
How to choose the right treadmill:
Well, after deciding you want to buy a treadmill for yourself, but looking at the number of different treadmills available, you may get confused as to which one is best. There are lots of things you need to consider. Price is of course something you need to consider, but remember never to compromise on money when it comes to your fitness and health; after all you do not want to feel sorry later. Don't become a slave to price. Consider the durability and functionality first, and then come to the price.
Before you set out to buy a treadmill, first decide where you want to put it, and measure up the space. If space is an issue, you may want to choose a model which folds for storage. One important factor that you need to consider while choosing the treadmill is its motor. Choose one that has a larger and heavier motor if you are looking for long lasting and durability. There are two ratings of horsepower. Peak duty rating is rated on the treadmill tag, and continuous duty rating, which is very important as it determines the quality and the duration of the treadmill, is stamped on the motor. Get a 1.5 continuous duty horsepower or higher if your weight is more than 185 pounds.
Pay attention to the size of the walking track and the walking deck. Get a thick size deck at least 3/4 inches thick, for comfort of the feet and legs. The length of the walking track should be at least 48 inches and the width about 17 inches, so that you do not step off the track. You can get a longer track if you are going to run on the treadmill. Next check the shock absorption. Avoid buying treadmills that have shock absorbers on the legs as this is not effective shock absorption. The treadmill's suspension must be directly under the walking deck to provide effective cushioning for the legs, feet and back. Foam or rubber is used for the padding. Foam can be softer and more comfortable than rubber, but it requires more time to return to its original size after impact, where rubber can recover to full thickness instantly and is a better shock absorbent.
Some treadmills even have a range of special preset exercise programs that can automatically change speed and can even measure your heart rate. They can be more expensive than the usual treadmills, so if you are on a limited budget you could always buy a cheaper one and get a separate heart rate monitor and develop your own programs.
Bring one home!
Walking is a very effective exercise which everybody is able to do. It is basic, doesn't require a lot of coordination, and can be an excellent way to deal with stress by clearing your head. Anybody of any age can do it, and it is the same for a beginner as well as for an athlete. So, if you are an indoor person, cannot go to a gym, or if you do not get time to go out to exercise, you can get a treadmill and exercise at home whenever you can and want to.
The working system of a treadmill is the belt system. The top of the belt moves to the rear, allowing you to run an equal and necessarily opposite speed. The speed and the distance covered can be set or measured. You can also change the rate of speed when you need. Because all factors of the run are known, the exact energy spend is able to be calculated. Some treadmills also have special built-in features such as heart rate monitors, step count, amount of calories burnt, etc.
How to choose the right treadmill:
Well, after deciding you want to buy a treadmill for yourself, but looking at the number of different treadmills available, you may get confused as to which one is best. There are lots of things you need to consider. Price is of course something you need to consider, but remember never to compromise on money when it comes to your fitness and health; after all you do not want to feel sorry later. Don't become a slave to price. Consider the durability and functionality first, and then come to the price.
Before you set out to buy a treadmill, first decide where you want to put it, and measure up the space. If space is an issue, you may want to choose a model which folds for storage. One important factor that you need to consider while choosing the treadmill is its motor. Choose one that has a larger and heavier motor if you are looking for long lasting and durability. There are two ratings of horsepower. Peak duty rating is rated on the treadmill tag, and continuous duty rating, which is very important as it determines the quality and the duration of the treadmill, is stamped on the motor. Get a 1.5 continuous duty horsepower or higher if your weight is more than 185 pounds.
Pay attention to the size of the walking track and the walking deck. Get a thick size deck at least 3/4 inches thick, for comfort of the feet and legs. The length of the walking track should be at least 48 inches and the width about 17 inches, so that you do not step off the track. You can get a longer track if you are going to run on the treadmill. Next check the shock absorption. Avoid buying treadmills that have shock absorbers on the legs as this is not effective shock absorption. The treadmill's suspension must be directly under the walking deck to provide effective cushioning for the legs, feet and back. Foam or rubber is used for the padding. Foam can be softer and more comfortable than rubber, but it requires more time to return to its original size after impact, where rubber can recover to full thickness instantly and is a better shock absorbent.
Some treadmills even have a range of special preset exercise programs that can automatically change speed and can even measure your heart rate. They can be more expensive than the usual treadmills, so if you are on a limited budget you could always buy a cheaper one and get a separate heart rate monitor and develop your own programs.
Bring one home!
Walking is a very effective exercise which everybody is able to do. It is basic, doesn't require a lot of coordination, and can be an excellent way to deal with stress by clearing your head. Anybody of any age can do it, and it is the same for a beginner as well as for an athlete. So, if you are an indoor person, cannot go to a gym, or if you do not get time to go out to exercise, you can get a treadmill and exercise at home whenever you can and want to.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
10 Steps To Clear Thinking
Does your mind sometimes feel like a television station you can't quite tune in? You know there's an interesting program on - or several, but everything is mixed with static. What if you could "tune in" at will, have clear thinking whenever you want it? Try some of the following.
Ten Clear Thinking Techniques And Tips
1. Take a walk. Science will eventually prove this to be a great way to improve the quality of your thinking, but don't wait for the proof. Aren't there enough other reasons to take a walk anyhow?
2. Stay away from sugar. If you want to understand what brain fog is, eat a sugary donut on an empty stomach, then do math problems twenty minutes later. What you will experience, along with the "sugar blues," is brain fog. At least lay off sugar and simple carbohydrates when you need to think clearly.
3. Organized space means clear thinking. It's rare that a person can actually work better in clutter. Organised working space means you won't have the thought "where is that..." distracting your mind.
4. Get better sleep. Sleep requirements vary, but the minimum for most is somewhere around five hours. Some suffer if they sleep less than eight hours. The research, however, indicates that after a certain minimum quantity, the quality of sleep is more important to normal brain function.
5. Try meditating. No time? Just close your eyes, relax, and watch your breath for a while. Accept that your mind will wander, but continually return your attention to your breath. Five minutes of this, and afterwards you'll feel a boost in your brainpower.
6. Resolve your "mind irritations." Watch your busy brain. Maybe a call you need to make has been bothering you, just below consciousness. Find these stressors, and do something to let them go. For example, make that call, or put it on a list, and your mind will let go of it for now. Just seeing a problem and saying, "There's nothing I can do about this until Friday," will often stop unconscious worrying.
7. Don't drink alcohol. At least don't drink too much. While moderate amounts can be conducive to creative thinking, all the evidence says that it is bad for the long-term health of your brain.
8. Make decisions quickly. Nothing gets in the way of clear thinking like a dozen decisions hanging around unmade. If nothing else, decide when you'll make the decision.
9. Get some fresh air. Go outside and breath deeply through your nose. You'll get a good dose of oxtgen to your brain, and the change of surroundings can help clear your mind.
10. Satisfy your physical needs. Clear thinking is easier if you aren't too hungry, thirsty, or hot.
You can think more clearly starting today. There are certainly more than ten ways, but you really only need to make a few of them a habit to have a more powerful brain. Why not try one or two right now?
Ten Clear Thinking Techniques And Tips
1. Take a walk. Science will eventually prove this to be a great way to improve the quality of your thinking, but don't wait for the proof. Aren't there enough other reasons to take a walk anyhow?
2. Stay away from sugar. If you want to understand what brain fog is, eat a sugary donut on an empty stomach, then do math problems twenty minutes later. What you will experience, along with the "sugar blues," is brain fog. At least lay off sugar and simple carbohydrates when you need to think clearly.
3. Organized space means clear thinking. It's rare that a person can actually work better in clutter. Organised working space means you won't have the thought "where is that..." distracting your mind.
4. Get better sleep. Sleep requirements vary, but the minimum for most is somewhere around five hours. Some suffer if they sleep less than eight hours. The research, however, indicates that after a certain minimum quantity, the quality of sleep is more important to normal brain function.
5. Try meditating. No time? Just close your eyes, relax, and watch your breath for a while. Accept that your mind will wander, but continually return your attention to your breath. Five minutes of this, and afterwards you'll feel a boost in your brainpower.
6. Resolve your "mind irritations." Watch your busy brain. Maybe a call you need to make has been bothering you, just below consciousness. Find these stressors, and do something to let them go. For example, make that call, or put it on a list, and your mind will let go of it for now. Just seeing a problem and saying, "There's nothing I can do about this until Friday," will often stop unconscious worrying.
7. Don't drink alcohol. At least don't drink too much. While moderate amounts can be conducive to creative thinking, all the evidence says that it is bad for the long-term health of your brain.
8. Make decisions quickly. Nothing gets in the way of clear thinking like a dozen decisions hanging around unmade. If nothing else, decide when you'll make the decision.
9. Get some fresh air. Go outside and breath deeply through your nose. You'll get a good dose of oxtgen to your brain, and the change of surroundings can help clear your mind.
10. Satisfy your physical needs. Clear thinking is easier if you aren't too hungry, thirsty, or hot.
You can think more clearly starting today. There are certainly more than ten ways, but you really only need to make a few of them a habit to have a more powerful brain. Why not try one or two right now?
7 Blocks To Creative Thinking And How To Solve Them
Each of us has the power to be creative. It's part of our natural make-up as human beings. The trouble is that, too often, we block our natural creativity and so make errors in thinking and give ourselves more problems than we should. Here are 7 ways to open up your natural creativity and keep the channels unblocked.
1. Don't Make Assumptions. When we assume, we often make an "ass" out of "u" and "me". Assumptions are examples of lazy thinking. We simply don't wait to get all the information we need to come to the right conclusions. There is the story of the customer at the bank who after cashing a cheque and turning to leave, returns and says: "Excuse me, I think you made a mistake." The cashier responds, "I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do. You should have counted it. Once you walk away we are no longer responsible." Whereupon the customer replies: "Well, okay. Thanks for the extra $20."
Tip: When you feel yourself wanting to draw conclusions, just wait until you have all the information.
2. See Things From Other Points Of View. A truly open mind is willing to accept that, not only do other people have other just as valid points of view from theirs, but that these other points of view may be more valid. A story is told that the modernist painter Pablo Picasso was once traveling on a train across Spain when he got into conversation with a rich businessman who was dismissive of modern art. As evidence that modern art didn't properly represent reality, he took out a photo of his wife from his wallet and said: "This is how my wife should look, not in some silly stylized representation." Picasso took the photo, studied it for a few moments and asked: "This is your wife?" The businessman proudly nodded. "She's very small," observed Picasso wryly.
Tip: Don't have a monopoly on how things are. Things aren't always what they seem. Be ready to consider other points of view.
3. Avoid Yo-Yo Thinking. Some people tend to have a tendency to swing from a highly positive mood one minute to a highly negative one the next, all because of what they see in front of them. It's like a yo-yo: up one minute, down the next. It's far more healthy to stay neutral and not let emotions get the better of you.
Tip: Remember that things are rarely as good - or as bad - as you think they are.
4. Get Rid Of Lazy Thinking Habits. Habit can be a major stumbling block to clear thinking and another example of laziness. Try this experiment. Write down the Scottish surnames Macdonald, Macpherson, and Macdougall and ask someone to pronounce them. Now follow these with the word Machinery and see what happens. Most people are likely to mis-pronounce it. This is because we tend to think in habitual ways and don't like what doesn't fit.
Tip: Don't think that, just because things happened in a certain way once before, that they will happen like that again.
5. Don't Think Like An Old Person, Think Like A Child. Research shows that the number of synapses, or connections, in the brain is greater in a child of two than in an average adult. The reason for this is that, while a child of two has no limiting world view, as adults we do. It's like a sculptor who starts off with a large block of clay, more than he needs, and then gradually removes the clay as he moulds his sculpture. If we use our brain like a child, accepting everything without judgment, we can actually halt and reverse the brain ageing process.
Tip: Don't worry about the myth of age. With the right stimulus and a passion for learning, you can actually improve your brain's powers.
6. See The Detail As Well As The Big Picture. You may know the poem by John Godfrey Saxe called "The Blind Men and the Elephant". This tells how six blind men of Indostan go to see an elephant and each try to work out what it is from touching it. One blind man touches the tusk, another the trunk, another the tail, and so on. Of course, not being able to see the whole elephant, they come to wildly different conclusions.
Tip: Try to keep the big picture in front of you while looking at details. It will help to put everything in its proper place and context.
7. Think For Yourself. Taking time out to think is still frowned on in many organizations that prize activity over creativity. People who work in creativity-constrained organizations are likely to think the way they are supposed to think, or as others think, or as has always been the way to think. It's like the blinkered thinking that Hans Christian Anderson describes in his story of "The Emperor's New Clothes". Everyone in the land refuses to see that the emperor is naked and has been duped into believing he is wearing a splendid costume for his coronation. Only a young boy who has been ill and not party to the cultural brainwashing can see the truth and cries out: "Look, everyone, the Emperor is wearing no clothes!"
Tip: Don't let others tell you how to think. When others ask your opinion, tell it to them straight.
Once you make these 7 techniques part of your habitual thinking patterns, you will amaze yourself with how easy it is to come up with fresh, innovative and creative solutions to all of life's problems.
1. Don't Make Assumptions. When we assume, we often make an "ass" out of "u" and "me". Assumptions are examples of lazy thinking. We simply don't wait to get all the information we need to come to the right conclusions. There is the story of the customer at the bank who after cashing a cheque and turning to leave, returns and says: "Excuse me, I think you made a mistake." The cashier responds, "I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do. You should have counted it. Once you walk away we are no longer responsible." Whereupon the customer replies: "Well, okay. Thanks for the extra $20."
Tip: When you feel yourself wanting to draw conclusions, just wait until you have all the information.
2. See Things From Other Points Of View. A truly open mind is willing to accept that, not only do other people have other just as valid points of view from theirs, but that these other points of view may be more valid. A story is told that the modernist painter Pablo Picasso was once traveling on a train across Spain when he got into conversation with a rich businessman who was dismissive of modern art. As evidence that modern art didn't properly represent reality, he took out a photo of his wife from his wallet and said: "This is how my wife should look, not in some silly stylized representation." Picasso took the photo, studied it for a few moments and asked: "This is your wife?" The businessman proudly nodded. "She's very small," observed Picasso wryly.
Tip: Don't have a monopoly on how things are. Things aren't always what they seem. Be ready to consider other points of view.
3. Avoid Yo-Yo Thinking. Some people tend to have a tendency to swing from a highly positive mood one minute to a highly negative one the next, all because of what they see in front of them. It's like a yo-yo: up one minute, down the next. It's far more healthy to stay neutral and not let emotions get the better of you.
Tip: Remember that things are rarely as good - or as bad - as you think they are.
4. Get Rid Of Lazy Thinking Habits. Habit can be a major stumbling block to clear thinking and another example of laziness. Try this experiment. Write down the Scottish surnames Macdonald, Macpherson, and Macdougall and ask someone to pronounce them. Now follow these with the word Machinery and see what happens. Most people are likely to mis-pronounce it. This is because we tend to think in habitual ways and don't like what doesn't fit.
Tip: Don't think that, just because things happened in a certain way once before, that they will happen like that again.
5. Don't Think Like An Old Person, Think Like A Child. Research shows that the number of synapses, or connections, in the brain is greater in a child of two than in an average adult. The reason for this is that, while a child of two has no limiting world view, as adults we do. It's like a sculptor who starts off with a large block of clay, more than he needs, and then gradually removes the clay as he moulds his sculpture. If we use our brain like a child, accepting everything without judgment, we can actually halt and reverse the brain ageing process.
Tip: Don't worry about the myth of age. With the right stimulus and a passion for learning, you can actually improve your brain's powers.
6. See The Detail As Well As The Big Picture. You may know the poem by John Godfrey Saxe called "The Blind Men and the Elephant". This tells how six blind men of Indostan go to see an elephant and each try to work out what it is from touching it. One blind man touches the tusk, another the trunk, another the tail, and so on. Of course, not being able to see the whole elephant, they come to wildly different conclusions.
Tip: Try to keep the big picture in front of you while looking at details. It will help to put everything in its proper place and context.
7. Think For Yourself. Taking time out to think is still frowned on in many organizations that prize activity over creativity. People who work in creativity-constrained organizations are likely to think the way they are supposed to think, or as others think, or as has always been the way to think. It's like the blinkered thinking that Hans Christian Anderson describes in his story of "The Emperor's New Clothes". Everyone in the land refuses to see that the emperor is naked and has been duped into believing he is wearing a splendid costume for his coronation. Only a young boy who has been ill and not party to the cultural brainwashing can see the truth and cries out: "Look, everyone, the Emperor is wearing no clothes!"
Tip: Don't let others tell you how to think. When others ask your opinion, tell it to them straight.
Once you make these 7 techniques part of your habitual thinking patterns, you will amaze yourself with how easy it is to come up with fresh, innovative and creative solutions to all of life's problems.
6 Christmas Shopping Tips You Must Know
There are a variety of opportunities for holiday shoppers, including stores, catalogs and the internet. Below are 6 Christmas Shopping tips that should:
Christmas Shopping Tip #1: Shop Early
If you’re heading out to the mall this year, have your shopping list ready. It’s a good idea to shop early in the season because, if you wait too long, that perfect gift may already be under someone else’s tree.
Christmas Shopping Tip #2: Be Polite
Always remember to be polite. The holidays are extremely busy and store employees are working overtime, so be patient as you wait for assistance.
Christmas Shopping Tip #3: Layaway
If you have a big list, but not quite a budget to match, consider a layaway. Many stores offer a convenient layaway plan, which would allow you to make payments up until Christmas. It saves you from having to charge up credit card bills or spend a lot of pocket money all at once, so consider a layaway if you have a big shopping list.
Christmas Shopping Tip #4: Shop Online
If you do decide to shop on the information superhighway this year, it will save you a lot of time standing in line at the mall. You can literally shop worldwide with the click of a button. Browse photos, compare prices, read customer reviews and see a huge variety of products without having to leave home. Best of all, in some cases, you won’t even have to pay sales tax on internet orders. Some stores offer free shipping, quantity discounts and all kids of other incentives to lure you into their site. In addition, several televised shopping networks have websites in which they offer an easy payment program on select items. This means that you make one payment, using a credit/debit card, and the product ships out to you immediately. The remaining payments are billed to your credit card, until the item is paid in full, for the specified number of months.
Christmas Shopping Tip #5: Place Your Catalog Orders Early
If you’re shopping from a catalog this year, be sure to place the order early. The most popular items sell out first, so get your order placed and on its way as soon as possible. There’s no need to wait for a catalog to arrive in the mail because you can log on to the internet and find many catalog companies online with product photos, descriptions, size charts and special ‘internet only’ sale prices.
Christmas Shopping Tip #6: Buy in Bulk
If you have a lot of people to buy for, and aren’t exactly certain of their taste, consider buying in bulk. You can purchase a nice package of scented candles, divide them up into multiple gifts and present them with a beautiful bow wrapped around the glass jar. These types of gifts are ideal if you have teachers, doctors, co-workers or other special people that you want to wish a Merry Christmas. Another terrific idea is to purchase small Christmas tins and several bags of assorted miniature candies. Divide the candies up into each tin and present them with a beautiful bow on top. These are ideal gifts because they are thoughtful, but also budget conscious. You can purchase a pre-designed tin similar to the one described, but you will get a much better deal if you make your own. As an added bonus, you get to decide which candy to include, which isn’t always the case with pre-packaged gifts.
Happy shopping!
Christmas Shopping Tip #1: Shop Early
If you’re heading out to the mall this year, have your shopping list ready. It’s a good idea to shop early in the season because, if you wait too long, that perfect gift may already be under someone else’s tree.
Christmas Shopping Tip #2: Be Polite
Always remember to be polite. The holidays are extremely busy and store employees are working overtime, so be patient as you wait for assistance.
Christmas Shopping Tip #3: Layaway
If you have a big list, but not quite a budget to match, consider a layaway. Many stores offer a convenient layaway plan, which would allow you to make payments up until Christmas. It saves you from having to charge up credit card bills or spend a lot of pocket money all at once, so consider a layaway if you have a big shopping list.
Christmas Shopping Tip #4: Shop Online
If you do decide to shop on the information superhighway this year, it will save you a lot of time standing in line at the mall. You can literally shop worldwide with the click of a button. Browse photos, compare prices, read customer reviews and see a huge variety of products without having to leave home. Best of all, in some cases, you won’t even have to pay sales tax on internet orders. Some stores offer free shipping, quantity discounts and all kids of other incentives to lure you into their site. In addition, several televised shopping networks have websites in which they offer an easy payment program on select items. This means that you make one payment, using a credit/debit card, and the product ships out to you immediately. The remaining payments are billed to your credit card, until the item is paid in full, for the specified number of months.
Christmas Shopping Tip #5: Place Your Catalog Orders Early
If you’re shopping from a catalog this year, be sure to place the order early. The most popular items sell out first, so get your order placed and on its way as soon as possible. There’s no need to wait for a catalog to arrive in the mail because you can log on to the internet and find many catalog companies online with product photos, descriptions, size charts and special ‘internet only’ sale prices.
Christmas Shopping Tip #6: Buy in Bulk
If you have a lot of people to buy for, and aren’t exactly certain of their taste, consider buying in bulk. You can purchase a nice package of scented candles, divide them up into multiple gifts and present them with a beautiful bow wrapped around the glass jar. These types of gifts are ideal if you have teachers, doctors, co-workers or other special people that you want to wish a Merry Christmas. Another terrific idea is to purchase small Christmas tins and several bags of assorted miniature candies. Divide the candies up into each tin and present them with a beautiful bow on top. These are ideal gifts because they are thoughtful, but also budget conscious. You can purchase a pre-designed tin similar to the one described, but you will get a much better deal if you make your own. As an added bonus, you get to decide which candy to include, which isn’t always the case with pre-packaged gifts.
Happy shopping!
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