Posts Tagged ‘sports’

Roller Derby Comes Back From The Dead

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

Roller Derby has been around for years and was a staple of the early days of television. It was similar to its better known counterpart, pro wrestling and was seen on many of the same low powered UHF stations in the same bad timeslots. It had a similar borderline sleazy group of promoters and businessman that was common in the regional territory era of pro wrestling. Roller derby didn’t have the success or popularity that pro wrestling did. There was a serious athletic component to be sure, but the dim witted storylines made pro wrestling look like Shakespeare. The sport does have its own history–most know that the LA T-Birds were the perennial champions of’70’s, and Ann Calvello and Ralphie Valladares had been in the sport forever and were considered legends–but it never really stuck in the public consciousness like the pre-Hulk Hogan era of pro wrestling.

New era roller derby reached a national audience through the A&E reality series Roller Girls. It featured a local, all-girl roller derby league in Austin, Texas and followed the lives of the players on and off the track. While the show was oddly engaging, it was the first clue that many had that such a league existed in the first place. A sport that was never taken seriously to begin with and that was really living on borrowed time since the’60’s before fading into the lowest level of obscurity had been rediscovered and embraced by an eclectic group of young women. They had kept the same essential format, thrown in a healthy dose of burlesque camp and Varga pin-up inspired glamour and made it into their own vibrant subculture. They changed some of the nomenclature and competitive format–in lieu of regularly scheduled games they renamed the competitions “bouts” a la MMA or boxing. The result was a compelling mixture of glamour, toughness and athleticism driven by a healthy dose of punk rock “do it yourself” mentality.

Today, the same sort of league featured on “Rollergirls” had become a full blown cultural phenomenon. There are now literally hundreds of local “roller girl” leagues in the US, many under the auspices of a national organization called the Womens Flat Track Derby Association. Las Vegas has the ‘Sin City Roller Girls’, Portland, Oregon the ‘Rose City Rollers” and Seattle the ‘Rat City Rollers’. There are now groups in not only the larger and traditionally “hipper” cities but also smaller flyover country environs such as Birmingham, Alabama and Omaha, Nebraska and all over Canada, Europe and Australia. Most of the local groups similarly play up the campy retro pin-up/hot rod iconography and everyone involved sure looks like they’re having a good time. Between teams there’s a vibe of good natured competitiveness and camaraderie.

This organic rebirth and growth of roller derby is a result of young women taking what essentially was TV time filler and made it into their own distaff ‘action sport’. The roller derby circa 2009 is a matriarchal success story. No one is in it for the money, as these local groups are typically run as non-profit organization. The women involved have recreated this sport, and run it, promote it and compete in it on their own terms.

The new generation rollergirls also pay homage to their sports’ pioneers. Many of the individual group websites have sections devoted to the history of roller derby, and the late Ann Calvello–regarded as the Queen of the original Roller Derby–is revered as something of a patron saint. The Texas Rollergirl group featured in the A&E series has renamed their championship the Calvello Cup.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Weight Loss - The Expert’s Advice

Monday, December 21st, 2009

The approach to slimming must always be well planned, as successful weight reduction requires patience and continuous dedication to a set regimen. You cannot cut corners when you decide upon slimming, so you have to work with dedicated effort towards a clearly defined goal, and under proper guidance.

Weight loss programs, which are mostly quite simple, require you to make up for the energy consumption from everyday exercise with a proper and nourishing diet. Listing foods to be avoided, foods to be eaten often, and foods to be consumed moderately can be a very good way to successfully begin a diet program. The purpose here is to adopt controlled eating, with only as much consumption as is necessary for healthy sustenance.

The ideal diet should focus heavily on protein-rich foods, green vegetables, and home-made preparations. However, eating something with lots of sugar or saturated fats should be always avoided. Labels listing ingredients and nutritional value are pasted to most food products available in the supermarket these days. Do not fail to read these labels before purchasing food articles. Besides, there are certain food items, like junk food, that are full of calories but devoid of nutrients, and these should not be taken at any cost.

Daily exercise is also required to build muscles and get rid of all the extra fat. Sports such as tennis, swimming, cycling etc are often a great idea as they give you a thorough workout. To ensure that your motivation does not diminish you must pick a partner who is on a similar schedule as yours and can take part with you in all these sports activities.

All of us have a unique build and shape, which means that a weight management program should be specifically tailored for an individual. If you have a trainer by your side, he will make a tailored program for you and enable you to stick to it until you complete it. A personal instructor is very much required if you have not been able to get a partner for the program.

The results of such a balanced weight management regimen are not instantly obvious physically, but normally have an immediate positive effect on those who adopt it, in terms of an increased sense of well-being and lesser stress levels. Although after some time you will begin noticing that it is enabling you to fulfil your desire of achieving an ideal and shapely figure. If you abide by a balanced program, the advantages that you get will stay, if you stick to your schedule without long breaks.

Learn more about the effective slimming program and weight management programs facilitated by highly experience trainers.

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3 Secret Tips to Improve Your Golf Swing Fast

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Golf is perhaps the latest elite sport and fitness activity to take the fitness circles and sporting enthusiasts by storm. Almost every other person, wants to become a golfing expert or at least an amateur player and it is a good way to meet up with friends and colleagues in the weekends and enjoy yourself, while keeping yourself healthy.

But even if you aspire to become an amateur weekend club golfer who loves golfing for the pleasure it affords and harbors no ambition of emulating the feats of Tiger Woods, you have to learn a few techniques to improve your golf swing. Otherwise you will become the butt of everybody’s ridicule and be deemed as a social climber or a wannabe socialite. Let us therefore learn a few techniques to improve your golf swing and shut the mouths of your detractors up.

How to do a smooth golf swing transition?

I have often noticed that weekend amateur golfers have this strange tendency of beginning their downswing with a violent and tense motion that completely eliminates any chance of a solid contact. You need to remember that the most critical transition point is the top of the swing that should gently flow down to make a smooth downswing. Let me tell you a good method to improve your downswing. When raising your golf swing to the top think light and lazy. This will help.

Another thing that I have observed is that an amateur golfer tends to use his wrists to swing the club backwards in too quick a motion. As a result of this faulty move, the swing goes off plane and proper extension is reduced. Let me prepare you for a proper takeaway.

First of all you have to stand in your address position which is normal for you and then behind your club head, you have to drop or place a ball. While initiating the backswing, the ball has to be rolled backward. In this way you have to roll the ball till it shoots past the right foot if you are a right hander.

And if you are able to do this properly, the shoulder on the opposite side will move beneath your chin and you will be able to feel that. And then when you aim the backswing, you will yourself understand or gauge how straight you should keep your left arm.

Other pointers that you need to keep in mind are passing the pole to acquire the maximum consistency and distance, remembering the practice area, getting an improved swing stance, keeping a bucket of balls handy that will also save you a lot of time.

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The Atlanta Hawks Season Ahead

Monday, November 30th, 2009

The Atlanta Hawks were a good team in the 08′-09′ season. The Hawks were swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers - this would suggest the Hawks are yet to take the leap into one of the better Eastern Conference teams.

The Hawks advanced through the first round of the playoffs, defeating the Miami Heat in round one, before meeting the Cleveland Cavs in the second round. The Cavs pounced on the Hawks, easily defeating them and putting an end to what was otherwise a successful season for the Atlanta Hawks.

The 08′ playoffs against the Boston Celtics proved that the Atlanta Hawks were on the rise and should compete for the Eastern Conference Championship in the near future.

Johnson is a prolific shooter, especially from the perimeter, and Horford is an exceptional, multi-faceted basketball player whose presence has dominated the team greatly during his two seasons in the league. This is the man to build the team around for years to come.

It will be very tough to over take the Orlando Magic in the Southeast division this season. While the Magic have some new pieces in place surrounding Dwight Howard - they are still the favorites.

Rounding out the team are other valuable pieces, which include the ever so talented Josh Smith, point guard Mike Bibby, newly acquired Jamal Crawford, rookie Jeff Teague, and others.

The Eastern Conference just became stronger again with the acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers - how will the Hawks stop Shaq? That remains to be seen.

Coming out of the East won’t be easy and the Hawks will have to fight and claw their way through the upcoming season.

For more Atlanta Hawks chatter, check out the Atlanta Hawks forums at RootZoo Sports, where you can also check out thousands of NBA trivia questions.

Miami Dolphins Early Season Struggles

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

The Miami Dolphins were the feel good story of the 2008 NFL season. The team finished with a 1-15 regular season record in 2007, and was written off as quite possibly the worst football team of the decade.

Things didn’t look too much brighter entering the 2008 season, nor did they look much better for Chad Pennington. Regardless, the Dolphins somehow pulled it together and became the Cinderella football team of 2008.

The duo of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams really came together. This opened up a ton of room for Chad Pennington as well. Anthony Fasano also stepped up as one of the top TE’s in the league. What a year it was!

The Dolphins rode the wave of enthusiasm into the 2009 season and expected big things out of an improved offense that would look to enjoy another successful football season.

After controlling the ball for 45 minutes against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football, the Dolphins could not secure the win, heartbreaking no doubt. I really thought they would get the W.

Seven points scored in a game against an average Falcons defense raised questions about the Dolphins’ offense and their effectiveness. It’s going to be a long season if they don’t get it right.

The Dolphins won the division in 08′, but New England’s QB Tom Brady was out the entire year and New York Jets QB Brett Favre was also hurt in the second half of the season - now, the rest of the division has improved. The Dolphins have more questions then answers at this point.

They performed a miraculous turn around in one year; hopefully that type of magic exists with the Dolphins again. If the Dolphins somehow manage a 8-8 season, that would be considered a successful season.

For more Dolphins chatter, check out the Dolphins forumss and create your own sports polls all at RootZoo Sports.

Exercise For Abs, Work Them Hard!

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

You can get those abs that you’ve always yearned for, all you need is an exercise for abs program that really works. No more buying those new abdominal machines from those infomercials. But a real program that you don’t even need to spend much money to do. One that will have you looking and feeling great.

You know that in order for your abdominal muscles to show up, you’re going to need to lose weight. It’s a simple thing, if you get rid of the body fat, and work out your abs, you will see a flat stomach. However, you need to do the correct type of exercises too, in order to work out all those abdominal muscles.

Look into purchasing an exercise ball that you can use along with these ideas too. It will help you in many ways including the building up of more muscles than you would normally get. Plus with the exercise ball you’ll be able to balance yourself a lot better when you do crunches and insure that you’re hitting those muscles you want to work out.

Once again, to see a flat stomach your eating habits will need to change. Getting rid of the body fat that is on your body will be a step that may seem like it will take forever. Add in more small meals throughout the day, your body will get use to that, and your fat will be burned. Eat a balanced meal though, because a crash diet will not help you out for long.

In order to succeed in this step you’re going to have to make sure each day you eat breakfast; it’s the meal to start the day with. Make sure you have enough calcium in your diet too, and get some high fiber foods in there too. Drinking water is a must when you go about changing a diet. If you don’t your body may slow down that metabolism rate, and you won’t see weight loss.

Use core stability exercises so that you can get more torso strength, stability, and balance. Core muscles include the abdomen, hips, and lower back. Add in some aerobic exercise to help burn that body fat away. It will help those muscles in your stomach to be uncovered and really show the success you’ve done in your program.

Combing all these things is a must for success when it comes to getting that flat abdomen. If you don’t change each aspect, your results will not be seen as much. Yes your abdominal muscles may get stronger, but without the loss of body fat, no one will see it.

Walking around with a new look and flat abs is very possible, just follow the steps and you will get there. Remember add in the right foods, never skip breakfast, and make sure you have calcium in your diet. As well as core strengthening and aerobic exercises, and don’t forget about that exercise ball either!

Learn more about exercise for abs. Stop by Best Six Pack Abs Workouts blog where you can find out all about how to get six pack fast and stomach workouts.

What Makes A Good And Effective Gym Program

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Many health enthusiasts are joining a gym as a direct result of the trend to stay fit, slim and healthy across the world. However, if you have already burnt your body fat, you have to concentrate on developing muscles to build that perfect figure.

If bodybuilding is what you are targeting at, you must get a good gym membership. You will not only find encouragement but also every kind of guidance from gym instructors. Moreover the professional exercise machines available at a gym are highly impractical to buy and place in your home. Once you have registered with the gym you are required to develop an appropriate gym program to ensure that you can get the most out of your efforts.

The primary thing to do is to have your workout schedule planned. A gym instructor can assist you set your fitness objectives and tell you in detail what you need to do to realize your goals. Your entire weekly routine should be in place well in advance, and this must include how much weight you will lift, the kind of exercises you will engage in and the number of repetitions you plan to do for a specific exercise.

You must first make yourself mentally prepared before you begin your daily workout session. Any amount of laziness or relaxation must be first shed off, because these might hamper your regimen and may also be detrimental to your health. You are required to be alert and bring your competitive self to the gym so that you can remain focused on your program.

Keep a record of the progress you have made from the time you began your gym program. This will make you stay on the correct track and provide you with a sense of direction and control. Moreover, when you can clearly see on a piece of paper how you are progressing, you will be able to develop inspiration to reach your goal.

If you have registered with a good gym with experienced employees, they must be able to guide you about the technique that you need to follow for a specific exercise in your gym plan. But if you figure out that you have registered with a novice trainer, then it is always better to double check from a bodybuilding book or on the internet if the technique you are being taught is scientifically proven and secure.

Lastly, one should concentrate on his diet, which forms an essential feature of any gym programme. Gym dieticians can instruct you on the diet you should follow that will help your body to replenish the proteins and carbohydrates that are consumed during your exercises.

Find out more about the best Gym and uncover how you can boost your physique.

Clark And Timex

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

The Timex company has its root in an age long gone. In 1880 this company came out with a pocket watch that was cheap to purchase and since then they have been manufacturing all kinds of watches. This company was also the first to make a Micky Mouse watch with the full approval of Walt Disney. However, these watches mostly came out under other names, such as Ingersoll.

Timex watches are known for their quality, something that is only supported by the fact that they have been a market contender for more than one hundred years already. The following Timex watches were among the best made and the information is there for you to use in order to determine whether or not it is suitable for you.

The watch that we are going to look at today is the Timex 5h3681 Ironman Watch. This is a very nice Stopwatch and it comes with a night light so that you can keep track of the laps even on the darkest of nights. Not only that, it actually has a 99 lap counter and is able to recall fifty of those laps. There are two different timers that can be set for up to twenty four hours each, and it has three different alarms.

Whether you use your stopwatch for track, swimming laps at the pool or on the field you will find this stopwatch immensely useful in whatever use you have for it. This Timex stopwatch is also waterproof eliminating any concern if it should get wet. It is difficult to imagine needing anything else but we will take a look at a competitor of Timex.

For a more conventional model you should look into the Clark Stopwatch company, which is a specialist when it comes to mechanical stopwatches. The casing of the stopwatches is made of nickel chromium and these watches are able to track the hour decimal, minute decimal and TMU, as well as tenths and fifths of a second. Basically, whatever you want to track these stopwatches can do it for you. The manufacturing company is also an old one and can repair all of their watches and other brands of mechanical stopwatches.

When you are ready to make a choice as to which stopwatch is right for you , remember that the mechanical variety are not going to have all the same functions as a digital such as lap memory plus not being waterproof as the digital ones are.

Timex and Clark and the two main makers of stopwatches, but they are also very different from each other. The one you choose to purchase will depend upon what kind of technology you want. There are many other stopwatch companies with products on the market, too. These should be taken into consideration also since another watch maker might just have the perfect stopwatch for you.

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Vegan Diet Plan - Healthy Eating for Vegans

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Restaurants ” delight yourself to a night out. Ethnic venues, in particular Thai, Indian, Ethiopian, Chinese, and Mexican, are typically a useful choice, as they offer a vast range of vegetarian and vegan meals.

Fast food ” Grab a quick snack on the move. As a rule ,chains offer a vegetarian meal of some description. Select from: Tacos, veggie burgers, baked potatoes, pasta, falafel, salads and more. Vegans can order pizza lacking cheese but loaded with vegetable extras, like peppers, mushrooms, olives and artichokes.

Supermarket supplies and natural health food shops ordinarily have in stock quick vegetarian food dishes. Elect from: Savoury pies, seasoned tofu, veggie burgers, chili, a wide variety of soups, and more.

Veggie convenience produce. Make a meal consisting of some of the following items. You can add your own veggies, rice, noodles, cooked grain, wraps, or breads. Mock meats ” If you like the fibrous consistency of meat, there are many products that can be added to your meals. Pick from bite-sized chunks of “chicken” or “beef”, meat analogs that are crumbly like ground beef, or ample offerings like vegetarian “turkey” substitutes. It is a helpful thought to try a few different brands, as there is a broad variety of styles and quality.

Mock meats ” If you like the tough consistency of meat, there are many items that can be added to your meals. Select from bite-sized chunks of “chicken” or “beef”, meat analogs that are crumbly such as ground beef, or significant offerings like vegetarian “turkey” substitutes. It is a sound idea to try a few diverse brands, as there is a broad variety of styles and quality. Mock meats, nondairy cheeses and milks, and other vegetarian foods are retailed in mainly major supermarkets these days, and health food stores offer even more.

Tofu ” a pre-cooked soy produce that is terrific for picking up flavours from the veggies and seasonings that you cook it with. The firm way is superlative, marinated, baked, or stir-fried. Soft tofu can be blended to produce creamy dressings, puddings, dips, and smoothies.

Tempeh ” a cultured complete soy product obtainable at natural food provisions. Fry till golden and crispy, then add to a dish or serve on the side with Dijon mustard.

Seitan ” a chewy meat-like produce made from wheat gluten. To be had at natural food stores. Canned items ” chickpeas, lentils, white beans, refried beans, hearty soups, etc.

Adjust the meals you presently churn out.. Breakfast and lunch are easy. Try muffins with fruit spread, toast, or cereal for breakfasts. Make sandwiches with spreads like hummus, veggie pate, black bean dip, nut butters, or white beans with lemon and garlic. Pasta, rice or potato salads, and even dinner snippets make fantastic lunches.

Combined with light excersises, These meals a greatfast track to healthy weight loss as well. Ahh, The Benefits.

Characteristics Of A Square Trampoline

Sunday, September 6th, 2009

Trampolines are classified based on the shapes of their jumping platform. Square trampoline has the same width and depth size, the height slightly varies depending on the brand. Square trampoline comes in three different types; 1) the outdoor field/garden type, 2) the outdoor water sport/recreation type, and 3) the exercise facility type.

The outdoor field type is used for recreation, mostly as a kid’s play facility. Sizes for this usage ranges from 8′x8′ to 15′x15′, same sizes applies for water used square trampoline. The outdoor water type trampoline is used mostly as a swimming platform. As an exercise facility, the square trampoline has smaller dimensions. Typically 38″x38″ for children and 40″x40″ for the therapy exercises, the dimension still varies depending on the brand.

A taut strong fabric is attached to steel framed by means of springs. This is the basic structure of a trampoline. For a square trampoline, springs are designed in a criss-cross pattern to support the weight of the person jumping. It is said that compared to rectangular trampolines the square and circular ones have a harsher bounce.

Accessories for a square trampoline are similar with other trampoline types. Handling bars or safety bars for routines such as jumps, walks, and balance exercises. Ladders as access to and from the jumping pad, it can be bought separately. Padded frames are for safety, the thickness also varies but the having thicker pads the better. Springs or coils can be replaced for safety assurance, due to wear and frequency of use. Heavy duty mats are available for replacement, preferably after 5-6 years of use. Nets enclosure is for outdoor type trampolines. While the water type square trampoline only differs by having an inflatable body and a water resistant surface.

There are various brands of trampolines, yet they are all designed to last for years. Inspite this standard, inevitable equipment damages may still happen in time of usage. By this occurrence, products such as these have replacement parts. Mats or strong fabric can be replaced thru ordering. Only the brand type and dimensions of the product are the necessary information for such orders. There is also an option for finding cheaper but quality trampoline parts. These parts are either slightly used or has a very slight defect that doesn’t endanger its function. Still the main advice to make the product last, is to properly use and maintain it.

Generally manufacturers claimed that setting up and taking it down is an easy task. They are designed with detachable parts or in foldable construction. There is also an option for an accessory of rollers if needed to be transported. Also there’s an available trampoline string pull tool to aid in stretching the fabric to the frame, upon setting it up. Square trampoline is available in different brands; each varies in design, colors, material used, weight capacity, prices, and structural quality.

Kalvin is a sports and fitness journalist who writes about how to find discount square trampoline and a good regular trampoline that can be used for great workouts.