Golf Balance Exercises To Create A Rock-Solid Golf Swing

golf balance exercises should be a must for every amateur golfer. One of the biggest issues with most amateurs is balance, stability and body control in their golf swing.

So often I see a golfer swinging outside their physical capabilities and losing their balance, resulting in a severe mishit that will end up being a double or triple bogey.

There is a physical requirement to maintaining your golf balance throughout your swing. The golf swing position commonly referred to as golf posture is a very unnatural position for the body to be in at address, let alone throughout the swing.

Having a forward tilt over the balls of your feet require a high level of both strength and flexibility in your hamstrings. Just get in your golf posture and reach back behind your upper leg to see how tight your hamstrings are.

If your hamstrings are tight and/or weak, you will have no chance at maintaining your golf posture and ultimately balance throughout your golf swing.

How about your quadriceps?

The play a critical role in keeping your golf swing stable. Rotating your upper body around a somewhat fixed lower body takes a tremendous amount of leg (quad) strength. Also your quads help maintain your knee flex that you had at address. If your quads are weak, your legs will straighten, causing you to come out of our swing.

As you can see, your golf balance requires muscular strength and flexibility. Without it, you’ll be falling all over your swing forever!

One great golf balance exercise (drill) is swinging and actually hitting balls on one leg. Give it a try! You’ll soon find out how difficult it is. But stick with it, and you’ll become a pro at it. If you can hit straight balls on one leg, using both legs will be a cinch.

In all of my advanced golf performance training programs, I have the golfer do a majority of their strength exercises on one leg. It is brutal! It takes so much focus and concentration, you’ll be sweating before you even grab the weight.

I have literally dozens of golf balance exercises in my dvds, books and websites that will dramatically improve your balance, stability and overall control. It’s amazing how many emails I get from golfers who thought these golf balance exercises were easy until they did a full set of just one exercise.

They thought differently after that!

This could be your missing link to a great game! Focus on those golf balance exercises!

Gadgets for golfers

golfers need gadgets too! Do they need them? Most will say yes. Many of the little devices that add a new aspect to the game of golf without taking away from the traditional rules and etiquette of the game are welcomed by the novice as well as the professional golfer.



They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors with blinking light, and all the bells and whistles you can imagine. Many are made to add to the excitement or make the game seem more fun and alluring to newcomers. Do they work? Some of them do and others simple get in the way. Albeit, fantastically creative and very imaginative, the gadgets that have been introduced into the game of golf lately are a bit cumbersome and distracting to a game where silence and concentration, technique, and style have been the norm.



For some, these gadgets serve as a reminder of how much they should attend to their game more. They can be taken as an insult to injury at times. Many of the gadgets on the market arguably have some sort of annoying feature that make it inappropriate or just plain annoying on the course. Then there are the ones that have not electronic parts at all but are designed to take the painful parts of the game a little easier. One such tool is the groove cleaner. This handy little device is supposed to remove the dirt from the clubs in between shots.



Another good one is the divot repairing tool. This one claims to be one of the more essential items to have on the course or the suction ball picker upper. This one will save your back; you don't have to bend over to pick up your ball. Can't beat that one! They will improve your game, and make you a better player; or so we may think. The golfer who decides t use these gadget might be in for a big surprise once they set there foot on the course with one of these handy items.



Regardless of the gadget that is made for the course to improve your shot, make your game better, or save you from some of the nuances of the game; these gadgets are best left to those who just want to try something new or want to be the course pest. Because any good golfer is surely aware that nothing will improve a golf game like practice, practice, and more practice. It really doesn't matter what golfing gadget you choose to use.



Once you've got your gadgets sorted its time for you to book your next golf holiday. Bidford Grange in the UK is a popular destination, as is Foxhills Golf Club and Matfen Hall.

Used Treadmills Reviewed - How Remanufactured Treadmills Can Save You Up To 50%

Thinking about buying a treadmill but worried about the high price? Take a look at remanufactured or used treadmills, one of the best fitness deals around. They are much more than just used machines; they are fully refurbished and often come with an excellent warranty.

What are Remanufactured Treadmills?

Remanufactured treadmills are used machines, but with an important difference. They have been completely refurbished to “almost new” condition by a professional fitness equipment company and they are generally covered by a warranty. Best of all, they are priced at up to 50% less than a new treadmill, making them an excellent choice for most people’s needs.

Where do Used Treadmills Come From?

Companies that sell remanufactured treadmills may obtain them in several ways. Some are warranty returns, but most are from clubs and fitness centers that are updating or changing their equipment. A few come back due to financial distress or non-payment of balances due. In most cases, a reputable re-seller will only refurbish and sell the equipment they feel is of the highest quality.

What is the difference between refurbished and remanufactured?

Most sellers of used treadmills use these words interchangeably, but their actual refurbishment processes can vary. Some will put a machine through basic testing and touch up, while others will take machines apart and replace key parts before re-selling.

What should I know before buying a used treadmill?

Before buying a used treadmill of any kind, take the time to do some research about the refurbishment process used by the seller. The best processes will include most of the following steps:

*Complete disassembly of all parts

*Full frame refinishing rather than touch up

*Testing and rebuild of mechanical systems using new parts that meet manufacturer specifications

*Testing and rebuild of electrical systems using new parts that meet manufacturer specifications

*Reassembly and thorough testing of all functions and operations

What are the advantages of buying remanufactured treadmills?

There are several advantages to buying remanufactured treadmills, such as:

Price – You can often buy a previously used, remanufactured treadmill for up to 50% less than a comparable brand new treadmill.

Quality – The quality of remanufactured treadmills is nearly new in most cases, with many key parts replaced before the treadmill is re-sold.

Value – Many remanufactured models are commercial-grade machines that you would normally find in a fitness club rather than in a private home. This means you can access excellent equipment at moderate prices, making your dollar stretch farther.

Warranty – Most remanufactured machines come with some sort of warranty, which is added protection for you as a buyer. The best treadmill warranties on used machines will be for at least six months and sometimes even longer.

Summary

When it comes to buying used treadmills, there is no need to settle for an “as is” piece of equipment. You can buy a fully refurbished and remanufactured treadmill that looks and feels new but is priced up to 50% less than a brand new machine. Find a reputable re-seller that thoroughly remanufactures and tests every treadmill, and look for a good warranty to go along with it. If you shop carefully, you will usually find that remanufactured treadmills are among the best deals around.

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How To Use Golf Training Aids To Improve Your Swing

Looking for better consistency? Need to improve your accuracy? Desperately want some more yards? Or possibly you just want your swing to look a little better so your buddies won't tease you anymore. These are all great reasons for doing some work on your swing, but what is the best way to go about it?

There are so many factors of the golf swing that it can be intimidating just figuring out what to do first: grip, stance, alignment, takeaway, swing path, shoulder turn, wrist cock, tempo, timing, weight shift, etc. It's impossible to work on everything at once unless you enjoy tangling yourself into a pretzel. Here are some tips on how to find where to start, and on how to use golf training aids to help you improve your swing.

1. Learn! Get at least one book and one video about the golf swing and learn the basic concepts before you start tinkering. This can really save you some time and heartache. Learn about grip, stance, and alignment. Learn about swing path and clubface angle and how the two combine to affect the flight of the ball. There are lots of great golf videos and books out there written by guys who have spent their lives figuring out the best way(s) to swing, so take advantage!

2. Get lessons from a PGA pro! At the very least, take three lessons to check your grip, stance, and alignment before you start working on your full swing. Swing work is worthless unless you start from the right position, and you can get good instruction about the alignment basics almost anywhere.

3. Get some golf training aids! Golf training aids can really help you get results faster if you use them consistently. Here are some suggestions for golf training aids that will get you going quickly:

a) Molded grip. These are invaluable for learning how to grip it before you rip it. Make sure you get a grip/club combination that allows you to actually hit balls, because this is the fastest way to get used to the new position.

b) Swing Path. The club should approach the ball on a slightly inside out path for optimum distance. Get a swing path training aid to help with this. They can range from a foam barrier that physically prevents you from coming over the top, to a mat that sits on the ground as a visual aid.

c) Swing plane. Swinging the club on plane for the entire swing can help with your consistency. A variety of training aids exists from laser pointers for a visual aid to a large hoop that forces you to stay on plane.

d) Tempo. Get a golf metronome and use it during practice sessions. This will help you groove your swing rhythm and gain consistency.

e) Release. Your wrists must release properly through impact to get good club head speed and clubface angle. Get a release training aid to help with this.

f) Weight shift. You absolutely must shift your weight onto your right foot in your backswing and then back to your left foot as you swing through (for right handers). Many players have a problem with falling back as they swing through, which can cause a nasty slice and too high ball flight. Get a golf training aid that forces you to shift the weight onto your forward foot as you swing through the ball and you will gain distance and directional consistency.

If you follow all these suggestions, you will see results quickly. Good luck and stay focused on your swing goals!

Soccer The War Game! �Looking Back To Its Origin

Believe it or not, but the modern day soccer owes its origin to the barbarous war mongering nature of human beings.

There is no proper documentation that can state the date and place of origination of the most popular modern day sport—Soccer. However, depending on the socio-historical facts and data we can assume that some type of a ball game was played somewhere in this planet for at least over 3000years now.

The earliest evidence of soccer was found in Kyoto, Japan where a field marked to play a ball-kicking game was found.

There is also proper documentation that supports the fact that the Chinese military forces around 2nd and 3rd century BC (Han Dynasty) played a game that involved kicking a ball into a small net. This was then an essential skill building exercise for the armed forces.

Historical evidence also shows that some form of Soccer was played also by the Greeks and the Romans, however, the primitive form involved a larger team on each side. At times the team strength would go up even to around 27 people on each side. The Greeks were playing four different forms of the ball game, namely "Episkyros", "Ourania", "Pheninda" and "Keritizein". Episkyros was the closest to football. In this 2 equally numbered teams, would try to throw the ball over the heads of the other team. There was a white line between the teams and another white line behind each team. Teams would change the ball often until one of the team is forced behind the line at their end.

Now, how many of you would believe that the modern day soccer actually originated as a war game?

Unbelievable, but true! The first Football (as Soccer is called in Britain) game was played by the locals of east of England, where they started a game, kicking around the severed head of a Danish prince whom they have defeated in a war. That marked the origination of Football as a war game.

After this, for a long time, football was played by rival towns and villages where the objective was to move the ball to a predetermined spot. Hundreds of people would take part in these games and a single game could last a whole day. Punching, kicking, biting , everything was allowed.

The savage nature of this form of football was not much appreciated by the rulers and the Royalty took all possible steps to stop these games. King Edward III of England, passed laws in 1331 to stop the game, he was followed by King James I of Scotland in 1424. The Queens were not far behind, rather, had a more strict approach. Queen Elizabeth I of England, enacted laws that could sentence a football player to jail for a week followed by penancing in a church.

However, in spite of all their best efforts and intentions they could not stop the game. It was too popular among the masses and they loved the game.

The first approach to regularize and give a civilized form to this game was taken by the famous Eton College of England in 1815 when they established a set of rules for the games. These rules were accepted by the other schools, colleges and universities. Later, in 1848, these rules were further standardized and a new version was adopted by all the schools, college and universities. This new set of rules was known as the Cambridge Rules.

At this stage, there were actually two set of rules that were being followed in this game. Some organizations preferred to follow the rules of the Rugby School, that allowed tripping, kicking and carrying the ball, whereas the Cambridge rules prohibited all this methods.

In October, 1863, The Football Association was formed, when eleven London schools and clubs came together to establish a single set of rules to administer any football match that were to be played among them. On 8 December 1863, Association Football and Rugby Football finally split onto two different organizations.

In 1869, these rules were further amended to exclude any handling of the ball beyond the scope of acceptability and that created the foundation for the modern day sports mania—SOCCER !

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Golf Tips - Breaking 80 In Golf

A major milestone for a lot of players is breaking 80 in golf. This achievement is a highly sort after goal among many players You will often find that many players who have been playing for years and years still battle with breaking 80 in golf. Whenever I'm talking to my golfing buddies, they often bring up the subject of breaking 80, this to me cements the fact that this is a fundamental goal among many golfers. Plenty of practice with the right techniques will ensure you achieve this goal as soon as possible.

My preferred technique to breaking 80 in golf is often considered a little unusual, but it works, well. You need to visualize yourself through the total procedure of breaking 80. You should visualize every component of the game, right from the address, to the short game, and right through to the end of hole 18, finishing on a below eighty score. Most often, this mental preparation is plenty to push many players over the line in breaking 80 in golf. Basically the better you can break down each part of the game in you mind, the better this technique works. Obviously the more you practice this, the better you will become.

Your efforts of breaking 80 in golf will be greatly hindered if you are not using the correct or up to scratch equipment. When chatting with some experienced golfers they do actually say that most people over accentuate on this point. What this basically means is that if you have equipment that works and you are comfortable with, you don't have to rush out and buy the latest and greatest clubs. If you are already comfortable with what you have a change in clubs would greatly sway your mental ability to break 80 and therefore it is often wise to stick with what you already use.

Of course, there are many more points to breaking 80 in golf than just your mentality and equipment, skill and technique comes into play quite largely. Arguably the most important shot is the drive off the tee. Even the smallest miscalculation with your drive can cause a hook or slice and therefore make a devastating impact on your scorecard at the end of the day.

Improving your drive is all about improving your accuracy and distance, this is often easier said than done, never compromise your distance for accuracy. The one thing worse than a shot 50-100 yards short of your mark is a 275 yard drive into the woods!

Another thing to test and perfect in your game is your grip. Breaking 80 in golf will be that much easier when you know you have perfected your grip. If you chance your grip even the smallest amount you may see drastic changes in your game, this is normal You will want to check your grip by holding your club in a square stance and looking straight down. If you can see 2-3 of your knuckles, perfect! This must be revised by slightly adjusting your wrists and hands without moving the club too much.

The best tip to learning how to break 80 in golf is of course practice. You should practice your technique and prepare yourself mentally at the start of each day to ensure you have what it takes to beat that fearsome score. The truly greatest feeling in golf for many players is that feeling of knowing when you are about to break 80 for the first time. Breaking 80 in golf should be something that every golfer does, they just need to practice the correct golf techniques to be on their way.

The Golf Swing - My Seven Step Checklist - Step 2 - The Set Up

To quote a line from Ed Norton, “Step up, plant your feet firmly, and address the ball- Hello Ball” For all of you Honeymooner fans out there, I’m sure you will recall that this was Eds’ direction to Ralph in the famous Honeymooner golf Episode, which is one of my all time favorites. In order to prepare for the golf swing, the set up is where you will step up to the ball, place your feet in position and address the ball, so Ed was pretty accurate in his direction to Ralph, except of course for the Hello Ball part.

After the ball is set on the tee, step back and “Relax”. The next step is to position your body in relation to the ball. The proper alignment to the target is key to accuracy in the set up. As noted in a tip in Step 1 of My Seven Step Checklist, you should choose an intermediate target directly in front of you and in line with the golf ball and your intended landing area. Once you have selected your spot the next step is to take your stance parallel to that line. Note: To practice aligning correctly to the target two clubs can be placed on the ground - One will be placed adjacent the golf ball and will be pointing directly in line with the ball, your intermediate spot and the landing or target area. The other will be placed in parallel to the first but at the area where your feet will be placed. Once you practice for a while utilizing this method you should acquire a feel for the correct alignment technique. (Note: The set up can be performed with the feet and body positioned open or closed, in other words, out of alignment to the target line which will allow the golfer to work the ball left or right depending on the set up of the golf hole. This is done deliberately to promote the left to right or right to left ball movement. It is also a technique employed by the more experienced player and is not recommended for the beginning golfer). After you have established your line, the next step is the placement of your feet. When I take my stance, I like to place my right foot almost perpindicular or turned slightly to the right of perpindicular to target line and my left foot is angled about 45 degrees left of a perpindicular line toward the target ( Note: the information provided is meant for the right handed golfer and should be reversed for those left handed). The distance between my feet is approximately shoulder width, especially for the driver. This allows for stability in the stance, which is important in maintaining good balance thru out the swing. As you take your stance the knees should be bent slightly and the upper body should be tilted forward a bit at the waist. The head should be kept upright so the chin does not impede the backswing and shoulder turn, which will be addressed in the next step. As the body tilts slightly forward at the waist and you have taken your grip ( as discussed in Step 1), make sure you allow your hands to fall in a relaxed position almost directly below your line of sight if you looked straight down - not too far or too close to your body. I would estimate the hands and club to be approximately six to eight inches away from the body, depending on your height, if done correctly.

I will again emphasize the importance of ”Relaxing” for the set up and the entire golf swing. I don’t mean to the point of falling asleep, but there should be no tension in the body, especially the arms, shoulders and legs. This will promote a much better tempo and allow the speed of the swing and the club to do the work, which in turn will produce much better results. Since all golfers are different in stature and ability, they may utilize a variation on the ideology noted above. This information is derived from personal knowledge and over 30 years of experience of playing golf and I would hope it would be helpful to the majority of golfers. There is nothing like practice and experience for learning the correct way to swing a golf club. In order for the practice to be efficient and your ability to improve you must have the basic foundation in place for the proper swing, playing techniques and strategies of the game. Learn “The Right Way”. Happy golfing To All!

Softball Bat: What Is The Right Bat For You?

You can see them all around the Softball park, swinging their bats, hitting at imaginary targets and sometimes practicing at objects, improving their strength all the time. The force behind the swing of the batters can be tremendous. The truth is, it is not the strength behind the swing that only matters. It is also the kind of bat one uses.

How to pick the right bat?

The Length

To pick the correct bat length, the bat should be long enough to reach your wrist when you are standing straight with arms on your size. With the tip of the bat touching the ground to your wrist will very most likely the most comfortable bat length that you can pick.

The Weight

Every softball player has his own individual requirement especially when it comes to carrying out weights. The rule of the thumb when picking the correct bat weight is to try out the bat first. See if the player can swing the bat comfortably and control the swing with both hands without strain. The bat has to be the heaviest that the player can swing without loss of speed. If the bat does not fall into these categories, look for another one. It does not matter if the bat chosen is the most expensive and the most beautifully crafted with the most advanced material. If the player will be sacrificing these, the player will only be having a good top of the line, technically crafted bat. You can not say that for his swings.

Whatever the case, always take a bat that is light. Lighter bats can be swung faster and the resulting distance could be farther.

Having said that, here are ways to pick legal bats.

Advancement in technology has created bats where the softball bats can fit and be comfortably swung by players of all ages and built. Even the less technically proficient can today, swing the softball bat and hit the ball at speeds that can pose a serious problem with the pitcher and the infielders. Technically advanced bats can also ruin the game, as players would rely more and more on the more expensive multiple alloys instead of having fun and developing the skill. For these reasons, many softball organizations started banning specific bats and having guidelines for softball bat specifications. Some of these standards are:

The BTF or the Bat Performance Factor has to be 1.20 certified.

The Ball to Exit Ratio has to have a 97-MPH BESR on a normally thrown pitch.

The bats must have a smooth safety grip not just tapes.

The ideal softball bat in the hands of a good player translates to the game Americans love. To prepare for a good batting positions here are a few suggestions:

Loosen up. Twist back and forth, bend up and down, do a stationary jog, do anything to loosen up the muscles. If you have a good bat speed, fluidity in movement will give you the power.

Use a carbon based softball bat. Carbons perform better than aluminum.

When you are batting, distribute your weight on both feet. When the ball is in the level between your shoulders and your chest, hit it. Hitting the ball in that position is just giving it another direction. The power that you smash it with will give it the distance.

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Mastering the Long Irons in Golf Takes Practice

The majority of golf irons are used for shorter shots, typically those in the range of under 200 yards. The best iron to use is determined by the loft of the club head as well as the golfer's ability to hit the ball a specific distance and by the confidence the golfer has in hitting his or her irons. Golf irons typically include a set of eleven irons, numbered one (long) through nine (short), a pitching wedge, and a sand wedge.

Long irons are typically the one iron through the four iron, have a longer shaft, and less loft, are somewhat lighter than short irons and are commonly used for longer shots that require a precise type of ball flight. Many golfers incorrectly believe that the long irons are harder to hit, and therefore these clubs don't get used as much as the mid and short irons do. Longer irons require higher swing speeds to obtain good results, as well as precise ball contact at impact. A solid foundation, or stance, can give the golfer the ability to swing more powerfully and hit the longer clubs more consistently. Visualize some of the professional players like Tiger Woods or Vijay Singh, and the stability they maintain throughout their swings. This is what you are trying to achieve when learning how to hit long irons in golf.

Long irons can be an absolute joy to hit when done correctly, however these clubs can also be very difficult, as well and learning how to master the long irons is said to be one of the most difficult lessons for beginning and intermediate golfers alike. Long irons can give even good players difficulty. These types of clubs are no longer carried by many golfers, many of whom are now opting for fairway woods or other new hybrid clubs to cover some of the same distances as their long irons. Practicing with the long irons can help improve your swing even for those of you who may opt for fairway woods or hybrid clubs while on the course.

Learning how to hit long irons in golf consistently may be one of the hardest shots to play in a sport that is already difficult - especially for beginners. The first problem some new golfers face when using the long irons for the first time is attempting to to use the same swing they use with their Driver, which may not work for all golfers. Golfers should always attempt to focus on hitting a good, clean shot with these clubs and practice hitting their long irons each and every time they go to the Range.

Hello from Toronto (5) - Novice Golf, Driving through the Kawarthas, a Little Off-Road Mountain-Biking & Preparing to Say Goodbye

It is unbelievable how nine days can just fly by. Today my brother, sister-in-law and our two Austrian friends are scheduled to fly back to Graz, Austria, via Vienna. There has been an increasingly palpable sense of sentimentality in the air, in light of the fact that this wonderful time is coming to an end alarmingly quickly.

It's also amazing how many activities one is able to cram into a short amount of time. I wanted to give them a really good taste of everything that I love about the city of Toronto and my new country. So occasionally I put a few too many things on our plates and we ended up racing through a few of the activities. On the whole though, I think our European guests had a fabulous time and they fell in love with Toronto, just like I did, many years ago.

Saturday all six of us went golfing to a little par-3 golf course in the East end of Toronto. None of my Austrian guests had ever golfed before, so a couple of days earlier we started with a few buckets of balls at the driving range, followed up by an indoor putting practice session on the carpet. Saturday we would get to try the real thing. The attempts at the driving range didn't look all that great, with balls spraying all over the place, to the left and to the right. But on Saturday afternoon, another gorgeous day, our four Austrian guests performed quite admirably and only lost 2 balls in the water hazard.

They really enjoyed golf, a sport they had never even dreamed of playing, but the Toronto area with its several hundred golf courses, many of them reasonably priced, made it easy to give this sport a try. All preconceived notions about golf only being a sport for old people went out the window, and they enjoyed the challenge of trying to sink the round little ball in the hole.

Sunday came our second big excursion: a driving tour through the Kawartha Lakes. I had only planned two major driving tours: a wine-tasting tour through the Niagara Peninsula, and a second one to the lake district of the Kawarthas. We started by driving east on Toronto's 401, a 12 to 16 lane highway whose size duly impressed my European visitors. Then we headed north-east through rolling farm country to Peterborough, a rural university town with a population of about 70,000. From there we drove north into the Kawarthas, a gorgeous lake region set in the rocky landscape of the Canadian Shield.

Our first stop was Buckhorn, where we watched the mechanics of lift locks of the Trent-Severn Canal that links Lake Ontario with Georgian Bay. We saw how several boats assembled inside the lock following by an opening of the sluices and the water level equilibrating itself with the level of the lower portion of the river. The Parks Canada lock supervisor explained the whole process to us and it only took about 10 minutes for the boats to reach the lower level.

>From Buckhorn we drove through rocky and marshy countryside to the quaint village of Bobcaygeon where we took an extended stroll. We had a nice waterfront lunch, looking across to the marina, seeing the the boats come in an out of the canal. Particularly our Austrian friends Luis and Isabella love boating and seeing the many houseboats on the Trent-Severn Canal gave them a few ideas for future vacations in Canada.

The lunch was delicious and we took a little stroll around this charming town, admiring the waterfront parks and picnic facilities that allow great access to the water. From Bobcaygeon we drove on to another little picturesque country town: Fenelon Falls, whose name comes from a waterfall in the middle of town that has been used for electricity generation since the 1870s.

After a sizeable line-up we picked up a few delicious cones of Kawartha Dairy ice cream and strolled over to the bridge over the falls and then down to the little peninsula that sticks out into the river. From there you can look into a rocky gorge where both sides of the river are surrounded by high rocks.

Again, we watched boats being lifted and lowered, this time in lock 33 of the Trent-Severn Canal System. This is another town with a beautiful little park right by the locks with lots of opportunity for barbeques or simply for a relaxing snooze in the sun . Time was flying by and by this time it was already 3:30 pm so we had to start our return to the city. We only took back roads and my brother lost count of the numerous golf courses that dotted the landscape. It was a nice relaxing drive through rolling countryside and we made it back to Toronto in less than 2 hours. All four of my Austrian guests had fallen in love with the Lake District and the prospect of another vacation in Canada to explore the waters north of Toronto seems ever more likely.

Yesterday was their last full day in Toronto, and we took our bikes out for a spin one more time. Since we all love water we rode down to the Eastern Beaches again, and leisurely explored the waterfront. We watched some lawn bowling, and one of the participants kept coming over to us to explain the rules of the game to us since none of us was familiar with this sport. My guests commented several times on the friendliness of people in the stores, restaurants, in line-ups and even I myself was surprised at the approachability of Torontonians, often known as a more reserved breed of people. But we truly kept having very positive experiences, equally with people employed in the service sector, as well as with regular citizens, taking a stroll, playing a game of lawn bowling or going for a walk with their dog.

Of course we admired the inukshuks by the beach, a public play area for adults with rocks of various shapes and sizes that are used by passers-by to create interesting stone sculptures. We watched a few tense points at the Kew Gardens Tennis Club, and checked out the picturesque Kew Gardens park itself. From there we headed west past the beach volleyball facilities to the little peninsula west of Ashbridges Bay which always offers a fabulous view of Toronto's skyline. We took in the tranquil atmosphere and soaked in the sun for a while before we started our return back along the waterfront. My European visitors commented several times how incredible it is to have all this publicly accessible land right along the waterfront and how in some secluded spots you don't even realize that you are in a major metropolitan area.

To get back up to our house we had to climb back up from the waterfront and this time we chose the Glen Stewart Ravine, where a little brook has carved a valley into the slopes leading down to the waterfront. It is a densely forested area and when you are in there it feels like you are in a remote forest somewhere, not right in the middle of Toronto.

Once back at our house, preparation got started for our final goodbye barbeque and we had invited a few extra friends to join us to give our Austrian guests a proper sendoff back home. We enjoyed some excellent food and they sampled a few more varieties of Canadian wines and beers, all of which they had commented quite favourably on. We didn't sample much restaurant cuisine since my brother is a talented chef, but the fresh ingredients that he purchased in Toronto's various markets made for some truly delicious dinners.

In the evening we took one more spin in the car, first to revisit the Distillery District at night. Luis had wanted to buy some beer glasses at the Mill Street Brewery as a souvenir, but unfortunately the brewery and restaurant were closed. The whole Distillery area was a little quiet, not surprisingly, since it was Labour Day, the last official day of summer, and the final day of respite before school would begin again. We continued our driving tour with a little spin through downtown and up Yonge Street before we turned east on Bloor Street. We crossed the Bloor Street Viaduct and arrived on the Danforth, Toronto's Greek area. As always, Greektown was quite busy and people were milling about. We sat down on the patio of one of our favourite restaurants and enjoyed some Greek snacks before we headed home after another long day, all of us a little sad, commenting how nine days can pass so quickly.

Today we'll have to take their four rented bicycles back and around 2:30 we'll have to start the trek to the airport. It's been a fabulous 9 days, an extended sleepover with four great people and we won't forget this holiday for a long, long time. We are already hoping for another reunion, either in Austria, or back here in Canada, to deepen this fabulous connection.

Quick Tips in Converting Your Carport into a Garage

A lot of homeowners decide to have a carport installed in their homes due to the lower demand in finances brought about by this home project. But homes with garages are far more appealing. In the future when you might decide to sell your home, a garage is definitely one of your strongest features that can entice many buyers. Thus, if you have a carport, converting it into a more secured enclosed garage may prove to be a fruitful investment after all despite the costly nature of this task.

Then again, what is the difference between a carport and a garage? Most people do not distinguish one from the other due to their alike purpose - to provide you with a parking space. However, you can tell them apart firstly by their appearance, costing and usage. A carport is cheaper due to the minimal requirements involved in installing it. Lumber or steel posts and galvanized tin or gable roofs are the main components that make up this type of vehicle lodge. A garage on the other hand is relatively more expensive since it is a permanent structure attached or detached to the house. Some homeowners make this space as their storage, office, workshop or additional living area as well.

First of all, assess your need for the conversion. Thoroughly deliberate how you want this new space will serve your needs. If you just need to secure your car, a simple garage will do. If you like to turn it into a multi-functional area like the options abovementioned, then devote more time in preparing the new garage design, plan and budget. Here are a few pointers in planning the conversion work:
1. Size - the minimum sizes for a single and double garage are 12 ft. wide x 22 ft. long, and 18 ft. wide x 22 ft. long, respectively. It is important that you carefully consider the flooring and ceiling widths and heights so you can assure better spacing for your vehicle and further area installations. For example, the span of opening for a standard garage door is 8 ft.
2. Professional assistance - if you want new wiring, plumbing and roofing done, you really have to hire a home inspector or a structural engineer. They have to initially check the status of these components if these are already existent in your current carport.
3. Insulation - given that your carport is built like a makeshift tent, a new enclosed garage will need proper wall insulation. This is very vital to include in constructing the new space so you can have ultimate protection for your vehicle and other things to be placed in this area. Particularly for zip codes with extreme hot or cold temperatures, give proper attention to the heating and cooling systems.
4. Building codes and regulations - check with your local area whether you need to secure permits for your construction endeavor. Typically in most states, a permit is needed if these tasks are involved:
- load-bearing walls demolition
- roofline change
- alteration of the house footprint
- new windows, door and sink installation
- new electrical wiring and plumbing

Once you have envisioned the entirety of the conversion, get your budget readied as well. The materials to be used should be listed down together with their particular prices. The most common supplies considered necessary in this home project are wall studs, bottom plate, door with track and opener, plywood, chip board for sheathing, pegboard for wall insulation and finishing materials like PVC siding or brick veneer. It would be easier for you to calculate the total costs for the materials if you get free quotations from your local lumber yard, hardware stores or even their online website counterparts. In addition, set the duration of this task. You can save up on labor costs if you put a definite timeframe for the project to finish. With regards to paying for labor, each handyman can be paid $25-35 per hour. If you want to hire a contractor, allocate $3,000 to $8,000 for the entire project including materials and labor costs. These rates vary according to your location and the complexity of the work.

Added car protection, new modern space and higher property value - these are only a few of the benefits you can have from having a full-functioning garage rather than a carport. All the expenses and effort will be well worth this home improvement endeavor.

The Real estate market can be an enjoyable, satisfying and lucrative experience for you. Whether you are a homeowner, a buyer, a landlord or simply a real estate enthusiast, get to know more about the latest in the real estate market now. Read more about it here: Cul-De-Sac Homes for Sale in New River, golfCourseLot-RESCity.aspx" rel="nofollow">Avondale AZ golf Property for Sale and Greater Phoenix AZ Properties with Community Pools.

How I became A Scratch Golfer

golf used to be very frustrating for me because I couldn't get any better than a 18 handicap.

I watch the golf Channel and read Golf Digest religiously - there was something missing in my golf swing and I could not put my finger on it.

I was your typical bogey golfer - if I started my round of golf on a good note I usually did pretty well and would shoot mid to high 80's. If the wheels on my golf swing began to wobble I would find myself tinkering with my golf swing on the golf course - a recipe for disaster!

My golf swing was far from perfect but functional. I had incorporated an early move in my backswing that allowed me to swing the club more to the inside and at the same time fan the club face open. I learned this move because if I timed my impact just right, I seemed to hit the golf ball farther.

However this move in my golf swing was hit or miss - sometimes I smoked the golf ball down the middle of the fairway - and sometimes I snap hooked it into the woods.

So ended my 2006 golf season and still no progress - handicap 18 and holding steady.

The 2006-07 winter here in New England had been unusually cold, snowy, and LONG! - It was now spring and my golf swing still rusty from the long winter layoff.

Needless to say, I was anxious to start my 2007 golf season with high hopes of really making an impact on lowering my golf handicap from the 18 I had been sitting at for so long.

Then in early May 2007 my brother in law told me about this golf swing move he learned from an old dusty golf book that had done wonders for him - a move he said puts his golf swing on plane early in the swing.

What is this move you ask??

Read on...

The early backward wrist break!

As I began to practice the early backward wrist break my golf swing felt very weird. I said to myself "this is gotta be wrong". However I stayed with it and continued practicing this early backward wrist break.

I gradually began to notice the golf club felt much lighter as I swung...I also began to find it easier to drop the golf club into the "slot" during my downswing allowing me to really attack the golf ball from the inside.

Then I suddenly realized, "I've been yanking the golf club way too far to the inside at the start of my backswing, and now my golf swing is on plane!"

"This is why the golf club feels so much lighter; I am now swinging the golf club on plane!"

I noticed a more penetrating ball flight with my irons AND my woods...

The golf ball was now exploding of my clubface! Also, I noticed the golf ball was sounding different coming off my club face - it sounded like - "click".

And this story gets even better...

Five days after learning the early backward wrist break I carded my first ever hole-in-0ne!

To read the story on my hole-in-one, simply Google: "john lynch hole-in-one" spelled exactly as is without the quotes.

I quickly developed much more confidence in my golf swing - I now knew where the golf ball was going. This confidence transferred to my short game and I began to score on the golf course.

I was now thoroughly enjoying the game of golf!

I was no longer happy with pars; I now wanted birdies and eagles!

In three short months my handicap had already dropped to a 10 - that's 8 strokes!

My dream came true in May 2008 when my handicap dropped to 0 - scratch golf!!

All because of this one move early in my backswing!

I can truly say without a shadow of a doubt the early backward wrist break has totally transformed my golf game and I wanna shout this out to the world!!

One year ago I was an 18 handicap, I am now a scratch golfer!!

Hit 'em Long and Straight!

John Lynch


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To read reviews on The New Four Magic Moves To Winning Golf which teach you all about the early backward wrist break, John recommends you visit: http://golfswingsecretrevealed.blogspot.com/

Video Source: Youtube

Swing East, Hit Hard - Couples Style

Among the biggest mistakes weekend golfers make is thinking they must swing harder to drive the ball farther. That's not so. You can swing easy and still hit the ball a long way, if you know what you're doing-a point I've often stressed in my golf tips and golf lessons.





Take Fred Couples-one of the Tour's most solid ball strikers. He hits the ball a long way. His power is almost effortless. And his swing is extremely fluid. That's because he combines great mechanics, excellent tempo, and the right swing thoughts in one package. These in turn generate maximum power right when he needs it the most-at the point of impact.





It's been 20 years since Fred joined the Tour. Through it all he's remained basically the same. He hasn't changed his swing much, either. On the tee he embodies the philosophy "swing easy, hit hard." He remains relaxed, from address to finish. Yet, he still bombs the ball. Recently, Fred's made some changes to his swing that have him hitting the ball longer and straighter.





Recent Changes





The key change is in his takeaway. He's lessened a distinctive lift in his takeaway by using a lower, wider sweep that starts the club back more along the target line than before. The change involves setting up with the clubhead about 12 inches behind the ball. This new set up brings several benefits. It lets him make a deeper, fuller turn. It let's him get a jump on his takeaway. And it reduces the amount his driver shaft cuts across the line at the top of his swing.





As a result, Fred swings down on the correct plane, with the club more in front of him, not trapped behind his right side like before. Previously, Fred had to make some mid-course adjustments in his swing to hit the ball solidly. To counteract this, Fred opened up and played a fade. But that left him prone to hooking and missing far too many fairways. Now he plays a draw and hits the fairway more often.





Another change is in ball position. Previously, Fred played the ball just inside his left heel. Now he positions the ball back slightly, which helps him hit his draw. The new position allows him to square his shoulders to the target. From there, he turns it over for more distance. A draw tends to run when its hit the ground, while a fade tends to stick when it hits the ground.





Tempo Is The Key





But what hasn't changed in Fred's swing is his great tempo. That's the real key to Fred's effortless power. Fred's swing starts out nice and easy and then accumulates speed as it goes along. His power comes from getting the fastest point of his swing right at the ball. For Fred that means letting the speed of his swing build until impact. The gradual acceleration keeps his swing in sync and his power in reserve until it meets the ball.





In addition, Fred accelerates all the way to the finish. He wants the club to wrap around his body and his right shoulder to point at the target. This finish proves to Fred that he has accelerated through the ball. The key to this type of finish is Fred's ability to stay relaxed throughout the swing. Being relaxed, his muscles flex naturally to support the swing's momentum. Tensing up prevents this from happening.





Swinging Hard At The Wrong Times





Many players with high golf handicaps swing hard at the wrong times. They whip the club back to the top of their swings or yank it down from the top. Neither move is conducive to good tempo. These are the times when their swings should be the slowest. A rhythmic backswing helps you make a fuller turn. Starting down softly lets the golfer match up body, arms, and club at impact. Both help produce power and direction.





Thanks to Fred's relaxed swing, great tempo, and near perfect mechanics, he's able to hit the ball a long way without seeming to try. Weekend golfers serious about driving the ball farther-and cutting their golf handicaps down to size-should take a close look at Fred's swing next time he's on television. It's not a bad one to copy.





Driving the ball a long way comes naturally to some. The rest of us need to take golf lessons and read golf tips to learn to do it. But with hard work and practice, a golfer can learn to generate effortless power.





Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. Free weekly newsletter available with the latest golf tips, lessons and instructions.

Breaking 80 Golf Tips - Discover the Secret to Hitting Perfect Shots For Duffers

Most every golfer I have ever met wants to improve or play better golf. Yeah they may be duffers, golfers with handicaps, but they still long to improve their golf swing, shoot lower scores and reduce their handicap. One goal we all have is to hit the ball crisply, making pure contact allows for better ball flight and distance control.

Some may choose to take golf lessons from a pro but more and more ambitious golfers are turning to the Internet with its wealth of resources to gather the information they need to improve their golf game. Articles like this, e-books and videos can all be found here on the net to help the struggling golfer played better golf.

One key step in the learning process is to understand how the club design dictates how we should swing the club. Proper use of the golf club will make a huge improvement in your ball striking without having to change your grip, address position or swing.

From the driver to the putter every club has these elements. To play better golf needs to fully understand how to apply these elements while using the golf club. So much of the frustration high handicappers experience comes from working against these design elements rather than with them.

To use the club effectively requires a good understanding of the key design elements built into every club by the engineers. These elements are shaft lean, lie angle and center of gravity.

Let's look at shaft lean now.

Shaft Lean

This may be the most important design element of the three. Clubs are built so that the shaft leans forward (toward the target) when properly soled.

Experiment by placing a short iron on a table or counter top. Notice that when the sole is placed flat on the surface of the table that the shaft leans forward past the clubhead.

That angle is the secret to hit crisp, clean golf shots. When the club impacts the ball with the shaft at that angle it creates maximum compression of the golf ball creating perfect launch characteristics of spin rate and launch angle.

You'll feel that perfect impact in your hands, hear that familiar click and then watch the classic ball flight. The pure golf shot is such a thing of beauty, don't you agree?

Next, while still using that club on the table, lean the shaft back until it is vertical. Take special notice of the leading edge of the clubhead. It has lifted up off the table hasn't it? Now the clubface is at a flatter angle to the table. How will those changes affect your golf shot? With the leading edge lifted up like that it becomes easier to blade the ball at impact. The flatter angle with throw the ball higher in the air than designed.

Now move the shaft back a bit further. Now it is leaning away from the target, the leading edge is sticking way up off the table and the clubface has flattened out even more. This exaggerates the affects mentioned with a vertical shaft.

Here is the shocker for you. Most high handicappers strike the ball with the shaft leaning backwards rather than forward as it was designed! Yes, that last position on the table top I showed you is the most common found in amateurs.

The real secret to hitting crisp, clean golf shots is to strike the ball with the shaft leaning forward at impact. This promotes the all important descending blow required to produce those perfect, pure golf shots.

Apply this new knowledge to your golf swing and watch how fast you go from duffer to player.

Discover more free secrets to improving your golf game here: Hit Down for Perfect Iron Shots.

Golf Tips on Hitting Solid Irons

To improve iron play fast-and chop strokes off your golf handicap-look to your hands. It's hard to hit quality shots if you don't use your hands correctly. As a serious golfer looking to improve, you must learn what role your hands play in hitting iron shots. If you do, you'll boost your game to a new level and you'll whittle strokes from your golf handicap as well.





Many weekend golfers learn to hold a club either by taking golf lessons or reading golf tips in magazines or books. What they may not learn from this golf instruction is that the way you hold the club impacts on how you cock your wrists at the top of the swing. That in turn determines clubface position at impact. If your clubface isn't square at impact, you'll slice or pull your irons.





Weak Grip/Flat Wrist





If you're right-handed, a weak grip encourages a cocking mechanism that produces a flat left wrist at the top of the swing. A weak grip for a right-handed golfer features the back of the left-hand pointing to the target and the "V" formed by your thumb and forefinger pointing toward your left ear. With a weak grip, you must keep your left wrist from cupping to maintain the clubface on line during the swing.





If your left wrist cups, you're asking for trouble. You'll rotate the clubface too far open on the backswing and throw the clubface off the correct delivery path. Only players blessed with ultra-fast hand speed, like Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson can square up the clubface at impact from this position. Making adjustments like this for usually spells trouble for players of all golf handicaps.





Strong Grip/Cupped Wrist





If you're a right-handed player, a stronger grip accommodates more of a left wrist cup at the top. A stronger grip for a right handed golfer is one in which the back of the left hand for a right handed player points more toward the sky, and the target and the "V" formed by the thumb and forefinger points toward your shoulder. With this grip you must avoid flattening the left wrist too much as you hinge the iron to the top.





A stronger grip plus a flat left wrist at the top usually results in a laying off of the club or swinging too far inside. Either way, you must make adjustments to get the club back on plane and on the correct delivery path. If you don't, your clubface won't be square at impact. Again, making adjustments during your swing spells trouble for players of all golf handicaps, unless you have super fast hands.





Golf Instructors Favor Stronger Grip





Many golf instructors favor a stronger grip for weekend golfers. It's a little harder to learn to control, but when paired with a slight left wrist cup, it provides for better overall club control and allows for more hinge. That in turn creates more lag in the backswing to downswing transition, generating more clubhead speed and increasing power.





For even more power, grip the club with a slightly stronger grip. To do that, make the "V" created by the left thumb and foreigner point toward the right shoulder, with the palm of the right hand facing the target. Be careful though. Too strong a grip results in a hook.





Your grip is personal. You should adopt one that feels comfortable to you. There have been as many great players with weak grips as there have been with strong grips. The key is to match the right grip with the correct type of wrist cocking mechanism, making it easier to return the clubface to the ball square. Do that and you'll not only hit more solid irons, you'll do it more consistently and you'll chop strokes off your golf handicap.





Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. Free weekly newsletter available with the latest golf tips, lessons and instructions.

Picking the right grip size for your tennis racquet.

Choosing the right grip size for your racquet depends mostly on hand size but also on strength, style, and other factors. It is important that you choose the right size grip or you may end up with an uncomfortable racquet which can not only hurt your game, but can cause injury.



You might feel more comfortable with a smaller grip if you're used to a racquetball racquet or badminton racquet, but you should choose a larger grip for tennis racquets. Grips that are too small may cause all sorts of injuries in the wrist and elbow. On the other hand, racquets with a grip that are too large will most likely be hard to keep a hold of which make you squeeze the grip tighter. That will put extra tension on your arm preventing a relaxed swing and will also tire your hand and arm out much quicker.



Grip sizes for adult racquets start from 4" and go up to 4 3/4". The normal sizes are 4", 4 1/8", 4 1/4", 4 3/8", 4 1/2", 4 5/8", and 4 3/4". The Junior racquets sizes are from 3 5/8" to 4" and in some cases to 4 1/8". You can use a ruler to find out what grip size is best for your hand. Your correct grip size is basically the distance from the tip of your ring finger to the farthest main vertical line in your hand. This is just a way to get an idea of what size tennis racquet grips you should use but should not be used to make the decision.



A better way to determine the correct grip size is to measure it while holding the racquet. Hold the racquet with one hand and slide the index finger of the other hand in between the tips of your fingers and the base of your palm. If there is not enough room for the index finger between the fingers and palm, the racquet is too small. If there is extra space, the grip is too large. If the index finger fits perfectly, you have found the correct grip size for you. You can always add grip tape to make it bigger by , so it's a good idea to buy a little smaller than bigger. However, don't buy too small because building up the grip more than one size will make it rounder and you will not feel the grip shape.



Mike Cook is a Marketing Specialist for E-Rackets.com. For more information about tennis racquets and tennis equipment visit http://www.E-Rackets.com.

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Swimming Workout

A swimming workout can be a new and refreshing way to get or stay in shape. Swimming is a full body aerobic sport that tones muscles, improves strength and flexibility, increases circulation, controls weight and enhances body contours.

Swimming workouts give you a low impact activity that can easily be tailored to match your abilities. A good way to gain cardiovascular stamina is to exercise in a swimming pool.

The secret to a good swimming exercise program is to work with the water. To accomplish this, propel yourself through the water by using your abs, hips and shoulders.

To understand why water exercise works so well, you need to know about water's unique properties. In water, your body has almost no gravity. You're relieved of 90% of your body weight so you become very buoyant.

You can float, bob and relax without feeling like you're putting out any effort. Yet water provides 12 to 14 percent more resistance than air, so as you move through it, it's like having weights around you.

Swimming laps is great exercise in a swimming pool. Try different strokes to vary the muscles you work to keep your workout balanced.

Going vertical or upright is another very effective exercise in water. These types of water workouts include water walking, jogging, water aerobics, water toning, water therapy, water yoga and water flexibility training.

You can strengthen your muscles with these vertical water workouts because you experience 75% greater resistance than swimming horizontally. This vertical position maximizes the resistance of water against your movements.

Water based activities can provide significant benefits for older adults too. In addition to increasing metabolism, physical activity can improve cardiovascular health and increase strength, not to mention the psychological and social benefits as well.

Joining an aquatics class or just sharing a swimming workout with a friend can help you feel better about yourself. You can be more socially active, engage in community activities and tend to not lose your independence because you are more physically fit.

The bottom line is to choose activities that you enjoy and will stick with. It is never too late to introduce physical activity into your life. Swimming workouts can provide a healthy and enjoyable way to get back the fun you use to have as a child.

Copyright © 2005 Treadmill-Info.com. All Rights Reserved.

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How to Open Your Swimming Pool This Spring

Soon spring will be here and so will the annual chore of opening your swimming pool. Planning ahead can make the job much easier. There’s nothing worse than realizing your short one bag of shock when you’re in the middle of prepping the pool. So let’s first make a list of chemicals that you might need.

There will be different needs depending on the type of pool you own, so this list is general. Refer to your pool and pump instructions for additional information.

Liquid or powdered Shock
Chlorine powder or tablets
Bromine
pH increase or pH decrease
Sanitizing cartridge for cartridge filters
A test kit or bottle of test strips to test pH and chlorine levels

Before you run off to your local pool supply store for chemicals, now would be the time to check all of your hoses, clamps, skimmer baskets, gaskets and o-rings. If any of the parts look like they need replacing, take them with you to the pool supply store. It’s a lot easier to match replacement parts if you have the old part with you.

Now that you have the easy part finished, it’s time to get to work. The first thing required is to get the cover off. Enlist some help for this, as you want to avoid getting any top water into the pool water. If you have an above ground pool, siphon the water off with a hose. If you have an in-ground pool you will need to use a sump pump to remove the top water.

To get a good siphon started, hook up the hose to the spigot and put the other end of the hose into the top water. Turn the hose on for a minute or so to fill it. Next crimp the hose a foot or two away from the faucet, and with your other hand, disconnect the hose from the spigot. Position the hose at a downspout drain to discharge then let go of the crimp. The water will reverse and start to drain.

Once you have the water cleared, use a leaf rake to remove as many leaves and twigs as possible. Next, remove your cover weights or springs. At this time a few people positioned around the pool will help to keep the cover out of the water. Try to fold your cover like a blanket keeping the crud in the middle then remove the cover. You need to scrub the cover thoroughly and properly dry for summer storage.

Now it’s time to attach all the pump hoses. Remember to lube plugs, fittings, valves and o-rings with petroleum jelly. Also be sure to remove any freeze plugs that were used to cover the hose openings. You will most likely need to add water to the pool. It should be filled to the skimmer half way point.

At this point you should start re-circulating the water and check for any leaks around the pump and hoses. Once your pool is leak and drip free, skim off as much floating debris as you can with your skimmer net. Open all your valves to flood the hoses and prime the pool pump. Most manufacturers recommend constantly recirculating the pool water for at least three days. Any crud and debris on the sides and bottom of the pool will need to be scrubbed off. Use the broom attachment of your pool vacuum for this.

After all debris has been removed and the pool has been scrubbed, check your filter for cleaning. Some pumps have removable filters; others are back-flushed, so clean as directed. Once the filter is cleaned, you can now super shock the water as per your manufacturer’s instructions. If you start with green water, you will need a lot more shock. It may take a few days of recirculation to clear the water. Once the water has cleared, test your water or take a sample to your pool supply store and have it analyzed. Adjust the water as required and keep recirculating. All that is left to do now is to wait for the water to warm up so you can start enjoying your pool.

Gregory Fort is a partner with the company Pool-Pockets - Your pool toy storage solution. http://www.pool-pockets.com

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Basics Of Amateur Boxing

Boxing has been a favorite past time for many centuries. That is, from the times of the Egyptians in the 2nd millennium B.C. until now when there are more rules to govern the field and spectators to watch the not-so-brutal fights. This is evidenced partially by the inclusion of boxing in the modern Olympics since it started in 1908 as well as the popularity of professional boxing.

In their present forms, amateur boxing and professional boxing are different in many respects. Below are the marked differences that anyone who is considering a career in amateur boxing might want to know.

Amateur boxing is somewhat less popular than professional boxing an is oftentimes seen only in the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and other games sponsored by independent sports bodies. In some of the places in the former Soviet Union and Cuba, however, amateur boxing gathers more fans and enthusiasts than its counterpart.

Scoring system

The scoring system used for amateur boxing games is designed such that only the clean blows are recognized and scored instead of the damage that each blow renders.

Scoring

A clean blow is one that lands cleanly on the designated scoring points. To score, a boxer must land a clean contact with the knuckles of his glove either on the head or on the part of the body above the belt. Judges award the score by hitting the button of computer scoring system for each blow. Three out of the five ringside judges must hit the button in no less than one second apart.

During an infighting, that is when the fighters are fighting up close, scores are awarded to the player who throws the better punches or exchanges.

Blows that are not awarded are those that infringe the rules of amateur boxing, punches that did not land on the white strip of the gloves' knuckles and those that lack weight.

Rounds

Depending on which sports body is sponsoring the amateur boxing game, the number of minutes per round can vary between two to three minutes. Nonetheless, the number of rounds remain the same. For both the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games, there are 4 rounds that last three minutes each. For other bouts, however, such as those sponsored by the Amateur Boxing Association, there are just two minutes for each bout.

Protective gears

Boxers are required to use protective headgears. Gloves have a white stripe around the knuckles. The official gloves weigh only 10 ounces and should have the standard white strip.

Officials

The main man on the ring is the referee who basically monitors the conduct of the players. He also takes care of maintaining fair play as well as regulate movements on the rings. He also addresses all violations in the ring.

Weights

Unlike professional boxing, amateur boxing only has the basic weight divisions. They consist of the following (from the lightest weight divisions to the heaviest weight divisions):

Light Flyweight

Flyweight

Bantamweight

Featherweight

Lightweight

Light Welterweight

Welterweight

Middleweight

Light Heavyweight

Heavyweight, and

Super Heavyweight

Basic Rules

Boxers are illegible only in the ring if they are wearing the proper protective gear and recommended shirts and pants.

The fighter with higher points, regardless of the power of the blows, wins.

The boxer must move fast since amateur boxing only lasts for 3 to 4 rounds, depending on the bout's sponsor.

The winning boxer is determined by the number of points except on bouts where the referee stopped the game. In case of a tie, the judges will deduct the worst and best scores from the total score of the boxer. The winner is the one with most points left.

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Cold Sore Lysine - How To Use It for Your Cold Sores

Cold sore lysine - does it really help cold sores or is it just so much hype?

Now you can know the truth.

By the time you finish this article, you will discover some little known facts about cold sore lysine treatment options.

Cold sore lysine has been much talked about as a treatment for cold sores and other herpes outbreaks. It actually does work extremely well for stopping these troublesome sores - but ONLY if you know how to use it properly.

FACT: Lysine extinguishes cold sores very much the same as water quenches a fire.

Water puts out a fire by starving it of the oxygen it needs to burn. Lysine works in a similar way - it represses cold sores by depriving the herpes virus of what it must have to create the sore.

Right now, we need to take a look at what really causes cold sores and how lysine can literally stop them in their tracks.

When the herpes simplex virus becomes active, it infects nerve cells on the surface and forces them to make copies of the virus. Once full, the cells are annihilated to free the new virus.

The painful, unsightly sores on your face are the result of the destruction of thousands of close-together body cells by the herpes simplex virus.

FACT: Arginine is the main nutrient that feeds the herpes fire.

The herpes virus is made of protein. The main protein used by the cells to create this sub-microscopic virus is the amino acid arginine.

Lysine and arginine are essential to your good health. They are termed essential amino acids because they cannot be created within the body. They must come through food.

Your body cells store arginine in a special area within the cell. If forced to create new herpes virus, your cell will draw on these stores until depleted.

Without arginine readily available, new virus cannot be created.

FACT: Lysine extinguishes the fire of cold sores by preventing arginine from reaching it.

Lysine is also stored within the cells, in the same storage area as arginine. The more lysine in your diet, the more of it is stored in the cells. And the more lysine, the less room there is for storing arginine. Basically, lysine and arginine fight for the same space.

Lysine does not support the creation of the herpes virus. And it keeps the arginine from being available for virus replication by replacing it in the storage area of the cells.

FACT: Lysine must be taken orally to reach the cells and be absorbed.

For high levels of lysine, your best solution is increasing your intake of high cold sore lysine foods. These include fish, meat and dairy items. Real food provides the best quality and most easily used form of this nutrient.

For convenience, you can find lysine capsules at most stores that sell vitamins. These are very convenient since they reduce the need to change your diet.

Combining diet with supplemental lysine would still be the best method.

Do not sucker for lysine as a topical treatment for cold sores. These remedies may have other ingredients that can help relieve these painful sores. But lysine put directly on the sore area is of little or no use.

Lysine is a large molecule and is not able to be absorbed readily through the skin. putting it on the skin, or on the sore, will be of no help. It cannot get through the skin to prevent the sore and, once it becomes an open ulcer, the damage is done.

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT - lysine is great for extinguishing, and preventing, cold sores. But keep in mind that lysine only works when it gets into the cells.

This can only happen when it is taken by mouth and absorbed internally from food and supplements.

For treatment of a currently active sore, a common daily dosage would be about 4000 mg.. Between outbreaks, many people take 500 to 1000 mg. of supplemental lysine as a preventative.

Beating your cold sores may be as simple as eating high lysine foods, avoiding high arginine foods, and taking a booster dose of lysine in capsules. This is the very best way to get therapeutic levels of cold sore lysine.

Do not spend money on one more cold sore remedy before you read Denny Bodoh's excellent articles about Cold Sores. Quickly discover some amazing and easy Cold Sore treatments and cures.

Putting In and Removing Contact Lenses

If you are new to contact lenses, there are two things that you will need to learn - putting your contacts in and taking them out. Even if you may have got in some practice with your optician during your fitting exam, you will find things to be totally different once you step in front of your mirror at home and try to do it by yourself.

The first thing you will become aware of is that it can be difficult to put your contacts in. If you are putting them in for the first time, it can be a little tricky getting them in your eye. With a few days or a few weeks to practice, you’ll be more than comfortable with your lenses.

Always keep in mind that no one is perfect, it takes all of us time to get good at it. Here are a few tips that will help you with inserting and removing your contacts.

Putting in contacts

Before you put your hands on your contacts, you should make sure that you clean your hands thoroughly, and that you dry them off. Once your hands are clean, put the contact lens on your index finger.

Next, place a drop of solution in the center of the lens. Now, use your other hand and pull down your lower eye lid with your thumb then look up with the eye you will be inserting the contact lens into.

Take your index finger with the contact on it and place it into your eye. Do not close your eye immediately, rather leave it open a few seconds to let the contact settle. After a few seconds, close your eye and your contact should be perfectly in place.

If it feels uncomfortable, take it out and try again. It may take you a few tries; although the more you put them in the better you will get at it.

Taking out contacts

Same as before, you want to make sure that your hands are clean and dry. When you are ready to take them out, look up with your eye then use your fingers to grab the contact by the sides and pull it out.

You can normally get it out on the first try, with a little practice. Once the contact is out, blink a few times to clear your eyes. If it does not want to come out, put some drops in your eye to moisten it up, and then try again.

Contact lenses are easier to use than most people may think. Once you have worn contacts for a few days or a few weeks, you will find that it becomes second nature to put them in and take them out. Once you have got the hang of it, you will be able to put them in and remove them in a matter of seconds.

Breaking 80 Golf Tips - Discover the Secret to Hitting Perfect Shots For Duffers

Most every golfer I have ever met wants to improve or play better golf. Yeah they may be duffers, golfers with handicaps, but they still long to improve their golf swing, shoot lower scores and reduce their handicap. One goal we all have is to hit the ball crisply, making pure contact allows for better ball flight and distance control.

Some may choose to take golf lessons from a pro but more and more ambitious golfers are turning to the Internet with its wealth of resources to gather the information they need to improve their golf game. Articles like this, e-books and videos can all be found here on the net to help the struggling golfer played better golf.

One key step in the learning process is to understand how the club design dictates how we should swing the club. Proper use of the golf club will make a huge improvement in your ball striking without having to change your grip, address position or swing.

From the driver to the putter every club has these elements. To play better golf needs to fully understand how to apply these elements while using the golf club. So much of the frustration high handicappers experience comes from working against these design elements rather than with them.

To use the club effectively requires a good understanding of the key design elements built into every club by the engineers. These elements are shaft lean, lie angle and center of gravity.

Let's look at shaft lean now.

Shaft Lean

This may be the most important design element of the three. Clubs are built so that the shaft leans forward (toward the target) when properly soled.

Experiment by placing a short iron on a table or counter top. Notice that when the sole is placed flat on the surface of the table that the shaft leans forward past the clubhead.

That angle is the secret to hit crisp, clean golf shots. When the club impacts the ball with the shaft at that angle it creates maximum compression of the golf ball creating perfect launch characteristics of spin rate and launch angle.

You'll feel that perfect impact in your hands, hear that familiar click and then watch the classic ball flight. The pure golf shot is such a thing of beauty, don't you agree?

Next, while still using that club on the table, lean the shaft back until it is vertical. Take special notice of the leading edge of the clubhead. It has lifted up off the table hasn't it? Now the clubface is at a flatter angle to the table. How will those changes affect your golf shot? With the leading edge lifted up like that it becomes easier to blade the ball at impact. The flatter angle with throw the ball higher in the air than designed.

Now move the shaft back a bit further. Now it is leaning away from the target, the leading edge is sticking way up off the table and the clubface has flattened out even more. This exaggerates the affects mentioned with a vertical shaft.

Here is the shocker for you. Most high handicappers strike the ball with the shaft leaning backwards rather than forward as it was designed! Yes, that last position on the table top I showed you is the most common found in amateurs.

The real secret to hitting crisp, clean golf shots is to strike the ball with the shaft leaning forward at impact. This promotes the all important descending blow required to produce those perfect, pure golf shots.

Apply this new knowledge to your golf swing and watch how fast you go from duffer to player.

Discover more free secrets to improving your golf game here: Hit Down for Perfect Iron Shots.

Liability in Golf Course Accidents and Injuries

Dangers of Playing Golf

Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead, and Francis Ouimet are just some of the people who became famous due to their skills in playing golf. The popularity of this sport has been boosted significantly in the recent years, making it one of the most popular sources of entertainment in the whole United States.

Although many people view golf as a constant source of entertainment, others feel that it has become the reason for their suffering due to the occurrence of golf course accidents. In line with the boost of the sport’s popularity is the boost in the number of accidents that occur in it. In fact, the University of Alabama has published an article revealing that more that 1,000 golf course accidents are reported in the country every month.

Determining Liability in Golf Course Accidents

When a person sustains an injury while he or she was inside a golf course, someone may be liable for it especially if another person’s negligence is the reason why the victim is suffering. Here are some examples of parties who may be liable in such accident:

Golf players

The most usual source of golf course injuries is due to the negligence of the players involved in the game.

Although a golf ball is small, getting hit by it can still produce considerable damage. Statistics revealed that a small number of people were reported to have sustained life-threatening injuries after being struck by a golf ball.

Many people sue to be compensated when they were hit by a golf ball especially if they were injured due by it. The issue of negligence may materialize from the player’s commission or omission of an action if a reasonable individual could foresee that the action or omission may cause other people to get hurt.

Golf course owner or operator

An injured individual can also try to determine whether the golf course owner is responsible for the accident. One vital way of doing this is by finding out if the golf course is publicly or privately owned. If the golf course is publicly owned, the government may be immune from any kind of liability or responsibility for an ordinary negligence.

Meanwhile, a golf course’s operator or owner may be viewed as liable for an accident if there is a failure in applying ordinary care in preserving the area’s safe and good condition.

Golf course builder or designer

A court may rule that a golf course was improperly designed or built, thus placing the players at a bigger danger compared to what is expected. In general, an injured individual must be able to prove that the area contained unseen dangers or it was negligently designed before damages may be awarded.

Proving liability in golf course accidents is not easy because of the legalities that surround the process. Injured individuals may have a higher chance of attaining this goal by asking for the legal help of skilled personal injury lawyers.

To help you pursue claims for injuries sustained in a golf course accident, consult with our skilled personal injury lawyers. Visit our website at http://www.personalinjurylawyerinc.com/ and avail of our free case analysis.

You can find additional info at the following links:

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A Practical Guide to Using Horseshoe Studs

Studs, Caulks or Calks are metal devices that are screwed or driven into the bottom of your horse's shoes. By protruding from the bottom of the shoe, they can help to provide traction over muddy or deep footing, such as sand, and help your horse jump more confidently.

Before using studs, holes are "tapped," or drilled, into both heels, and sometimes the toes, of the horse's shoe. Obviously the size of the hole must accommodate the stud and generally in the US, farriers will tap a hole that supports a 3/8" diameter stud. Therefore, unless you have a special requirement for a smaller hole, such as a pony with very small feet, you should try to stick with 3/8' studs.

The first time you ride your horse with studs you should fit him with some small road studs and let him walk around unmounted for a while to get used to the new feeling (this does not mean turn him out in a field with studs in - horses should never be turned out in studs!)

Here are some simple rules for using studs. These relate to "screw-in" studs rather than "drive-in" studs because screw-in studs are by far the most commonly used types.

Do's:

• ALWAYS use studs in pairs, with one on each side of the hoof.

• ALWAYS use small, blunt studs on the inside of your horse’s shoes. A large, pointed stud can injure him.

• ALWAYS put protective leg boots on your horse when riding in studs.

• ALWAYS put studs in just before you will be riding and remove them as soon as possible afterwards.

• ALWAYS use the smallest stud you can, considering the conditions. While slipping is dangerous for your horse, a little slipping is much better than jarring your horse's legs with huge studs. Try to find a stud that allows a little slipping, but not so much that your horse's balance will suffer. Studs should be selected that will sink fully into the ground; otherwise they will unbalance the foot.

• ALWAYS try to have someone help you by holding your horse when you are putting studs in, especially if you will be using a Tee Tap (see below).

• ALWAYS be very careful if you have a horse that is likely to kick out at other horses or people. If you have such a horse, try to limit the amount of time you use studs.

Dont's:

• NEVER turn your horse out with studs.

• NEVER leave your horse unattended in a stall with studs.

• NEVER trailer your horse with studs.

• NEVER use studs if your horse is lame.

• NEVER put yourself in a position where a horse with studs in can step on you. It is very easy to break a toe this way, even in riding boots.

Your Stud "Toolkit"

Ahead of time, you should assemble the following items:

• A selection of studs. Remember that depending on the footing, you might not use the same studs on the inside and outside of your horse's shoes, or you could use different studs on the front than the back shoes (there is more on this subject at our website http://www.studsandstuff.com ).

• A horseshoe nail or some type of flat but pointed "pick" to remove stud plugs. Screwdrivers are generally not suitable as they tend to be too "fat" to fit between the plug and the shoe.

• A stud hole cleaner. This is used to remove any debris from the stud hole. Some people use the horseshow nail for this, but there are many specially-designed tools that will work faster.

• A tap of some type. This is used to clean and sharpen the edges of the threads your farrier drilled into the stud holes. There are many types on the market. The traditional type is a Tee Tap or T-Tap, so named because it is the shape of the letter "T". Recently round "Safety" Taps have become available on the market. These are safer because if your horse steps down on a Tee Tap it can cause an injury whereas a Safety Tap is less likely to cause a problem because it is flat and shaped like a hoof. There are some self-tapping studs starting to come onto the market that should remove the need for a separate Tap, however it is still a good idea to keep a Tap on hand.

• A wrench. This is used to tighten and then remove the studs. You can use a regular adjustable wrench found in most toolkits, although over time the wrench may wear the edges of your studs, making them difficult to use. There are also a number of special wrenches made specifically for horse studs. Even if you use a purpose-made wrench, it is probably not a bad idea to have an adjustable one too.

• A box to keep everything in one place! Studs have a notorious "homing" instinct and will disappear at the smallest opportunity. If you don't capture them in a box, you will never find them again next time you need them.

• Rags or a small sponge. For removing oil or grease from your studs (assuming you oiled and stored them correctly the last time you used them) Studs are definitely slippery when greasy and will jump on this opportunity as part of their escape plan!

The following items are also nice to have:

• A magnet for your arm or a magnetic dish. This is useful for keeping steel studs in one place while you work and will reduce the possibility of your studs escaping!

• Rubber or cotton plugs or blanks. Most people put plugs in their stud holes when they are not using studs. This keeps the holes clean. There are rubber and cotton plugs and also metal stud blanks. If you use cotton plugs, soak them in oil to prevent the holes rusting. Stud blanks are metal screw-in plugs. If you use these, you will also need a....

• Blank Wrench or Flat-Head Screwdriver. A Blank Wrench is an Allen Key and is inserted into the stud blank to screw the blank in and out of the stud hole. Some stud blanks are designed to be inserted and removed using a Flat Head Screwdriver instead of a Blank Wrench.

• Stud cleaner and lubricant. Your studs will last much longer if you clean and grease them after use. Many people wrap them in an oily rag for storage, or you can use a product such as WD-40. Pretty much anything that repels water will work. There are also specially made stud cleaners available on the market.

Putting Studs in

Ideally you should take a lesson from your farrier or trainer before attempting to put studs in yourself. Make sure you and your horse practice at home, until you can put them in and take them out easily, before using them at a competition.

If your horse has plugs in his stud holes you will need to remove these first with your horseshoe nail or other implement.

HINT: It is a good idea to take the plugs out, clean the holes and replace the plugs before you leave for a competition. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to remove a plug when you only have 10 minutes until you should be warming up your horse!

Next you will need to clean out the stud hole with whatever tool you have chosen. Make sure that you remove all traces of dirt and debris. Putting studs into dirty stud holes can ruin the threads on your horse's shoes.

Then (unless you are using self-tapping studs) you will need to tap the stud hole with a Safety Tap or Tee Tap. Unless you have a very quiet, experienced horse and are experienced with studs, we recommend using a Safety Tap. Basically, you will place the end of the Tap into the stud hole and screw it into the hole. Another benefit of a Safety Tap is that you can't screw the Tap in too far and potentially bruise your horse's hoof, which is possible with a Tee Tap.

HINT: Self-tapping studs are a new option where the stud has a special thread that will clean the threads on your horse's shoes as you insert it. Because they are new, these studs are more expensive than traditional studs, but as long as you don't lose them, they could be a great timesaving investment.

Now you can insert the studs. Begin by screwing them in by hand and finally make them nice and tight with your wrench. Be sure that you don't over-tighten them so that you can't undo them after you finish riding!

When you are finished riding, remove the studs, plug the holes and store the studs in some form of oily rag or plastic bag with a water repellent - any kind of oil, grease or WD-40 will work. Make sure you keep some rags or a sponge on hand to wipe up the grease!

Put your studs back in their box - if you don't they WILL escape!!!

And don't forget to have a great ride!

For more information on types of studs and when to use them, please visit http://www.studsandstuff.com