Archive for the ‘Sports and Fitness’ Category
Pool Length Differences in Triathlon Swimming
Posted on January 28, 2012
The length of the pool you swim in has many different effects on how your systems are stressed and how fast you go. This article is contains a detailed commentary describing the differences, and concludes with suggestions on how to incorporate knowledge of pool length to optimize a triathlete’s training plan.
Pool lengths typically come in three distances. There is the 25yard pool (common in the United States), the 25meter pool (common just about everywhere else in the world), and the 50 meter or Olympic-size pool (relatively uncommon just about everywhere as olympic size pools are costly to build and maintain). The swimming world uses abbreviations for these distances: SCY stands for “Short Course Yards”, while “SCM” stands for “Short Course Meters”. Likewise, “LCM” stands for “Long Course Meters”.
Swimming Pools – Above Ground Vs In Ground
Posted on January 10, 2012
If you are considering installing a swimming pool in your backyard, you may be trying to decide between putting in an above ground pool or splurging for an in ground one. There are benefits and disadvantages to both types of pools, so in order to make your decision a little easier, here is a rundown of some of the differences between them:
Space — If you are limited on space then an above ground pool is usually a better option than an in ground one. Even if you select a small in ground pool, you need considerably more space than a pool that is above ground. Above ground swimming pools can be very small or rather large to accommodate any size yard you have and there are some that are portable and inflatable so you can use them only when you want them and you don’t have to live with a pool in your backyard all the time.
Toning Your Upper Body With Swimming
Posted on January 3, 2012
Your upper body is comprised of different muscles, which is why every time you go for a swim these are put into good use. Among the different swimming techniques freestyle swimming, also known as crawl, is the most popular swimming technique because it is the most efficient, the fastest, and makes use of the upper body muscles more, namely the shoulder muscles, triceps, biceps, chest muscles, deltoids, trapezius, quadriceps, gluteus muscles, respiratory muscles, latissimus dorsi, and hip flexors.
When doing the freestyle, you must traverse the water with the head and the chest pointing downward towards the bottom of the pool. Use a flutterkick (continuous and quick upward and downward movement of the legs) to propel yourself across the water.
Swimming Pool Decks Can Make Any Pool a Treasure
Posted on December 22, 2011
If you want to make your pool look a thousand times better, swimming pool decks can do the trick. It can be concrete or wood decking or vinyl even; installing a swimming pool deck can protect your back yard from turning into a mud bog and protect your guests from slipping in wet grass. It also transforms your yard into something quite extraordinary. Depending on the type of pool you have, whether it’s in ground or above ground, your deck can be simple to very extravagant, small or extend from your backdoor to half way around your yard. It’s up to you and your budget.
Swimming – How to Swim Freestyle
Posted on December 16, 2011
Freestyle is the most popular of swimming strokes. What most beginners do not realize is that they should relax the arm during the recovery. The swimmer must move the hand quite high and far away from the body.
You can take the hand higher than the elbow. What happens is that in this way the effort of the muscle as well as the drag is considerably increased as the speed increases. Learn how to use your shoulders so that it allows the hand to stretch forward as far as possible.
Different people have different opinion about how the hand should enter the water. Some experts feel that the hand must enter the water with the thumb first. This helps to reduce the drag as there is possible turbulence.
Swimming – How to Prevent Muscle Cramp
Posted on December 12, 2011
Muscle cramps are a common problem in swimming. As a swimmer you need to know how to deal with the problem. When you begin to swim you must have got muscle cramps quite a few times. Your trainer may or may not have told you how to treat it or you may have got suggestions from people you know. Swimming helps you to lose weight as well. Lots of people learn the sport in order to lose the extra kilos.
If you do not take adequate water it may lead to muscle cramps. That is why swimmers are advised to take plenty of water inside and outside the pool. Your body loses the fluids and that has to be replaced. This is when swimmers complain of muscle cramps and they can be treated if you take lots of water during swimming hours. You can choose to swim regularly and for endless hours and you will never experience muscle cramps at all.
Swimming – Is it Good Or Bad For Back Pain?
Posted on December 9, 2011
When there are no injuries, no severe spinal deformities, or advanced degenerative processes in the spine, when the only problem causing back pain is weak muscles and prolonged and/or repeated bad posture – it is now a known fact that this is the case for 85 to 90% of back pain sufferers -, swimming regularly is an excellent choice of physical activity.
Swimming strengthens the back, the entire back, and it does that symmetrically. In fact, almost every muscle in your body is working when you are swimming. Additionally, this sport constitutes an excellent cardio-vascular form of exercise while being kind to your joints.
Swimming
Which swimming style is the most recommended?
Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle Book – The Best Way to Slash Body Fat? | ArticlesBase.com
Posted on August 19, 2009
So is Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle Book by Tom Venuto Worth It? No, not all – in fact it probably is considered one of the Best Fat Loss Bibles for people looking to get in better shape or lose their body fat.
Here's why Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle Book is one you should consider -
1. Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle is written by a recognized expert in his field of nutrition and fitness – you just have to a look a him and you'll know why.
2. Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle Book is huge and for some people – it's information overload. But when you look at it this way, Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle is well written and contains most of the information people are seeking for to lose weight – it is a handy resource to refer to.
Body Protection Through Sports Nutrition
Posted on July 15, 2009
Food gives us energy and fuels physical activity. Not eating enough can cause a drop in energy and endurance levels and, in the world of sports, can lead to painful losses. This is why athletes learn quickly to pack that extra energy bar just in case.
But food is not only good as energy sources to our muscles. They also hold substances that promote our health, boost our immunity to sicknesses, promote tissue repair, protect cells from damage, protect against age-related cognitive decline and increase resistance to cancers, and other illnesses, all of which are important to maintaining good performance and longevity in sports. These protective substances are commonly known as phytochemicals.
