Archive for June, 2009
Exercises To Jump Higher Fact Or Fiction?
Exercises to jump higher are not out of the ordinary. Coaches and trainers have taught them for decades. Those who use these exercises can get a step up or inches over their opponents on game day.
However this is only when done properly. After all the worst endeavor is one embraced upon misconception. Therefore when embracing exercises to jump higher it helps to correct any common misconceptions. Ill cover some here and refer to them as fiction facts not an oxymoron:
Fiction fact 1: Train the quads and calves more than any other muscles if you want to jump higher.
The truth: Programs that advise training mostly or solely on quads and calves are leaving a lot on the table or at least below the net. Exercises to jump higher must also train the opposing muscles of those two: the hamstrings and ankle extensors. The reason for this has to do with the muscle stretch reflex and Newtons third law: for every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction.
For example the more force generated from the hamstrings then the more force you put through the quads. Heres some high school physics back atchya: Power is a product of work which in turn is a product of force. Therefore the higher the force the greater your power and the faster the reflex. And the faster the reflex the higher you jump plain and simple.
Fiction fact 2: You should train hard using maximum power in your workouts for 15 weeks. After all the harder you work the better you jump.
The truth: This is only true provided your body is built like the Terminator it isnt and will handle hardcore training for 15 weeks it wont. The takehome message here: Never train at your peak level year round or even 15 weeks with exercises to jump higher. Youll wear out.
To some this may seem like an obvious problem to mention much less avoid. Yet many athletes get caught in the comfort zone that is performing the same routine week after week hoping to get better results. As the saying goes: If you keep doing what youre doing youll keep getting what youre getting.
Ever watch a commercial and got disgusted when the same one appeared again immediately after it ended? This is because the human body and brain hate monotony but love challenge and change. If you want to challenge your body up your routine and make it progressively harder and different. Your body will love you for that.
Fiction fact 3: More weight plus sets and reps of weight brings better jumping dividends.
The truth: The answer is yes and no. In the same or less workout timeframe you can and should use more weight sets and reps as the weeks progress with your exercises to jump higher. However you must not only reach a peak and back off see fiction fact 2 but you must do each rep of every set without fatigue.
Performing the exercises when fatigued trains your body to jump as high as you would when tired which is never as high as without fatigue. Therefore youre training to jump less high in this compromised state.
So remember: opposing muscle training variation and challenge and performing at your best without fatigue are the essentials when doing exercises to jump higher. Now you know.
Lastly remember to take part in an lt;bgt;organized programlt;/bgt; implementing the above truths to gain those 1025 inches or more on your vertical. For my lt;bgt;lt;a target=”_top” href=”http://exercisestoincreaseverticalleap.blogspot.com/2009/06/exercisestojumphigheroneyouthink.html”gt;recommended program to gain 1025 incheslt;/agt;lt;/bgt; on your vertical lt;bgt;common problems to avoidlt;/bgt; and a proper program using the best lt;bgt;lt;a target=”_top” href=”http://exercisestoincreaseverticalleap.blogspot.com/2009/06/exercisestojumphigheroneyouthink.html”gt;exercises to jump higher click herelt;/agt;lt;/bgt;. Happy jumping!
About the writer: Patrick C. Martinez is a doctor and health/ fitness expert. Visit his blog on Exercises To Jump Higher and happy jumping! Remember to take part in an organized program implementing the above truths to gain those 1025 inches or more on your vertical. For my recommended program to gain 1025 inches on your vertical common problems to avoid and a proper program using the best exercises to jump higher click here. Happy jumping!
Examining The Bow Stabilizer
When you think of archery most of us think of the equipment is as basic as it gets a bow and an arrow. This is true to a certain extent. Archery is a simple pastime that uses a lot of equipment and some are a little more mystifying for newcomers. Most people are clear when it comes to the bow itself however the bow stabilizer is a piece of equipment that only the experienced archer will recognize. Basically if you want to shoot accurately over a long period of time the bow stabilizer is essential equipment.
A stabilizer serves two main functions. Number one is to hold the bow steady and more stable hence its name. Number two is that there is less vibration and hand shock. More on this in just a moment.
Firstly we should examine what a stabilizer is made of so we can understand how it works. In the past they were made of metal. Metal is a rather heavy material and although you want to add some weight because this is what keeps the bow stable you don’t want to make it too heavy. Carbon or AMS Alphamethylstyrene plastics are preferred these days. The rigidity of carbon means that it performs properly while its light weight makes it comfortable to work with.
A dampening device allows the stabilizer to perform its second function that of reducing the vibration through the bow from the force of releasing the bowstring. The dampening device will most likely be made of rubber although other vibration absorbent materials may be used. By putting the dampening material away from the end of the bow their effectiveness will be maximized.
The final device youll find on a stabilizer is a weight which will sit right on the end after the rubber material. The bow is counterbalanced by the weight which keeps the bow stable when it is being shot. Aiming consistency is improved by the positioning of the weight at the front of the bow.
Stabilizers come in a range of lengths. The length of the stabilizer you need will depend considerably on the type of archery you plan on doing. In general the longer the stabilizer you use the more steady your bow will be and consequently the more accurate you are likely to be. Target archers use long stabilizers. Bowhunters on the other hand use shorter stabilizers because of the conditions under which they will be carrying and firing their bow.
Shorter stabilizers are used with shorter framed hunting bows due to the terrain you may be required to cover long protruding pieces would be more likely to snag hindering progress as well as make more noise. Just the same any extra weight on the bow would be accentuated the longer the bow has to be carried to the point where it would become extremely tiring.
Finally we come back to the issue of reducing vibration. Any vibration experienced by the bow is going to be expressed as noise and when you are bowhunting noise can prove to be one of your worst enemies. Repeated vibration eventually shifts other components on your bow affecting accuracy. Only around 75 per cent of the energy generated in releasing the bowstring gets transferred to the arrow. The rest has to go somewhere else and that is to the only other thing touching the bow which is you. The accumulated shock that is transferred to your bow arm during a long day of shooting starts to hurt very quickly which will lead to shaking and reduced accuracy.
Having a stabilizer fitted to your bow is important in itself but just as important is using a stabilizer that suits the kind or archery you will be undertaking. The sort of archer you are and your body type will also make a difference to the type of shooting you’re going to use it for. You have to weigh things up as it were look for quality and decide what is most suitable to you and you will be sure to be shooting quietly and accurately.
About the writer: The Compound Archery Store has a range of major archery brands to choose from specialising in compound bows as well as all sorts of accessories including a full range of bow stabilizers.
Establishing A Practice Schedule For Basketball
As far as the time of practice is concerned I feel the best time to practice is right after school. I begin our practice at 3:20 and continue until 5:15 or 5:30 depending on the work planned for the day. I feel it is desirable to have several practice sessions at night before we begin the regular season’s schedule so that we might accustom the players to game conditions. I conduct several game type scrimmages at night before the opening game.
It is my sincere belief that proper practice equipment is one of the most important elements in a successful basketball program. I have uniform practice equipment which is not expensive but very adequate. The squad is issued white practice pants and reversible TShirts so they can merely turn their shirts inside out if they change teams during practice. Our school provides sweat socks athletic supporter and white shoes. I feel the boys are much better disciplined if they are all outfitted in the same practice equipment. From the standpoint of the player this gives him a feeling that he is part of a team and not a member of a disorganized group.
I feel it is equally important for the coach to have some type of uniform that he wears to practice. It is my belief that the coach must set the example if he is to insist upon uniform practice equipment for the team.
If you are fortunate as we are and have a trainer take advantage of the situation and make the best use of him. It will give the boy more confidence to be told by the trainer that he is all right than to just have the coach do it. I let our trainer make the decisions on all of our minor injury problems. If he says the boy needs to be taped that’s it. If he says the boy should miss practice for any reason I respect his judgment. He also recommends boys to the doctor when he feels it is necessary. On the nights of a game I make out the lineup but the trainer advises me on the physical condition of each player. If he decides the boy is not fit he doesn’t play.
If you do not have a trainer it would be advisable for you to attend a clinic and work carefully with the trainer there. I am sure the help that you receive from the trainers will provide you with great assistance in getting your boys ready to play.
If you are ever in doubt about an injury suffered by a player you should consult a doctor immediately. Never take a chance on jeopardizing the health of one of your players by minimizing what appears to be a slight injury. A doctor can erase all doubt about a boy’s physical condition very quickly with an examination.
It is imperative that the coach be in complete control of the team at all times. You should attempt to treat all of the players alike. Give no special favors to the “star” but rather tell him he is expected to conduct himself as a “star” off the court as well as on the court. He should set the perfect example for the younger boys. I have found it to be true more often than not that such was the natural case. The “star” was the “star” both in the classroom on the street and on the basketball court.
I have definite training rules that I expect the boys to follow. There was once a time that I felt like many other coaches feel today; to set up training rules for the boys to follow was too dictatorial. I wanted to follow the modern theme of education and let the boys set up their own rules to follow. I found after a time that although this is commendable many of the boys did not actually know what was best for them and thus used poor training techniques I set up a definite time for the boys to be in bed and in a couple of weeks they felt stronger and could run with the best of them.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Follow These Basketball Drills And Sink Baskets Like You Cant Miss!Click here for FREE online ebook!http://www.basketballdrill.net/