Archive for February, 2012
A Brief History Of Competitive Archery
Archery is one of the oldest sports that are still being practiced today. The bow and arrow can be traced back as far as the Paleolithic era 35000 to 8000 B.C. and is the most widely used weapon in human history.
While there is recorded evidence of archery contests taking place in china more than 3000 years ago the modern sport of target archery most likely originated in England during the 14th century.
During this time the longbow was considered the English army’s most important weapon. This was mostly due to its long range capabilities the likes of which swords and spears do not possess.
In fact archery became so important in England during this time that a royal decree of 1363 obliged all Englishmen to practice archery on Sundays and holidays whether they wanted to or not.
During this time there were a few different styles of shooting some of which evolved into what we see today in the sport of archery.
There was clout shooting in which arrows were arched high into the air with the intention of hitting a target which was laid flat not vertical. The aim was to land the arrow as close to the target as possible. This variety of shooting is still practiced today often with traditional bows.
Roving marks another style saw archers shooting at a target only to shoot at a new target from the location of the previous target. This is often cited as the oldest form of competitive archery and was practiced by Henry VIII.
Finally there was butt shooting in which butts composed of turfs of earth held targets which the archers would shoot at. This is the ancestor of modern day Olympic target shooting.
Archery was a part of the second Olympic Games held in 1900. It was dropped after 1920 however because rules varied too much between nations. Archery in the Olympics was not restored in 1972. This was after enough nations had formed archery governing bodies affiliated with the Feacute;deacute;ration Internationale de Tir l’Arc which was founded in Paris is 1932 to standardize rules for international competition.
From its early history to modern times archery has always been a competitive sport in addition to a vital weapon. Surely many years from now archery will continue to be a popular sport reaching across age gaps and national borders uniting archers from all over the world.
About the writer: Scott Byers is the owner of Absolute Archery a complete archery resource with articles on archery and archery equipment.
4 Tips To Improve Pitching Speed
The pitcher is one of the most important positions on a baseball team. If you dont have a good pitching staff full of skilled individuals it wont matter how well your team hits or scores runs youre destined to have a losing ball club. Having a skilled pitcher who can throw a variety of pitches with good velocity is what will take any baseball team to the next level. Speed is a crucial ingredient in what makes an excellent pitcher. Its important that pitchers make sure they constantly work to improve pitching speed and technique so that they can stay sharp and focused during the game.
There are a few different ways for a pitcher to improve pitching speed. One of the most effective methods to increasing your velocity is to apply direct force to the back of the ball. In order to get the maximum amount of velocity possible a pitcher needs to make sure that he is firing the ball with his pitching elbow down and around toward first base. A lot of coaches disagree with this particular method of pitching because of their attachment to the high cocked arm position that is common in baseball. This method also helps to train a player to stay behind the ball and aids him in reaching full extension with his elbow angle staying below ninety degrees.
Another important technique to help improve pitching speed is to have a good solid push and lead leg stability. One of the key aspects of pitching with a high velocity is the strength and stability of a pitchers lower half of the body. Without good leg drive the pitch thrown just wont be as quick or as effective especially against good hitters. There are a number of different exercises you can do to improve your push and lead leg stability. Some of the most beneficial techniques are lunges squats leg presses and calf raises.
The third important tip you can use to improve pitching speed is to improve your torso rotation during acceleration. The torso plays a very important role in getting the arm into the correct pitching position so its very crucial to make sure that these muscles are strong. There are a couple of techniques that are being used by a lot of major league baseball players that are very effective in strengthening the torso. One of the most common is the medicine ball. Players will pick these up and do twists while holding the medicine ball in order to work out their abs. Its also recommended for pitchers to do a complete abdominal workout as well.
One tip that will not only help improve pitching speed but will also help you to lengthen your pitching career is to work on rotator cuff durability and strength. A pitchers success on the mound hinges on the condition of his rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is crucial to throwing solid overhand pitches and is also responsible for putting some of the force on the ball when its thrown. One technique used to improve rotator cuff durability and strength is football throws. The footballs should be thrown from 20 yards. Its also highly recommended to do arm swings as well to help with durability.
About the writer: C.J. Brooks is a sports training consultant who focuses on improving the recreational athlete. C.J. has trained athletes in sports such as basketball softball baseball soccer and football in preparation for their recreational leagues. C.J. also offers online sportsspecific training and meal plans. Contact C.J. at Recimprovementgmail.com if you are interested in consultation in athletic improvement for your sport.
Why Use Glass Pipes? Legal Herb Smoking
Casually put legal herbal smoking is an old custom of inhaling smoke from herbal mixtures. Its been practiced for as long as man can remember contained in almost every society.
nbsp;Until recently herb selection was limited to local species. These days thanks to the internet commerce situation has rapidly changed. Hundreds of different herbs kinds and herbal mixes available almost at any online herb store.
nbsp;Such wide selection leaves any herb smoker from beginner to expert facing the ultimate question ndash; what is the ultimate herb smoking device?nbsp;
nbsp;Using wooden ceramic or metal pipes is simply unacceptable. Due to material nature its impossible to completely clean out such pipes without getting its material to come into the chemical reaction with cleaning solution. As a result dangerous chemical residue and in case with metals corrosion collected on inner sides of the pipe.
nbsp;Also many herbs are extremely potent and in some cases very little known about the way they react with the human body. And absolutely nothing know about interreaction between different herb kinds. That is why using these impossibletocompletelycleanout; pipes to experiment with more than one herb kind is not only not recommended but also dangerous for your health.
nbsp;We would not recommend you to make and use any disposal homemade smoking devices; those are unsafe and could be harmful for your body.
nbsp;And thats where glass pipes come into play. Created with herbal smoking in mind glass smoking devices can be easily cleaned with any chemical cleaning solution available on the market within just minutes.
nbsp;Glass pipes are superior to metal ceramic or wooden pipes when it comes to herb smoking because:
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- metal/ceramic pipes retain heat and react chemically with combustion whereas the glass pipes don’t.
- glass is chemically inert and does not produce unintended chemicals with combustion instead producing only herbal smoke.
- when handled with care glass pipes are virtually indestructible unlike wooden pipes which burn down overtime.
- colors of the glass pipes intensify when heated and become more pronounced when resinous deposits accumulate with use.
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nbsp;Most glass pipes designed with small inside out loading chambers. Such design allows smoker to monitor and effectively adjust amounts of herb placed in pipe ndash; an invaluable feature for beginners dealing with highly potent substances. Some of such herbs are:
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nbsp;Wild Lettuce
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Commonly known as Wild Lettuce Lactuca virosa is believed to have been used for its psychoactive properties by ancient Egyptians. It often appears in Egyptian art associated with the god Min the god of the desert of lightening and sandstorms in addition to being known as the god of procreation and fertility.
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nbsp;Wild Dagga
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Wild Dagga is a species of plant in the Lamiaceae mint family native to southern Africa. It is smoked or made into a medicinal tea by the Khoikhoi Hottentots a tribe of South Africa. Wild Dagga is good for inducing a deep meditative sleep calming relaxing and enhancing dreaming. Wild Dagga also has a pleasant smell that can be used for incense.
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nbsp;Salvia
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Salvia is also known by the Aztec Shamans as Diviners Sage or Salvia Divinorum. Shaman have used the leaves of this plant for hundreds of years to successfully induce out of body experiences astral projection and divination and enhance spiritual development…
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nbsp;Coltsfoot Leaf
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This magic herb loves growing around Water and is the most common ingredient in herbal smoking mixtures because it is a demulcent that is it is soothing for the respiratory system. Smoking the leaves of coltsfoot has been a remedy for a wet cough since ancient Greece.
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nbsp;Damiana
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Damiana is an herbal shrub that grows in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is known as a strong aphrodisiac with a variety of reported effects on both the hormonal and reproductive systems. It is most widely used to enhance sexual potency and is said to induce a dreamlike state of euphoria that can spark sexual desire and performance.
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nbsp;Lavander
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Lavender is frequently used as an aid to sleep and relaxation. There is scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of lavander as antiinflammatory effects but they should be used with caution since lavender oil can also be a powerful allergen.
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nbsp;Kanna
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Sceletium tortuosum Kanna has been used by South African pastoralists and huntergatherers as a moodaltering substance since prehistoric times. Kanna elevates mood and decreases anxiety stress and tension and it has also been used as an appetite suppressant by shepherds walking long distances in arid areas.
nbsp;Calea Zacatechichi Mexican dream
A controlled sleep study showed that ingesting Calea tea before bedtime increased the number of dreams recalled. As a side effect Calea can also produce feelings of wellbeing that can At all dosage levels mental clarity and time lagging is usually experienced.
nbsp;Sinicuichi
Sinicuichi shrub can be found from Argentina to Mexico. It has been used in shamanic rituals and ancient divination since the time of the Aztecs. Smoking/drinking it causes drowsiness and euphoria and often helps the drinker to recall past events even pre natal as if they happened only yesterday.
You can also visit nbsp;www.greenearthproducts.netnbsp; for a full list of legal herbs.
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About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Aliaksandr Isakaunbsp;is an owner ofnbsp; http://downthepipe.comnbsp;.
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