Man’s build

For athletes participating in sports like swimming and gymnastics, there is a need to assume a totally different body posture compared to other sports to be able to complete well. This posture can carry over to their personal lives as well, and one can easily identify a swimmer or gymnast by the particular way they stand, walk or carry themselves. While football and basketball are “leg based” sports, swimmers and gymnasts have assimilated a decidedly hunchbacked posture because of the “hand based” orientation of their particular athletic activities. The hunchbacked posture in gymnastics is part of the sport’s proper form and is known as “hollowing out”. Constant training in this posture can lead to the athlete’s assuming the same form in the daily course of his or her life, which is potentially a cause for serious injuries in the knee, shoulder, neck and lower back.

The Fundamental Athletic position in most land-based sports requires the athlete to assume a medium stance with the hips back, and the chest and head aligned with the spinal curves. This posture enables swift movement forward, backward or sideways. It is the basic position assumed for squatting, deadlifting and executing Olympic lifts, as well as to maximize leg, hip and back power during leaps and jumps.

A gymnast assuming the proper position hollows out the chest, push the head forward, tucks the hips in and contracts the spine. The only instance when a gymnast takes on the fundamental athletic position is during landings or dismounts.

Athletes beginning their gymnastics training at a very young age while their bones are still undergoing growth and development will encounter problems with the gymnastic posture. This is especially true when they reach puberty and the end of their growth cycle. The “hollowing out” posture, and even the specific manner gymnasts are required to run, can become a fixed poste for young gymnasts, and this can cause serious and long-lasting side effects when they are older.
Most gymnastics programs aggressively cultivate this peculiar posturing in young gymnasts. Strength and conditioning exercises have been geared to develop exactly that: training gymnasts in the required stance, thereby generating imbalance. This is a great disadvantage for female gymnasts who are made to forgo upper body conditioning altogether.

Former parallel bars gymnast, Mark Alexander, having worked with fellow athletes for more than 30 years, has observed that most female gymnasts from the Elite level are unable to perform push-ups or maintain a sturdy handstand. Most gymnastics clubs have misguidedly neglected to encourage flexibility exercises among their gymnasts, instead leaving them to fend for themselves.

Alexander’s first sport was gymnastics, and at the age of 14 started a mostly skill-based training. He remembers having experienced mastering tricks before being aware of any inherent weakness, and without even attempting to develop basic strength. The sport principles require that a gymnast lands and remains grounded, or “stuck” in the same landing position. For this reason, most gymnasts executed landings with rigidly straight legs, bending only at the hips to establish balance. The result of this is an L5 - S1 fusion that could go undetected for a great number of years. Because of a lack of leg strength or proper lumbar curve positioning, dislocated knees were a frequent occurrence during attempts to “stick” a full twisting back.

As an analogy, consider gymnastics training as jumping off a roof and landing motionless with legs straight. Jump over and over, dozens of times each day, six days a week, over a period of several years. The impact generated by these landings are way beyond the gymnast’s body weight. And the higher the altitude of the jump, the more force is involved. Landing mats are a mere token, and seldom help. Floors in gymnasiums act as mini-trampolines, allowing young athletes to soar to ill-recommended heights. Although there are foam pits available to cushion landings, they prevent the athlete from actually learning how to steady their bodies for actual competition.

Without the needed leg, hip and back conditioning allowing a gymnast to assume the correct position during landing, instead of diffusing, the impact is centered into the joints and bones. This is the explanation behind the never-ending injuries sustained by Elite and lower-ranked gymnasts. Most of these injuries last long into retirement.

for more information on gymnastic injuries visit http://www.gymnasticsrescue.com

Many sports enthusiasts will be sitting down to watch the Beijing Olympics live online today. If you want to join them, you need find out you can use your computer to be much more than a way to surf the Internet, play games and type out letters. A large percentage of people are already watching the two week event through the Internet ready device instead of using their expensive satellite or cable television providers. There are millions of people viewing the 2008 Summer Olympics on Aug 8 to Aug 24 through this newer technology for a variety of reasons. The four big reasons to get an online TV viewing software are:

- Getting the software downloaded and installed is simple and can be done in a matter of minutes. This means that as soon as it’s installed you can watch the event you want.

- If you are heading to work by train or bus, as long as you can get access to the Internet, you can watch the event through your laptop or other device.

- Don’t pay extra for the Olympic channels with your satellite dish. Instead, get the online viewing software and pay a small fee only once. The money you save will be astronomical.

- After the Olympics are over, you can still get use out of the software. You can watch out kinds of shows including dramas, science, children, news, movies and music. That one time fee goes a long way even after the Olympics are over.

Millions of people will be watching history in the making as the Olympics are aired through the online TV software programs. Many people were unable to get tickets to see the games in person so they are looking to those other means. Just like those millions, media organizations are coming together and unveiling the benefits to online viewing. This year could be record setting for online viewing.

What can the software deliver that your ordinary cable and satellite TV provider cannot? First off, videos will be off high quality;

Second, the action will be live. That means no recorded games. It’s live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Third, there are over 3,000 videos to choose from and watch. These include highlights and interviews.

What do you need to do watch the Beijing Olympics live online today? Log on to the website, download the software and install it. It’s just that simple. There’s no need to upgrade your hardware or software. Within minutes, you’ll be seeing those games/events.

If you experience any problems, there will be help available at all times. During peak hours, you’ll still get the video quality you deserve. If not, you’ll get the help you need to watch the Olympics and more.

Don’t miss out on any Game, in less than 5 minutes you could be Watching the Olympics in the comfort of your own home or anywhere you might be.
Read the website review and join the million of people who have already made the switch.
Click here to watch the Beijing Olympics 2008!

The character

The most important thing to bring to any audition is also the most overlooked. You must bring the character! Bring the character! Is the character shy? Then don’t be loud and obnoxious at the audition. Is the character a bad boy? Then don’t go to the audition in a shirt and tie. Be your character from the moment you walk in the door to the moment you leave and at all times in between. The more the casting directors can see you as the “shy guy” or “bad boy” or whatever the character is, the more likely you are to land the role.

Extra clothes

It is usually not necessary to bring another outfit. But what if you arrive at an audition and discover that your desired character wears a tie? Having a tie in your car could give you a leg up. You run to the car, put it on, and look the part better than your competition. \

Necessary accessories

Is the character a basketball player? Why not bring along a basketball to use with the audition? Is she a journalist? How about a notebook and a pair of glasses? Remember, you want the casting director to see you as the character they are looking for.

A watch

Why? So you can get there with time to spare. Being late is a killer. Plus, getting there early allows you to read over the script, prepare and maybe even make an early impression on the casting directors.

Acting Script/Sides

If you are fortunate enough to get the script ahead of the audition, you are lucky. You can learn and even memorize your lines prior to the audition. Still, it is a good idea to bring them with you at the audition.

5 Headshots with Resume

The casting director will always need 1 or 2 to help make his final decision. Still, you should always have a few more, just in case one of the other project’s managers or actors think you would be great for a part elsewhere.

A warm smile and friendly personality

Why would they want to work with you otherwise?

by Charles Todd of Audition Central

Charles Todd is a staff writer for Audition Central. Charles has written numerous articles on the art and craft of acting. In addition to being a writer, Charles is also an actor and director.

With NBA teams stocked with new players to sell NBA tickets after the 2008 NBA Draft, let’s take a look at some of the top players in next year’s draft class.

Blake Griffin, Forward, Oklahoma: At this point, Griffin is the frontrunner to be the number one pick in the ‘09 draft. He had a great freshman season at Oklahoma and likely would have been a lottery pick in the ‘08 draft had he not decided to stay in school. Griffin reminds some scouts of Carlos Boozer and possesses both NBA-readiness and solid upside.

Ricky Rubio, Guard, Spain: Rubio has been on NBA radar screens since he was 15. He’s a pure point guard and a fantastic playmaker. At 6-4, he’s got great size for the position and has drawn some comparisons to Steve Nash. While he isn’t the most explosive of athletes, his basketball IQ is off the charts and he should make a great floor general.

Brandon Jennings, Guard, Arizona*: Jennings has the potential to be a special playmaker. His athleticism is nearly unparalleled and it allows him to play above the rim much more than one would expect from a 6-2 player. He’s an excellent passer, but tends to get flashy at times which could lead to a high turnover rate on the next level. He’s got all the talent in the world, but there are questions about his coachability and decision making. He’s definitely a player who will sell NBA tickets, but it’s not certain that he’s a player whose style will win games.

*Jennings has had some trouble scoring high enough on his SATs to be eligible to play basketball at Arizona. There has been some talk of him sitting out a year or playing in Europe before making the jump to the NBA.

Demar DeRozan, Guard, USC: Derozan has the talent to develop into a premiere superstar in the NBA. He has all the tools you look for in a scorer. He’s an explosive athlete, has an NBA-body, has good size and possesses deep range on his jumper. He can really finish and reminds some scouts of Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter. There have been some questions about his effort on the defensive end and his basketball IQ. He’s a likely one-and-done guy on the collegiate level, but will have to refine his overall game is he’s going to become a dominant player in the NBA.

These players could be the first four selected in the 2009 draft and should help sell NBA tickets in whatever city they land.

The preceding article was written by Morgan C. Dunn and sponsored by StubHub, one of the most popular places to get sold out tickets. If you are looking for NBA tickets, or sports tickets like baseball tickets, basketball tickets, football tickets, soccer tickets, college sports tickets, or even concert tickets and theater tickets, Stubhub.com is your best bet.

Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks team got its name from a contest where someone reasoned out that “Bucks are spirited, good jumpers, fast and agile.” From then on, the team was named Milwaukee Bucks. The team captured the 1971 NBA title in just their third season of existence, preceded by the New York Knicks and succeeded by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Some of the NBA Hall of Famers the team has produced are K.C. Jones, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Oscar Robertson, and Moses Malone among others. In June 28, 2006, the Bucks unveiled the team’s updated logo and color scheme. The team logo, the third the team has had in their 38-year history, is a hard-hitting front view of the head and shoulders of a white-tail 8-point buck on a triangular backdrop atop stylized Milwaukee Bucks print. The Bucks have used green and silver as their color since they introduced it in 1993. The purple jerseys they used were replaced by deep red ones. The team uses green uniform for road games and white jerseys for home games.

Minnesota Timberwolves
NBA returned to Minnesota with an expansion team known as the Timberwolves 30 years after Lakers left for Los Angeles. It is one of the four new expansion teams of NBA which included Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat. Timberwolves was chosen as the name of the team in a contest where the other choice was Polars. It is in reference to Minnesota being home to the largest population of Timberwolves in the lower 48 states. The team logo is a ferocious looking Timberwolf over a skyline of evergreen trees, with Timberwolves written in blue underneath a black shadow while Minnesota is written in silver on the black shadow above. The team colors are blue black and green.

In 1998, the team signed Kevin Garnett to an unprecedented 6-year, $126 million contract. Garnett, a power forward is regarded as one of the best all-around players in the NBA. He was drafted by the Timberwolves in 1995 and became the first player to be drafted directly out of high school since Moses Malone in 1974. He had a very respectable rookie year. He is now wearing number 5 for the Boston Celtics.

The Timberwolves sport a white home jersey and a blue road jersey. They also have an alternate jersey in black.

Andreas Niklasson is the associated editor to the website NBA jerseys - a website dedicated to NBA jerseys. Filled with interesting facts about your favorite NBA team jerseys, find rare photos and great deals on popular NBA jerseys.

It is almost that time of year again, football season. Football is the most popular sport in the United States and every year generates a ton of interest and creates a lot of excitement. Over the past several years it has even spawned a very popular game, fantasy football. Perhaps you have heard of fantasy football, but do not really understand what it is. You may think that it is everyone’s fantasy to play football and that it is some sort of daydreaming thing that people waste their time with. However, this is false. Fantasy football is a complete game that is available to be played by hard core football fanatics as well as casual fans. Below is a brief introduction to fantasy football so that you can become a little more familiar with it.

Basic Structure

In fantasy football, the players are called owners. These owners “own” a team. The owners do not own a specific football team (such as the Tennessee Titans), but instead have the opportunity to put players from all different teams onto their one team. This is why it is called fantasy football, because you get to build your own fantasy team, trying to put your favorite quarterback and wide receivers together and so forth.

In most leagues, the owners put together their teams through a draft. The owners take turns drafting the players, once a player is drafted no other owner may have that player on their team. The draft lasts as long as the owners agree to have it last, with the typical draft lasting 12 - 14 rounds.

The owners agree as to what the roster limit will be. The owners also agree what the starting lineups should be. For example, they can agree to have the starting lineup be a quarterback, two running backs, three receivers, one tight end, a kicker, and a defense. The owners are free to adjust this how they see fit.

One of the owners is designated as the commissioner, and it is his duty to oversee the fantasy football league and make sure that everything runs smoothly. He will settle any disputes and help the other players as needed.

Points

The players on the teams score points for the actions taken by the real players on the football field each week. For example, running backs will get points for how many yards they run and for how many touchdowns they score. The owners agree as to what it takes to score points and how many points to award for certain actions.

In Person League or Online

There are two choices to joining a fantasy football league. You can join up with friends and acquaintances and create your own league. Or you can join an online league and play with people you may not know. Two of the more popular fantasy football leagues are Yahoo and ESPN. You can go to their websites to get more information and sign up for a league if you would like.

Robert Grazian is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about fantasy football visit Fantasy Leagues Site for current articles and discussions.

Younger basketball players often get caught up in the razzle dazzle of the offensive side of the game. Sure, it’s fun to crossover like Allen Iverson, but what will really help you make the team is your ability to hold it down on defense. One important type of defense is the zone defense. Beginning basketball players must be aware of how a zone defense works and its variations.

A zone defense means that you do not pick an opponent and defend him one on one. Instead, each defender is responsible for covering an area of the court and defending whoever is in that area.

This article will deal with the most basic zone defense, which is a 2-3 zone. What this means is that there are two defenders guarding the perimeter and three defenders guarding the inside. The two perimeter defenders would be your guards, who would set up just inside the three point line, one on each side of the court. Their goal is to minimize penetration by the opposing ball carrier. Their designated area is at the top of the court from the three point line to the foul line. They will also help down the sidelines.

The center is the core of the zone defense. They patrol the paint and keep attackers at bay. They rebound the ball and call the paint their home. The center generally stays within 8 feet of the basket. Anyone that comes near the net is theirs. When watching the NBA, watch the areas of the court that Shaq, Yao Ming and Ben Wallace generally cover. This will give you a good idea of the area the center should play.

The two forwards are the wingmen in a zone defense. They are down low in the zone like the center, however they are flared out on either side of him, covering the baseline, cutting attackers, and the corners of the court. They also provide help at the basket and are equally responsible for rebounding.

This is the most basic form of zone defense. There are many other forms to learn and master, but try this one first. It will be especially advantageous to you if:

1)Your center is not very mobile (like Shaq and Yao).

2)Your opponent is not a strong passing team or is a team who likes to go one on one.

3)Your opponent prefers to drive the ball to the basket rather than shoot.

So go ahead, expand your defensive boundaries. Try something new. Get zoned out.