Category Archives: Sports

Baseball

Find a sponsor for your web site. Get paid for your great content. shareasale.com.Baseball: Its History, Uniqueness and Impact

baseball

Baseball, as we all know, is a recognized national sport in the United States. Did you know that it originated from England? It evolved from an old bat game brought by immigrants to North America where the modern version was designed and widely played.

Though baseball was regarded as America’s past time during the 1800s, it was also played in other countries. Canada joined the National League in 1969 and even won championships early in the 1990s. In Mexico, American soldiers brought the game in the mid 1800s. Cuba, with its rich baseball history, became the center of the formal league outside the United States. This paved the way to make baseball a craze in Central America. The Dominican Republic formed its own tournament in 1912. During the time of World War I and II, other countries also began forming their own tournaments. Among these countries are Japan, Australia, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

After World War II, baseball spread like wild fire across Latin America and in Asia as well. Venezuela, the Caribbean island countries, South Korea, Taiwan and China also formed their own professional leagues. The European nations also established their professional leagues as well. Women’s baseball also was played in various countries; however, it was played only on amateur setting. In 1992, baseball was allowed to be included as an Olympic game. In 2008, baseball remained part of the Olympics but was dropped from the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Unlike any other team sports, baseball is unique in many ways. Firstly, in baseball, there is no clock to kill. In sports limited by clock, the leading team kills the clock in order to win. In baseball, the team has to compete aggressively against the opposing team. This means that we can expect surprising turnarounds even till the last part of the game. Secondly, the game involves an individual contest between the pitcher and the batter. Coaching staffs can signal new and fresh tactics anytime to both pitcher and batter. This adds further excitement and unexpected turn of events for every inning. Thirdly, baseball playing fields are unique from each other in many ways. Though the measurement of the infield should be accurate and official, there are no rules to the height of fences and other structures beyond the outfield. Since baseball is played in an open field, other factors such as climate, wind and altitude can affect each play.

Baseball’s impact on culture is very evident in America. It was regarded as America’s religion! Its popularity in the 1900s and 2000s contributed to a revenue record of six billion dollars. American sports fans regarded baseball as their favorite sport. Little League Baseball where about two million American children participated will concretely show its popularity among young American boys and girls as well. In Japan, baseball remained the leading spectator sports. In 2007, the attendance recorded in Nippon Professional Baseball was approximately twenty million.

Baseball, being an international sport loved by almost all countries, will always occupy a greater part the world of sports. Baseball will always be a classic and at the same time a modern game definitely enjoyed by everybody!

Coaching

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Everybody wants to become better, smarter, more beautiful and athletic. We always want to be successful in everything we do. However, our lifelong experiences are not enough to equip us with situations we face every day as an employee, a mother, an athlete or maybe as a businessman. This is when coaching comes in. Coaching redirects our path to our goals and leads us where we want to go. Coaching can be formal, informal, simple or even complicated in so many ways possible. It can come as a simple instruction from your basketball trainer on how to pass the ball to your teammate so that your opponent cannot intercept it or a caring advice from your mother on how to work out on your relationships or it can turn as a complex set of instructions from your boss on how to manage your sales and finances effectively. When you hear these words from your trainer, mother or boss, you are actually being coached!

Coaching is any form of teaching or training in which someone gets support from a person to attain a goal. There are many ways on how coaching is done. There are different methodologies, models and techniques on how to facilitate learning. Coaching encompasses many fields. Sports, personal development, psychology, organizational leadership and religious practices are some of the fields where coaching is commonly done. Below are some examples of coaching applied to different fields.

Coaching in sports is the most common, popular and noticeable among others. Watching Phil Jackson giving detailed instructions to Scottie Pippen during a timeout is a concrete example on how coaching is done. It is expected in sports coaching that the coach knows more about the game and has more experience than the coachee. It is the role of the coach to train his athletes either to become better physically or to be smarter at the mental part of the sport.

Business coaching aims to provide advice to a business owner by a business coach to improve his effectiveness in his chosen business field. There are organizations specifically founded for this purpose. In the United States, there are thousands of people working as business coaches. Business coaching is one of booming modern professions in the world today.

Health and wellness coaching is also one of the fastest growing industry nowadays. With the advancement in health and medicine, it aims to help people understand more about their illnesses, present symptoms and prognosis and teaching them on how to prevent complications or further injury. Health and wellness coaches are expected to encourage people cope up with their medical conditions.

Coaching has always been viewed as a career. For the past several years, many coaches were found to have been making good money either full time or part time. With a wide potential market and growing number of potential clients, many are looking to it as a viable career in the years to come. However, being a coach entails responsibilities. A coach must always be compassionate, understanding and patient.

Coaching

Football

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Extreme Sports

Find a sponsor for your web site. Get paid for your great content. shareasale.com.A Futuristic Outlook for Extreme Sports

Extreme Sports

extreme sports

Despite being more and more technologically dependent, people today can’t seem to get enough of extreme sports and the inimitable thrill that it has in store for those bold enough to attempt it. While the rudimentary procedures of extreme sports have been left relatively unchanged by the growing tide of innovation and improvement, a significant change in the field of extreme sports equipment can be seen clearly, whether one is a die-hard extreme sportsman or not. The growing rise in more innovative extreme sports equipment is arguably one that has been going on for quite some time now, with its frequency still nearing (but not yet attaining) its zenith.

In a nutshell, while extreme sports and their methods have remained practically the same, the general idea of one’s safety needing to be in the forefront, and the overall fun-factor and said to be ‘increased’ by the novelty of state-of-the-art equipment has made the world of extreme sports the perfect ground for new and more hi-tech innovations.

While back in the old days, one had very little concern for safety – it being part and parcel of the ‘thrill’ one was after – nowadays, troves of equipments have been especially designed to not only provide the most aesthetically pleasing appeal possible, but to ensure the utmost safety and security of extreme sports enthusiasts. Of course, safety isn’t all that the companies who dish out these items are concerned about, as improved performance, maneuverability, control, or usability are also highly influential factors when contemplating about modernistic innovations in the field of extreme sports equipment.

With the growing availability of space-age materials made accessible to the general industries, equipment once initially reserved for heavy-duty use by only select sectors have now been largely incorporated into the world of extreme sports. Fiberglass, titanium, carbide-metals, specialized alloys, lightweight ceramics, and space-age plastics can now be found incorporated into everything from skateboards to safety gear.

Customizability of equipment’s has also become quite a trend in recent years, although no longer in a similar ‘do-it-yourself’ light. Extreme sports has also been coupled with modern technology, making it possible to document stunts, tricks, or excursions with ease through the simple integration of recording devices to specific equipments. As a nod to safety, most equipment now even come with the capacity to be tracked or otherwise synchronized to a GPS system, making it easier to locate individuals who inadvertently encounter accidents during their stunts.

The preference for ‘innovative’ equipment has spawned an entirely new field of industry focusing more on the scientific aspect of extreme sports more so than its ‘fun-factor’. Despite the ‘lab-mentality’ that has now managed to seep into what was once originally a non-scientific past-time, it is due to the technological innovations leveled at the field of extreme sports that added safety and enjoyment has been made possible.

While it is true that most technologically advanced equipment tends to be a tad pricey, it is without a doubt a worthwhile investment not only for the sake of your performance (which undoubtedly comes first and foremost), but your general well-being as well. While in the past, extreme sports were largely left to Lady Luck’s whims, nowadays, one has science to back one up in nearly every conceivable situation imaginable. Whether this reduces the thrill that extreme sports have, or whether this makes it even more fun is, however, still largely debatable.

Golf

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Playing golf has always been associated with

the elite and famous. And perhaps there is a good reason to think so since it is a game that involves proper etiquette and maintains high standards. All over the world, golf is recognized as one of the most expensive and exclusive sports.

But more than just a sport, it can also be a great way to socialize. It is a way by which people practice their skills relating to precision and accuracy. It also makes a great hobby to pass the time away and can be practiced every day.

It is social.

Golf is seen as a social sport because of the many opportunities it gives players to get to know one another. While playing on a course, there is plenty of time to get to know your partner or those who are in your “flight,” (usually a maximum of four or five players). It practices social skills, too, because of the rules associated with etiquette. One must observe courtesy when golfing such as keeping a low voice and waiting patiently for one’s turn. There is also an honesty system involved when counting how many strokes one takes in each hole. All the rules are associated with a certain behavior that is expected of each and every golfer once he steps into the course

Precision and accuracy.

When practicing golf often, one learns how to be precise and accurate with his swing. It is important to get to the target within the least amount of strokes in order to win and that takes precision in the swing. There are many conditions that may affect the swing such as the weather and the club one is using. So, it takes practice to get this part right. It is also important to hit shots accurately as the object of the game is to get the ball into the hole or nearest to the pin. So as one takes a swing, the most important thing is to keep the ball as close to the target as possible.

It takes time.

A regular game consists of 18 holes which should last players about two hours or more. But during those two hours, it is not all about playing. Time is taken while waiting for one’s turn to take his or her shots, it may also take a while to walk to the next hole, and time is needed to analyze each shot. This presents a lot of opportunities for players to talk and get to know each other while waiting for their turns. It is also very leisurely to walk along a golf course or to drive using a golf cart.

Golfing is perfect for those who like to take things easy and who enjoy having good company while playing a game. Though it also requires that one have a membership in a country club, golf shoes, clubs, and proper apparel, it is enjoyable nonetheless and is a great way to spend a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Mountaineering

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Mountaineering is a modern day hobby, sport and profession. In the early years, the main goal of mountaineering is to reach the highest possible point of a particular mountain. Today, however, mountaineering has branched into several specializations that require technical climbing knowledge, application of safety measures, and athletic ability.

In Europe, mountaineering is more popularly known as alpinism and an alpinist is someone who is a mountaineer. These terminologies, however, simply imply the main goal of climbing difficult heights of alpines in extreme conditions.

Being an extreme sport, there are dangers involved. Mountaineering has been regarded as one of the dangerous hobbies. A mountaineer will always face deadly situations, uncertain climates, rough terrain and unpredictable hazards.

Falling rocks are the most common dangers faced by a mountaineer. This is brought by erosion on mountain slopes. At night, a big stone with cracks embedded on the slope can be intact because of freezing snow, but it can tend to erode at midday under the glaring sun. On the part of a mountaineer, there is no way of knowing this. As a mountaineer goes up the mountain, the higher he gets, the more danger he faces.

If there are falling rocks, the danger of falling ice must also be considered. However, as ice can be easily traced from fallen debris below, a mountaineer has to avoid the track. Avalanches are the next hazards that are really dangerous. These are caused by unsteady glaciers which may collapse together along with massive tons of snow, making it impossible for a mountaineer to survive. As most skiers are not aware of unstable glaciers they might be standing on top to, it will be too late to respond to an avalanche. Some skiers do survive; however, it would take experience, leadership, and technical knowledge to do so.

Crevasses are the next few dangers that a mountaineer must locate and identify. As these are sometimes easily seen and sometimes hidden from a fresh snow, early detection of these deadly pits is really important. Detection requires extra care and experience. Extreme weather conditions are the next hazards to face. High winds, chilling temperatures, lightning, thunderstorms, and heavy snow fall are some of the weather conditions a mountaineer has to face. High winds will make it difficult for a mountaineer to maneuver on steep slopes.

Chilling temperatures can lead to hypothermia. As a mountaineer gets higher on a terrain, heavy rain brought about by thunderstorms would make it extremely difficult to climb even with safety ropes. Altitude sickness is also something to be avoided. As one rapidly ascent, the faster altitude sickness sets in. Symptoms of body aches, headaches, lethargy, sleeping problems and lack of appetite strongly suggest altitude sickness. This medical condition is dangerous as it can lead to brain damage and pulmonary edema which can be deadly in the next day or two.

Enjoying nature up close is really something that anyone can dream of. However, in the field of mountaineering, technical climbing knowledge, experience, and application of safety measures should always be observed at all times for a successful climb. Nature possesses beauty to behold but a mountaineer should always be properly trained. He or she must have the sufficient knowledge and expertise to enjoy nature at its finest view.

Cycling

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Cycling has been one of the oldest forms of exercise for many people. And not only is it

used as a means for losing weight, it is also a great form of transportation which does not involve the consumption of gasoline or getting stuck in traffic. Bikes are also a part of many people’s childhood memories since they were used when kids play outdoors or when going around the neighborhood with their playmates and friends.

Riding a bicycle is a great and effective way to lose weight because of the cardio involved when pedaling. Since the legs and thighs are doing most of the work, there is an increased blood flowing throughout the body which increases the heart rate. Most people don’t know they are exerting so much effort (unless they are cycling uphill) because of the speed and the wind. But one can observe that after a prolonged bicycle ride of uphill and downhill battles, the sweat will be pouring through his pores.

Bicycles are also becoming a popular alternative to cars. With many environmental issues that are present today, people who are conscious of their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions are trying to use their bikes more often than they used to. Riding a bike is especially useful for short trips to a friend’s house, the convenience store or grocery, or even riding to work if it is only a few blocks away. Some people also prefer biking over gyms or fitness centers to get their cardio started. Whatever the bike ride is for, one is sure to find satisfaction in riding it instead of a car not just because it is eco-friendly and a way to better health but also because of how easy it is to breeze by traffic when on the bike.

Experts believe that riding a bike regularly helps improve one’s balance and overall coordination. Along with that, one’s physical well being will be enhanced giving a person more energy and making one feel stronger and healthier. And most people know that good exercise habits contribute to mental health, too.

Another thing that makes cycling a great exercise is that old people can do it. Unlike jogging, running, or contact sports that are intense aerobic activities, riding a bike does not take a toll on joints and bones. This means that there is less risk for injury. However, one must wear the proper gear especially when biking outdoors. Helmets, shoulder pads, and knee pads are available which help keep a biker safe. It can even be done at night when it is dark. Reflectors and lights may be attached to parts of the bike in order for it to be seen by speeding cars at night.

If you are looking to improve your overall health or are just looking for more ways to lose weight effectively, riding a bike is an excellent way to start. It will make you appreciate exercise, your city, and your neighborhood so much more. Just wear appropriate gear and you’re on your way to a healthier you!

Hockey

Find a sponsor for your web site. Get paid for your great content. shareasale.com.A Few Good Reasons to Watch Hockey

There are a good number of reasons why many people love watching hockey games live. It is one of those sports that are so alive and intense that it is better seen in action instead of through a television screen. Aside from that, the energy of a live crowd is incomparable to any sports commentator’s voice or feedback.

But for hardcore hockey fans, the satisfaction of watching a game live does not just come from the crowd’s energy and zeal. Watching their favorite players on the ice as they precisely maneuver their sticks in order to get the puck into the goal is what the excitement is really all about. Ardent fans would understand the skills and proper style needed to skate in the ice while carrying their sticks and dealing with the contact from the other team. Not to mention, the speed needed while on the ice.

Just like any contact sport where a ball, or in this case a puck, needs to enter a goal, plays are involved and the difficulty of executing those plays on the ice is something that professional athletes are believed to be born with. And as fans watch their favorite teams battle it out in the ice, each experience just gets sweeter and more memorable.

For many people, the excitement of hockey is similar to the excitement that football fans get as they watch their favorite players get tackled in the field. While on the ice, players have to deal with checks – and this involves about two six-footers or more. Just like basketball, it’s got speed too. And perhaps it is faster because of how easy it is to get from one side of the court to the other side thanks to the skates. Also, just like soccer, teams get penalty kicks. However, when both teams are 0-0, a five minute overtime period is declared. And seeing all the action while being seated relatively close to the ice can really make a fan’s heart pump! Compared to other sports, the first row of bleachers is relatively close to the ice.

An average game has three 20-minute periods and with the speed involved in playing the game, it may seem like the time was too short. And just like in any contact sport where athletes may lose their cool, there is a big chance that there could be a fight. Though it is not considered sportsman-like, it adds to the excitement of any game. These could be what keep fans coming back for more action.

It is a very high-risk contact sport. Players have to be heavily padded with a helmet and mouthpiece because of the many risks like running into other players, getting hit by the puck or stick, and even hitting the ice face first.

Though some people may consider basketball and football more popular sports, hockey is a sport with a rich history and the excitement is unlike any other because no other contact sport is played on ice with this kind of speed.

Individual Sports

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Being active in sports can make us healthier since this can be a good form or exercise. A person can choose whether he will engage himself in a team sports or individual sports, depending on what suits him more. While team sports are ideal for those who work better with a group of people,rock climbing, scuba diving, skiing, snowboarding, and surfing.

For the individual sports, there are a lot you can choose from. Some examples of these are boxing, darts, fencing, cycling, equestrian, darts, golf, judo, wrestling, yoga, and pilates. Other more extreme and adventurous individual sports include rock climbing, scuba diving, skiing, snowboarding, and surfing. Meanwhile, some people may find themselves better suited for more conventional sports like swimming, taekwondo, tennis, and triathlon.

There are various things that one can learn from individual sports. Some are as follows:

1 Being Independent. It will teach you to be independent since you don’t have a teammate who will back you up. You’ll learn to stand on your own feet and keep yourself going. You don’t have any teammate to blame when a problem arises. You can only depend on yourself. With this, you’ll learn how to be responsible for your own actions.

2 Building Confidence and Self-Esteem. Since this is a game of individuals, you will be the center of attention. This will help you get used to this kind of setup and eventually will make you comfortable at being the “star” of the event. This self-esteem that you can develop in this sport/s can also help you in other aspects of your life like dealing with different people and even during business transactions / presentations.

3 Internal Motivation and Inspiration. Coach, parents, friends, and other supporters can be an inspiration for the athlete to go further and exert more to win the game. However, the athletes are still the ones who have to push themselves to get the award. Internal motivation and inspiration is more powerful than an external push.

4 Learning at your own pace. This kind of sports can let you learn and develop your skills at your own pace. This can remove pressure in catching up since you don’t have a team where your skills and abilities can be compared with. Also, you can have the chance to focus on strengthening your weaknesses without feeling inferior if you have teammates with you whose skills are far different from you.

Learning things individually can make you understand yourself more, including both your strengths and weaknesses. This can give you a better chance in addressing your own issues and concerns for you to be able to build yourself as a better athlete and as a better person. It can make you more competitive not just in sports but in other aspects of your life. This can also help you in making better decisions in the future.

Any sports, regardless if it’s a team or individual has different benefits and learning’s one can gain. One just needs to have an open mind for the new discoveries he may encounter. He must prepare himself to this wonderful experience and take a brave step as he enters the court / field.

Martial Arts

The Essence of Martial Arts

roulette video Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo and Jujitsu are terms very familiar to us. We can always strongly associate these words with the action movies we are seeing, the Olympic competitions we are excited watching or even with the thrilling video games we play like Streetfighter! By the way, what do Jackie Chan, Steven Seagal, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris and Jet Li have in common? They are all martial artists!

Martial arts are old, traditional, systematized systems of combat practices. Though early practices of martial arts were very evident during the Xia Dynasty in China, it was in Europe where martial arts probably originated. Mars, as we all know, is the god of war according to Roman mythology. The early combat systems Arts of Mars in Europe were named before him as the famous god of war and combat. Hence, the word ‘martial arts’ became popular and widely accepted as the modern terminology for Arts of Mars.

Martial arts were conceptualized, taught, learned and practiced for many centuries for variety of reasons. For many martial artists, martial arts were intended for self-defense. Others practiced martial arts for competition, overall physical fitness and wellness, as well as mental and spiritual development.

There are many variations of martial arts. There are unarmed and weapon based martial arts, combat oriented and self-defense martial arts, and sports martial arts. These, however, can vary if they involved partial or full contact.

As a new subset in the field of cinema, sports and television, martial arts practice has been regarded as one of the promising industries in the United States. With 30 million practitioners, martial arts generated total revenue of 30 million US dollars in 2003 and this big influx of money is expected to increase for the coming years.

There are different types of martial arts and each of these has its own distinctive style, purpose and origin. Some martial arts are developed by schools, martial art masters, teachers and professors. These are then classified and grouped according to their type, focus and regional origin.

Here are some famous martial arts with their respective distinct style and origin. American Karate is also known as Freestyle Karate. Since this is a combination of traditional Japanese, Korean and Okinawan Karate with touches of Aikido, Judo, Kung Fu and many other oriental martial arts, no one can determine its exact origin. A distinct feature of this type of karate is the use of belt systems. One of the most popular forms of martial arts is Kung Fu.

Technically, this is Chinese martial arts. Obviously, this type developed from China centuries ago employing different styles and methods that can sometimes pertain to animal mimicry. Kung Fu is mostly inspired by religious practices, legends and philosophies. Aikido on the other hand is a form of martial arts from Japan. A unique characteristic of this type is that it encourages self defense and at the same time prevents the attacker attain injury.

Martial art, as a whole, is one of the well-practiced combat tactics in the whole world. With its deeply rooted discipline in different culture, religion, philosophy and respect to life, it is regarded as one of the sacred arts of the modern world that will always be treasured, honored and preserved.