Taking Back My Youth on an MGP Nitro Extreme

It was a cool spring morning which promised to become a very hot early spring day and so the mind drifts to what could be done to make this Sunday a very special one for my son and I.

Having spent most of the day before indoors playing Star Wars on the Wii, Sunday was going to be 'outdoor day' and I was going to be out in the fresh air, not sat in front of a television watching virtual characters battle it out on screen. No, fresh air is what I needed today and so that's what I was going to get.

A few months earlier it had been my birthday and somebody in their ultimate wisdom had decided I was not going to grow old gracefully and bought me a scooter. Not any old scooter, but one with a particularly cool name. Knowing that I had a penchant for gadgets, they decided I needed on that summed up my love of all things 'mega' and 'turbo' and they bought me an 'MGP Nitro Extreme'. Now, when I first saw the words on the box I didn't really understand what it was I'd got. I thought maybe I'd been sent some kind of explosive device seeing as 'nitro' sounds like something we yearned for as kids.

However I soon realised that this was one of those trendy scooters with wheels so small they look like they've been stolen from Action Man's tank and enough metal and rivets to show it had been engineered in the fiery depths of some Pacific Rim volcano. I was going places on this thing, and hopefully not hospital.

As it turned out, the weather never gave me an opportunity to use it and so it lay dormant in the garage waiting for a time when the sun would emerge from the clouds and allow me to go hurtling down the street like a lanky and rather over weight teenager. Oh, and wrinkly. A teenager with a skin problem that makes them look 42. You get the idea.

And the sun came out and I did take my scooter to the skate park to show those whipper-snappers a thing or two about riding one of these beasts. Except just in case it was a bit hard, I went really early on Sunday morning, realising that your average teenager doesn't leave bed until way after midday on a weekend having spent the night before drinking Red Bull in a bus shelter.

So, I climbed carefully to the top of the ramp and holding the bars as hard as I could, I let myself tear down the slope, gravity taking hold of my over-plump frame and dragging me into the curve.

And here, dear reader, is where it went wrong.

You see, these infernal devices are pretty darn quick. They look flash because they are flash and the wheels are greased with the slickest, most frictionless material I have ever known. Before I could take a breath, I was hurtling at incredible speed towards a grassy bank wherein I narrowly missed a metal waste bin, sped off to one side and landed in a soft and slightly muddy patch.

If there was a moral to this story, it might be that people my age shouldn't be dealing in such dangerous sports and should stick to driving 4 by 4 vehicles on highways. But that would be defeatist. Instead, I give you this.

If you do intend to be a stupid as me and ride around like a teenager on incredibly good looking technical equipment - wear a helmet. You look a lot less stupid than someone with a massive bruise on their temple!

Display Cabinets and Shelves for Trophies

Any individual who've collected trophies and other awards over the years are proud of their achievements. May it be an academic or sports trophy, it deserves the right place in your home or office. Shelves and cabinet tops are the usual places to find trophies. But as time passes, many people tend to ignore them and leave them unclean for a long time.

A better way to keep your trophies clean and organized is by putting them in cabinets with glass doors, or on top of shelves particularly made for these items. If you have collected quite a number of awards, it is best to keep them tidy and organized in a place where you and your guests can see them. Why? Because they can be great conversation pieces or part of the design of your study room or any area in your home.

One particular piece that you can purchase or have a carpenter customize is a display cabinet. This is like any other cabinet with glass doors and sides, but they can be made especially for your trophies. Taking the size and height into consideration, you can order these cabinets online or offline. You may also talk to your local carpenter and have the work done right there in your premise or in his workshop.

You can also choose the design, style, and color of your cabinet or shelf. There's always a couple of catalogues lying around the carpenter's workshop or you can print out the design you'll find online. It is also best to keep the design similar and complementary to your home's interior. If you are going to place this piece in your study room, make sure that it will not overcrowd the space. Have the carpenter measure the dimensions of the room first before deciding on the final size and style of the cabinet or shelf.

Another good tip is to refurbish old cabinets or shelves. You may purchase them from flea markets or garage sales, or from a specialty store. You can save more by doing this since it will only take you a few hundred bucks or less in paint, glass [if needed], and labor. If you are quite artistic, this can be a good DIY project to start with.

Don't just leave your trophies on top of almost any shelf or inside a cabinet, because no one will ever know that you're good at a lot of things. Being proud of your talents and skills can be best presented through a collection of these items and more. But without proper presentation and organization, they're just vessels for dust and cobwebs as time passes.

Framing and Mounting Medals on Your Walls

Medals are symbols of achievement - may it be in sports, academics, and all sorts of competitions. For a very competitive individual, it isn't impossible to see quite a number of this item in his or her abode. The problem with some individuals is they fail to organize and flaunt their 'achievements' properly.

You might come across a friend who just lets his medals hang on whatever is accessible or available in his home - a coat hanger or available hooks and tacks where other framed items are mounted. It is such a waste to see medals lying around or hanged carelessly. It may be years ago when you've won that quiz bee competition or champed the badminton tournament in your area, but the medals you've garnered are timeless testaments to your exceptional skills and talents.

Many people have found that framing medals before mounting them on their walls is a good idea. Though not a very unique way, but putting these items in frames does not only protect them, but also keeps them organized. You don't have to worry much about the cost because you can purchase ready-made frames from both offline and online frame stores. The choices will depend on how many medals you have and how you wish to organize them in your home.

One good idea is to organize medals by the year. Some may prefer organizing by the type of competition they've joined and won. Another tip is to keep your frames uniform in terms of style and size. You may also go for styles that will complement the room's overall look and feel. So, if you will hang the framed medals in your study area, make sure that the designs will jive and not clash.

You may also find in homes larger frames that hold medals for each of the children in the family. This is also a great way to organize according to every person's achievement through the years. The medals are usually arranged per year or competition.

Laminated frames are also one of the most common methods of framing medals with diplomas. You may apply this method collectively instead of just laminating one item in one frame. As mentioned, it will depend on how you would like to organize.

Keeping your medals neatly organized in your home shouldn't be a difficult task. It can be a fun way to remember your past achievements during your school years. And it is also a cool and subtle way to flaunt your awards and enhance your walls at the same time.

The History Of Chess Sets And Boards

The majority of historians believe that chess is the oldest game of skill in existence. There are written records of chess being played all the way back in the 6th century in what is now modern Afghanistan and India. This was the Persian Empire, and so the oldest chess sets and boards were Persian-made pieces used in the game they termed "chaturanga." Unfortunately, no known pieces from the first few centuries of Persian chess sets remain in existence. Maybe someday an archeological dig will be fortunate enough to discover a few pieces, or maybe even a whole set, of this early version of chess.

The Persian Empire was enormous, and it was famous for being one of the most prolific trading empires. There was no corner of the empire that these traders did not reach, and they brought chess with them. The early version of chess quickly spread throughout the empire. These early chess pieces were made from many different materials throughout the Persian Empire, depending on the means of their owners.

Very cheap chess sets and boards were made from bone in the early days of the game. More extravagant pieces were often carved from hardwoods such as ebony and rosewood. The very finest early chess sets were carved from ivory, which was favored by craftsman for its ease of carving and ability to polish to a fine shine.

Luckily, examples of some of these early ivory chessmen still survive today. Pieces were discovered in modern-day Uzbekistan, and they are in very good condition. Seven pieces were discovered in all, two pawns, an elephant, a horse, a vizier, a chariot and a king.

The next-oldest chess set in the world was found in India, and it has been radiocarbon dated to around 900 AD. These pieces were the older style chessmen that were found in the Persian Empire's version of chess.

More modern, European chess sets that players are familiar with today date from not too long after this. The earliest example of these European chess pieces were preserved in a monastery in Ager, Spain. These Ager pieces date from 1021. They are made from rock crystal that has not survived the ravages of time very well, and only a few of the pieces are in good enough condition to determine their use. The legend told by the monks that preserved the pieces over the years is that the set was originally carved for Charlemagne.

The oldest chess pieces that can be combined together to form a full set date back to the 12th century. These pieces, known as the Lewis Pieces, contain 96 individual pieces that came from four separate sets. They were made in Norway out of ivory formed from walrus tusk and whale teeth. They are in phenomenal condition, and look as if they would be fine to use in a game today if they weren't under glass in the British Museum.

European-style chess sets all had the same pieces, but there were many different competing designs for specific pieces. This led to conflicts in matches, when players would refuse to play each other due to the unrecognizability of certain pieces. A standard design for competition chess sets, called the Staunton, was constructed in 1849 by Nathaniel Cook. It is still the design used in chess competitions around the world today.

How to Throw Darts: Technique, Grip, Stance and Throw

The following article explains the basic grip, stance and throwing techniques used in the game of darts. There are also tips on discovering what works best for you and how to develop your own style.

Basics of the Grip

Aim and Direct: The chief objective of your grip should be to keep the end of the dart pointing up in each throwing stage.

Solid and Relaxed: Your grip should be stable, firm and should not put tension on the muscles of your fingers. When your fingers become white or you have difficulty releasing the dart due to excess muscle tension it is an indication that your grip is excessively tense. Keep in mind that Darts is a not a game of force, but rather touch. To keep your touch, grasp the dart just tight enough so it will not slide and you can maintain control when speeding up for the throw. The most common error is gripping the dart too firmly rather than too loosely.

Use at Least Three Fingers. Using more fingers will provide more regulation and control of the dart when gathering speed, but it makes the release more difficult as you will have to coordinate more fingers together. Finger coordination is an important aspect of release in your grip.

Shape of Dart Barrel. Not all types of grips will be suitable or functional on different barrel types. Longer barrels require the use of more fingers, while shorter barrels may require fewer fingers. Not only do you need to discover the right grip for you, but you need to discover the barrel that's right for you as well.

Say No to a Fist. The fingers that are not included in your grip should stay comfortably spread apart from the fingers that are included. For example, if you are using four fingers when holding the dart and your smallest finger joins the other four, it will cause strain on the muscles of the other four fingers and will result in a poor release.

Stance and Throw

"Right Foot Forward" Stance. To better understand the stance, examine the position of a good player while they are aiming. Players set their eye, the dart and their target in a line. When a player makes a throw, he must try to maintain the movement of his arm in a plane of two dimensions. This decreases error by eliminating sideways movement of the arm.

Distribution of Your Weight. Your weight should rest chiefly on your forward foot while your rear foot holds adequate weight to thoroughly balance your posture. Keep in mind that, regardless of which weight distribution you use, your posture should be very firm and unshakable. The forward foot should constantly remain on the ground or floor.

Leaning. The more you lean your body forward, the closer you are to the board. Conversely, the farther you lean the more physically demanding and unbalanced your throw will become. If you bend forward excessively, it will result in back strains in the long run. Practice and try to find your own best position for throwing.

Balance. Lifting your leg when throwing is discouraged. Always keep your feet on the floor.

Torso. Your posture must ensure that your body is kept still during a throw.

Dart is a game of skill that requires constant practice on your part. You have to discover your own individual grip, stance and style of throw. Put it in your mind not to merely imitate the style of other dart players. You must discover your own style by yourself.

Try out the grips, stances and throwing styles of different individuals for the purpose of comparing and finding out which aspects are appropriate for you. Trying out various styles will also help you learn the technical connections between grip, stance and throw and enhance your skill. However, you should still find your own style, the one wherein you feel most comfortable and which results in improved playing. Achieve this through constant practice and keen observation of other accomplished or professional dart players. Look into their style of play and if you can use it with ease and comfort, then incorporate it into your own style.

Tips for Flying RC Airplanes

We have all seen the YouTube videos of the Ace flyers, making dramatic swoops, loops, and spins with near perfect precision, but the fact of the matter is that no one starts out as an ace flyer. It takes years of practice to do those stunts. That is why I would recommend starting out with a good simulator program for your PC. There are many on the market today, so do some research and find one that works with the type of A/C and flying you are looking at doing. Also get into your local RC flying community. Start showing up and asking questions of some of the more seasoned flyers, most will be only too glad to share some of their ability on the subject. And when it's time for your first flight, your new buddies will be there to help you out.

Always do a preflight check before takeoff. First, turn on the transmitter, then the airplane. Do a basic hand test of the plane to make sure everything is functioning correctly, then do a range check, collapse the antenna on the transmitter, walk 50-100 feet away and check that your equipment is responding properly. Determine wind direction and speed by throwing a light material (grass clippings work well) into the air.

When you are ready for takeoff face your A/C into the wind. If you're launching you're A/C by hand, give it full power and launch it with a straight and level toss into the air and quickly grab the controls. If this is still new to you, have a friend launch your airplane for you. If you are taking off from the ground slowly advance the power and wait for it to gain enough speed for takeoff

Once you're in the air, keep the throttle at full power until the plane achieves sufficient altitude, allow yourself some room to recover from mistakes, and then reduce the throttle to half power. Practice flying in an oval pattern, turning in the same direction for a while. After you have feel comfortable with one direction try flying the opposite direction. When the oval gets too easy, mix it up and try a figure eight. Remember to keep the A/C as level as possible; raising the nose too much can make it stall.

When you are ready to land your airplane face it back into the wind, slowly reduce the throttle and glide it in, when you are about five feet off the ground cut the throttle completely. Raise the nose of the A/C at the last second, for a perfect three point landing.

Well that's the basics. Thanks for reading

3 Ways to Handle Sports Parents That Want to Be Too Involved

Parents form one third of the youth sports support system (alongside coaches and other volunteers). They are the ones driving your athletes to practices and games, providing nutritious half-time snacks, organizing team parties and filling your stands...yes, they are invaluable! Most parents are content in their roles as fan and supporter, but how is a coach supposed to handle a sports parent that decides their place in on the field?

Here are 3 ways to manage the "helicopter" (that hovering) sports parent:

Establish ground rules 

Make it very clear to your sports parents at the beginning of the season that the only people allowed in the dugout or on the field are the coaches and players. You can explain that you want to minimize the amount of distractions that could divert your player's attention away from the game. Having mom or dad watching from the sidelines, for some unfocused athletes can be distracting enough! Your sports parents need to respect you as the coach and your decisions if they fully expect their kids to do the same.

Set up a code of conduct before the season starts of what kind of behavior is and isn't acceptable during practices and games. Many sports organizations already have policies in place and you can just enforce the rules. Over involved and zealous sports parents tend to be the ones that become "those obnoxious sports parents" over the course of the seasons-the ones that coach from the sidelines, yell at the officials and argue with other parents. You want to prevent that behavior from happening before it has a chance to. Some parents may take offense to being pushed back to the stands, however, simply reinforce that it's for the well-being and safety of their child and other children.

Get them involved in a small way 

Some parents can't help themselves...they love their kids! They have good intentions, but they want to be involved in everything their kid is doing, including your team. If you find yourself dealing with a parent that wants to help, find a way to let them participate but in a way that actually helps you or your sports organization. Get them to catch for your relief pitcher or take the soccer players on a warm-up jog around the field. Let the parent handle some of the smaller tasks so you can focus more on the game at hand. It makes them feel involved (and keeps them occupied) and frees up some of your time! Maybe they can help at the snack shop or take on some additional much needed volunteer roles in your sports organization (help is always needed!).

It's better to have a sports parent working for you then working against you. If you can get them involved without usurping your authority as the coach than everyone gets what they want and you don't to worry about a confrontation later on in the season.

Speak to them privately 

If you have to talk to one of your parents, make sure it is done privately. Talk to them before or after practice or a game and explain why they need to reel it in a little bit. It's not that you don't appreciate their dedication to the team and their child's athletic career (of course you do!), but they need to treat you like the coach so their child sees you as the coach as well. Again, it's a matter of respecting you as the coach and also a fellow parent. You don't want to do this in front of the other parents or the players as it's embarrassing and might make your parent defensive. Most of the times sports parents don't even realize they've crossed a line, so a quick and private reminder will get everyone back on track.

Every team is bound to have one mom or dad that thinks they missed their calling to be a youth sports coach (you can remind them there is always room for more volunteers!). Involved parents are great, but there is a fine line between involved parent and helicopter parent. As a coach, you have to find a way to remind them that YOU are responsible for the coaching, safety and well-being of the team without causing and friction between you and them.

The Impact of Title IX on High School Recruiting

As noted in the national sports news this week, controversy still surrounds the Title IX legislation that we have been living under for over 20 years. In terms of sports and high school recruiting, college recruiting and equality for men and women, this issue may never be resolved. In fact, it seems the more we do to insure equality, the more un-equal things become. The reality is that our good intentions are not going unpunished.

Originally, the Title IX legislation made no mention of sports at all. It was written to insure that equal opportunity was given to men and women when applying for jobs at institutions that received federal funding. It is included as a portion of the Education Amendments of 1972, and has been hacked at ever since to serve specific needs of specific groups and individuals.

Since the inception of Title IX, high schools and colleges have actually cut sports programs for men to create balance between men's and women's programs. In some dramatic cases, bleachers, scoreboards and playing fields have been destroyed to create this 'equality'. The mandate was that if you don't have the same facilities for the girls, you can't have it for the boys. So, down they came. How does that help?

I'm sure in many areas there are more young men involved in physical sports than women. And, many schools are limited in what they offer based on student interest. What has been popular in the past for is what is continued in the future. Introducing new sports is sometimes difficult. I know that for many schools adding soccer was a big deal a few years ago. And, it didn't need to be mandated by the government. And this has impacted high school recruiting.

Years ago when I worked in a middle school, boys and girls had separate physical education classes. This is how it was when I was in school too. I thought nothing of it. The boys played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track and wrestled. The girls played softball, basketball, field hockey, ran track, volleyball and did gymnastics. The boys progressed on to high school with a well rounded knowledge to help them succeed in the sports there. The girls, the same. A few years later came Title IX and the classes had to combine the girl and the boys. Are you kidding? None of these kids wanted to have a PE class with the opposite sex. And, when they discovered that the curriculum would be completely changed they were furious. Boys could no longer have a wrestling program because in a co-ed class girls and boys could not be grappling all over each other on the mats. There was no more football; soccer was added. Baseball was dropped and everyone played softball. Gymnastics was dropped. Basketball, track, volleyball and field hockey stayed. And, they added ping pong, badminton, archery, and other fillers like 'skills and drills' (push up, sit up, and pull up games).

In a nutshell; Title IX may seem like a solution to a problem but in fact has created a new, larger problem for all of us. Students are missing out on specific activities they need and schools are being hit with the cost of compliance with no return on their investment. Expensive equipment sits gathering dust and filler activities that are boring to our kids are in place of real physically challenging activities.

Treasure Hunts Vs Scavenger Hunts

The Difference between Scavenger Hunting and Treasure Hunting

First off we must let it be known that scavenger hunts and treasure hunts are quite different beasts. In a scavenger hunt, participants get a laundry list of things that they must collect or missions they are required to achieve. After everything is said and done, objects are counted and prizes awarded to the groups with the most objects and achieved the most activities. A treasure hunt, on the flip side, is a more cerebral pursuit. Team mates have to synchronize to solve a list of tricky riddles or clues, that lead to designated mystery spots.

Kinds of Clues

Treasure hunts are a bit more challenging to devise than scavenger hunts. Rather than creating a list of objects, the treasure hunt master will need to invent clues - and not just any clues. They must be intriguing; stimulate interest, and require patient, inventive, problem-solving. Clues come in a smorgasbord of shapes and formats but generally may be sorted as: Trivia, Coordinated-Action, and Puzzles & Code.

Trivia Clues

Trivia clues lead on players' collective experience. Ideally clues ask for participants to bring their plethora personalities to bare - ex. a sports junkie, a TV junkie and a bookworm all bring different angles to the stage. Just like a round of Trivial Pursuit, by making use of these various angles, players collectively have a much better chance of reverse engineering a solution be it concerning sports, arts and entertainment or novels.

Coordination Clues

Coordination clues are based less on knowledge and more on cooperation. Cleverly composed coordination clues lead groups, through physical tasks, to the awareness that certain tasks can't be carried out by an individual.

Visualize being at an aquarium attempting to tally the number of a particular species of marine life in a big fish tank. One person could go bonkers struggling to add up the moving targets by themselves. The same activity would be achieved far easier if approached as a group - via delegation. For instance, perhaps each player quickly tallies only 3-4 fish in a designated section of the tank. This may be a good solution but entails solid communication and strategy among the group.

Puzzling Clues

Puzzle and Code clues necessitate a different mentality and tend to conjure the most diverse, commonly intense reactions!

Consider a clue encrypted in morse code. The dots and dashes can make some turn light-headed yet others might welcome the challenge. The best puzzle and code clues give birth to creative thinking as a product of number-centric players problem solving along side liberal arts oriented players.

Treasure hunts are wonderful for teambuilding given that they make you think, they mandate you to brainstorm - you need to strategize and communicate and frequently take a break and revisit the problem later. Whether you're writing Trivia, Coordinated Action or Puzzles & Code clues - and the greatest treasure hunts cover all three types - recognize that teams collaborating and thinking together should be able to accomplish more than one person can by themselves - and have a better time doing it.

How To Register Your Homebuilt Boat

A common question that seems to get raised is, after finishing their homebuilt boats, builders ask how to register them with their states or regions. Every state in the US and Province in Canada has slightly different rules and regulations but all follow a common thread. This article goes through the general procedure and requirements that are most common, and offers resources on how to find out how to obtain the forms in your specific region.

Since I have no experience doing it outside my own state in the US, but I have discussed it with many builders in the US and Canada, and have done some research so can offer advice in these areas, this will only apply to the US and Canada. In other western countries, I suspect it's very similar to the US and Canada, but have no direct knowledge of these processes. If you go to your State or Province's website, you will be able to navigate to the specific regulations you need to follow, and in just about every one I've looked over, you will be able to download the appropriate paperwork to apply for a boat registration.

Firstly, not all boats require registration. Check your local State or Province regulations, but in general, boats that are oar, paddle or pedal powered and boats that are smaller than a certain size often do not require registration. It's a good rule of thumb, though, that if you are planning to put a gasoline, diesel, or electric motor in your boat, it will need to be registered.

Nearly all registration forms begin with a unique hull number. Since you built the hull, it will not have a number. In some States, you can number your hull yourself, but in other's a State assigned inspector will have to come look at your boat to ensure it was truly built by you, and will assign you a hull number. When you receive this number, you must permanently affix it to the hull. In some cases you can carve this into a main beam, attach name plate or some other permanent method.

It is very likely that the government inspector will ask to see your receipts for materials that you built the boat from. After Hurricane Katrina, the state of Louisiana clamped down on people finding boats, pulling off the numbers and claiming they built them themselves, so keeping records of your purchases or where you obtained materials is important.

You will also want a Carpenter's Certificate. Some places (like Alaska) require one, and for other's it's a useful piece of documentation. Carpenter's Certificates have been used for hundreds of years certifying the name of the builder of a vessel. If for no other reason than tradition, it's a good idea to create a Carpenter's Certificate for your homebuilt boat. Find an appropriate Carpenter's Certificate form, fill it out and sign it and it becomes a permanent part of your boat's history.

The registration authority may request a calculation of the displacement and load carrying capability of your boat plus a calculation of the maximum horsepower of the hull. If you have built one of my boats, just email, and I'll send you this information. If you have built some other designer's you can ask them or calculate these numbers using the U.S. Coast Guard Safety Standards for Backyard Boat Builders publication. This is available for download from the US or Canadian Coast Guard's website or from some designer's sites as well.

Once you collect all of this information and fill out the registration application, all you need to do is file it with your State or Province, along with their filing fee, and sometimes use taxes depending on whether you paid sales taxes on the materials you purchased, and the state will issue you license numbers along with their rules on how the ID numbers need to be affixed to your boat, and a registration form identifying you as the registered owner of the vessel.

Three Safety Tips to Remember While Using Powerisers

Do you want to be the most favourite aunt for your nephew or niece? Or the coolest dad in town? Get a smart poweriser and you can be sure that the kids are going to be totally thrilled about your gift. In fact, not only kids but adults also are going to be excited if they are gifted with powerisers. It is the best jumping sports as well as an excellent exercise equipment. The pure thrill of leaping up to incredible heights and impressing the onlookers is something nobody can resist. Poweriser is the best option for all these.

As much as powerisers are fun and exciting, they are quite risky too, if you try them without adequate practice and knowledge. In fact, if you are planning to gift them to someone close to you, it is important that you know the tips for safety as well. Here are a few facts for you to remember while purchasing or using powerisers.

1. Remember to get the safety accessories as well along with the powerisers, the most important of these being the helmet. As you know, powerisers allow you to jump great heights and therefore it is always better to wear the helmets. This is to avoid your head hitting somewhere on the roof as well as hitting on the floor in case you fall. Similarly, it would be a good idea to get safety pads for your wrists, elbows and knees for the same reason. And just as in the case of learning to ride a bicycle, falls are inevitable while learning the jumping techniques on powerisers. Hence, it is always better to protect your body while using them.

2. Do not hesitate to get help from experts while practicing on powerisers. You could learn it on your own, of course, but that comes at the cost of several falls and bruises as it is an extreme sport item. Hence, have someone support you while practicing it. The best option would be to start learning it at some training institute where you would get the assistance of poweriser experts. Besides, these institutes would provide you with the ideal settings for you to learn without any obstacles. It is many times safer than practicing at your home where the ceiling might not be high enough or your family members might not be free to be by your side always.

3. This brings us to our next important safety tip, that of finding an ideal spot to practice the jumping. For using powerisers, you need to find a place that is free of all hindrances and obstacles, where you can move around without worrying about your head hitting the roof or stumbling across pillars or trees on the path. Also, it has to be a place where you could concentrate on your moves and balance yourself. A park full of people or the narrow alleyway is never the place for powerisers, for your attention could easily slip in such places. And you might not be able to stop yourself on time if a person or vehicle comes from the opposite side.

If you keep the risk factor aside, powerisers are the best way to have fun with friends and impress your girlfriend. It is also good for health as it is a combination of mind and body remaining alert and attentive. In fact, it is a great gift for someone who is health conscious. All you need to remember is that it comes with risky factors that you need to be aware of and for which you need to take adequate precautions.

Finding the Best Ice Skates for Sale

A seemingly smooth and cool (literally!) sports item that provides fun and excitement at the same time, ice skating has been quite popular among children and adults alike. When you are in the gallery watching the experts glide across on the icy floor you might not think deep into the nuances of the art of skating. All the same, it is an activity that requires a lot of balance, practice and concentration. And a major share of credit for the great performance goes to the skates that the players use. It is not very difficult today to find ice skates for sale with so many stores across the world, both offline as well as online.

For the safety of the players and for a wonderful skating experience, it is important that you get the best ice skates from a good brand. Whether you are planning to buy a set of skates for yourself or for someone else, this is one factor that you really need to remember. With so many different brands and types of ice skates out there in the market you need to be absolutely sure of what you need even before you purchase the skates.

So how do you actually find the right pair of ice skates you need that enables you to learn fast and give you an exciting experience? First and foremost, decide what type of skating you want to do and what type works best for you. For example, there is the ice hockey skating as well as the figure skating. Which one would you want to do and which would you enjoy doing? This is important because if you don't enjoy your skating, you might be discouraged to continue after an initial setback or falls, which by the way are inevitable.

Once you figure out the type of ice skating you want to practice, you need to get the best skates that are perfect for your feet. For this, it might help in trying out a few pairs first before you set out to purchase a set. You could check out the skating clubs or institutes in your locality that offer training in ice skating and try out a few pairs with the advice from the experts and instructors there. This would give you some preliminary ideas about skating on ice. In fact, you could also find out from them the best stores where you could find ice skates for sale.

When you are sure that you've got enough practice in this sports you could think about purchasing your own skates. Besides checking the local stores or those in the malls, you could check for the online stores as well. There are many websites that offer ice skates for sale at affordable costs and excellent customer service. However, it is important that while checking for prices, you don't compromise on the quality of the skates. Also, while purchasing you need to clarify on the techniques of maintaining them without damage for longer periods. When you select a reputed brand and purchase from their online store you could get the necessary details.

Ice skating is fun as long as you remain safe from injuries and pain due to repeated falls. And when you are with friends it becomes even more exciting and gives you some great memories to cherish. But to make those moments happy you need to be comfortable with the skating, and the skates you have chosen play an important role in ensuring your comfort. Hence, when searching for ice skates for sale, remember to find a place that is trust worthy and reputed so that you can glide across the ice just as those professionals whom you've always admired from far.

5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Become A Coach

Helping others achieve excellence is a noble goal, and is really at the heart of any kind of performance sports instruction. However, excellent instruction is about more than just knowing how to spot excellence: especially if you intend to work with children or youth, you will serve as an inspirational figure and a role model. You will be equal parts instructor and figure for emulation. Are you prepared for that?

Is Sports Your Passion?

You should always be passionate about what you are doing. If you're not highly interested in sports, that will translate to the people that you are helping. They'll become less passionate as a result, and won't be as excited. This is especially problematic for youth; without your encouragement, they may abandon even the most excited passion as they grow.

Are You Experienced?

Jumping right into a position helping children is unwise. It is best to start off by studying and working underneath another leader whom you admire. Watch how he or she interacts with students and team members. Observe the techniques they use to help inspire confidence, excellence, and personal growth. After you've seen these firsthand, you're ready to start thinking about taking on the responsibility for creating them in yourself.

Are You Ready To Be A Role Model?

Children will look up to you. You need to be aware of that before you sign on to become a coach, and you need to be confident that you have the kind of positive attitude that is required to be the right kind of role model. A lot of people think they can become a coach and then neglect their own personal growth. In fact, it's absolutely vital that you continue developing so that you can put your best foot forward for the people you are helping become excellent. If you are struggling, a leadership workshop may help you develop the qualities necessary to become what the children need.

Can You Help Kids Improve?

In order to become a coach, you need to know how to teach others. You may be excellent at a sport yourself, but be weak when it comes to actually instructing others and helping them change their behaviors to improve their game. Try out some of your techniques on friends or family before you become a coach. If you're having trouble, consider attending a leadership workshop to get some ideas.

Do You Have The Patience?

Successfully helping others improve requires an almost limitless supply of patience. You need to be willing and able to tolerate many mistakes, and to calmly help others overcome blocks and confusion within themselves. Frustration and anger don't help anyone, but recognizing that fact can be very difficult. A leadership workshop can help you hone your interactions to assist your team with development without becoming frustrated with them.

If you've considered all of these questions and still feel that you are ready to become a coach, consider starting the process. Someone who adheres to all of these guidelines will be better prepared to positively influence the lives of the people on his or her team, helping them become the best players and the best people possible.

Benefits of Getting Kids Scooters for Your Child

Purchasing toys for children is one shopping that parents enjoy and look forward to. And with the wide range of toys available in the market from various reputed brands the task becomes fun and informative often. There are many toys that can help the children to learn lessons that could be useful in the future life. For example, purchasing a doctor's kit helps them learn the basic tasks of a doctor. Another example of an item that you could purchase is kids' scooters. There are different benefits in buying your child a scooter.

Increase self-confidence

If you are a parent you'd know that kids always feel great about themselves when they are given a responsible task that they can successfully complete. Scooters require the kids to learn how to drive them and thus make them move along the road by themselves. For them driving the scooter without hurting themselves and others is a huge responsibility and fulfilling this responsibility is a great confidence booster. It also makes the children join their peers and get their approval and thus becoming a part of a social group of his or her own age, again another reason for improving the feeling of their self-worth. Besides, the independence it gives them and the opportunity to go out and have fun makes the idea of scooters all the more alluring.

Gain balance

Kids scooters are the best way to make children gain balance on two wheelers or three wheelers. And fortunately for you, they are always crazy about riding scooters and bikes and hence, you wouldn't need to persuade them to try out the scooter. And with a little push and encouragement and a few harmless falls, they always master the art of balancing on scooters really fast. The urge to join their friends with scooters help too.

Improve health and concentration

Riding a bicycle has always been a great way of keeping your body fit and scooters are just the first step towards that. Though it might not be as good as riding a cycle, riding the scooters is definitely better than sitting on a couch and playing video games or online first person shooters. Besides, it helps in learning to concentrate and focus on different things at the same time like keeping an eye on the road as well as on the rear view mirror or balancing while turning the corners and avoiding collision against others on the road.

Learn traffic rules

Though kids might not be allowed to drive on highways and roads with heavy traffic, owning and riding a scooter can make them learn the basic traffic rules, a lesson that they otherwise might have found boring. This would be a great help later when they own a bike or a car and start their actual driving lessons.

Have fun

For all kids, owning a vehicle of their own means having fun with friends and socialising with classmates and neighbours. Spending time on the scooters with other kids of similar age and going to the park or beach to play can get them interact with peers and learn to mingle with others in the society. Also, this can avoid the disappointment of not belonging to a group just because they don't have a vehicle of their own. Teaching your kid to ride the scooter and riding one along with them allows the parents also to have quality time with children.

ATV and Off-Roading Essentials

Traveling in your ATV or your dirt bike is one of the best ways to enjoy the beauty of the country. Off roading is a great way to appreciate the different terrains in the forest. Although ATVs are "street legal" in some states of the U.S., this is not the case in other states. Therefore, ATVs are usually used off the road in order to brave different kinds of terrains. When traveling off the road, you need to take a few things with you to prepare yourself for a long travel ahead.

1. Sunglasses - Driving especially during the day can be hot and tiring for the eyes so it is important to bring your sunglasses with you.

2. Goggles - a set of goggles is essential especially if you are going do some hardcore off-road driving. Sunglasses are not enough because aside from the heat of the sun, you also need to protect your eyes from dust and dirt that can affect your driving and endanger your safety.

3. Backpack - a backpack is essential because it is where you will put personal things. You may tie your backpack at the back of your vehicle to make sure that it does not interfere with your driving. You may also wear it while you drive, but the extra weight that you have to carry can make the travel more exhausting.

4. Towels - because it is less likely that you will be staying in hotels where towels can be readily available, you need to bring your own towel in case you need to shower in the campgrounds.

5. Personal Hygiene Products - these include soap, shampoo, razors, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant or anything else that you need to stay clean after a long off-road travel.

6. Jack, Tire Iron and other Tools - tools are important in case you run into a flat tire. If you do not have these tools, it can ruin your whole trip so you better be ready for anything.

7. Spare Tire - you can never really tell what kind of terrain you are going to go through during your travel so you need to be ready with a spare tire.

8. Food Items and Water - bringing some food with you will allow you to enjoy some snacks on the road. Water is also important especially if you are going to travel on a hot day.

9. Mobile Phone - it is important to bring your cell phone with you so that you will be able to contact people in case you run into an accident.

10. MP3 Player - to avoid getting bored while you drive, bring your MP3 player or iPod with you. Listening to music can make your trip more enjoyable.

11. Compass or GPS Tool - this is important to make sure that you do not get lost on the road.

How to Give Yourself the Best Chance to Win With Your Sport Every Time

Attitude is Everything: It isn't what you do Physically, but how you think Mentally

I am going to show you how to absolutely give you the best chance to win with your sport - and life. All you need to bring to the table is your imagination.

What I mean by Attitude is that you have three choices with what and how you think. You can be negative, not care; which is worse than negative, or think positive towards every loss, tie or win. This attitude also applies with your goals or sport puzzles, as I like to say.

Thinking of winning or reaching your goal is like building a stunning puzzle you choose to build. When you build a puzzle, what is the first thing you do? You go down to the store to find one that appeals to your senses. You may be an outdoors person so you will get a nature looking puzzle or you may like sports, business, airplanes or even animal puzzles. Whatever the case, you will find the photo you want to build, where you want to build it; more importantly, you will know it will take patience to build your mind-blowing puzzle one piece at a time. Well, this analogy applies with every goal you want to reach with your sport and life.

The First Step is Crucial for Success:

What is the first step to being triumphant towards the end results with your small, medium, large or ultimate victory goal? This amazing step is actually - your real life imaginary sport puzzle/s. An exciting and enjoyable process because what ever you can imagine you will and can achieve. Just like building any puzzle of course, you need to know what the "picture" looks like. By knowing what your end result (picture) looks like will help you determine the course to laying out the pieces to put together your sport goal/s or sport puzzle, as I like to say.

Do you know the most exciting part of having your sport puzzle/s in place? By consistent action, and faith towards your sport puzzle and plan, you will begin the process to manifest your every desire with your sport. I do emphasize faith in the process because no journey to excellence is a smooth ride. You have to trust the process once it is started. There will be great times and challenging times, but by keeping the faith and accepting everything that comes your way is all part of the process concerning your vision, you will not only make the ride smoother, but also give yourself the best chance to win or reach your goals.

The Second Step that is Crucial for Success:

Define a rich description of your victory goals or sport puzzle (picture) as already accomplished. This is just one example: I just won and Olympic gold medal or getting a personal best time or getting in the shape you want to be in - what ever the case; what you see, hear, smell and feel after reaching your imaginary goals, is critical for your goals to become a reality.

Start with the most important goal you want to work on first. Then put in jam-packed colorful detail in writing- that means what you see, hear, smell, and feel, both internally and externally. Once you've got a written description of this image, you will need to commit an agreed amount of time to imagine this scene every day for 30 days like it has already happen. The more often you perform the mental exercise, the faster your desire will come to you. This is just how manifesting what you can imagine works.

So, you will need to answer these all important questions: You will want to write down what you see, hear, feel, and smell with what you have created in your mind (picture puzzle) with your rich description in the real world and picture in your mind. When you have written your description down, you will need to organize a time to read it out loud to yourself once or twice a day until you remember it. You can tweak it if need be until you are satisfied with it. The KEY here is writing it down as if you already feel you have this desire. It is like writing out a premonition you just envisioned. With practicing your description, you will be able to create this feeling at will.

The Third Step that is Crucial for Success:

This next process is absolutely necessary! By doing this exercise will actually increase your desire and belief system, in addition to manifesting your Victory Goals you desire to go after.

1) Schedule a time and imagine what you wrote down every day for 30 days. This is absolutely critical in creating what you envisioned.

2) Set aside at least one session per day, two is better, 3 is like missile fuel! You will create a belief and desire like no other. This only takes 2-10 minutes.

3) Practice the same time each day since this creates a habit, which makes it easier to follow through on a regular basis.

4) Find an accountability partner in the form of a Sport Performance/Life Coach, friend or partner.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, the choice is yours what your sports puzzle looks like and how much effort and time you want to put into making it come true. The absolute critical part for this to work is after you have created a clear sport puzzle (image) and rich description what it would feel like after you have accomplished what you envisioned is to be consistent with your mental exercises each and every day for 30 days. By just missing one day with what you are going to practice will mean you will need to start all over again until the 30 days is complete. The next step is to develop victory steps (plan of action) to get you there.

While Choosing Roller Skates for Your Child

Roller skates are the equivalent of fun for people of all ages from kids, teenagers to adults. While it provides ample entertainment and fun it also adds to your fitness as it can strengthen the muscles on your back as well as increase the heart beat rate. It gives exercise for the whole body and thus help you in keeping fit, and that too in an eco friendly way. However, while it is fun, it is also dangerous and thus not free from risk. Without adequate practice and experience you cannot let your children go for roller skating. Similarly, it is important that you buy suitable roller skates for your child that would ensure their safety while practicing.

Roller skating involves proper moves and balance without which grave accidents might happen. And for this same reason you need to pay proper care and attention while purchasing roller skates for your children. Here are a few factors that might help in purchasing the right skates:

Pick out the right type

Today when you go out to purchase roller skates you'll find different varieties of skates for different users. These are categorised according to the moves practiced and age of the users. There are ranged from the ordinary children's skates to the quad speed skates that are used by experienced skaters. When you purchase the skates you need to be sure of the expertise of your child in roller skating.

Choose the right size

Skating, as you are aware, is a sports where balancing is what matters in providing optimum performance. It is necessary therefore to get the skates of right size for better performance as well as the safety of your child. If they are too tight it starts hurting the legs and if they are too loose they might come off the feet, making the skater fall in the process. For this reason, it is better to take the child with you while purchasing or at least you should be certain about the size you need.

Give priority to quality

Just as in the case of size, quality is of utmost importance in the case of roller skating. It is an outdoor sports item and includes rough moves, which therefore require stronger and sturdier skates. There might be hundreds of products that are stylish and colourful and it is easy for children to fall for those stylish ones. However, though it might seem expensive, a branded product is the best when it comes to roller skates. Not only will it be durable but also strong to support the falls and rough use that it might be put through while learning and practicing the sport.