2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

The main job of the receiver is to return the serve at the net players feet. This forces the net player to hit the volley up which is a low percentage shot. This is not only a difficult shot but a less offensive shot.

Where Should you Return Your Serve:

1. Play to your opponents weakness. If your opponent has a volley weakness on one side or the other,concentrate on that side.

2. Keep the ball down the middle to minimize the chance for an angle volley.

4. Use the return as an approach shot and drive to the net position. This putting you in an offensive position.

5. Lob to the backhand side.

6. Change your return up if what you are doing is not working. Don’t keep doing the same thing over and over with the same poor results.

Different Return of Serves:

a. stand closer to the net, catch the ball early give the net player less time to react
b. stand farther from the net, give yourself more time to react to what the net player is doing
c. hit the ball harder, flat or topspin
d. hit the ball softer, slice or chip the return, many players would rather hit a volley off a hard return so don’t give it to them.
e. hit with angle
f. hit down the middle

Once your opponent is at the net don’t feel like you have to hit a winner to beat him. Make your opponent win the point. Your opponent doesn't win just because he goes to the net. Play smart, stay cool and hit a good shot with good placement. Remember 80% of points are won off mistake not winners.

Laura Farris http://www.yellowballfever.com I am the creator of yellowballfever.com. This blog has video tennis lessons which focus on tennis stroke development. We also discuss exercises and stretches that promote muscles that will enhances play on the tennis court.

One of the great things about playing soccer is that you don’t need much equipment to get started.  But it’s very difficult to play soccer without a ball!  So if your child is keen about playing soccer, you will have to choose a soccer ball.  Faced with a whole lot of possibilities, it can be difficult to decide which ball is the right one for your child.  So let’s have a look at how to choose the right soccer ball.

The first thing is to visit a store that has a good selection.  If there are only one or two choices, how will you ever know you’ve purchased the best one?  If possible, the store should have several brands in stock, and preferably a few choices of ball for each brand.  It also helps if the store has knowledgeable salespeople, so it can be a good idea to ask other soccer players for suggestions.

One of the simplest things to look for is whether the ball has been stitched or laminated.  A laminated ball has been glued together and will usually be harder.  Mostly the higher quality balls are stitched, with some of the most expensive balls being hand stitched.

Aside from the “hardness” of the ball, the feel of a soccer ball is affected by the type of bladder.  This is inside the ball and holds the air.  If the ball has a butyl bladder, it will usually be cheaper and harder.  More expensive balls usually have latex bladders.

Some players will prefer the harder type of soccer ball, particularly if they’re planning to use the ball for striking practice.  However if you’re buying a soccer ball for a younger player, it’s generally best to buy a softer ball, particularly if they will be using it to practice heading.  A PVC plastic ball may be an option, if it’s specifically designed for youth soccer.  You can check the hardness of a soccer ball by pressing your thumb into it.  Also remember that the ball may feel harder if used in cold weather.

Another factor to think about is the size of the ball.  As a general rule of thumb, 8 and unders use size 3, 8 to 12 year olds use a size 4, and from 13 years of age on a size 5 ball is used.  Size 5 is the standard international size soccer ball.  Although it may seem cheaper to just buy a size 5 ball and not a smaller size, it can be awkward for a younger child to swap from one ball size to another, for example if they play in a team which uses size 3 balls.

The manufacturer’s reputation can also help you choose which soccer ball to buy.  Ask the team coach or an experienced player which brand they prefer.  Check to see if the ball has the words “FIFA Approved” or “FIFA Inspected” if you’re buying an expensive ball. 

Finally, have your child play with the ball if you possibly can, even if it’s just a few gentle taps around the floor of the sports store.  They’ll soon tell you whether they like it or not. 

A few final words of advice.  Remember that soccer balls sometimes disappear, so be certain to put your child’s name on the ball if they’re playing with it at school or soccer practice.  And invest in a good hand pump – it’s necessary to keep soccer balls properly inflated or else they may get damaged.

To find out more about choosing a soccer ball, check out my site http://www.infoaboutsoccer.com

Interested online scuba diving enthusiasts and online shoppers are considering and choosing Bare Wetsuits when planning a scuba diving holiday. When looking for the next scuba diving suit, Bare is the future wet suits with its own benefits. Bare wet suit offers the right choice for scuba diving suits for beginners, experts, and children’s models for flotation and protection.

When it comes to choosing a wetsuit, the thickness of the neoprene material, which is measured in millimeters, makes a difference in getting too hot or too cold, in addition to durability. Short wetsuits that cover the torso have short sleeves and leggings and are more comfortable in warmer and shallower water.

While a “farmer John” suit has no sleeves and often is worn with a jacket, other terms to know are the “steamer” wetsuits which are full suits that cover all but your head, feet and hands. So you can wear thermal underwear underneath for warmth, dry suits have attached booties and watertight seals around the wrists and neck.

Why Choose Bare?

Bare offers a 12 month warranty on materials and workmanship in their popular wetsuits, so you can rest assured that you have a reputable company behind the products.

Their Ultra Dry Drysuit which is one of their finest wetsuits is made of high quality materials like sleek latex that stretches over the entire suit and offers a durable latex seal around the neck wrists and ankles keeping you warm and dry. It is good for general water sports like wakeboarding, waterskiing, kite-boarding, kayaking and more.

Including Men, Women, Unisex and Kids models, Bare wetsuits come in a wide variety of thicknesses and types. Using the best technology for durability and flexibility, they are also known for being a brand that is committed to quality, fit and function. At affordable and competitive prices, these wetsuits are of very high quality.

Wetsuits are required for protection from jellyfish, coral and other underwater hazards, in addition to hypothermia protection when in colder climate water. They are made for the durability that is necessary and offer a perfect fit, to keep you warm and dry.

It helps to know when on a scuba diving holiday, the temperature of the water and the types of elements you need protection from, before deciding on the neoprene thickness of your wetsuits.

Available through most comprehensive dive suit lines in the world, Bare wetsuits strive to design and manufacture products that are superb which exceed expectations when you compare wetsuits. These wetsuits is the choice for many beginners and expert divers alike.

As for the design of a mountain bike, the style is key, it has to fit your personality. Those who plan on biking often need to have the design that fits them. Maybe you are going to start mountain biking for the first time or perhaps you looking to take your cycling to the next level. You need to decide whether or not you would like a racing bike or if you are more interested in a mountain bike made for leisure travel.

We are going to look at the fully rigid mountain bike first in our exploration of mountain bikes. This is really a conventional bicycle since it doesn’t have any suspension in the front or back. These, back in the day, used to be one of the most common bikes, everyone used to have them.

Nowadays, they have been replaced by bike models that are more comfortable to the user and that have some type of suspension, whether it is rear or front. Usually, the rigid mountain bikes are the lower-priced ones.

The next type of mountain bike is the hard-tail. The name of this bike comes from the fact that they do not have suspension in the rear. The comfort of this bike with front suspension has made it, probably, one of the most purchased bikes around. These bikes are a little higher priced than the rigid, but they are definitely worth it!

Next, there is a mountain bike with a soft tail and this bike uses suspension in the rear. Rear suspensions are actually some of the recent inventions as they are more complicated as a bike. These bikes are pretty expensive but they are definitely more forgiving to the rider so they are worth the extra money that you are going to spend on them.

Finally, there are full suspension mountain bikes and these bikes have rear and front suspensions! Although this bike is one of the priciest mountain bikes out there it is worth it. Originally introduced during the 1990’s their popularity has increased ever since.

Kids Bodies, Minds and Spirits

The Body is the Easiest and hence the First thing to Improve.

We have all heard the Body, Mind and Spirit talks from both Real Martial Artists and the various actors in nearly every martial art movie ever made.  The reason it is always mentioned is because it is a Fundamental Truth in what we do, no matter what style you learn or teach.

My opinion is that while all three areas have equal importance, I feel the body is the first place to start. 

Look at it this way… A smart kid with a strong spirit but a weak body is unlikely to beat a bully in a pushing match.  But a strong kid who lacks focus and spirit when put in the same position may still land a lucky punch and save his bacon.

Of course the other two areas are important but for this article I want to focus on strengthening the body.

I have included many Strength Games for Kids in the “Martial Games for Kids” Newsletters [note: Subscribers Newsletters] to help you get your young students physically prepared for your training.I want to help you get your kids stronger, it’s up to you to teach them how and when to use all that strength.

A long, long time ago in a school far, far away I was once a little kid.  My school was about 50% Maori, Tongan and Polynesian kids.  As a small white kid that can be intimidating.I’m 6’2” and 200lbs (188cm and 95kg) now, but back then I was just a little guy.

The kids in my school loved fighting as a hobby.These guys didn’t just thump the kids they hated, they’d also fight with their best friends just to prove who was better.

I guess I was lucky back then because I didn’t look like a challenge and the few times I did have to fight I’d out wrestle and choke them to submit. (thanks to my Granddads for teaching me those tricks.)

But there was another white guy in my class that Never Ever got picked on.  He was short, not overly popular, and didn’t try to make friends with any of the tough guys.  He never tried to start anything but he also never took any shit from the bigger guys.

The reason no-one ever took him on was because he used to have fun impressing us with simple demos of strength.  At lunch he would grab his giant granny smith apple in both hands and simply tear it in half.  We all thought that was nothing until we realized none of us could do it, not even king of school tough guys.

When we would play on the jungle gym, swinging around on the bars, doing chin-up comps with our friends he would be doing single arm chin-ups.Again, not one of my friends could do a single arm chin-up.

Another time we were all sitting around on the grass in a circle cross legged and all of a sudden he decides to show off by putting his hands on the ground, raising his legs off the ground and gracefully transitions into a perfect hand stand and walks off on his hands.  We all tried that too of course and never got past half way without falling backwards or face planting the ground.

The strange thing is, not one of us ever saw him get into a fight.We had no idea if he could throwdown or not.He may have been just a strong coward, he may have been more dangerous than we imagined, but we never found out.  No one even asked him, let alone tried taking him on.

The toughest kids never ever hassled him because they weren’t sure what would happen.Everybody knew they didn’t want him to get hold of you.

None of us knew if he could fight but we all imagined the damage he would do.His strength was undeniable and it kept him safe from being bullied all the way through his school years.

His Dad taught him how to get stronger by using simple body weight exercises with isometric resistance.His Old Man wouldn’t let him start lifting heavy weights until he turned 15 years old.  The stories I mentioned above were things he did as a 10-11 year old.

I wish I had taken more notice of the things he had shown me back then, but he was the only person who did them. All the magazines and people on TV talked about lifting weights.  It seems obvious now that he was all the proof I should have needed to convince me that what his dad taught him was simply awesome.

So, back to teaching kids martial arts… Strength is only 1 of the 4 pillars that create a great Martial Artist.  Body, Mind, Spirit and Consistent Practice will set them apart from the many who start this journey.

Try out the games in the free sample “Martial Games for Kids” Newsletter available at www.martialgames4kids.com and let me know what you think.

- Aaron Perry

Teaching Kids Martial Arts

This article will summarize a great gift from Master Lloyd Irvin, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt and Trainer of World-Class MMA Fighters. Beforehand let me tell you that I felt really, really, really STUPID for not having listened before to his FREE, yes I said FREE ( which makes me feel even more stupid) audio series called “The Grappling Phenomenon.”

Its a lot of common sense, just like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, once you see the moves explained once. Or like the advice a financial adviser will give you about budgeting. One can easily say, “Well, I knew that already!” and dismiss it or say, “Man, that is so simple, true, and common sense that I don’t understand how I haven’t done it all this time.”

I just came back from having dinner after training with a couple of my students. One of them mentioned to me how he had high blood pressure and the doctor urged him to exercise more often.  When his food arrive he asked me for salt (which raises blood pressure).

I quickly thought out loud, ”That’s not behaviorally congruent” – noone at the table really knew at that point what I was talking about. I went on to explain what I meant by that from what i had learned from “The Grappling Phenomenon”

What is Behavioral Congruency?

Behavioral Congruency: Core Idea behind the grappling phenomenon which consist of a combination of things. In 6-12 months one accomplish more than in years.

The grappling phenomenon is like a hurricane , or an earthquake, etc… it can’t be forced to happen it only occurs by constant congruent changes in the environment.  The truth is behavioral congruency in any area can lead to a ” Blank Phenomenon” ( feel free to replace the “Blank” with whatever you wish to call it: Real Estate Phenomenon , Sales Phenomenon, etc..) To achieve the grappling phenomenon here is what you must do: Model, Plug Yourself, Get off the Yo-Yo Train, and be Congruent with Your Goals.

Model

Become congruent with the behavior of  people achieving the result you so much desire already achieving the type of achievements that you want to gain and following a training system that is already producing proven results. Identify them, study them, and model their behavior.

At first, in your pursuit of excellence, you may not understand their system or the concepts involved, so your safest bet is to do exactly as they do. In the words of Rhadi Ferguson: “If we put on English leather cologne you need to put it on too because that might be it.”  Take it to the extreme. Nevertheless remember Modeling is not Mirroring. Don’t mirror moves, but model the training and hard work as well.

Get Off the Yo-Yo Train

Research the system and then believe in it for good. Do not become one more of those individuals who do a workout  for 30 days  drop and go to the next.  Commitment is necessary to success.

Plug Yourself into the System

Plugging yourself in proven success models and proven success systems is a must. A top athlete, uses great coaches, who use great systems, and practices regularly and frequently. If you are too cheap to go out find and get great coach or to lazy or busy to practice you can forget about becoming a top athlete. There is much that can be accomplished by modeling alone, but there are other levels and in order to get to them a great coach, and a great system its needed.

Congruent with Goals

Be congruent with the Goals themselves. Your behavior must change if necessary to accomplish your goals or to repeat the success. Goals are always changing and therefore your behavior must change accordingly. The  quote/story below describes this concept very well as well as well as the success one can achieve with Behavioral Congruency.

“I wanted to win All Japan Championship just once. But once the dream came true, I did not want to give up the title. I felt like defending the title again and again. I got up from futon, turned on the light, and looked at my body. Neither my height (169cm) nor weight (86kg) is outstanding. There was no guarantee that I could continue to defend the title judging from my body size. I kept on thinking everyday, “I want to become a true winner.” About 10 days after this, I came up with a solid good idea. That is, “San-bai no Do-ryoku (Triple Effort)”. Until then, I practiced about 6 hours a day. I thought practicing twice as much as others would be sufficient since I had heard that others were practicing about 3 hours a day. In reality, however, they had been practicing about 4 hours a day (which I found later). But now I am the champion, others would start to train 6 hours a day to beat me. I could not beat them as long as I trained as hard as others. If my opponents train twice as hard as others, then, I will train 3 times as hard as others, i.e, 9 hours a day. This way, I would gain extra 3 hours a day, and I will do this everyday. The accumulation of these extra hours will become my flesh and blood, that is, my skills and mental power. This will automatically give me real self confidence. If I had this much accumulation, I would be able to fight as usual even if I got sick with fever at 40 degrees centigrade. I practiced “Triple Effort” everyday.”- from My Judo by Masahiko Kimura

The last important definition is:

Concept and Definition of BSer: The opposite of someone who is not behavioral congruent with their goals its a BSer.  Most people are bluntly bullshitters.  If you claim a goal and your behavior is not congruent with that goal you are a BSer.

To hear Master Lloyd Irvin’s Free Grappling Phenomenon Audio CD go to :

http://www.lloydirvinlive.com

and sign up for his newsletter at the top of the website.

Roberto Torralbas

Naples MMA - 30 Days Free