BODYBUILDING NUTRITION BASICS

Renato Babalu Sobral defeated Bobby Southworth by TKO to become Strikeforce light heavyweight champion in the co-main event of the promotions ‘Destruction’ card. Despite leaving with the belt around his waist, it wont be the centerpiece of Babalu’s highlight reel with the way it transpired.

A -350 wagering favorite despite his challenger status, Sobral was expected to use his world class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu skills and vast experience against superior competition to dominate the tough but limited Southworth. It didnt happen that way, as Southworth easily got the better of things in the first round. Southworths style isnt exactly one that provides Wanderlei Silva type excitement–he looks to use his strength and conditioning to control his opponent en route to a decision victory. While the result makes him something of a MMA equivalent to boxing’s John Ruiz, it does afford him the best chance of victory.

The first round displayed Southworth’s style in microcosm, with much of the frame spent pushing Babalu up against the cage or on the ground inside his guard not really doing much. Sobral had one effective strike the entire round–during a clinch against the cage wall the challenger rocked Southworth with a hard elbow strike that not only busted his nose but opened a huge cut over his right eye.

Upon seeing the gusher of blood Referee John McCarthy brought the ringside physician over to take a look. As Southworth’s corner futilely worked on the gaping wound during the break the doctor once again took a look and better realizing the severity and placement of the cut recommended to McCarthy that the fight be stopped. The veteran official complied, awarding Sobral the TKO victory and the championship belt.

The other half of the co-main event was decided in much more decisive fashion as Scott Smith knocked out well traveled veteran Terry Martin in a mere :24 seconds. Unfortunately, Martin didn’t adequately close the distance against a fighter dubbed ‘Hands of Steel’ and was caught with a perfectly placed punch that knocked him out cold.

In the semifinal event, Duane ‘Bang’ Ludwig defeated Yves Edwards by unanimous decision in a very closely contested bout. Edwards was originally slated to face lightweight champion Josh Thomson until a toe injury necessitated his withdrawal. Ludwig took the fight on two weeks notice, and after a takedown clinic by Edwards in the first began to control the fight with his superior standup skills. Edwards’ superiority on the ground in the first two frames wasnt enough to sway the judges who obviously favored Ludwig’s more effective striking. All three judges scored the contest 29-28 Ludwig, and he may have earned himself a championship match as a result.

Earlier in the evening, Kim Couture made short work of overmatched Lina Kvokov as she TKOd her foe in 1:44 of the first round. Couture, the wife of UFC legend Randy Couture, gained even more notoriety for the courage she displayed in her professional debut last June. After having her jaw broken early in the first round, she refused to throw in the towel and went the distance despite a horrific injury. She had a much easier time here”despite the fact that both fighters entered with 0-1 records Couture was significantly more polished as she put Kvokov on the defensive from the outset with her sharp punching combinations. Kvokov kept displaying the rookie mistake of trying to turn away from Couture’s blows. The reprieve was only temporary, however, as Couture launched another barrage of punches prompting the referee to step in and wave off the non-competitive affair.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer who has written on sports betting and how to successfully bet on NFL football. He has appeared as a guest on TV and radio talking about boxing, cricket and NFL pointspreads. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a wombat.

Ross Everett Fitness entertainment, Fitness, hobbies, mixed martial arts, recreation, sports

If you’re in the market for a swimming pool cleaner, all the options may seem confusing . In order to choose the best automatic pool cleaner for your needs you should have an understanding of how each cleaner operates.Although there are many different brands on the market, there are only three different types of pool cleaners.

Automatic Pool Cleaners- suction side

The suction side automatic pool cleaner operates off the suction of the swimming pool pump. The cleaner moves along the bottom of the pool sucking trash and debris through a hose attached to the skimmer of your swimming pool. This type of cleaner does an excellent job of removing small debris as every thing it takes in is filtered through the pool filtration system.

Pros of a suction side pool cleaner: It will remove small debris such as sand and silt effectively.Since it operates off the pool filtration suction it will help circulate the pool water more effectively.

Some of the disadvantages to this type cleaner are the pool filter may need to be serviced more frequently because all the trash removed from the pool is captured by the filter. the cleaner also losses efficiency as the filter becomes contaminated.

Automatic Pool Cleaners- Pressure Side

Pressure side pool cleaners. like the suction side cleaners use the pool pump to power them. They use water pressure instead of suction and jets located in the cleaner forces water up and through the cleaner bag. This water flow creates a suction on the bottom of the cleaner to allow it to pick up trash from the pool.

Pros of a pressure side pool cleaner: Has own containment bag. Doesn’t contribute to filtration system becoming contaminated. Will remove larger debris than suction side cleaners. Booster pump models will pick up even larger trash effectively and even remove small rocks and pebbles.

Cons of a pressure side cleaner: Small debris can pass through bag and re enter the pool. (note) some pressure side cleaners have sand and silt bags available to aid in removal of small debris, use of this bag greatly diminishes the cleaners ability to pick up larger trash.For pressure side cleaners using a booster pump there is added costs in utilities.

Robotic Automatic Pool Cleaners

If you’re looking for a self contained cleaning system that doesn’t rely on the pools filtration system the robotic cleaner is the way to go. It is powered from household current and has an on board computer to help make it very efficient at cleaning the swimming pool.

Some of the advantages of the robotic pool cleaner are it is self contained. It stores trash it picks up on board so it doesn’t rely on the pool filter. It doesn’t loose cleaning ability even if the swimming pool filtration system isn’t 100 %. It has power driven scrub brushes to scrub the pool walls and floor.

Cons of a robotic pool cleaner: Cost, they are the most expensive type of automatic pool cleaner. Expensive to repair.

Clint Walker has been in the swimming pool industry in S.C. since 1998. Today he enjoys writing informative articles to help homeowners better understand proper pool maintenance. We hope this article on robotic pool cleaners will assist you in making a wise decision on your choice of pool equipment.

Skye McKinnon Fitness family, Fitness, pools, recreation, swimming

For many, the best gay travel — in it’s most basic and simple form — is merely a way to put regular life on hold while you take off for a week or two in order to melt the stress of your day-to-day, recharge and participate in experiences that you normally wouldn’t be part of if you never left home. What if your next vacation went deeper?

Some people want to move toward more balance in their life. They want more than just a quick, temporary release from life’s stresses. They want to be more in touch with their spirit and their heart. If this is what you seek, try spiritual journeys to magical Peru’s Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu for your next vacation.

Nestled in the Andes Mountains, this area of Peru is know for it’s spiritual connection to the Earth. The area is filled with ruins from the Inca Empire. To touch walls that were built with such precision such a long time ago, can be a very moving experience. An exeperience you will not forget.

The Kamaquen Retreat Center is known to be wonderful place to stay while visiting the Sacred Valley. The staff at Kamaquen is adept at brining their guests close to the Andean people, spirit and culture. The center’s goal is to their guests find a bit of themselves while exploring the Sacred Valley.

Of course, no visit to Peru would be complete without visiting Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is a short train ride from the Sacred Valley and well worth the trip. Once you enter the grounds of Machu Picchu you immediately feel the energy of this very special place. The views are magnificent and the sacredness of this place is self evident.

At the summit, there are also many temples you can visit for that perfect meditation spot and you can take part in ceremonies designed to honor the sacred landscape. The journey aspect of gay spirituality tours to Peru can yield incredible personal benefits that can also positively affect all other components of your life.

A Peru article containing hints about gay vacations to Peru by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys assembles an incedible gay vacation and they offer special gay vacation packages as well.

Howie Holben Fitness Fitness, gay, health, inspirational, metaphysical, motivation, recreation, self improvement, spirituality, tourism, tours, travel, vacations

Choosing wetsuits that are designed for your performance level, your sport, and your climate is really quite important. There is nothing more discouraging than dropping a few hundred dollars on a wetsuit only to find that it chafes, doesn’t move in all the wrong places, and isn’t the appropriate weight for most of your wetsuit days.

Wetsuits are not made to keep all of the water out. As water builds inside the suit, it warms up and increases skin temperature. It also improves buoyancy and provides protection from things like stinging nettles.

Each water sport has its own requirements and therefore will not be appropriate for all suits. While surfing suits can often be interchangeable with windsurfing and kiteboarding, the different movements required for each sport will require different flexibility for each activity. It is vital that you choose the appropriate suit for the sport as well as for your body type and skill level.

Some northern climates will require a shorty even in the middle of summer. Some southern regions will require only a short or a “John” or “Jane” in the middle of winter. Each suit comes with its own weight to help you determine which suit will keep you the most comfortable the longest.

Full suits are very popular, as they come in various weights to help you choose the right one for you. It provides your entire body with coverage and can be used with hoods. If you need extra protection you can use gloves and booties to add to the set up. The thicker, or heavier, the wetsuit is the more protection from cold you will receive.

A shorty is a suit that offers core protection. It has shorts, usually to just above the knee, and short or three quarter sleeves. Using three quarter sleeves gives you the option to pull the sleeves down over the elbow or push them up a bit for more arm movement. Sports like windsurfing and kiteboarding require a lot of arm movement and most people find a three quarter sleeve below the elbow to be constricting.

A “John” or a “Jane” is a suit that offers full leg coverage and core protection while it also allows for total arm movement. It’s sleeveless. A light suit like this can be beneficial not just when you need a little bit of lower body warmth, but can come in handy when stinging nettles take over the water.

You will probably need more than one style and one weight when it comes to the perfect suit. You will have days when a shorty is perfect and then there will be days when a heavy, thick full suit with a hood is called for. Having multiple options extends your season and your session options. With every suit, you have to ensure that you have chosen well and have a back up on hand. Participating in a water sport with a suit that is too light can hamper your ability to perform well and can hamper your ability to swim to safety if needed.

Clement owns the wetsuits information website where you can find out everything you need to know about buying wetsuits. Just check this wetsuit buying guide for instance.

Clement Call Fitness diving, exercise, Fitness, recreation, shopping, sports, surfing, water sports, wetsuits

Stopwatches have many uses, but nonetheless the main function is to keep and measure time. This is why coaches, athletes and sports times use stopwatches to set up time indications or keep track of progress by using the clocked times for future reference. However, other types of stopwatches also have other purposes.

Stopwatches are nothing other than hand held devices that clock time for various sports. This includes sports like track and field, swimming, car racing and other types of motor sports. However, stopwatches are also useful for evaluating times achieved when training.

Most stopwatches have to be started manually when an event starts and then manually stopped when it is over with. This is done when, for example, for runners of a certain distance. When the run starts the stopwatch is started and counts time, but as soon as the finish line has been reached the stop button is pushed and you have the exact time the runner needed for the given distance. This is often how trainers and coaches assess performance and progress of athletes.

There are two types of stopwatches used, the analog or digital. They also come in two designs with one looking very much like the familiar pocket watch and the other made to wear on your wrist. For a little tidbit of information the large clocks you are used to seeing in sport arenas, such as basketball or hockey, are known as stop clocks.

The stopwatch with digital technology is most likely more accurate than the standard analog stopwatch. The analog stopwatch, though, is a great gift for trainers and coaches who have just won some kind of competition and this is a practice often done by teams of students in high school or college.

Although there are different designs and models of stopwatches available, the modern stopwatches can come with a lot of functions, features and modes. This still does not make the traditional stopwatch useless, though. In fact, the standard stopwatch is still able to serve its purpose and is capable of countdowns, recording running times and timing laps. The modern stopwatches do have the advantage of having easier access and higher accuracy, on top of the basic functions of tracking laps times and calculating evaluations.

There are stopwatch models that allow for storing records of up to 50 lap times, while others only hold up to 10. Other digital designs allow for calculation of speed and time as long as the distance of a lane or track is known. This is done by entering the distance into the stopwatch. The watch then evaluates the previous records of the athlete and will come up with an average time of how many minutes or seconds it would take to cover the given distance.

Finally, the basic function of a stopwatch is as a countdown timer. The watch basically counts down to zero by setting it to a specific amount of time at the press of a button. Stopwatches are also used by coaches, trainers, and athletes to measure a workout regimen as well as an indicator that a specific exercise has exceeded a warm up period.

If you need to learn more about digital stop watch, drop by this website to read some good posts on mechanical stopwatch.

Oliver Richard Fitness exercise, Fitness, jogging, recreation, running, sports, stopwatch, stopwatches, timers, timing

One of the biggest concerns about using heart rate monitors for exercising is that they may not be very accurate. That is actually more a myth than fact. The accuracy of the heart rate monitor depends on many factors and it is usually up to you to ensure the accuracy of the device. If you use the device correctly you should be able to get very accurate results.

The first modern heart rate monitor for personal use was invented in 1977. It was modeled after the EKG and made to be just as accurate. This first monitor was used on a cross country skiing team to help them with their training.

Since the time of the first heart rate monitor, all subsequent monitors made have aimed for only the highest accuracy, since precise readings are an essential feature of such a device. In fact, heart rate monitors are pointless to have if not accurate since you can also get the pulse rate manually. Any inaccuracies of the devices would have been quickly noticed.

The heart rate monitor is meant to make the process of keeping track of heart rates as easy as possible and to also help you be sure that your workouts are optimal and not overly strenuous. If the device is not able to provide accurate readings, then there would be no point in having one.

With heart rate monitors being a top selling fitness device, there has to be something right with them. If they were inaccurate then everyone would know and people would stop buying them. However, there have been some problems reported with the accuracy of some heart rate monitors. These reports, though, have prompted changes and advancement in the newer monitors now on the market.

One of the biggest problems with early models was that electromagnetic waves from other electronic equipment would interfere with the heart rate monitor. This would result in readings that were not accurate. However, this is not an issue anymore since almost all newer models have a built-in feature capable of blocking this interference.

Another common issue is user error. If you are not using the monitor correctly or not putting it on right then you could end up with inaccurate results. It is important to read all literature that comes with the monitor so you understand how to properly use it.

Finally, make sure that you purchase the right kind of heart rate monitor. Usually the chest band models are the most accurate, but there are also many other styles and it is possible that one of them will be more suitable for you. The only way to know is to test the different models in advance, such as at a gym, and determine which provides you with the most accurate results.

For a wide selection of quality heart rate monitors, stop by Bodytronics for good advice on polar heart rate monitors.

Assistant Editor Fitness cardio, ecommerce, Fitness, health, Healthy Living, heart, heart rate monitors, lifestyle, polar, recreation, shopping, sports, workout

Nike golf shoes are one of the things you can use to raise the quality of your game. If you have only played golf in casual footwear before, or if you’re just looking for a way to improve your general game, buying a good pair of golf shoes can make a large difference. Just like in other sports, the shoes you wear can seriously affect your performance.

As you have to develop a smooth swing and be able to follow through on that swing in golf, all without losing any control of the strength in your swing, your golf shoes can assist or spoil your game for you. Nike golf shoes are designed to help you balance, gripping the turf as much as needed yet allowing you to put full power and control behind every swing.

Since these golf shoes have special compartments in the heels, every step is easier and lighter to make. They offer the level of support your feet, legs and knees need in order to play golf very comfortably for longer periods of time.

Because golf usually involves a lot of walking, Nike golf shoes have been constructed as a blend of walking shoe and golf shoe. Each step you take cushions your legs and knees against impact, allowing you to concentrate your strength and effort on your game of golf, rather than how to make your way to the next hole or to wherever your ball has landed.

When you go to buy Nike golf shoes, there are several things that you should bear in mind. The first thing you should consider is your level of skill. Golf, like many other sports, has gear that can be used by beginners or advanced professionals alike, but it is better to differentiate between the skill levels.

In most cases, beginners pick the Nike golf shoes suited for professionals, but never end up finding the full potential of the shoe, since they do not know how to get the most out of the shoes.

While professionals definitely do get fantastic advantage out of these Nike golf shoes, it is often better for beginners to purchase entry level Nike golf shoes which would better suit their needs. The increase in power afforded to your stroke would often be lost on those who are beginners, as they do not yet have the requisite skill to control the stroke as they need to.

Therefore, it is best to purchase Nike golf shoes that fit your level of skill, as these shoes will have the comfort and features you require. You can purchase Nike golf shoes from a variety of sources. For those who want cheaper shoes yet still require the quality of the professional shoes, you can buy last season’s shoes from Nike outlet centers.

If you only want to wear top of the line Nike golf shoes, you can buy from online Nike stockists or through a variety of online retail outlets (see below).

If you are interested in learning more about Nike golf shoes, visit our website on Golfing Tips for Novices for loads of free recommendations.

Owen Jones Fitness celebrity, champions, equipment, Fitness, golf, golf apparel, golfing, health, hobbies, other, outdoor, recreation, sport, walking

When you are buying a golf club set there are several things that you need to take into account before you actually decided on your clubs. The last thing you want to do when buying a golf club set is to purchase the wrongs clubs. If you end up with clubs that are not suited specifically for your swing you can ruin your game quickly and it takes months to recover from this mistake.

The first thing to consider is what type of shaft you want to use. You can either choose between graphite or steel. While this is more of a preference, you should consider the shaft’s flex. When you buy a golf club set it’s important to understand what each piece of the club does so you don’t end up losing distance. Plus, you want to be down the center of the fairway and not look like an alligator going from one side to the other.

Then it’s time to figure out your swing speed. This should be done before you choose the flex in your shaft. Having this information ahead of time will allow you to get the perfect fit for your particular swing. Golf is a very complex sport, so getting all the technical stuff out of the way now, will lead to a better game on the course. For example, if the flex is too strong then you’ll have problems with distance if there isn’t enough torque.

There is the ladies flex, the senior flex, the regular flex, the stiff flex and the extra stiff flex. Once your flex is determined then you get to choose what type of club head and which brand of club you are going to get. There are lots of manufacturers to choose from when buying a golf club set, some of the more popular are TaylorMade, Callaway and Titleist.

When buying a golf club set, the brand is just a personal choice. So make your pick, but just remember to get the right loft or degree for each club. This will mean heading back to the professionals and get your swing tested so you can figure out where the impact of the ball is on each club. Getting the ball in the air correctly will bring your golfing game to a whole new level. Then of course one of your last decisions is choosing the grip.

The grip is very important as it helps you to hold the club correctly. It does not matter whether you hold the club with a strong grip or a weak grip any of the types of grips will work. It is just about having the correct thickness so that the club feels right in your hands. This is also the least expensive part of buying a golf club set.

If at all possible before you actually commit to buying a new golf club set, try out the configurations that you have decided on. Make sure when you are standing over the ball that it feels good to you and that it also looks good. It is important that you feel comfortable over the ball. Remember that most manufacturers will not allow you to try them out on the course first but many have indoor facilities to test them.

So when you are looking to enjoy golfing even more, consider buying a golf club set that is made especially for you. The set should have the correct shaft, the correct flex, a brand that you like with the correct loft and grip. These elements are very important when buying a golf club set because the correct set will help you take strokes off your game.

Antonius Ivalchyn Fitness cardio, exercise, Fitness, fun, golf, health, men, outdoors, recreation, sports

A stopwatch is a must for any sporting event. In fact, the event can’t go on if you don’t have a stopwatch and that is why it is so important to choose the right model. Many think it is going to be a simple task, since there is only one kind of stopwatch, but this is not true by a long shot! There are many different models with different functions and you have to know which you need for your intended purpose.

Swimming is a unique sporting event and it is of utmost importance that the competitors accurately be timed. Therefore, you need one that is both waterproof and capable of tracking laps. You can hold any stopwatch and although there is never an intention of letting it fall, it still happens that it drops into the water. This doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does you’ll have to dive in and retrieve it.

A stopwatch that stops functioning because it has fallen into water is not a wise choice for swimming events. Not all waterproof watches are the same, though, and you have to ensure that it is waterproof up to a certain depth. One that is water resistant up to only a foot is not what you need. The stopwatch chosen for swimming events also needs to be splash proof, because you don’t want to lose track of the swimmers because of water drops on the display.

Track and field is another place where you’re going to need a rather specialized stopwatch. For this you will need one that is very durable because track can be a rough sport. You also need one that is able to track the laps of multiple runners and can be reset easily. Track and field is fast paced, so you want to make sure that it has easy to access buttons so you aren’t fumbling around trying to get it to work properly.

Those were just a couple of examples of sports that you need a stopwatch for. Other considerations that you need to make before making a final choice include the instruction manual. Check to see if the stopwatch you are considering has a manual at all and if it does how good it is.

Most of the time people don’t expect to need a manual for a stopwatch. However, it is a great thing to have so that you can look up any unknown functions that you run across when using the watch. For those cases when you don’t know what a function is called or what it does, it is nice to be able to turn to the manual. If it is a good one, it will be much more helpful than one that is poorly written and confusing.

The above mentioned details are just a few of the considerations that you need to keep in mind when looking around for a stopwatch. If you follow the tips given, there should be no problem in finding the right stopwatch for any sporting event.

Assistant Editor Fitness exercise, Fitness, health, kitchen timer, kitchen timers, measurement, recreation, sports, stopwatch, stopwatches, team sports, timer, timers, timing

It is not unusual for people to wonder where the stopwatch originated. There are some that would dare say that ancient Egyptians were the creators of the first stopwatch and it is not as far-fetched as it would sound, because many ancient civilizations were responsible for inventing some advanced technological items. If you want proof, just take a look at the pyramids of Egypt and then figure out just how they managed to build them. Since it is impossible to ask the ancient Egyptians to show us a stopwatch of theirs, we can only start with the earliest known stopwatches which were made by Leon Breitling back in 1884.

This watch brand was expensive, because they were originally developed to be used in the aviation field. Although that was the intent, people started to purchase them and wear them as a status symbol. These original stopwatches were made before the electronics were developed and therefore are mechanical with a winding mechanism.

The majority of these have a large face, so while they would be slightly awkward to wear as an actual watch it didn’t seem to stop anyone from doing it. You have to remember that this was in a time where anything expensive had to be good, and therefore it was a real status symbol.

Now let’s look at a stopwatch that has been a popular icon for the longest time. For more than fifty years the public has been enthralled by the popular show “60 Minutes”. There was always a stopwatch up in the corner of the screen but did you ever think about the fact that they didn’t have CGI back then? Yes, that stopwatch was real and for well over fifty years it sat there ticking away. Some would argue that it was the stopwatch that made the show so popular when it aired on September 24, 1968.

It may have spent more than 50 years ticking away the time for the TV show, but it now can be seen in the Smithsonian where it is displayed along with other famous television icons. It was not thrown away like garbage after it was no longer needed. The importance of this stopwatch for the show is something that actually is quite surprising for many people.

Stopwatches are still basically the same, even though they have advanced over time. They now keep track of laps, can be used to measure time for lab experiments and many other things, as well as keeping track of time in several different countries. This is a big difference to the functions of the original stopwatch that was invented, but it is still important to keep in mind the humble roots.

Regardless of what new inventions come out nowadays, they all have one thing in common and that is the fact that there was a long, hard road that had to be traveled beforehand. Next time you are holding a stopwatch, take some time to think about the history of this device and the role it has played in society. You are bound to come up with more examples than have been mentioned in this article.

Oliver Richard Fitness exercise, Fitness, health, jogging, keep time, recreation, relics, running, sports, stopwatch, stopwatches, timing