Protect Your Eyes by Wearing Sport Glasses

The use of sport glasses has resulted in considerable reduction in eye damage and at the same time it has also meant that athletes and sports persons who wear protective eye wear also get to see better. Even so, every year hospitals are treating in excess of 40000 eye injuries that are directly related to sporting activities. Anyone who performs on the sporting arena is at risk - even those who play sports that do not involve physical contact.

If you are playing a sport, which involves flying objects or balls and even request, then there is a potential risk that you can suffer an eye injury. It therefore makes sense to protect your eyes by wearing sport glasses. If you are of the belief that prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses as well as safety glasses can help protect your eyes when playing sports then you need to think twice. This is because sport glasses are designed to protect you when you play a particular type of sport. These glasses are available in different sizes as well as shapes. Some are designed for use on the basketball court while others are designed for the soccer field.

When choosing your sport glasses be sure to pick one that allows you to wear it with a helmet, should the sport require you to use a helmet. Also, when choosing the lenses for your sport eyeglasses be sure to pick lenses that are made from e because this material is impact resistant. Also, e offers excellent protection to the eyes from objects that are moving at great speeds. Best of all, these lenses also offer inbuilt UV protection.

However, before you choose lenses for your sport eyeglasses, you should understand that if these lenses are not treated, then they tend to scratch very easily. So, it pays to use a scratch resistant coating on the lenses. Although e lenses are the first choice among athletes, it is also important to look at the different frames because each kind of sporting activity requires a particular kind of frame. A vast majority of sport frames can take prescription as well as ordinary lenses. When choosing a sports frame be sure to go with one that is made from material that is tough durable and impact resistant. Typically, you should go with plastic frames or e frames. Also, pick a frame that has rubber padding, which helps to protect the frame at the point where it comes in contact with the wearer's nose or head.

Last but not least, when choosing sport glasses keep in mind the fact that certain sport glasses are designed to wrap around the face. These kinds of sport eyeglasses are perfect for biking and hang-gliding as well as sailing. They also suit people who wear contact lenses as they help to keep the wind and dust from affecting the eyes.

Society's Shift From Free Play to Sports

One of the theories of sport sociology is that sport is a reflection of society. We also can agree that sport teaches many things including cultural values, coordination, fitness, competition, how to follow rules, and at times, nationalism and reinforces them through play. As a brief look through the sports sociological portion of the s domain of sport sciences, I believe that the shift from free play to organized sport is a reflection of our current society and its drive toward the future.

Just as with much of our current condition, we must look back to key points in history that have had immeasurable influence on today. In our time, the two major events is often the Industrial Revolution beginning in 1760 and the Great Depression from October 29, 1929 to the beginning of World War II. The industrial revolution brought about many great achievements to society, which resulted in more jobs. These new jobs allowed individuals to work towards success and truly embody the American Dream of the ability to achieve one's dreams. From 1840 to the 1920's, society became technologically advanced and the world became more prosperous than ever before in such a short time. This time period saw the invention and proliferation of the radio and the popularization of organized sport. Professional sports could now be brought into the home. However, with the stock market crash in October of 1929, many businesses failed and many individuals lost their family's earned savings. People now had to work harder for less. Kids during this time had to make do with what they had and often it was simple. Kids saw their parents work hard and hope for the future. Kids were left to dream and imagine. This resulted in much free play with simple sports equipment like sticks and sandlots and whatever could be scrounged. Kids dreamed of playing "the big leagues" while they worked to help supplement family income. Free play at this time was king as it was simple and could be made up with what was at hand.

The beginning of World War II saw many of these kids being drawn into the conflict in Europe and the Pacific. This was the end of the Great Depression as the world's industries turned toward national pride and began to support the war efforts against a common goal. Families began to recover from the Depression and began to become affluent again. As time moved on through the war and further into the 20th Century, families realized that another time of hardship could happen and resolved to make sure their children did not have to suffer at the same level again. Thus began the push to develop and train children from an early age to go to college, gain a trade or succeed in sports. At first, the push was simple. However, as time progressed, each child was pushed harder to gain the competitive edge over their peers. Parents were the driving force through their determination to help their children succeed. School became a time consumer that involved time at the school itself and at home with homework. As the competition increased, sport also became part of that edge. Interestingly enough, during this time the world saw the proliferation of the television in homes. Families became affluent, enable them to purchase these luxury items. Sports was now in the home through both mediums of television and radio. This tie brought legendary sports heroes like Pele,  Ali, and Joe  into the homes and imagination of the world. The heroes were compared to their predecessors like Babe Ruth and kids began to aspire to be like them.

Jump ahead to the 1980's and beyond and you will find the beginning of the computer age. Information began to flow into the homes and hands of every individual with a computer, phone and tablet. The world found itself in a new high of affluence. The children who grew up during and shortly after the Great Depression were now the parents. They wanted to be able to give their children what they were unable to have. Often this meant both parents were working outside the home. These working parents now had to find a safe place for their children to be after school until they got home from work. Coupled with the drive for kid's success, kids were placed in sports programs at school or through an after-school program.

When children were home, it was after a long day at school and l. The parents were too tired to engage with their children and often turned to television to decompress from work. Kids now did not have the time or energy to play outside. When they had time, they would be told to either do homework or practice. When not preparing to succeed in the classroom or field, kids were plied with technology and mimicked their parents by soaking themselves in technology and information exchange.

With the rise of organized sport and affluence, there rose a new industry of sports products to support the highly specialized sports kids were playing. No longer could a kid be cool with a "hand-me-down" glove from dad or brother. Commercialism has now brought forth a drive for only having the newest and the best. The specialization of sports meant that specialized equipment and facilities made it difficult for children to play on their own the sports that they were once playing with a stick and an imaginary field.

So how does all of this tie together? Parents are less involved in their children's lives as they are too busy trying to be successful. As part of the parent's success, they want their kids to be successful. This is due to the new world view of what qualifies as success and happiness. At the beginning of the industrial revolution, these success and happiness were defines by relationships and family. Now, success is tied into money and position, and happiness is tied into materialism.

Our society is moving toward more regulation and less freedom. It is also moving toward more oversight in every part of our lives. Sports is a microcosm of that. Play has moved into more organized sports as a reflection of society's move towards more regulation, oversight and the shift in what defines success and happiness.

This is a brief overview of how history has affected sports and has shaped sports as a study of the current sociology. In no way am I saying there should not be organized sport, as it is a very valuable tool in society for many reasons. However, the underlying principles in the shift from free play to sport must be addressed.

We are now seeing a generation of kids being taught that success is defined by work and that play in the form of sports, must be regulated. We need to take responsibility, as parents, for our families and set clear boundaries on when technology should be allowed to be used, and place a major emphasis on success and happiness not being defined by money, job, title or material things.

Sporting Activities Conducted Outdoors

People residing in different countries have different tastes when it comes to sports just like how the taste for food changes from country to country. People are different and that is exactly why the choice of sports also is different. For example people in India die for cricket parents and Americans are more inclined to watch baseball and basketball.

The sports played on the field are termed as outdoor sports. Sports such as hockey, rugby, cricket, baseball, cycling and athletics are all outdoor sports.

There are a lot of outdoor sports that includes but is not limited to cricket, hockey, cycling, golfing, skateboarding etc. a few of them are described below,

Cricket is an amusing sport that people equally love to play as well as watch and enjoy. It is called a team sport because there are two teams playing against each other. Cricket is played to the motive of winning and therefore is competitive in nature. Two teams compete against each other with the sole intention of winning.

Hockey is another type of team sport played between two teams. It is a game played on a field and is very popular around many countries. Earning a goal is the main motive of players and this is done by trying to put the ball in the opponent's court.

Hunting, fishing and shooting are also considered as field sports.

One of the most recreational activities which is also considered a field sport is cycling. Cycling can be an activity that you carry out for racing purposes, sightseeing or even taking a tour. Youngsters also enjoy mountain biking which is another form of cycling.

Golfing which is commonly known as the rich man's game needs a lot of stamina and resistance to play. Golfing, though looks easy requires a lot of skills.

A sport in which the player races at high speeds from the top of mountains on snow using skates is called as skateboarding. Being an urban sport, skateboarding is extreme and can be dangerous too.

Outdoor sporting activities are enjoyed equally by men and women and are considered thrilling as well as exciting. Thrill and excitement is the part of growing up for the youngsters and therefore they love such activities and sports.

Support Your Sport and Add Detail to Your Get Up

One way a man can look his finest is by wearing cufflinks. But maybe you are not a man who wants something fancier but something a bit more casual to add to your wardrobe. That can be achieved by adding sports cufflinks for a go-to look that can be dressed up or dressed down. For the sports fan in you, there is a wide selection of sports cufflinks available including a wide variety of sports team cufflinks. While there may be an interest in sporting regular football cufflinks or baseball cufflinks, there are also options to wear specific team cufflinks so that any fan can show pride for their team.

What is your favorite sport? Are you a loyal baseball fan who is geared up and ready every spring training time or do you dream of being Peyton Manning? Or maybe every time you throw a piece of garbage away in your office trashcan, you dream of being the three-point athlete Kobe Bryant. He shoots, he scores!

If you're a baseball fan or even a football fan, you can rotate your team throughout the seasons so you are always on top of the game. If you are a fan of the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, National Basketball League, or even the National Collegiate Athletic Association, it is likely there are cufflinks that sport your team's logo. But they are not just the team's logo but they are licensed sports cufflinks. These sports logos have been trademarked so you are sporting the best of the best in cufflinks and they are still affordable.

Why wait for game day to sport football cufflinks, basketball or baseball cufflinks? Fellas, there is no need to just wait for Monday or Sunday to sport those football cufflinks. Nor do you have to wait until opening day to wear your baseball cufflinks. Sport them every day of the week and add them to any sleeved button up shirt to add a little bit of flair for fashion to any get up.

These sports cufflinks can be worn to work because they are still high quality and still add class. In fact, maybe a quick conversation about those New York Yankees, Oakland Raiders or even a little bit of Alabama Crimson on your wrists will lead to a more in depth conversation which could inevitably lead to business deals. Everyone knows that there are numerous business deals made during sporting events. So you can Roll Tide or discuss Deflategate or A-Rod or any other MLB, NCAA, or NFL team and it could turn into a business deal.

Or perhaps you are the type of guy who just likes to polish up his get up on any given day. Show off your collegiate pride or even find sports cufflinks that have your alma mater's team logo and wear them even on a night out on the town or a first date. Those cufflinks will get you noticed and even though they are a minimal detail, that detail can say a whole lot about a man. They are not the fancy engraved cufflinks or ones that are fancier that some other men may wear, but these sports cufflinks can still be rotated in to your daily outfit and provide sharp looking appeal and make a whole different kind of fashion statement.

The cool part about football cufflinks and baseball cufflinks is that the various teams do not just have one style only of sports team cufflinks. Change it up with different styles and supporting the same team. These are sure to be a grand slam or a touchdown with all of those who take notice of those dapper and svelte accessories.

Sport your pride and bring out your inner wildcat, jayhawk, bear, pirate, or other mascot and even consider a three-piece set. This would include officially licensed cufflinks, tie bar, and money clip, all officially licensed, and are actually the best deal to get all three. You are sure to be the swanky sports fan to show off your individuality and passion for the game.

For America's favorite pastime, there are numerous baseball cufflinks available. Teams include the Braves, Orioles, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, Reds, Indians, Rockies, Tigers, Marlins, Astros, Royals, Angels, Dodgers, Brewers, Twins, Mets, Yankees, Athletics, Phillies, Pirates, Giants, Mariners, Cardinals, Rays, Rangers, Blue Jays, and Nationals plus even some vintage teams like the Expos. Some of the cufflinks even show views of historical baseball fields.

For the inner quarterback or wide receiver in you, all of your favorite teams are available too. Every team from the Ravens to the Raiders to the Rams can be adorned on your wrist. They are great to sport on Sunday or Monday to show off your team loyalty but they can be worn for any occasion whether it be dressy or casual any day Sunday through Saturday and all throughout the year. You do not have to be a pro to dress like one. Plus, these cufflinks are made of top notch metals. Some have enamel on the logos and others are even made of palladium.

These also make great gifts for any sports lover. There are also sports cufflinks that represent hobby sports too. For golfers, fishermen, or hunters, there are special cufflinks for those guys too. Hit the links with enamel golf tee cufflinks or metal mismatched links with one a golf ball and one a driver. For our hunters, there are the trophy deer, the retrieving Labrador, and even cufflinks that resemble bullets. Or perhaps you are a soccer lover who wants some cool cufflinks that are actually functional soccer fields. That's right. You can engage in a little game to score a goal with those fancy field sports cufflinks.

Perhaps you are interested in sports cufflinks that show off your hobbies. There's dart board cufflinks, boxing, horseracing, sailing, bicycling, and even running marathon and half-marathon cufflinks. It is unreal how unlimited the possibilities are! These truly show off the interests of any sharp dressed man all while catering to his inner sports lover

Kid's Sports Injuries Are Impacting More Children

According to recent research, as much as 40 percent of ER visits for kids aged 5 to 14 years are due to sports injuries. No one sport is most to blame. But experts think that many injuries are due to overexposure to one sport or from playing too many sports all at once. These types of injuries are referred to as "overuse injuries."

One attorney explained, "Just about any sport can result in overuse injury for kids. Kids today are so vulnerable because their bodies need more recovery time than they are given. They often play one sport every day or two or three sports at once. They never get a day of rest."

Parents often claim that they were as sports-minded in their own childhoods and didn't suffer injuries. In years past, kids were more in control of their activities. Things have become more competitive and rigorous today.

Doctors are quick to point out that kids today are faced with strict schedules established by adults for adult-driven sports. Until the 1990 s, most kids directed their own daily activities in backyard play or through running around their neighborhood. When this was the case, they would take breaks and moderate their energy level.

Dr. Michael Kelly of the k University Medical Center in New Jersey, chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery, says that cross-training is better for the body than how many kids focus only on one sport with repetitive strain on particular muscle groups and bones.

He said, "It used to be that you played football and, when that was done, you might play basketball, and then later, you might play Little League or tennis. You went from sport to sport and didn't have any sport-specific training to contribute to repetitive injuries."

Children are really vulnerable to repetitive injuries since their bodies are not yet fully developed. The growth-plate areas are of most concern to doctors, as these are areas of soft developing tissue. Growth-plate areas are found at the end of long bones like those of arms and legs. Because these bones are still actively growing, they are not solid like adult bones.

The National Institutes of Health warns that 15 percent of childhood fractures are  Boys suffer these twice as frequently as girls. The greatest occurrence is among 14 to 16 year-old boys. For girls, the most injuries are seen between 11 and 13 years of age.

Keeping Kids Safe from Sports Injuries

To protect kids, parents do not necessarily need to shelter them. There are many precautionary actions that parents can take to make sure their children are safe while playing sports. Sometimes parents just need to be the occasional bad guy and enforce some time off for their child, especially if they are playing a sport where a kid could get hurt.

With technology that is constantly evolving, comes more risks of injury. Take the "balance boards" (think of a  with 2 big wheels) for example. These have been known to cause injuries such as a  broke bones, sprained ankles and so on.

"Kids want to play when they want to play, even if they are hurt. It is up to the parent to protect their child and hold them back if an injury exists or could occur." says a parent.

This can be difficult, particularly when there are so many other adults involved in children's activities. Coaches, trainers, teachers and other parents often manage kids' presence on a field or court. High school kids can be particularly hard to manage to prevent overuse injuries, because their eyes are on college scholarships and they are often quiet about pain or injuries.

It is advised that children stop playing when they feel pain. Team leaders, coaches and other personnel should be aware and trained to know that pain is a sign of injury. If such pain does not subside after several days of rest, a visit to the doctor should take the place of time on the practice field.

Doctors also advise that children refrain from specializing in one sport until they have reached puberty. Only one sport should be practiced each season with a break of one or two months off between. During such breaks, kids can be kids and enjoy bike riding or recreation through other activities. But they should not focus on their sports as they do during designated seasons.

If your child has suffered an injury during a sport and while under the supervision of others, you may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses or other damages due to negligence of others.

Modern Technology has Given Us a Wonderful Range of Sports Sunglasses

One of the most important aspects of the sports sunglasses is the lenses. The optical quality and visual enhancement of sports lenses has never been better. Lens colors such as brown, yellow, green, gray, rose, amber and orange can help enhance your sports performance by filtering out colors and allowing you to see what is most important.lenses are a popular choice as they are impact resistant and very strong which is helpful when it comes to sports. Having lenses that are impact resistant is also a necessary factor when it comes to children wearing sunglasses, impact resistant means the lenses won't shatter if bumped or knocked.

The sports sunglasses frames available are just as important as the lenses you choose. Sports sunglasses frames can be found in lightweight and durable frame materials such as  which keeps it shape even when under stress. Goggle frames made of softer flexible materials like rubber, nylon and  prove to be excellent as they hold their shape and will not become brittle in the cold temperatures when skiing or snow boarding and therefore will not injure your face. It is possible to find good quality discounted sunglasses, replica sunglasses and sports sunglasses frames to accommodate whatever sporting activity you choose to participate in.

When it comes to sports sunglasses polarized lenses are another popular option as they are ideal for water and winter sports where water and snow can increase the reflective glare, especially on flat surfaces. Polarized sunglasses lenses absorb approximately ninety eight percent of reflective glare offering glare free vision for your sporting activities. Polarized sunglasses are excellent choices for boating, water skiing, skiing, snow boarding, golfing, motorcycling, cycling and jogging with polarized lenses also available in ski goggles. Polarized sunglasses come in a wide variety of designs, colors and styles and can be found on discount sunglasses sites at affordable prices for everyone.

With so many wonderful sports sunglasses, polarized sunglasses, discounted sunglasses and replica sunglasses to choose from you might have difficulty selecting just one or two pairs of sunglasses. With that said the following are just a few of the sports sunglasses trends you might encounter and can include; no-slip temple grips and nose pads (quite often made of rubber); polarized sunglasses lenses that enhance sports performance by absorbing ninety eight percent of reflective glare; lightweight and durable sports sunglasses frames made with e which keeps it shape even when under stress; sports sunglasses with changeable lens systems that allow you to use dark lenses under sunny skies or clear lenses for darker conditions; and sports specific sunglasses with color enhance lenses.

Ski goggles like sports sunglasses have also benefited from modern technology with the materials used to make them. Ski goggles not only provide protection for the face but for the eyes as well, with some ski goggles covering the whole upper portion of the face (smaller goggles are also available). Ski goggles are made with a lens area large enough to give the wearer a wide field of view and good peripheral vision. Unlike sports sunglasses ski goggle frames are made of softer more flexible materials like rubber, nylon and  as they hold their shape and will not become brittle in the cold and injure your face. Available in rose, yellow-orange and pink tints ski goggles allow you to make out the shapes, objects and bumps in the snow. Like sports sunglasses ski goggles are also available with polarized lenses which filter out the glare.

Due to the large number of sports related eye injuries each year, the importance of athletes wearing protective sunglasses and sportr becomes obvious.

Whether you wear ski goggles for snow boarding and skiing or protective eye shields made of (impact resistant) for baseball eye safety is necessary.

Sports sunglasses will not shatter or bend like regular sunglasses might. Another reason for wearing protective sports sunglasses is simply for their UV (ultraviolet) protection, you should look for at least ninety eight percent protection when selecting your sports sunglasses because without proper eye protection keratitis (sunburn) of the eyes can occur. The tinted ski goggles available can also assist with seeing the subtle bumps and lines of the ski hill which in turn can ensure your overall safety.

A popular trend in sports sunglasses is that of sunglasses for enhancing sports performance. Some of the sports enhancing sunglasses can include; yellow tinted sports sunglasses used for tennis where the balls are usually yellow; green tinted sports sunglasses excellent for golf as they give more contrast and visual acuity so the objects in the course such as flag stick and ball will stand out; specially tinted sports sunglasses for trap shooting and baseball; amber or rose ski goggles which enhance the soft grays that mark shadows on a ski slope, these shadows allow you to distinguish the ridges or bumps in the surface. The sports sunglasses that you select should also offer protection for your eyes.

There are sports sunglasses available for whatever types of sports you and your family are interested in. Whether you purchase your sports sunglasses or polarized sunglasses from discounted sunglasses, replica sunglasses or fake sunglasses sites you should always be sure that the quality of your sports sunglasses is high. By selecting high quality designer sunglasses lenses and sports sunglasses frames you will be protecting your eyes from damage, while at the same time enhancing your sporting activity to the fullest.

Collectible Sports Memorabilia

An encyclopedia definition of Sports Collecting would go something like this: "The hobby of sports collecting consists of acquiring specific sports items based on a particular sporting interest of the sports collector. These sports collections of sporting things are often highly organized, carefully cataloged, and attractively displayed." A sports collectible (or ) is defined as a manufactured item designed for people interested in sports to collect. The term sports memorabilia usually refers to items related to sporting that can be directly connected to a recent or historical sporting event or sports personality. There are many people that collect these sports memorabilia and collectibles.

Since collecting depends on the interests of the individual collector, it may deal with almost any subject including sports collectible & sports memorabilia. The depth and breadth of the collection may also vary. Some collectors choose to focus on a specific subtopic within their area of general interest, for example Baseball memorabilia of the New York Yankees, Basketball memorabilia of the Los Angeles Lakers, Football memorabilia of the Dallas Cowboys, Golf memorabilia of Tiger Woods, NASCAR memorabilia of Tony Stewart,  collectibles of fire trucks, Bobble Heads for any sport, & posters of heroes such as Lance Armstrong. Others prefer to keep a more general collection, accumulating any or all Baseball memorabilia, Basketball memorabilia, Football memorabilia, Golf memorabilia, NASCAR memorabilia, collectibles, Bobble Heads, or Hero Posters.

When the NBA, , and NFL began selling their basketball, baseball, and football jerseys in stores during the 1980 s, game used jerseys also became a hot item among sports memorabilia collectors. Former NBA player Dennis n was famous for taking off his jerseys and throwing them to the stands after his games were over. Michael Jordan is probably the basketball player whose memorabilia is most sought after by collectors. Today's stars include Ben e O'Neil,, etc. These players seem to be pushing the already popular area of sports collectibles and memorabilia to a new level of acceptance to the public.

Collections can take the form of a single item such as a signed baseball, football, or basketball. Collections can also take the form of a series of items, such as jerseys from each member of a particular baseball, basketball, or football team. A NASCAR collection of hats from different drivers is very popular. Golf balls with different logos are especially popular. The cost of any sports collectible memorabilia item is directly proportional to the popularity of the sports figure with which the item correlates. The more popular the sports figure, the more money the sports collectible memorabilia item will demand. The whole sports collectible memorabilia industry is driven by supply and demand. The more demand the higher the price and vice versa. Also, the more supply of an item, the lower the price. Sports cards would be a good example. Only so many of certain cards were ever made. Those carry a higher price than those that were made in bulk. Quality is a very big determining factor in the price of any sports collectible memorabilia item. In general, the better the quality, the higher the price.

Kevin is the husband of Becky and the father of 2, Nicholas and Kirsten. He is an avid sports fan and over-all good guy. He has taken his love of sports and developed web sites that offer that love of sports to others.

How To Buy A Sports Bra

Deciding on a sports bra

When purchasing a sports bra there are several things to keep in mind. While they may seem obvious it is important to consider each factor before determining what type of sports bra will suit you the best. The following are points to consider:

o Correct size

o Color

o Fabric blend

o Moisture  vs. regular fabric

Once you have determined what options suit you best, the only thing left to do is to head on out to the gym and get ready to work out in comfort.

Size

If you find that your sports bra is not comfortable, it may be that you are not getting the correct size. When shopping for a sports bra start with the size that you wear in a traditional bra. Put it on and move around. Don't just move your arms or jog on the spot, really put it to the test. Jump up and down, bend over and jump up, generally really move about. If you feel like your breasts are not supported, or if they seem to change locations in the bra as you are moving you have a bra that is too large. Try going down a size and repeating the test. A sports bra that squeezes your chest too tightly will be uncomfortable to work out in and is definitely too small.

Try several different brands as well, as each brand will have a slightly different fit. For example Nike sports bras come in both a size, for example 34, and a size designation, for this example small. The same is true for Under Armour sports bras as well as other brands. The key is that the Nike sports bra small may not fit the same as the Under Armour sports bra so it is important to actually try the different brands on.

Color

Once you have found the correct size, the next major hurdle is what color. Sports bras come in a wide variety of solid, patterned, mesh, contrasting or muted colors. Really the sky is the limit when choosing a color. It is important to consider if you will be wearing the bra on its own or simply under other t-shirts. Remember that lighter colors and whites will eventually stain from sweat and deodorant, no matter how quickly you wash them after a workout.

Fabric blend

Most sports bras will have a blend of polyester and spandex as the base. Nike offers a sports bra with an 88% polyester and 12% spandex for the body. This combination is known as "Dri-Fit Fabric" which wicks away moisture to provide a cool and dry effect during workouts. Under Armour sports bras offer a HeatGear fabric that is designed to move moisture away from your body.is a unique product that is designed to keep the athlete cool even in hot and humid workout conditions. Avoid sports bras that have high cotton content. Not only will they provide little support but also they will trap the moisture close to your body leading to chaffing and that uncomfortable sticky feeling during your workout.

In addition to the blend of fabric in the bra itself, check the texture and softness of the straps and the closure. Make sure that they don't dig into you when you move or bend. The whole purpose of a sports bra is to be lightweight and comfortable, not to feel like you are wearing a chest protector to your workout.

Moisture  bras

If you have always worked out with a conventional or traditional sports bra you don't know what you have been missing. A moisture or sweat  bra is the answer to a cool and temperature regulated workout. The fabric blend used by both Nike and Under Armour works to actually pull the moisture away from your skin. Not only does this help increase evaporation and allows the body to keep cool but it prevents chaffing and rubbing as the moisture is not allowed to build up between the fabric of the bra and your sensitive skin. Moisture  bras have no cotton in the fabric blend, and therefore don't hold any moisture. The smooth and sleek fabric of both the Nike sports bra and the Under Armour sports bra is designed to provide maximum support and maximum moisture movement.

After working out in a conventional sports bra you will notice red lines and indentation where the fabric literally rubbed or cut into your skin. This happens because the bra needs to be tight to provide support. Moisture wicking bras have the support built right into the fabric, and don't rely on that band at the bottom to hold them tightly in place.

If you sweat at all during your workout it is well worth the additional expense to invest in a moisture wicking bra like the Nike Dri-Fit fabric or the Under Armour r lines of sports bras. Once you try these lightweight, high quality and excellent support sports bras you will be hooked forever.

After making all these choices there are still a few basic do's and don't when purchasing sports bras. To summarize:

Do

o Try on the sports bra before you buy it

o Jump around and make sure you feel supported

o Check for any chaffing or rubbing when you are moving around

o Watch for any hooks or zippers that seem to rub or scrap

o Make sure that you have the correct cup size, nothing pushing up or out

o Take a couple of deep breaths to make sure you are not too restricted

o Make sure it is a moisture bra that will keep you cool and dry during even the most intense workouts

o Check the cut under the arms to make sure it is not rubbing your armpit area or cut too low to provide insufficient support

Don't

o Buy a sports bra just because it is the right color or pattern, or matches your workout gear

o Buy a size too small expecting that it will stretch. Nike and Under Armour sports bras will hold their shape and will not stretch or sag even after numerous.

o Buy a sports bra that rubs or irritates you when you move

o Is difficult to get on and off

o Buy a sports bra that you feel uncomfortable in. Comfort is important when you are working out.

o Get a sports bra that is not moisture or sweat , especially if you sweat even lightly during your workout

Private Labeled Bottled Water for Sporting Events and Participants

Personalized bottled drinking water is an excellent way to create lasting memories and produce high quality messages. Branding messages are available for teams, institutions and individuals.

Private label water is also an ideal vehicle for fund raising by schools, teams and individuals. Sales revenue through personalized bottled water sales at school sporting events helps ease current budget restrictions.

Sports in America

America is a sporting country with a substantial amount of time and resources devoted to the enjoyment of competitive sporting activities. Sports go hand in hand with a health and wellness life style and competitiveness is an important element in building character in our country's youth and future leadership.

From childhood until post retirement, sports and athletics serve to entertain and create role models as part of programs of exercise and healthy living. As children and young adults combine competition with sound programs of academics and extra curricular activities character and integrity are created. Continuing through adulthood, middle age and retirement athletics are a constant factor in American life. Many retirees spend a great deal of their free time pursuing sports based healthy lifestyles.

Sports in America is a major multi-billion dollar industry. Professional teams represent the major cities in America and engage in all major sports. Colleges base a significant amount of their activities and fund raising on sports and this approach permeates high schools, middle schools and grammar schools throughout the nation. Club teams and private leagues can be found in many towns and cities. Suppliers of sports products rank among the Fortune 500 of companies.

In addition to team sports, almost every family in the country is engaged in some form of sports activity with such sports as golf, skiing, water sports, bowling, outdoor events and others ranking high on the list of family oriented activities.

The Value of Memorable Events

Pleasant memories of unique performance or events are the result of many sporting activities. Often the powerful memories of a winning season for a local team, the big game that a child participates in, the unforgettable birdie, eagle or hole in one on the golf course and other memories remind one time and again. Many people derive significant pleasure from these memories.

Over time however, even the most powerful memories fade and memorabilia are often valuable as reminders. These reminders take many forms but serve to create continuity and continued interest in the healthy lifestyle of sports and athletic competition. Since individual and team performance is often the result of many hours of practice and hard work, a reminder of accomplishment is often valuable.

Personalized Bottled Water Memories

Personalized bottled water is an excellent way to preserve the memory of important sporting events. With a custom designed label for each and every occasion, water can be consumed at the event or at a later date. In addition, personalized bottled water is ideal for team sports or individual participants and is an effective vehicle for fund raising events.

The technology is available to create a cost effective, high quality personalized label that imparts a lasting message. Application of a custom designed label to a quality water bottle adds a powerful individualized advertising component to a high quality refreshment drink.

Often referred to as consumable advertising, personalized bottled water can include graphics and pictures as well as text that can refer to a specific event and can often be modified for subsequent events. Designed labels can be stored for future use and other occasions.

An additional feature of personalized bottled water is the fact that water bottles can be stored for future occasions and for extended periods if the water contains no minerals or contaminants. An important feature of branded drinking water is the long term nature of the message. Many people who receive private label water tend to retain the bottles because of the uniqueness of the message and quality of the label.

Create a Personal Message and Brand

Although brand creation has been identified with businesses, individuals can create their own brand image related to their interest in sports. Private labeled water for the golfer, hunter, fisherman or sports car enthusiast can convey a personal message or one related to an individual's club or organization. Personalized branding can create interest and enjoyment at later events or family gatherings.

The key to the creation of an effective message is the development of a focused, crisp, unique message that is simple yet powerful. As a result, care must be taken during label design to stay on message and keep the communication simple

For those individuals that are involved in sports and athletics as a business, personalized bottled water can provide a powerful brand image and message and complement marketing and business development efforts.

An Ideal Fund Raiser

Personalized bottled water is ideal for events and fund raising with a custom designed label prepared for the particular event. Often, bottles of water can be sold at these events at a profit and represent a wholesome, effective way of raising funds for booster clubs and other organizations.

Private labeled water is flexible for fund raising because the basic label can be modified for other sporting events at a later date. In addition, schedules and other information pertinent to sporting events can be easily added or altered.

Today, many schools are under significant budget reduction pressure and sporting events for schools offer new ways to increase revenue. Sales of water with a branding message attached in the form of custom label have proved very popular and water can be sold at a profit at events. Further, when the label is retained by the school or the supplier, modifications for latter events are easy and fast.

Water is a major component of a healthy life style and, compared to other fund raising products like candy, pizza and sugar laden soft drinks, offers a quality alternative to the consumer.

Personalized Bottled Water for the Individual

For many individuals sports like golf, sport fishing, running and other outdoor activities represent important parts of their lives and private labeled drinking water can serve as a reminder of their enjoyment with the sport.

Specific uses include boat outings, golf weekends, hunting parties, bowling teams and leagues and many other sports applications that are made more memorable and enjoyable with personalized water for the individual or occasion. The applications are only limited by the user's imagination.

Some bottled water companies can create a custom background label that serves as a template for many different types of events or sports activities. Some vendors include standard templates that an individual can use for their own message. The best suppliers have technology that gives the individual, team or institution the ability to design their own labels. .

The Element of Quality

An overriding feature in the creation of personalized bottled water is the consideration of quality in three areas:

o Quality of water

The basic element of private labeled bottled water is, of course, water and there are many differences in the quality of bottled water. Ultra pure bottled water produced by a combination distillation/filtration/ process is considered by many to be the best quality because it does not contain minerals, contaminants or bacteria.

o Quality of packaging

Since personalized bottled water combines health, refreshment and advertising, the packaging component of the mix must make a quality statement. Substandard bottle quality will seriously compromise the strength of the message.

o Quality of labeling design, printing and application

The label is the element that states the message and the message must be communicated in the strongest and clearest possible way. The label should be developed by a graphics designer or with technology that will aid the consumer in developing their own quality image. Printing is especially critical and the printing process should allow labels are guaranteed to have the same quality of any top-shelf brand in your grocer or quality food store.

All labels should be water proof and preferably laminated to ensure a long service life.

What to Look For In Private Label Water

Personalized bottled water has become increasingly popular for sporting events, teams and participants. This is particularly true with the advent of e-commerce that allows users the ability to design a label and purchase water online through the internet.

Quality is the critical issue because the label serves as a statement for the team, institution or individual. If any portion of the water/package/label mix contains substandard quality, then the entire message is compromised.

Dealing with a reputable vendor with a reputation for quality, customer service and the ability to design labels and place orders on line will guarantee customer satisfaction.

Online Sports Trading - A Viable Investment?

Sports Trading was conceptualized and bridge between conventional sports betting and real-world stock trading was built.

Please note: generalizations are used in this article because sport trading exchanges can differ in nature and offerings.

What is Sports Trading?

You may immediately associate sports trading with that of card trading but until fairly recently, sports trading has taken on another exciting meaning.

Although the actual definition of sports trading may differ exactly depending on the type of exchange in question, it is essentially the act of investing in virtual sports issues or contracts (i.e. sports teams, players or markets).

Sports trading is not to be confused with sports betting (betting against a bookmaker) or some other form of fancy gambling, sports trading runs along the same investment lines as trading on a conventional stock market exchange (e.g. Wall Street).

Participants of: 

• Fantasy sports games
• Stock trading simulation games
• Sports betting exchanges

will identify a commonalty with a typical sports trading exchange.

Although sport trading is still somewhat dwarfed by the sports betting and real-world trading industries, there is no question of the future popularity for this concept as people from all backgrounds are coming together to trade be it virtual stocks or issues or real contracts for real money on any sports related market, offered by the online sport trading exchange.

Sports trading exchanges are developing sophisticated technology, commonly employing a proprietary trading platform and in most cases, with a Level II type trading interface.

It is typical of a global sports trading exchange to offer around-the-clock (i.e. 24/7) trading as exchange members are not inhibited with limited or set trading hours so are free trade anytime, from anyplace around the world.

Advantages over Sports Betting

Sports trading has the thrill of sports betting but without the inherit risk of gambling that sports betting produces.

Some notable advantages sport trading has over conventional sports betting are (trading exchange dependent): 

• Far less risk; eliminates the 'all or nothing' situation
• Can still profit even from an event loss
• Capital appreciation
• Dividend income
• Not solely competing against professionals
• Greater chance of success (not limited to above reason)
• Can be invested with minimal effort

Sport trading eliminates the gambling factor associated with sports betting; traders seldom lose their total investment in a stock holding (i.e. they have the ability to trade out to prevent further loss), the sports bettor loses their entire wager with an incorrect guess.

The sports trader is not competing solely against professional bookmakers whose job is to get the better of you - more often. Sport trading exchanges are about people-to-people interaction so you are pitting your skill, judgement and knowledge against fairer competition. Learn to be savvy and you end up with the edge.

Once invested, the sports trader can theoretically sit-back and monitor their investments passively; the sports bettor must normally wager every time to potentially make money and therefore, incur greater risk on each and every bet.

Advantages over conventional stock trading

Participants of stock trading already will find other useful benefits from a typical sport trading exchange such as: 

• Lower trading fees due to being solely online trading
• Greater participation from a wider audience
• Not being exclusive to professionals
• Around the clock trading (no set trading sessions)
• Wider-economy independence
• Readily accessible sport information for all
• Global trading stock exchanges

The global online sport trader is conveniently afforded time-zone irrelevant trading from an online trading environment that typically does not shut for trading.

With the world-wide following sport increasingly enjoys (activity is seldom subject to prevailing economic factors that affect conventional trading exchanges) and the substantial amount of publicly available information not subject to a privileged few, sport traders can finally compete on fairer terms with other traders.

Online sports trading on virtual trading exchanges provide a wonderfully unique cross over between conventional sports betting and real-world stock trading in essence; they combine many of the advantages of the two, in a single investment product.

The opportunities that exist on these virtual exchanges and the resulting advantages are too long to detail here but it is the hope of this article to spread further awareness and the investment advantages of sport trading because this is a viable form of investment worthy of promotion.

Recovery from Strenuous Sports Performance Training

What is recovery from strenuous sports performance training about? People who exercise regularly and play sports often spend a lot of time preparing careful sports performance training. These focus on positively building all the areas of fitness and technique important to the successful conduct of their favorite activity. Some enthusiastic runners, cyclists and triathletes plan their year's activities around participation in races (marathon, triathlon, etc) or hoping to perform maximally at each race. In the haste to go faster and stronger, an important aspect of training is often neglected: sports recovery. From the experience of successful athletes though (particularly those in endurance sports) more time spent on sports recovery leads to improvement in the quality of sports performance training as well as optimal results in competition.

What is Sports Recovery?

Exercise at all levels of intensity acts to do one thing to the body: it depletes it. The depletion involves your energy stores (muscle glycogen, blood glucose and fat products in your blood), hormones, and muscle structures. In other words, you use up the body's valuable resources as you exercise and something must be done to replace them.

In order to return to training and to continue conditioning your body to meet your exercise goals, it is
important to create time and take active steps to bring about a re-building of the depleted body resources. This is what sports recovery is all about: the conscious action to help the body return to its optimal exercise state. This is especially important if you are intending to exercise intensively or for long duration soon after an exhausting bout. This could be endurance e training, multi-stage bike race, or sports competitions that are only 2-4 weeks apart

Why bother with Sports Recovery?

In the very simplest terms you need to bother with sports recovery to keep you physically exercising at the level that you want to. Even more importantly, to allow the body's systems to re-charge sufficiently that your mental edge remains honed to that fine sharpness you desire. A blunted edge comes about from insufficient recovery and can come back to haunt you in these ways: staleness, loss of interest, reduced physical ability, decreased sports performance training tolerance. Yes indeed, the first steps towards over-training.

A good approach to sports recovery will ensure that the quality of your sports performance training and competition is high. This will contribute to you feeling satisfied with your efforts and achievements, and bring about continued confidence in your chosen endurance sport. Good recovery also enables you to exert a greater overall sense of control of your sports performance training destiny!

When should I think about Sports Recovery?

You should consider sports recovery at both macro- and micro-levels. An example of a macro level would be a period of sports performance training preparation time (e.g. a week or month), or the period between competitions on your race calendar. A micro-level consideration would be after a single very hard or exhaustive work-out.

At the macro level, the depletion of resources will have arisen as a systematic and progressive wearing away that parallels your rigorously planned training program. It is not the single mind-blowing training session that is involved here but rather the accumulated effect of all the sessions combined, and possibly inclusive of the race. While a single sports performance training session may leave you feeling fatigued, the depletion of body resources over a period of time (it can be as short as a week or as long as months) will leave you feeling that your ability to physically exert yourself is a little blunted. Your legs feel heavy and tired, and are unable to sustain prolonged effort in the way they used to.

The micro recovery level answers the body's aching need following that supremely challenging sports
performance training session, back-to-back training sessions in some training camp, or the actual huge
effort put into a competitive event (e.g. marathon running) . The latter involves not just the event itself but also the mental stress, increased adrenaline surges, and even mundane activities such as travel to the competition venue.

What are the steps I should take to recover properly?

Ensure that you take account of your macro and micro needs. Maintain an awareness of these using a
sports performance training /race calendar that allows you to visually assess the training and competition phases you are going through. Akin to the n approach to training, this will help you to plan for recovery periods and make these an integral part of your sports performance training plan. Now consider the elements of the recovery: nutrition, structure regeneration, inflammation reduction, hormonal, and mental. Make plans for each of these.

Nutrition involves replacing the resources that you have used up in your prodigious attempts to go faster and stronger. This includes particular emphasis on replacing the following nutritional components: carbohydrates to re-build muscle glycogen for muscle recovery, and minerals and electrolytes to make up for loss in your sweat. The best time to re-build glycogen stores is within the first 3 hours after sports performance training as this is when the rate of glycogen storage is highest. Such storage remains elevated in the next 21 hours but not at the same rate as during what has been called the "critical re- window." There is scientific evidence to suggest that the very first hour after your exercise bout is actually the time that your body responds best to glycogen replenishment.

However, for some athletes, there are barriers that need to be overcome to meet this immediate post-
exercise nutrition need. This includes not feeling hungry or not having the correct nutrition available.
Positive steps must be taken to overcome these. Have nutrition available. If you can't stomach eating, then drink your nutrition (energy drinks, carbohydrate mixes). Find nutritional sources that agree with you, and use these.

If you are quite lean (meaning your body fat content is low), you should also ensure that your energy
replacement includes a balanced diet that has FAT and protein in it. Your overall energy needs are higher than someone who has not discovered long distance runs or triathlon training yet (poor people). So meet your higher energy needs and balance the sources of your energy: about 50-60 % from carbohydrates, 15% from protein, and up to 30% from fat.

Reducing your physical exercise is a good idea for 4-5 days after a punishing race. This does not mean
just lying around doing nothing, although that may be the order of the first day or so after competing. You will want to spend time actively stretching those tired and tight muscles, and by the 4th or 5th day, a light spin on the bike or some easy laps will help to keep your mind happy while you rest the muscles, tendons, joints and bones of your body. This is what is called "relative rest" with components of "active recovery."

The sports recovery period is a useful time to catch up with equipment maintenance matters. And in the long run, these really do matter. Clean the sea water out of your running shoes, wash your bike and take it to the shop for a tune-up, wash those hard-worn heart rate monitor straps and, so on.

Finally, there is massage. Do I detect some glee out there? The aim of massaging tired aching muscles is to relieve the tension that has built up in the muscles, as well as to assist in the removal of chemical
substances that build up during exercise and as a result of cell activity. So, just as top cycling teams bring their own masseuses to races (especially cycling tour competitions), you can help your body along with some judiciously administered massage. And if aches or pain persist, perhaps there is an injury that needs some attention from your sports doctor. The recovery period is a great time to have this managed, to deliver you in optimal shape as you return to training again.

All in all then, sports recovery is not something which every athlete thinks about, and some do it better
than others. It's something you should invest your effort into as much as you do your sports performance training preparations. It is an integral part of restoring your body to a condition which allows you to enjoy regular and continuous challenging training and competition.