Pink BMX – advice on buying a Pink BMX
How to Shop First things first: Who will be riding the BMX bicycle? How important is a brand name? How long will Junior ride this BMX bike before he graduates to a mountain bike, or loses interest altogether and picks up a skateboard?
Be careful even with more expensive BMX bicycles, the price can be inflated for a fashionable bike or one that’s endorsed by a popular pro rider, even though it may not offer any better features or construction than a cheaper model. Differentiation of quality among brands, especially advertising and certain salespeople would have you believe. Particularly true of cheaper BMX bikes, many of which are made in the same factories overseas and then painted with different companies’ logos. Much of the purchasing decision will come down to you or your child’s riding preference, their need to follow fashion, and of course, the amount you are willing to pay.
A Good BMX Feature: They usually feature 36-spoke wheels and should come equipped with knobby tires for better traction. On a dirt.racing BMX bicycles usually require only single, rear wheel brakes. Depending on the type of BMX riding you’re interested in, BMX racing bikes need to be lightweight as well as rugged.
Freestyle BMX bikes, on the other hand, are ridden on the street so you’ll want smooth tires and 48-spoke wheels for increased strength. The handlebars should be able to spin 360 degrees and the frame should have 2 or 4 axle pegs for supporting the rider while he or she performs freestyle tricks. A freestyle BMX bicycle should have brakes on the front wheel as well as the rear, along with special stunt components such as cable detanglers so the cables don’t break or become knotted when you spin the handlebars in mid-air.
These bikes usually feature heavier duty frames and axles as well, with reinforced gussets in order to withstand the heavy landings from huge air jumps. BMX dirt-jumping bikes also need 48-spoke wheels, but with knobby rather than smooth tires, again for maintaining a good grip on dirt-jumping mounds. Like a racing BMX bicycle, a dirt jumping bike will only need a single, rear wheel brake.
How about Extra Kit ? Young kids and beginners should only ride within their skill and experience levels. Any rider will need a safety helmet, elbow and knee pad, especially those involved in freestyle riding and dirt jumping. You should tell your children that tricks and stunts performed on telly are by undertaken by skilled riders.
The Size does it matter? As your childs riding style changes or they grow, you might need to buy a longer seat post or adjust the handle bars to accommodate those changes. Unless you are shopping for a very young child, there are usually only minor variations in the size of a BMX bicycle frame. Variations that reflect the riding style of a rider rather than they body size.
To Department Shop or to Buy Local It is worth bearing in mind that buying a BMX bicycle from a department store rather than a specialist bike shop may not provide you with the follow-up replacement parts you may need in the future. Your local bicycle shop will likely not only offer the most helpful advice during the shopping process, but after you’ve made your purchase, they’ll also be there with mechanical support as well. A bigger selection will mean better choices, better deals, and salespeople who ride BMX bikes themselves.
When to Buy If you can wait until fall or winter when sales dip you are more likely to pick up a bargain deal from a shop that is eager to sell the older model BMX bicycles to make way for the next year’s model. As with other types of bikes, getting the best deal when purchasing a BMX bicycle is not just about knowing how to shop, but also when to shop. BMX bicycle prices can vary throughout the year, with the most popular time to buy a new BMX bike being the spring or summer.
Andrew Histon has been messing about with Pink BMX since his teens. You may see many of his articles around the internet. When not writing articles he is busy in the garage.
Fix Your Golf Swing the Right Way
One of the questions that I think a lot of people would like to know is, how long will it take to fix my golf swing. Below, I have outlined the various methods. After reading them, it’s up to you to decide which approach you will take.
Swing Fix 1 – Buy New Clubs
One of the things everyone has tried at one time or another is to buy new clubs in the hopes that their game will change. Now, I don’t want to totally discount this fix because buying new clubs can improve your game if you’re playing the wrong clubs, or if your clubs are not properly fitted to you and your swing. The best thing you can do, is to seek out a professional clubfitter to have your swing checked and club professionally fitted to you.
Buying new clubs gives you a quick fix in another way. New clubs feel different from your current clubs. This means that when you hit shots with them, you’re thinking so much about how the new club feels that you aren’t thinking of how you’re swinging. This totally clears your mind but it’s only temporary. After a couple of weeks of using a new club(s), it no longer feels different so you go right back to thinking about your swing again. My advice here is to quit trying new clubs in search of the fix. As I said above, find a clubfitter and have your clubs professionally fitted. Then, work on your swing.
Swing Fix 2 – All Those Swing Tips
We’ve all grabbed the latest golf magazine and tried the latest tip with the hope it will magically change our game. Unfortunately, most golfers don’t have the experience to determine whether or not these tips will even work for them. If you don’t know your swing well enough, and you keep trying these tips, you may make your swing worse. Plus, a tip is a tip. It’s not certain that it’s going to help you develop the proper fundamentals.
An example of this would be to change to a stronger grip. Although this tip may cause the face to square better through impact, it isn’t the correct grip. Be very careful when you’re working on the latest tip in a golf magazine, or from your friend. A good idea would be to discuss the tip with your head pro or teaching pro first to see if it would be a good fit for your game. Then, and only then, would you attempt to try it. If it makes your swing better, great!
Swing Fix 3 – No Focus
The great majority of golfers are trying to find the miracle cure so they try to make way too many changes at the same time. This approach will never work. Unfortunately, this will be too confusing. Plus, you may end up trying so many different things that you forget what actually worked. Even if you had some success, it may have just been luck. The only way you truly know if this way of working on your swing is a success is if you see long term results.
Swing Fix 4 – Only Work on 1 Thing
The best way you should work on fixing your swing, is to take it one step at a time and work on one thing only. If you take this approach, you remain focused on that one thing therefore, you’ll not be experimenting. If you’re going to work on your swing this way, then you’re going to need a swing coach or a method to follow. By working on your swing this way, you solidify the changes because you are only focused on one thing at a time. I know, most golfers think this is going to take a long time. If you compare this way to the other fixes I described, you’ll make progress faster this way.
This is because the other approaches only give you a short term fix whereas, working on only only area of your swing, creates proper mechanics that you will have well into the future.
Easy Exercises Skier’s Use for Core Training
Don’t miss any powder day’s this ski season from weak legs or injuries!
Every time I sit down to read a skiing magazine or see another so called ‘expert’ recommending specific workouts for skier’s, I have to cringe when I see some of the workouts they recommend! After all, isn’t the goal of an effective skier fitness training routine to reduce injuries while at the same time building incredible strength and stamina in your legs and core?
We all want to tear up the slopes as long as possible each day and avoid the dreaded ‘jello legs’ that might cut our day of skiing short, and even prevent those nagging injuries that might cut our season short.
I see the problem with traditional workout routines that are being recommended for skiers are that they not only use inefficient workouts that don’t carry over that well to actual skiing movements, but also may even be setting you up for an injury. For example, if you’ve seen exercise routines that are recommending mechanical leg presses, mechanical leg extensions, and machine leg curls, please run screaming from that exercise recommendation as fast as you can! It will only set you up for injury, and won’t even help your goal of strength and endurance that’s actually applicable to skiing movements.
It can be said if you see fitness gurus recommending the smith machine squats or any smith mechanical workouts whatsoever… they should all be avoided as smith mechanical movements follow unnatural patterns (which are not biomechanically correct) that can create excessive stress on the back and possible injury there and/or in your knees.
Now what about wall squat exercises? Although almost every fitness program for skier’s in existence recommends this exercise for skiers, I don’t find it to be optimal. It’s a step in the right direction compared to the machine-based workouts that I previously mentioned. But, wall squats are still not a truly effective exercise that carries over directly to strength and endurance throughout the entire range of motion that your legs are using during a day on the ski slopes. This workout can be mildly effective since even an isometric exercise held for endurance in one joint angle will still carry over to a slightly wider range of motion, but I actually have at least a dozen exercises that are MUCH more effective than wall squats.
One of the other major faults that I’ve found with typical exercise fitness routines for the skier is that often they neglect getting a proper joint to strength balance (proper strength ratios between hamstrings, quadriceps, etc). Although skiing demands a lot of work from your quad’s and less work from your hams and glutes, it is still really important for injury prevention to maintain proper strength ratios between all of the muscle groups of your body and to make sure the stabilizer muscles around the joints are correctly strengthened. Another factor that’s left out in most exercise programs.
Want to know all of the specific workouts that really work in having rock solid legs that will never quit on you while you are out on the ski slopes? Visit us for the best Ski Conditioning exercises and learn the best kept secrets of skier strength conditioning.
Advance Your Golf Swing with Massage Therapy
If you play golf then you know the importance of having a good swing. Your swing makes or breaks your golf game. The follow through and mechanics of your swing are very important to long term success. To ensure you have a consistent swing, it is vital to warm up your muscles, joints and tendons prior to playing. Proper warm up consists of stretching, light exercise and massage. These are important to get your body prepared for the repetitive physical activity that it must perform. Now you may not know that a massage chair can be an effective part of your pre-golf game.
The golf swing actually puts stress on many of parts of the body. The fact that it is repeated throughout the game will build up stress on the lower back, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees and hips. All of these areas are required to work together to produce a truly accurate swing. If one area like your shoulder has tightness, then it can through your swing off. This is where a sufficient and comprehensive warm up can really help improve your golf game.
The regions that need proper stretching are your shoulders, arms, back, hips and legs. Develop and sustain a stretching routine prior to playing. Make sure you hit all the above listed areas. Calisthenics are another important element to add to your routine. Walking also helps you get your body ready. Using a massage chair to loosen up tight muscles and tendons helps your muscles in addition to stretching.
Massage chair recliners include the most effective massage therapies such as Shiatsu, Swedish, Sports and Deep Tissue massages. You have many controls to pinpoint exactly where you need the most attention. Pre-game massages can increase the circulation of blood and lymph, loosen sore or tight muscles and even increase your mental awareness. Professional athletes use massage therapy to give them an edge and perform at their best. When getting a massage, be sure to drink a cup of water for proper hydration.
An area of particular importance is the lower back. Most golfers complain about lower back pain. The lower back or lumbar area is the fulcrum of your swing. The leverage in your swing is a function of this pivot point. This is used repetitively throughout the day on every swing. It is vitally important that the major muscle groups used in this area are effectively warmed up. This includes the low back, hips and legs. These areas need to be warmed up and stretched. A good warm up includes the application of heat to enhance blood flow and a penetrating deep tissue massage.
What can cause injuries during the golf game? Many golf injuries come from over-swinging, poor swing mechanics, hitting the ground or excessively twisting during your swing. Most of these can be prevented. If you warm up correctly, then you can reduce the chance of these happening to you. As you can see, the swing is where the vast majority of golf related injuries can occur. Be smart and get a routine warm up to help prevent these happening to you. Your warm up must be thorough and consistent to help reduce injury. Furthermore, know your own personal limits and do not push your limits too far.
You should seriously consider adding massage therapy as part of your warm up like professional athletes do. Sports massage is part and parcel of the proper warm up to help achieve peak performance. You want to make sure all the major muscle groups that constitute your golf swing are included. This also helps reduce the chance of injury and increases your longevity. Do not wait until you are injured. Once injuries start to occur, then it is difficult to fully recover. Your golf swing is very sensitive to problems such as injuries which can affect your game permanently. Get a great sports massage with a massage chair recliner and get your swing the best it can be.
Golf Cages: Don’t Worry About The Weather You Can Still Practice
61.1 million people are enjoying the game of golf worldwide. That means a lot of us enjoying the game and working on improving our game. For most of us the golf season only lasts from April to October. The rest of the year we’re moaning because the weather is too cold, rainy or even snowy.
Warm weather golfing is still available during the off season in places like Florida, Arizona, or Nevada. Unfortunately most of us can’t run off for a quick round of golf and hop on a plane. But that doesn’t mean your golf skills will get rusty during the off season.
Quality practice time can be found even if there is snow on the ground. Find some open space and you’re ready to go.
A golf net is one of the necessary tools for “off” season practice. Using a golf net means you can spend time chipping instead of chasing balls in your garage or on a practice field.
Pair the golf net with a golf practice mat and you’re ready to go. Many of the golf practice mats let you use your own tees so you’ll have the same feel as being on the course. Some mats have fibers, which act like grass so the feel will be similar as if you were using your driver or irons on the golf course.
You can even practice using your wedge in uphill, downhill or side of hill positions with some of the specialty mats. These specialty mats mimic the various lie positions of the ball. Combine the practice mat with your golf net or golf cage and you’ll spend your time practicing instead of chasing practice balls.
What You Need To Know When Buying A Golf Net Or Golf Cage
A golf net lets you practice your chipping easily with a stationary net. You get to focus on your shots not chasing balls. Look for a golf net that is easy to put up and durable.
The best designed golf cages and golf nets are easy to use. This means they fold easily and pop up when opened. You don’t want to have to hire a mechanic to put up the cage every time you want to practice.
If you want increased protection for those around you when you are practicing, then a golf cage is preferable to a golf net. With the design you will have increased durability and a protected space in which to drive and chip your golf ball. Don’t forget to check for UV and mildew protection. Since many people leave their golf cages outside, your cage will be protected from the rain and the sun. That way you’ll be ready to practice as soon as you grab your clubs and golf ball.
Ease of set-up is a big selling point. I mean, who wants to spend hours putting things together? Look for snap in poles and easy twist eye bolts. The easier the assembly the more you’ll use your golf cage for practice.
If you want to resume playing in good weather and still have your drive and chipping in good shape, then set up your golf cage and practice mat. Use the cold weather to master your accuracy. When the warm weather comes you’ll be ready to play a round.