Being able to take part in sports – especially team sports – has been proven to improve a person’s mental and physical fitness, as well as benefit their social skills and their ability to handle their emotions.

That people with disabilities finally have some more options to get out and get involved can only be a great thing.

History of Adaptive Sports

Sports designed to allow those people with physical limitations or disabilities first began to emerge following the conclusion of the Second World War, which makes a lot of sense – many hundreds of soldiers who were fighting on the frontlines came home injured and needed intensive rehabilitation.

These sports were designed to help the patients with their physical and mental recovery, but they soon moved beyond mere rehabilitation, quickly being taken up as hobbies by the patients after finishing treatment, then being enjoyed so much that they started being played competitively.

What we now know as the Paralympic Games can trace its roots back to this rehabilitation stage – it was originally held at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury for British soldiers who had injuries in their spinal cords. 1988 saw the first official “Paralympic” games in Seoul, but they’ve been held in Stoke Mandeville a few times since their inception.

The Games have taken off to the point where, at last year’s London Summer Olympics, we finally saw them being treated as equal to the traditional Olympic games, and the excitement and competition was seen by everyone as being every bit as good.

We are still striving toward full inclusion – something which started in the ‘80s – but this has yet to be fully realised. However, things are definitely improving: the US Department of Education has recently mandated that all schools must offer equal sporting opportunities to disabled pupils, including varsity sports. It’s a big step, but we must keep walking forward.

What Sorts of Adaptive Sports Are Available?

All sorts of them are out there for you! If you want to ski (or, if you’re more daring, water ski) you can simply use a sit-ski, or for bowlers there are always the bowling ramps which you can use.

You must have seen plenty of specialised equipment being used in the Paralympic Games – from Oscar Pistorius’s incredible prosthetic legs (giving him the nickname “Blade Runner”) to the hand-bikes and other types bikes, allowing people of all ability levels to take part in cycling.

Weight lifters can use special gloves, and you have surely seen the specially designed wheelchairs which are used in basketball and “murderball” – wheelchair rugby. There are plenty of options out there now, and they’re all available for you to find: you just have to look!

Set Reasonable Goals

You may want to consult a medical professional or dietician before you start playing tennis. With their advice, you can construct a healthy, gradual weight loss regime, that’s tailored to your specific needs. Make realistic goals to keep motivated and pay attention to the doctor’s advice.

Your Diet

One to two pounds a week is a reasonable amount of weight to lose. Don’t start starving yourself; eat a nutritious and healthy diet. Your body will need this energy to power your workouts and heal your muscles afterwards.

Try incorporating larger quantities of fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and pulses into your diet. Don’t shy away from complex carbohydrates, as these are important for exercise.

How Many Calories Will You Burn?

An hour game of competitive tennis will be quite an intensive workout. According to MayoClinic, a 160 pound person will burn almost 600 calories! The trick is not to stand around. When you’re waiting for your tennis partner to go retrieve the ball, march on the spot or jog up and down to keep your blood pumping.

Keep Motivated

It takes two to tennis. By playing with someone else who can advise you on improving your game, you’ll stay more focused and lose weight more effectively. The social side is a great motivating factor for many people who are exercise-shy.

Finding an equal match will mean that you both exercise more. If you’re clearly better than your opponent, you’re unlikely to get the workout you need. Keep it competitive and intense.

Don’t expect to see results overnight. When you start exercising properly, you’re in it for the long-haul. Although you will see changes over the months, it can take half a year (or more) sometimes to achieve the fitness level you’re hoping for. Just stick to your exercise schedule and don’t get disheartened.

Conditioning

To burn extra calories, incorporate strength training into your weekly exercise regime. Building up lean muscle will help you perform better during your tennis matches – this means weight training, martial arts, or swimming. As fantastic as tennis is for your health, you should have a variety of sports and activities up your sleeve.

Get Instruction

Even if you just contact a tennis instructor for a one-off lesson, you should consider brushing up your technique to avoid injury and improve your skills. Besides, the coach is bound to put you through your paces. Often, beginners find the learning curve of tennis quite steep, but with professional tutelage, you’ll get through the worst of it and be able to focus on your weight loss goals.

About Our Guest Author:
This post has been provided by Playrite, who install sport surfaces at schools, health clubs and leisure centres. If you want to up your game, why not try a Playrite tennis court surface?

The Best Workout

One of the best reasons to get a mountain bike is that it gives riders a great workout. The intense workout provided by mountain biking burns more than 500 calories an hour. Riding up and down the hilly trails with a mountain bike is one of the best ways to quickly get in shape. Riding a mountain bike is particularly effective for shaping the thighs and buttocks. This means that many women are starting to buy mountain bikes to quickly tone and shape their legs.

Another reason to get a mountain bike for working out is that it is one of the cheapest forms of exercise. Once riders have purchased a bike, helmet and gloves, they can get a great workout for no cost anywhere there is a trail.

Durability

One of the most commonly cited reasons why people get mountain bikes is their durability. These sturdy pieces of machinery are built to handle the roughest trails. Most models have heavy-duty shocks that will stand up to the most hard-core abuse. The bikes are made to handle the stress of landing from a big jump on the trail.

However, this durability translates well into the urban environment as well. Bikes have to be able to stand a lot of abuse when they are ridden through a busy city. They have to survive falls and crashes on the hard surfaces. They bump into other objects all the time. They also have to be sturdy enough to handle hopping on and off a curb. A mountain bike will handle the punishment of both off-road and urban environments better than any other style of bicycle.

Versatility

No other style of bike is more versatile than the mountain bike. You can ride a mountain bike in the city, but you can’t take a road bike onto a mountain biking trail. Road bikes simply won’t stand up to the punishment of the jumps. Even hybrids will quickly break down when used for rugged, off-road riding.

Anyone looking to get the sturdiest, mot-versatile style of bike in the world should consider Merida mountain bikes. They have a lot to offer to their owners. They are durable and very versatile. Get a mountain bike to enjoy a great workout and whole lot of fun.

About the Author: Kelly H.

Kelly prides herself as an active mum of three boys. Kelly has recently purchased mountain bikes for her boys who love cycling.

So much goes into motocross racing; more than what most people think.  After you’ve gotten a dealer, a sponsor, the necessary attire and have entered a race – what comes next?

On the day of your first race adrenaline will be shooting through your veins, but many things have to be accomplished before you can hit the dirt.  Many bikers often find the importance in checking out the track and their surroundings after registering for their race.  Prior to the race for more sponsors or for monies, a biker must qualify to continue on in their racing career.  Qualifiers are competitions that lead to more races for a biker once they’ve placed against other bikers.  Qualifiers can provide a biker with trophies, monies and the ability to compete for more money and a placement in an organization or on a team.

After a biker makes it through a qualifier and their race day has arrived inspection of the track is often done prior to a motocross race.  Bikers also practice prior to the start of the race for about an hour before to make sure that their equipment is in perfect condition and that there are no problems with their bikes.  Prior to hitting the track, bikers should double check to make sure they have all of their clothing and protective gear for the race.  It is very important to make sure your head is covered by a helmet and that body armor is present underneath clothing in the event of a fall.

Often as the race time gets closer sponsors and dealers meet, as well as, the competing bikers to discuss course details, times, how the race usually proceeds and to allow for any questions that might be on everyone’s minds.  This allows for there to be no confusion and for the race to start off on the same page for all of the bikers.

Motocross racing is often thought to be a sport that takes place outdoors, but many qualifiers take place inside to keep better control of the racing environment.  The setup of dirt is still the same, but the race can continue should outside weather interferences present themselves.  Many bikers like the inside option because they can still keep the races going even in the midst of a rainstorm.  However, sometimes qualifiers are inside, but the race itself is outside.  Often two different set ups are designed and bikers are then expected to place in both set ups to continue on in the competition.  Qualifiers are usually only one set up and the best three times get to move on, but to make things much more difficult; dual progression is necessary in the actual race.

Once a biker qualifies in the actual race they win various prizes but also get to continue on in their racing career if they so choose.  When a biker wins they usually get more sponsors and more exposure as a result.  There are so many rewards to motocross racing and so much fun to be had especially if you receive MX gear like Fox Racing!

Keep your car clean and tidy will help you get the most value for your car when you try and trade it in. Doing these things keeps the value of your vehicle up and you happy when it comes time to turn over the keys and move on.

1. Follow the maintenance schedule

Whenever you get the oil changed in your car, a note is left with the date or mileage of the next checkup. Pay attention to these dates and keep your receipts. You want to be able to prove that you maintained your car properly to any buyer who is interested in this. A serious buyer should be wondering about these things. Having it on record proves that the car is at maximum capability and has been take care of carefully. You have probably seen those commercials in which sellers are not unmasking the problems with their car. Do not be one of those crooks. Maintain your integrity and prove it with good maintenance and receipts.

2. Buy the right kind of car

Certain cars and particular features hold better value than others. Check the bluebook for the best makes of vehicles that retain their value over time. Mercedes, Honda, and BMW are known to last. Before buying a car, make sure that the one you are looking at is on the “good” list. Options like power windows and locks and air conditioning really increase the value of your car, as well.

3. Keep it clean with CarID floor mats

When you consistently clean your car, it is more likely to keep a good paint job and sparkle as though it is new. Make sure to keep the inside clean and tidy, too. Use custom fit floor mats to line and protect the carpets. Buyers will most likely lift up the mats to make sure that carpets are in pristine condition, just as they would when buying a home. Keep dirt and grime off the carpets but installing mats that catch it all. Good mats are better than rugs. Pick the kind that fits your lifestyle-some are better for harsh weather conditions and others are better for a comfortable lifestyle.

4. Don’t customize it

Resist the urge to make your car different than it was when bought. Don’t add things that cost extra money and actually decrease the value of the vehicle. If you must upgrade, install easily removable merchandise, such as floor mats, rims, or steering wheel covers. Do not go all out on something that can doubly cost you money.

5. Drive safely

When you take it easy on the road you add to the value of your car. The less crashes your car has been in, the higher its value is.

Champion here in 2000, Woods is excited to be back at the event for the first time in a decade as he also marks his debut appearance on the 2012 PGA Tour.

“I’m looking forward to it,” the 36-year-old American told reporters while preparing for Thursday’s opening round in the pro-am celebrity event held on the picturesque Monterey Peninsula.

“I just haven’t played [here] in a while, and it’s been [because of] scheduling. This time it fits perfectly in my schedule so I’m excited to be back.”

Woods may not have won on the U.S. circuit since the 2009 BMW Championship but, based on his form over the last two months, he could well triumph Sunday.

In his last three stroke-play events, he finished third at the Australian Open in November, won the limited-field Chevron World Challenge which he hosts in December and tied for third at last month’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

After two years of battling for form while being plagued with injury problems and the breakdown of his marriage, the most significant change for Woods has been his return to full health.

“Rehabbing and training are two totally different scenarios. I’ve been rehabbing pretty much the entire last couple of years, and I haven’t been able to train. I haven’t been healthy enough,” the 14-time major champion said.

“There was always some kind of limited ball count, or I’ve got to get back to treatment, I’ve got to do icing … and all of those monotonous things just to tee it up. That’s no longer the case.

“I appreciate being healthy more,” added Woods, who won the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by a record 15 shots. “My body’s feeling explosive again, and consequently I’m hitting the ball further.”

Asked whether he felt any pressure to end a title drought of more than two years on the PGA Tour, Woods replied: “Not really. I feel very at peace where I’m at. I had to make some changes and that took time, and I’m starting to see the results of that now, which is great.”

While Woods competes in this week’s pro-am in partnership with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, fellow American D.A. Points will defend his title by reuniting with U.S. actor and comedian Murray.

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