Posts Tagged ‘walking’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Golfing Etiquette Essentials

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

Golf is a game of rules and etiquette, and it is quite important to know the essentials of golfing etiquette before you go up to the tee to play your first game of golf.

It doesn’t matter whether you are playing alone, in a twosome or in a foursome, golfing etiquette demands that you must always wait your turn. You must remain aware of the group on the next hole and wait until they are well ahead of you before you hit your ball.

Golfing etiquette also means that it is never cool to “push” the group in front of you. If you are playing with others, wait for your turn to hit the ball; never hit at the same time as another player.

While you are waiting for your turn to play, go to your ball and determine what golf club you will select and how you are going to hit the golf ball with it. This is called “ready golf” and keeps the game moving along. Don’t rush anybody, just be ready for your turn.

Another useful piece of golfing etiquette, especially for the novice is ‘playing through’. For example, if your team is holding up the players behind you, say because you are playing consistently over par, let them play through. You would simply wave them through, or if they are near enough to you, just ask them if they would like to play through. You will never make an enemy by doing this!

When someone is making a shot, you should be standing behind them and you shouldn’t make a sound! It is so distracting to be about to to tee off and just as you draw back, someone decides to jingle coins in their pocket or noisily unwrap a piece of candy.

Replacing your divots. Say you are on the fairway and you hit the ball and a clod of dirt and grass goes flying, golfing etiquette says you should replace it. On some courses you just put the clod back and step on it to press it down, but on most courses, there is a sand/seed mixture on the course to put into the divot. If your ball makes a deep impression when it lands on the green, you can use your divot tool to repair it.

As soon as you have finished a hole, replace the flag and leave the green quickly so that the next players can play that hole. Count your score and write it on the scorecard when you’re back at your cart.

There is much more to golfing etiquette of course, but these simple essentials of golfing etiquette will enable you to get through the course without upsetting anyone. If we all keep to golfing etiquette we will keep the game friendly, or not?

If you are interested in learning more about golfing etiquette, visit our website on Golfing Tips for Beginners for loads of free tips.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Choosing Golf Equipment

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

Purchasing golf clubs can be like throwing your money into the wind, but armed with some fore-knowledge, you can save yourself time and money when you’re selecting your golf clubs. As in many things, you can either spend a lot of money in one go or you can spend a little several times, before you get what you really need.

If you are just starting out and are not 100% sure that you want to commit yourself to the addictive game of golf, you should either rent golf clubs at the clubhouse on the golf course, or buy a starter set of golf clubs.

Purchasing a set of starter golf clubs allows you to become accustomed to them; enabling you to concentrate on your swing instead of wondering how this set of miss-matched golf clubs you just rented is going to work out.

As you become better at golf, you should invest in a better set of clubs more suited to you.

Generally, a set includes a driver, one or two fairway woods, numbers 4-9 irons, a wedge or two and a putter.

As you become more experienced and start thinking about new clubs, you may want to consider buying your driver separately. Some players want a driver to give them more accuracy, others need more distance.

There are numerous types of golf ball available and the golf ball box will usually have a chart on the back to direct you to the right ball for your needs. As you learn more about the game and get better at it, you should experiment with different balls which could improve your accuracy and/or distance.

Having the right golf equipment is an important part of the game, so take care and buy wisely!

If you are a beginner golfer, you could do a lot worse than visit our Golfing Tips for Novices, where you will learn more about choosing Golf equipment.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

What Kind Of ID Tag Should My Pet Have?

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

If your pet is prone to venture far from home then you should think about putting an identity tag on it. The ID tag can be as simple as you like, but the most modern way is to use ‘radio frequency identification’ or an RFID tag.

If you have a very young cat of dog, there is perhaps no need to tag it yet, but as the animal gets older, ID tags can become essential. If your pet gets lost, anyone finding it can then return it. If you have a cat or a dog, then a simple collar might be enough.

Some collars have a metal tag attached to them so that you can have your address or phone number engraved on it, others have a ring, so that you can attach a small canister with your details inside it. Some just write their address on the inside of the collar with a felt tipped pen or a marker pen. This is more risky though because you might not be aware if it rubs off.

It is necessary to think about water damage if you are ID tagging a dog. Cats try to stay out of water, rain and snow, but most dogs love playing in it. If your dog’s tag is not waterproof, it will soon become impossible to read. On the other hand, cats often lose their collars.

If your pet is a horse, then it is simpler to have it branded and the brand indexed, so that anyone finding your lost horse can reference the brand and discover your contact details. If your pet is a tortoise, then you can write your phone number around the edge of its shell in a non-toxic fluid like nail varnish, but keep it small or you could poison the animal. Birds can have leg bands fitted. These leg bands have a unique number which can be referenced like a brand.

These are the conventional ways of ID tagging your pets, but the most modern method is to RFID tags them. These RFID tags can be attached in several different ways. The simplest way is to have a plastic passive RFID tag made up and hang it from your pet’s collar. This works well, until your pet loses its collar or unless someone removes it in order to steal your pet.

Another way of affixing an RFID tag, is to have your details imprinted on a chip and have the chip installed under your pet’s skin by a vet. Some people are abhorred by this idea others do not mind. However, it does not hurt, is not uncomfortable and cannot be lost.

When the police or the pound officials are passed a stray, they scan it for a chip as part of their routine these days. Even people have them inserted so that they can move across international borders more rapidly.

The RFID tag is read by a scanner and can be read from distances of several feet to several hundred yards, which makes finding a lost pet a much simpler task if it has an RFID tag fitted.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on quite a few topics, but is currently involved with researching What to do if your dog eats chocolate. If you would like to know more, please go to our website at http://whattodoifyourdogeatschocolate.com.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Burn Calories And Increase Your Metabolic Rate By Walking

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Increasing numbers of people are starting to realise the benefits of walking as a means of exercising. It’s easy to do - in fact you do it every day without even thinking about it. It’s a low impact workout that requires no special equipment, training or expertise. It’s suitable for a wide range of ages - which is probably one reason why it has such a low “drop out” rate. You can do it wherever you like and you can fit it into your daily schedule whenever it’s convenient for you.

If you’re trying to lose weight then walking is ideal. Keeping an eye on the amount of calories that you take on board is great - but dieting alone is not a very efficient way to shed the pounds. The combination of dieting with regular exercise will give you much better results. First of all, you will burn calories whilst you exercise - and that’s good. But secondly, regular exercise will actually raise your metabolic rate - the rate at which you burn calories. Even when you’re not exercising the rate at which you burn calories will be higher and this will help to deliver good weight loss results for you.

The benefits to be had from walking are numerous. It can increase your lung capacity, lower the risk of heart disease and stroke and also help to lower your blood pressure level. It can lower bad cholesterol levels whilst raising good cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of developing two types of diabetes and even reduce the risk of developing certain forms of cancer. It will help you to sleep better at night and is effective in combating anxiety and depression. It will give you more energy and you will feel less fatigued throughout the day.

That’s got to be enough motivation for you to consider including walking in your exercise program. As mentioned previously, you don’t need any special equipment. A good pair of comfortable shoes is all you need to get started.

Although not strictly necessary, you might find that a pedometer is one piece of equipment that you would find useful. It will help you to stay motivated by recording your progress and displaying it in terms of the number of steps taken, the distance covered or the number of calories burned - whatever is most interesting for you.

You should seek the advice of your doctor before commencing any new exercise programme. It’s also worth remembering that whilst walking may be a low injury risk way to take exercise, it is still exercise. A few stretches before you begin - repeated when you’re done - will help to avoid any strains or sprains and will ensure that you get the maximum benefit from your walking workout.

Have a look at the huge selection of styles on offer from Fitflops - sandals, boots, clogs and slippers.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Are You Overlooking One Of The Best Ways To Exercise?

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Would you like to take more exercise but - like so many other people - struggle to actually do it? There are plenty of reasons why this might be the case. Not enough time to fit it into your day, lack of energy after a long day at work, lack of equipment - the list goes on. When you also consider that the monthly membership fee at the gym is an expensive item, it’s no great surprise that many people exercise a lot less than they would like to.

What if there was a way to exercise that required no special equipment, which was easy to do and which didn’t need you to get all hot and sweaty? It would probably be a lot easier to get yourself motivated to take exercise on a more regular basis. Were it also a form of exercise that could be performed whenever it was easiest for you, then that would be better yet.

Fortunately, such a form of exercise does exist - although you may not have considered it. Walking is an activity that we all perform every day. It needs no training, expertise or special equipment. As long as you have a good, comfortable pair of shoes you’re all set. It’s also a very cost effective method of exercising - and you can slot it into your daily routine whenever you like.

What’s more, the potential health benefits of walking read like an advert for some new miracle drug. It can lower your blood pressure level. It helps to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It increases lung capacity. It helps you to sleep better at night. It helps to combat depression. It boosts your energy levels. It even helps to stave off certain types of cancer. And, of course, it helps you to build muscle, lose weight and get in shape.

According to health professionals, in order to achieve all of these benefits, we should aim to take 10,000 steps a day. For the average person, that’s equivalent to a distance of between four and a half and five miles - although if you have a very long or very short stride length then this may vary somewhat.

It does sound like a long way, but you would probably be surprised at just how easy it actually is to achieve. Walking to work or school and leaving the car in the garage once or twice a week is a good start. Getting off the bus one or two stops early and finishing the last leg of your journey on foot is good. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator will help. When you do use your car, parking in a corner of the lot away from the entrance so that you have further to walk will boost your step count. There are plenty of ways to get to the 10,000 step figure. Every little helps.

Be sensible and start off slowly at first. If you haven’t exercised for a while, or if you have any medical conditions, then talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise regime. However, walking is a low impact, low injury risk form of exercise which, as previously discussed, offers many potential health benefits if carried out on a regular basis. You will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you see and feel the benefits.

Take a moment to have a look at the huge selection of styles available from Fit flops - sandals, boots, clogs and slippers. Try using an Omron pedometer to monitor your performance and help you to stay motivated.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

How Walking Can Help You To Shed Weight And Get In Shape

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

A great many people avoid taking exercise as they suppose that it will be too much physical effort for them. It’s a bit of a vicious circle where it’s easy to imagine that you need to already have a certain level of fitness and endurance capability in order to get really fit. When you think about it, it’s no wonder that many of us make a mental link between getting fit and getting sweaty and out of breath.

On the other side of the coin, it’s hard for many people to imagine that a low impact, low injury risk workout - an activity which we all do every day - can deliver major health benefits and help you to get in much better shape. However, that’s exactly what walking - a form of exercise which needs no special equipment, training or expertise - can do for you.

And when you take a look at the list of health benefits which regular walking can provide, your sense of disbelief is only likely to grow still further.Walking can help to reduce your blood pressure level. It can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke whilst simultaneously improving lung capacity. It can release endorphins and help to combat depression, make you feel more energetic and help you to sleep better. It can be effective against different forms of cancer. Recent research in the UK suggests that it may even help to stave off Alzheimer’s disease. It can raise your metabolic rate and help you to lose weight.

Looking at that list you would be forgiven for thinking that it was an advert for some expensive new dietary supplement or even the latest miracle drug. No wonder that it’s difficult to credit. It’s also worth mentioning that - apart from a comfy pair of shoes - you don’t need any special equipment to get started on a walking exercise routine. Neither will it cost you any money - there are no expensive gym membership fees to pay each month. You also have the convenience of being able to fit it into your day whenever it suits you best.

Health professionals seem to agree that we should be targeting 10,000 steps a day on a regular basis in order to get the health benefits previously discussed. That equivalent to just under five miles for most people, although it depends upon your stride length somewhat. It sounds like a fair old distance - but it’s easier to achieve than you think. Walk to work and leave the car at home. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Get off the bus a stop before your destination and walk the last leg of your journey. These are just a few examples of ways to increase your daily step count - there are plenty more, and they all add up.

If you are over forty years old, if you have any medical conditions, or if you just haven’t exercised for some time, then it would be wise to seek your doctor’s advice and opinion before you launch any new fitness regime. However, as long as you start off slowly and build up over time, walking will improve your health and fitness levels. More importantly, you will both look and feel much better.

Increase the effectiveness of your walking workout with Fitflops fitness shoes. They’re scientifically designed to increase the work your lower body muscles perform during normal walking. Both women’s and men’s Fitflops are available in a wide choice of colors and styles.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Walking - A Great Way To Exercise

Monday, July 5th, 2010

If, like so many of us, you want to shed a few pounds and get into better shape, then this is something that is both simple and achievable. If you want to lose weight then you must burn off more calories as a result of physical activity than you take on board as a result of both eating and drinking. If you burn off more calories than you consume on a regular basis then you will, over a period of time, lower your weight. There is no magic pill or health supplement required.

Simply put, if you wish to shed pounds then you need to reduce the amount that you eat and drink (dieting), increase the number of calories that you burn (exercising) - or both. There’s little doubt that doing both simultaneously is the optimum solution. When you take exercise on a regular basis your metabolic rate - the speed at which you use up calories - is increased. Exercising consistently will mean that you burn calories faster even when you are not exercising - when you’re typing on your computer, when you’re reading a book - even when you’re sleeping.

For may people the very thought of taking exercise conjures up unpleasant and unattractive images - but there’s really no reason to shy away from exercise - it needn’t mean that you have to get all hot, sweaty and out of breath. Walking is a form of exercise that we all do every day - to some extent at least - and it’s also one of the best exercises that you can take.

According to many medical sources we should all be trying to walk for 10,000 steps each day. That’s roughly equal to a distance of between four and a half and five miles for most people. It does sound like a fair old distance - but it’s a lot easier to accomplish than you might think. Don’t forget - 10,000 steps is the total distance, including the normal walking that you do as you go about your daily business anyway. You already have a base to build upon.

Walk to work or school instead of taking the car - or if you travel by bus then get off a couple of stops early and complete your journey on foot. If you do take your car then park it in a distant corner of the parking lot so that you have further to walk to reach the entrance. At lunchtime, go for a short ten or fifteen minute walk instead of slumping in front of your computer. Small changes like these soon mount up.

A good pair of comfortable shoes are all you need to get started with a walking exercise program - no other equipment is required. However, you might find a pedometer to be a worthwhile investment - especially if most of your walking is divided into short sessions throughout the day. It will record and monitor your progress in terms of the number of steps taken, the number of calories burned and the distance covered - whichever interests you most. This should help you to stay motivated.

An mp3 player might be a good idea if you are able to fit longer walks into your day. The time and the miles will pass much more quickly when you’re listening to your favourite music.

Learn how to boost the effectiveness of your walking to lose weight fitness program with Fit flops fitness shoes.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Losing Weight With A Low Impact Walking Workout

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

Losing a little weight is a target which many people have in common. Unfortunately, weight loss is often associated with almost permanent hunger pangs as you starve yourself on the latest Hollywood diet - or getting out of breath and sweaty down at the gym. Pounding the pavement in the rain and laps of the track are other unappealing options which are often associated with shedding a few pounds. none of these are attractive propositions for the majority of people - and the good news is that none of them are strictly necessary.

Losing weight - and gaining a whole host of additional health benefits - is achievable just by performing a simple form of exercise which most of us perform on a daily basis without even thinking about it. Walking is a low impact, low injury risk way to exercise which is a great solution for many people - at a variety of different fitness levels and across a wide age band. It’s ideal for anyone recovering from an illness or injury and is a great way to lose weight post childbirth.

The great thing about walking is that it is a perfectly natural activity. It needs no special equipment, training or expertise. Anyone can do it - anywhere they like and any time that suits them. It can be fitted into your daily schedule as and when it’s convenient for you. There’s no need to make time for a special trip to the gym - which will also save you money on monthly membership fees.

The secret to getting health benefits and losing weight using walking as an exercise method is consistency. Regular, relatively low level exercise, carried out on a frequent basis is much better than sporadic bursts of high intensity physical activity - and much less likely to produce strains, sprains and other injuries as well. Walking just 30 minutes a day can soon produce results - just as long as it’s done routinely.

If you can gradually increase to 10,000 steps a day on a regular basis, then you will be pleasantly surprised - both at the results and how quickly you can see them and feel them. For most people, 10,000 steps a day will be approximately 5 miles and, whilst that may sound like a fair old distance, it’s much easier to achieve than you might imagine.

Another good thing about walking is the fact that you don’t need any special equipment. A good pair of comfortable shoes is all that’s necessary for you to get started. Whilst it’s not strictly necessary, you may consider getting hold of a pedometer to be a good idea. You can pick these up for less than $10 these days. They will help you to track and monitor your progress and will display results in terms of the number of steps taken, the number of calories burned or the distance covered. It might help to keep you motivated and encourage you to make a walking workout part of your daily routine.

Have a look at the huge choice of styles available from Fitflops - sandals, boots, clogs and slippers.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

How To Find Time For A Walking Workout

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

If you’re looking for a way to take exercise on a regular basis, then you can’t do much better than walking. The majority of us do it - to a greater or lesser extent - every day. You don’t need any special kit or equipment - just a comfortable pair of shoes. You can fit it into your daily schedule whenever it’s most convenient for you - and since there are no monthly membership fees to pay, it’s a very cost effective way to exercise.

There are so many health benefits associated with walking that it’s almost difficult to credit that these are available from a low impact, low injury risk exercise format. The important thing is consistency - low level exercise, performed on a regular basis is very much better for you than infrequent and periodic spells of intense physical activity.

Walking for half an hour a day, three or four times a week, on a regular basis, will provide you with results that you can both see and feel. If you can gradually increase to 10,000 steps each day - which is the equivalent of somewhere between four and a half and five miles for most people - you will really start to reap the rewards. Five miles may sound like a lot - but it’s much more achievable than you might think.

There are plenty of opportunities to get exercise by walking every day. If you have time to fit in a thirty minute to one hour walk, then that’s great. If you don’t, then there are many ways to boost the number of steps that you take on a daily basis.

Leaving the car in the garage and walking to work or school is sound advice. However, if the distance involved is too great then take the car as usual - but park it in the far corner of the parking lot so that you have further to walk to get to the entrance. If you travel by bus or subway rather than car then you could get off a couple of stops early and finish your journey on foot.

Take a ten or fifteen minute stroll around the block at lunchtime. You’ll have more energy, and you’ll be more mentally alert, throughout the course of the afternoon. Make the most of modern technology by walking around when you’re talking on your mobile or cordless phone. One fifteen minute phone call can allow you to fit an extra 1,000 steps into your day.

If most of your walking is fitted into your day on a piece-meal basis, then you might want to consider getting yourself a pedometer. These can be worn discreetly on your belt or carried in your pocket. A pedometer will let you monitor your progress in terms of the number of steps taken, the distance covered or the number of calories burned. Tracking your progress in this manner will help you to stay motivated and will encourage you to seek out ever more innovative ways of incorporating walking into your daily routine.

Have a look at the huge selection of styles available from Fitflops - sandals, boots, clogs and slippers.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Finding Snakes And Reptiles

Monday, April 26th, 2010

There are few places in the world that haven’t been colonised by snakes and other reptiles. Snakes are even found in cities, although it is only the friendlier ones that usually survive human wrath. However, if you want to find some of the more uncommon snakes, you could look in parks and fields, on beaches or in rivers and ponds and even in the sea, depending on where you live, naturally, as sea snakes tend to inhabit warmer, tropical waters.

You will have to be very alert and train your eyes to notice even the slightest movement. Wear clothes of dull, drab colours and move very slowly, stopping often to listen out for movement in the grass or bushes. In the beginning, you will have many false hopes, until you learn to tell the difference between the sounds of the various animals that live or hunt in the grass.

Snakes are difficult to find. Most of the adventurous snakes get killed by frightened (and often ignorant) humans, but a good tip is to look for relatively damp areas in arid regions and, conversely, dry spots in damp areas. Look for where their prey might congregate. For example, near water for toads and frogs. Watch for frightened lizards or birds fleeing for all they are worth. And listen for geckos warning each other of the presence of a predator.

If you need to disturb anything, at least don’t wreck it and furthermore, make sure you put it back as you found it. Two useful tools while out looking for snakes and other reptiles are binoculars (for tree snakes) and a snake-hook, which should also be used for moving bits of debris so that you don’t risk getting bitten by a snake or stung by a scorpion. A camera, a torch and a notebook and pen are quite, depending on how seriously you take your interest in herpetology.

You might also take a rule or tape to measure your specimens and a few plastic bags and boxes to hold them while you are doing it. However, do not harm anything and do not take anything home with you either! Besides it not being right to wander into their domain and cause mayhem, it is often against the law too. Be very wary of picking up any snake that you cannot definitely identify as non-venomous. You could be miles from anywhere and will probably not have any anti-venom with you. Since many snakes can kill within 30 minutes, you would probably die.

To summarize, go looking for snakes by all means. However, take it easy and slowly and wear camouflaged clothing. Furthermore, wear strong, climbing boots to give you some protection where you are most vulnerable and do not move anything unnecessarily. Use a snake-hook to move things if you have to; a tape, torch, camera, notebook and pen to record your experience and/or findings and a couple of clear plastic receptacles just in case you feel that you have to pick something up.

I hope you really enjoy your hunt for snakes and other reptiles, but always remember that snakes are not friendly and they are definitely not pets, so be wary of snake bites especially if your search is not taking place in the gardens of a hospital!

If you are interested in snakes and reptiles, you should go over to our web site called Caring for Snakes

categories: snakes,reptiles,herpetology,pets,hobbies,interests,animals,poison,blood,family,recreation,walking,outdoors,other

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »