Jumping

Easy Steps to Stop Your Dog from Jumping on You

When you bring home that adorable puppy her dog behavior is so cute. She puts her feet up on you to get your attention, jumps in your lap, jumps up and down on her hind legs begging to be picked up.

And what do you do? You reinforce all those dog behaviors. Give her attention, pick her up, make sure she’s comfortable on your lap. Then, lo and behold, she grows from 15 pounds to 75 pounds and is still jumping on you. That cute puppy behavior is now bad dog behavior. In fact, it’s downright maddening and you can’t get it to stop.

Humans often give dogs mixed signals -- telling them to do one thing, but reinforcing very different dog behavior. Or expecting dogs to read our minds -- is it ok to jump up sometimes but not others? Which is which? Dogs can’t figure that out.

You probably don’t even know you’re sending mixed signals.

Situations change throughout the day- you love that your dog jumps up on the bed to wake you with sloppy, wet kisses; it is endearing to have your dog greet your return with the big stretch to reach up so you will pick them up or love on them; it is helpful when the dog jumps up on a chair to help you put the leash on the collar.

It becomes a problem when guests come over and the dog jumps on them; when you are dressed up and now dirty feet have ruined your outfit; or when it is just simply not convenient.

STEPS TO STOP THE JUMPING

As humans, it’s our job to teach dogs how we want them to behave. Here are some easy tips to change that unwanted dog behavior.

1. BE CONSISTENT

Figure out what you want and then be consistent with what you desire. Do you want your dog to jump or not? Dogs don’t understand "sometimes".

If the answer to the question is, I want the jumping to stop, then take a look at your situation and ask yourself these questions:

When does it happen?
What are your various responses?
When are you consistent?
When are you not consistent?
How can you be gentle and clear with your responses?

2. DO NOT REINFORCE THE BEHAVIOR

This seems obvious. But oftentimes it’s not. You have to change your behavior before you can expect Fluffy to change hers.

3. GIVE AN INCOMPATIBLE BEHAVIOR COMMAND

The very easiest way to correct this behavior is to give an incompatible behavior. For example, Sit is a great choice. Most dogs know it and it is easy to put a dog into a sit if needed.

4. GO STIFF

When your dog begins jumping, stop your body movement and go stiff. Turn your back slightly. Give the new command "Rover, sit". Help Rover sit if needed.

Let this become your new response to Rover’s jumping. PRAISE the sit. If Rover pops up out of the sit and jumps up, start over. Go stiff, give the command (Rover, sit), help with the sit if needed. PRAISE (and treat if handy) the sit.

As you are consistent, your dog will comply with your new desires. PRAISE each time your dog sits. This is the new polite way of getting your attention. PRAISE whenever your dog comes and sits in front of you. This is the signal "please" for attention, outside, treat, etc.

Super-exciting times to a dog will probably result in the old jumping but be consistent and patient, and as you do this, you gain leadership respect from your dog.

CONCLUSION

Dog behavior modification can be done very quickly and your relationship will get better and better. Be patient, kind, loving and consistent. Your dog wants to make you happy. Use these few simple steps to STOP THE JUMPING!

the Bowler's Uniform

Bowling Shirt Completes the Bowler's Uniform

Most real player of bowling wears bowling shirt. This shirt is made from different fabrics like poly/cotton, 100 cotton. By the way, all these kind of shirts may or may not have prints. There are prints on the back, front, or on both sides, especially the customized ones in which their shirts have printed or hand-chainstitched logo. The logos can be a company or a team logo. Common style of these shirts have contrasting collar, button-up front, pocket in front (optional), and back pleats.

Bowling shirts should be comfortable to wear yet durable. It is best that you feel comfortable with what you wear in playing bowling so that you will not be distracted by discomfort while playing game because bowling requires concentration and coordination in order to win the game. Bowling shirts paired with comfortable jeans, and then you are ready to show what you got. This is just the right outfit for you. It is also important to choose the right fit for your shirt; it should be light- weight, not too loose, and not too tight.

If you are an amateur or professional bowler, you should have a bowling shirt. If you want to personalize you bowling shirt, it is possible. On-line stores have a wide variety of designs and styles for you to choose from. You can check out at any bowling related websites and you can find many choices of bowling shirts in different designs and colors. And if you are the type of person who prefers fitting an outfit to know exactly the right size and the right color (like me), you can always check out your local sports retail stores for your bowling shirt.

For you to be easily labeled as a bowler, wearing a comfortable bowling shirt will do. By doing so, each time you go bowling, you will be recognized as one right away. And besides, that should be the right outfit for you for better performance.

Shooting for the Stars

The magic of the camera in the hands of great directors makes kids all over the world dream of stardom. However, the world of cinematography is notoriously difficult to break into, but young, aspiring filmmakers take heart!

The Windy Hill Kids Film Festival, debuting this spring, is on a slightly smaller scale than the larger festivals in New York and Hollywood…for now. Opening in Menlo Park on April 9th, Windy Hill will showcase films by young film producers in 4th grade through high school. The festival organizers are expecting several films this year throughout the South Bay Area. And with inspirational leaders like its young founder, Shelby Rachleff, the sky’s the limit. Better watch out, Hollywood - this kid is dreaming big.

A 7th grader from Menlo School, Shelby has taken on no small challenge. Brought on by her love of the cinema, Shelby’s film festival will be the first of its kind in the greater Palo Alto San Mateo area. The festival will encourage dialogue between filmmakers and community members in a supportive setting.

Shelby first decided to organize a film festival after attending the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado. “This summer, I went to see the Telluride Film Festival with my parents and was inspired to try to emulate what I saw,” said Shelby. “I thought there are so many of my friends who like to play around with Apple’s easy-to-use iMovie and digital cameras – if they could share their movies with other kids, it might inspire them while also being tons of fun!”

This future producer caught the bug for filmmaking at a young age. Even as a little kid, she would think of ways to translate her favorite books into screenplays.

“I’m a pretty voracious reader,” said Shelby. “I would make notes on which of the books I read might make great movies. I’d ask my parents how I could make a career out of that when I was older.”

In pursuit of this dream, Shelby attended iD Tech Camps, a weeklong summer technology program for students ages seven to 17 at Stanford University and other prestigious universities nationwide. At camp, Shelby took Web Design and Digital Video & Movie Production courses.

“At camp, I worked in a group to produce a movie. We edited it with help from our instructor,” said Shelby. “It was really exciting using professional products like Canon digital cameras, Adobe After Effects for special effects and Apple Final Cut Pro for professional movie editing. We had a blast , learned so much and were definitely inspired to produce more films. It was a great experience to get us started.”

Shelby’s exposure to cutting-edge movie software and hardware helped focus her interest in movie making and raised the bar of her expectations. After attending camp at Stanford University, she became inspired to try new things in her movies.

“Going to iD Tech Camps made me want to use Final Cut Pro to incorporate more awesome stuff into my movies to make them more sophisticated,” said Shelby. “It was my first real introduction to using specific techniques, such as imported sounds, different logos, and experiments with lighting. It has definitely spurred my interest in filmmaking.”

“But Shelby soon learned that running a film festival is more than just producing great films. As April approaches, she is busy calling schools to confirm their participation, sending emails about the festival, checking the sound system and viewing the entries. She is also preparing her welcome speech and her introductions of the various films. The guest speaker at the festival will be Gardner Loulan, a Portola Valley native and VJ for MTV’s mtvU show.

“Gardner is really cool and will be inspiring to kids,” said Shelby. “We wanted to make this festival really non-threatening for kids – even though there’s a judge, it will be really non-threatening and a supportive environment for kids of ALL levels to show their entries. The idea is to get everyone involved and hopefully build up momentum so we can follow up with this festival in years to come.”

The Windy Hill Kids Film Festival is off to a roaring start. And with up and rising film producers like Shelby leading the way, who knows? One of today’s entrants could be inspired to be tomorrow’s big star.

Boxing

How To Perform Cardio-Boxing For Super Fitness

Ever wondered why most sports scientists agree that cardio-boxing is one of the best forms of exercise, well it is because it conditions the total body and provides a complete workout for your cardiovascular and endurance systems. Lets have a look at the benefits:

The major benefits of cardio-boxing include:

· Increased Stamina
· Increased Strength
· Increased Speed
· Increased Coordination

Cardio-boxing also promotes a person’s well being by strengthening their self-discipline and combined with strength training it’s well and truly the total package for self-defence and fitness and usually consists of:

· Adjusted heart rate work
· Actual boxing techniques

The usual workout consists of the age-adjusted heart rate work starting with 10 minutes for beginners and leading up to 20 minutes for the more advanced. For the second part of the workout, you’ll need to perform and practice 20 minutes of actual boxing techniques.

Cardio

The best way to measure the effects of an exercise program on your body is to check your pulse.

The easiest way to check the pulse is to place your index and middle fingers on your carotid artery or the wrist. Immediately after the exercise, count your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.

You can also check your pulse during the exercise but with safety as a first priority. To get a more precise reading of your pulse rate, purchase an electronic device from any sports store.

Now you have your exercising pulse rate or heartbeats per minute. We’ll be concentrating at the upper end of your pulse region: the 50% - 70% ranges.

To figure this out, deduct your age from 220. Suppose your age is 40, deduct this from 220 and you get 180.

50% of 180 is 90 beats a minute,
60% of 180 is 108 beats a minute,
70% of 180 is 126 beats a minute and so on.

Don’t jump into 70% work straight away. Start with 50% and slowly work your way up to the 70% upper limit.

Start with no more than 10 minutes, and work up to 20 minutes. Once you’re comfortable with working out for 20 minutes at 70% then try to increase the heart rate up to 80%.

Mix up your cardiovascular activities in the gym. Use the treadmill, skipping, rower, climber, and bike and other equipment that might be available to you.

Boxing

The boxing stance is the posture a boxer takes before and after every action depending on whether you are left or right handed. We’ll be dealing with the most common; right-handed. For left-handed people, just reverse the instructions.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, with your left foot in front of your right foot. Your right heel should be slightly raised with your left foot flat on the floor and toes pointing ahead.

Bend your knees a little and balance your weight comfortably and evenly.

Place your elbows close to your body with your left fist held at head height and in a position that corresponds to your left foot.

The right fist should be at head height also and guarding the chin, with both elbows protecting your body and both fists protecting your chin.

This is your defensive and offensive position after throwing punches, so please practice this before going any further. When moving forward in this boxing stance the left foot moves forward first and then the right follows.

When moving back, the right moves back and then the left follows. When moving sideward to the right, the right foot moves first followed by the left. When moving sideward to the left, the left foot moves first followed by the right.

Practice this moving forward, back and sideward in the boxer’s stance until it is done smoothly and quickly. Remember to keep your guard up and elbows tucked in to your sides.

Keep your head at eye level with your upper body leaning forward slightly. In boxing it is important that punches are thrown quickly and then bought back quickly to assume a defensive posture.

Punching

A left jab has many uses, it can be used for both offensive and

Defensive actions. From the set stance the left arm is pushed quickly and forcefully forward, the weight is shifted to the front foot. The fist moves in a straight line and straight back again for defence.

At the moment of impact the back of the hand and the lower arm are in a straight line. Keep the right fist in the defensive position and elbow tucked into the body during the movement.

The straight right is also known as the punching hand and can be thrown with considerable force. The arm moves straightforward from the chin, the body weight is shifted to the front foot with the ball of the foot of the back leg pushing into the floor for more power.

The back of the hand is straight and pointing up at the moment of impact. The arm is then immediately pulled back for protection after the hit.

The left hook to the head and body is an effective punch for closer range work. From the set stance turn your left shoulder quickly and move your elbow up to shoulder height. The fist moves in a circular motion to the target, with the elbow bent.

Rotate your hip and body whilst pressing your front left down keeping the back of your fist pointing up and in a straight line with the lower arm. The left hook to the body is similar to the above but increases the rotation of the body

The right uppercut is also carried out at close range. Drop the lower part of your punching arm until the lower and upper arm is at right angles to each other. The back of your hand should be pointing away from you, now thrust your arm forward and upward to your target.

Shift your body weight to your front leg and rotate your hip and shoulder on the same side. Remember to keep your left fist guarding your chin during the entire movement. Now practice all your punches until they are done quickly and smoothly.

To develop speed and endurance, try punching straight left and right combinations into the heavy bag. The duration of the exercise period is the same as the rest period i.e. 10 seconds exercise, 10 seconds rest, 20 seconds exercise, 20 seconds rest, and so on. Move up higher as your condition improves.

Believe me after you start applying Cardio–Boxing to your regular fitness workouts your cardiovascular and endurance systems will thank you for it.

Hockey Skates

6 Things To Know Before Buying Hockey Skates

Here are six of the most important points to consider before you buy your hockey skates, including common misunderstandings and frequent mistakes. If 'skate comfort and performance' really matter to you, then you need to read this!

Buying the top manufacturers model of skate may not be the best choice of skate to buy, for you.

Manufacturers make several models of skates to accommodate different levels of skating and the different physical sizes of skaters, as well as to cover many price points. The higher the model of skate, the more expensive it is and the stiffer it is.

If you're not physically heavy enough to deal with the stiffness of the skate it won't matter how much money you pay, your skating performance will suffer. Skates that are too stiff for a skater means no knee bend. Very often, it also means long-term discomfort.

Be honest with yourself when it comes to your skating ability and physical size. Purchasing a model of skate that matches those two criterions, can dramatically increase your skating performance, and save you money.

Fitting hockey skates like shoes.

Skates and shoes do not fit the same. A rule of thumb to use is that a skate will always fit a size, to a size and a half, smaller than your shoe size. Depending on how you fit your running shoes, a skate may even occasionally be as much as two sizes smaller.

If your skates are currently the same size as your running shoe? they are too big. For example if you wear a size 10 running shoe start with trying on a size 8-? hockey skate. If you generally wear an extra wide shoe, start with a 'D' width skate.

The ideal fit, length wise, has been achieved when you are standing in a skate that is laced up. The longest toe of the foot should, in fact, feather the end of the toecap. When you bend your knees slightly (like when you skate) the toes will pull completely away from the front of the toecap. If they don't pull away, then go up half a size. If you need growing room, then go up half a size.

Trying on a pair of skates and not lacing them up.

This is one of the most common reasons skaters end up in skates too big. Hockey skates are, by design, meant to fit when they are laced up. As the boot is laced up, the foot will draw into the back of the skate. A skate that ultimately fits properly will, more often then not, feel small when the foot is placed in the boot prior to lacing it.

Trying on a pair of skates without lacing them up is like trying on a button shirt without buttoning it? both are meant to fit when they are done up. So?when you put the skate on, be sure to give your heel a good kick into the back of the boot and then lace it up.

Buying the same make and model of skate that that the pro's (NHL) have.

This can be a tough one because the younger skaters want what their favorite player is wearing. The bottom line with this is that the skates that the general public is able to buy off the shelf, are not the same as what an NHL player is wearing.

The Bauer Vapor XX or CCM PRO or what ever the model might be, is not the same skate as what the general public are able to purchase. The pros are wearing custom made boots from the manufacturer. The NHL is a great marketing vehicle for the skate manufacturers. Consumers need to be aware of this fact.

Buying a longer length to try and accommodate a wide foot.

If your foot is wide and the skate is tight then buy a wider skate not a bigger length. The really big skate that feels good in the store, will come back to haunt you almost every time.

A skate has a very specific shape that is relative to the length of the foot going into it. If you purchase a skate that is the wrong length, nothing about the shape of the foot will line up with the boot. For example; the widest part of the foot comes back into the narrowest part of the boot. The arch of the foot no longer lines up with the arch of the skate. None of that will bother you in the store, but get out skating and it will show up.

Not setting enough time aside to properly fit the skates.

It can take time to fit a skate for comfort. Wrapping a very stiff piece of material around the foot can sometimes be a challenge.

How a skate fits in the first few minutes of putting it on compared to how it fits after spending some time to warm the boot up can make a dramatic difference. Give yourself at least an hour, so you can walk around the store and get a feel for the boot as well as warm it up. Also you may want to take the time to try more than one manufacturers skate and model.

Polo

Polo is a team sport played outdoors on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Riders score by driving a white wooden or plastic ball (size 3–3.5 inches, weight 4.25–4.75 ounces) into the opposing team's goal using a long-handled mallet. Goals are only valid if the scoring rider is mounted. The traditional sport of polo is played outdoors, and each polo team consists of four riders and their mounts.

The modern indoor variant is called arena polo. In arena polo, there are 3 instead of four players on each team and chukkers (periods) are 7 1/2 minutes in length. The playing area is 300′ x 150′.[1]

Another modern variant is snow polo, which is played either outdoor or indoor on snow on a frozen ground or ice. Each team generally consists of three players and also the equipment differs from the sport of polo. Other variants include elephant polo, bike polo and Segway polo. These sports are considered as separate sports because of the differences in the composition of teams, equipment, rules, game facilities etc.

History

Polo was first played in the Persian Empire (modern day Iran) at dates given from the 6th century BC to the 1st century AD.[2] Polo was at first a training game for cavalry units, usually the king's guard or other elite troops. To the warlike tribesmen, who played it with as many as 100 to a side, it was a miniature battle.[2] In time polo became a Persian national sport played extensively by the nobility. Women as well as men played the game, as indicated by references to the queen and her ladies engaging King Khosrow II Parviz and his courtiers in the 6th century AD.[3] Certainly Persian literature and art give us the richest accounts of polo in antiquity. Ferdowsi, the famed Iranian poet-historian, gives a number of accounts of royal polo tournaments in his 9th century epic, Shahnameh (the Epic of Kings). In the earliest account, Ferdowsi romanticizes an international match between Turanian force and the followers of Siyâvash, a legendary Persian prince from the earliest centuries of the Empire; the poet is eloquent in his praise of Siyâvash's skills on the polo field. Ferdowsi also tells of Emperor Shapur II of the Sassanid dynasty of the 4th century who learned to play polo when he was only seven years old.[4]

Valuable for training cavalry, the game was played from Constantinople to Japan by the Middle Ages. Known in the East as the Game of Kings.[3] The name polo is said to have been derived from the Tibetan word "pulu", meaning ball.[5]

The modern game of polo, though formalized and popularized by the British, is derived from the princes of the Tibeto-Burman kingdom of Manipur (now a state in India) in the southeastern Himalayas, who played the game while they were in exile in India sometime between 1819 and 1826.

The princes were on the run from the Burmese who had overrun their kingdom during what was called the Seven Years' Devastation. The first polo club was established in the town of Silchar in Assam, India, in 1834.

The origins of the game in Manipur are traced to early precursors of Sagol Kangjei. [6] This was one of three forms of hockey in Manipur, the other ones being field hockey (called Khong Kangjei) and wrestling-hockey (called Mukna Kangjei). Local rituals such as those connected to the Marjing, the Winged-Pony God of Polo and the creation-ritual episodes of the Lai Haraoba festival enacting the life of his son, Khori-Phaba, the polo-playing god of sports. These may indicate an origin prior to the historical records of Manipur, which go back to the 1st Century A.D.

In Manipur, polo is traditionally played with seven players to a side. The players are mounted on the indigenous Manipuri pony, which stands less than 13 hands high. There are no goal posts and a player scored simply by hitting the ball out of either end of the field. Players were also permitted to carry the ball, though that allowed opponents to physically tackle players when they do so. The sticks were made of cane and the balls were made from the roots of bamboo. Colorful cloth pom-poms dangle at sensitive and vulnerable spots around the anatomy of the ponies in order to protect them. Players protected their legs by attaching leather shields to their saddles and girths.[7]

In Manipur, the game was not merely a "rich" game but was played even by commoners who owned a pony.[5] The kings of Manipur had a royal polo ground within the ramparts of their Kangla Fort. Here they played Manung Kangjei Bung (literally, "Inner Polo Ground”). Public games were held, as they are still today, at the Mapan Kangjei Bung (literally "Outer Polo Ground”), a polo ground just outside the Kangla. Weekly games called Hapta Kangjei (Weekly Polo) were also played in a polo ground outside the current Palace.

The British are credited with spreading polo worldwide in the late 19th century and the early 20th century. Military officers imported the game to England in the 1860s. The establishment of polo clubs throughout England and western Europe followed after the formal codification of rules.[7] The 10th Hussars at Aldershot, Hants, introduced polo to England in 1869. The game's governing body in the United Kingdom is the Hurlingham Polo Association, which drew up the first set of formal British rules in 1874, many of which are still in existence.

This version of polo played in the 19th century was different from the faster form that was played in Manipur. The game was slow and methodical, with little passing between players and few set plays that required specific movements by participants without the ball. Neither players nor horses were trained to play a fast, nonstop game. This form of polo lacked the aggressive methods and equestrian skills to play. From the 1800s to the 1910s, a host of teams representing Indian principalities dominated the international polo scene.[7]

Polo found popularity in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico,Pakistan and the United States of America.[8][9][10]

James Gordon Bennett, Jr. organized the first polo match in the United States at Dickel's Riding Academy at 39th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City. During the early part of the 20th century, under the leadership of Harry Payne Whitney, polo changed to become a high-speed sport in the United States, differing from the game in England, where it involved short passes to move the ball toward the opposition's goal. Whitney and his teammates used the fast break, sending long passes downfield to riders who had broken away from the pack at a full gallop.

The oldest polo ground in the world is the Imphal Polo Ground in Manipur State established by the British in India. The history of this pologround is contained in the royal chronicle "Cheitharol Kumbaba" starting from AD 33. Lieutenant Sherer, the father of modern polo visited the state and played on this polo ground in the 1850s. Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India visited the state in 1901 and measured the pologround as 225 yards long and 110 yards wide. The oldest royal polo square is the 16th century Gilgit Polo Field, Pakistan, while the highest polo ground in the world is on the deosai Plateau Baltistan, Pakistan at 4307 meters (14,000 ft). The oldest polo club in the world still in existence is the Calcutta Polo Club (1862).

Polo is an equestrian sport with its origin embedded in Central Asia dating back to 6th century BC. At first it was a training game for cavalry units for the King's Guards or other Elite troops. To the warlike tribesmen who played polo with as many as 100 players to a side, it was a miniature battle. It became a Persian national game in the 6th century AD. From Persia, the game spread to Arabia, then to Tibet, China and Japan. In China, in the year 910, death of a favourite relative in a game prompted Emperor Apaochi to order beheading of all players.

A Brief History Of Baseball

A Short Baseball History

The game of baseball is said to have begun in the early 19th century, but that's just half the truth. The game was played much before but the first baseball clubs were formed around that time. An Englishman named Alexander Cartwright in the year 1845 devised the first set of rules baseball. In fact, many of the rules listed out then are still used in the game.

In the year 1858, a group of amateur players came together to form the first baseball league - known as the National Association of Baseball Players. Right from the first year, the National Association of Baseball Players began charging for admission to baseball games.

At the turn of the century, the American League of baseball came into being and began playing in 1901. The game of baseball was still very much a game of strategy. The game depended on bunting, base stealing and contact hitters. With the invention of the cork centered baseball, all that changed. Because the new baseball allowed for more home runs baseball's popularity took off--and so did the cost of admissions.Throughout the early 20th century, the game of baseballrelied more and more on the hitting of home runs, and lesson strategy. This was thanks to great baseball players like Babe Ruth, who completely revolutionized the game with hisprowess at hitting home runs. It is largely due to the "Babe" that baseball became one of the most popular sports in America. And it didn't hurt future baseball players that people were willing to pay to see Babe Ruth play.

Even as late as 1960, rival leagues tried to make their way into American baseball. All of them failed to leave any significant mark, and the game is still ruled today by the National and American leagues. And throughout the last part of the 20th century, baseball became both a game of strategy and hitting. Pitching and home run hitting, though, are the baseball benchmarks of today. Baseball teams are either big winners or big losers, depending on the strength of their bullpens and their home run hitters. And the cost of admission still continues to rise.

In the early 20th century the concentration was more on hitting the home runs. Babe Ruth changed the course of the game with his magical abilities to achieve home runs. It was due to sportsmen like Babe Ruth that baseball achieved the levels of popularity that it did. The popularity of Babe Ruth also helped in improving the money in the game, since people just went to watch Babe Ruth in action.

Rival leagues kept trying to break into American baseball even as late as 1960. Of course, they all failed to leave any significant mark, and could not challenge the supremacy of the National and American leagues that rule the game till date. Baseball became a game of strategy and hitting throughout the last part of the 20th century. However, pitching and home run hitting are the baseball benchmarks of today. Depending on the strength of their bullpens and their home run hitters, baseball teams are either big winners or big losers. The one thing that is consistent is that the cost of admission still continues to rise.