Date: July 22nd, 2010
By: admin
A cheerleader is defined as “a person who leads cheers and applause, especially at sporting events.” So it’s with some irony that an activity supposed to bring people together has been so divisive. Specifically around whether cheerleading is actually a sport.
It’s been a point of contention for years, although I’m perfectly fine with calling it a sport. (Wherever you end up in that argument, this much isn’t up for debate: cheerleading is extremely dangerous.) A federal judge, however, has decreed differently with one big caveat (via KPTV.com):
Competitive cheerleading is not an official sport that colleges can use to meet gender-equity requirements, a federal judge ruled Wednesday in ordering a Connecticut school to keep its women’s volleyball team.
Several volleyball players and their coach had sued Quinnipiac University after it announced in March 2009 that it would eliminate the team for budgetary reasons and replace it with a competitive cheer squad.
The school contended the cheer squad and other moves kept it in compliance with Title IX, the 1972 federal law that mandates equal opportunities for men and women in education and athletics. But U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill disagreed in a ruling that those involved say was the first time the cheerleading issue has been decided by a judge.
For an activity to be considered a sport under Title IX it has to have coaches, practices, competitions during a defined season and a governing organization. Also — and this is a biggie — it must “have competition as its primary goal – not merely the support of other athletic teams.”
No word on if the judge weighed in on the scourge that has become spaghetti-strap tops.
Read More at http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2010/07/22/federal-judge-rules-that-cheerleading-is-not-a-sport/?icid=main|aim|dl7|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fbackporch.fanhouse.com%2F2010%2F07%2F22%2Ffederal-judge-rules-that-cheerleading-is-not-a-sport%2F
Tags: 1972 federal law, afp, backporchfanhouse.com, cheerleading, connecticut schools, federal judge ruling, kptv.com, men, sport, timothy a. clary, title ix, u.s. district judge stefan underhill, women
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Date: December 28th, 2009
By: Isiah Brooks
Why have so many celebrities turned to drugs and alcohol over fitness and nutrition? The private yet troubling lives of the rich and famous are portrayed as glamorous and affluent when many times their lives are the exact opposite. Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger Brittany Murphy, DJ AM, and Billy Mays. Google any one of the names above and anti-depressants or illegal drugs comes attached to their deaths.
Today, many individuals believe depression can be cured with a pill. The idea that self-medication is easier than confronting one’s problems by eliciting the help of family, friends, or health professionals has become commonplace in our society. Psychiatrists and pharmaceutical companies are now working side by side to “help” depressed individuals by prescribing newly developed anti-depressants, promising to eliminate both the physiological and psychological effects associated with depression.
The problem starts when celebrities turn legal substance use into problem drug abuse. Overdosing on anti- depressants with the addition of binge drinking or other drugs only amplifies the sedative effects of the drug. Take, for example, Heath Ledger. “Heath Ledger died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications including painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills” reported CNN.com of his death in January of 2009. The report also included stressful activities that were going on in his life that caused him to turn to drugs to solve some of his apparent problems.
Instead of following in these celebrities footsteps try starting 2010 with a different approach. Choosing fitness and nutrition over drugs and alcohol would win the battle of substance abuse and closet deviance that are hidden from the public eye. Although Michael Jackson and others chose this route you can take steps to a more positive lifestyle.
I challenge you to take the 2010 bpure approach to health and wellness,
- Start each day with a positive thought. A positive thought’s prepares you mind to handles the days challenges with motivation and enthusiasm.
- Give yourself 5 to 10 minutes to stretch and meditate on the day’s events. Stretching helps move oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and brain.
- Eat a balanced breakfast. This is the most important meal of the day! It arms your body with the calories it needs to jumpstart your morning.
- Go for a nice stroll or jog to release those feel good endorphins whenever you have a 20 min break. The time by yourself will allow you to reflect on your accomplishments and set small goals for the future. This allows you to take a break from the daily hustle and bustle. This is your quiet time for yourself, so cherish it and accept that its ok, you deserve it.
- Plan an activity with a friend or family member each week. Spending time with people who care about you is important and strengthens your relationship with people you trust.
- Deal with problems and issues during the day so that you can rest at night. Giving your body at least 7 hours of sleep keeps you energized for the next day.
- Enjoy what life has given you! Don’t stress over things that you cannot control and always remember to look at the bigger picture. Be grateful for what you have and choose realistic goals for yourself and 2010 will be great for you.
Tags: 2010, anti-depressants, billy mays, brittany murphy, celebrity deaths of 2009, cnn.com, dj am, drugs and alcohol, enthusiasm, fitness and nutrition, heath ledger, meditate, men, michael jackson, motivation, pharmaceutical companies, psychiatrists, women
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Date: December 7th, 2009
By: Isiah Brooks
The ability to listen to your body is essential to becoming a successful athlete. Pushing your body when your training schedule requires can only go so far if you are both physically and mentally prepared. For example, if your workout schedule includes interval training on certain days and you are too tired, modify your workout to your daily needs. This does not mean that you are being lazy or “slacking.” Allowing your body to rest at the correct training times is required to allow your muscles to recover and heal.
I had to learn this important truth the hard way. After several months of over-training, my body finally gave up. I developed stress fractures in both of my feet and could no longer train for almost six weeks. It was incredibly difficult to stay off my feet and I was miserable. But in forcing my body to rest for those long weeks, I felt strong and reenergized. The experience taught me that rest was just as critical to conditioning as my intense workout schedule.
Understanding what your body is telling you and the importance of rest will allow you to become a stronger and better athlete. When doing high intensity training, monitor yourself carefully for signs of impending injury or overtraining. Remember to replenish your body with adequate complex carbohydrates and lean protein after each training session. Proper nutrition will provide your body with the building blocks to make you stronger and faster and give you energy for the next set of challenges.
Don’t be afraid to “call it quits” for the day. Even several days off may be what your body needs to fully recuperate from the daily stresses of a hectic schedule. Training is supposed to be fun. Learn to make the most of your time off and prepare yourself for tomorrow’s new challenge.
Tags: athlete, complex carbohydrates, faster, high intensity, impending injury, lean protein, meghan carroll, men, proper nutrition, stress fracture, stronger, women
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Date: December 1st, 2009
By: Isiah Brooks
Heidi Drecksler has been creating original songs and melodies since the age of 14. She is known by many as a lyrical machine whose versatility spans nearly every genre of music. Drecksler comes from a lineage of creative writers; her grandparents, Joseph & Blanche Nevel were gifted poets as well as translators for the brilliant work of Nobel Prize winning author, I.B. Singer. Her Mother, Debi Drecksler, is a renown human interest writer and advice columnist.
An eccentric lady of her craft, this Cancerian song writer receives most of her inspiration in a highly unconventional setting, stating “As a water sign, there is something about being in the shower that opens up a channel between The Divine & my mind. I am blessed with incredible ideas which flow through my soul and manifest into magnificent melodic masterpieces. I am pleasantly surprised every time a new song is formulated in this manner.”
Drecksler has written more than a hundred unique song concepts. Not only does she satisfy contemporary industry needs, including pop, country, soul, rock & Broadway tunes, Drecksler also ghost writes for rappers, with tracks covering all styles of urban music. In addition, her talent delves deeply into the world of gospel music, where she has written a rich collection of timeless classics. There is no boundary this songwriter does not cross, nor challenge faced without a smile. continue »
Tags: b-wise, debi drecksler, december featured artist, fibromyalgia, fitness, gospel, heidi drecksler, hiphop, i.b. singer, men, nobel prize, r&b, songwriter, women
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Date: November 27th, 2009
By: Isiah Brooks
Are you feeling like a stuffed turkey? Did you eat too much? Are your ankles swollen? Do you feel sick? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it’s time for you to do some post-turkey day training!
Post Turkey Day Workout
Cardio: 10 min of light cardio (i.e. treadmill, stroll in the park, or jumping jacks)
2 sets of push ups (10 to 15 reps)
2 sets of standing squats (10 to 15 reps) Make these non-weight bearing to keep your heartrate up and legs loose.
Using a chair or bench, 2 sets of tricep dips (10 to 15 reps) and alternate with jumping jacks (30 seconds) or standing lunges (10 per leg) in between sets.
2 sets of this ab cycle: 10 crunches, 10 bicycles, 10 right and 10 left side abdominal crunches.
Finish with 10 more minutes of cardio.
5 minutes of stretch with lots of water to flush those turkey toxins out of your body!
Tags: abs, cardio, heartrate, interval training, men, pushups, stuff turkey, tricep dips, women
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Date: November 25th, 2009
By: Isiah Brooks
Come out and join us on Dec 2nd from 7-10pm at Camden Aventura 3100 NE 190th St. Aventura, Fl. We are proud to be apart of this great night collecting toys to benefit “Community Partnership for the Homeless”. Bring a toy for entry to this networking event. Help give Christmas back to the community and meet other professionals with similar interests. bpure thanks you!
Happy Holidays!
Tags: camden aventura, catalina cleaners, community partnership for the homeless, holiday benefit, john davis, john davis racing, men, the advantage yacht charters, women
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Date: November 6th, 2009
By: Facebook User
Here are some great tips from our Nov Featured Athlete, Emily Danielson, to help keep you motivated and focused. Emily provides these helpful tidbits on a full schedule of her own! Heed what she says-she speaks the truth.
Reach your goal tips:
- Pin point what your actual goal is.
-Do you want to loose weigh, gain muscle, tone, increase endurance…..
- Know why you have this goal. (Must be for you!)
-Health reasons, self confidence, summer time appearance, special event, increase energy throughout your day…
- Create a realistic plan of action, including life in AND out of the gym.
-educate yourself on how to use the most of your time in the gym to reach your goal as efficiently as possible. Also, educate yourself on how to make the most of cardio, proper meal planning and proper rest.
- Set a goal date!
-90% of people who try to reach their goals without an actual “reach the goal day” do not succeed.
Tip: Most gyms offer free personal training orientations or fitness assessments. This is a fantastic way to design a solid work out plan that you like! And remember, if you don’t like it or you get bored, it can be changed as many times as you want!
Meeting with a nutritionist is also a great way to come up with the perfect meal plan to reach those goals and to feel great through the day!
Stay motivated tips:
- Take all junk food out of your house.
- Surround yourself with like minded positive people, it’s a huge support.
- Write down your goal and goal date on a post-it and put one on your car dash and another on the bathroom mirror. (or wherever you will see it daily)
- Take progress pictures.
- Above all make sure you are doing this for you! If you feel pressured or unhappy you will not stick to it. You have to want it.
- Talk, read and ask! The more you learn about what you are trying to do the easier it will be to stay motivated and focused!
- Keep a progress log so you can really see the progress your making.
- Planning and time management. You must be organized and manage your time wisely. We are all busy; allowing yourself to get caught up in the events of life pushing your workout to the back burner is all too easy.
- Set some smaller daily or weekly goals for yourself. Keep your eye on the over all goal but don’t let it overwhelm you. Break it down if need be.
- Crank up those jams! An iPod is every gym goer’s best friend. If you start to loose focus in your workouts…it’s time to change it up!
Tags: Emily Danielson, fitness, men, nutrition, women
5 Comments »
Date: November 3rd, 2009
By: Isiah Brooks
H1N1: A Younger Person’s Flu
By: Kara Winerman
One of the most striking things about the H1N1 virus is the major effect it has had on young adults and children. Typically, most serious complications and deaths during flu season occur in adults over the age of 65; however, with H1N1, the majority of deaths have been in people under the age of 65. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of the end of October there were 114 deaths from H1N1 confirmed among children. That is why children and young adults between the ages of 6 months and 24 years are in one of the priority groups to receive the H1N1 vaccine.
So what many people are asking in the midst of the H1N1 pandemic is how safe is the vaccine? According to both the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO), the studies conducted so far have shown that the pandemic vaccines have the same safety record as the seasonal flu vaccines. Any side effects from the pandemic vaccines are also similar to those from the seasonal vaccines, and so unless a person suffers from severe allergies to eggs or other substances in the vaccine, then it is strongly recommended that everyone, particularly children and young adults (and pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions) receive the pandemic vaccine.
In addition to getting vaccinated, it is important that children practice good health behaviors to prevent contracting H1N1. Parents and teachers should both inform children about prevention methods and model these behaviors to make them routines in the home and in the classroom. Prevention behaviors include sneezing/coughing into a tissue instead of one’s hands and then immediately throwing the tissue away, washing hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, and staying home from school when sick. These prevention behaviors, along with general good health behaviors, such as eating well and getting plenty of physical activity, should be modeled by adults and incorporated into a normal routine for children. That way they become standard practices that don’t panic children about swine flu, but rather set them up to prevent the spread of even seasonal flu and the common cold, and make them all-around healthier individuals.
Tags: center for disease control, children, h1n1, kara winerman, men, swine flu, vaccine, women, world health organization
1 Comment »
Date: October 31st, 2009
By: Isiah Brooks
Are you tired of the same old fitness regime? Well here’s a little thought for a change. Here are 10 Ways To Switch Up Your Training Program
1. Train with a buddy. An extra person always helps increase motivation or try challenging each other to a fitness competition.
2.Explore fitness materials such as health magazines. For example, look at Flex, Oxygen and Men’s Fitness and incorporate the different tips they prescribe into your exercise schedule.
3.Increase your workouts. For example, instead of doing 2 sets at 8 reps try 3 sets at 10 to 15 reps.
4.If your workout is boring, spice it up! Change your ipod music or re-evaluate your goals.
5.Change the setting of your workouts. Utilize the parks with fields or paved paths,try a water workout, gym or your home.
6.Train smarter, not harder. Do your research and challenge yourself to understand the makeup of your body’s structure and make realistic goals. don’t waste your time trying to be something your body is not.
7.Take a class. For example, kickboxing, aerobics, dance etc. By taking a class you will discover new and improved ways for training your body. This may be the very change your body needs.
8.Increase or shorten your workouts. By increasing your workouts, it challenges your endurance and by shortening your workouts it increases the intensity level to achieve maximal results in a shorter amount of time.
9.Create a workout log. This journal will help you monitor your progress. Men can use the log to record sets and weight while women can use it to monitor progress or flexibility during workout routines. It is a great tool for improvement!
10. Hire a Fitness Professional. When searching for a Certified Personal Trainer, remember that he or she should look the part and also understand the structure of body mechanics.
Tags: athletes, flex, men, men's fitness, oxygen, training tps, women
1 Comment »
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