June 13, 2008
Sports
No Comments
No one can say for certain who was the first person to ever try surfing, but the ancient Polynesians are credited for making it a central theme of their society. It literally ruled their world and became a deep part of their religion and social culture.
Hawaii’s Duke Kahanamoku is recognized as the single person who made surfing so popular. After record-breaking performances in the 1912 and 1920 Olympics, Duke traveled the world with his 10’ redwood plank surfing board. He drew large crowds everywhere he went and surfing became an instant world-wide phenomenon.
Today surfing is so popular it has become a multi-billion dollar industry. A major portion of those monies are in the fashion and clothing market. Surfers have carved out their own specific style and drawn a lot of non-surfers into it as well, leading to huge sales of surfer apparel.
Some hard-core surfers have made their passion a career by competing in numerous surfing contests and receiving sponsorship from corporations to peddle their surf-related products. However, true to its Polynesian roots, many consider surfing a quasi religion and no matter how much money they are offered, they continuosly shun the commercial aspect of it. They are commonly referred to as “soul surfersâ€.
A surfer must have numerous skills to succeed. This includes controlling their board in tough conditions as well as riding challenging waves. Various surfing moves such as turning and carving must feel like second nature for a successful surfer. Like other sports surfing has also become more extreme in recent years. Getting “air†is when a surfer propels himself off of a wave and into the air, only to re-enter the water and keep his balance. Of course, the ultimate surfing thrill is “riding the tubeâ€. It’s when a surfer gets into a position whereby the wave curls over them and they continue riding forward in the hollow part of the tube. A true surfer will tell you that once you’ve gotten “tubular†you’ll be a surfer for life.
June 13, 2008
Sports
No Comments
Paintball is one of the most fun sports to evolve in a long time. It really started in the 1970’s but didn’t gain widespread popularity for awhile. It is challenging both physically and mentally but for many, it is also highly rewarding.
Paintball is played by hitting opposing team members with gelatin, paint-filled balls. They are shot out of guns that powered by carbon dioxide or compressed air. The guns are typically called paintball markers.
The object is usually for one member of either team to travel across enemy lines and steal the other team’s flag. If a player is shot by an opposing team player with paint, they are eliminated from that round and must go to the sidelines. While teams will often start out with 10 to 25 people each, it’s easy to see how that number can decline rapidly.
Of course you must wear some protective gear when playing paintball. A helmet and face mask are essential. While they don’t inflict great pain, getting hit by a paintball is not exactly enjoyable and paint on one’s face would be a disaster.
Paintball became very popular in the United States in the 1990’s. While it has since lost some of its initial luster, there is still a large number of die-hard fans. They have formed many leagues and tournaments. For some truly paintball addicts, they’ve made it a life-long passion by opening businesses that offer gear and supplies to all numerous players.
If you’re looking to get involved in paintball, you should probably rent some equipment first and see if you truly enjoy it before spending money on anything you will own. Once you’re sure it’s for you, dive in head first and become another happy weekend paintballer!
June 13, 2008
Sports
No Comments
Bicycling is used as recreation by people of all ages in many different parts of the world. It can also be quite a competitive sport too. There is a myriad of gear that cyclists use depending on the purpose for cycling.
No matter what age you are, a helmet should be mandatory when riding a bicycle. Every year 1000’s of people (many of them children) suffer serious head trauma in cycling accidents. Almost 95% of these injuries could be avoided with the use of a helmet. Kids used to think helmets weren’t cool but when extreme cycling started to become popular and those involved in it started talking about safety issues, helmets and other gear gained popularity. Nowadays you see kids covered with padding and decorated helmets mimicking their favorite riders.
For the high end cycling enthusiast, there are numerous choices to make when purchasing cycling gear. From specially padded seats and aerodynamic shorts to custom made cycling shoes with replaceable heels, there is no shortage of cycling gear available to those who seek it. Long distance cyclists often take hydration packs with them on their cycling adventures. These are essential as your body will need more water than just a single bottle could hold for such a long journey.
Depending on the type of cycling you want to do, you may also consider purchasing a pump that attaches to the bike as well as a kit to replace a tire tube if needed. Nothing worse than getting stranded because your bike has a flat tire! The internet is a great place to find cycling gear at a discount with numerous online shops offering excellent discounts. Many dealers also offer their entire inventory via Ebay as well. Cycling gear is limited only by your budget. If you are considering becoming a serious cyclist, you should be prepared to spend at least a few thousand dollars to start on various cycling gear.
May 22, 2008
Sports, golf
No Comments
The weather is getting warmer, the mornings are cool and the evenings are perfect start hitting the golf course. If you are like me I’m getting tired of paying rental fees to have access to a used golf cart, I need my own. Unfortunately, like my golf game, my wallet has close to zero cash in it, therefore I rely on being able to find a good used golf cart.
Although I’m just as sensitive to gas prices as the next person, I’m still trying to decide if I should purchase an electric golf cart or gas powered golf cart. Most popular brands of golf carts offer gas or electric versions, like EZ GO Golf Carts, Club Golf Carts, and Yamaha. I’m a bit of a power freak, so a gas powered buggy is probably in my future. But, not just any stock golf cart will do, because I intend to customize it and make it my own.
Golf Cart Lift Kits are the perfect way to customize any golf cart, making them cool looking and more functional. From what I understand, just because you lift your golf cart, doesn’t mean it won’t be allowed on the nicer golf courses. Often times the larger tires are easier on the grass than some of the smaller, harder wheels.
Lastly, to kick off this new golf season I think I’m going to invest in a new golf bag. Judging by a lot of the reviews on the net the best golf bags are Nike Golf Bags. Not only are they extremely functional, but also are a name brand that I like. Tiger Woods style baby!
I’ll see you on the course!
Christopher Davidson