AEROBICS is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness (flexibility, muscular strength, and cardio-vascular fitness). It is usually performed to music and may be practiced in a group setting led by an instructor (fitness professional), although it can be done solo and without musical accompaniment. With the goal of preventing illness and promoting physical fitness, practitioners perform various routines comprising a number of different dance-like exercises. Formal aerobics classes are divided into different levels of intensity and complexity. Aerobics classes may allow participants to select their level of participation according to their fitness level. Many gyms offer a variety of aerobic classes. Each class is designed for a certain level of experience and taught by a certified instructor with a specialty area related to their particular class. Step Aerobics is a type of aerobics that involves stepping up on to and down from a portable block.
HISTORY Both the term and the specific exercise method were developed by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, M.D., an exercise physiologist, and Col. Pauline Potts, a physical therapist, both of the United States Air Force. Dr. Cooper, an avowed exercise enthusiast, was personally and professionally puzzled about why some people with excellent muscular strength were still prone to poor performance at tasks such as long-distance running, swimming, and bicycling. He began measuring systematic human performance using a bicycle ergometer, and began measuring sustained performance in terms of a person's ability to use oxygen. His groundbreaking book, Aerobics, was published in 1968, and included scientific exercise programs using running, walking, swimming and bicycling. The book came at a fortuitous historical moment, when increasing weakness and inactivity in the general population was causing a perceived need for increased exercise.
Aerobics gained world-wide popularity after the release of Jane Fonda's exercise videos in 1982.
YOGA is a set of mental and physical exercises aimed at producing spiritual enlightenment.
Yoga has been practiced in India in various forms for thousands of years. Its purpose is to strengthen the body and make it more flexible, as well as to calm the mind and awaken the spirit. It does this through gentle physical poses, deep, steady breathing, and meditation practice. Yoga is thought to be beneficial for mental stress, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, hypertension, and other disorders. People of all ages can do yoga, and yoga poses can be adapted for people with disabilities or special needs.
Benefits The physical aspect of what is called yoga in recent years, the asanas, has been much popularized in the West. Physically, the practice of asanas is considered to:
improve flexibility
improve strength
improve balance
reduce stress and anxiety
reduce symptoms of lower back pain
be beneficial for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
increase energy and decrease fatigue
shorten labor and improve birth outcomes]
improve physical health and quality of life measures in the elderly
improve diabetes management
reduce sleep disturbances
reduce hypertension
improve blood circulation
yoga can control the complications of diabetes
The emphasis on the physical benefits of yoga, attributed to practice of the asanas, has de-emphasized the other traditional purposes of yoga which are to facilitate the flow of prana (vital energy) and to aid in balancing the koshas (sheaths) of the physical and metaphysical body.
Zumba is a dance fitness program created by Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez during the 1990s.
Zumba involves dance and aerobic elements. Zumba's choreography incorporates hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo. Squats and lunges are also included. Zumba Fitness, an organization that sells Zumba videos and products, does not charge licensing fees to gyms or fitness centers. Approximately 14 million people take weekly Zumba classes in over 140,000 locations across more than 185 countries.
Fat and Calorie Burning
At its core, Zumba classes are intended to provide a large calorie burn through aerobic activity done with interval training in mind. Depending on body weight, gender, fitness level and other common physical factors, the number of calories you burn in a typical Zumba class will equal that of any fast social dancing hour, such as salsa, disco or jitterbug. For most people, that can add up to 400 to 600 calories burned per hour. With the classes choreographed to provide intervals of intensity in both pace of music and type of movements, class members' energy expenditure is maximized for fat-burning benefits. Fitness moves are also incorporated within Zumba dances, so don't be surprised if you find yourself moving from a fast merengue beat to a long, slow set of push-ups on the wall, or doing several sets of squats followed by plyometric jumps.
The game of basketball as it is known today was created by Dr. James Naismith in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, to condition young athletes during cold months. It consisted of peach baskets and a soccer style ball. He published 13 rules for the new game. He divided his class of eighteen into two teams of nine players each and set about to teach them the basics of his new game. The objective of the game was to throw the basketball into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of the gym balcony. Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. After a while, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed. The first public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892.The top of the hoop is 10 feet (305 cm) above the ground. Regulation backboards are 72 inches (183 cm) wide by 42 inches (110 cm) tall. All basketball rims (hoops) are 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter.
OFFENSE
When a team has the ball, they are considered to be on offense. Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand, and is a requirement for a player to take steps with the ball while on offense. A player cannot take any steps unless they are dribbling. Offensive play is varied, involving planned passes and movement by players. Therefore, when dribbling, a players eyes should be focused forward in order to see the floor and open teammates.
There are several types of passes: bounce pass, chest pass, cross court pass and lob pass. A cross court pass is easiest to steal by the defense. When a defender has their arms up, the offensive player should give a teammate a bounce pass. Teams almost always have several offensive plays planned to ensure their movement isnt predictable. On the court the point guard is usually responsible for running the offense and calling the plays.
A legal attempt by an offensive player to stop an opponent from guarding a teammate, by standing in the defenders way such that the teammate cuts next to him is called a screen or pick. Screens and cuts are very important in offensive plays by allowing the quick passes and teamwork which can lead to a successful basket. Two plays are combined in the pick and roll, in which a player sets a pick and then rolls away from the pick towards the basket. A give and go play is when after passing to a teammate, the passer quickly cuts towards the basket and receives the pass back from his teammate for a lay-up. An assist is a pass to a teammate that results in a made basket.
DEFENSE
There are two main defensive strategies: zone defense and man-to-man defense. Zone defense involves players in defensive positions guarding whichever opponent is in their zone. When a team is playing a zone defense, they want the opponent to take a 3-point shot. In man-to-man defense, each defensive player guards a specific opponent and tries to prevent them from scoring. A full court press is when the defense puts pressure of the offense for the entire length of the court. The best time to go into a full court press is after your team takes a shot.
A rebound is when a player controls possession of the ball on a missed shot. Transition is the process of changing from offense to defense or vice-versa.
VIOLATIONS
Violations are generally called fouls. In addition, an attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through physical contact (pushing, kicking, tripping, hitting) is illegal and is also called afoul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well.
Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in the act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful.
One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet from the basket. If a player is fouled while attempting a shot and the shot is unsuccessful, the shooter is awarded a number of free throws equal to the value of the attempted shot. If a player is fouled while attempting a regular two-point shot, they then receive two free throws. If a player is fouled while attempting a three-point shot, they then receive three free throws. A lane violation is when a player moves into the free throw lane before the shooter releases the ball for a foul shot.
The ball-handler may not move both feet without dribbling, an infraction known as traveling. A player may not dribble with both hands or catch the ball in between dribbles, a violation called double dribbling. A players hands cannot be under the ball while dribbling; doing so is known as carrying the ball. A team, once having established ball control in the front half of the court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first team to touch the ball. The ball cannot be kicked or struck with the fist. An offensive player cannot stand in the painted area for more than three seconds. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession, or, if committed by the defense, results in the reset of the shot clock.
A technical foul may also be issued when certain infractions occur, most commonly for unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of a player or coach. A technical foul gives the opposing team free throws. Two technical fouls results in a players removal from the game.
Flag football is a version of US-American football or Canadian football where the basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game (often called "tackle football" for contrast), but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier ("deflagging") to end a down. It is unknown where the roots of flag football originated, but it is believed to have started here in the United States. In 1867, Rutgers University established the first set of known rules for the American style of play. In fact, the first football game ever played was between Rutgers and Princeton. When the flag is pulled off the ball is spotted at the spot where the flag was pulled. In most cases, the lineman’s job is to block for the quarterback or running back and usually aren’t eligible to catch passes, however in our PE classes everyone is eligible to catch a pass. Normally the player who snaps the ball to the quarterback is called the center however, in flag football the player who snaps the ball to the quarterback is called a guard. Teams may run the ball or throw a forward pass to advance the ball. Any ball passed backwards is called a lateral pass. We don’t have any fumbles. The proper way to catch a ball thrown to you above your chest is to create a diamond with your hands connecting your thumbs and index fingers. If a ball is fumbled the play is automatically blown dead and the offense loses a down. Teams have four downs to score a touchdown. Touchdowns are worth six points. After a touchdown, if the team completes a conversion from the 10 yard line it is worth two points. A safety is also worth two points. After a safety the team on defense takes possession of the ball. The end zone is located between the goal line and the end line. When the offense catches a pass it is called a completion and when the defense catches a pass it is call an interception. A “sack” in football is when the quarterback is brought down behind the line of scrimmage.
Soccer, worldwide known as football became one of the first team sports in the Olympic Games in 1908 in Paris, France. Women’s soccer was added in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympic Games.
There are very few fixed dimensions for soccer fields. FIFA only stipulates that the professional 11 vs. 11 competition, the length of the field must be between 100 yards and 130. These lines are called sidelines. The width is between 50 and 100 yards. These lines are called the touch line. The soccer goal is 8 yards wide. That line is called the goal line. There are two boxes on the soccer field. They are the penalty box and the goal box. A match is played between two teams of 11 players each.
The players are called forwards, midfielders, fullbacks, and the goalkeeper. Other names for positions are strikers and sweeper. The official game consists of two 45 minute halves. The half-time interval must not exceed 15 minutes. The basic equipment consists of shorts, shirt, socks, shin guards and cleats. The number of points scored for a goal is one.
In soccer the hands and arms are to not be used. All other parts of the body, such as the head, legs, and chest can be used. If the arm or hand is used, a handball is called. The skills of the game include passing, juggling, trapping, heading, dribbling, kicking, and throw-ins. Passing is the ability to kick the ball to a teammate. Dribbling is when one player controls the ball moving up or down the field by way of several kicks.
The referee is in charge of the game, and has full authority to enforce the rules of the game. The referee may issue a caution for misconduct. If at anytime the referee stops play, a drop ball is taken and play is resumed. Reasons for play to stop include, injuries, game misconducts, game fouls, and/or any other occurrence that would cause an interference or advantage in the game.
A kick off is the way of starting and restarting the game. Kick offs occur at the beginning of each half, after a goal is scored, and to begin a period of extra time. If a goal is scored the ball must completely cross the goalline, both in between the post and under the crossbar. The player who passes the ball to the goal-scorer is credited with an assist.
When the referee stops play for certain fouls he may award a team with a direct free kick. The team will resume play from the spot of the infraction with a pass, or shot at the goal. Members of the opposing team must be at least 10 yards away when the ball is struck. If the free kick is indirect a second player must touch the ball before it can be shot at the goal. A direct free kick is awarded if the referee perceives a player commits a foul in any of the following offenses; careless, reckless, or using excessive force. If the player attempts or completes any of the following actions a foul will be called: kicks, trips, pushes, strikes, charges, jumps at, holds, tackles. If a foul occurs inside a player’s own penalty box, a penalty kick will be awarded for the opposing team. If a handball occurs inside a player’s own penalty box a penalty kick is awarded for the opposing team as well. After a foul is called the referee may take further action, and book the player committing the foul, by giving them a yellow card or a red card. A red card is immediate ejection from the game, while 2 yellow cards would cause the same fate for the player.
If the ball goes out on the sideline area, a throw in is awarded to the opposing team. A throw in is taken at the spot where the ball went crossed the out of bounds line. The player throwing the ball in must keep both feet in contact with the ground outside the boundary line while bringing the ball over his/her head with both hands equally. When the ball goes over the goal line, outside of the goal, a goal kick or corner kick is awarded, depending on which team touched the ball last. If the defending team touched it, a corner is awarded. If the attacking team had the last touch, a goal kick is awarded.
Softball is a team game commonly played in the United States and over 100 countries around the world. It is the most popular participant sport in the United States, as it is estimated that 40 million Americans will play at least one game of softball during a year. It is played by men and women both recreationally and competitively.
It is a direct descendant of baseball although some key differences are that softballs are larger than baseballs and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand. Softball is played on a smaller diamond than in baseball. Despite the game’s name, the standard softball is not soft; in fact, it is just as hard as a baseball.
The earliest known softball game was played in Chicago, Illinois on Thanksgiving Day, 1887, between Yale and Harvard alumni who had gathered at the Farragut Boat Club to hear the score of their annual football game. When the score was announced and bets were settled, a Yale Alumnus threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. The other person grabbed a stick and swung at it. George Hancock called out “Play Ball!” and the game began, with the boxing glove tightened into a ball, a broom handle serving as a bat. This first contest ended with a score of 44-40. The ball, being soft, was fielded barehanded. George Hancock is credited as the game’s inventor for his development of a 17” ball and an undersized bat in the next week. The Farragut Club soon set rules for the game, which spread quickly to outsiders. Seen as a way for baseball players to maintain their skills during the off season, the game was called “indoor baseball”.
Softball is played between 2 teams on a large field. There are 4 bases on the infield (first base, second base, third base, and home plate); the bases are arranged in a square and are 60 feet apart. Near the center of this square is the pitcher’s circle, and within the circle is the “rubber”, a small flat rectangular area. The object of the game is to score more runs than the other team by hitting a ball into play and running around the bases, touching each one in succession. The game is officiated by one or more umpires. The game is played in a series of innings, usually 6 or 7. An inning is one series of both teams playing offense and defense. Each inning is divided into a top half and a bottom half indicating which team is playing which role. The offense bats and attempts to score, while the defense trying to prevent it by recording 3 outs as quickly as possible.
To start play, the offense sends a batter to home plate. The batting order is fixed at the beginning of the game, and batters may not bat out of turn. The batter attempts to hit the ball that the pitcher throws underhand and in the strike zone. The strike zone is basically any ball thrown over the plate and between the knees and just below the shoulders of the batter. Four balls in an at bat constitute a walk and the batter is awarded first base, while three strikes is an out. Foul balls count as strikes…although after 2 strikes the batter can only strike out on a pitch that is swung and missed not a foul ball.
After the ball is hit successfully, the batter becomes a baserunner and must run to first base. They can reach base safely via a walk (4 pitched balls), single, double, triple, home run, hit by a pitched ball or error (fielder misplays a ball that should’ve probably been caught). The defense can tag the runner before he/she gets to the base; or first base can be touched by the fielder who has the ball BEFORE the runner arrives. Runners generally cannot be put out when touching a base, but only one runner may occupy a base at any time and runners may not pass each other. When a ball is batted into play, runners must attempt to advance if there are no open bases behind them; for example, a runner on first base must run to second base if the batter puts the ball in play. In such a situation, the defense can then also throw to the base that the lead runner is attempting to get to…it is a force out. A double play is when two outs are made in the same defensive play. Runners with an open base behind them are not forced to advance, and do so at their own risk. Defense must tag these runners directly to put them out rather than tagging a base.
A ball which is hit in the air and caught before hitting the ground is a catch and an immediate out, regardless of whether the ball would have landed fair or foul. In any such situation, runners must remain on their bases until the ball is touched by a defensive player or hits the ground. If the runner remains on the base until the ball is touched, or returns to the base after the catch but before the defense can put him out, he is said to tag up and may attempt to advance to the next base at his own risk.
A “run” is scored when a player has touched all four bases in order. They need not be touched on the same play...a batter may remain safely on a base while play proceeds and attempt to advance on a later play.
The team with the most runs after seven innings wins the game. If the home team is winning in the bottom half of the last inning, the home team does not have to bat.
The playing field is divided into fair territory and foul territory. Fair territory is further divided into the infield, and the outfield, and the territory beyond the outfield fence. The field is defined by foul lines that meet at a right angle at home plate.
The infield consists of the diamond and the adjacent space in which the infielders normally play. The outfield is the remaining space between the baselines and between the outfield fence and the infield.
There are nine players out on the field at one time. Although the pitcher and catcher have the ball the most, each person has a specific job. In the infield there is the pitcher, catcher, first baseman and second baseman, shortstop and third baseman. The shortstop stands between 2nd and 3rd base. The catcher stands behind home plate and is the only player who doesn’t start in fair territory. In the outfield there is a left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder. The left fielder usually stands behind the shortstop and the right fielder usually stands behind the second baseman.
KICKBALL-Kickball is a playground game and competitive league game, similar to baseball. Nicholas Seuss invented kickball in the United States in 1917. Kickball, originally called “Kick Baseball, was used by physical education teachers in public schools to teach boys and girls the basics of baseball. In the original game of kickball, teams would switch sides only after all team members have kicked. Only one base runner can occupy a base at a time and advance when the ball is kicked in play. “California Kickball” has become a new playground game, which has the same concept of kickball. However, in “California Kickball” an unlimited number of base runners can occupy a base at one time.
WIFFLE BALL- Wiffle Ball was designed to take the place of baseball, stickball and softball for boys and girls in back yards in city streets. The ball is made of a tough rubbery plastic, is light in weight and cannot be thrown or hit any great distance. Wiffle Ball is also an excellent indoor activity. In the original game of wiffle ball, ball chasing and base running were eliminated because the ball will not travel far when hit. Instead, the field is laid out with markers for singles, doubles, triples and home run areas. The minimum number of players required to play a game o wiffle ball is two-the pitcher and batter-one player on each side. Otherwise, the game rules are similar to that of baseball.
TEAM HANDBALL- Although there are records of handball-like games in medieval France in the Middle Ages, team handball flourished after it was played in the 1936 Men’s Summer Olympics in Berlin. The handball playing field is similar to an indoor football field. Two teams of seven players (six field plus one goalkeeper) take the field and attempt to score points by putting the game ball into the opposing team’s goal. However, some restrictions apply to the game of handball. For example, after receiving the ball, players can only hold the ball for three seconds before passing, dribbling (similar to a basketball), or shooting. Also, after receiving the ball, players can take up to three steps without dribbling. More than three steps are considered traveling and result in a turnover. Players that stop dribbling have three seconds to pass or shoot. A player may dribble as many times as he/she wants. However, since passing is faster, it is considered the preferred method of attack. No players other than the defending goalkeeper are allowed within the goal line. A standard match for handball has two periods of 30 minutes each with a 10-minute halftime. If the game ends in a tie after regular time has elapsed, there are a maximum of two overtimes of 5 minutes each.
SPEEDBALL- Speedball is a game played very similar to team handball. It is a combination of football, basketball, and soccer. The object of the game is to score as many points as you can by goal, hoop, or touchdown pass. Players with the ball can only move three steps, just like in handball. If the ball is dropped while passing to a teammate, it becomes a game of soccer.
HORSESHOES- Horseshoes is an outdoor game played between two people or two teams of two people. Four horseshoes and two throwing targets (stakes) are used to play the game. The players, alternate turns tossing horseshoes at stakes, which are placed 40 feet apart. In horseshoes, there are two ways to score: by throwing “ringers” or by throwing the horseshoe nearest to the stake. A ringer is a thrown horseshoe such that the horseshoe completely encircles the stake. A ringer scores three points. One player pitches both horseshoes in succession to one pit, followed by the other player. This is formally called an inning. Normally only one pitcher can score points per inning, however some leagues and tournaments play “count all”, in which all points in each inning are counted. Backyard games of horseshoes can be played to any number of points but are usually to 21 points, winning by 2. If there is a tie, the pitchers pitch an additional 2 innings until the tie is broken.
INDOOR SOCCER- Indoor soccer is a somewhat common sport in the United States and Canada. Indoor soccer is very similar to outdoor soccer. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall instead of touchlines, resembling more of a hockey rink than a soccer field. The ball can be played directly off the wall, which eliminates many frequent stoppages that would normally result for throw-ins, goal kicks and corner kicks. This usually makes for a faster paced game. Most indoor soccer games are divided into four quarters of 15 minutes each for a total of 60 minutes of playtime. Most indoor soccer games are played with six active players per team, one of whom is the goalkeeper and the other are either defense or forward also known as attackers or strikers. In addition to the yellow and red cards, some leagues include a card of a third color (blue is common) or another form of warning. Often, leagues with a third card include a penalty box rule.
CORNHOLE- The game is played with 2 or 4 players (preferably 4). The boards will be placed 27 feet apart. Team partners face each other from OPPOSITE BOARDS. Play starts at either board with all eight bags. Each team plays with a set of 4 bags and each team has their own color bag. Opponents alternate tosses until all 8 bags are played. The last team to score throws first each round. The first team to get 21 or more points wins! The winning team must win by a minimum of 2 points. A team earns 1 point for bags on the board, they can’t hit the ground and then bounce on the board, nor can they be touching the ground. It is appropriate to remove all bags from the board that hit the ground first, this is done before play is continued. A team earns 3 points for bags that go into the hole. They must go completely in the hole. Bags that are hanging in the hole only count for 1 point. If your opponent knocks your bag into the hole you still get the 3 points. The score is the difference in the team totals. Where you stand is a personal preference as long as you don’t cross the foul line which is an imaginary line that is even with the front of the board.
CAPTURE THE FLAG- Divide into two teams. Divide territories for the teams. Agree on two items to serve as "flags”. Each player wears flags around their waist and are out for the rest of the game if a player from another team pulls off their flag and or they are sent to jail. Split into attacker and defender groups within your team. Attempt to sneak across the border, find and capture the enemy flag, and then race back without being caught if you are an attacker. Hide around your flag or along the border and try to intercept and catch any opposing players who sneak across if you are a defender. Win by capturing the enemy flag and carrying it back to your side of the border.
GUARD THE CASTLE: Divide class into two teams. Each team has two pins on their side and one pinney. The person wearing the pinney is known as the king or queen. Students throw balls attempting to knock over the pins or hit the queen or king. If both pins are knocked over, round is over. If the king/queen is hit, round is over. The winning team earns a point after each round. While playing this game, if your throw is caught directly without bouncing off anything you are out. If you are hit directly, you are out. If the ball hits the floor first, you remain in the game.You go to the side and sit out. Players can rejoin the game in order of elimination each time an active player catches the ball. Eliminated players may all rejoin the game at once if a player on there team shoots the ball in the opposing basket. This will also earn the team a point. The team with the most points wins the game.
Ultimate frisbee is a non-contact played by two teams of even numbers, it uses a circular flying disc or frisbee that weighs 175 grams. The object of the game is to move the circular flying disc down the field via a series of continuous passing. Although there are professional Ultimate leagues, the sport is generally considered to be recreational. It’s origins can be traced to Maplewood, New Jersey at Columbia High School. The disc can be moved only by throwing it from player to player. A player can not advance the disc by running with it, also the thrower is not allowed to take any steps. Any time a pass is incomplete, knocked down, intercepted, or contacts an out of bounds area, a turnover occurs resulting in an immediate change of possession.
The game officially starts with a throw off to the opposing team. Initial possession can be determined in a variety of ways; coin toss, odds or evens, or the traditional rock paper scissors. The goal is to score a point for your team, this occurs when the disc is successfully passed to a teammate across the goal-line, this gives the scoring team 1 point. After the point is scored, the play is stopped, and a change of direction occurs by having the team who gave up the point walk to the other half of the field and prepare for a throw off to resume play.
There are many strategies to moving the disc up or down the field. It can be thrown in any direction, short passes are usually the most efficient. However, sometimes the opposing team’s defense can cause some trouble for the offensive team, and few people are able to get open. At this team some teams may turn to strategies like the “Give & Go” to properly execute a completion. Defense on the thrower can also create some havoc for an ultimate team. If a thrower only has one throw in their arsenal then the defender simply can just take that throw away from them. The most popular throw, the back hand, is performed by grasping the disc with your thumb on the top, index finger across the edge of the disc, and the 3 remaining spread out along the bottom. It is the easiest throw to master, and even if it is the only throw a player has, quick passes and pump-fakes can help keep the man-on defense at bay. A couple other common throws are the forehand, and the hammer. A little trickier to master, but when the skills are there, it is equally as effective, if not more.
The game continues until either a predetermined score is met, or time expires. Whichever was agreed upon by the two teams prior to the game beginning. The integrity of the game ultimately relies on sportsmanship. The responsibility is on all of the players to have a competitive attitude towards the game, yet not jeopardize it with foul play, disrespect, or rule infractions. The power is in your hand.
The origins of the game of tennis are still a bit of a mystery. Some people believe the game is a variation of different ball games that were played in the ancient world by Egyptians, Romans and Greeks.
Other people believe the game was derived from a Roman game called “harpastum,” and was later adapted in the Basque county, where it was called “jeu do paume” because the ball was hit against a wall using the hand.
As early as the twelfth century, a glove was used to protect the hand. Then starting in the sixteenth century and continuing until the mid eighteenth century, tennis rackets of different shapes and sizes were used.
Lawn tennis was originally played on grass courts, but most major events are now played on courts of hard, composite materials; exceptions include Wimbledon, played on grass, and the French Open, played on clay. One player serves an entire game and is given two service tries each time the ball is put in play. The ball is served diagonally from behind the base line so that it bounces beyond the net, in the opposite service court. A let ball (one that hits off the top of the net into the proper service court) does not count as a fault (bad serve). Service alternates after points, between the right- and left-hand courts. If a player serves two bad serves it is called a double fault. Scoring progresses from love (zero) to 15 (first point), to 30, then 40. the point scored after 40 wins the game, but when the game goes to deuce (tied at 40-40) a player must go two points ahead to win it. On the next serve the player who gets the point now has the “advantage.” If that same player with the advantage wins the next point, they win the game. The first player to win six games takes the set, provided the opposing player has won no more than four games.
The racquet is made up of several parts. Some of these parts are: the head, shaft, neck and strings. The strings can be strung at different tensions depending on what the individual’s preference may be. When serving, the ball must land in the service box on the side to which the player is serving to (diagonally). If it lands in the service box it is a good playable serve. If it does not land in the box it is a fault. If you serve 2 bad serves in a row it is called a double fault. Before each serve, the server should call out the score. If the ball hits the net and lands in the service box it is called a “let” and the server still gets 2 serves. If the person serving serves the ball into the correct box and the opponent does not touch the ball it is called an “ACE.” When the ball is hit back and forth it is called a volley or rally. During a volley or rally the ball can only hit your side once. If it bounces twice, you lose the point. When serving, there are 2 sides you serve to. There are the deuce sides and the (Advantage or “Ad”) side. If a hit ball lands on a line it is considered in.
In conclusion, tennis is a fun game that can be played throughout your lifetime. It is a great form of exercise when played correctly.
There are a variety of games that can be fun and exciting. All games have health and social benefits that keep us fit and healthy. Games such as basketball provide an excellent opportunity to improve cardiovascular fitness as well as various skills. Other games such as volleyball, California kickball and prison ball improve hand eye coordination, social skills, teamwork and cardiovascular endurance.
Volleyball can be a very fun and exciting game in Phys. Ed class as well as the high school and collegiate level. Volleyball requires dedication to many hours of practice to be successful. Sometimes a team will put a player who wears a different color shirt than her teammates. Their position was called the “Libero”. The Libero can only play the back row and their substitution rules are different than the other players. The game begins with the serve. A hard and well placed serve that can’t be returned is called an Ace. The ball can be hit over the net on the 1st hit, 2nd hit or 3rd hit but a team cannot hit the ball 4 times on their side. There are other positions in the game as well. There are attackers and setters. The setter’s job is to get a good set (controls the offense) for the attackers so they can get off a good hit or spike. When a player hits the ball downward with great force and it cannot be returned it is called a “spike”. This works well when you have teammates that can pass to the setter and make their job easy. The court is 60 feet long and 30 feet wide and consists of many lines. There is a line 10 feet from the net which is called the attack line. Players will retreat to this line to get a good approach when trying to spike the ball. When a play hits the ball downward with great force it’s called a spike. There are hard to return especially when they are well placed. When a player spikes the ball and the other team cannot make a return it’s called a “Kill”. For high school girls the volleyball net is at a height of 7ft 4 1/8 inches. For boys the volleyball the height of the net is 7 feet 11 5/8 inches. One team has 6 players on the court at a time. Games are played and final when a team gets 25 points. A team must win by 2 points. These are some basic rules of the volleyball game. While watching the games in class I have seen some good volleys where pupils played harder to get points. It was fun to watch.
Power or fitness walking is considered one of the easiest and most efficient methods of exercise in recent years. There is very little equipment necessary…just a well fitting pair of sneakers or walking shoes and appropriate clothing for the weather and you are on your way! Because it is more than a stroll or nature walk, all the muscles in your body are used. Not only are your legs moving to project you forward, your arms are swinging in rhythm to your natural walk to ensure a faster speed and more fluent movement. A person should walk with the flow of traffic and can walk everyday. A Good fitness walking pace is 15 Minutes per mile. Some people like to walk a half mile (2 laps) or a mile (4 laps). Brisk walking is considered a form of moderate exercise. It is important to have sneakers or shoes that have a good fit.
Fitness walking is also good for the body and mind. For as little as ten minutes of walking a day (although the average fitness mile is about 15 minutes), good cholesterol can be raised and bad cholesterol lowered, signs of depression can be alleviated and weight loss and muscle toning are part of the many benefits to this type of exercise. Risks of certain cancers, such as colon and breast cancer are reduced as is the risk of contracting Type 2 diabetes. Researchers in the field of sports and fitness have described walking as “the nearest activity to perfect exercise”. As long as you get the ok from your physician, there is little to no risk of walking as a health danger.
How do you walk? The answer is quite simple. The basic difference between a walk and a run is that when walking one heel must always be in contact with the ground. Because of that, knee pain is minimized and by walking fast enough to get your heart rate up your cardiovascular fitness is increased. There is no danger to walking every day and you can burn an average of 100 calories per mile. (One pound of body fat is equal to 3500 calories.) For general fitness, you should walk at a pace that increases your heart rate, and you can maintain that pace for 30 to 60 minutes. Check your heart rate on the carotid artery of the neck or on the wrist. You can also try the “talk test” for pacing yourself. If you can’t speak to someone without gasping for air you may be walking too fast. If you can sing a tune while walking, you are probably going too slowly!
RACE WALKING
Race walking has been an Olympic sport for men since 1906 and for women since 1992. There are two rules in racewalking. The first is that one foot must always be in contact with the ground (which defines a walk rather than a run) and the second is that the supporting leg must straighten from the point of contact with the ground and remain straightened until the body passes over it.
Race walking can be dated back to England where it started in the late 16th or early 17th century. It started as a competition between footmen (those who walked along the carriages of their employers) and soon turned into a heavily wagered and heavily rewarded activity for servants. Competition between the footmen (or pedestrians as they were now called) could last anywhere from a dozen to hundreds of miles walked in a specified time. One of the more popular goals was to complete a 100 mile walk within a 24 hour period. Those meeting this goal were and are called “Centurions”.
Race walking came to the United States in the early 20th century, but did not attract serious attention until the late 1950’s and 60’s. By the 1960’s, Americans Ron Zinn, Rudolph Haluza Ron Laird and Larry Young were attracting international attention – and women were returning to the sport. In 1977, American Todd Scully broke the six-minute mile for racewalking.
Today, Americans are taking up racewalking for sport and fitness. Through better coaching, better camps and better training facilities (such as the Olympic Training Center) racewalking in America is beginning to work its way back to the international level. In 1992 women were welcomed into the Olympics as a race walking event with a 10k race walk and all of it starts by simply putting one foot in front of the other.
Weight training is beneficial for many reasons; with a proper weight training program that focuses on building a balanced body all of the following can be achieved, and much more.
Prevents injuries
Looks much better
Better posture
No muscle imbalances
No aches and pains
Get stronger faster
Builds muscle faster
When starting a weight lifting program it is incredibly important to focus on building a balanced body, this means working and including all of the major muscles, and some accessory muscles into your weight training regiment. To start here are 11 major muscles that need to be a part of your training.
Starting with the most important the muscles in the legs:
1. Hamstrings - The hamstrings are an often overlooked muscle group for some reason... maybe it's because you can't see them unless you use a mirror. The hamstrings are a huge muscle group located on the back of your thighs. They should be a main focus of any complete training program, yet they often go over looked, and are neglected in training. They are used during squats, but you should give them more attention with Romanian dead-lifts, stiff legged dead-lifts. If you really want to prevent injury and build a nice set of legs... you can't forget the hamstrings.
2. Quadriceps - These are 4 huge muscles that comprise the front of your thigh. That's why this muscle group is called the 'QUADS' or quadriceps, quad=4. Much like the hamstrings the quads also get overlooked in the average person’s training. It is important to include working the quadriceps in your program. The Quadriceps are worked through exercises such as Squats, Lunges, Barbell Hack Squats, and any other Squat variations. Isolated leg extensions also work the quadriceps, but once your able to squat correctly it is recommended that any variation of squats are the focal point on lower body training.
3. Calves - The calves are a very stubborn muscle group. They are used everyday; however increasing the size of one’s calves can be difficult and often frustrating. The calf muscles are located at the bottom of the leg, posterior to the shins. Walking, running, and going up stairs works the calves everyday. Calf raises are a vital exercise in training the calf muscles. Varying angles of one’s feet can change whether it is the soleus, or the gastrocnemius muscle being worked.
4. Chest - The chest is a major “show off” muscle. Many people spend too much time working on their chest, and not the other major muscles of the body, this is a rookie mistake when it comes to weight training. It should be worked just as much as all of the other muscle groups during training program for optimal gains, overtraining does not mean big gains. The chest is comprised of the Pectoralis major and minor, these are pushing muscles, which is way exercises such as the bench press, dips, and push ups successfully train the chest muscles.
5. Back - The back is a huge muscle group. The back muscles include, the lattimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, and the trapezius. The back since it is on the opposing position of the chest, it is a pull muscle. The upper back can be worked by exercise like pull ups, lat pull downs, and various types of rows. An excellent exercise, though there are many skeptics, for the lower back is the dead-lift. When done properly the dead-lift is a great exercise that strengthens the lower back and legs. It is important to remember when performing a dead-lift to lift with your legs, and do not round your back. The muscles of the back are essential to a successful weight training program.
6. Shoulders - The shoulder muscles consist of the rear, front, and side deltoids. Also the traps can be considered to be a part of the shoulders. Some key exercises for the shoulders are the overhead press, upright rows, and lateral raises. To strengthen the traps, various forms of shrugs are done.
7. Triceps - The triceps like the chest are a push muscle, they are located on the backs of the arms, opposing the biceps. The triceps are made up of 3 muscles hence the name triceps. They make up 2/3 of the upper arm. Triceps can be worked by push downs, closed and reversed grip bench, and kickbacks.
8. Biceps - The biceps are the ultimate show off muscle. Everybody knows where they are, and many amateurs and novices think the bicep is an important factor in determining strength. The biceps are great to be trained, but other muscles should be of a higher priority. Opposing the push muscle tricep, the bicep is a pull muscle. Any kind variations on curl trains the biceps.
9. Forearms - The forearms get worked during many exercises. Simply holding onto and gripping barbells and dumbbells during exercises help to increase forearm size and strength. It is still important to get a few specific forearm exercises into your program to make it well rounded. Wrist curls, and reverse curls all train the forearms.
10. Abs - The most meticulous of all muscles in the body. Doing Ab workouts does not burn the fat around your stomach, to obtain the desired 6-pack, all depends on one’s body fat. When one gets the body fat low enough then finally the 6 pack will be on display. The abdominals are trained in many exercises, core strengthening exercises are great for abs. But overall, proper diet is the most important factor when training your abdominals.