Your Keys to Rock-Solid Ankle Stability, Explosive Sports Performance and Incredible Balance!

If you were to ask me which often-neglected body part you could work that would have the greatest immediate impact on your sports performance, my answer would be instantaneous...the ankles.

The ankles are admittedly not glamorous. You're never going to have someone ask you to flex your ankle for them or ask you to roll down your sock for a better look.

But think of it this way...can you think of a single sport that doesn't involve the ankle in some way (poker and billiards don't count as sports, even if they're on ESPN - we'll limit ourselves to sports during which you can't smoke and drink).

If you're playing football and you need to make a sharp lateral cut to avoid getting hit, the majority of that force goes right through the ankle. A weak ankle will turn and possibly sprain. A strong ankle will take that force and allow you to make that sharp, powerful cut and leave tacklers in the dust!

Think of every racket sport you can...how many of these involve planting a foot, lunging for ball then rapidly changing direction?

Even if you're just running or sprinting in a straight line, you can benefit from stronger ankles. When your foot contacts the ground, all the force of your muscles propelling you forward goes directly through the ankles.

And one more HUGE benefit to strong ankles? With proper training, you can make them practically injury-proof!

Using myself as an example, after doing ankle stability training (like the kind I'm about to tell you about), I had an instance playing tennis where I was lunging to the side to reach for a ball. My foot stopped but my momentum continued to carry my body laterally. My ankle bent 90 degrees, touching my outside ankle bone to the ground.

Without ankle strengthening, it would have been sprained for sure. As it was, my ankle popped right back up and I kept playing like nothing had even happened! No injury, no swelling, no tenderness, no problem!

Balance is another tremendous benefit. When your ankles are strong, you will be much better able to keep your balance even under awkward conditions. Think about it...the small muscles of the ankle are constantly firing to maintain balance (if you've ever run in the sand, you know how sore your ankle and calf muscles get the next day).

These small muscles play an extremely important role in balance. Strengthening them will give you a greater ability to maintain your balance, even if you've already got great balance right now!

So now that you know what ankle strengthening can do for you, let's get into the nuts and bolts of how to do it.

These exercises can be done at the end of your weight or cardio workout or at the end of sports practice sessions. I wouldn't recommend starting a training session (or especially a sports practice session) with them as fatiguing these support muscles and the connective tissue in the area will leave the ankles temporarily weaker and possibly more prone to injury (until they have a chance to recover and strengthen). Doing these exercises at the end of a session avoids this potential issue completely.

You'll note that many of the concepts I will describe here involve balance training but with added twists to target them directly to ankle strengthening.

At the end of the article, you will find a link with pictures of these exercises in action.

Here are the techniques:

1. Standing and balancing

This is a very simple exercise and the one we'll start with. All you need to do is stand on one foot and balance there for as long as you can!

As you work to keep yourself balanced, you will notice that your ankle is constantly shifting around to compensate for slight changes in your body position. This constant shifting is working the supporting muscles of the ankles!

You can do this exercise anywhere at any time. All you need to do is stand on one foot and balance there for a minute or two, then switch to the other foot. It's so easy, you can get it done at the bus stop or while you're making dinner!

It is deceptively simple but very effective. This is because in everyday life, you very rarely stand on one foot for any length of time. Your ankles and calves are not required to balance or support you as much. When you stand on one foot, you force these supporting muscle to work overtime.

For an added twist, try closing your eyes while balancing. Without the visual cues to help keep you balanced, your ankles will have to work much harder.

2. Standing and balancing with weights

The next step up from the previous exercise is holding onto a pair of dumbells (or other form of resistance) while you are balancing on one foot. What this does is simply increase the resistance with which you are working. This increase in resistance will increase the demand on the muscles.

The more weight you use on this exercise, the more strength you'll be able to build up in your ankles. Think of it this way...if you're holding onto 2 50-lb dumbells, that's an extra 100 lbs that your body must work to balance. If you hold 2 100-lb dumbbells, you've got 200 extra pounds! This is extreme overload and overload builds strength, especially when your ankle muscles have never experienced this kind of stress before!

If you get to the point where you're unable to hold onto the heavy dumbbells for long enough to be effective, you may wish to try placing a barbell across your shoulders as though you were doing a squat (do this in the squat rack with the safety rails set high).

This will also have the effect of increasing the instability of the exercise, making it more challenging for the ankles. Also, you'll be able to use FAR more weight (I've gone as high as 405 lbs for this version).

3. Standing on an unstable surface and balancing

Now that you've learned how to work with the dumbbells, it's time to move on to balancing on an unstable surface. This will really challenge the strength of your ankles.

Some good surfaces you can use include foam (like the foam on a flat bench), a pile of towels or clothing, sand, air mattress, etc. There are a great many surfaces that are effective for this. Feel free to use your imagination. I like to use a rolled-up towel set on the floor for this one - no need to buy any expensive equipment!

This balancing can be done either with or without weights. If you are using weights, I would suggest sticking to dumbbells - they're easier to control than the barbell.

4. Standing, balancing and catching

You can do this variation in combination with the first or third variation. Have someone throw a ball or other object to you while you are standing on one foot (you can also bounce a ball off a wall if you're training alone).

This will force you to shift your balance around dramatically while standing on one foot, further forcing your ankles to work, while also developing your co-ordination while balancing.

5. Swinging dumbbell calf raises

This exercise adds the large muscles of the calves to the mix. Basically, you will do as the name implies - you will do a single leg calf raise, holding onto one single dumbbell, swinging it around yourself in random directions as you do the calf raise. This forces your calves and ankles to build stabilizing strength VERY quickly.

It also helps train your ankles to react quickly to sudden random stresses, much like in a sporting event. This is very practical movement that has great carryover into sports.

Now that you have this knowledge, it's time to put it into practice! Consistent training with these techniques will have a tremendous, immediate impact on your sports performance. You'll be cutting sharper, pivoting stronger and be practically injury-proof in no time!

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of BetterU, Inc. and has been inventing new training techniques and exercises for 17+ years. Nick has written many training books including "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass" & "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss" - http://www.fitness-ebooks.com

The Importance of Staying Fit

When age catches up with us and we cut a sorry figure, losing all confidence, the mantra of staying fit has more sweetness than anything else. Anything that promises to keep you young and youthful catches your fancy and you shell out your shillings without second thought. When the world is fed on global feast and more and more delectable food, often fat laden foods tickle our palate, who could blame us if our waistlines started expanding? More than that, our lifestyle has changed tremendously.

The pleasure of driving a sedan has made us forget that we were given legs to travel distances. We have become slaves of comforts provided by modern technology. Everything comes to us these days at the click of a mouse. We have become couched potatoes. Inactivity has become a habit in that we don't mind sitting idle for hours wasting energy and life. This becomes a bane when we hit our middle ages. Youth is always brimming with activity. Your metabolic rate is always at a fast pace and fat has no place on your body. The greatest physical decline happens between the age group of thirty and forty.

During this phase our metabolism slows down dramatically, we lose muscle mass, bones lose flexibility and density and for the saddest part the amount of body fat increases. A slower metabolism is one the biggest reasons for the physical decline. The other being our inactivity, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We have long forgotten the art of walking, cooking healthy meals at home, and regular exercise. As we are after comforts it is so easy to slip into the habit of idleness. Simple exercises on a regular basis can keep you fit. Aerobic activities like swimming, cycling, running are good to do away stress and anxiety. Mild to moderate depression can also be dispelled by following simple exercise programs.

Regular aerobics accelerate the metabolic rate and this in turn will burn those extra calories which would otherwise get deposited as fat. Always remember that you really are what you eat. So instead of falling for all that is junk stick to a balanced diet. A dietary allowance of at least twenty five grams of fiber should also be included daily. Remember that rock hard abs and bulging muscles do not determine your fitness. Just sweeping around the courtyard, wiping the kitchen floor and washing linen can help you rather than keeping idle. Yoga also can help you to keep fit and relieve you of stress.

A Chlorine Water Filter Guide - How to Find the Best

You've probably grown sick and tired over the years from hearing people advise you that you should really consider getting a chlorine water filter for your home. Well, whether you're sick of hearing it or not, it really is sound advice if you want to protect the health of your family.

The truth is that it's not simply chlorine that you have to be concerned about anymore. There are roughly 80,000 industrial chemicals that are in use today, and nearly all of them can be currently found in our groundwater system. Over 2,000 of these chemicals have been found to cause cancer.

A chlorine water filter, featuring a granular activated carbon filter along with a multi media block, will effectively remove 99.99% of these deadly chemicals from your household drinking water. I know what you're thinking: Your water has already been cleaned at the water treatment facility, so why do I need a filter?

To be quite honest with you the, water has not been purified by your local treatment facility; it has mainly been de-mineralized. The design of the filters at these treatment facilities will not allow them to block anything of the same molecular weight as water, so all manner of chemical and microbial impurities pass through.

That is why a chlorine water filter must be equipped to remove far more than simply chlorine. There are far too many other dangerous impurities that have to be dealt with, including parasites and cysts that are immune to the effects of chlorine disinfection. These can make you very ill if they are consumed.

As a matter of fact, these parasites can often be deadly to children, elderly people, or those whose immune systems are already weakened due to cancer treatments or some other cause. There must be some barrier for these contaminants, especially if you have small children in the house.

In order to combat this microbial threat, your chlorine water filter must also be equipped with a sub micron filter. This filter will effectively block all manner of these parasites and cysts before they are able to reach your family's drinking glasses. There is one more thing that you also need in order to be protected.

There are traces of toxic metals in your drinking water such as lead and copper. They are there because they have actually leached off of the pipes that carry your water to your faucet. These can be very dangerous for you and your family, and their consumption must be prevented.

In order to do this, your unit must employ an ion exchange filter to trap these metals. What this filter then does is it replaces the trapped metals with sodium and potassium. This unit will also manage the pH level in your water, and keep in perfect balance.

As you can see by now, a chlorine water filter is an absolute necessity to have in your home if you want to maintain good health for yourself and your family, and now is the time for you to make the decision to purchase one.

For free information on how to protect yourself from water contaminated with carcinogens, traces of drugs, hormones, parasites and other toxins click here. Lauren Leddy is a consumer advocate and a dedicated researcher of health related issues. Visit her website now at http://www.safe-water-purifier.com and discover what she has learned that will help you select the very best water filtration system for your home or office.

5 Ways to Super-Charge Your Energy Levels & Fight Fatigue, 30 Seconds at a Time!

It seems unfortunately most common that people will often neglect their basic needs and pretend that they are solving the most important issues in their life, when really, procrastination has crept in again. Those tired fatigue spells are a reminder from your body that you need to change some things in order to boost your energy levels and stay bouncy and awake throughout the day.

1. Getting sunlight

Increasing your exposure to sunlight increases our intake of 'blue light'. Blue light seems to have the most significant effect on our circadian rhythms than any other type of light. Given that most people spend a large portion of their day indoors, it might be time for you to open the blinds or go for a walk in the fresh air. Especially just before you know you'll need an energy boost!

2. Breathing hard

Oxygen fuels our cells. When you can breathe correctly, you flood your body with nourishing, energetic fuel which has an almost instant effect. Remember to breathe deep into your abdomen and breathe out slowly by pushing your belly button in towards your spine.

3. Energizing movement

Giving yourself the opportunity to move everywhere you go creates more circulation through your body and revitalizes your cells. Move more, more often and your energy levels will increase dramatically. Got no fun ideas? Do some skipping, go for a jog or go rowing, do some pushups or step ups. It only takes 3 minutes to boost your heart rate and get your blood flowing.

4. Tackle your day 15 minutes at a time!

Bringing in the variety never hurt anyone... Break up your usual routine by keeping yourself in a constant stream of variety activities. Do the gardening, change your regular walking path, sample a new food each day. Keep some interesting changes in your life and your energy will change.

5. Take tech-off time

Set a new routine to have some time in the day without electronic devices. Shut off the TV, computer, unhook the phone and switch off your mobile device. It's amazing how much such a simple thing can do to make you more relaxed, replenished and more energetic!

Take heed of these suggestions and you are well on your way to the life of your dreams.

To find out more about how you can lose that stubborn fat and get the abs you've always wanted, visit http://www.sexyabslab.com

Why Health is Wealth

Being health-conscious is important. Be aware of how to properly take care of your body. Teaching health education is aimed in promoting conscientiousness. This involves assessing the current lifestyle and mental state, both crucial in determining one's overall health.

Phases of health:

A. Physical health - refers to the bodily condition itself. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, proper nourishment and enough rest all promote a healthy body.

B. Mental health- refers to the person's emotional and psychological condition. It involves the cognitive and emotional capacity of a person.

The Four Determinants of Health:

A. Human biology - An area in biology involving the study of the human body. This is also linked to primate biology.

B. Environmental science - The study of substance, chemicals and natural components of the environment.

C. Lifestyle - The totality of a person's outlook, principles, and way of life.

D. Self-care - Individual health maintenance and restoration. This involves decision-making in health matters in relation to one's own body.

Health Maintenance: Achieving a healthy state and staying healthy is a continuous process. The following are components of healthy living:

1. Nutrition - the study of the nutritional content of food, and the effects of these to the body.

2. Sports nutrition - The study of the relationship between dietary supplements and athletic activities. The primary objectives this study is to regulate glycogen levels, optimize energy levels and muscle tone.

3. Exercise - A physical activity involving sweat, that builds muscles and burns fat.

4. Hygiene - The routine of maintaining a clean body to avoid disease and sickness, and to prevent the contact of transmissible causes.

5. Stress Management - Includes methods and/or procedures in combating emotional stress. Stress is defined as a person's physiological reaction to an inner or outer stimulus, causing temporary mental imbalance.

6. Public Health - The study of the neighborhood to ensure a safe living environment to its population.

For more information on The Effect of Stress in the Immune System and The immune system functions please visit our website.

Bedwetting Information - Help For Bed Wetting Problems

Wetting the bed can be an embarrassing and traumatizing event, especially for older children and adults who are far past the normal bed wetting stages. Contrary to common sense, bed wetting is more often a psychological problem than a physical one in children, though this tends to be reversed in adults. Physical causes of bed wetting can be as simple as a bladder infection or as serious as prostate cancer (in men). It's important to meet with a doctor to rule these out when dealing with finding a cause and solution to bed wetting.

The psychological aspect of wetting the bed comes from extreme stress and/or anxiety. Many times stress and anxiety can manifest in our subconscious and emerge in our dreams, which can aggravate the bed wetting problem even further.

In a child the threshold for stress and anxiety is much lower and the stress or anxiety can often come from even positive events, as the child doesn't know how to process their feelings. If this is the case, it's important to be supportive, not judgmental or use any form of punishment for the bed wetting, and ask them how they are feeling about the things going on in their life. Help them identify and name the emotions they are feeling and encourage them that all their feelings are normal and accepted by you.

For an adult, the physical aspects can be treated fairly easily and a solution may easily be found. If the problem is not physical, work with a therapist may be necessary to find the root of the bed wetting trigger and bed wetting products may need to be used in the meantime. Some of these products include bed wetting alarms and bed wetting pads and can be used at any age to help train the brain to wake up in time to go and to help protect clothing and bedding.

Wetting the bed is hard no matter the age or reason and should never be met with disgust or negativity. Support, love and acceptance can go along way in helping the bed wetter through their tough time and aid in finding a quicker solution.

One of the most effective treatments for wetting the bed is by using a bed wetting alarm. Learn more about bedwetting alarms and pads at: http://BedWettingAlarmsForLess.com

How to Stop Excessive Armpit Sweating

Armpit is defined as 'somewhere or something considered foul' by (Wiktionary). It's easy to reckon why if you've ever experienced having to go without showering up immediately after a bout of armpit sweating. The armpit areas have a high concentration of sweat glands and they are also regarded as a convenient and accurate location for tapping the body temperature with a thermometer.

Armpit sweat has a lot to do with their appearance and odor. We sweat for two primary purposes: that of cooling and lubricating. As armpits are endowed with hair upon puberty, it is also widely believed that there's something sexy about adult armpit sweating. Beside the normal type of sweat glands (eccrine), there's another type (apocrine) which is present in our armpit and private part areas. Odor comes from the wastes of bacteria that feed upon this sweat.

It's not only okay to sweat, we must! All those lymph nodes around the armpit areas, we all know what can happen when they overheat. Our bodies heat up when we exert ourselves physically in sports or work. Likewise when the ambient temperature rises, our bodies will react in tandem. Although sweating to cool our bodies is purposeful, it is involuntary and excessive sweating is not uncommon.

Excessive armpit sweating is a medical condition known as Axillary Hyperhidrosis. It afflicts greater than 1 % of people although the medical threat is typically mild. But as with many ailments, it will not go away on its own and will in fact worsen with time and in serious cases, life becomes a daily struggle. Far worse damage will result when it starts taking its toll on the emotion and psychology of the sufferer.

There's also undersweating of the armpits. It's medically known as Axillary Anhidrosis. Between the two ailments, this is by far more deadly. Fortunately, the deficiency is not as common as its opposite number, Excessive Armpit Sweating. Its root cause though, is also found in the Sympathetic Nervous System except that as opposed to being 'trigger happy', the disorder is in its inability to activate sweating.

Both excessive and deficient armpit sweating can be treated. Depending on the severity, Axillary Hyperhidrosis can be resolved by anything from antiperspirants to sweat gland surgery. Even natural home treatment has been found to be effective. In the case of Axillary Anhidrosis, certified medical attention must be sought without delay as the worst outcome of an attack potentially the worst outcome of all - death!

Whether you are browsing or seriously researching, you can find more information and insight on the topic of Excessive Armpit Sweating by visiting us at How To Stop Excessive Sweating.