How to Jump Higher and increasing your vertical leap

If you are an athlete who competes in a team or individual sport, you most likely rely primarily on leg strength to excel in your given sport. Basketball, football, volleyball, soccer, baseball.... chances are you have played one or more of these sports and found yourself in a situation where a higher jump could have given you the chance to score or avoid getting scored on. Whether you want to devote yourself to working towards the career of a professional athlete or you just want to fare a little better in a pick-up game, increasing your leg strength and your vertical leap can be a relatively easy process.

Step 1: In the Weight Room
The height of your jump is a direct result of your overall leg strength. However, it should be noted that attending to your core strength is important to every aspect of your athleticism. Conditioning can be more important to your agility than strength training, so make sure you pay plenty of attention to your abdominal muscles as they are the under-appreciated engine of all athletes. Nevertheless, there are some exercises you can do while in the gym that will maximize the increase you see in your vertical leap.

Calf Raises:
Many gyms have a seated calf raise machine that is built for one purpose only: to give you rockin calves. The idea is simple here - place your feet on the platform and put your knees under the bar. Release the safety and raise your legs using the balls of your feet. The most important thing to realize here is that unlike many exercises you may do in your workout, you don't need to try to build muscle. Jumping is all about explosion, so it is much more advantageous to go for less weight and maximize the repetitions. This is one of my favorite exercises.

Squats:
In addition to doing exercises like leg curls, presses and other quad/hamstring lifts, squats are a great exercise for building leg and core strength. If you don't know how to do a squat, it is best to get some help from someone at the gym. It can be easy to hurt yourself if you misunderstand the form, so don't take a chance. Start out by trying to lift about 50% of your body weight (bar included). Try to do between 6-8 reps. If the weight is too low, add on a few more lbs.

Step 2: Home Work
The best way to increase your vertical leap is not in the weight room, but rather during the journey that you experience every day. If you keep an eye out for opportunities to boost your jumping skills, you can start seeing a difference immediately.

Stretch:
This is probably a good idea to do even if you could care less about being able to dunk. Stretching daily will help strengthen your muscles, allow your body to gain flexibility, and just plain make you feel better. I have always heard that stretching before a workout (weight or aerobic) is a smart thing to do, but I have also had a few people tell me that stretching prior to exercise diminishes the maximum power that your muscles can generate. I am certainly no doctor, so whatever you decide to do, try doing it in moderation (unless you are drinking beer).

Stay on Your Toes:
It sounds like something ballerina might do, but trust me, it works wonders. Try walking around your house on your tip-toes. This will force your calf muscles to work overtime and is a great endurance exercise for increasing your vertical. When this starts to get tiring, switch it around and attempt to walk on your heels with your toes pointed as high as you can. This walk makes you look stupid, but forces your dorsi-flexor muscles to become rock hard.

Might as Well Jump:
Jumping rope is (surprise) a great exercise. Not only will this get the heart pumping, but the short jumps that you are forced to repeat over and over again help to promote explosiveness.

Stair Raises:
You can mimic the great exercises that you perform in the gym in the comfort of your own home if you have the right technique. If you have stairs in your house (or substitute any kind of platform), position yourself so that your heels hang off the back of the raised area. Lower yourself as far as you can go, then raise yourself up onto your toes. This can be much more straining for your calves than the machine, so try not to over do it when doing this exercise.

Last but Not Least:
Just as important as any dichotomy in life, work is meaningless without rest to accompany it. Make sure to give your body and legs a rest at least two days a week. As when doing any sort of weight or cardiovascular training, the results occur when your muscles have the chance to repair the small tears in tissue when you work out. So just do it.

Step 3: Practice Makes Perfect
There are several ways to go about jumping. These are all great methods of training your legs to jump properly and with the maximum amount of force. Try them all and you are destined hurdle any obstacle:

1. Explosive Jumping:
For this exercise, you will need some sort of elevated platform (a rock, a bench, a cinder block, etc). Put your right foot on the platform and your left foot on the ground. Now, explode upwards, jumping as high as you can off of your right foot. On the way down, try to switch your footing, landing with your left foot on the platform and your right on the ground. This can be tricky, so be careful not to fall as you land. Repeat as necessary.

2. Box Jumping:
You'll need a box or a sturdy platform for this next exercise. Begin atop your platform, and jump off to one side. Try to land and then instantly jump back up again, bending your legs as little as you can while still generating enough force to reach the height of the platform. Land on top, and jump off the other side. Keep repeating this about ten times before taking a short break.

3. Lunge Jumping:
Get in a normal lunge position, and try jumping as high as you can, using your forward foot to drive the leap. The lower you are to the ground, the more muscle strength is required to get yourself airborne. Do this a few times for each foot before throwing in the towel.

4. Two-Footer:
Place your feet about shoulder width apart, and squat down. Push off with both feet and use them equally to jump as high as you can. This is a good way of working both quads at the same time rather than doing them separately.

5. Arm Experimenting:
Try taking a few jumps as you would normally. Now try jumping as high as you can while keeping your arms pointed straight down. See the difference? Swinging your arms during a jump can add a significant amount of inertia to your leap, so experiment with different methods of propelling yourself with your arms.

6. Why Weight?
Weights can also be used when jump training. Try doing some of the exercises mentioned above while holding weights or a lead vest. For a cool experiment, grab a pair of dumbells and crouch down. Before you leap up, drop the weights and you will jump super high. Your body adjusts for the added weight as you crouch and this over-compensation allows you to get some serious air.

Just a couple of notes:
Don't use ankle weights (or just about any ankle strength/jump training device). These cause your body to operate in an unusual manner and can tear ligaments, effectively sending you to the DL or even ending your career.
Keep records of your vertical jump with the help of some friends. Having a detailed record of your progress will help you to understand what exercises are best for you when trying to improve your vertical and can also bring your attention to other unknown factors in your jumping.

Shared from instructables.com

Do Supplements Really Give Athletes an Edge?

You work hard to reach your athletic goals. You stick to your training program and to your nutrition plan. Now you want an edge over the competition. Is there a supplement that could give it to you?

Maybe, but results vary from person to person. When scientists study these products, mixed reviews are pretty common. Also, most research focuses on highly trained or pro athletes, so your results might be different. But if you're healthy and have no problems with your heart, kidneys, or liver, the most popular sports supplements are safe and inexpensive.

It's best to talk with your doctor before you take any product, even if it's natural, in case you have any conditions or take medications that it could affect.

Caffeine for Endurance
Caffeine gives you a pick-me-up in the morning, and it can pick up your game, too. If you take it about 30 minutes before your race or game, it could improve your endurance. For long challenges, like a marathon, caffeine during the event can help, too.

“Studies have shown repeatedly that you can get improvements in performance, mainly in endurance-type exercise, with caffeine,” says Janet Rankin, PhD, professor in human nutrition, foods, and exercise at Virginia Tech.

Tennis players, cyclists, soccer players, runners, rowers, and others got an edge from caffeine in scientific studies. In some trials, the stimulant boosted athletes’ speed. In others, it helped them last longer before they spent all their energy. Some studies show that it can curb soreness after exercise, too. This means you could get back to your training sooner.

You can get caffeine from energy drinks and shots, tablets, chewing gum, sport gels, and sprays. Each product will give you different doses, so read the label before you take it.

“You don’t need all that much caffeine to get the effect,” Rankin says. “And it is possible to overdo it.” No matter what form you take, make sure you don’t get more than 400 milligrams a day. And don’t forget to count your other daily sources of caffeine -- there’s about 100 milligrams in your morning coffee.

Too much caffeine can cause headaches, irritability, stomach upset, dehydration, and trouble sleeping.

Creatine for Reps
Are you a sprinter or weight lifter? Creatine monohydrate could help with these and other repeated short bouts of intense exercise. It doesn’t seem to benefit players of other types of sports. And, like studies of many supplements, not all studies show that it benefits athletes.

Your body makes creatine naturally, and your muscles use it to do high-intensity exercise. When you do a lot of reps, you use up your natural store of it. That’s one reason your tenth rep is so much harder than your first. A supplement boosts the amount your body has to work with. You also can get creatine from beef and pork. If you already eat plenty of these, you won’t notice as much of a difference from a supplement as a vegetarian might notice.

“For very short-term bouts of exercise, creatine supplementation seems to aid in recovery,” says Thomas Sherman, PhD, professor in pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC.

Experts consider creatine safe for healthy people. Some people take a higher dose for the first week -- about four servings of 5 grams each per day -- to “load” their muscles with the supplement. Then they drop to a “maintenance” dose of about 2 grams per day. Others skip the loading phase and start with the lower dose.

Some studies have shown that creatine could increase fat and not muscle. There’s also evidence that high doses could cause kidney, liver, or heart damage, but it's unclear how much might be too much.

Beta-Alanine for Burning Muscles
When you do short bouts of exercise at maximum effort for 30 to 90 seconds (think indoor cycling classes), your muscles make a lot of lactic acid. That’s what makes you “feel the burn.” Athletes take beta-alanine in a capsule or a drink powder to curb that burn so they can push through their workout.

Does it work? Cyclists and runners who took beta-alanine for 4 weeks improved their game in scientific studies. But not all studies agree.

“Some studies show a benefit. Others don’t,” Rankin says. “So it’s not completely clear yet. We need more studies on it, but it’s not one that I’m worried about people trying.”

Branched Chain Amino Acids for Bulking Up
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The branched chain types are the three amino acids that muscles can use for energy. Athletes take them after workouts as tablets, gels, or drink powders to spur muscle growth.

Exercise makes your muscles grow by first injuring or breaking them down. When the tissue rebuilds, it gets bigger. Some studies show that branched chain amino acid supplements reduce muscle breakdown. If you have to lose muscle before you can gain it, the idea is that the products could cut the amount you need to lose before you start to get it back.

While these supplements might work, don’t expect dramatic results. “Exercise stimulates muscle [growth] anyway. So taking amino acids probably isn’t physiologically very significant, but it’s also not harmful,” Sherman says.

Whey Protein for Muscle Growth
Like branched chain amino acids, many athletes take whey protein, usually in a protein shake, after workouts to try to curb muscle damage and boost growth.

“There’s a window of about at least 30 minutes after you stop exercising during which you can take in protein and promote [growth] of lean muscle mass,” Sherman says. A number of scientific studies show that whey protein after exercise helps reduce muscle damage or promotes its growth.

Whey protein seems to work best after resistance exercise, like weight training, Rankin says. But you don’t have to get the nutrient from a supplement. A high-protein meal after a workout would do the job, too. Whey protein on top of that might give you an extra boost.

By Sonya Collins, shared from webmd.com

Speed Endurance Drills

Speed endurance training should form the later part of pre-season training and in-season training. It is important to develop a solid fitness base beforehand, which includes strength and endurance conditioning.

No more than two speed endurance sessions are required. This may be reduced to once a week during the competitive season. Because speed endurance training can be so demanding, keep session duration to 20-30 minutes maximum. Rest intervals should consist of active recovery exercises such as walking or jogging slowly on the spot.

High Intensity Shuttle Run

1. Pace out 30 meters on grass or a running track. Place a cone at the start and at 5 meter intervals (7 cones in total).
2. Sprint from the starting cone to 5 meter cone and back. Turn and sprint to 10 meter cone and back to start. Sprint to 15meter cone and back to start and so on until you sprint the full 30 meters and back.
3. Rest for 90 seconds and repeat. Complete a total of 6 sets keeping rest periods to 90 seconds.

Pyramids

1. Pace out 50 meters placing a cone at the start and then at 10 meter intervals (6 cones in total).
2. Starting at the first cone sprint all out for 10 meters and walk the remaining 40 meters.
3. Turn and sprint 20 meters and walk for 30 meters.
4. Turn and sprint 30 meters and walk for 20 meters.
5. Turn and sprint 40 meters and walk for 10 meters.
6. Turn and sprint 50 meters and then turn and sprint 50 meters again back to the start.

This is classed as one set. Rest for 90 seconds and repeat for a total of 4 sets. Rest for a full 3 minutes and repeat.

Cruise And Sprint
Mark out a distance of 100 meters. From the start gradually accelerate to reach full speed at about 60 meters. Sprint all out for the final 40 meters.
Slow down gradually, turn and repeat.
Continue for 2 minutes and then rest for 2 minutes. This is one set. Repeat for a total of 6 sets.

Hollow sprint
Set 5 cones out in 30 meters intervals. Sprint 30 meters, jog 30 meters, sprint 30 meters and jog 30 meters to the final cone.
Turn around and repeat always alternating jogging and sprinting. Work for 2 minutes and then rest for 2 minutes.
This is one set. Try to complete a total of 6 sets.

Cross Drill
Using 4 cones mark a box 30 meters by 30 meters. Place another cone in the center of the box.
Starting at the center cone sprint to each corner and back in a clockwise direction. Once you have completed a circuit rest for 60 seconds.
Perform a total of 6 circuits to complete one set. A session could contain up to 4 sets with a 3 minute rest interval between sets.

Shared from sport-fitness-advisor.com

How to Increase Stamina for Basketball

Basketball requires speed, strength, quickness and overall athleticism. Conditioning drills for basketball can help you get in shape to play the game competitively. However, your coaches may push you very hard to get in the best shape possible because they want you to have stamina in the late stages of the game. This is where games are often won and lost; making the effort to build your stamina can have a dramatic impact on your game and your team's win-loss record.

Step 1
Run the "basketball mile" drill to build stamina and endurance. Start off jogging for 20 seconds, then increase your jog to a full-out run for 20 seconds. After the run, jump forward for 20 seconds and then finish the cycle by walking for 20 seconds. Do this until you have gone for one mile. Repeat three times per week.

Step 2

Perform the "pyramid drill" to build your basketball endurance. Start off at the baseline and sprint to the opposite baseline. Do one push-up. Get up and sprint back to the starting baseline. Do two push-ups. Continue in this manner until you are doing five push-ups. Take a two-minute break and repeat the sprints, but this time do sit-ups instead of push-ups.

Step 3

Start off at the free-throw line and make five consecutive free throws. After you have made your free throws, go under the boards and start tipping the ball off the backboard. Tip it 10 times in succession and go back to the free-throw line and make five more free throws. This will help you improve your concentration and your overall stamina.

Step 4
Divide the team into two lines. The first group is going to the basket on the near side of the court and the other line is going to the basket on the far side of the court. On the coach's signal, the first player in each line takes off for a layup. The idea is for the two lines to combine for 40 layups in a two-minute period. Take a one-minute break and repeat the drill. This will build speed and endurance.

Warnings
Before starting your conditioning and stamina sessions, perform a short, aerobic warm-up to get your blood flowing, prepare your muscles for the drills and prevent injury.

Tips

Basketball is all about speed and sprints, not long distance running. Sprinting drills are more effective when you practice landing on the balls of your feet instead of heel-toe.

Shared from livestrong.com

The 12 Best Strength Training Exercises For Runners

Exercise #1: Towel Crunch

Body part: Feet This exercise will strengthen your feet. After all, they withstand 2-3 times your body weight with each running step. So the stronger your feet are, the better! Lay a small towel out on a linoleum or tile floor. Sit in a chair with your toes just over the edge of the towel. Begin to pull the towel toward you using your toes. When you can no longer pull more towel under your toes, spread the towel out again and repeat. Once the towel crunch gets too easy, just add some weight (a food can or small book) to the end of the towel for more resistance.

Exercises #2 & #3: Straight Leg Raises and Bent Leg Raises

Body part: Calves Like the feet, the calves are very involved in running. That's why it's so important to keep them strong and flexible. In these two exercises, one with your knee straight and one with your knee slightly bent, focus on lowering your heel as far as possible then rising up as high as possible. Once you can do 30-50 repetitions of these, you can add some additional weight. Try holding a large food can or dumbbell as you exercise.

Exercise #4: Bed Pulls

Body part: Shins Shin splints is one of the most common running injuries for beginners. The muscles on the front and side of the legs just aren't ready for all the work. This simple exercise will prepare them for running. Hang just the ball of your foot off the mattress and pull your foot toward your shin. The mattress will provide just the right amount of resistance. Focus on slowly releasing the mattress. This helps train the muscles for the action they take during running - namely lowering the foot slowly to keep it from slapping the ground.

Exercise #5: Knee Extensions

Body part: Quadriceps The quadriceps (the muscles on the front of the thigh) are critical to your running. Not only do they help absorb the impact and propel you down the road, they also stabilize the knee. Keeping your "quads" strong will help you avoid Runner's Knee and other ailments. Begin with your knee bent slightly - less than 90 degrees. Straighten your legs to move the weight and continue until your legs are fully extended, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. If your knees, not the thighs, feel any discomfort, decrease the weight and reduce the range of motion (how far you flex or extend your leg). Experiment to find a pain-free range.

Exercise #6: Leg Curls

Body part: Hamstrings The hamstrings (the muscles on the back of the thigh) are also important for your running. They need to be strong and flexible. Lie face down on the leg curl machine. Slip your feet under the rollers and hold onto the handles. Begin with your legs straight, then pull your heels toward your buttocks to lift the weight. Pull your heels only to the point where your butt begins to rise off the bench. You don't have to touch your butt with your heels. Then lower the weight slowly.

Exercise #7: Lunges

Body part: Buttocks/Hamstrings Take a good size step forward with one leg. The front leg should be bent so that your knee is directly over your ankle (forming a 90-degree angle). The rear leg should be straight. Return to a standing position by pushing backward with the heel of your forward leg. You should feel the exercise in the buttocks and backs of legs. Repeat with the other leg.

Exercise # 8: Crunches

Body part: Abdominals Your trunk is the major power source for your running. If your "core" isn't strong and stable, then you risk injury. Lay on your back with your knees bent. Cross your arms over your chest, then crunch your chest towards your knees without straining your neck. A 45-degree angle is about right. The lower back should remain on the floor. Focus on tightening the abdominal muscles.

Exercise #9: Rows

Body part: Back As with your abs, your back muscles keep your trunk and torso stable during running. Keeping your stomach tight, pull your hands toward your chest to lift the weight. Squeeze the shoulder blades together, then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. Your lower back should move minimally. If you experience any lower back discomfort, decrease the weight and range of motion of the exercise.

Exercise #10: Bench Press

Body part: Chest This exercise will develop your chest and shoulders. Lying on your back, hold the bar at chest level, then extend your arms fully without locking your elbows. Slowly lower the weight back to starting position.

Arm Workouts

The arms are used mainly for balance during running, but can tire after a few miles. Strengthening the front of the upper arm - the biceps - and the back of the upper arm - the triceps - keeps your arms strong. Plus you'll look buff!

Exercise #11: Bicep Curls

Start with your arms extended. Flex the elbow to bring the weight toward your shoulders. Once the elbows are maximally flexed, slowly lower the weight to the starting position. As you fatigue, remember not to rock the body or move the elbows back and forth to accomplish the exercise.

Exercise #12: Tricep Curls

Start with your elbow bent. Straighten your elbow fully to lift the weight and strengthen the backs of your arms. Slowly bend your elbow to lower the weight.

Caribolakeranjang: Serene Park Basketball Court, Johor Bahru

Serene Park Basketball Court is located at center of the Taman Serene Park Johor Bahru. The easiest route to take if you are travelling from Larkin/Skudai is headed to Johor Bahru. Once you reach the junction with Danga City Mall on your left, take the left exit and headed to Woodland. Keep going about 5km until you find Branch Burger Bakar Abang Burn on you right (the other side of the highway), take a left exit to the Taman Serene Johor Bahru.

 

 

 

 

The court is semi-open outdoor type with the glass backboard. The surface of court might appeared a bit slippery, but with the fully covered roof and grandstand built alongside shall highlighted the elegance of the court. The court can be book for night play with just low charges. The famous group that always organized event at this court is Southern Tiger Basketball Community.

ECBL 2015 Week 2 – Results and Standings

Week 2 was more thrilling and exciting as every team take the game very seriously and carefully set their strategy after post-mortem of their opening game last week. Strengthen their offense and defense, more hustle and sharp on very set play. Two matches continue with OT (over time), the results itself tells how the excitement of the games are. Total of 8 match scheduled for Week 2 of ECBL, full results are as below;

ACES keep their winning streaks lead at the top of the table, Blackjack with little advantage in different cumulative points comes in second, compete with RHINOS, KLPR Tigers and UITM Dungeons. Standings of the teams after Week 2 match;

Click here for Results and Standings of Week 1

For more info on full game schedule of ECBL 2015, click here.

Gallery pictures of ECBL at http://ecbl.weebly.com/

ECBL 2015 Week 1 - Results and Standings

Full results from Week 1 ECBL Div 1 as below;

KLPR Tigers, ACES, SESMA PREDATORS and UITM each wins their first match, with KLPR Tigers at top of the table lead by different points. Standings of the teams after 1st match;

For more info on full game schedule of ECBL 2015, click here.

Gallery pictures of ECBL at http://ecbl.weebly.com/

Full Schedule of East Coast Basketball League Division 1 2015

This year format of the league will be round-robin. All matches are scheduled at night from 8:00pm to 12:00am, from 28th August 2015 to 15th September 2015 with most of the event will be conducted at Batas Baru Basketball Court, Kuala Terengganu.

Check out full schedule of ECBL Division 1 as per table below;

For this year 2015 first time ever ECBL, 8 teams confirms their registration for division 1. They are;

KLPR TIGERS

RHINOS

SESMA PREDATORS

ACES

BLACKJACK

INSTEP

Meanwhile Division 2, which is for under-18 team will start as soon as teams confirmed their participation in the league.

Basketball Merdeka Cup by Southern Tigers Basketball, Johor Bahru

Last Saturday (22nd August 2015) in conjunction with National Day, Southern Tigers Basketball organized mini-tournament-Basketball Merdeka Cup 2015 in Serene Park Basketball Court, Johor Bahru. The event started at 8:00am in morning and the final match was manage to complete in late afternoon. A total of 8 teams participate in this tournament, divided into 2 groups of 4. They are;

Ace Killer

Weekenders

Chingaz

UTHM Falcon

Larkin Boys

SMSJ Spartan

Kaizen - UITM PG

The Masaian

WEEKENDERS; UTHM FALCON; UITM KAIZEN; LARKIN BOYS; CHINGAZ; SMSJ SPARTAN; THE MASAIAN; ACE KILLER

Rules and regulation set as follow:

1. Each game set for 20 minutes with 2 half ( 9 mins first half + 2 mins rest time + 9 mins second half)
2. Teams will be permitted for only 1 Timeout per match.
3. Shot Clock will be set for 32 seconds.
4. The game will be a non-stop mode whereby there will be no free throw, only side-line ball for any foul committed.
5. Foul Out is applicable on a player after fifth consecutive fouls.
6. Only the champion from each group will play in the Final Game.

Here are the full result of the tournament, click on figure to have a better view;

Table Result

Around the tournament;

Congratulation to ACE KILLERS, champion of the Merdeka Cup 2015!

There is rumors to create community basketball league at southern region, and was discussed internally among the active basketball club in Johor. Aren't you excited? Looking forward for that to happened!! *double thumbs up*

List of Easy to Digest Foods

There are many reasons you might need to eat foods that are more easily digestible than others. It may be that you suffer from indigestion, or that you have diarrhoea or have been vomiting. By eating foods that are easier to digest it is possible to provide our bodies with the necessary nutrients such as sodium, water and vitamins, without creating more discomfort. In some cases the problems can actually be worsened by having nothing in your stomach, so if you can eat a little of something easy to digest, this can then help you to get back on track and on the way to normal health again. Here we will look at a few things you can consume that won't take too much work for your body to digest.

Things to Avoid
The best way to work out what you can eat is to narrow down those things that you cannot. These include for example those foods high in fibre or fat. Fibre is designed to be difficult to digest and to thus pass through our digestive tract un-broken down so that it can clear out the system and get rid of fatty deposits. This is very useful, but not so much if you are struggling with diarrhoea (soluble fibres are better than insoluble). You should also avoid those foods high in fat as this is also harder for the body to digest and will sit in our stomachs for a long time after we eat it – this is why we often feel as though we are fuller when eating fast food such as a beef burger (and why it's so defiantly satisfying).
You also want to avoid foods that are spicy, greasy or sugary. Something like curry for instance should very much be avoided as this can cause digestion problems at the best of times. Other complications are caffeine, gas, acid, and alcohol. You should avoid then: tea and coffee, alcohol, carbonated drinks such as Coke, tomatoes, and mints.

Things to Look For
What you do want then is for your foods to be as simple as possible and the fewer flavours and spices you have to confuse your system the better. Your body needs to work through different types of foods to digest them differently so try to stick to just one or two items (bread rather than bread with butter, celery and chicken).

The other role of your digestive system is to break up foods so that they can be absorbed by the body. You want to also avoid foods then that are very tough or sinewy or that are otherwise difficult to break up. Eat things that are instead as soft and easily broken down as possible. Things like banana, mashed potato (this is also very good for soaking up other things), soup, white bread, rice, cooked vegetables and oat porridge.

A Short List of Easily Digestible Foods
Bread,
Rice,
Cooked Vegetables,
Soup,
Porridge,
Apricots,
Banana,
Cantaloupe,
Mashed Potato,
Scrambled Egg,
Honeydew Melon,
Peaches,
Watermelon,
Alfalfa Sprouts,
Mushrooms,
Squash,
Zucchini,
Carrots

A Quick Snack That's Easy to Digest
If you have acute indigestion or stomach upset, then you might be looking for a quick and easy meal that you can be sure won't provide too much trouble going down. A great one is savoury rice which can be made very simply by boiling rice in cold water that has one OXO cube added to it as well as some Maggi (seasoning). This creates a delicious savoury rice that should go down relatively safely.

Shared from healthguidance.org

Basketball Workout for Losing Weight

If you have ever stepped on the basketball court, you have likely felt the rush of making a big shot or being a part of a winning team. There are many positives to the game, but one of the biggest may be its ability to keep you in great shape. Playing just one hour of basketball can help you burn up to 750 calories and can tone and shape your body by working many different muscle groups.

Sprinting a Foundation for Success
During a standard basketball game, an average player runs around 105 high- intensity sprints. These sprints are responsible for the development of fast-twitch muscle fibers that build muscle and tone your body. Incorporating full-court sprints into your workout will ensure that you are toning your lower body while gaining explosiveness and agility that will come in handy for playing defense and changing direction quickly. Dribble a basketball during your sprint workout to develop your ball-handling skills.

Leaping Into Action
Squat jumps will help you develop your lower back, hamstrings and quadriceps muscles while improving your vertical leap. Pick a spot on the backboard and get down into squat position with your weight spread equally on both feet. With your arms extended upward, jump and attempt to hit the spot you've picked on the backboard. If you can't reach the backboard, select a spot on the wall. Jump as many times as you can in a set period of time, concentrating to ensure you are using correct form.

Pushing the Envelope
Pushups are one of the most simple, yet effective workouts you can do to gain upper-body strength for basketball and tone your arms, chest and core. Your triceps and chest are packed with fast-twitch muscles that will help you become more sculpted and strong enough to battle in the paint. You will gain maximum results if you do as many pushups as you can in a set time period, rest for that same amount of time and then repeat the process.

Sliding into Defensive Prowess
Incorporate a full-body workout into your basketball conditioning program by doing defensive slides. Starting on the baseline, get into proper defensive position with your butt down, chest out and arms extended to the sides. Staying in this position, slide your feet up the lane to the free-throw line, out to the baseline, back to the free-throw line and return to the baseline. Defensive slides will work wonders for your conditioning and help you lose weight quickly.

Shared from livehealthy.chron.com

Fast Twitch Exercises for Basketball

Success on the basketball court requires not only a ton of practice, but the development of certain muscle groups that can allow you to become quicker and more agile and jump higher. Fast twitch muscles are the primary active muscles that allow your body to react quickly without getting tired. Since basketball is a game of constant motion and short bursts of speed, developing fast twitch muscles will enable you to become a better basketball player

Quick Jumps

Jumping exercises are some of the most effective exercises for developing fast twitch muscle fibers. Since basketball requires a great deal of jumping, there's no better place to start than doing quick jumps. Start by picking out a spot on the backboard and jump with your arms extended to hit that spot. Keep your feet together and land in the same spot each time, jumping as soon as you land and touching the same spot each time. Jump 20 times on both feet -- 20 on your right and 20 on your left, picking a spot a little higher on the backboard each time.

High-Knee Running

Short sprints and any variation of running help you develop fast twitch muscles. Sprints are effective but adapting your running style while working out can help you more efficiently build the type of muscles needed for quickness and explosiveness on the basketball court. Run by extending your knee up to your waist with each step. The further you can bring your knee without injuring yourself, the better. A strong push off the ground and an exaggerated lift will help you build basketball muscles.

Heavy Squats

All variations of squats can help you build your fast twitch muscles, but one of the most demanding is known as the heavy squat. Squat as low as you can with equal weight on both feet, then pop up through standing position, jumping as high as you possibly can. Land and return to the original squat position. One jump should be completed in one second, so that you squat-jump 10 times in 10 seconds. These jumps are very demanding, so two sets of 10 should be sufficient.

Push-Ups

You're lower body isn't the only thing you should be developing to be good at hoops. Playing defense, getting your jump shot off quickly and having quick hands are all important aspects of being a basketball player. Your biceps, triceps and chest contain many fast twitch fibers that can help you increase your speed. The most simple workout to develop these fast twitch muscles are basic push-ups. Push-ups using the correct form are considered to be one of the most effective exercises you can do.

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How to Get in Shape Like a Basketball Player

Unless you're already the star of your high school basketball team or being scouted by top coaches, the chances of you becoming an NBA star are slim. While you may not be able to make your living playing basketball, you can get yourself into basketball player shape by replicating the workouts of the pros. These workouts are designed to build muscle mass, strip fat and increase strength and power.

Step 1
Hit the gym three times per week to lift weights. Your strength training sessions should rotate between heavy, light and medium sessions, notes trainer Jon-Erik Kawamoto. Make them full-body workouts too. As a basketball player, your body works as one unit during games, so it makes sense to train it in a similar way.

Step 2
Base your weights workouts around compound moves, working both the upper and lower body. Strength coach Joe Rogowski, trainer to standout power forward and center Dwight Howard, recommends including bench presses, lat pull-downs, squats and leg presses in your routine.

Step 3
Add in body-weight moves too. Steve Hess, coach at the Denver Nuggets, suggests including suspension training in your routine to make body-weight work more challenging. Using a suspension system, you can perform pushups, single-leg squats, pull-ups and lunge variations.

Step 4
Perform two upper and two lower body exercises in your first session, such as barbell squats, box jumps, bench presses and weighted pull-ups for five sets of three to six reps each. Take off a day or two in between each session. In session two, go for a similar format but with slightly different exercises and higher reps, such as deadlifts, dumbbell lunges, dumbbell bench presses and pull-downs, for three sets of eight to 12 reps. For your final session, perform a body-weight only workout of six exercises for three sets of 15 to 20 reps each.

Step 5
Include two days per week of sprint endurance and agility work. A 15- to 20-minute high-intensity session of hill sprints, stair sprints, shuttle runs, interval training, or a group conditioning session with your teammates under the supervision of a coach will suffice.

Step 6
Eat a well-balanced diet and aim to eat every few hours, advises sports dietitian Tavis Piattoly. Carbs are your main source of energy, so prioritize these by basing your meals around whole-grains and fruits. You need protein to help recovery too, adds Piattoly, so add chicken, lean beef, turkey, fish or dairy to all your meals.

Step 7
Reduce your consumption of sugars and eat more healthy fats. Physician and nutritionist Cate Shanahan, who works with NBA stars Dwight Howard, Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant among others, advises cutting out artificial foods, sugars and hydrogenated oils and eating more grass-fed meat, oily fish and cream from grass-fed cows.

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Caribolakeranjang: Setiawangsa Basketball Court, Kuala Lumpur

Setiawangsa Basketball Court is the open air court located at Sports Complex Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur. So how to get there?

Easiest way is through Jalan Setiawangsa, heading to Jelatek from Wangsa Maju. Take a left turn at the crossroad just before LRT Setiawangsa, (you can see on your right side of the crossroad is the entrance to Kediaman Tentara Darat Diraja Malaysia) towards Jalan Keramat Hujung. Go straight until you reach a junction with Petronas Petrol Station on your left, take a left turn. The road you taken will climb a bit slope and past through few junctions, keep going straight. Take a left turn at Jalan Setiawangsa 21, you will found the Sports Complex is on your right.

The surface of the court is very good, subtle enough so you do not slip during running and dribbling. Most of the players here are from the Setiawangsa neighborhood, they play everyday and the peak hours is 6:00 PM. There is no lights available for night balling, the games will only proceed until dawn. The facilities at the complex included tennis court and futsal court, so every evening the atmosphere here was very good and energizing! Perfect place to drop by after the work hours, before you going home.

Pros and Cons of Processed Foods

Processed foods are foods that are prepared through physical or chemical treatments which result in the food being significantly different from its original state. A processed food then might be a sausage made from a mixture of meats, or a canned meal that has had added salts and other substances in order to help give it longevity.

In the majority of cases the term 'processed food' is used to refer to things like sausages and burgers that you might eat at a takeaway that are in fact not pure cuts of meat but rather amalgamations of various meats and cuts. However technically the term can also be used to describe fortified foods that have had additional nutrients added in order to make them more healthy and better for you.
Here we will look at the pros and cons of processed foods and how to select and eat them carefully.

Be Careful of Jargon
Processed foods include synthetic additives and other preparations, but generally they are not as healthy as getting fresh foods and nutrients by controlling your diet closely. Despite this, many companies will try to disguise their true motives and make their refined foods sound healthier than they in fact are. For instance if you read that something is 'rich in vitamin C' then note that this usually means that the vitamin C is synthetic and your body will be less able to absorb it. For instance if you have fruit juice then often this will in fact be water with a fruit concentrate and added vitamin C. Look out for 'fruit drinks' and the word 'concentrate'.

Likewise the term 'pure' on bottled water is not the same as 'natural'. Pure water often comes from a municipal water supply. Look instead for 'natural water' or 'spring' water. Also be weary of 'fortified with calcium' or 'builds healthy bones'. This is common with cereals, but while they may include calcium, this is actually in the form of chalk which is primarily a bulking agent and actually again very hard for the body to absorb.

In fact whenever cereals are refined, the vitamins and minerals will be removed and by law the companies are then required to replace them. This then is the only reason that those cereals are 'fortified' when in fact they simply have the minerals and vitamins that should have been there already replaced with less effective synthetic materials.

At the same time though, we shouldn't assume that all processed foods are 'bad' and particularly when you bear in mind that things like milk are technically processed because it is pasteurized and often skimmed. The pasteurizing process kills bacteria and 'raw' milk can sometimes cause illness.

Pros
Despite some less than honest marketing strategies, processed foods actually do have many benefits. Here we will look at what those are.

Fortification
While nutrients that have been added to foods afterward are often harder for the body to absorb they are still better than nothing and they can provide an important way for us to get certain vitamins and minerals. For instance, someone who had a lactose intolerance might use a water fortified with calcium. Meanwhile fortification is the only way that vegetarians can get vitamin B12 in their diet which is highly important for brain function and nerve health.

Longevity
Foods are often processed for preservation and tinned foods are a perfect example as are freeze dried foods (that use a combination of freezing and vacuums in order to remove moisture from foods). These processed foods are of course very important as a back up and especially in environmental disasters etc. At the same time they are very affordable and quick to prepare making them highly practical for families and those who are in a hurry. Frozen vegetables last indefinitely and are highly practical, but at the same time they don't lose any of their vitamins or minerals.

Salt
Processed foods are almost always high in salt, primarily because of its antibacterial properties which make it ideal for preservation. While salt in high quantities is unhealthy, small amounts are actually good for you and crucial for the function of all of our organs. Thus the occasional ready meal won't actually do you too much damage.

Taste
Often the reason that foods are fortified and processed is to improve the taste (which is of course good for business). Often they will taste fresher after a longer amount of time, and at the same time they will tend to be richer in taste.

Appetite
Many of the processed foods we get from fast food chains have added saturated fats and trans fats. While these aren't good for us, they do make us feel full for longer. The reason for this is that fats are the slowest foods to digest and that therefore means you will crave these meats when you are at your hungriest. 'Healthy' foods often just won't appeal in the same way.

Health Benefits
While you should be weary of the term 'fortified' without research, as mentioned other forms of 'processing' such as the pasteurizing process, are actually necessary to prevent illness.

Cons
Loss of Nutrients
Many forms of processing will reduce the amount or bioavailability of vitamins and minerals that are crucial to our health.

Absorption
As mentioned, the difficult absorption of many of the added vitamins and minerals means that they can be highly misleading and that it is still very important to consume fresh foods as well. Because the 'fortification' is actually often done to replace the missing vitamins and minerals that were lost in the processing, this means that the foods carry a lot less nutritional value.

Salt
The added salt in many processed foods is primarily a negative point when there is so much salt in everything else we eat. This can result in cramping, water retention and in extremes – heart damage.

Taste
While some might prefer the strong tastes of processed foods, others prefer the fresh taste of natural foods. At the same time, by constantly consuming foods that have added fats and salts it is possible to lose some of your ability to taste more subtle ingredients and this can prevent you from enjoying fresh foods.

Ease
Unfortunately the very existence of processed foods, and the fact that they are so easy and convenient to eat, means that people in a rush or low in cash will often choose processed foods rather than think of creative ways to eat fresh foods more cheaply and easily. The fact that it is 'all too easy' to take this easier route means that many people aren't getting the proportion of fresh foods in their diet that they need.

Fats
The added saturated fats in processed foods are also often very bad for you and this can cause heart problems and increase cholesterol.

Quality
The fact that many processed foods have added flavoring that masks the original taste of the ingredients, and the fact that many of them are made from mixed sources, means that it's hard to tell the quality of the foods used and this means many manufacturers will 'cut corners'. When you eat a processed burger for instance or meats in a canned meal you won't be getting good cuts of meat but will rather be eating gristle and even 'leftovers'.

Shared from healthguidance.org

How Does Muscular Strength Improve From Playing Basketball?

Basketball involves plenty of skill, finesse and speed, but strength also plays a key role in everything you do on the court. So if you play lots of basketball, all that running, jumping, passing and shooting can pay off with stronger muscles. You won’t win a bodybuilding championship by playing basketball -- to develop serious muscle mass you have to perform heavy resistance training -- but the game can help you stay strong.

Take Your Best Shot
Your hand controls the ball when you dribble, pass and shoot, but the six wrist flexors in your forearm provide the power. The wrist flexors contract when your hand moves forward to propel a shot toward the basket or a pass to a teammate, so if you handle the ball enough you’ll strengthen those muscles. Likewise, the triceps in your upper arms control your forearm movements -- when the forearm extends as you take a jump shot, for example -- so you’ll strengthen that muscle group just by practicing your shot.

Run the Floor
You’ll do plenty of running when you play basketball, which helps you strengthen a variety of lower-body muscles. As you run, the gluteus maximus, hamstrings and hip adductors combine to extend your hips, while the iliopsoas, tensor fasciae latae and rectus femoris are among the leading hip flexors. Your quads extend your knees while the hamstrings, gastrocnemius and several smaller muscles work to flex your knees as you dash up and down the court. The gastrocnemius also helps flex your ankles, along with lower-leg muscles such as the soleus and tibialis anterior.

Jump Into the Action
Jumping plays a key role in basketball as you leap for rebounds or release your jump shots. The more jumping you do on the court, the more you’ll develop the strength and explosive power of your jumping muscles, just as you do when performing plyometric jumps. Your glutes and calves are key jumping muscles, while your core -- muscles such as the abs, obliques, hip flexors and erector spinae -- help stabilize your movements.

Have a Heart
Playing basketball is excellent cardiovascular exercise, which means it can help strengthen the most important muscle in your body -- the heart. The sport also burns plenty of calories and helps you develop endurance, particularly if you play the standard game on a 94-foot court. If you weigh 155 pounds, for example, you’ll burn 298 calories in 30 minutes of a basketball game.

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