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.

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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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A Comparison of Hand and Finger Exercise Equipment

One thing rock climbers and musicians have in common is the need for a strong, precise grip. Using hand and finger exercise equipment can build up the muscles in your forearm to improve finger, thumb and wrist strength. Such equipment may involve resistance generated by springs, a resistant foam or rubber or even your own body weight to build muscle through repeated use. Understanding the types of hand and finger exercise equipment can help you choose the one that is ideal for your sport or activity.

Kung-Fu Grip
You'll never bulk up your fingers, because there isn't actually any muscle in them. Fingers are controlled by muscles and tendons located in the palm and forearm, which work each individual finger like a puppet on a string. You can feel these muscles moving if you place your opposite hand on your forearm and wiggle your fingers. The muscles used for your fingers are intensely strong. Rock climbers routinely support their entire body weight using just a few fingers, since their finger strength and grip has been built up so much through repeated use.

Spring-Based Strengtheners
One type of hand and finger exercise equipment is the grip strengthener. One type of this device features four separate spring-based resistance pads arranged in a row. As the spring underneath the pad is compressed, the resistance increases, allowing you to build up the strength in each finger individually or all at once. These strengtheners are ideal for musicians, since most musical instruments exclusively require strength in the fingers, rather than the whole palm.

Get On The Ball
A stress ball is one of the least complicated pieces of exercise equipment available. Made of a rubber or foam composite, these elegantly simple tools strengthen your grip considerably through repeated squeezing. As you compress the ball, it pushes back on your fingers and palm as it attempts to regain its spherical shape, which works out your entire hand. The limitation of stress balls, however, is that they exclusively work out the flexor muscles in your forearm, rather than the extensor muscles, which limits the balance of your grip and could thus contribute to sports-related injuries.

Hanging Ten
One of the best workouts for your ten digits is rock climbing walls. A typical rock gym can have an extremely diverse collection of holds called slopers, pinches, jugs, and crimps that put your hands in different positions requiring strength to maintain your hold. Installing rock climbing holds or a rock climbing pull-up rack can give you an intense hand and finger workout, and a membership at your rock gym could go even farther. Bouldering covers almost every possible application for grip strength, since you'll be supporting your body weight using a wide variety of hand positions, which thus makes rock climbing one of the best methods for developing hand and finger strength fast.

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Basketball Tricks

If you play or are interested in playing basketball you will need to know the various tricks used in the game. There are several trick moves that are used to get by defenders and score points. Here are a few of them.

In the crossover, the ball is dribbled in one hand and bounced to switch it to the other hand, changing the pace at which the ball is moving and confusing the opponent. In other words if you are dribbling with your right hand, the crossover is done by bouncing the ball from your right hand to your left. This move is very effective for throwing off a defender and in some cases the defender falls in an attempt to intercept the crossover.

Another trick is to pass the ball between your legs; while dribbling the ball with one hand, touch it in such a way that it moves sideways rather than straight up and down and pass it between your legs. You can do this as many times as you wish but be careful not to travel with the ball when you are performing this trick.

Another trick move in basketball is the wraparound in which the ball handler dribbles the ball behind his/her back and switches it to his/her other hand, similar to what is done in the crossover move. The wraparound allows the ball handler to move forward even though the defender is moving in towards him/her.

In a spin move the ball handler spins his/her body to change the direction he/she is facing and places his/her body between the ball and the defender. This move takes some practice however, as the sudden spin can leave the ball handler disoriented. However if done correctly it can also confuse and disorient the defender allowing the ball handler to get away.

The behind the back dribble is basically a crossover move done behind your back, there is also a variation in which the ball is passed from hand to hand behind the back without being bounced. But you have to be careful when performing the no bounce variation as it will be considered a carry if done incorrectly. This trick allows the ball handler to stall for time and take a quick look around the court while maintaining control of the ball. It is useful in cases where you need to outrun a defender, or when your teammates are unavailable for a pass.

There are many other trick moves used in basketball that are useful for various situations you will face throughout the game. There are many video tutorials online that will show you exactly how they are performed if you are interested in learning. Of course these moves will take a lot of practice to perfect. But if you feel any kind of pain while performing any of the moves, do not attempt that move again until the pain goes away as you can injure yourself.

Shared from basketballtricks.net

BASKETBALL MOVES

Basketball is a sport played between two teams each consisting of five players. Each team tries to score points by placing a ball through the opponents’ hoop under special rules. The game is played on a court. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins the game. The game has grown in popularity and is played professionally by both men and women.
During the game, the ball is passed among teammates by bouncing or throwing to each other. The ball must remain on the court and is out of bounds if it touches or crosses the boundary line drawn on the court. To play basketball effectively, there are a number of moves that are utilized to get ahead in the game. Some of these moves are:

Attacking a Defender – first try to analyze the defender’s feet position. The defender has to pivot and recover in order to stop your move, making their front foot defenseless.

• If your defender is staggering, attack that front foot.
• Drive to the hoop when your defender plays with straight legs or rushes toward the ball. When the defender eases up, take a perimeter shot.
• If your defender moves alongside your fake, drive toward the basket in the opposite direction.

Faking – Most times successful fakes create shots. Your fakes must look real often incorporating ball fakes, shot fakes, foot fakes, head fakes or eye fakes.

• When using shot fakes, stay down keeping a bent knee while the ball goes up.
• Maintain your gaze in the direction of the fake.
• Be quick with the ball when using pass and shot fakes.

Direct Drive – this move is used to drive past the defender and is used when there is an open driving lane.

• Keep your head up and make your way past your defender while pushing the ball forward.

Jab Step and Drive – a jab step is a short, quick step made to the defender using your non-pivot foot.

• Whenever the jab step is utilized, if the defender fails to respond to this move, push off your pivot and make your way past the defender and straight towards the basket.

Crossover Step and Drive – This is implanted when your defender responds to the jab step.

• Use the same foot used to make the jab step to make a quick crossover step. Crossover with a long step past the defender and swing the ball across your body. The pivot foot must be kept still while these actions are taken.

Rocket Drive – to use the rocket drive you must first make a foot fake by moving forward or backward.

• If the defender reacts to the foot fake the rocket step is used to set up a perimeter shot or a drive to the hoop. Take a long step if the defender moves forward.
• You must be able to read your defense with regards to where the ball is and always read the defense to make your next move.

Shared from basketballmoves.org

Who Invented Basketball?

Without a doubt, basketball is one of the most popular sports worldwide. The success of international sports groups and organizations like the National Basketball Association or NBA as well as the International Basketball Federation or FIBA has contributed to the overall popularity of the game. Likewise, the emergence of the Women’s National Basketball Association or WNBA gave women the opportunity to participate in this well-loved sport. In order to know the game more, it is good to know who invented basketball.

The Invention of Basketball
Who invented basketball? James Naismith was credited for the invention of this team sport some time in December 1891. He was at that time a YMCA Training School instructor in the City of Springfield in Massachusetts. His primary purpose for inventing the game was to give his students a vigorous indoor game to play especially during the extremely cold winter season.

Additional Facts and Other Interesting Information
At first, the game of basketball was played exclusively indoors. Before, a peach basket was nailed 10 feet high. Players usually shot the ball inside the basket in order to score. When a goal was made, the ball was to be retrieved manually. They solved this problem by cutting a hole under the basket in order for the ball to pass directly through it. The use of peach basket lasted until 1906. After that, it was replaced by backboards and metal hoops, just like in the basketball as it is today.

The first official basketball game took place on January 20, 1892, which was held right inside the YMCA gymnasium. The playing field used then only measured half of the current regulation-size basketball court. The official score after that game was 1-0. After the game was invented, its popularity immediately reached other parts of the United States as well as Canada. In 1898, the very first professional basketball league was established under the name National Basketball League.
When people talk about basketball, it is very hard not to include the NBA. Today, this professional league remains as the most popular all over the world. It was established in 1946, under the name Basketball Association of America. In 1949, it merged with the National Basketball League that led to the creation of the National Basketball Association.

The emergence of NBA legends such as Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan helped popularized the sport even more. This sport continues to gain popularity. Today, the popularity of the game has spread to countries like Germany, France and Turkey. These nations have already produced their very own basketball superstars in the form of players such as Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs and Hedo Turkoglu of the Toronto Raptors.

Shared from whoinventedit.net

UMP won MASUM Men's Basketball 2015

Closing Ceremony MASUM Sports Carnival 2015, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has been held at the Sports Hall 1, UTM Johor Bahru at 3.00pm. Closing speech was delivered by the Chairman of the Organising Committee MASUM Sports Carnival 2015, UTM Hon. Prof. Dr. Mohd Ismail bin Abdul Aziz, who is also the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (HEMA) UTM. In his speech, he hopes that this year's edition MASUM is the best sports tournament and leave memories that can not be forgotten by all parties. He also expressed his sincere appreciation and gratitude to the citizens of UTM Sports Excellence for their efforts to lead the planning and implementation of the success of MASUM 2015.

Of course stealing the spotlight of the final day, was the Final Men's Basketball between Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UNIMAP). UMP won the match with score of 66-31. Meanwhile Gold Medal of Women's Basketball goes to Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) for win in the final 52-36 against Universiti Malaya (UM). Third place goes to Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

UMP Basketball team showing off their gold medal

The closing ceremony ended with the surrender flag MASUM Championship by Hon. TNC (HEMA) UTM MASUM to the Secretary-General, Mr. Hj. Mohamed Rafee Jusoh. Sports Carnival MASUM this time witnessed the appearance of many great athletes in sport-alet respectively. The athletes who competed for the best commitment to improve and increase the contingent medals respectively. UiTM topped the list of citations by leaving off its rivals with 60 gold, 33 silver and 26 bronze medals. UPM ranked second with 29 gold, 26 silver and 18 bronze followed by UM in 3rd place with 14 gold, 17 silver and 21 bronze medals. UTM was ranked the 5th day before the tournament ended successfully intercept USM on the last day of the tournament and ranked fourth with 12 gold, 10 silver and 16 bronze medals. USM was forced to agree on the steps to the 5th with 11 gold, 13 silver and 24 bronze medals. Full rank of medals as follow;

"Basketball is a Chinese sport"

Source: pemainbolakeranjang

Now, is the title controversial enough as much as the Utusan version of “Apa lagi orang Cina mahu?”.

Historically, basketball was brought to Malaysia (known as Malaya) in the early 1920s by teachers who came from China to the Chinese schools in Malaya back then.

As quoted from MABA website:

...Later, it spread to the Chinese Sports Clubs, and in the early thirties enthusiasm was aroused by the visits of University and Club teams from China and Hong Kong. Since then, the game has become one of the most popular sports among the Chinese communities in Malaysia. In 1934 Inter State Tournament for Malayan Chinese was organised.

Culturally, basketball has been one of the most popular sports among the Chinese communities in Malaysia. This is due to the fact that teachers in the Chinese schools were the one who introduced the sports to Malaysia. And it was the Chinese who fought for the growth of basketball in Malaysia by setting up a committee and by organizing all of these tournaments.

There’s much to it, historically and culturally, as we should appreciate and acknowledge their contributions toward the development of basketball in Malaysia.

However, just like other sports, basketball grow and evolve.

When we talk about the Non-Chinese (NC) basketball in Malaysia, a lot of people do not understand the existence and the need of it and people sometime even took it out of context by saying something racist. Due to its history and Malaysian cultures, the NC department was a needed action to “develop” basketball in Malaysia.

Develop

How many years will it takes Malaysia basketball to develop and be on par on its South East Asia neighbors?

You can’t expect to compete at the highest level when your talents pool consist of only 40% of its population.

How long would you wait for this culture to change and develop by itself? Do not blame the players when they got their ass whopped, beaten and ashamed by the world powerhouse. And with the trend nowadays, most countries are looking to get better by recruiting outside talents through naturalization.

In my 6 years of experience playing Petronas/MABA Cup (Malaysia Non-Chinese Basketball National Championship), none of the good NC players came out from the Petronas/MABA Cup program. All of the national level NC players are good because they play with and compete against the Chinese players.

Even SBPs couldn’t produce national level NC players. While SBPs does produce a lot of new NC players, half of these talents can’t even compete outside of the SBP level.

Meanwhile, only NCBL could be best described as a development league.

While NCBL could boast with its number, 52 teams with approximately 750 players in 2013, the fact remains that only the top three teams out of 52 teams in NCBL could have play within the same par against a division two Agong Cup state level. The rest of the league still has a long way to catch up.

The only indirect impact that could be seen are when Swoosh won the Johny Walker tournament in 2012 and when UiTM becomes the back to back Majlis Sukan Universiti Malaysia (MASUM) champion in 2012 and 2013.

UiTM benefited the most out of NCBL as most of its students, including those in the branch campuses, who plays basketball, would hone and develop their skills in NCBL and with that UiTM just has the biggest talents pool among all the other universities. Still, it took UiTM four years within its current coach to finally grab its first gold Medal for MASUM in basketball for the first time in 50 years.

Of course another successful NC development program would be J-Three basketball club. But is that it? Is basketball in Malaysia really is a Chinese sport and the NCs are just belong in the development league?

Wake up NC basketball!

NC basketball is a comfort zone. It is time for NC basketball to stop lingering around in the development phase and start competing with the best. The best basketball players in Malaysia are the Chinese. We should start acknowledge that and all of us should stop stereotyping racism only then maybe basketball in Malaysia is not just for Chinese anymore.

How to be the best? You play AGAINST and WITH the best.

Uniqueness of Hook Shot

Hook Shot
The hook shot and its variations, are not that difficult to learn are a great addition to any players offensive arsenal around the basket. Because it is a shot used generally from inside 10’-12’ you can use your weak and strong hands for effective hook shooting.  Learning the hook shot with either hand doubles your options and puts the defense at a disadvantage in the red zone. Effective use of the hooks forces your opponent to respect the shot, and a fake hook can create an opening in the opposite direction for a power move, drive, or pass.

Sweeping Hook
The classic hook shot was shot used since the very early days of the game, but was really popularized by the great George Mikan of the old Minneapolis Lakers. Mikan was the first really dominant big man and forced the NBA to widen the “key” from 6’ to 12’ so that it no longer even looks like a key.
The fundamental footwork the Hook shot is somewhat similar to a layup. Takeoff for the hook is from the “non-shooting foot” (the foot opposite the shooting hand). With your back to the basket, step so that the non-shooting foot is perpendicular to the target point (the basket) and rotate your body ninety degrees so that the shoulder of the non-shooting arm is pointing directly at the basket. The shooting arm is extended away from the defense and completes a sweeping overhead arc toward the basket, in the same ninety degree plane as the body.

A hook shot, in basketball, is a play in which the offensive player, usually turned perpendicular to the basket, gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion of his arm in an upward arc with a follow-through which ends over his head. Unlike the jump shot, it is shot with only one hand; the other arm is often used to create space between the shooter and the defensive player. The shot is quite difficult to block, but few players have mastered the shot more than a few feet from the basket.


The hook shot was reportedly performed for the first time in official games in Eurobasket 1937 by Pranas Talzūnas, a member of the eventual champions, the Lithuania basketball team. Former Harlem Globetrotter Goose Tatum is often credited with inventing the hook shot; he would even shoot them without looking at the basket.[1] The hook shot later became a staple of many players in the NBA, including notable stars such as George Mikan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Yao Ming.

Sky Hook
The evolution of the hook shot continued with Lew Alcindor from UCLA (who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) Alcindor would actually elevate  from the floor and upon full extension of his seven foot frame and long arm, would shoot a nearly unblockable shot that led to him becoming the all time leading scorer in NBA history. Many times he would set up the shot with a ball or head fake away from the direction he would turn to get the defender a little off balance. The footwork for the Sky Hook is, basically, the same as in the original hook.  Alcindor (Jabbar) would sometimes step first with his shooting foot and then plant his non-shooting foot covering plenty of ground, similar to the footwork when shooting a layup. At that point he would rise into the SkyHook and, more often than not, put another two points on the board.

Jump Hook
While not the originator of the Jump Hook former Houston Rocket Hakeem Olajauwon certainly made effective use of it. Olajauwon may have had the best footwork of any post player in the history of the game. He had a variety of shots and would, quite often, fake one way before stepping back thru and going a different way.  Again with your back to the basket step, or pivot, so that the non-shooting foot is perpendicular to the target point (the basket) and rotate your body ninety degrees so that the shoulder of the non-shooting arm is pointing directly at the basket. Rather than shooting off of one foot, the Jump Hook is executed with a jump off of both feet. While rotating the body, slide the non-shooting hand along the surface of the ball so that it ends up directly between the basket and the ball. The shooting hand continues to face the basket. If you are shooting with your right hand, your forearm should be vertical and the ball should be directly over your right shoulder. This protects the ball a little better than the jump hook, as the ball remains closer to the body. To make yourself as tall as possible, your shooting arm should be fully extended, with only a slight bend at the elbow. The release for the jump hook is a follow thru with the wrist very similar to the jump shot, almost “throwing the ball” very softly at the basket.

The hook shot series, when used with both hands, will make players most effective around the basket and enable them to score against much taller defenders.

Techniques Used by Basketball Players to Strengthen Wrists

Total body strength training is important if you want to become a successful basketball player, but you might be surprised to learn how important wrist, hand and fingertip strength are for executing the fundamentals. From palming a basketball to proper jump shot release, ball control and accuracy stem from the amount of strength you have in these body parts. Thus, strengthening your wrists will make you a more effective offensive player and greatly improve your defensive skills.

Fingertip Pushups
Fingertip pushups are one of the most effective wrist strengthening exercises you can do as a basketball player. They are executed like traditional palm pushups, except your fingertips and not your hands are supporting your body weight. This exercise will quickly build dexterity in your wrists and fingers. Not only does this exercise add wrist strength, these pushups also help develop fast twitch fibers in your shoulders, chest and arms to tone muscles and greatly increase your upper body strength.

Heavy Workout Basketballs
Since a workout basketball weighs twice as much as a regular basketball, using one for standard passing, shooting and rebounding drills will greatly improve your wrist strength. Shooting a weighted basketball with the same form as you would a regular basketball can increase your shooting range and your ability to release the ball properly. If you can snap or "flick" your wrist on your jump shot with a weighted ball, it will seem much easier to do the same with a regulation-sized ball during a game.

The Waving Goodbye Drill
A simple, yet effective exercise, the waving goodbye drill will increase wrist strength, flexibility and dexterity while molding muscle memory. Do this exercise by placing your arms in front of you, forming the letter "L" with each arm, and locking your elbows in place just as you would if you were shooting a basketball. With your elbows locked firmly in place, snap your wrists back and forth as quickly as possible for one minute so that it looks like you are very aggressively waving goodbye.

Ball Handling Dexterity Drills
Ball handling drills with a regulation basketball can work wonders. Developing a routine that includes the Figure-8 dribble, spider dribble, weak-hand dribble and the continuous crossover dribble will strengthen your wrists while improving your dribbling ability. Add more challenging drills like holding your arms straight out in front of you, passing the ball back and forth between the hands while using only your fingertips and without bending your arms.

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