Improving Vertical Jump Workouts

Basketball players are always looking basketball increase their vertical jump. The reason for this could be because we turn on our televisions, and we see high flyers basketball the NBA throwing down dunk after dunk, and making it seem effortless. The only way that most of us would ever be able to dunk is to Improve Vertical Jump.

To increase our vertical, we know that there are exercises that we must do in order to get stronger. Here are a few workouts that I know of that will have us jumping higher in no time.

Warm Ups

Before working out, the most important thing to do is to is warm up. We need to have the muscles loose and ready to handle what we are about to do with them. Start off by stretching for a few minutes. If you can jog for a few minutes, that would be a great idea to get the blood moving. Another great idea would be to use a jump rope. Just be sure not to tire yourself out with these workouts.

Jumping Exercises

Deep Knee Bends - This is the next step in Improving Vertical Jump. This is workout is performed by standing up with your back straight, and lowering your self while bending your knees. Bend down as far as you can go and slowly rise back up to the starting position. Perform this workout 15 times.

Toe Raises - Stand straight up with your back straight. Slowly rise up on the tips of your toes, and the lower yourself back down to a starting position. Perform this workout 100 times. If you really want to add a challenge, try this workout on the edge of a set of steps.

Stomach Crunches - I've heard that sit-ups are bad for your back so a variation sounds like a better idea. Abdominal strength is very important to improving vertical jump. To do this exercise, lie straight down with your knees bent. Slowly raise your head and shoulders up a few inches off of the floor and slowly return to the starting position. Do his workout for 10 minutes in the morning and the night.

Is it really possible to add 6 inches to your vertical jump in the next 60 days? Check out my reviews of the top Vertical Jump Programs on the market.

Are Comics "Books"?

Okay, so that's a stupid question. Or at least it may initially sound like one. In terms of publication and distribution, and their dependency on advertisements, comics are clearly magazines by definition. Which would then make graphic novels compiled magazines... which they are clearly (I hope) not.

But the fact is that "comic book" is a dirty term in the art world. And though the work of people such as Daniel Clowes, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and basketball many other fine writers to mention, has done much to remedy this, the comic is still looked upon with disdain. Libraries and schools live in fear of the day that little Timmy is lured in by the colourful pictures of his first graphic novel, and vows never to read another novel again. Which is stupid, of course; the majority of those who read graphic novels are also literature lovers.

And then there are the critics. Bookworms and concerned parents feared that their beloved tomes would become obsolete with the dawn of television. Only almost a century after its conception was cinema embraced as a valuable art form. The videogames, a medium still in its infancy, is currently being subjected to the same media prejudice that basketball the feel good movies of the 1920s. But whereas devotees and aficionados are willing to discuss the videogame medium, and argue as to whether it qualifies as high art, the same question is rarely focused on comics. This could be that, since the comic medium's maturity in the late sixties through to the mid-eighties, comics have been critically appreciated in a new, if not particularly bright, light.

Weary media lecturers will bore their students about the potential of "sequential art," but these academics rarely raise interest in anything other than the obvious award-winning "worthy" choices - Maus, Persepolis and the works of Scott McCloud, Harvey Pekar and Robert Crumb. All great starting points, of course, but any who dares to mention superhero books in such lessons will likely receive only scornful glares. Perhaps this is because comics, for the most part, share the shelves with that most unfairly treated of literary genres: Science Fiction and Fantasy. Works such as The Sandman, Watchmen, Strangers in Paradise and Cerebus the Aardvark are too often viewed as little more than fantastical nonsense for preoccupied adolescents. And as long as their creators continue to be imaginative and original, striving to push the boundaries of contemporary fiction, this is unlikely to change.

A friend told me not long ago that he'd read everything ever written by Alan Moore, but refused to read a graphic novel by any other author. I find it baffling that one could get so much enjoyment from the comic book medium yet have no desire to take that interest further. I wanted to tell him to read something else. Write him a list of recommendations, even.

But instead I kept my mouth shut. His loss, I figured.

Carl Doherty occasionally assumes the guise of a freelance writer specialising in cultural nonsense of the pop and junk varieties. For more of his pungent diatribes on the twisted world of Comics Books, and his weekly webcomic The Scribe, visit holycr4p! Graphic Novel Reviews

Basketball Sizes

The NBA has specified basketball sizes not just for official mens, womens, and junior league games, but also unofficial games for children and youth. These size specifications help you choose the right ball for yourself or your children, and it is recommended basketball they be followed strictly to avoid injury during play.

Basketball is a physically vigorous game, with moves that involve running, jumping, blocking, and shooting. The injuries during the game are categorized into upper body and lower body injuries. While lower body injuries can be prevented by proper shoes, training, and padding, upper body injuries are best prevented by using basketballs of proper size and weight.

According to a survey published by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), basketball ranks fourth among the major causes of injury in the US. A study quoted on iqHealth.com says that basketball causes 20% of all injuries in children aged 10 to 14. iqHealth.com goes on to suggest that proper basketball weight and size go a long way in preventing such injuries. The NBA recommended basketball size for children in this age group is 27.25, with weight around 12 oz.

Injuries due to improper basketball size are also prevalent among children below the age of 7. NBA recommends that very young children be given foam or rubber basketballs with a 22 circumference and weight of 8 oz.

The CDC found that girls are more frequently and acutely injured than boys during basketball games. For adolescents girls between the ages of 14- 16, NBA recommends junior basketballs of circumference 27.75 (size 5), with a weight of around 18 oz. Also, the ball for womens official games is 28.5 in circumference (size 6) and weigh 20 oz. The mens official basketball, by basketball is bigger (29.5 or size 7), weighing 22 oz.

Even training balls that are not used for official matches have certain size and weight criteria. For shot training, the mens training basketball has 36 circumference (size 9). The womens basketball is 33.5 or size 8. The mens weighted ball used for muscle building exercises is 29.5 in circumference and the womens ball is 28.5, with weight a little more than the official balls.

Choosing the right ball is important for your health and safety, and these guidelines should be adhered to while purchasing basketballs for official or unofficial games.

Basketballs provides detailed information about basketballs, imprinted basketballs, and more. Basketballs is affiliated with Hockey Goalie Equipment.

How to Teach Beginner Girls Basketball Dribbling II

In the previous article, How to Teach Beginner Girls Basketball Dribbling I, I told you that dribbling skills are one of the most lacking skills. It is also one of the most important skills needed on basketball team. It makes a big difference having someone bring the ball up the court effectively compared to not having someone at all. So let's continue to look at how to teach dribbling skills.

To continue developing dribbling skills start with simply dribbling the basketball. Dribble the basketball with your right hand. As you are dribbling, make sure to bend your knee and lean forward slightly were you are not standing straight up. As you are dribbling, pound the basketball against the floor or ground as hard as you can. Now put the basketball into your left basketball and continue to dribble like you did with your right. Now bring the basketball back to the right hand. Spread your feet about shoulder width apart. You will need to bend down a little more than you did earlier. Now dribble the basketball around your right leg using small dribbles. Now put the basketball into your left hand and continue to dribble around your left leg using small dribbles. Now dribble around both legs in a figure 8 motion. While dribbling in this motion you will need to switch dribbling hands when you get to the appropriate leg.

Dribbling the basketball is not just for guards and for small players. I've seen players over 6 feet playing the point guard position. Do not limit yourself. Add dribbling skills to your game.

Visit http://www.girlsbasketballtips.com to get your copy of the 6 Girls Basketball Tips that will Explode Your Game!

Winning With the Flex Offense

In 1993 a Willamette University Bearcat program entered the NAIA Division II National Championship under the leadership of seasoned coach Gordie James and won the national title behind the hardened, but often forgot flex offense. Derived from an earlier version of the shuffle cut offense, the flex hit the basketball scene in 1970 and was widely known for its structured pattern allowing for cross screens through the paint and a series of screen-the-screener actions basketball produce sound looks at the basket.

Today the flex offense is used in many fashions. The University of Maryland's Gary Williams won an NCAA National Championship in 2002 on the back of the flex continuity offense. Many others would soon follow suit; Coach Bo Ryan at Wisconsin University, basketball Few at Gonzaga, and Al Skinner at Boston College have all twisted the flex offense to find success in their respective conferences.
While many in the college ranks have found success using the flex, it remains a popular staple in high school and junior high programs around the nation. Coach McKinnis of Coach Mac's Basketball e-Playbooks used a monster flex to guide his men's program to a regular season #1 ranking in the state of Oregon class 2A poll in 2004. Furthermore, high school coaches across the country love the flex offense for its characteristics:

Extremely effective against a man-to-man defense.
Can be used against an odd front zone defense.
All players on the floor are interchangeable in the offense.
Very good offensive strategy for teams with average ability.
Can control tempo of the game.
Excellent baseline scoring option.

The flex offense is a continuity offense, which can be rotated between a 5 or 4 man flexing action. It can also be very compact creating a very physical action for teams who have a great deal of power. In all the flex created in 1970 is the backbone of many successful basketball programs and should be considered by any coach looking for success.

Find your Copy of Coach Mac's Monster Flex Offense: http://www.coachmac-basketball.com

More from the author at http://www.squidoo.com/High-School-Basketball-Offenses