Why Every Survival Kit Should Have Paracord

Paracord - it's a must for your survival pack!

Paracord is a quick drying and rot resistant nylon rope with a break strength of 550 lbs. It is available in many colors and should be one of the first items you buy for any personal survival kit. It can be, and is, used in a large variety of situations and has even been known to be used by NASA! It was first used as parachute cord (hence the name) in World War II by the US military, whose troops still use it extensively in all manner of situations.

A US soldier without a supply of paracord, is essentially not equipped! Likewise, anyone who pursues any type of outdoor activities, would be well advised to have some paracord on hand at all times, as it is as invaluable as it is versatile, in many emergency situations.

Examples of emergency situations where paracord would be useful:

If you break a leg paracord could be used to tie a splint to the leg.If you run out of dental floss the inner strands can be taken apart and used as a substitute - very handy when you have a piece of meat that you can't quite dislodge.If you cut yourself paracord can be used as a tourniquet to stop excess bleeding and if appropriate to stitch up an open wound.The thread can also be used to repair clothing, replace shoe laces and zipper pulls.If your clothes get wet paracord can be used as a clothes line to dry them.If your dog chew through his lead or his collar breaks paracord can be used.Paracord can be used to secure a boat.It can also be used as a belt to hold up your trousers.

As you can see paracord has many, many uses and in fact, the number of uses of this versatile cord are only limited by your imagination!

You can now buy paracord that has been made into bracelets, necklaces, key chains, watches and other accessories. These have proven to be very popular with emergency response teams and other safety personnel, for obvious reasons. They are also becoming more and more popular with the general public, who may or may not be aware of their extreme versatility.

If you ever see someone wearing a paracord bracelet or other paracord item, don't assume they know the advantages of having a supply of paracord on hand at all times, be sure and ask them do they know of its uses. If they don't, they may be surprised to learn that a paracord bracelet can be unravelled, to be used, if an emergency occurs.

It is now possible to buy paracord that glows in the dark, paracord that is reflective and a highly visible paracord, which is both reflective and glows in the dark. The break strength of these are 400 lbs however, not the 550 lbs of regular 550 paracord. This is due to the different type of fibres included in them to make them glow and / or reflect. However, the usefulness of being reflective and luminous may outweigh the loss of strength in many outdoor situations.

So perhaps a selection of all these different types of paracord would be an added bonus to any hardcore survival kit. However, a word of warning, it is important to know that the glow in the dark version has to be exposed to light, before it will actually glow. Grappling around in the dark for a 'non glowing' glow in the dark paracord, would surely warrant a lot of cussing - so be advised!

When you decide to add paracord to your survival kit, why not buy a paracord survival bracelet or other accessory and give it as a gift to someone you love. They may not be an outdoor enthusiast - but it may just be that little piece of kit, could some day save their life.

Idris Adams is a writer who specialises in sports and outdoor activities. You can check out his latest website Buy Paracord where he provides unbiased advice and reviews on different types of paracord and explains why cheap paracord is not always best.

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Four Treatments Every Athlete Should Do Regularly

If you are an athlete, then you should know that your body requires proper care and conditioning. With regular care and conditioning your well-being and overall athletic performance will improve.

There are four treatments that every athlete should do regularly.

One way to receive appropriate care for your body is by taking an ice bath after enduring strenuous activity. Ice baths help to reduce inflammation after a vigorous workout and can be done either in the comfort of your own home or at a special facility.

Taking an ice bath has been proven to speed up recovery and improve overall athletic performance. Are you wondering how an ice bath can aid in your recovery? Well, the muscle cells are stimulated by the cold temperature in the water, which gives a signal to start repairing damaged muscle tissue.

Another way to receive the appropriate care and conditioning for an athlete is to get regular sports massages. A sports massage can do wonders for an aching body that is active. This type of message increases recovery time for athletes and is designed to rid an athlete of any ailments that may plague him or her.

A sports massage can also assist in transporting oxygen to the muscles, which shortens recovery time and relieves stress. A sports massage can immediately remove extreme soreness from all off the muscles throughout the body as well. It can also relieve muscle stiffness and promote relaxation of the nervous system.

Another way that athletes can get relief and properly care for their bodies is to receive oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy can benefit an athlete in many ways. Oxygen therapy can improve an athlete's athletic performance and can reduce fatigue. Oxygen therapy is also beneficial for treating injuries that an athlete may endure.

For athletes, going to physical therapy will help to treat an injury that is sustained and can prevent future injuries from occurring. It can also help to develop impaired motor skills and become a source of pain management. Physical therapy helps the body utilize its own natural healing abilities, promoting recovery to the body. An athlete may need to take an ice bath is after a long, strenuous endurance activity, such as running.

Just remember to stay in an ice bath for no longer than ten minutes (or else muscle damage may occur). Also, right after you have exited your ice bath, a warm bath is advised. You should take a warm bath for 30 minutes in order to increase blood flow to help repair your muscle tissue.

Also, receiving chiropractic care can help an athlete recover from their injuries. Athletes whom receive chiropractic care have increased energy, a surge in athletic performance, a better reaction time and muscle strength.

With the four treatments that every athlete should do regularly, an athlete can increase his or her performance, and can become much stronger than before.

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CrowdSeats Wants to Make Sporting Events Affordable For Every One

CrowdSeats is a Los Angeles based start-up that has combined the last minute deal and daily deal models to offer 50-90% off on sporting events. Launching in August of last year, they have recently expanded to Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Dallas. Below, is an interview I had with Co-Founder Justin Cener about CrowdSeats business model and how they are changing the way sporting inventory is sold.

When Did CrowdSeats begin?

The development process was from May to August of 2011. I am huge sports fan and I had been following the whole daily deal model knowing that a lot of sports team had inventory that was going unsold. I figured it was a perfect combination of last-minute ticket sales that companies offer combined with the daily deal model. We launched in August of last year in Los Angeles, expanded to New York and this April we entered into four more markets.

Yeah, I'm in Dallas. I just got one of those emails?

Yeah we just added Dallas about a month ago, so we will be offering deals to go see the Texas Rangers for the rest of the summer.

Do yo have a locals sales team helping you?

Our founding team is our sales force - we've connected with most professional teams in North America to work out some last-minute deals with their ticket inventory. We also work with ticket exchanges which puts us in contact with some of the largest ticket brokers in the country. So we get our inventory from a combination of teams and brokers.

What type of deals are you offering?

We try to curate a good game each week. No nose bleeds or crappy sections. We try to give our customers a good game that gonna give you he best bang for your buck, which means a great view and a great deal in terms of pricing. Last Friday we did a Nicks VS Heats Playoff game and tonight were doing the Chicago Bulls Vs The 76?ers.

Obviously we do a lot of baseball games so we try to get rivalries with a lot of history and division match ups. It's been a great experience so far because people love being able to watch live sports at a reasonable price.

Do you plan on getting into concerts in the future?

Yes, but we do think that's gonna come up a little later on down the line. For now we will be focusing on sports for the next 9 to 12 months. I think that will be an easy transition once we have the user base for sports it will transfer well into other events like concerts, golf, bowling and other participation sports.

How has the customer response been so far?

The response has been exclusively positive, because they have been able to attend more sporting events without having to pay a fortune. We have gotten a lot of feedback from families. Just last week, I received an email from a family of six thanking us because otherwise they wouldn't have been able to afford the game without CrowdSeats. Teams love it as well because it's giving them the opportunity to generate revenue on perishable inventory.

How early in advance to you send out the deals?

'On average it's about 7 to 10 days before the event. In some cases it's absolutely last-minute like the Bulls deal which we just sent out a few hours ago and the game is tonight! So, it kind of varies depending on our partner.

What are some specific challenges that you have faced since launching?

I think it's just getting the word out. It's a concept that all sports fans embrace once they hear about it but it's making a large amount of them aware that we actually exist.

How do major daily deal companies like Groupon or Living Social affect the way you do business?

The biggest difference between us and a company like Groupon you have to deal with getting offers for stuff like restaurants, massages and skydiving. It's really un-targeted, but if you are a sports fanatic and you sign up for CrowdSeats you know you're gonna get sports offer every time.

Kelland L. Drumgoole
CEO of http://www.sosoactive.com/

Seasoned music industry veteran focusing on evangelizing music innovation and disruptive technologies within the digital music space.

http://www.twitter.com/sosoactive

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5 Things Every Coach Should Know

Through my experiences as a student athlete playing various sports such as soccer, basketball, and baseball, I have played for many different Coaches. By learning numerous positive and negative attributes from the Coaches I have played for, has shaped my philosophy as an aspiring college basketball Coach. I believe there are five aspects of Coaching that should definitely be utilized, when dealing with any type of organization regardless of which sport it is. Knowledge of the sport, motivating your players, management skills, player development, and life values are the five essential aspects of Coaching that are instrumental in shaping my philosophy through my experiences as a high school, prep-school, and collegiate basketball athlete. This article articulates my philosophy and will help explain what coaching should be about.

Knowledge of the sport is very important and is often overlooked by many Coaches especially at the high school level. I have noticed that many high school Coaches lack the essential knowledge needed to coach sports at their particular institution. Many of them are coaching at their respective school merely to collect a check and are not actually knowledgeable of the game, which puts the athlete at a distinct disadvantage. I believe that some schools are looking to fill the coaching job with anyone who will take the job, because sports at many high schools aren't a priority and this mindset needs to change.

Motivating your players is essential because athletes generally feed off of the energy and enthusiasm of the Coach. Energy from the Coach should and can be contagious and directly impacts the energy of his/her players. A Coach should be the person who influences his players to believe they are the best at their particular position. Coaches who show confidence in their players will help them to be confident, when participating on the court or field or any sport arena. Positive feedback is just as important as negative feedback, when dealing with athletes and should be distributed appropriately.

While playing for many different Coaches, I have realized that management skills are probably one the most important aspects of coaching. A Coach must know his/her players! It is imperative that you know which players you can motivate through yelling and being animated, and which players you should talk to privately and comfort. Both of these techniques are crucial and need to be implemented, in order to maximize a players potential. Management skills also involves knowing chemistry meaning, which players work well together, which players to put in the game at the right time, and establishing offensive and defensive schemes that accentuate the skills of your players.

A good Coach knows how to help their players develop his/her skills in their particular sport. As a Coach, you must challenge your players to improve their weaknesses and continue to develop their strengths. Additionally you must dare your players to get out of their comfort zone and do something different which will help them improve. As with many things experienced in life, sports are about progression and esteem development, so it is important for the Coach to give his/her athletes the best possible opportunities to become better at their craft.

The most important thing that every Coach should know is that athletics are only temporary after all it is a game and life skills are far more important! You must teach your players life skills. These skills will go well beyond any skill that you can ever teach them as an athlete. A good Coach preaches and teaches education and other life values through sports. Of course every Coach wants to win and get the best out of their players, but there is more to life besides sports. You must prepare these athletes to be great people and law abiding citizens, who will contribute to society. The ball eventually will stop bouncing for all of us and it is important for a Coach to teach his/her players to become great men and women of character and instill life values in them. These values and qualities that a good Coach instills in his/her athletes will go way beyond any three point shot, touch down, or home-run can take them.

I have shared the five most important aspects of coaching that every Coach should know and I hope that I have given you some insight as to how to conduct your athletic program. Every coach needs to have knowledge of their particular sport, be able to motivate your student athletes, know your players by having good management skills, know how to develop your players, and most importantly instill life values that they will hold onto for a life time. Thank you for reading this article and I hope you incorporate some of these qualities into your philosophy.

Donovan Smalls II
The College of New Jersey

Hello my name is Donovan Smalls II and I am currently a student-athlete at The College of New Jersey. I am a Health and Exercise Science Teaching major and what inspired me to write this article are my experiences as an athlete and my aspirations of being a College Basketball Coach. Through my experiences as an athlete playing for various different coaches, I wanted to share some of my knowledge and experiences that would further allow me to learn more about the field of coaching and help others as well.

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How to Give Yourself the Best Chance to Win With Your Sport Every Time

Attitude is Everything: It isn't what you do Physically, but how you think Mentally

I am going to show you how to absolutely give you the best chance to win with your sport - and life. All you need to bring to the table is your imagination.

What I mean by Attitude is that you have three choices with what and how you think. You can be negative, not care; which is worse than negative, or think positive towards every loss, tie or win. This attitude also applies with your goals or sport puzzles, as I like to say.

Thinking of winning or reaching your goal is like building a stunning puzzle you choose to build. When you build a puzzle, what is the first thing you do? You go down to the store to find one that appeals to your senses. You may be an outdoors person so you will get a nature looking puzzle or you may like sports, business, airplanes or even animal puzzles. Whatever the case, you will find the photo you want to build, where you want to build it; more importantly, you will know it will take patience to build your mind-blowing puzzle one piece at a time. Well, this analogy applies with every goal you want to reach with your sport and life.

The First Step is Crucial for Success:

What is the first step to being triumphant towards the end results with your small, medium, large or ultimate victory goal? This amazing step is actually - your real life imaginary sport puzzle/s. An exciting and enjoyable process because what ever you can imagine you will and can achieve. Just like building any puzzle of course, you need to know what the "picture" looks like. By knowing what your end result (picture) looks like will help you determine the course to laying out the pieces to put together your sport goal/s or sport puzzle, as I like to say.

Do you know the most exciting part of having your sport puzzle/s in place? By consistent action, and faith towards your sport puzzle and plan, you will begin the process to manifest your every desire with your sport. I do emphasize faith in the process because no journey to excellence is a smooth ride. You have to trust the process once it is started. There will be great times and challenging times, but by keeping the faith and accepting everything that comes your way is all part of the process concerning your vision, you will not only make the ride smoother, but also give yourself the best chance to win or reach your goals.

The Second Step that is Crucial for Success:

Define a rich description of your victory goals or sport puzzle (picture) as already accomplished. This is just one example: I just won and Olympic gold medal or getting a personal best time or getting in the shape you want to be in - what ever the case; what you see, hear, smell and feel after reaching your imaginary goals, is critical for your goals to become a reality.

Start with the most important goal you want to work on first. Then put in jam-packed colorful detail in writing- that means what you see, hear, smell, and feel, both internally and externally. Once you've got a written description of this image, you will need to commit an agreed amount of time to imagine this scene every day for 30 days like it has already happen. The more often you perform the mental exercise, the faster your desire will come to you. This is just how manifesting what you can imagine works.

So, you will need to answer these all important questions: You will want to write down what you see, hear, feel, and smell with what you have created in your mind (picture puzzle) with your rich description in the real world and picture in your mind. When you have written your description down, you will need to organize a time to read it out loud to yourself once or twice a day until you remember it. You can tweak it if need be until you are satisfied with it. The KEY here is writing it down as if you already feel you have this desire. It is like writing out a premonition you just envisioned. With practicing your description, you will be able to create this feeling at will.

The Third Step that is Crucial for Success:

This next process is absolutely necessary! By doing this exercise will actually increase your desire and belief system, in addition to manifesting your Victory Goals you desire to go after.

1) Schedule a time and imagine what you wrote down every day for 30 days. This is absolutely critical in creating what you envisioned.

2) Set aside at least one session per day, two is better, 3 is like missile fuel! You will create a belief and desire like no other. This only takes 2-10 minutes.

3) Practice the same time each day since this creates a habit, which makes it easier to follow through on a regular basis.

4) Find an accountability partner in the form of a Sport Performance/Life Coach, friend or partner.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, the choice is yours what your sports puzzle looks like and how much effort and time you want to put into making it come true. The absolute critical part for this to work is after you have created a clear sport puzzle (image) and rich description what it would feel like after you have accomplished what you envisioned is to be consistent with your mental exercises each and every day for 30 days. By just missing one day with what you are going to practice will mean you will need to start all over again until the 30 days is complete. The next step is to develop victory steps (plan of action) to get you there.

For further detail, guidance and a accountability partner to help manifest your every desire that you can imagine that are in my workbook for this amazing process, I do offer a discount with my coaching fee. Just send me an email with "How to Win with your Sport Every Time" in the subject line and you will receive a discount for coaching. Click here now before this offer "EXPIRES".

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