Why Is Tennis The Best Sport?

I decided to take up playing tennis again in September 2017 (after a gap of about 20 years).

I absolutely love the sport, and enjoy trying to better my game, get fit and have fun in the process.

My only regret is that I didn’t take this sport more seriously as a teenager and into my early 20s.

Still it’s never too late to take it up again and see what level I can reach over the next few years.

There are many reasons why tennis is a great sport to play, but there are also some downsides, particularly on the toll it can take on your body if you are not in the best shape physically.

I thought for this blog post, I would look at the sport in more detail, as well as the pros and cons of playing it.

What Are The Benefits Of Playing Tennis?

Tennis is not only a lot of fun, but it also has a number of health benefits, which makes it a great option for anyone who is looking for an enjoyable way to improve their health and get more exercise during the day.

There are actually a few reasons that tennis is so good for you.

The first reason has to do with the interval training that tennis provides and all of the health benefits that this offers.

Tennis is a great workout because it increases your aerobic capacities. When playing tennis, you will cause your heart to beat harder and faster, which is the best way to strengthen this important organ.

Playing tennis also improves your metabolic function, making it easier for you to lose weight if you are on a diet and helping your body burn calories more efficiently.

At the same time, you are lowering body fat as you move and exercise. This decrease in body fat is wonderful for your overall health not only because it reduces the risk of medical problems, but also because it makes it easier for you to move your body without pain.

Athletes who play tennis on a regular basis strengthen their muscles and increase their flexibility. The natural movements of tennis are a great workout for anyone, no matter their physical fitness level, and help not only to tone muscles, but also to make the body more flexible overall.

Because players are moving in all directions and need to be able to react quickly to the location of the ball, they work out muscles that may normally be neglected in other sports.

Unlike some other sports that offer a great workout but aren’t a lot of fun, or vise-versa, tennis gets your heart pumping, keeps your blood flowing, and is enjoyable.

When you play tennis you are almost constantly in motion, pushing and pulling muscles from every angle.

Many people don’t even realize that they are working out when they play tennis because they have so much fun.

Researchers think that the other reason that tennis is so good for you is that it is a social sport.

This is especially beneficial for people as they get older, as social interaction helps to support mental health.

Pros and Cons of Playing Tennis

It’s important before you start any sport that you make sure to consider both the pros and the cons of the sport so that you know what you are getting yourself into.

Otherwise you are likely to jump into something without proper preparation and forethought, which can be not only frustrating, but also dangerous if you get injured.

Pros

One major advantage of playing tennis is that it is a great activity that is helpful in maintaining and improving overall health.

Athletes who play tennis on a regular basis have a better chance of controlling their weight, reducing risk of diabetes and heart disease, and having a better mood and outlook on life.

Another advantage of tennis is that it offers great social benefits.

You can practice serves by yourself or even use a backboard to work on your returns, but tennis is meant to be played with other people. For some people, this is the only chance that they have during the day or during the week to spend time with others, making it even more important and beneficial.

Getting started playing tennis is generally fairly inexpensive, as it’s easy to buy a lower-end racket without overspending, which makes this a great sport for athletes on a budget.

Cons

On the other hand, a clear disadvantage of tennis is the toll that it can take on your body, especially if you are playing competitively.

While a friendly game of tennis is very unlikely to cause any physical injuries, fast-paced games put players at risk of muscle strains, inflammation of the knee joint, twisting the ankle, and tennis elbow.

For this reason, players must make sure that they are playing at a level that they are physically prepared for and that they listen to their body when they need a break.

The problem that some tennis players run into is when they are advancing and want to improve their game.

Custom string jobs on rackets can get really expensive, as can improved shoes, tennis outfits, and club memberships.

While it’s not expensive to play tennis with friends, if you are going to get serious about the sport, then you will need to be willing to spend a little more.

Conclusion

I hope this article will inspire you to take up the sport and have fun in the process.

I got back into it after seeing an advert for weekly community tennis in my neighbourhood.

No need to join a tennis club, no expensive monthly fees.

It’s fantastic value and I have access to tennis courts in about 10 locations all for the price of £20 a year!

Can’t argue with that.

I highly recommend to ease into the sport gently if you want to give it a go. Play with a friend a few times, and then think about taking things more seriously if you get the tennis bug!

There might be singles and doubles leagues you can join in your area.

Playing doubles is great fun and that’s how I got back into tennis after all these years. It’s a great way to meet people, and for you to find others to play with and against.

So put on some trainers, grab a racket and just go and play!

–

Graham Scott runs the website Dad Racket, where he makes a little ‘noise’ about tennis and parenting

Thinking Of Travelling to Egypt? Discover Best Places in The Land of Pharaohs

Overview of Egypt

Egypt is officially known as the Arab Republic of Egypt, and its largest city Cairo and Alexandria, a country located in North Africa, where the Sinai Peninsula is a land crossing in southwest Asia, which earned it an important position as a country extending across continents, as it is a great power in Africa and the sea It is bordered by the occupied Palestinian territory and the Gaza Strip. It overlooks the Red Sea from the east.

The Importance of Tourism in Egypt

Egypt is considered one of the most important cultural and political countries in the Middle East, and the ancient Egyptian civilization is very famous in various times, which led archaeologists to study the ancient monuments scattered in various Egyptian cities.

UNESCO has six different Egyptian cultural heritage sites according to the list of World Heritage Sites, namely: Abu Mina, Thebes and the Old Cemetery, Historic Cairo, Memphis, and Necropolis – Pyramids from Giza to Dahshur – Nubia Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, Saint Catherine and Wadi Whales.

Best Tourist Cities in Egypt

Egypt has lost enchanting tourist attractions that really worth to enjoy one of the best Egypt tour packages which enable you to discover what Egypt has to offer such as pyramids, tombs & temples of Upper Egypt, best free days on the red sea, and much more await you in Egypt.

1- Cairo City

Cairo is one of the largest Egyptian cities with a population of 17 million of the total population of Egypt, and was called in the era of the Pharaohs as “who else” It means the beautiful city, and passes the Nile River, and is one of the longest rivers of the world, and attracts a lot of tourists to it, in addition to the existence of a number of aquaculture that provide tourism and recreational services through boating, ships, fishing, and the Nile River is a gateway to the other bank

Cairo is famous for its rich heritage and strategic location. It is also characterized by the presence of historical monuments where tourists can find museums, such as the Egyptian Museum, which contains the largest collection of antiquities of the Pharaohs, the Coptic Museum, the Ceramic Museum, the Museum of Railways, and the Museum of Agriculture, while the Islamic monuments can find many of them It is the first mosque built in Egypt and Africa, where it was built by Amr ibn al-Aas in the city of Fustat, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Ibn Tulun Mosque, and Salah al-Din Citadel, one of the largest military castles built in the Middle Ages.

2- Alexandria City

Alexandria is the second-largest city after Cairo, nicknamed the Bride of the Mediterranean, a coastal city founded in the 4th century BC, with a territory of about 70 km on the Mediterranean coast, located northwest of the Nile Delta, while from the south bordered by Lake Mariout From the east, Abu Qir Bay and the city of Edko, to the west, Sidi Kerir, the most important characteristic of the city is its ancient library, which contains more than 700 thousand volumes, and also includes the lighthouse of Alexandria, which is about 35 meters high, and was considered in the past seven wonders of the world before its destruction in Earthquake of 1307 AD.

Alexandria is also home to the largest seaport in Egypt. It also has many museums and historical monuments, such as Qaitbay Castle, Sawary Column, and many recreational places such as theaters, cinemas, public squares, parks, and commercial centers. Palaces such as the Montazah Palace, Ras El Teen Palace, Antoniadis Palace, and Safa Palace, as well as other historical monuments, such as the Roman Theater, Mustafa Kamel Archaeological Tombs, Al-Anfoushi Archaeological Tombs, the Greco-Roman Museum and the Royal Jewelry Museum.

3- Luxor City

The city of Luxor or as it was called the capital of the Pharaohs, was founded in the reign of the Fourth Pharaonic Dynasty about 2575 BC, and away from Cairo about 670 km, and the richness of ancient ruins is believed Some archaeologists include one-third of the world’s monuments, including the east side of the Nile, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, the rams road that connects the two temples, and the Luxor Museum, while the west side includes the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Deir el-Bahari, and the Queens Valley, The monastery of the city, the temple of Ramessium, and statue of who N, where there is also a lot of tourist attractions, museum mummification, and the Temple of Hatshepsut.

It is worth mentioning that mosques are abundant in the city of Luxor, such as: Sheikh Al-Hefny Mosque and the Mosque of Abu Hajjaj Luxor, in addition to many churches that were built there, notably: the Church of Our Lady, the Church of St. Michael, the Church of St. George, and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, and Nile cruise across the Nile River are also considered a major attraction for tourists.

4- Aswan City

The city of Aswan or as it was called BESONS, which means the market, and the origin of its name so as a center for convoys from and to Nubia, as well as the country of gold because it was a burial place for the Nuba kings, and is one of the largest cities of Aswan governorate to be its capital as well, and inhabited by about 300 thousand people, One of the most important landmarks of the city; Elephantine Island, an island opposite Aswan, and in the island there is the Temple of Khnum, next to the Nile scale, the tomb of the Holy Ram, the gate of Amenhotep II, and the Trinity Sat and Enet.

The city gained a strategic position in the construction of the High Dam during the reign of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Because of the dam, Lake Nasser formed a giant reservoir of water. The city includes the Aga Khan Cemetery, built of limestone and marble, and the Nubian Museum, where there are more than 5,000 artifacts of ancient Nubian monuments, and the most prominent tourist places in it: the island of plants, and the island of Philae, and the Temple of Abu Simbel, and the tombs of the nobles, Nubian rulers, and Fatimid tombs , And the temple of Kom Ombo.

5- Hurghada City

Hurghada is one of the important Egyptian cities located on the Red Sea coast of the southwestern section and is considered the administrative capital of the Red Sea Governorate, an area of about forty kilometers, and shares borders with Ras Ghareb, Safaga and the Red Sea mountains. El-Dahar, Al-Hayah and Al-Sakkala neighborhoods, with a population of about ninety thousand people, speak the dialect that blends the Bedouin with the Egyptians.

Kilimanjaro Climbing & Wildlife Safaris in Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro is located three degrees south of the equator in Northeastern Tanzania. It is the tallest mountain in Africa and is the highest free-standing mountain in the world. This immense mountain is made up of three volcanoes: Shira, Mawenzi, and our goal, Kibo, the tallest one in the middle.

Of the famous highest seven peaks in the world, this is the easiest to get to and the easiest to climb. It requires no technical climbing experience, and any moderately fit person can summit the mountain. Though Mount Kilimanjaro is frequented by an estimated 50,000 hikers a year, the trek is not to be taken lightly. Sufficient physical conditioning and a lot of preparations must be made in order to ensure a safe, enjoyable experience.

Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes: All the Kilimanjaro routes we offer are very scenic and offer an exhilarating experience. The success rate for reaching the peak is greatly determined by your ability to acclimate to the high altitude. Spending more days ascending the mountain will give your body more time to adequately adjust to the altitude and low oxygen environment.

Trekking: Daily travel time varies depending on the route and day. On average you should expect to be hiking for 4-6 hours per day with the exception of “summit day”, which is an arduous 11-16 hour trek. Our guides will purposely set a slow walking pace to ensure group cohesion (“pole, pole”, or “slowly, slowly”) in order to give each climber adequate time to acclimatize and adapt to the thinning air. Expect a lot of uphill and downhill walking, which is why you should make sure you’re sufficiently conditioned before your trip.

Each route we use on our Kilimanjaro trek is well defined and screened for safety, but after heavy rains, the lower slopes and areas near the summit can become muddy. The guides will help you along the path and ensure you’re safe when you encounter difficult areas.

During the day you’ll carry a medium-sized backpack carrying the essential items you’ll need for that day of climbing until you reach that night’s campsite. You should only carry essential supplies such as extra layers of clothing, water, snacks, sunscreen, insect repellent, etc.

Climate: Because bad weather affects your chances of reaching Kilimanjaro’s peak, choosing the right time of year is imperative to your summiting success.

Kilimanjaro’s climate varies greatly depending on the time of year. It’s best to plan your climb during the driest months of the year – Jan, Feb and Aug, Sep. But you’ll experience reasonable weather any time between January-mid March and June-October. We don’t recommend trekking during the long rainy season between the end of March and the beginning of June or the shorter rainy season from November to the beginning of December.

You should prepare to pass through a variety of weather conditions – from forest terrains and desert valleys to snowcapped mountain trails and freezing temperatures near the peak. You can find information on what to pack for your Kilimanjaro trek on the faqs page.

Best time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro: When to climb Mount Kilimanjaro safe, how to climb mount Kilimanjaro climbing route, When to climb Mount Kilimanjaro? or How to climb Mount Kilimanjaro?

The fact is most of the month have a few rainy days makes it possible to climb relatively good condition all the year-round.

During the rain period of March and May, the cloud tends to pile up and over the summit, dropping snow on top and at the base. Visibility can be limited by cloud cover even when no rainfalls. The temperature at this time of the year is relatively warm.

The dry season beginning in late June and through July can be very cold at night but usually is clear of the cloud.

August and September are also cool and can have completely clear days, but usually, a dripping cloud belt girdles the mountain above the forest moorland. The summit can be totally clear.

The shorter rainy period of October to December often has thunderstorms that pass over the mountain, dropping rains as they go. Typical the cloud disappears in the evening leaving the nights and morning very clear with excellent visibility.

January and February are usually dry, warm and clear with brief rain showers which make good climbing condition.

Even though one can climb thought out the year, January, February, and September are the best month with July, August, November, and December are also good.

4 Social Benefits Of Playing Tennis

I always look forward to my weekly tennis matches on Saturday mornings.

But it’s not just the tennis I enjoy.

It’s the social aspect too.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my wife and daughter more than anything, but it’s just nice to have a couple of hours to myself once a week when I can have some exercise, play a sport I enjoy and have fun meeting other people in the process.

Tennis provides many social benefits.

Whether you play singles or doubles, you are playing with another person. It requires you to socialize with partners or opponents.

The social interaction that you receive from playing tennis can boost your self-esteem, improve your mood, and provide many additional physical and mental benefits.

Here are 5 benefits of playing tennis…

1) Tennis Requires You To Be Social

Tennis is naturally a social activity. Unless you are standing alone on the tennis court, there is at least one other person that you need to interact with.

If you play doubles, you need to communicate with your partner. You also need to interact with your opponents, whether you play singles or doubles.

You are forced to socialize, which may help some people get out of their comfort zone. If you tend to be shy or find it difficult to meet new people, tennis is a wonderful solution. It requires you to utilize your social skills and spend time with others.

All of this can have a tremendous impact on the rest of your well-being.

Studies show that a lack of social stimulation can lead to an increased risk of high blood pressure, obesity, inflammation, and various mental issues, such as depression and anxiety.

The social interaction that you receive helps give you a better outlook on life.

You get to stay connected with others, meet new people, and make new friends.

2) Tennis Helps Boost Confidence

The socialization that you receive may help boost your confidence. When you spend more time with others, you may feel more confident in other types of social situations.

The confidence that you gain is useful for more than just playing tennis. You may feel more confident in all areas of your life.

Tennis is a constant source of social interaction. In fact, the happiness that you get from these social interactions may help you live a longer, happier life.

You also gain a support system of people who are likely in the same stage of life as you.

For example, seniors may find a senior tennis club with people in their same age group, while children may benefit from a children’s tennis club.

3) Tennis Increases Your Mood

Playing tennis also changes the way your brain works. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins and serotonin.

Endorphins are hormones that are linked to happiness. When these hormones are released, you tend to feel happier and more content, which lifts your mood and helps you socialize.

Serotonin is a chemical that is connected to your overall mood. People with low serotonin levels are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, which makes it difficult to socialize.

With the release of endorphins and serotonin, you are likely to be in a better mood throughout the day. Even when you get home, go to work, or go to school, your elevated mood may help you with your regular social interactions.

4) Tennis Helps Fight Stress and Anxiety

When you experience stress or anxiety, it is hard to be social. Anxiety can keep people from interacting with others, while stress may cause people to become irritable and easily angered.

Tennis helps to address these issues. The exercise that you get from a game of tennis helps to release endorphins and serotonin.

As mentioned previously, endorphins are hormones that make you feel happy. Serotonin is a chemical that is connected to your mood and digestive health.

When you increase the levels of these hormones and chemicals, you are less likely to experience stress and anxiety. You can relax and enjoy a good game of tennis with your friends, family, or complete strangers.

–

Tennis has always had a social aspect.

In the early days of the game, it was a common activity for nobility. In fact, King Francis I of France built numerous tennis courts and encouraged both commoners and courtiers to play the game.

Millions of people of all ages now enjoy playing tennis, both recreationally and for sport. It is a great social game with many benefits to your mental well-being.

Playing tennis helps people socialize and spend more time with others. It also helps reinforce many social lessons that children should learn, such as patience, respect, and camaraderie.

Seniors may also enjoy this social interaction, as tennis provides a convenient way to meet others.

The social benefits of tennis also lead to many mental benefits, including reduced anxiety, stress, and depression.

If you want to start enjoying these benefits, consider joining a tennis club or starting your own club.

Just get hold of a racket, some trainers and you’re good to go!

–

Graham Scott is a dad and tennis enthusiast, who makes a little ‘noise’ about tennis and parenting. Visit his website at https://www.dadracket.com

Comment: Peter Sagan and Chris Froome light up the Tour de France

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Equestrian Travel Forum, Bucharest, Romania

In the last years, a new form of tourism has become more and more popular in Romania, the so- called equestrian tourism. To promote even more this type of tourism, the first edition of the Equestrian Travel Forum of Romania will be held in Bucharest on 14 October 2016.

This unique event will take place at Hotel Ibis Bucharest – Northern Railway Station and is organized by Equestrian Adventures and InfoTravelRomania. At this event are expected media representatives, travel agencies, especially those specialized in incoming tourism, accommodation providers with equestrian facilities and tour guides specialized in incoming.

The purpose of the Equestrian Travel Forum is to discuss about equestrian tourism, about people who have horses and equestrian trails, about equestrian incoming tourism. This event aims for a strong promotion of this type of tourism.

For this event, there are available 120 seats:

Press – 20 seats
Pensions Equestrian – 20 seats
Tour Guides – 20 seats
Travel agencies * – 60 seats (* priority incoming agencies)

Hotel Ibis Bucharest-Northen Railway Station, The Tourism Press Club and Incoming Romania Association are among the partners of this forum. Media partner is Traveller Magazin.

Program:

Friday, October 14, 2016

09.30 – 10.00 Registration participants

10.00 – Official opening of the event

10.00 – 12.30 Panel I

12.30 – 13.00 Coffee break

13.00 – 16.30 Panel II

https://www.facebook.com/forumnational/

History of Swimming

The history of swimming goes way back to that of prehistoric times. Books written from 2000 to 1500 BC including the Bible have references to swimming. It was mostly used in these times as a means of cleansing. Any form of competitive swimming wasn’t formed until the 1800’s in Europe. It was included in the first Olympics in 1896 in Athens, Greece.

It was noted that Ancient Egypt had cave drawings of humans swimming in the nearby sea. They often depicted a form of the breaststroke as the first type of swimming or something they used to call the front crawl. Ancient Egyptian, Grecian and Roman palaces were often equipped with swimming pools or baths. Often reserved for the elite that used them as relaxation pools and cleaning tubs.

It is noted by historians that swimming was also often used in battle. The Greeks were often regarded as solid swimmers and at the Battle of Salamis after a number of both Greek and Persian boats were destroyed it was said that all of the Persians drowned due to their inability to swim while the Greek prevailed.

The history of swimming is much easier to understand than other sports. Without any equipment to speak of an individual can take to the waters. Obviously those countries that had the most access to water were the first to adapt to swimming. History did not have the spreading of the sport as many other sports had encountered because it was basically already available. You either adopted swimming as a means of life or you just chose not to swim.

The evolution of swimming history expanded during the middle ages. A number of individuals took it upon themselves to write books about swimming. They were often focused on the ability to not drown rather than a perfect backstroke as you would imagine. Life saving concepts and techniques began to form throughout the next few hundred years and around the 18th and 19th century the sport began to evolve into more of a competition than just life safety. Swimming Associations and Clubs popped up all over the world. Some of the first in swimming history were in China, Sweden and Germany.

Schools began to believe that swimming was a natural part of any life education. Therefore, they began to teach swimming in schools not just as a life safety course but as an extracurricular activity. Schools and Universities began to adopt these practices and set up clubs and swim teams. Competitions began to arise around the mid 1800’s. England was the first to modernize the sport and incorporate an indoor swimming pool with a swim team. They began to formulate new swimming styles including the sidestroke. Shortly after this, variations of the freestyle began to form and credit can’t really be given to one person as so many were responsible for developing this technique.

The Olympic Games of 1896 in Athens was the first real platform for the sport. There only men competed in a number of events. Throughout the 1900’s the sport evolved and saw a number of stars arise. Johnny Weissmuller, the original Tarzan completed his ten year career by never losing a race and winning five Olympic medals.

Science and technology began to play a part in the sport throughout the 1900’s as well. When scientist and coaches began studying swimmers and there underwater techniques to improve times. The swimsuits began to change as well as any form of resistance was under scrutiny from all competitors. Goggles, swim caps and different variations of training have all evolved as well. The US has seen its share of great Olympians going back to Mark Spitz who won seven gold medals in the 1972 Olympics.

The sport has evolved to a very competitive and fun sport for anyone. That has always been the great appeal that anyone can swim and we have been for the past 3000 years…So goes the history of swimming.

Some Healthy Plus Points Of Learning Effective Swimming

“Stayhealthy” is a new logo of everyone nowadays. For being healthy, many people are getting involved in the GYM, aerobics and other similar activities. But, Swimming is the most easiest way to keep yourself healthy in all terms. It is an activity whose benefits is recognized by millions of practitioner including teenagers, elderly citizens, pregnant women and a tremendous.

Across the globe, the swimming activity is getting a lot of popularity because of its various physical and mental benefits. A few of them are discussed below:-

1. Makemuscles and joints strong

As, swimming is water activity that keeps you free from injuries. Unlike jogging, your joints and ligaments doesn’t feel stressed. Moreover, with an effective approach, all the muscles of your body get smoothly trained. This is because all the swimming movements are gentle and performed with stretched muscles, while you train your strengths and endurance you also train the muscles flexibility.

2. Beneficial for your cardiovascular system

Besides this muscle strength, through regular swimming, you can also improve your cardiovascular system. For this, you just need to get professional training from swimming schools who teach you smooth swim tacts. In America many people get training twice or three times a week to increase their lactate threshold. Even, professional trainer assist you to improve your further swimming skills. Some swimming schools such as swim and tumble Clovis and much more provide some innovative skills enhance your fitness level. In other words, swimming can help you in lowering your sugar levels and make you mentally stronger to face the challenges of your daily life.
3. Burn calories

An effective swimming activates your muscles so that you can burn more calories than jogging. To keep yourself in shape, you can perform swimming activity. But, to lose weight genuinely, you have to take a proper training of swimming. Apart from this, a proper diet and the wise distribution of meals is also required. Even, some doctorssuggest three points that are 1) try to wait a couple of hours before and after the training session for having something to eat, 2) eat only healthy food and 3) do not forget to drink plenty of water also during your training.

Finally, swimming is an exciting and fun activity. It makes you comfortable with water and provide you confidence to oppose your phobia. Therefore, for a good start, you may also gather a plenty of information on the Internet about various optimal swimming training programs and swimming schools that are best suitable for you. http://www.articlesbase.com/water-sports-articles/some-healthy-plus-points-of-learning-effective-swimming-7400547.html

Cross Country Skiing Provides a Fun Workout

Have you been using an elliptical machine and ever thought how they developed it? One of the major influences on the designers of the first elliptical machines was the Nordic sport of cross country skiing. The great element that the designers took from cross country skiing is the continuous non-impact movement of the skiers. The first elliptical machines actually were just lower body, but after people wanted a complete full body workout they added the hand bars that act in the same way as a cross country ski pole.

A person that is looking for a good workout in the winter should consider getting off the elliptical machine and getting on a pair of cross country skis. The sport isn’t as difficult to pick up as downhill skiing or snowboarding. It also doesn’t cost as much as the other sports that rely on the hill and gravity to provide you with the momentum to go. With cross country skiing all that is required are a pair of skis and a path to follow that is packed with snow. Really cross country skiing is a fun way of going hiking in the winter time. Sure you could get a pair of snow shoes, but gliding across the snow is much more efficient and rewarding. There are many areas in the winter time that you can only get to with either cross country skis or snow shoes. Yet, people don’t take advantage of these items to see wonderful landscapes and winter sites.

Cross country skiing is also a challenging workout, which like an elliptical machine, isn’t as strenuous as running or riding a bike. During the summer a great way to prepare for cross country skiing is to use an elliptical machine, and to increase the amount of time you spend on building the muscles in your legs. Powerful leg muscles will help to propel you across the snow in the winter. In addition the less you weigh the easier it will be to move across the snow.

Adding protein to your diet is a great way to help your body to create new lean muscle. Lean muscle is great for helping you to lose weight, and for you to get an edge when you are participating in sports like cross country skiing. It takes a lot of calories for your body to create and to maintain lean muscle; which means that when you have lean muscle even when you are idle you are still burning fat. Protein is the building block that your body uses to create lean muscle.

A person that is actively training should get at least half their body weight in grams of protein per day in their diet. That is difficult to do with conventional forms of protein, like meat and eggs. The best way to add protein is to use a whey protein supplement. Whey protein is easy on your body’s system, and won’t cause any major negative side effects, like indigestion. Whey protein is also easier for your body to metabolize and to use more efficiently. Meaning that you are able to get better results compared with using soy based proteins. When purchasing whey protein it is important to look for whey protein isolates. Whey protein isolates contain 90% pure protein and don’t have the fats and carbohydrates that other supplements contain.

If you are sick of looking at the same thing every time that you get onto the elliptical machine, then it is time for you to find a pair of cross country skis and to see what winter has to offer. It is a great workout, and you will find a hobby that will last the rest of your life.

Article source: Expert Articles

Family Skiing Holidays in France

Skiing holidays to France are very popular especially to resorts in the French Alps with popular places like Courchevel and Meribel, but France has absolutely hundreds of kilometres of ski slopes, which are situated in some of the most spectacular mountainous regions in the world.

So when you go on your family skiing holidays or snowboarding, you need to find the right place with the right ski slopes or the nursery slopes for the beginners, so you can be sure of getting the ideal holiday, and whether this is through a travel agency for a luxury package ski holiday, or you are organising everything yourself by choosing your own chalet or staying in a hotel and being pampered whilst off the ski slopes, the choice is endless but you will not be disappointed.

Also, France has some of the biggest ski resorts such as Les Trois Vallees, which is made up of three valleys and includes resorts like Courchevel and Meribel, with this area having around 600km of pistes for skiers of all abilities and experience so there is enough choice for everyone.

Meribel can offer skiing to people with all abilities, as there are some fantastic beginners slopes but The Three Valleys area offers a good challenge for more experienced skiers, and has an incredible choice of ski schools, which cater from groups to inpidual tuition.

And although it is generally a purpose built resort, you will find it like a fairytale atmosphere with the ski chalets that blend into the scenery, however, it does have quite a lively nightlife and can get very busy in the peak season as it is such a popular destination.

Courchevel is an outstanding place to ski or snowboard, but can be a little on the expensive side, although the extensive slopes of the resort will offer extensive and varied skiing. It is made up of four villages known by their altitudes and they vary immensely from their access through to facilities, but some places you can get to ski right out of the door of the hotel!

Font Romeu is one of the oldest ski resorts in Europe and also has the biggest snow making operation in the Pyrenees and with well over 2500 hours of sunshine each year, this makes it another very popular resort for weekend breaks and longer holidays alike.

Chamonix is a town in a valley and there are five very good resorts, but these are not near to the slopes and you would need transport to get to them, but this place has everything from great shops to a wonderful atmosphere, yet because of how well known it is, the whole area can seen very crowded compared to some other skiing towns, especially around the ski lifts.

Alpe d’Huez is one of Europe’s largest and highest ski resorts and is currently one of only around twenty in the world that offers a lift-served vertical of over 2000 metres, plus it has the largest slope in the world where you can ski for well over an hour without taking any ski lift, although these are definitely not for the beginner or intermediate skier.

Yet even though many think of skiing as a winter sport, there are a few places in France where you can still get to ski on the glaciers in the summer months, such as Tignes or Val d’Isere. And there are very few great skiing areas in the world that can excite the imagination more than the Val d’Isère and L’Espace Killy is considered to be one of the best ski areas in the world, plus an amazing variety of different skiing can be achieved through ski lifts and ski buses that link the area of Val d’Isère to the neighbouring Tignes,

But if you have never been skiing then it is advisable to book you holiday through a tour operator, as they will know exactly what resorts are going to be suitable, and it is also an idea to have some lessons on dry slopes prior to going, so that you can make the best of your holiday, rather that spending the first few days just learning to stop falling over on the snow!

Of course, booking your skiing holiday independently can save you quite a lot of money, but there can be downsides as well, especially if you have never been to the resort before, for instance, you may not realise how far it is to get from your accommodation to the slopes, or even how far it would be to get to the ski hire places.

And lets face it, you do not want to be spending a whole day just getting set up rather than on the slopes doing what you went there to do, please do bear in mind that even if you do not have your own skis or skiing boots, you will still need to purchase other items of equipment before you go such as proper skiing gloves and sallopettes to keep you warm and the snow out.

There is a wide range of ski accommodation in France and you can choose from purpose built private ski chalets, chalet apartments or hotels. French skiing accommodation meets the needs of all skiers, with self-catering cabins to fully serviced luxury apartments and hotels, ideal for the skier on every budget.

But the choice of accommodation can be quite mind-boggling and you have to consider all the people in your party, especially if you have young children where childcare facilities or entertainment may be an important issue, or if you are a more experienced skier, you may wish to look at chalets nearer to the more difficult runs rather than the nursery slopes or perhaps opt for a little more luxury in a hotel with gourmet meals by evening in peace and tranquillity.

Speaking to people that have already been to a resort, or even going on to forums can help a great deal, especially if you wish to know what places are the best for good value restaurants when you are on a self-catering holiday, or maybe even avoiding a resort with a lively night life if you have little ones that need their sleep!

Of course, you will also need to look into what other activities that are available in your chosen resort, as there are always things for all of the family to enjoy, such as shows, archery, concerts, squash, tennis, ice skating, golf, swimming, dancing, saunas and spas, plus much, much more.