MACA Coach

Let’s face some facts, here. Every cruise is going to be different from the others you could take. No two cruise offers could ever be identical, even if they happen to be in the same area at the same time. So obviously, you are going to have a pretty tough time in deciding where you want to go, and what kinds of things you want to see when you take a cruise. And if you happen to be on the fence right now about whether or not to take one, you should go for it. It’s a reasonably priced, all inclusive way to see a large amount of a particular place.

A lot of people think that all cruises just go to literal “hot spots” like the Caribbean. This simply could not be further from the truth. Truth be told on the matter, that is just one of the types of places you can go, in just about every kind of climate zone that you can think of. You can go on a river cruise, like they have all throughout Europe, and see the countryside go by from your cabin — which is in a temperate zone. Or you can go up North (or down South) to the point where you can see glaciers all over the place. Alaskan cruises are pretty sweet, if you don’t mind staying inside primarily (unless you end up on one of those freaky ones where the temperature is 60 degrees… and you’re wearing the biggest coat you can find).

And getting back to those European river cruises, keep in mind that any large body of water can be cruised in. There are Black Sea cruises, cruises all throughout the rivers of Europe (with tons of them in the Rhine River), and even cruises in the Great Lakes in the US and Canada. Cruise anywhere!

The economic world has changed quite a bit since the recession hit in 2007 and millions of United States citizens are still trying to figure out different ways to make ends meet each month. With bills coming in from the left and from the right, some folks just do not know where to get the money from to pay them. Thousands of people struggle with debt on a daily basis and the majority of debt can be traced back to problems with credit cards. Credit cards can get a lot of people in trouble economically, especially if they do not know how to properly manage their finances. Credit counseling is an important class, or activity, that everyone should take part in prior to opening up a credit card.

Staying ahead of the game is the best way to avoid getting into debt with a credit card. Always know how much money is going to come in each month and how much has to go out prior to charging expenses to that credit card. A credit counseling course will teach credit card holders what it is like to manage a credit card balance, what interest rates will do to a credit score, how to check a credit score and so much more.

Taking one of these classes can make a world of difference for a first time credit card holder. It can even help a current credit card holder who seems to be lost when it comes to managing the account and having enough money each month to pay the bill without going into debt or accruing interest on the account. No one credit card holder is considered a lost cause so if you need help; get help. It is the only way you will be able to fix a problem.

Four main swimming strokes are used in training and competitive swimming: freestyle (or the front crawl), backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. How are these strokes performed and which muscles get a workout?

Freestyle or front crawl
The front crawl (known among competitive swimmers as the freestyle) is the most widely used stroke, and the fastest and most efficient. Face down in the water, the freestyle swimmer pulls the arms through the water in alternating movements, in a windmill-like motion. Freestylers use a “flutter kick” for propulsion and balance.

The freestyle rigorously exercises the tricep muscles (the back of the upper arms), biceps (the front of the upper arms) and deltoids (the rounded part of the shoulders). Freestyle also works out the abdominal muscles, pectorals (chest muscles) and gluteals (muscles in the buttocks). The flutter kick uses the quadriceps (thigh muscles) and the abdominals.

Breaststroke
The most popular stroke among recreational swimmers, the breaststroke is done with the chest facing the water. The swimmer pulls the arms along the body while legs do a “frog kick.”

The water-resistance properties of this stroke particularly challenge the inner and outer thigh muscles, the calf muscles and the triceps.

Butterfly
The most difficult stroke to master, the butterfly employs the legs and feet in a wavelike “dolphin kick.” The swimmer sweeps the arms into the water with a circular motion.

The arms’ rotation builds the shoulders’ deltoid muscles, the trapezius muscles (around the neck) and, in lesser roles, the biceps and triceps. Abdominals undulate the torso and the back’s broad lateral muscles provide stability. The dolphin kick works the gluteals, quads, hamstrings (the rear thigh muscles) and calves.

Backstroke
Similar to freestyle except that the swimmer lies on the back, this stroke uses a windmill-like motion of the arms. The swimmer continuously flutter-kicks the legs.

This stroke uses many of the same muscles as freestyle, but it gives a more intense workout to the back muscles and hamstrings. Also exercised are the biceps, triceps, forearm muscles, shoulder muscles, pectorals, abdominals and calf muscles.

Sports betting can be a fun, and sometimes profitable, endeavor. There are lots of reasons why people bet on sports. Some do it for fun and excitement, while others are dedicated team fans who enjoy supporting their team, no matter what. Others make their bets for the sole purpose of making money. While it’s not for everyone, some actually do make a good deal of money, and even make a living, through sports betting. Follow these tips if you aspire to become a smart bettor.

The most important, and often most neglected, tip is to manage your money. Never bet more money than you can afford to lose. Never. Set aside a betting budget and stick to it, regardless of whether you win or lose. Don’t dump your winnings into one large bet, It’s a wiser idea to spread some money out over smaller bets. Remember, slowly, but surely, wins the race!

The next important step is to shop for the best number. Different sports books carry wider discrepancies. The books base their numbers on the patterns of their customers, so it’s not uncommon to find a varying point spread. Even a point or two can make a difference. Don’t waste your hard earned money. Be sure to do your homework.

Choose a niche. Your odds of winning will be increased if you become an expert at one or two particular games. Study your sports and learn the ins and outs to become a more savvy bettor. Increasing your knowledge increases your chances of beating the books.

Be sure to check the odds to up your payout. You can do this easily with most bookmakers. Finally, timing is everything. A good rule is to bet late on the underdog and early on favorites. This will keep you out of direct competition with the pros.

One of the things that many people have come to enjoy is online sports betting. Why is this becoming so popular? Mainly because there are so many people who are already avid sports fans and they love to follow their favorite teams, and even follow other teams. They know a lot about the game, whether it is soccer, tennis, golf, football, baseball, basketball, or what have you, and they feel an investment in what happens to the sport, the teams, and the players. It’s only natural that these avid fans might want to make a financial investment in what they have already invested in in terms of time and emotion.

When you bet money on your favorite team or any team, for that matter, the interest and excitement in watching them play, in monitoring their progress, in following their ups and downs tends to matter even more. If you want to get involved in sports betting, you’ll want to get some tips before you begin. To get you started consider the following tip, try betting on longshots. This is often the best way to make the greatest gains for your dollar. The reasons are not complicated. In fact, whoever is favored to win is where most people put their money, so that means there is a large part of money heading in that direction, and thus the odds get shortened on the favorites. To keep from losing money, sportsbooks will offer odds that sound astronomical when really the odds are not that great against the underdog. For example, they might list the odds as 70 to 1, when in actuality the odds are closer to 20 to 1. When you bet longshots, you usually lose some money, but when one of the bets does come through, you win so big that it can more than cover all the previous losing bets.

Compared to other sports, swimming can be an inexpensive fitness choice. Recreational swimmers don’t need a lot of gear and equipment, but it’s important make the right choices for fit, comfort and reliability.

Swimsuit
Do wear a suit that is snug but not overly tight. Suits that are too tight can stress muscles, causing soreness. Taut fabrics can also chafe the skin. To test the swimsuit’s comfort and flexibility, rotate your arms and shoulders and do a few squats in the dressing room.

Don’t wear a string bikini or long, baggy swim trunks to swim laps. You want to move comfortably in the water without worrying that your suit might come loose or get tangled.

Goggles
Do try on goggles until you find a proper fit. The eye cups should sit on the bones of the eye sockets. Press the cups to your eye sockets. When you let go, the goggles should stay in place with suction.

Don’t use goggles that are too tight. They should not pinch. After prolonged wear, goggles should not leave very red marks or painful depressions around the eyes.

Swim Cap
Do choose a latex or silicone cap to keep your hair dry. Latex and silicone caps also help prevent body heat from escaping through your head. Allergies to latex, though, are common, and latex is the most fragile swim cap material. Latex caps, though, are the least expensive type.

Do get a silicone cap if you want the insulation of latex but greater durability (or you’re allergic to latex). These caps pull on and off the head more easily than latex.

Do go with a Lycra cap if you some chlorine protection but you don’t mind getting your hair wet. These porous, cloth-like caps are gentle to the scalp and hair, and they stretch to fit all head sizes.

Don’t use a latex or silicone cap if you have a tender scalp and you want to avoid pulling your hair. A new option is a cap with Lycra on the inside and latex on the outside, offering advantages of both types of caps.

Swimming is a good exercise option for people of all ages and fitness levels—even those with disabilities or chronic pain. When you’re in the water, your bones and joints don’t bear all your weight. The vigorous movement of swimming places stress not on your weight-bearing joints but on your muscles.

Strength
While swimming is low impact, it’s still a great way to get strong because swimmers use major muscle groups in both the upper and lower body. And water offers 12 times more resistance than air, forcing swimmers’ muscles to work harder.

Endurance
Muscular strength alone is not the same as overall fitness. Water exercise, though, can build both strength and cardiovascular endurance. Swimming develops muscle strength through water resistance and raises cardiovascular endurance through aerobic activity.

Flexibility
Swimming, in tandem with good stretching, can boost flexibility and range of motion. Water’s buoyancy, resistance and temperature encourage muscle flexibility, and the smooth movements of swimming tend to stretch and lengthen muscles.

Weight management
Regular, calorie-burning exercise is key to successful weight management. People weighing 150 pounds can burn about 400 to 700 calories per hour while swimming, depending on their activity level. Frequent, regular swimming can speed metabolism, lower body fat and improve the body’s ability to burn fat.

Cardiovascular health
Because swimming uses so many muscles and your body is working against water resistance, even a low-key water workout can elevate your heart rate. When you’re swimming, your heart, lungs and circulatory system go all out to deliver oxygen and energy to each of your moving parts.

Overall toning
Olympic swimmers have terrific physiques. Years of training in the water have given them long, lean bodies with toned muscles. Swimming is the perfect sport for anyone who wants to feel fit and healthy—and look it.

There’s no question that swimming benefits your body—greater strength, fitness and flexibility—but exercising in water can do lot of good for your head, too. Swimming can energize your mind, lift your spirits and enhance your sense of well-being. Avid swimmers say nothing beats the calm yet energized mental state brought about by a vigorous session in the water.

Stress relief
Swimming can be an ideal way to take a break from worries, pressures and negative distractions. During your swim time, it’s just you and the water. You are free to focus on nothing but the rhythm of your strokes.

Meditation
Many swimmers report attaining a satisfying frame of mind while swimming that resembles a meditative state. The repetitive strokes, rhythmic breathing, quiet of the water and lack of distractions can lead to a “swimmer’s bliss” that stays with you long after you’re out of the pool. After all, our bodies consist of about 60 percent water, so it’s no wonder we can feel a primal gratification in being enveloped by water.

Self-esteem
Keeping a regular swimming schedule can entail self-discipline, goal setting, time management and prioritizing—all of which raise confidence in our ability to set and meet goals. Add to this the mental and physical satisfaction of exercising in the water. And don’t forget how great it feels when those extra pounds fall away!

Mental acuity
Research indicates that swimming, like all aerobic exercise, may protect against mild cognitive impairment by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain and lowering risk of cardiovascular diseases that can harm brain function. Scientists also say that regular aerobic exercise helps the brain work at top capacity by creating new nerve cells and boosting brain chemicals.

Less depression
Many current studies of the brain during physical activity indicate that exercise can have effects that are similar to antidepressant medications. During exercise, levels of mood-lifting brain chemicals are raised—and levels can stay elevated days after the exercise session. Brisk exercise like swimming also can help you get a good night’s sleep, which wards off depression.

Millions of Americans chose swimming as a way to get fit and have some fun, especially in the summer months. Public pools are accessible to most neighborhoods, and they offer open-swim sessions year round. Pools are also a common feature in many private health clubs, fitness centers and hotels.

With all these swimmers sharing the same pools, it’s vital to be aware of water-borne germs that can make you and your family sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even has a name for infectious ailments caused by germs in pools: recreational water illnesses (RWI). These illnesses include a wide variety of infections: gastrointestinal, respiratory, skin and wound, to name a few. The water-borne illness reported most commonly is diarrhea.

Used Properly, Chlorine Kills Germs—But Not Right Away

Just one swimmer with diarrhea can contaminate the water in a swimming pool, even if it’s Olympic sized. Other swimmers can ingest those germs by swallowing small amounts of water.

Isn’t chlorine supposed to kill these germs? Yes, chlorine does destroy most contaminants—but only if the chlorine is used at proper disinfection levels and if water conditions (pH and temperature) are ideal. But even when chlorine is properly used, some contaminants are chlorine tolerant. These germs will eventually succumb to chlorine, but it might take hours—or even days. In the meantime, those germs are swimming in the pool along with all the humans.

How to Protect Yourself, Your Family and Other Swimmers

You can avoid spreading and catching pool-borne germs by taking a few precautions.

• Don’t swallow pool water. Instruct children to try not to get pool water in their mouths at all.
• Before you get in the water, shower with soap. Wash your hands thoroughly after changing diapers or using the bathroom.
• Don’t go swimming when you have diarrhea. Don’t take children swimming when they have diarrhea.
• Check children’s diapers often.
• Don’t change children’s diapers at poolside. Germs can end up in the pool.

Because swimming can be a high risk activity for children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids age four and older take swimming lessons. First and foremost, swimming lessons are a good idea for kids’ safety—but lessons have other important benefits as well.

Safety
Although drowning rates in the U.S. have fallen by about 50 percent since 1985—largely due to increased public awareness of swimming safety—drowning is still the second leading cause of death for children. Learning how to handle themselves in the water is the chief reason kids should take swimming lessons. Children under age four aren’t seen as being developmentally ready to learn how to make front-crawl swimming strokes, but they can get introduced to feeling comfortable and confident in the water. The AAP warns that taking swimming lessons will not make children “drown proof,” but evidence shows that lessons can make swimming a safer activity for kids.

Fitness
Swimming can be an ideal sports activity for kids because it’s a low-impact way—less risk of injury—to build strength, endurance and coordination.

Confidence
Swimming lessons give kids the chance to learn how to work toward mastery of a physical skill. They’ll learn to not only feel safe in the water, but also how to keep improving their adeptness as athletes in the pool. Learning how to swim is a vital life skill—an important milestone in kids’ development.

Social Development
Playing games in the water with friends and family offers kids fun opportunities to socialize. Kids like to swim with other people—initially, parents and instructors; as children get older, play dates with peers.

Athletic Challenge
For some kids, swimming lessons can be an introduction to the world of competitive swimming. Some swim teams begin accepting children as young as age five. Kids compete with others in their age group in events for these four strokes: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. Young swimmers can compete throughout high school and college. The most talented and ambitious swimmers can aim for the top of the sport: the Olympic Games.