Everylapcounts

Why Hawaii is referred to as surfers paradise

Florian Schultz — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:44:00 +0000

Surfing in Hawaii is like a tradition and holds a huge significance to the lifestyle and the culture of the people. Surfing Hawaii waters will take you back to the ancient history when surfing was considered more of a religious practice than a form of sport. Under Hawaii culture, the behavior of the sea directly reflected their livelihood and creating surf boards was considered a very religious undertaking. History put aside, surfing Hawaii is great experience, one that is full of adventure and fun.

Hawaii has a number of features such as mild weather, coral reef that helps give a perfect wave while at the same time offering desirable surfing locations to most surfers. In addition, the characteristics of the island to continually change its outlay as a result of volcanic activity will always keep surfers on toes. Surfing Hawaii is a lot more fun and because of the presence of many open beach areas, finding a place to train or just enjoy surfing is not a problem at all.

As a surfer’s paradise, Hawaii has grown in popularity over the renowned world famous breaks such as sunset beach, waimea, or pipeline beach. In these locations, the wave may rise up to heights of about twenty five feet. Any adventurous person will find it irresistible to try surfing while in Hawaii because it looks so easy and everyone else is doing it. When this is the case, you may choose to use the less bone cracking breaks that can easily be found in Jaws or Hapuna beach.

Besides the surfing breaks, another fact that makes Hawaii a surfer’s haven is the results of volcanic activities. For instance, the spectacular color of sand that is left at the beach will vary from one place to another hence you will find, white, golden, green and black sand beach areas. This contributes to the tropical beauty and the rich history of Hawaii. Coast guards and other coast patrol offices will ensure that security is tight at all times and when danger is looming, you can be sure of getting help immediately. Therefore, when you need to surf, think Hawaii.

Fast swimming

Florian Schultz — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:33:00 +0000

Swimming is a fast moving, somewhat mythical sport and a swimming hero (or heroine) is usually admired by a number of people. famous names, such as Mark Spitz or the German swimmer Franziska van Almsick, will be remembered, because theirs are achievements that do not simply come by as a result of a certain talent but as the result of years of training foresaking all other activities. It is maybe this slightly ascetic element that is part of the admiration that many people have for swimmers. They are viewed as spending their days in the water, improving their practice, and really fighting their way up to the top – if they are lucky.
In an age where “”superstars”" can be kids who happen to imitate Michael Jackson or Madonna quite well without much else on their agenda, athletes, such as swimmers, are perceiced as the true heroes. After all, they have dedicated all their life to their sport, and it is also an aesthetic kind of sport the swimming hero shows. The jump into the water, these first forceful movements, then getting out of the water, it is like some nymph (or the male counterpart thereof) that people have the pleasure of watching. Maybe the admiration also has to do with the element of water. Even though the majority of people are able to swim for a mile or so, water is regarded as an “”unstable”" somewhat frightening element. Okay, so a swimming pool is not the open sea, and no sharks are lurking there, but somehow underneath the brilliance there is also this courage aspect. And, one should not forget: Swimming shapes the body in a nice way. No fat, all muscles but in the right places, in a well-balanced manner. So, swimmers are also regarded as “”models”", and nowadays in many cases they find themselves acting as such in magazines. This money is one way of compensating for all those efforts a swimmer has undertaken. But even though only a minority swims up to the top and towards some fame, the less successful swimmers enjoy their swim, too!

Swimming: the world record’s

Florian Schultz — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:27:00 +0000

Never had there been a better time to set a swimming world rekord then in 2008 and 2009. It all started, when Speedo presented its new swimsuit, the LZR Racer, on February 13, 2008. Until the banning of such swimsuits, the swimming world rekord was broken in every swimming event. Since January 1, 2010 the LZR racer and any other swimsuits of that kind are not allowed anymore. Until that date there was a flood of new swimming world records. The most successful swimmer of that world record breaking era is without a shadow of a doubt Michael Phelps, who has set 6 of the current world records in long course swimming events, among them 3 individual world records. Also very successful were Cesar Cielo from Brazil, Paul Biedermann from Germany and Aaron Peirsol ( USA ), who all set 2 of the current individual world records in long course races. Peirsol has added to his 2 individual world records the world record in the 4 x 100 m medley relay event with the US Team. All of the 3 current world records in long course relay races were set by the US Team and Michael Phelps participated in all of the world record teams. The most successful female swimmers, when holding a current world record in long course events is the criterion, are Jessica Hardy ( USA ), Britta Steffen ( Germany ) and Federica Pellegrini ( Italy ), who all set 2 of the current world records. The most successful female relay teams come from China, as China set the world record in the 4 x 200 m freestyle relay event and the 4 x 100 m medley relay event. The Netherlands are the current world record holder in the 4 x 100 m freestyle relay event. Since the ban of high tech swimsuits there had only been two new world records in long course races. One was set by Ryan Lochte ( USA ) and the other one was set by Sun Yang from China. There had been no new world record by a female swimmer in a long course race since October 21, 2009.

A legend: Mark Spitz

Florian Schultz — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:27:00 +0000

At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich Mark Spitz became a legend. Mark Spitz was born on February 10, 1950 in Modesto, California and started to swim as a small child. Early in his career Spitz was very successful at the Maccabiah Games ( 1965 and 1969 ) and at the Pan American Games ( 1967 ), where he won many gold medals. Already in 1967 Spitz set his first world record and at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics he captured his first Olympic gold medals with the US 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay team and the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay team. However, he was unsuccessful in the individual competition and at the next Summer Olympics in Munich he wanted to wipe out that disgrace. And he did that in a very impressive way. He participated in seven races at the 1972 Summer Olympics and he won all of them in world record time. On August 28, 1972 he won his first gold medal in the 200 metre butterfly race, defeating Gary Hall and Robin Backhaus. On the very same day he won another gold medal with the 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay team. On the following day Spitz was successful in the 200 metre freestyle race, when he defeated Steve Genter and Werner Lampe. On August 31, 1972 Spitz won gold medals number 4 and 5 during the Munich Olympics, when he succeeded in the 100 metre butterfly race and won a gold medal with the US 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay team. On September 3, 1972 he captured his 6th gold medal, when defeating Jerry Heidenreich and Vladimir Bure in the 100 metre freestyle race. Spitz won his 7th gold medal on September 4, 1972 with the US 4 x 100 metre medley relay team. With his seven gold medals won during just one Summer Olympics Spitz set a new record, which was not broken until Michael Phelps won eight Olympic gold medals in Beijing 2008. After the 1972 Summer Olympics Spitz retired from swimming and after a unsuccessful comeback in 1992 he finally ended his career.

This is Michael Phelps

Florian Schultz — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:44:00 +0000

Michael Phelps is the most successful athlete in the history of Olympic Summer Games. Beside his 14 Olympic gold medals, Michael Phelps is as a 26-time world champion also the most successful swimmer in the history of World Aquatics Championships. After barely missing Mark Spitz’ record of 7 gold medals at one Olympics 2004 at the Athens Summer Olympics, Phelps broke that record at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, when he won 8 Olympic gold medals in China. No swimmer has set more world records than Phelps, who has set 39 world records. In that category he broke another record of Mark Spitz, who has broken 33 world records. Spitz has praised Phelps as the greatest swimmer of all time and one of the best athletes of all time. Phelps has also won many awards during his career. He is a 6-time World Swimmer of the Year, a 8-time American Swimmer of the Year and the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year 2008. He was nominated for the Laureus, which is also known as the sports-Oscar, in 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009.

Phelps was born on June 30, 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland, where in 2004 due to this popularity and his success a street was named after him. He started to swim at the age of 7 and became a member of the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, where he was trained by Bob Bowman. In 2001 he won his first world championship in Fukuoka ( Japan ), when he was only 15 years old. At the 2002 Pan American Games Phelps won 3 and at the 2003 World Championships he won already 4 gold medals. During the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens Phelps won 6 Olympic gold medals, which was followed with 5 gold medals each at the 2005 World Championships and 2006 Pan American Games. At the 2007 World Championships he set a new record, when he won 7 gold medals. At the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Phelps also set a new record with 8 Olympic gold medals. In 2009 and 2011 Phelps won another 9 gold medals at World Championships.

Be active with sport!

Florian Schultz — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:45:00 +0000

There are many reasons to practice regularly Sport. For a healthy body, mind and soul is sport the best medicine. Especially water sports are highly recommended. Next to swimming are many other water sports possibilities given they makes a lot of fun. An elegant water sport and anytime in fashion is water skiing. Who is an expert in water skiing often makes a good figure and draws everyone’s attention. This weightless gliding on the water contagious and provoke you to start immediately with water skiing.
Private lessons are almost effectively so that the sport can be practiced quickly in time. Every beginning is hard and the practice in each kind of sport will bring roses. Next day all muscles they are not yet used such strange and new movements will hurt. But exactly on this point is it very important to keep on going that this hurting feeling ends. Stretching after each work out helps a lot to prevent muscle soreness. After the sport a nice warm shower and you feel reborn. The sport thanks gives you a feeling of freshness and fitness which is a priceless feeling and is definitively worth the sweat. The positive energy last the whole day that you can imagine to take trees. Sport tightens the skin and promotes a youthful appearance. Even on the vital smile you can recognize if someone is sporty or more passive.
Many people practice sport to enjoy the nature or to meet other people. Others operate sports on the instructions of the doctor. Again some, begin with sport to lose weight.
Whatever the occasion for the sport is, there is always a good and wise decision. The heart is a muscle and will get with the sport stronger and stronger!

Swimming race is a hard one

Florian Schultz — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:31:00 +0000

Almost everyone knows how to swim and enjoys doing it when on holiday, but a swimming race is something totally different! If you see a swimmer, whether male or female, even if this person is wearing normal clothes, you can tell: Oh, a swimmer. Swimming, if practiced on a more ambitious level, shapes the body tremendously. It is like a triangle, with enormous shoulders and narrow hips. But this is not surprising since a lot of the “”action”" taking place in the water is done using the arms and the torso. So, if someone prepares for a swim race he or she has usually spent hundreds of hours swimming in the preferred style, and of course doing other training routines.
A swimming race is something that has a certain ephemeral quality to it. The swimmers jump off the block, and, depending on the length they cover, the race is over in no time. It is often parts of seconds that count, and this is what makes a swim race so breath-takingly exciting. And, of course, it is this moment when the swimmers leave the water. Oh those bodies, in all their splendour. Here is something to admire. Even though swimming is not a mass sport, practiced or watched by millions, such as soccer, the very good swimmers will be remembered. Take Mark Spitz who swept the Olympics back in 1972, and ask people who were more or less grown up at the time, whether they remember him. Yes, they do! Swimming, an exciting swim race, those elegant movements have a certain appeal to people. As opposed to some disciplines such as weight-lifting, swimming is regarded as aesthetic. So, even if swimmers lead a bit of a lonesome life, usually far away from the mainstream attention, they get their share of adoration. And, what counts, if you ask a swimmer, it this mingling with the element of water, the total immersion they feel, the lightness, that makes them stick to their sport. No other sport can beat this feeling, the swimmers claim. Maybe, tritathlon can, but then it`s swimming, too.

Free to ride

Florian Schultz — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 13:15:00 +0000

Surfing is probably one of the most exhilarating activities that are out there in the world, free for taking.
I have a cousin in California. Two times father and two different job locations, not to mention Saxophone practice and the occasional gig, and he still finds the time to head down the beach, regardless the weather. Why? Because surfing is more then a sport. It’s a lifestyle. It’s riding the waves of freedom for a couple of hours a week. It’s leaving behind – resting on the sands, anxiously waiting to jump right back on – our daily worries and responsibilities. It’s clearing the head from unnecessary junk that inevitably sticks to it just by waking up in the morning, driving that road, standing in that queue. Don’t we owe ourselves some sort of freedom once in a while? Why do we strive for it so much, then…?
“You have to come over, stay a few days, and I’ll take you surfing.” He tells me over the phone. I live half across the universe from him, in Germany, six hundred kilometers away from the next beach. “I know,” I say, and a stirring of emotions takes over me. For I can feel the wind blowing over my neck. I can feel the water running down my back. I can hear the waves forming, rising and crushing down with a splash. And then, after an hour or so, we’ll go back, lie down on the beach for awhile, look at the sky, the see, the waves, touch the sand. Then I’ll pick up my bag of responsibilities and head back home. Than life is a wave we choose to ride, and we’re free to ride it wherever we want.