Golf Style Guide

Whether you are getting a rare chance to play all 18 majestic holes at Augusta National or just playing through the back nine at your local public Par 3 course, it's important to always dress the part.

Not all of the guidelines are as obvious as "No jean shorts or sombreros," which is why you may need a little help in deciding what would make the most appropriate look for your next round, no matter where that round may be.

The Shirt

First things first, you are going to want to wear a shirt that has a collar. It may seem obvious, but if you go out to one of your favorite public courses, you will likely see quite a few people ignoring this one basic rule.

Additionally, you will want to avoid a long sleeve shirt, even if it has a collar. The shirt itself may look fine, but it looks tacky on a course, especially when the sleeves are rolled up after the sun starts to beat down.

Additionally, you never want your sleeves to go to your elbows, the sleeves should be about three quarters of the way down to the elbows, no farther. You can go a bit shorter on the sleeves, but you never want your underarms visible at any times.

If it's chilly, however, there's nothing wrong with rainwear. A nice thin rain jacket can actually make your outfit look very sharp, especially if the colors match well with the pants.

Now on to another obvious rule: Always keep your shirt tucked in. If you've ever worn khakis with an untucked shirt, you will know how ridiculous it truly looks. With that said, make sure you have a nicely fitting shirt. Anything too baggy will look just as ridiculous and a shirt that's already too tight without being tucked in will show more of your midsection than most others want to see.

So just to recap, you'll want a nice fitting polo with short sleeves. Not too short, but definitely not past the elbows with a normal sized collar. We'll get to colors and patterns a bit later on in the "Style" section.

The Pants

Choosing the right pair of pants for your golf outfit is more difficult than finding the right shirt. Firstly, pants may not even be necessary. Don't get too excited, I'm just talking about shorts.

It goes without saying that jeans aren't going to be an option on the course, so you'll want either a pair of khakis, or some darker golf pants. Maybe something with a nice pattern, but we'll get to that.

When it comes to pants, you want to make sure they aren't too long, or it will look terrible, especially if the course is still a bit damp from the morning dew. It will make the bottom of your trousers wet and essentially ruin them until the next wash.

You want your pants to just barely touch the top of your golf shoes. No shorter, no longer. That's always been the rule, don't expect that to change.

You will also want a belt, no matter what color your pants are. Just because you are wearing black trousers means that no one will notice your lacking of a belt, especially with your shirt tucked in.

You will either want a belt that matches your trousers or your shirt, it's already likely that you don't want to draw attention to your waistline as it is, and a clashing belt color will do nothing to help that.

Also, leave the pleated pants or shorts at home. Better yet, you may want to donate them or include them in your next garage sale, you won't be needing those when you hit the links.

Now that we have that tidbit covered, let's move on to the shorts. If the weather is a bit muggier than you'd like it to be, you may have no other option. The same rules apply to shorts as pants (no pleats, matching colors, etc.) but the length has been questioned by some.

The ideal pair of shorts for golfing will stop just at the top of your knees. Any shorter and people will uncomfortable looking at you. Any longer, and people may keep their hand a little closer to their valuables. This isn't a hip hop concert of a 1970's NBA game, so always make sure to find that perfect length. You will also want to stay away from cargo shorts as they aren't permitted in a lot of courses. It may be convenient when you slice one into the water and need another ball quickly, but just leave them at home.

The Footwear

If you are wearing pants, it's not going to matter what your sock length is. You can wear knee high socks if you want, no one will notice. However, the right pair of socks is vital when wearing shorts.

Some people think that just because golf is a game you have to dress well for, that black socks are necessary. That's not the case, though, and white socks are always acceptable. You will, however, want them to be ankle high, no higher.

As for the shoes, you will always want to wear golf shoes. If you've ever tried to hit a ball in sneakers before, you'll notice that it's not only tacky looking, but also extremely difficult.

The Headware

The Greg Norman style of hat may be acceptable, but it's always a little bit more than most people are comfortable with. If you're like me, you will want a hat as the sun always comes into play during a round.

Make sure that it's en acceptable cap or visor, with the bill always facing forward. I simply cannot stress that enough. There are a lot of nice golf hats that you can find in your clubhouse, and most of them look pretty sharp.

You can even support your favorite sports team as some golfing companies have made special caps to suit your needs. I myself prefer the Titleist Chicago Cubs cap whenever on the course.

The Styles

A lot of golfers like to avoid patterns, and rightfully so. They are pretty difficult to pull off perfectly, and you even need to be built the right way to even have a shot at doing so.

Light pants with a darker colored shirt can look good on the right person, but not for all. Especially depending on the shirt color. The easiest way to cap off the right mix is to do a simple color shirt and a pair of khakis.

Again, khakis go with everything. It's a great look, easy to do, and doesn't draw attention. Unless you want attention, that is. Red, blue, black, green, take your pick. They all go well with a nice pair of khakis.

Also, the brighter your shirt, the lighter you'll want your pants to be. Just try to picture in your head a bright baby blue colored polo with black pants, it just doesn't seem right, does it?

Hopefully you now have everything you need to look your best on the course. Always remember, just because you will likely never play in the Masters, doesn't mean you can't dress like it's Sunday at Augusta.

The course you're playing will appreciate it, your fellow golfers will appreciate it, and it always feels nice to be dressed to the nines. So go out there, looking your best, and enjoy your next 18 holes.

Exercise Moves for the Knees

Strong knees with flexible muscles support your everyday movements while helping you avoid knee pain. Exercise moves that strengthen the knees even help those muscles support and take over for weakened joints or problem knees. Knee strength-training exercises, stretches and gentle forms of cardiovascular exercise can work together to promote good knee health.

Exercising the Knees without Stress

It's important to see your physician before you start any new knee exercises, whether or not you currently have knee problems. If you have an inflammatory or bone condition affecting your knee, are obese or are recovering from an injury and have been given the go-ahead to exercise, there are some exercise options that will help avoid undue stress on your knees. Water-based exercises are an effective form of cardio and strength-training exercise. Since the buoyancy of the water supports your body weight, you're able to exercise without stressing your knee joints. Additionally, knee exercises performed while lying down can also help you do knee workouts without stress.

Knee-Strengthening Exercises

When you stand, your knees bear about 80 percent of your body weight, so it's clear that strengthening them can be beneficial. The knee joint is surrounded by the quadricep, hamstring and calf muscles, and strengthening these improves your knees' ability to bear your body weight and move though a full range of motion. Exercises such as leg lifts performed while lying down, wall squats, glute bridges and stepups all help strengthen the muscles around the knees. Plan on strength training your knees two or three times per week to build muscle mass and strength.

Stretches for Knee Area Flexibility

Exercise moves for knees that promote and maintain knee flexibility can ease pain and soreness from arthritis while enabling you to move through a full range of movements. Stretching exercises such as the quadriceps and hamstring stretch keep the muscles and joints around the knee loose and flexible. Stretch the muscle, ligaments and tendons of the knee area two or three times per week, holding each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Perform each knee stretch two or three times, and never bounce, as this can contribute to knee injury.

Nolene represents South Africa at Commonwealth games

20-year old Sports Management student, Nolene Conrad has just returned from an exhilarating athletic experience in Melbourne Australia.

Conrad represented South Africa (SA) at the Commonwealth games after setting a new SA record for the 3000m-steeple chase race in the impressive time of 10 minutes and five seconds.

At the games in Melbourne, Conrad secured 11th place of a total of 15 track and field runners in a stadium heaving with 90 000 spectators. She completed the race in 10 minutes and 26 seconds.

All this has been nothing but a stepping stone for Conrad, who is determined to secure her place in the forthcoming Olympics in Beijing.

Conrad suffers from episodes of asthma but had decided a long time ago to not let that deter her running career. A resident of Eerste River, Conrad ran her first race barefoot at the age of 16 years and admits that things have not always been easy financially. Her first race was the Totalsports ladies 10km road race, which she completed in 39 minutes and secured third place in the junior division.

Conrad competes in cross country, track and field events and road running. On national level, she has won 4th place for cross-country racing in Polokwane.

Meditation is to the mind what push ups are to the body. Everyone can meditate. Have you ever worried about anything? Then you've meditated in a negative way. Worry and meditation are opposite sides of the same coin. Worry is focusing on something negative and meditation is focusing on something positive. We can not stop the mind from thinking. This is what the mind does. However, we can detach from our thoughts.

How do we detach from our thoughts? We watch them as if we were viewing a movie or television show something outside of ourselves. This idea may sound strange because most people think they are their thoughts but they're not. You can actually sit back and watch your mind think. As long as you don't join in with the thought process or become emotionally attached, you are in a state of meditation. At first, this will be a challenge, but like anything else, the more you practice the easier this becomes. It is better to meditate for short frequent sessions rather than one long session.

Going back to the push up analogy. If you've ever done pushups, you know it is better to do a few every day rather than try to do fifty once a week. When you are beginning a meditation practice start with five or ten minutes two times a day. You will reap more benefits this way rather than trying to meditate for one hour once a week. Frequency is more important than duration. So try to schedule a few minutes in the morning and again in evening to start your meditation practice. In time, you will see how just a few minutes a day can help improve your focus, attention, and concentration.

Champions League Round of 16

The UEFA Champions League moves beyond the group stages this week as the Round of 16 gets started. Europe’s premier club soccer competition begins in July of each year with qualifying rounds before going to group stages. The top two teams in each of eight groups move on to the knockout rounds, with each matchup played over two games at each team’s home stadia. The winner is based on total aggregate score, away goals serving as tie-breaker. The 2013 final will be played on the pitch of historic Wembley Stadium in London on May 25.

The first knockout stage has several titans going head-to-head and some intriguing matchups. On Tuesday, Celtic of Glasgow hosts Juventis, based in Turin, Italy, and Valencia hosts Paris Saint-Germain. Wednesday will see one of the premier matchups as Real Madrid plays host to Manchester United and Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk is at home to Borussia Dortmund. Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid’s leading scorer and star, will face off against his old team for the first time when United comes to town and again in three weeks in Manchester.

Next week will see the remaining first leg games in this round. Tuesday’s games have Arsenal hosting Bayern Munich in London and Portugal’s FC Porto hosting Spain’s Malaga. On Wednesday, German side Schalke 04 heads to Istanbul to take on Galatasary and another classic matchup has Barcelona travelling to AC Milan.

Return trips for each matchup take place three weeks from the first game.

The 5 Elements Program is our flagship training system designed to give students a comprehensive introduction to a full range of principles, skills and scenarios that are essential to martial arts. This system is perfect for beginners and seasoned martial artists alike because it emphasizes foundational training while building on basic moves and practices for more experienced students.

We developed this program based on rigorous research and testing of different fighting conditions and training methodologies. We’ve analyzed the dependencies and connectedness of skills, tactics, strategies and strength exercises across disciplines, all of which are taught to our students who take part in the 5 Elements Program. We’ve also sought expert guidance to inform this program’s curriculum.

We arm you with the tools, skills and mental strength necessary to confront any challenge in any type of condition. From inside the fighting ring to the training hall to self-defense in the street, the ultimate goal of the 5 Elements Program is to produce well rounded, agile, technically skillful and mentally prepared martial artists.

I want to be healthier! I want to live longer. In living longer, I want to enjoy my life a bit more. It so often happens that there are barely enough hours in the day in which to complete all of the things that you need to do, and leaving no time to do the things that you should do, for your good health.
Take exercise, as an example. Lots of folks enjoy certain activities that are beneficial to good health. It must be something you enjoy, or it is likely that you will give up.
To take a brisk walk every day is an excellent habit! Finding the time to do it is an exercise in itself. Buying and owning home gym equipment may make a work-out more convenient, but there is a tendency (because you are at home) to slack a bit.
The ideal situation for your optimum health is to find an activity that you enjoy. Join a gym in your area and walk there if you can. Find someone who enjoys it as much as you! You will find that you will show up more consistently when you have someone who is expecting you. I will almost certainly bail out of a work-out if I am going by myself. Having a buddy can be a great advance in changing yourself for health. Once you find an activity that you enjoy, stick with it and above all else, have patience.

The stage spotlight is composed of three or more different shades of color lighting to portray and define the ideal shape and hues of the human body in action. The men and women on stage are in pristine condition, defined by their physiques and flawless expressions. The audience applauds these athletes that have undergone such extreme challenges and diversity in their lifestyles, unaware how much has been sacrificed for 20 seconds on stage in full body flexion.
The life of a fitness competitor is less than glorious, if not glamorous. The hours lost in a gym squeezing out adrenaline--only to be rewarded by the smell of sweat, rubber, and iron, outnumber the moments spent with friends, family, and slumber. Their depravity goes even further by adhering to a strict diet; a planned, measured, and prepped nutrition regimen that wreaks suicide in comparison to the average American eating habits.
With the ever changing divisions, competitive athletes have to alter their bodies drastically for each show to appease the judges. Symmetry, conditioning, health, full muscle bellies, and presentation are the requirements according to each division. Athletes must reflect the ideal strict stature for either Fitness, Bodybuilding, Physique, Figure, or Bikini.
It is not only the hours spent in the gym or slaving in a kitchen drained to attain their brief moment in the spotlight. Competitors must also endure hour-long daily posing sessions for 8-12 weeks prior to the show, and severe body water manipulation for up to two weeks preceding.

We are all used to being told that we need to exercise more and eat better, but for the beginner, the vast array of option can seem to bewildering at first. Should you be swimming, swinging kettle bells, or pushing yourself at Cross Fit? Is Zumba better than circuit training? Does jogging burn more calories than cycling? With so much choice and information pushing different options, it often seems simpler just to stay on the couch!
One way to solve the problem is to think about what you like doing. There’s no point going to a dance class if you’ve got two left feet and an hour waltzing around the floor will leave you miserable and self conscious. If you hate running for a bus, then dragging yourself out for a jog might work once, but it isn’t going to be enough to motivate you on a wet, miserable day in January. However, if you can find something that you actually enjoy, then the excuses not to go won’t work as well.
Perhaps you think that there isn’t an exercise out there that you like, but with the vast array of options available, that seems unlikely. If that is the case though, why not pick a class at random and give it a go. If you hate it, try something else the following week, and another the week after. That way, you’ll be getting a different workout every week—which many experts actually recommend over the same routine each week!

Classic Dance Provides Fitness and So Much More

Ever since aerobics took the nation by storm, various forms of dance exercise have grown in popularity. Today it’s Zumba that is the current craze at many gyms. Whether or not you like Zumba, you may be surprised to learn that classical forms of dance can also make excellent forms of exercise, even for non-experts.

If you live in a major metropolitan area, you can find classes for adults in ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary dance. The staff in the studios are always happy to help you understand the differences among these forms of dance, and you are often welcome to observe a class or two. Like fusion cuisines, dance categories are fluid, always evolving and influencing one another. It doesn’t take long to discover which studios have classes for people of all ages and body types, such as Dance New Amsterdam in NYC, where women in their 70s dance alongside women and men with larger and heavier frames than the traditional dancer body type.

Dance classes begin with extended warm-ups, much longer than in most gym classes, and then proceed through exercises that work many different muscle groups. Usually, the class culminates in a “combination”—a short dance sequence, which puts the exercises into immediate application, and allows you to express yourself within a beautiful work of art. Classical dance classes provide strength training, toning, increased flexibility, as well as poise, confidence, grace, and the joy of expressive movement and performance.

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