Beijing National Stadium

The centrepiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics is the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed the Bird's Nest because of its nest-like skeletal structure. Construction of the venue began on December 24, 2003. The Guangdong Olympic Stadium was originally planned, constructed, and completed in 2001 to help host the Games, but a decision was made to construct a new stadium in Beijing. officials engaged architects worldwide in a design competition. A Swiss firm, Herzog & de Meuron Architekten AG, collaborated with China Architecture Design & Research Group to win the competition. The stadium features a lattice-like steel outer skeleton around the concrete stadium bowl and has a seating capacity of over 90,000 people. Architects originally described the overall design as resembling a bird nest with an immense ocular opening with a retractable roof over the stadium. However, in 2004, the idea of the retractable roof was abandoned for economic and safety reasons. The Beijing National Stadium was the site of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics events and soccer finals.

The Beijing Olympic Village opened on July 16, 2008 and to the public on July 26, 2008.

2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, People's Republic of China, from August 8 (except football, which started on August 6) to August 24, 2008. A total of 10,500 athletes competed in 302 events in 28 sports, one event more than was on the schedule of the 2004 Games.^[2] The 2008 Beijing Olympics marked the first occasion that either the Summer or Winter Games were hosted in China, making it the 22nd nation to do so. It also became the third time that Olympic events have been held in the territories of two different National Olympic Committees (NOC), as the equestrian events were being held in Hong Kong (the other two instances being the 1956 games, where the equestrian events were hosted in Stockholm, Sweden, due to strict Australian quarantine rules, and the other events were hosted in Melbourne, Australia; and the 1920 games which were hosted in Antwerp, Belgium, but the final two races of the 12ft dinghy event in sailing were held in The Netherlands).

The Olympic Games were awarded to Beijing after an exhaustive ballot of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 13, 2001. The official logo of the Games, titled "Dancing Beijing," features a stylised calligraphic character jīng, meaning capital), referring to the host city. Several new NOCs have also been recognised by the IOC.

The Chinese government promoted the Games and invested heavily in new facilities and transportation systems. A total of 37 venues were used to host the events including 12 newly constructed venues. At the closing ceremony IOC president Jacques Rogge declared the event a "truly exceptional Games" after earlier asserting that the IOC had "absolutely no regrets" in choosing Beijing to host the 2008 Games. The choice of China as a host country was the subject of criticism by some politicians and NGOs concerned about China's human rights record. China and others, meanwhile, warned against politicizing the Olympics.

The Games saw 43 new world records and 132 new Olympic records set.A record 87 countries won a medal during the Games. Chinese athletes won 51 gold medals altogether, the second largest haul by a national team in a modern, non-boycotted Summer Games. Michael Phelps broke the record for most golds in one Olympics and for most career gold medals for an Olympian. Usain Bolt secured the traditional title "World's Fastest Man" by setting new world records in the 100m and 200m dashes.

Ancient Olympics

There are many myths surrounding the origin of the ancient Olympic Games, the most popular of which identifies Heracles and his father Zeus as the creators of the games. According to the legend, Zeus held sporting events in honor of his defeat of Cronus, and his succession to the king of heaven. Heracles, being his eldest son, defeated his brothers in a running race and was crowned with a wreath of wild olive branches. It is Heracles who is believed to have first called the games Olympic, and established the custom of holding them every 4 years. The legend diverges at this point. One popular story says that Heracles went on to build the Olympic stadium and surrounding buildings as an honor to Zeus, after he completed his 12 labors. After he built the stadium he walked in a straight line for 200 strides and called this distance a "stadion" (Greek: στάδιον, Latin: stadium, "stage") that later also became a unit of distance. Another myth associates the first Games with the ancient Greek concept of Olympic truce (ἐκεχειρία, ekecheiria). The most widely held estimate for the inception of the Ancient Olympics is BC 776.

From then on, the Olympic Games quickly became much more important throughout ancient Greece, reaching their zenith in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. The Olympics were of fundamental religious importance, contests alternating with sacrifices and ceremonies honouring both Zeus (whose colossal statue stood at Olympia), and Pelops, divine hero and mythical king of Olympia, who was famous for his legendary chariot races with King Oenomaus of Pisatis.The number of events increased to twenty, and the celebration was spread over several days. Winners of the events were greatly admired and were immortalised in poems and statues. The Games were held every four years, and the period between two celebrations became known as an Olympiad. The Greeks used Olympiads as one of their units of time measurement.

The Games gradually declined in importance as the Romans gained power in Greece. After Emperor Theodosius I proclaimed Christianity the religion of the Empire in AD 393 and banned pagan rites, the Olympic Games were outlawed as a pagan festival. The Olympics were not seen again until their rebirth 1,500 years later.

Ancient Olympics

There are many myths surrounding the origin of the ancient Olympic Games, the most popular of which identifies Heracles and his father Zeus as the creators of the games. According to the legend, Zeus held sporting events in honor of his defeat of Cronus, and his succession to the king of heaven. Heracles, being his eldest son, defeated his brothers in a running race and was crowned with a wreath of wild olive branches. It is Heracles who is believed to have first called the games Olympic, and established the custom of holding them every 4 years. The legend diverges at this point. One popular story says that Heracles went on to build the Olympic stadium and surrounding buildings as an honor to Zeus, after he completed his 12 labors. After he built the stadium he walked in a straight line for 200 strides and called this distance a "stadion" (Greek: στάδιον, Latin: stadium, "stage") that later also became a unit of distance. Another myth associates the first Games with the ancient Greek concept of Olympic truce (ἐκεχειρία, ekecheiria). The most widely held estimate for the inception of the Ancient Olympics is BC 776.

From then on, the Olympic Games quickly became much more important throughout ancient Greece, reaching their zenith in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. The Olympics were of fundamental religious importance, contests alternating with sacrifices and ceremonies honouring both Zeus (whose colossal statue stood at Olympia), and Pelops, divine hero and mythical king of Olympia, who was famous for his legendary chariot races with King Oenomaus of Pisatis.The number of events increased to twenty, and the celebration was spread over several days. Winners of the events were greatly admired and were immortalised in poems and statues. The Games were held every four years, and the period between two celebrations became known as an Olympiad. The Greeks used Olympiads as one of their units of time measurement.

The Games gradually declined in importance as the Romans gained power in Greece. After Emperor Theodosius I proclaimed Christianity the religion of the Empire in AD 393 and banned pagan rites, the Olympic Games were outlawed as a pagan festival. The Olympics were not seen again until their rebirth 1,500 years later.

Olympic Games

The Olympic Games is an international multi-sport event established for both summer and winter sporting events. There have been two generations of the Olympic Games; the first were the Ancient Olympic Games (Greek: Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες; [Olympiakoi Agones] (help·info)) held at Olympia, Greece. The second generation, known as the Modern Olympic Movement, were first held in 1896, in Athens, Greece. The modern Olympics feature the Summer Games and Winter Games. The Paralympic and Youth Olympic Games are further variations on the Modern Olympic Movement.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded in 1894 on the initiative of a French nobleman, Pierre Frédy, Baron de Coubertin. His vision was to bring together amateur athletes from around the world to compete in a variety of sporting events. The IOC has become the governing body of the "Olympic Movement," a conglomeration of sporting federations that are involved in the organization of the Games. As the Olympic Movement has grown so has the profile and complexity of the Games. The ideal of the pure amateur athlete had to evolve under the pressure of corporate sponsorships and political regimes intent on the creation of sports "dynasties."

Participation in the Games has increased to the point that nearly every nation on earth is represented. This growth has created numerous challenges, including political boycotts, the use of performance enhancing drugs, bribery of officials, and terrorism. While the Olympic Movement is forced to address issues never before conceived by Coubertin, the Olympics continue to evolve in the face of these challenges. The Games also encompass many rituals and symbols that were established during their infancy in the late 19th and early 20th century. Most of these traditions are on display during the Opening and Closing ceremonies, and the medal presentations. Despite the complexity of the current modern Games, the focus remains on the Olympic motto: Citius Altius Fortius - Faster, Higher, Stronger.

Team USA's Women's Track and Field For 2008 Olympics

100, 200 meters | Allyson Felix
A Two-time world champion in the outdoors for the 200 meter-dash.
She had the biggest margin of victory ever in World Championships 200-meter final (2007).
She was the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the 200 meters.
Has run a 10.93second 100m. this season.

400 meters | Sanya Richards
She is the 2006 IAAF world athlete of the year
A three-time U.S. champion outdoors
A 2004 Olympic gold medalist on the 4x400 relay team.
She competed at University of Texas.

800 meters | Alysia Johnson
She just completed her college eligibility for California at the NCAA championships
She is the reigning U.S. outdoor champion.
Her winning time of 1:59.29 at the 2007 NCAA meet is the 3rd fastest in college history.

1,500 meters | Treniere Clement
Has won three successive U.S. outdoor championships in the 1,500
She was the 2006 U.S. indoor 1,500 champion
A sub-2-minute 800 runner.
She competed for Georgetown.

5,000 meters | Lauren Fleshman
The 2006 U.S. Championship
A three-time NCAA champion for Stanford.
She is trained by Oregon Coach Vin Lananna.

10,000 meters | Kara Goucher
Became the first U.S. woman to medal at the World Championships in the 10,000 by taking the bronze in 2007.
Was second in the 5,000 at the 2006 nationals
Second Placer in the 10,000 at last year's U.S. championships.
She is trained by Coach Alberto Salazar

Steeplechase | Jennifer Barringer
The reigning U.S. champion after winning last season in 9:34.64, then the second-fastest time by a U.S. woman.
2008 NCAA champion for University of Colorado.

100 hurdles | Lolo Jones
A two-time reigning U.S. indoor 60-meter champion and 2008 world indoor champion.
She placed third in the 2007 U.S. championships outdoors
She placed sixth at last year's World Championships outdoors.
Was a three-time national champion
Was an 11-time All-American for Louisiana State.


400 hurdles | Tiffany Ross-Williams
The reigning U.S. Champion
Winner of the 2007 Visa Championship Series.
Ranked sixth in the world in 2007 by Track & Field News.

High jump | Amy Acuff
Won her first U.S. championship in 1995 and still is among the best in the world. A three-time Olympian and the reigning U.S. champion, she finished fourth in the 2004 Athens Games. Competed for UCLA.

Long jump | Brittney Reese
NCAA champion in 2008
NCAA champion in 2007
Named Southeastern Conference women's field athlete of the year.
Second at the 2007 U.S. Championships
Ranked eighth at the World Championships.

Triple jump | Erica McClain
She has won seven Pacific-10 Conference titles in either the long or triple jumps, including both events at the 2008 Pac-10 meet.
She has won the 2005 U.S. triple jump championship as a Stanford freshman.
Third at the U.S. championships outdoors last season.

Pole vault | Jenn Stuczynski
A U.S. Record-holder
She reset her own record last month at 16- 3/4.
She has won three consecutive U.S. outdoor championships
She has won three of the last four national championships indoors.

Shot | Kristin Heaston
Three-time U.S. champion outdoors and 2004 Olympian.
She was the first thrower in the qualifying round in the 2004 Games at Ancient Olympia
The first woman to compete there in an Olympiad

Discus | Suzy Powell-Roos
U.S. Record-holder
She broke a mark that had stood for 21 years by throwing 222-0 last year.
The reigning U.S. Champion
A two-time Olympian.
She finished eighth at last year's World Championships

Hammer | Brittany Riley
Reigning U.S. Champion
The 2007 runner-up at the NCAA championships
She was the 2005 U.S. junior champion.

Javelin | Dana Pounds
Beat U.S. record-holder Kim Kreiner to win the 2007 U.S. Championship
She was a runner-up in 2006
She was a runner-up in 2005
She won back-to-back NCAA titles for the Air Force Academy in 2006
She won back-to-back NCAA titles for the Air Force Academy in 2005
Sixth at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Heptathlon | Jacquelyn Johnson
She won her fourth consecutive Pac-10 heptathlon championship last month for Arizona State, scoring meet-record 6,307 points.
She was fifth at the 2007 U.S. championships while a college junior.

Modern Day Slavery

Beyond the 2008 Olympics: How to Help Modern Day Slavery

Introduction

As millions of international spectators watch the 2008 Summer Olympics, there are millions of people who are depressed around the globe. Currently, there are more than 27 million slaves in the world, more than the number of people extracted from Africa throughout the 400 years of the slave trade. Modern human slavery includes trafficking which generates profits in excess of 12 billion dollars a year. As a matter of fact, individuals are rewarded in the black market for selling others into slavery and sexual bondage. According to International Justice Mission (IJM) statistics, more than two million children are trapped in forced prostitution and many others are forced to become child soldiers. Forcing individuals into slavery involves aggressive behaviors such as intimidation, torture, rape, abandonment, and murder. Those victims entangled in these lifestyles often exist in subhuman environments which can result in forced enlistment into the military, drug trafficking, prostituting, and other amoral endeavors.

Refocused Living

Many people cannot bear to listen to such horrible stories. Therefore, they often avoid this reality and look the other way. However, some US citizens are taking a stand on this matter. Recently, the Redemptive Film Festival (RFF) formed a strategic alliance with the human rights activist agency, IJM to use legal means to help to rescue and empower modern day slaves. Virginia Beach resident Dr. Christopher Cunningham founded RFF; he has worked in the media for more than twenty two years. He explains, “We don’t want to merely have a popular festival that shows redemptive films; we want to help in the process of redeeming our brothers and sisters who for one reason or the other have fallen victims to slavery.” The following are possible ways that individuals and organizations can get involved: (a) educate yourself on the issue of modern day slavery from websites such as RFF’s website (www.redemptivefilms.com), (b) encourage your friends and family to do the same, (c) develop anti-slavery groups or clubs at work and at home, (d) donate to organizations specifically for this cause, and (e) write articles and speak out in your local area to support this effort. In fact, there are many other ways to act. The key is to act.

The Path Forward

Will the world continue to ignore this terrible slave trade market? Changing hearts and minds about this plight continues to be a global challenge. Therefore, progress must be made in baby step increments. Partnerships like RFF and IJM are a good start. However, personal involvement is critical. Dr. Cunningham agrees. His organization is donating 60% of all profits from the 2008 season to support this effort. Dr. Cunningham adds, “As I watch the Olympics, I am reminded of what we can achieve if we all set aside our differences and work together. Our brothers and sisters who are victims of modern day slavery need our help and through the use of film and the support of others, we believe we can make a tangible contribution to change the world.” Yet, there is a call for many other individuals from the international community to get involved. Although the slave trade industries while probably continue well beyond the 2008 Olympics, citizens of the world can’t afford to forget these oppressed victims. Let us pray that it won’t be too late.

History of Judo in the Olympics

Judo is one of the many martial arts forms and is an offshoot of a much older martial art, jujitsu. Jujitsu began in the 1530’s, and by the mid-1800’s there were over seven hundred different jujitsu systems. In 1882, Dr. Jigoro Kano, then the President of University of Education in Tokyo, Japan, combined the best and most effective techniques from the numerous forms of jujitsu to form the marital art known as judo. Originally, judo was practiced in feudal Japan as a fighting method.
For years, judo students have enjoyed learning this martial art for reasons of fitness, conditioning, knowledge of self-defense, and increased self confidence. However, judo was not included in the Olympics as a competitive sport until the 1964 games in Tokyo, Japan. At this time, only twenty-seven countries participated in the judo events. Only men were allowed to compete in the judo competitions, and there were three weight categories. The popularity of judo as an Olympic event has grown considerably over the years. Women were first given the opportunity to compete in the judo events at the 1992 Barcelona, Spain Olympics. Seven weight categories for both men and women were available in 1992, with the men’s categories ranging from 60 – 100+ kilograms and the women’s categories ranging from 48 – 78+ kilograms.
The popular sportswear manufacturer, Adidas, is the official partner of the 2008 Olympic Games, hosted by Beijing, China. Adidas will supply the staff, volunteers and officials of the Olympics with sportswear. Chinese Olympic team members will also be supplied with Adidas sportswear. Known world-wide for manufacturing sportswear and equipment for the more well-known sports, such as basketball and running, Adidas also manufactures judo uniforms and supplies.
Judo, like other martial arts, requires specialized clothing, supplies, sparring equipment, and protective gear. Judo uniforms are made for comfort and ease of movement. It is important that judo uniforms do not hinder the speed or concentration of the judo student or competitor. During judo training, sparring equipment and protective gear is used to allow the student to imitate judo moves without causing injury. Although judo does not employ the more forceful moves of other martial arts forms, there is still a chance that the student will suffer an injury during practice. Protective gear includes mouthguards, padded headgear, and chest and stomach protectors. Sparring equipment for the judo practitioner includes padded shields for the sparring partner to hold. This helps to prevent injury to the sparring partner.

2008 Beijing Olympics - Get Information

2008 Beijing Olympics - Get Information of World Travel and Beijing Olympic Games Venues

“One world One Dream,” Olympics slogan calls the world to unite in the Olympics spirit.
Olympic games are the most prestigious, and multi-sports event held in every four year. It’s thrill and excitement starts building year before it actually starts. The Summer Olympics will commence on August 8th 2008 and end on August 24th 2008. The opening ceremony will be held in Beijing National Stadium, which can accommodate 91,000 spectators and begins at 08:08: 08 P.M. as 8 is lucky number in Chinese culture. After an exhaustive ballot of International Olympic Committee, Beijing was awarded to host prestigious Olympics games, beating the likable candidates like ‘Toronto’, ‘Paris’, ‘Istanbul’ and ‘Osaka’. Athletes from round the world will compete in 302 games event in 28 games.

Olympics Games venues

2008 Beijing Olympics is going to be a magnificent and host country is all geared up. To make this event a huge success “The Government of China” has constructed 31 venues in Beijing and 5 more venues are outside Beijing in Qingdao, Hong Kong, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Qinhuangdao. Its largest architectural pieces will be the “Beijing National Stadium” earmarked for Football and Atheletics, “Beijing National Indoor Stadium” with the accomodating capacity of 19,000 spectators is for Artistic Gymnastics, Trampolines and Handball; “Beijing National Aquatics Centre” is for Swimming, Water Polo and Diving; “Olympic Green Convention Centre”; “Olympic Green”, and “Beijing Wukesong Culture and Sports Center” including 59 training centres for the atheletes.
Also in the list are, “Beijing Shooting Range Hall”, “Wukesong Indoor Stadium”, “Laoshan Velodrome”, “Shunyi Olympic Rowing- Canoing Park”, “China Agricultural University Gymnasium”, “Peking University Gymnasium”, “Beijing Science and Technological University Gymnasium” and “Beijing University of Technological Gymnasium”.

2008 Olympics sports

Total 302 gaming events will be played in 2008 beijing olympics Games in Beijing, out of which 165 men’s events, 127 women’s events and 10 mixed events will take place. This year total nine new events will be added. Some of the games to be played in Beijing Olympics are Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Diving, Soccer, Gymnastics, Handball, Judo, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling and lots more.

Torch Relay


With the theme of “Journey of Harmony,” Olympic torch relay will began on the historic grounds of Olympia, the birthplace of Olympism, where the Ancient Olympic Games took place and then torch will travel through every continent except Antarctica.

Beijing Tour

With Olympics on the cards, Beijing expects millions of spectators, coming from round the globe. Beside games, Beijing has abounding tourist attractions to offer. ‘Temple of Heaven’, ‘Tanzhe Temple’, ‘Temple of Azure Clouds’, ‘Yunju Temple’, ‘Five Pagoda Temple’, ‘Temple of The Reclining Buddha’ is some of its celebrated temples. Beautiful and manicured parks like ‘Fragrant Hills Park’, ‘Xiangshan Park’, ‘Beihai Park’ and ‘Zhongshan Park’ are the star attractions. Discos and nightclubs are perfect chill out zones and add to its raucous nightlife. With several deluxe hotels and palatial resorts: accommodation is not an issue. Shop to your heart content in posh shopping complexes and savor the taste of delectable cuisines.

Over 7 million tickets will be sold for various sporting events, so grab your ticket now and take off for an unforgettable experience, that awaits you in Beijing.

Traveling to the Beijing Olympics? Study Chinese!

The date August 8, 2008 for this year's Summer Olympics was chosen for a reason - this is an extremely significant day for the Chinese. If you're one of the lucky people traveling to China to watch the XXIX Olympiad, study Chinese and follow these tips for acceptable actions in China.

Know the Rules

Olympic tourists in China are given a list of dos and don'ts. Keep in mind that both the Chinese and foreigners alike need to comply with China's extremely rigid laws, even if camaraderie and freedom is promoted by the Olympics. To prevent inconveniences, you should abide by these laws.

Studying Chinese quickly can greatly help you since this list is in Chinese. With conversational Chinese, you can make yourself understood when you are asked questions, in need of help, or lost.

Military bases and other areas are declared by the government as off-limits. Visitors with mental handicaps, STDs, and anti-China opinions will not be tolerated. Hence, your ability to study Chinese quickly might spell the difference between having your visa granted and getting you deported most quickly.

Areas such as military installations have been declared by the Chinese government as off-limits. Sexually transmitted diseases, mental handicaps, and anti-China opinions are also prohibited. If you learn Chinese, you have a better chance of securing a Chinese visa.

The Culture

Studying the Chinese culture will take more than a lifetime because it is thousands of years old. But you have to study Chinese culture, even if it only means how to deal with the man on the street in China.

Business relationships typically grow into personal relationships. You have more opportunities of sealing deals on your own terms if you build a warmer personal relationship. Try to engage in banter and show interest in a store keeper when haggling. You are sweetening the sugar, so to speak. Hence, study Chinese in order to bargain and banter.

Personal relationships often stem from business relationships. You have more opportunities of closing deals on your own terms if you build a closer personal relationship. Attempt to engage in banter and show interest in a store owner when haggling. You are sweetening the sugar, in a manner of speaking. In order to converse and bargain, learn Chinese.

If giving out a business card, your name has to be facing the recipient and both arms have to be outstretched. Also, designation and seniority is extremely essential to the Chinese. You'll earn brownie points by addressing a Chinese national with his proper designation, instead of the common Mister or Miss.

You should give more respect to important people with seniority and rank. Offer gifts, and don't say no to one that's offered to you. Most of all, "face" is extremely important, so never embarrass a Chinese person in the presence of others.

Other very essential things to bear in mind involve not mentioning pro-Tibet and pro-Taiwan sentiments, not complimenting the Japanese in any way, not putting down exalted Chinese leaders like Mao Tse Tung, and not plastering a permafrown on your face.

You will do very well to do as the Chinese do when in China. For fluent communication, study Chinese online.

Learn Chinese for the Beijing Olympics

For the Chinese, August 8, 2008 is an extremely auspicious day; hence, why this date was chosen as the opening of the 2008 Summer Olympics. If you're going to attend the XXIX Olympiad and heading to China for it, know what behavior is acceptable in China, and learn Chinese.

Understand the Rules

Even if the Olympics is supposed to bring the whole world together in unity, there are still numerous laws that have to be followed. China has very rigid rules for both natives and foreigners, and it'll do you good to learn them to prevent trouble.

You still have to comply with many rules, even if the Olympics is meant to foster unity to the whole world. You'll do well to avoid trouble by learning China's very strict laws for both foreigners and locals alike.

Studying Chinese fast can considerably assist you since this list is in Chinese. With basic Chinese, you can make yourself understood when you are asked questions, in need of help, or lost.

The Chinese government have declared certain areas such as military installations off-limits to foreigners. STDs, mental handicaps, and anti-China sentiments are also banned. You will have a good chance of getting a Chinese visa if you learn Chinese.

Understand the Culture

Chinese culture has been in existence for several millenia. Learning portions of this culture will help you deal with the Chinese people.

Personal relationships normally stem from business relationships. In China, the more you build a close personal relationship, regardless of how fleeting, the more chances to seal a deal on your own terms. Therefore, even if you are bargaining with a store owner, try to engage in small talk that expresses a social interest in him, which is possibly the best way how to study Chinese. You're sweetening the sugar, so to speak. Therefore, learn Chinese in order to bargain and chat.

Give out your business card with both arms outstretched and your name facing the recipient. Also, the Chinese are very particular on seniority and designation. Addressing a Chinese national with his proper designation and not only the common Mister or Miss will earn you brownie points.

Respect should be shown in terms of seniority and rank. "Face" is very important, so never humiliate a Chinese in front of others. Leave your terseness and tactlessness at home. Also, offer small gifts as tokens of appreciation and do not refuse a gift.

The more important the person is in rank and seniority, the more you must give respect. Don't refuse a present that is given to you, and you have to also offer gifts yourself. Most importantly, never embarrass a Chinese person in public because "face" is very important to them.

Also remember not to walk around with a permafrown on your face, put down Mao Tse Tung and other revered Chinese leaders, praise the Japanese in any way, and air pro-Taiwan and pro-Tibet sentiments.

When in China, you'll do very well to do as the Chinese do. For fluent communication, study Chinese online.

Mothers Capture Precious Medals at the Beijing Olympics

The full range of female athletes on the 2008 Olympic teams makes it clear that age and family responsibilities are not the barriers to participation in the Games they used to be. Stories from Beijing highlight the courage and resolve of the mothers of the world - as they demonstrate their athletic prowess and win gold or silver medals.

Significant are the 20 mothers on the USA Olympic team, including past medalists - swimmer Dara Torres, basketball player Lisa Leslie, and softball player, Jennie Finch. Dara Torres stands out as a role model for any mother wondering if it is too late to begin again. Now age 41, she began participating in the Olympics twenty-four years ago, swimming in the 1984, 1988, 1992 and 2000 Games. Retiring, getting married and wanting to start a family, she skipped the 2004 Games and had a child two years ago. Swimming for fitness after the birth of her daughter, Tessa, she thought she was done with competitive swimming. But she found that her times were better than ever.

Eight long years after her last Olympics, Dara marched in the Beijing opening ceremonies with 9 medals to her credit, the most of any USA athlete in these Games. Swimming in individual and relay team competition, she won 3 silver medals, losing gold in the freestyle individual event by only one one-hundredth of a second. She now can now be proud of a record 12 Olympic medals in her career - so far! Asked "what will you tell your daughter about your record at this Olympics," Dara said, "You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams."

Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania, a 38-year-old mother of a 13-year old son, was the triumphant gold medal winner of the women's marathon in Beijing. Four years ago in Athens she had to relinquish her dreams of an Olympic medal at mile 20 due to heat exhaustion. But even then she did not completely quit. She walked for a mile - then started running again, coming in 20th in the 2004 competition. This time she was determined to win the race. She practiced and practiced in hot weather, firmly focused on avoiding another injury. Learning from her past failure, Constantina refused to give up on her dreams and worked hard to achieve her goal of Olympic gold.

Another mother, 33-year-old Oksana Chusovitina, took the silver medal for Germany in individual women's vault. Older than most of the other gymnasts by ten years, Oksana had participated in four previous Olympics, representing the former Soviet Union and winning a team gold. What brought her to Germany at this stage of her career? For the past 6 years her 9-year-old son, Alisher, has been treated there for leukemia. When he was first diagnosed, Oksana could not get help for him in her native Uzbekistan. Not one to be stopped by the challenges she faced, she and her husband moved to Germany to train while Alisher was in treatment. Oksana demonstrates her commitment to family by competing for Germany in Beijing.

If you've ever questioned whether you're too old to reach your goals, you can learn a lesson from these athletes and mothers. It's never too late to challenge yourself. With maturity, drive and focus, you can achieve your dreams. As Dara Torres said, "To me, if it helps anyone else out there who is in their middle-aged years, putting off something they couldn't do because they thought they were too old or maybe because they had a child, they thought they couldn't balance things as a parent - if it shows anyone you can do it, I'm absolutely thrilled."

Green Olympics - London and the Environment in 2012

With talk of China's high rates of pollution dominating headlines in the run up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it is important to remember that sport and the environment can go hand in hand.

In the last year, the Chinese capital has been the subject of much media scrutiny surrounding its environmental and emissions policy. In 2005, the European Space Agency declared that Beijing contained unnecessarily high levels of nitrogen dioxide, a bi-product of many industrial processes, including thermal power plants. It is poisonous to inhale, and since the revelation, the Chinese government have been accused of endangering sportsmen and spectators with the volume of air pollution that affects the capital.

For the environmentally conscious, it represents a serious concern. Historically, the designation of Olympic host has a symbolic resonance; it has been held by great cities, welcome to community spirit and accepted as representatives of an age old sporting tradition. That is not to deny that Beijing is a great city, but - for environmentalists - it has been difficult to reconcile the tradition and history of the city with a poor environmental and emissions policy.

Many spectators, then, will be watching closely. And they will also be looking to London in 2012, which will be subject to the same media scrutiny.

The Olympic Delivery Authority - the body who are in charge of developing the infrastructure for the London games - have so far acted carefully. David Higgins, the Chief Executive of the ODA, has officially stated that "Ensuring a sustainable approach to building the Games will help ensure London 2012 is remembered not only as two weeks of fantastic sporting action, but also as the greenest games to date", championing the connection between the tradition of the event and the importance of a suitable environmental policy.

It is a positive statement, and one that is backed by the 'Towards a One Planet Olympics' initiative, which is the lynch-pin of the London games' environmental policy, and was developed from the WWF/Bioregional's 'One Planet Living', which lists ten main environmental initiatives that can be implemented throughout the world. These can be grouped into three key areas: carbon emission, sustainability, and culture and natural habitats.

The Committee for London 2012 has drawn these into five points: combating climate change, reducing waste, enhancing biodiversity, promoting inclusion, and improving healthy living. These tie in neatly with the original initiative, which targets - as some examples - 'zero carbon' and 'zero waste', sustainable transport and materials, and 'health and happiness'.

In theory, then, the commitment is clear, and the aim is an all encompassing one; to be the first fully sustainable Olympic games. And - as the Beijing Olympics prepares to open - the London bid is already working towards that aim. The ODA announced in January of this year that it is already beating its target of recovering 90% of all demolition waste for recycling and reuse. It has also begun to create new habitats for any wildlife that might be found on Olympic sites, and is recycling complete buildings to be re-assembled away from original Olympic sites.

Certainly, 2012 is a long way away. Beijing comes first, and its environmental policy since the original bid has improved. When the London games come, it will have China as a blueprint, plus another four years of work towards sustainability. If it succeeds in its aim, it might be one of the world's first large demonstrations of a link between tradition and a new 'green-consciousness'. Something to look forward to.

Off to the Beijing Olympics? Study Chinese!

On the 8th day of August 2008, a most auspicious day for the Chinese people, the 2008 Summer Olympics, will officially start in Beijing, China. If you are off to China to see the games of the XXIX Olympiad, then here are a few handy tips to behave like the Chinese and to learn Chinese.

Know the Rules

Even if the Olympics is meant to bring the whole world together in camaraderie, there are still numerous laws that must be followed. China has very rigid laws for both natives and foreigners, and it'll do you good to learn them to prevent inconveniences.

There's a list of dos and don'ts made for Olympic tourists by China. Though the Olympics is about freedom and camaraderie, keep in mind that China has extremely strict laws that foreigners and locals alike should follow. You need to know and follow these laws, lest you encounter trouble.

Studying Chinese quickly can considerably help you because this list is in Chinese. With conversational Chinese, you can make yourself understood if you are asked questions, in need of assistance, or lost.

Military bases and other areas are declared by the government as off-limits. There will be no anti-China sentiments, no sexually transmitted diseases, and no mental handicap of any type tolerated from visitors on Chinese soil. The approval of your visa or deportation depends on being able to converse in Chinese fluently.

The Culture

Chinese culture has been in existence for several millenia. You can deal with the Chinese people if you study parts of this culture.

Personal relationships often result from business relationships. You have more chances of sealing deals on your own terms if you cultivate a closer personal relationship. Try to engage in banter and express interest in a store owner when bargaining. In a sense, this sweetens the sugar. Therefore, learn Chinese to be able to haggle and banter.

Seniority is very important to the Chinese. You have to address a Chinese national by his designation (Chairman/Director), instead of the Western custom of Mister and Miss So-and-so. Also, make sure to give out a business card with your name facing the recipient and with outstretched hands.

Respect has to be shown in terms of seniority and rank. "Face" is very important, so never embarrass a Chinese in the presence of others. Thus, leave your brashness and terseness at home. Also, do not say no to a gift, and give small gifts in appreciation.

You need to show more respect to important people with seniority and rank. Give gifts, and never refuse one that is given to you. Most of all, "face" is extremely important, so never embarrass a Chinese person in front of others.

Never criticize their exalted leaders, and don't go around with a frown. Also, don't compliment the Japanese and air pro-Taiwan or Tibet views.

"When in China, do as the Chinese do" - keep this in mind. In order to fluently communicate, study Chinese online.

Want To Build A Home Gym

So You Want To Build A Home Gym”You Want To Build A Home Gym

I walked into the commercial gym yesterday after a long day of work excited to begin my workout. After warming up I proceeded to the squat rack to start my resistance training workout. I unfortunately ran into a bit of a roadblock. I was planning on starting with some Back Squats but there was a young man in the power rack performing barbell biceps curls with horrible form (a definite no-no!).

I decided to go to Plan B and rearrange my workout only to find that the flat benches were all occupied as well. This trend continued and everywhere I turned the equipment I desired was being used. I was happy that so many people were working out but at the same time I was frustrated that my well-laid plans were spoiled. I learned a long time ago that it is wise to have a back-up plan in place for situations like this so I decided to head home and revert to Plan C, which was my home workout routine.

I have found that having the option to workout at home is essential for people with busy schedules, for others who do not like going to crowded gyms, or for people who need a contingency plan for just-in-case situations (that’s me!). Another reason to have a home gym is that warmer weather has finally arrived and you may be less likely to go to your commercial gym.

I have helped people design expensive, well-equipped home gyms and I have helped others design very cost-effective, space-saving workouts areas. My personal home gym consists of a Stability Ball, 5lb to 95lb Dumbbells, some Kettlebells, an adjustable Weighted Vest, Adjustable DB Handles, Elastic Bands, 2kg to 10kg Medicine Balls, Ankle Weights, an AB Roller, a variety of Exercise Videos, and a minimal amount of space!

Anyone can have a Home Gym and there are many reasons to have one. The following list of questions should help you design a Home Gym that will suit your needs, your space, and your budget!

Questions To Ask When Building Your Home Gym:

The First Step: Ask Yourself Why?

Why do you want a home gym? What will it give you that you do not already have? What is your empowering vision of your ideal physique or athletic accomplishment? What are your short and long term goals? Always begin with a vision of the end results in mind, as this will guide you in your efforts. If you have not developed a vision of what you want to accomplish at this point, then that is the first thing you need to do. Develop a plan of attack for building your body and building your home gym.

Without a plan you might end up disappointed with the lack of results and frustrated that you bought the wrong equipment. Ask yourself what kind of results you expect your home gym to deliver? Is your home gym going to supplement your commercial gym membership (as a contingency plan)? Will you be doing your cardiovascular exercise outside or inside on a machine? Will you be doing stretching, strength training, or both? Is your home gym going to be the only place that you work out? Think about these things when designing your home gym.

I. How much are you willing to spend ($$$$$$$)?

How much do you want to spend, plain and simple? If you are just starting out with an exercise program, you might consider starting small with a simple, yet very effective, pair of Dumbbells. You can perform a full-body workout with a pair of dumbbells, some bodyweight exercises, and with a little knowledgeable of proper exercise technique. If you want to do it inexpensively, hire a knowledgeable fitness professional to design an individualized exercise program that you can do with a pair of Dumbbells in the comfort of your home. I have listed a variety of items that you might consider adding to your home gym.

Equipment Considerations:

A. Cardiovascular Machine

If you insist on performing your cardiovascular exercise routine at home be prepared to spend some money! Be aware, a gym quality treadmill, stationary bike, rowing ergometer, or elliptical trainer is going to cost you. You can buy used or refurbished gym quality equipment for a discounted price and if I wanted a cardio machine for my home this is probably the route that I would take. If you are thinking, “I’ll just save a few hundred dollars and buy an inexpensive treadmill at the mall,” make sure you do some research and ensure that you will buy something that is going to last and that will fit y our needs. I know many people who have purchased flimsy treadmills and regretted it soon thereafter. There are quality treadmills out there you just have to know where to look. I would recommend talking to my friend Bob McKinnon at McKinnon Technical Services (603-644-7539) who knows gym equipment like the back of his hand. He can point you in the right direction if you want to!

B. A Multi-Purpose Home Gym Machine

There are numerous multi-purpose gyms on the market and some are better than others. Chances are, if you turn on your television late at night and flip through the channels, you will be exposed to clever marketing using beautifully sculpted fitness models promising results in six weeks or less if you purchase their machine! Guess what. You can get results without a two thousand dollar machine that will most likely be collecting dust in a year anyway! Why not begin your quest for improved fitness with a modest investment in a pair of Dumbbells? Why not purchase a $20 book on how to get into shape? How about meeting with someone who specializes in coaching people through the process of positive physical change such as fitness professional or Registered Dietician? Infomercials are notorious for clever marketing and they can be very compelling. Avoid impulsive buying and do some research first before purchasing an expensive multi-gym. I recommend consulting a qualified fitness professional about the usefulness of such a machine, interviewing people who have that machine, and possibly even test-driving one before you make this decision. I have to mention that every Spring and Fall I see countless multi-gyms sitting out on someone’s lawn as part of the annual yard sale. I wonder why that is?

C. Barbells

If I had the room in my apartment, I would go out and buy a Barbell today! With a 45 lb. Olympic Barbell you can perform a wide variety of exercises in a variety of different ways. If you are an athlete, you have the space available, and you want to improve your sports performance, learning how to correctly perform the Olympic Weightlifting movements (Clean and Jerk, Snatch, and all the variations) can take your performance to the next level! To name a few, exercises such as Squats, Overhead Squats, Deadlifts, Bent over Rows, Bench Presses, Overhead Presses, and Upright Rows can be performed. I would recommend having an adjustable Power Rack and adjustable bench to augment the versatility of the barbell. Space and total cost are big factors when considering purchasing a barbell.

D. Dumbbells

If you want to save money and space, dumbbells are the way to go. You might consider two to three sets of dumbbells (they can be purchased at a sporting goods store for any where between $.35-$.75/pound (In Concord, NH, Check out Olympia Sports in the Mall, Sears, Target, Walmart, Northeast Fitness, or check out the newspapers for the least expensive way to go!). I prefer the metal dumbbells but there are also rubber coated and adjustable dumbbells available. “Power Blocks,” (perform a search on the internet to learn more about these) are adjustable dumbbells and are a great tool that take up a lot less space in your home gym, offers great versatility, and offers adjustable resistance to suit your needs. There are also other forms of adjustable dumbbells that consist of two handles, collars, and series of different size weight plates.

When selecting weights, it wise to start light and gradually purchase heavier dumbbells as you need them. I am able to perform wide variety of exercises with Dumbbells. If your goal is fat-loss, then a properly designed resistance training program that incorporates multi-joint Dumbbell exercises will help you achieve your goals more efficiently than many gym machines that “isolate” certain muscle groups. Remember, the more muscle groups that you incorporate, the more energy your body burns, and the better your results will be! Exercise technique is a factor but I’ll happily let you know that I have taught 90-year-old women and 11-year-old boys how to perform the most “difficult” Dumbbell exercises with pristine form.

E. Medicine Balls

Medicine Balls are a great tool depending upon your fitness goals and your current training level. For an athlete in search of sports performance enhancement, Medicine Balls are a great tool because they can be accelerated in a rapid fashion through many planes of motion. If general fitness is your goal, you can perform many traditional gym exercises with a Medicine Ball as well. Medicine balls come in all shapes, sizes, weights, and colors. Be sure that the ball you pick suits your needs. By the way, these are also great for outdoor workouts on a sunny day!

F. Benches and Stability Balls:

A bench can be a great tool that will allow you to perform more exercises during your home workout sessions. Some benches are adjustable and offer great versatility while others are just fixed benches. Space is a concern for many people and that makes the Stability Ball (a.k.a. Swiss Ball) a great alternative to a bench. With a Stability Ball you can perform inclined, seated, prone, supine, floor, and a number of lower body exercises. A knowledgeable fitness professional could teach you how to perform a full-body workout with a Stability Ball and a pair of dumbbells. There are a number of different ways to use it in order to maximize your home workout routines. Not only can it replace a more expensive exercise machine or bench, but it can also double as a chair, take up less space, and challenge your body’s balance in ways that a stable bench/machine cannot.

G. Resistance Bands/Tubes:

The cable pulley system at your local gym offers a number of exercises that can increase the variety of your workouts tremendously. An alternative to the cable pulley system for your home gym could be resistance bands or tubing that you can tie to a pillar in the basement of fix in a closed door. You can buy tubing that comes with handles already attached in some fitness catalogs or you could just tie a loop in one end to make your own makeshift handle. It is important to mention that elastic resistance training has many benefits and many inherent flaws. If you understand how to properly combine elastic resistance training with inertial (free weight training) you can maximize your results! A knowledgeable exercise professional can help you design your home gym to take advantage of these tools.

H. Exercise Videos:

There are many great exercise videos out there (and a lot more bad ones!). There are videos for Yoga, Step Aerobics, Tae-Bo, Pilates, Strength Training, Stability Ball Training, and every other imaginable fitness topic out there. Check out your local sporting goods store or Borders for a selection of exercise videos. The key is to find a couple videos that you enjoy and that give you the workout that you are looking for.

I. Other Fun Tools:

If you walk into a sporting goods store or open a fitness equipment catalog you will see a variety of toys that can supposedly enhance your workouts and deliver unbelievable results. Buyer beware! No one piece of equipment can solve all of your home gym needs and you must consider how this piece of equipment will fit into your complete program. Watch out for gimmicks and miracle exercise machines. Ask a fitness professional their opinion before you buy and you may save yourself some money! Do a little research before purchasing equipment for your home or you may run the risk of buying an expensive coat rack!

II. How much square footage do you have?

Simply put, how much space do you have available? Do you have enough room for an adjustable bench or a mutli-purpose exercise machine? Is the area well ventilated? How much ceiling height do you have? Are your floors solid? Do you have neighbors that might not appreciate you jumping up and down? Will you have room for all of the equipment you want to get? Thinking about these issues in advance will save you a lot of hassle in the long run. Finally, determine what else your home gym is used for? Will your home gym also be used for family gatherings, a playroom for the kids, an office, a gathering area to watch the Final Four, or strictly as a home gym? These are some other aspects to consider when designing your home gym.

III. Do you know your way around the gym?

Are you a beginner, an intermediate, an expert, or an advanced exerciser? A beginner might start out with an exercise tape, a Stability ball, and a couple of 5 pound dumbbells where as a more advanced exerciser might have a Barbell, Olympic Bench, a Stability Ball, an Adjustable Step, a Selectorized Weight Machine, a Power Rack, and a variety of Dumbbells. Have you been properly trained in the use of Free Weights or do you feel more comfortable using a machine? What kind of equipment does your plan of attack call for? The answers to these questions will help you better choose a home gym that works for you.

In closing, be sure to spend considerable time looking into the process of designing and constructing your home gym as it can be a very important addition to your life and to your home. Consider consulting an exercise professional to make sure that your gym will suit your individual needs, your budget, and your home. There are many reasons to have a home gym and it can be designed to help you achieve the results that you are looking for!

Tips On Barcelona Sightseeing

Barcelona has a lot to be proud of. A city literally stuffed with spectacular architecture, historical and cultural places of interest, fantastic food and a vibrant nightlife, it is no wonder tourists flock to the area. There is more to Catalunya than Barcelona sightseeing however, including a glorious coastline, beautiful mountains and a fierce independent spirit that will be felt by even the least informed visitor.

Make sure you have a map detailing the places of interest when you arrive in Barcelona; it is surprisingly easy to get lost in Barcelona’s bustling streets. A good place to start your tour is Gaudi’s Park Guell, an open space filled with pieces of Gaudi’s work including benches, archways, walls and balconies. It is a place where Gaudi’s imagination really ad free reign, and you feel almost that the works of art are more natural than the plants and trees.

From here you can move easily on to Gaudi’s iconic work, the Sagrada Familia. This church was started in 1882 but was not finished when Gaudi died in 1926. Various attempts have been made to complete the work to Gaudi’s designs but the church is still not entirely finished and probably never will be. If you don’t think you can capture the spirit of the church in your own photographs, you might want to check out the stunning images available in postcard stands that surround the building.

The Barcelona zoo was founded in 1892 and is located in the Ciutadella Park, next to the old town or Ciutat Vella. This is a great place to visit especially of you have children that are likely to lose interest in architecture and history. Some of the seven and a half thousand animals on display include pelicans, American buffalos and red kangaroo, as well as a specialist primate collection which the zoo is famous for.

There is an aquatic park within the zoo that provides a home to bottlenose dolphins among others. Dolphin shows can be seen throughout the warm summer months, and this can make a refreshing escape from the heat of the city. An acclaimed research program at Barcelona zoo is well known for sympathetic breeding of animals in captivity and protection of endangered species, which would otherwise become extinct.

The main avenue in Barcelona, La Rambla is a riot of color and bustle with flower stalls and street performers at regular intervals along the promenade. The main hotels and restaurants center around La Rambla, but you may get a better deal and more authentic dishes if you explore a little further out. One place not be missed is the Boqueria, a fantastic food market to one side of La Rambla, with exotic delicacies you have never even imagined.

The port area received a face lift with the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992. The Olympic village was situated right on the coast and the area is marked by the dual towers of the Arts Hotel, Mapfre Towers and Nova Icaria Square. The main Olympic sites can be found on top of Montjuic, a hill overlooking the city, and can be reached by cable car.

The Beijing Games effect

The Beijing Games effect: Many Chinese have "Olympics" as their names
Who said what’s in the name? Ask those 7, 491 Chinese people who have named themselves or their kids after the Olympics or with the names of five creatures that are part of the 2008 Beijing Games mascot—Fuwa.

It has been reported that during and after 2000 when China was preparing to bid to host the now upcoming Beijing 2008 Games, around 3,491 people named themselves as “Aoyun”, which means Olympics. That’s not all!

The cute looking five creatures, Bei, Jing Jing, Huan Huan, Ying Ying, and Ni Ni, that form the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games mascot called Fuwa, have such an indelible effect on the Chinese residents that many kept their names as their own.

And now, if anyone calls the name of these five creatures in China, it is expected that there will more than 4000 people who will come running around you looking for the people who called their names.

There is nothing weird in this. Names have great significance and meanings. People keep names for different reasons—some name their kids after political heroes, film stars and great personalities and after sports stars.

World’s best golf player Tiger Woods, too, has a poignant story behind his name. His father had named him after a Vietnam soldier whom he befriended with during that war.

In India where cricket is treated like a religion, many parents have kept the first name of the master blaster batsman Sachin Tendulkar as their son’s names. Same way you are bound to find many kids with Rahul as their name. This happened when Rahul Dravid, was considered the batting backbone of Indian cricket team. Now, the condition is so pathetic for that same man that he finds it tough to get a place in the playing 11 of Indian cricket team.

Go to any nation, one would definitely find many people who have been named after their parents favorite sports idols or there will those fanatic fans who have adopted their favorite sport stars names in order to show their respect for those players.

Olympic Success: Birds of a Feather

Who are you regularly hanging around with? Who you surround yourself with will determine how far you go. In fact it’s 90% of success.

When I was young, my Dad always told me was to watch out who I associated with. He always encouraged me to surround myself with winners. Dad would say, “You need to hang around people you have respect for, not people you have influence over.”

“If all you ever do is hang around people you have influence over, you’re like the big fish in the small pond. Sure it feels good – you’re the big shot. But since no one is pushing you, since no one is challenging you, you never get any better.”

Dad said I needed to force myself to hang around successful people. Successful people think big. They are always focusing on the possibilities. They are always asking themselves, “What if?”, “Why not?”, “Why wait?”

My dad said I would feel uncomfortable, out of place, and like I didn’t belong. But, if I hung around big thinkers long enough, eventually, I would begin to think big, too. Dad said that successful people would always challenge me and encourage me to be my best; to continuously strive to reach higher levels of performance. They would always be a ‘phone call away’ to steer me right.

My father added that when those successful people started to believe in me, I would begin to believe in myself, too, because I respected their opinions. And that’s exactly what happened.

Sometimes, to develop a belief system in yourself, you have to trust the opinions and beliefs others have in you until you gain confidence and your own belief system kicks in.

After I decided to take up the sport of luge and train for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, decision making became pretty simple for me. I knew that every action I took in the next four years was either going to get me closer to my goal or pull me away from my goal. Everything I did would make a difference. Especially the people I associated with...

You see, there are two kinds of people in the world. They are either on your team or they are not in your team. They are either on your dream team or they are not. People will either encourage you or cast doubt. If they doubt you can do it, they could steal your dream away!

Associating with negative people makes us think negatively. Close contact with petty individuals develops petty habits in us. On the other hand, companionship with people with big ideas raises the level of our thinking; close contact with ambitious people helps make us more ambitious.

I came to the realization that if someone laughed at my dream; they were laughing at me. If they did not believe in me, I stopped associating with them. I had to. They had the power to make me doubt myself and ultimately quit.

I was taking up the luge at the age of 21 - way too old! And I was trying to qualify for the Olympics just four years away! I could not leave anything to chance. I did not have time to waste. I needed to know right away who was for me and who was not.

How did I do it? I told everyone I spoke with about my dream. If they laughed at me, rolled their eyes, or in any way showed lack of belief, I stopped associating with them. I could not afford to. They were a dream stealer. However, if they got excited about my dream, I held on to them like they were made out of Gold! I’d just found myself a cheerleader.

By doing this all the time, before long I could have filled a cheering section with my supporters. An unexpected benefit of doing this was that I created a positive pressure that kept me from quitting when the going got tough. You see, no matter how rough a day I was having at the track, it was going to be easier to get back on the sled than to come back home and tell everyone that I had quit.

Birds of a feather flock together. Make sure you’re in the right flock. Make sure you’re in a flock that’s flying in the direction you want to go. It’s your choice. If you consistently spend time with people that are where you want to be, before long you’ll be reaching all of you goals and dreams. You’ll reach them in no time flat!

Goals Like an Olympic Champion

Virtually every Olympic athlete shares the same goal: winning the gold medal. But the interesting finding from research by sports psychologists is that the most motivated and successful athletes set goals in a very specific way that is far more precise and detailed than just setting one big goal.

The best news: we can all use the goal-setting strategies of elite athletes to achieve more motivation, success and self-improvement in our everyday lives.

Here's the most crucial principle: supplement the big, long-term goal with specific, challenging, near-term goals. Then focus more of your psychological effort and attention on those near-term goals.

An athlete who wakes up each day to focus only the gold medal (or the Super Bowl, or the World Series, etc.) will quickly become overwhelmed. Their motivation will wane. He or she will start to wonder: How can I get from here to there? Is this level of success really possible for me? As two experts on sports psychology, May and Veach, put it: "Repeated daily focusing on long-term goals is often counter-productive. The focus is too far into the future and prevents the athlete from completing the intermediate steps essential to ultimate success."

What happens when you focus on near-term goals? According to the research in the field of positive psychology (the scientific study of happy, successful people), lots of good stuff, including…

- Heightened performance, success and motivation
- Greater likelihood of accomplishing goals and making life changes
- More success in initiating and sustaining self-improvement efforts
- A stronger psychological sense of confidence and self-efficacy
- More determination and persistence, particularly after setbacks
- More enjoyment and intrinsic interest in the topic

What happens when you don't set near-term goals, or focus too heavily on long-term goals? I call it "goal-mismatch," and psychologically, it's a perfect recipe for low motivation, procrastination and rumination – thinking about goals, but not taking action toward goals. It's also a recipe for general unhappiness, failed attempts at self-improvement, and a lack of success. People who focus too much on their long-term goals view those goals as more difficult, more pressure-filled, and less enjoyable, while their near-term goals seem less motivating, relevant and satisfying.

Who avoids the psychology of goal-mismatch, and successfully leverages the psychology of near-term goals? Again, research in positive psychology points to many examples, including…

- Successful and motivated athletes, as I described above

- Successful students. Research conducted at Stanford University found that students struggling in math significantly improved their grades, as well as their motivation and psychological well-being, by focusing on near-term goals.

- Successful business and military leaders. Effective leaders often "segment" or "compartmentalize" complex tasks or missions into smaller, "bite-sized" sub-missions.

- Resolution-keepers. Less than 20% of New Year's resolution-makers become resolution-keepers. One of their key success strategies for maintaining their motivation and self-improvement efforts: focusing on near-term goals.

- Happy people. Those who are most satisfied with life are those working toward enjoyable, moderately challenging goals of high short-term importance.

It's easy to use the power of near-term goals to achieve more motivation, success and self-improvement in your everyday life. Just don't go overboard by making goals "too near-term." For example, students asked to make general monthly plans and goals perform better than those asked to make highly specific daily plans. They spend more time studying, study more effectively, are more motivated, procrastinate less, and get better grades. Monthly planners experience more flexibility in crafting strategies for accomplishing their goals. They achieve more success and self-improvement in part because they more easily adjust "on the fly" and are less easily "derailed" by changes in circumstance. A daily planner who gets a mild case of the flu quickly finds his daily goals unattainable, resulting in disappointment and a loss of motivation. General planners enjoy the process of planning more, gaining a sense of designing their lives via self-improvement, while highly specific planners get the sense of their lives being controlled by their appointment books and PDAs.

The bottom line: Set weekly or monthly goals, and work aggressively toward them while giving yourself some flexibility about how to achieve them. Do this, and you'll not only get the maximum boost in your performance and motivation, but you'll also enhance your success and self-improvement efforts. And you'll be using the psychology of success to set goals like an Olympic champion.

Olympic Lifting

Strength training and power training are critical components to the success of any athlete competing in sports that rely on speed and power for success. More specifically, the proper use of the Olympic lifts (the snatch, clean and their variations) facilitate improvements across a variety of modalities. When learned and executed correctly, Olympic Lifts increase and improve strength, power, speed, coordination, balance, flexibility, as well as overall conditioning. As a coach, you understand the role that all of these functions play in developing competitive and successful athletes.

However, the Olympic Lifts require extreme focus on the part of both the coach and the athlete in order to take advantage of the many benefits that these movements provide. If these lifts are not performed correctly, athletes drastically increase the likelihood of sustaining potentially serious injuries. For this reason, if athletes have not learned the correct way to perform the exercises they should not attempt to execute the exercise at all.

Fortunately, Olympic lifting can be taught and learned easily by following progressions. During instruction, each lift should be broken down into simple movements that athletes should master before progressing to more complex movements. With the number of exercises available, athletes of every level will be able to quickly learn and execute the movements. Therefore, you will be able to improve the efficiency and explosiveness of your athletes the very next time you step into the weight room.

When learning any Olympic Lift, it is critical that emphasis is placed on learning proper, explosive technique by using light weights. Most of the time, athletes employ the ‘more is better’ philosophy, thinking they will see greater benefits by using as much weight as possible. This will only lead to injury. Our goal is to increase power output and that comes from moving the weight quickly. If the weight is heavy, the weight will move slowly, the athletes’ technique will suffer and injury potential is increased. Mastery of technique must be emphasized in order to reap the full benefits of these exercises.

The Snatch - Learning the movement complex and progressions

Here are the exercises we use to teach our athletes how to Snatch. We first breakdown each part of the lift before having the athlete attempt the Snatch as a whole. Many years ago, Strength & Conditioning Expert Mike Boyle taught me that it is much easier to have your athletes learn the lifting progressions in order to perfect the movement pattern before you put it all together. It speeds up the learning curve and makes certain that the athlete does not get into bad habits when performing the lift. Use the following exercises in your weight training routine. This will ensure that you take the necessary steps in learning to execute the Snatch properly, as well as derive strength and power benefits from the movement progressions themselves.

Snatch RDL

Stand with the barbell in hands with hook grip, feet at hip width, shoulders back and chest up. Make sure that the chest is over the bar. Keeping arms straight and eyes fixed straight ahead, lower bar by moving the hips backwards while maintaining a slight but fixed bend in the knees. Stop once the bar reaches the top of the knees or when the flexibility in the hamstrings run out. Quickly return to the starting position by driving the hips forward and standing up straight. The goal of this exercise is to get the athlete used to the starting position as well as understand the need to drive the hips forward to create momentum.

Snatch RDL to Power Shrug:

Stand with the barbell in hands with hook grip, feet at hip width, shoulders back and chest up. Keeping arms straight and eyes fixed straight ahead, lower bar by moving the hips backwards while maintaining a slight but fixed bend in the knees. Stop once the bar reaches the top of the knees or when the flexibility in the hamstrings run out. Quickly drive the hips forward. So the hips reach full extension, explosively shrug the shoulders and rise up onto the toes.

Here the goal is to expand on the skills of the previous exercise and begin to implement the correct upper body technique. Many athletes begin bending their arms at the elbows, lifting the weight with their arms. Instead the focus must be on shrugging the shoulders, keeping the weight close to the body.

Snatch RDL to High Pull

Perform this drill as you did the previous exercise. Once you are up on the toes, continue to elevate the bar to mid-chest height by bending elbows and continuing the upward movement of the bar. Be sure to lift elbows up and keep the bar close to the body. When performing the high pull, it’s important to keep the arms straight until you achieve triple extension. Only upon full extension of the ankles, knees and hips should the arms begin to bend at the elbows. Premature flexion of the elbows is a very common mistake among young athletes and will result in improper execution of the exercise.

Muscle Snatch

Standing erect with barbell in hands with a snatch grip and feet at hip width, slide bar upwards along the body to near shoulder height. Once at shoulder height rotate elbows underneath the bar and continue to move bar upwards by pressing it into a catch position. Descend the bar in reverse order.

I have found that teaching Olympic lifting is much easier if you first break down each of the movements and teach them as partials or stages of the entire lift. Once your athlete has perfected each individual movement, they will find performing the whole snatch a much simpler task. Also, if you have an athlete struggling with a particular stage of the lift, you can use these exercises to clean up their form.

Apply these exercises and techniques to your athletes and clients and they will be performing the ‘complicated’ Olympic lifts with perfect form in no time.